Strawberry Muffins with Cream Cheese Swirl

Everyone will want seconds of this delicious strawberry muffins recipe! It’s got a tender fluffy crumb and and a cream cheese swirl topping. Here’s a recipe that turned out even more delicious than we imagined…these insanely tasty Strawberry Muffins! Imagine: a muffin with a tender crumb: just sweet enough and delightfully moist. Then top that with a strawberry cream cheese swirl, that coats everything in sweet savory richness. Our 4 year old Larson had the idea of making strawberry muffins (genius!), so we turned our favorite pumpkin muffin into a berry based one. Turns out, this one is even better than the original! What’s great about these strawberry muffins Some strawberry muffins have little chunks of strawberries in the batter, much like you would a blueberry muffin. But when we tried that type of strawberry muffin, the bits of berry made the batter soggy. Here’s what makes this strawberry muffin great: The strawberries are incorporated in a cream cheese swirl. This way, the berries incorporate into a creamy topping, leaving the bottom portion of the muffin perfectly moist. Man, is it delicious! The muffins are just sweet enough. Many muffins are glorified cupcakes: these are just sweet enough to be […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Everyone will want seconds of this delicious strawberry muffins recipe! It’s got a tender fluffy crumb and and a cream cheese swirl topping.

Strawberry muffins

Here’s a recipe that turned out even more delicious than we imagined…these insanely tasty Strawberry Muffins! Imagine: a muffin with a tender crumb: just sweet enough and delightfully moist. Then top that with a strawberry cream cheese swirl, that coats everything in sweet savory richness. Our 4 year old Larson had the idea of making strawberry muffins (genius!), so we turned our favorite pumpkin muffin into a berry based one. Turns out, this one is even better than the original!

What’s great about these strawberry muffins

Some strawberry muffins have little chunks of strawberries in the batter, much like you would a blueberry muffin. But when we tried that type of strawberry muffin, the bits of berry made the batter soggy. Here’s what makes this strawberry muffin great:

  • The strawberries are incorporated in a cream cheese swirl. This way, the berries incorporate into a creamy topping, leaving the bottom portion of the muffin perfectly moist. Man, is it delicious!
  • The muffins are just sweet enough. Many muffins are glorified cupcakes: these are just sweet enough to be aptly called a muffin.
  • They’re moist from applesauce! Applesauce makes a perfectly moist cake portion of the muffin, without it being too buttery or oily.

How to make and swirl the cream cheese topping

These strawberry muffins are pretty straightforward: the only part that needs a little more explanation is the cream cheese swirl. Here’s what to know about this part of the recipe:

  • Dice the strawberries into small pieces. This helps the strawberries to integrate into the cream cheese — it will turn pink but still have strawberry chunks (this is intended!).
  • Place dollops of cream cheese on top of the muffin batter. Use a heaping 1 tablespoon.
  • Use a toothpick to swirl and push the cheese into the batter. Swirl it in so that it incorporates into the top portion of the muffin batter.
Strawberry muffins

Storage info for strawberry muffins

Because there’s cream cheese on top, you’ll want to store these strawberry muffins in the refrigerator instead of at room temperature like other muffins. Here are a few pointers:

  • The muffins are the best the day of making. Wait after baking until they’re about room temperature, then devour. They taste incredible the day of.
  • Refrigerate for 5 days. Pop them into the fridge for storage. Remember to let them warm back to room temp for a minute or two before you enjoy them.
  • Do not freeze. The cream cheese topping doesn’t hold up well in the freezer, so we don’t recommend freezing here.

When to serve them!

These strawberry muffins are great for when you have a bunch of strawberries you don’t know what to do with. They’re absolutely perfect for entertaining, too! Here are a few ideas for how to pair them:

Strawberry muffins

More strawberry recipes

Love this popular berry? Us too! Here are some of our favorite ways to make strawberries into a tasty treat:

Strawberry muffins

This strawberry muffins recipe is…

Vegetarian.

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Strawberry muffins

Strawberry Muffins (with Cream Cheese Swirl!)


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Everyone will want seconds of this delicious strawberry muffins recipe! It’s got a tender fluffy crumb and and a cream cheese swirl topping. 


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled Old Fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 cup diced strawberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 12 muffin cups to a standard muffin tin.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar and cinnamon with the baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
  3. In another bowl, combine the applesauce, neutral oil, and vanilla extract. Wait to add it to the dries until you’ve made the cream cheese topping. 
  4. Dice the strawberries into small pieces. Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or electric hand mixer to combine the cream cheese, sugar, and strawberries: beat them on medium speed until fully combined (the cheese will turn pink but still have chunks of strawberries). 
  5. Mix the wet ingredients (applesauce, oil and vanilla) into the bowl with the dry ingredients (flour, oats, etc.) and stir until a smooth batter forms.
  6. Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups. Dollop a mounded tablespoon of strawberry cream cheese onto the center of each muffin. Then use a toothpick to swirl the cream cheese until it is smoothed onto the top and partially worked into the batter (see the photos).
  7. Bake for about 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the muffin portion. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins and place them on a cooling rack. Cool 1 hour until room temperature. Enjoy or refrigerate up to 1 week (these muffins do not freeze well).
  • Category: Muffins
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Muffins

Keywords: Strawberry muffins, strawberry muffins recipe

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Peanut Butter Energy Balls

This peanut butter energy balls recipe is the best easy snack! Healthy oatmeal balls pack protein and fiber into tasty bites. Here’s a healthy snack that’s so delicious, you might find yourself sneaking one for dessert. Try this peanut butter Energy Balls recipe! Yes, we can’t stop riffing on combinations of peanut butter and oatmeal, though any nut butter works here. Just mix a handful of simple ingredients together and bam! You’ve got an instant homemade snack that’s infinitely more delicious than store-bought granola bars or energy bites. Even better, they’ve got a good amount of protein and fiber for a tiny ball. We think they’re pretty darn perfect. Ingredients in the best energy balls recipe These energy balls are quick and easy to make, and full of very simple ingredients you might already have on hand. That’s very intentional, in fact. Years ago, we used to make energy ball recipes with trendy Medjool dates, a large variety of date with a sticky sweet, caramel flavor. We love them, but they can be hard at the grocery and very expensive. Also, I burned Alex out on Medjool date energy bites (oops!). Now we now want our energy balls recipes super […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This peanut butter energy balls recipe is the best easy snack! Healthy oatmeal balls pack protein and fiber into tasty bites.

Energy balls

Here’s a healthy snack that’s so delicious, you might find yourself sneaking one for dessert. Try this peanut butter Energy Balls recipe! Yes, we can’t stop riffing on combinations of peanut butter and oatmeal, though any nut butter works here. Just mix a handful of simple ingredients together and bam! You’ve got an instant homemade snack that’s infinitely more delicious than store-bought granola bars or energy bites. Even better, they’ve got a good amount of protein and fiber for a tiny ball. We think they’re pretty darn perfect.

Ingredients in the best energy balls recipe

These energy balls are quick and easy to make, and full of very simple ingredients you might already have on hand. That’s very intentional, in fact. Years ago, we used to make energy ball recipes with trendy Medjool dates, a large variety of date with a sticky sweet, caramel flavor. We love them, but they can be hard at the grocery and very expensive. Also, I burned Alex out on Medjool date energy bites (oops!).

Now we now want our energy balls recipes super simple. Oatmeal, peanut butter, and honey are things we always have on hand…so why not use them? They’re beyond easy to make: and kids love them too! Here’s what you’ll need for these peanut butter oatmeal balls:

  • Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • Creamy peanut butter: no sugar added! Use sunflower butter for nut free
  • Honey: substitute agave syrup for vegan
  • Kosher salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla or chocolate protein powder: see notes below
  • Mini chocolate chips: make sure to get mini-chips! They’re best for keeping the balls tightly packed
Peanut butter energy balls

How to roll peanut butter energy balls

This energy balls recipe could not be easier: all you have to do is mix together the ingredients and roll them up! It’s that simple. Want them to look as beautifully uniform as the energy balls in the photo? Here are a few tips on rolling these energy bites:

  • Freeze the dough 5 minutes before you roll. Just a few minutes in the freezer firms up the texture so it’s easy to roll.
  • Use a cookie scoop (1 1/2-inch or #40). This is the magic behind making them look so uniform! A cookie scoop is perfect for proportioning out the dough. Don’t have one? No problem, just approximate.
  • Use mini chocolate chips. Using mini chocolate chips helps the entire texture to stick together well: large chips can cause fractures.
Peanut butter oatmeal balls

Use any nut butter you like: and some troubleshooting tips

These don’t have to be peanut butter energy balls, of course. You can use any nut butter you like: almond butter, cashew butter, pecan butter, or sunflower butter for nut-free! Here are a few notes if you use a different nut butter:

  • Make sure to use a creamy nut butter. You’ll want a nut butter with a nice creamy texture that will make the energy balls stick together.
  • You can use homemade, but be aware of texture. You can use homemade nut butter, but be aware: some homemade versions can be very dry.
  • If it’s too dry, add a little more honey or a few tablespoons milk. If you can’t get the balls to stick together, it’s ok: all nut butters have a different consistency. Just add a little more honey or your milk of choice (dairy or non dairy) until the dough is able to stick together.

Are these healthy energy balls?

These peanut butter energy balls come out 1,000 times more delicious than a store-bought granola bar. And guess what? They’re fairly healthy too. You can get a decent amount of protein in a few balls (which would equal 1 store-bought energy bar). Here are the particulars:

  • Protein: Each energy bite has 3 grams of protein of 6% of your daily need.
  • Fiber: Each energy ball has 1 gram of fiber or 5% of your daily need.
  • Fat: Each energy bite has 4 grams of fat or 5% of your daily allotment.
  • Calories: Each ball has 100 calories.

Of course when it comes to healthy snacks, carrot sticks or a handful of almonds are the healthiest. But if you’re looking for something irresistibly tasty and

Energy balls recipe

What protein powder to buy (or omit it!)

Here at A Couple Cooks we don’t usually include protein powder in our recipes. But for these peanut butter oatmeal balls we wanted to maximize the overall protein content! If you prefer, you can definitely omit the

Alex did a little research into how to find healthy protein powder; here’s what we found:

Energy ball flavor variations!

There are so many ways to mix up this energy balls recipe! As we’ve mentioned above, no need to make them peanut butter oatmeal balls, though that’s our favorite way. Here are a few ideas on how to vary the flavors:

  • Almond joy: Use almond butter instead of peanut butter, and add 1/4 cup shredded coconut (so delicious!). Remember if your almond butter has a dry texture, add a little more honey or a few tablespoons milk until the dough comes together.
  • Birthday cake: Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and 3 tablespoons all natural sprinkles.
  • Cherry vanilla: Substitute dried cherries for the chocolate chips (roughly chopped) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  • Blueberry lemon: Substitute dried blueberries for the chocolate chips and add 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest.

There are so many more options…how would you customize these energy bites? Let us know in the comments below.

Peanut Butter Energy Balls

These peanut butter oatmeal balls are very similar to our oatmeal bars recipes! Because oatmeal, peanut butter and honey are the best classic combination, right? Try these fan favorite oatmeal bars:

This energy balls recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free, use agave syrup.

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Energy balls

Easy Energy Balls


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 20
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This peanut butter energy balls recipe is the best easy snack! Healthy oatmeal balls pack protein and fiber into tasty bites. 


Ingredients

  • 2 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (no sugar added, or any nut butter or sunflower butter for nut free)
  • 1/3 cup honey (or agave syrup for vegan)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup vanilla or chocolate protein powder (we use this one)*
  • 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Freeze the bowl for 5 minutes. 
  2. Roll the dough into 20 small balls, pressing the dough together with your hands. We used a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop (#40) to make uniform balls. You can also make smaller balls if desired. (If the texture of your nut butter makes the dough very dry, add a little more honey or a few tablespoons milk of choice until you can press it together into a ball shape.) Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Notes

*If you prefer, you can omit the protein powder from this recipe and still have a delicious snack. You can also add natural foods like chia seeds or flax seeds (2 tablespoons of each has 4 grams protein).

  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Raw
  • Cuisine: Snack

Keywords: Energy balls, Energy balls recipe, Peanut butter energy balls, Peanut butter oatmeal balls

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

This vegetarian French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food! It’s got the rich flavor of the classic, topped with a golden crust of cheese. There’s just something about silky caramelized onions topped golden, crusty cheese that takes your breath away every time. This is classic French cooking at its finest. It’s not just the flavor. It’s the promise that while the outside world is cold and brutal, every spoonful of French onion soup is pure bliss. This vegetarian French onion soup is our spin on the classic: it’s so full of rich, nuanced flavor you won’t miss the traditional beef broth. It’s a bit of a project: but it’s worth every moment of the prep. Promise! How to make French onion soup: an overview French onion soup has a long history; onion soups go back as far as the Roman times. But the modern version of French onion soup comes from Paris in the 1700’s. It was introduced in the US in the 1860’s in a New York restaurant, and it’s been popular ever since. You’ll need about 1 1/2 hours to make this vegetarian French onion soup. But it is 100% worth the effort, and you can make […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This vegetarian French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food! It’s got the rich flavor of the classic, topped with a golden crust of cheese.

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

There’s just something about silky caramelized onions topped golden, crusty cheese that takes your breath away every time. This is classic French cooking at its finest. It’s not just the flavor. It’s the promise that while the outside world is cold and brutal, every spoonful of French onion soup is pure bliss. This vegetarian French onion soup is our spin on the classic: it’s so full of rich, nuanced flavor you won’t miss the traditional beef broth. It’s a bit of a project: but it’s worth every moment of the prep. Promise!

How to make French onion soup: an overview

French onion soup has a long history; onion soups go back as far as the Roman times. But the modern version of French onion soup comes from Paris in the 1700’s. It was introduced in the US in the 1860’s in a New York restaurant, and it’s been popular ever since.

You’ll need about 1 1/2 hours to make this vegetarian French onion soup. But it is 100% worth the effort, and you can make a few components in advance as time savers. Make it on a cozy day when you have time to prep, or do the advanced prep if you’re serving for a dinner party.

Caramelize the onions1 hour
Make the vegetarian broth30 minutes (while cooking onions)
Make the soup20 minutes
Vegetarian French onion soup

The key to vegetarian French onion soup: homemade broth

Here’s one important thing to note. Vegetable broths and stocks vary widely in flavor and quality. Try it in a French onion soup, and most purchased veggie broth comes out sweet: not savory like you’d expect! Trust us, we tested a few times and it did not taste right.

Here’s what you’ll have to do: make a homemade vegetable broth! It might sound like overkill, but it makes for just the right flavor. When Alex and I tried it with this homemade broth, we were amazed by the flavor. Don’t skip this step!

Of course, if you want a classic French onion soup: just use beef broth! You can make the same recipe without that step and of course, it tastes great too.

Caramelizing onions: a few tips

The main time-consuming step for vegetarian French onion soup is caramelizing the onions! Sure, you can saute onions in about 10 minutes. But to get them fully dark brown and caramelized takes about 1 hour. Here are the basic steps, and a graphic that shows the color of the onions each phase!

  • Thinly slice the onions.
  • Sauté the onions in butter for 10 minutes on medium high.
  • Reduce the heat to medium low, add salt and saute for 40 to 45 minutes until deep brown and very soft.
How to caramelize onions

Dry sherry brings big flavor (or use white wine)

This vegetarian French onion soup uses dry sherry to bring in complexity and intrigue into the flavor. What is it, and what’s a substitute?

  • Sherry is a fortified wine made in Spain that’s made by adding grape liquor to white wine. The flavor is sharp, with a scent of apple cider and a very dry finish. It’s worth finding for this recipe if you don’t have it already.
  • How long does sherry last? An opened bottle of sherry lasts in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months.
  • What’s a substitute for sherry? Don’t’ have it? You can use a dry white wine instead (make sure it’s not a sweet wine).

The crouton topping: broil or bake!

The last component to a great vegetarian French onion soup is the crouton topping! That is: it’s topped bread and cheese, broiled to golden perfection. There are a few techniques to achieve this, but I love the one that Alex devised using both Swiss cheese and grated Parmesan. Here’s what to do:

  • Place the soup into small oven-safe bowls or ramekins. This is key! Make sure you have some small serving bowls: typically this soup is not served in large vessels.
  • Add 1/2 inch slices of bread, then Swiss or Gruyere and grated Parmesan cheese. The two cheese really makes the perfect melting. Remember: grated Parm is the kind that looks like snow (don’t use shredded).
  • Broil for 2 minutes or bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees. The broiling method here is much easier and quicker: we prefer it! But if you don’t have a broiler, go the oven route.
How to make French onion soup

Make ahead tips for vegetarian French onion soup

Last tip before we get to this (very tasty) recipe: here’s how to speed it up! You can make both of the main components in advance:

  • Caramelize the onions in advance. This makes the prep time take next to nothing! Caramelize the onions, then refrigerate until serving. Bring to warm before you pick up in the soup recipe.
  • Make the homemade broth in advance. Same idea! You can refrigerate until serving, then warm it up and pick right back up in the recipe.

What to serve with French onion soup

Here’s a final important thing to note about French onion soup: it’s not intended as a full meal. It’s generally served as an appetizer to an elegant meal, or as a lunch. How to make it into a light meal? Here’s what to add:

Vegetarian French onion soup recipe

This vegetarian French onion soup is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread.

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Vegetarian French Onion Soup

Vegetarian French Onion Soup


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This vegetarian French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food! It’s got the rich flavor of the classic, topped with a golden crust of cheese.


Ingredients

For the caramelized onions

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 pounds yellow onions (5 medium)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry (or white wine)
  • 1 tablespoon flour

For the soup

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (purchased or use this substitute)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 6 slices Swiss or Gruyere cheese (or shredded)
  • 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 6 large or 12 small slices bread, sliced about 1/2” thick

Instructions

  1. Caramelize the onions: Thinly slice the onions about 1/8-inch thick. In a soup pot, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and just starting to brown on the bottom. Reduce to medium-low heat and stir in the kosher salt. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes and adjusting the heat so they continue to cook slowly without burning. The mushrooms will change from raw to golden to light brown to very dark brown, and reduce in volume by about 1/4. (Make ahead tip: Make the caramelized onions in advance and refrigerate until ready to make the soup. Reheat in a pan and go to step 3.)
  2. Meanwhile, make the homemade broth: Slice the mushrooms. Wash and cut the carrot in half length-wise, then into large chunks. Cut the celery into large pieces. Smash and peel the garlic. In a second pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add 8 cups water, kosher salt, and vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. (Make ahead: Make the broth in advance and refrigerate until serving. Then warm before proceeding to Step 3.)
  3. Simmer the soup: When onions are very reduced and dark brown, stir in the sherry and deglaze the pan by scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the onions are coated. Strain the homemade broth into the onions (discarding the vegetables). Add 1 cup water and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.
  4. Broil the topping: Place the soup into 6 oven-safe small bowls or ramekins. Preheat a broiler to high or an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Top with bread slices (about 1/2-inch thick), 1 slice Swiss or Gruyere cheese, and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan per bowl. Broil 1 to 3 minutes (or bake for 20 minutes) until the cheese is melted and browned. Place on a plate and serve immediately, taking care since the bowls are very hot. 
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: French

Keywords: Vegetarian French onion soup, French onion soup, How to make French onion soup

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Sheet Pan Nachos!

Here’s the very best nachos recipe, loaded with all the classic toppings! These tips make a delicious sheet pan everyone will love. What’s better than a big pan of nachos? (Answer: not much.) This Tex Mex favorite is one of life’s great pleasures, and we’re here for them. They’re ideal an appetizer to feed a crowd, but even better: they work as a simple dinner too! Here’s the best part about our Ultimate Nachos Recipe: it works for any diet. We’ve got a variation for meat eaters, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free eaters! We’ve also research all the best nacho toppings so you know exactly which ones are essential to that classic flavor. Keys to the best nachos recipe (that fits any diet) Like any good food nerds, we’ve done a bit of research to find the best way to make nachos. Here are a few of the features of the absolute best way to make nachos that will be a huge hit with everyone at the table. Here’s how to make a pan of classic nachos while accommodating many diets: Make vegan taco meat OR ground beef. This walnut taco meat tastes so meaty, your family might not know the […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Here’s the very best nachos recipe, loaded with all the classic toppings! These tips make a delicious sheet pan everyone will love.

Nachos recipe

What’s better than a big pan of nachos? (Answer: not much.) This Tex Mex favorite is one of life’s great pleasures, and we’re here for them. They’re ideal an appetizer to feed a crowd, but even better: they work as a simple dinner too! Here’s the best part about our Ultimate Nachos Recipe: it works for any diet. We’ve got a variation for meat eaters, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free eaters! We’ve also research all the best nacho toppings so you know exactly which ones are essential to that classic flavor.

Keys to the best nachos recipe (that fits any diet)

Like any good food nerds, we’ve done a bit of research to find the best way to make nachos. Here are a few of the features of the absolute best way to make nachos that will be a huge hit with everyone at the table. Here’s how to make a pan of classic nachos while accommodating many diets:

  • Make vegan taco meat OR ground beef. This walnut taco meat tastes so meaty, your family might not know the difference. (Sounds weird, but we promise!) It makes for a healthy nachos recipe spin. Serving meat lovers? We’ve got instructions for the standard taco meat below too. Better yet, make both!
  • Add the essential toppings. There are a handful of toppings that are in all the best nachos (see below).
  • Consider toasting the chips first. Just a few minutes in the pan makes super crisp chips that get less soggy.
Nachos

Essential nachos toppings

What are those essential toppings? We did a survey nacho recipes and all our favorite nacho experiences. Here are the top toppings you must have to make the best nachos:

  • Cheese (see below)
  • Refried beans: we mix ours with salsa to get big flavor; it also helps to get nice melty cheese
  • Pico de gallo: use purchased or sub in finely diced tomato and red onion
  • Green onions: the onion-y flavor and bright green color are essential
  • Sour cream: Sour cream is an absolute must! Serve on the side if you’re serving for a crowd, to
  • Guacamole: Same idea: feel free to serve on the side for dipping, or dollop on the entire pan
  • Cilantro: You can go either way, but we’re cilantro people over here
  • Jalapeño peppers: If you like heat, pickled jalapeños are perfection

The second string players when it comes to nacho toppings? Sliced black olives are popular: go for them if you’re an olives fan. Canned corn or crunchy romaine lettuce are also nice adders.

Shredded cheese vs nacho cheese

When it comes to cheese: should you use shredded cheese or nacho cheese for your nachos?

  • Shredded cheese: Shredded cheese is most common for nachos. We like a blend of Colby Jack cheese or Mexican cheese best, but you can also use cheddar.
  • Nacho cheese: Use nacho cheese if you’re a fan of the gooey stuff: or if you want plant-based nachos! This Vegan Nacho Cheese is to die for: even meat-lovers are head over heels for it (we’ve tested on many friends and family!).
Nachos toppings

What chips to use for nachos

Here are a few tips on the best chips to use for nachos…because it really does matter! Here’s what to know:

  • Look for organic chips with a short ingredient list. Going for a healthy nachos recipe? Or healthier? Grab organic corn chips that have only 3 ingredients: corn, oil, and salt! Check the back of the package.
  • Avoid the very thin chips. These get soggy and tend to break when loaded with nacho toppings. Speaking of soggy…

How to avoid a dry or soggy nachos recipe

There are two dreaded nachos recipe states: too soggy or too dry. This recipe avoids both and lands solidly in the “just right” camp. Here’s what we’ve learned on the soggy vs dry nacho front:

  • Add a little cheese to the chips first, which forms a protective barrier. Then layer your toppings on top.
  • Even better, toast the chips in the oven for a few minutes. This helps to crisp them up even a little more (we don’t always do this, but you can do it if you plan to set them out).
  • Use refried beans with cheese, sour cream and guacamole per the recipe below. This makes sure they’re perfectly loaded with goodness: no risk of dryness!
Nachos recipe

Step it up: use a kitchen torch

Want next level nachos? Here’s a tip we learned while making this nachos recipe. To get our cheese a little gooier for the photo, we used a kitchen torch — you know, the kind you use for creme brulee. Turns out, it infuses a delightfully smoky nuance into nachos! We assume most of you probably don’t have one of these at home, but if you do: try running it lightly over the cheese. It’s very, very good.

Nacho variations!

And that’s it! These nachos are a great appetizer for a party, perfect for game day or even a simple dinner recipe. Looking for a few other ways to make nachos? We’ve got lots of ideas because…well, we can’t get enough of them! Here are some ways to vary the theme:

Nacho toppings
Who could resist this goodness?

This nachos recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Nachos recipe

Best Nachos Recipe!


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (11 votes, average: 4.82 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Here’s the very best nachos recipe, loaded with all the classic toppings! These tips make a delicious sheet pan everyone will love. 


Ingredients

For the nachos

  • 1 1/2 cups Walnut Taco Meat or 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 15-ounce can refried beans
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 6 ounces organic corn chips (approximately 1 sheet pan)
  • 2 cups shredded Colby Jack or Mexican blend cheese (or Vegan Nacho Cheese, for vegan)

For the toppings

  • 1/2 cup pico de gallo (or finely diced tomato and red onion)
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper or 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
  • Sour cream, for garnish (omit for vegan and use nacho cheese)
  • Guacamole, for garnish
  • Optional toppings: Black olives, lettuce or corn

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  2. For the meat: Make the Walnut Taco Meat (or make it in advance; it stores well). Or if using ground beef, add it to a skillet with 1 tablespoon cumin and 1 teaspoon each smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for about 8 minutes until browned, then drain the fat. 
  3. For the beans: Mix the refried beans with the salsa. Taste and add a few pinches kosher salt if desired.
  4. Bake the nachos: Line a standard-sized baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chips in a single layer on top (to avoid soggy chips, you can also pre-bake them for about 3 minutes until they are toasted and fragrant). Add a sprinkle of cheese (this also helps to keep them less soggy). Then add a layer of the beans, then the remaining cheese and taco meat. Bake 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts, then remove from the oven. (Optional: Add a smoky flair by charring the cheese with a kitchen torch — only if you have one, but it adds mega flavor!) 
  5. Top the nachos: Top with the pico de gallo, cilantro, green onion and jalapenos. Dollop with sour cream and guacamole and serve. 
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Tex Mex

Keywords: Nachos, Nachos recipe, Best nachos recipe

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

These cozy banana oatmeal muffins are easy to whip up in a blender! Add streusel for a sweet crunch, or go healthy with a sprinkle of oats. Got a few spotty bananas on hand? Try these cozy Banana Oatmeal Muffins! These tasty muffins are beautifully fluffy and moist, perfect for using up this tasty fruit. Even better: they’re mostly made with whole grain oats! There’s a bit of flour to give it a light body, but these muffins are almost just as a bowl of oatmeal. Top them with a light streusel topping and they’re a tasty treat that works any time of the day. Here’s how to make them! Banana oatmeal muffins…made in a blender! These banana oatmeal muffins are so cozy and easy to whip up! The key: they’re made in a blender! It blends the oats into a fine flour, and makes it easy to put together the dough. There are no mixing bowls needed! Here’s what to know about this type of muffin: Use the ripest bananas you can. Bananas make magic when they’re brown and spotty. The riper the better, here! You’ll get a beautifully banana-scented flavor and the best sweetness. A quality blender makes […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

These cozy banana oatmeal muffins are easy to whip up in a blender! Add streusel for a sweet crunch, or go healthy with a sprinkle of oats.

Banana oatmeal muffins

Got a few spotty bananas on hand? Try these cozy Banana Oatmeal Muffins! These tasty muffins are beautifully fluffy and moist, perfect for using up this tasty fruit. Even better: they’re mostly made with whole grain oats! There’s a bit of flour to give it a light body, but these muffins are almost just as a bowl of oatmeal. Top them with a light streusel topping and they’re a tasty treat that works any time of the day. Here’s how to make them!

Banana oatmeal muffins…made in a blender!

These banana oatmeal muffins are so cozy and easy to whip up! The key: they’re made in a blender! It blends the oats into a fine flour, and makes it easy to put together the dough. There are no mixing bowls needed! Here’s what to know about this type of muffin:

  • Use the ripest bananas you can. Bananas make magic when they’re brown and spotty. The riper the better, here! You’ll get a beautifully banana-scented flavor and the best sweetness.
  • A quality blender makes easy work of it. A high speed blender is best: but these work in even the slowest of blenders. It just takes a while longer!
  • Don’t over-blend. Whiz just until the ingredients come together into a smooth dough.
Banana oatmeal muffins

Add streusel topping or an alternative for healthy banana muffins

The fun part about these banana oatmeal muffins? They have a crunchy, sweet streusel topping! It adds just the right sweetness to every muffin bite. But if you want an even healthier banana oatmeal muffins? Here’s an alternative:

  • The streusel blends butter, oats, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Mix them together with a fork until crumbly. You can also use coconut oil as a vegan option.
  • Turbinado sugar makes the crunchiest topping. Turbinado sugar is raw sugar with large, light brown crystals. It makes a great crunchy texture on top. Use brown sugar as a substitute if desired.
  • For healthy banana oatmeal muffins, use just oats and sugar. Roughly chop the oats with a knife. Then sprinkle both raw oats and turbinado sugar or brown sugar on top. It’s easier and healthier!
Healthy banana oatmeal muffins

Variations and mix-ins!

There are lots of great mix-ins for banana oatmeal muffins! Of course if you’re looking for a healthy banana muffin, stick with them as is. But to mix it up, try these variations:

  • Blueberry banana muffins: Fold 1 cup blueberries into the batter before baking.
  • Banana chocolate chip muffins: Add 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips to the batter.
  • Banana walnut muffins: Add 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts to the batter.

Storage info for banana oatmeal muffins

What’s the best way to store banana oatmeal muffins? These muffins have special storage instructions because of the crunchy topping. Here’s what to know:

  • Store at room temperature 4 days with a paper towel, or lightly covered with foil. If you store in a sealed container, the topping can become very soft. Instead, add a paper towel to the container to absorb excess moisture. Or simply cover the top of the container with foil.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months. These banana oatmeal muffins freeze well. The topping may not have quite the same texture after freezing, but they’re still delicious. The oat and sugar topping may do better after freezing.
Banana oatmeal muffins

More banana muffins

Looking for more options? We’ve got lots to choose from. Banana muffins are somewhat of a hobby around here! Here are our top muffin recipes starring banana:

This banana oatmeal muffins recipe is…

Vegetarian, plant-based, vegan, and dairy-free. For gluten free, go to Gluten Free Banana Muffins.

Print

Banana Oatmeal Muffins


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 10 muffins
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These cozy banana oatmeal muffins are easy to whip up in a blender! Add streusel for a sweet crunch, or go healthy with a sprinkle of oats.


Ingredients

For the batter

  • 3 large ripe bananas (broken into pieces)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil
  • 1 egg (or flax egg for vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 tablespoon almond extract)
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (for gluten free, go to Blender Muffins)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel topping (or use 3 tablespoons roughly chopped oats & 2 tablespoons turbinado or brown sugar)

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar or dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter (or coconut oil for vegan)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  2. Mix the streusel topping ingredients, with the butter cut into small pieces, in a small bowl with a fork until crumbly. Or, mix the optional chopped oats and brown sugar. Set aside.
  3. Combine all the batter ingredients in blender and blend until a smooth batter forms (don’t over blend). Pour into 10 muffin cups. Crumble a bit of the streusel topping onto each muffin.
  4. Bake 25 to 28 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few clinging crumbs. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins and place them on a cooling rack. Cool 1 hour until room temperature. Store up to 4 days in a sealed container with a paper towel inside (to keep the topping crumbly) or frozen up to 3 months. You can also refrigerate the muffins, but they can become dry and the topping becomes soft. 
  • Category: Muffins
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Muffins

Keywords: Banana oatmeal muffins

More banana recipes

Got bananas on hand? There’s lots more to make! Here are a few more banana recipes to try:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the best trick! They’re no bake, easy and healthy; and the flavor is out of this world. Here’s our new favorite trick for healthy treats: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars! These are everything you want in a treat: irresistible sweet peanut-y flavor, chewy texture, and a little drizzle of chocolate on top! These no bake oatmeal bars are like our famous bliss bite cookies, but easier and healthier (if that’s possible). And we can’t get enough of them! Our son Larson often asks with a sly smile if he can have an oatmeal bar: and we’re happy to indulge him. This sweet treat optimizes whole grain oats while hitting it big in the sweet, salty and satisfying department. Let’s get cooking! Though really…there’s no real cooking involved. Ingredients for peanut butter oatmeal bars There are only 5 ingredients you’ll need for these peanut butter oatmeal bars…and two are in the recipe title! That’s the ultimate easy recipe, right there. We love these no bake oatmeal bars for treats, but they’re also great for snacks since they’re mostly just whole grain oats. For breakfast bars, we prefer our straight up Oatmeal Bars: but you could also […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the best trick! They’re no bake, easy and healthy; and the flavor is out of this world.

Peanut butter oatmeal bars

Here’s our new favorite trick for healthy treats: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars! These are everything you want in a treat: irresistible sweet peanut-y flavor, chewy texture, and a little drizzle of chocolate on top! These no bake oatmeal bars are like our famous bliss bite cookies, but easier and healthier (if that’s possible). And we can’t get enough of them! Our son Larson often asks with a sly smile if he can have an oatmeal bar: and we’re happy to indulge him. This sweet treat optimizes whole grain oats while hitting it big in the sweet, salty and satisfying department. Let’s get cooking! Though really…there’s no real cooking involved.

Ingredients for peanut butter oatmeal bars

There are only 5 ingredients you’ll need for these peanut butter oatmeal bars…and two are in the recipe title! That’s the ultimate easy recipe, right there. We love these no bake oatmeal bars for treats, but they’re also great for snacks since they’re mostly just whole grain oats. For breakfast bars, we prefer our straight up Oatmeal Bars: but you could also eat these for breakfast as well. Here’s what you’ll need for these babies:

  • Old Fashioned rolled oats: Use plain old oats here: not steel cut or instant oats!
  • Peanut butter: We like natural peanut butter with no added sugar or salt, but use your favorite brand.
  • Honey: Honey has the best warm flavor and sticky texture. See below for a few vegan options!
  • Cinnamon: This spice adds just the right nuance.
  • Dark chocolate: All you need is a 1 ounce of dark chocolate — it’s just a hint of the good stuff!
Peanut butter oatmeal bars

Chocolate drizzle is optional

The dark chocolate is optional here: but it’s a great addition! Just the small amount of chocolate adds a great punch, but still keeps the treats on the healthy side. How?

  • Dark chocolate adds just 8 calories per bar! That’s for the large sized bar (see more on that below). We’re not in the habit of counting calories, but we were pleasantly surprised to note that the drizzle doesn’t take it into decadent territory.
  • Also try milk chocolate, peanut butter, or white chocolate. Some variations? Melt semi-sweet chocolate, peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips into a drizzle. White chocolate and dark chocolate together would also look lovely.

Cut them into large or small servings

Serving size is helpful when you’re looking at healthy treats! These peanut butter oatmeal bars have two size options depending on what you’re looking for:

  • Cut them into 20 bars, 4 x 5-inches. We like small rectangles vs the standard large squares you get if you simply divide a 9 x 9 pan evenly into 16. Call us crazy, but it’s more fun to eat this size!
  • Or go smaller: cut those in half to make 40 bars! Love curbing a sweets craving with a little morsel? Go for 40 small bars: they’re perfect for little nibbles.
No bake peanut butter oatmeal bars

Vegan no bake oatmeal bars

Want to make vegan peanut butter oatmeal bars instead? The honey in this recipe is important for creating a nuanced, warm flavor and the sticky texture. Typically we use maple syrup as a vegan sweetener, but it doesn’t have quite the same texture and sweetness here. We recommend using agave syrup: it’s slightly stickier than maple. But you can use maple syrup if it’s all you have!

How to store peanut butter oatmeal bars

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the perfect treat to throw in the fridge and gobble up on moments notice! They keep very well in the fridge or freezer; here’s what to know:

  • Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you do the drizzle, wait for it to dry, then place wax paper between the layers. Or just don’t care and stack them, like we do!
  • Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. They also freeze well…and honestly taste great popped out of the freezer too.
No bake oatmeal bars

More healthy bars

We love these healthy bars as a sweet treat that’s not decadent and fills us up with whole grains! Here are a few more healthy bars that taste amazing:

This peanut butter oatmeal bars recipe is…

Vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free. For vegan and plant-based, see the notes above.

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Peanut butter oatmeal bars

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 20 bars (or 40 small bars)
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These peanut butter oatmeal bars are the best trick! They’re no bake, easy and healthy; and the flavor is out of this world.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (no sugar added, or sunflower butter for nut free)
  • 1/2 cup honey (or 1/2 cup agave syrup* for vegan)
  • 4 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 ounce dark chocolate (2 large squares)

Instructions

  1. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Add a sheet of parchment paper to a 9 x 9 pan. Place the ingredients in the pan and press it into an even layer. Use a small glass to roll over the top to get it smooth. 
  2. Freeze the bars for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the freezer and use the parchment to lift it out of the pan. Cut into 20 rectangles (4 x 5 inches) or 40 small rectangles.
  3. In the microwave with short intervals or over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, stirring until they come together into a glossy chocolate. If using the microwave, use short bursts of 10 seconds or so and stir after each: be careful not to overheat the chocolate or get any water in the chocolate, which will cause it to seize up. When melted, drizzle over the bars and allow to cool.  You can eat right away, or refrigerate for about 1 hour for a more solid texture. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks (or frozen for several months, placing wax paper between the layers). 

Notes

*Maple syrup is generally our sweetener of choice, but the flavor and texture of honey really make these bars. Since maple syrup is not as sticky as honey, for vegan substitute we recommend agave syrup. 

  • Category: Dessert or Snack
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keywords: Peanut butter oatmeal bars, No bake oatmeal bars, Healthy bars

More with peanut butter

Who doesn’t love nutty peanut butter? There’s nothing it doesn’t make better. Here are a few more peanut butter recipes to enjoy:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Spiced Applesauce Bread

This applesauce bread recipe is the best quick bread! It’s unbelievably tasty and cozy spiced. Step it up with an easy icing drizzle! There’s zucchini bread for the summer and pumpkin bread for the fall…but here’s a cozy quick bread that works for anytime. This spiced and iced Applesauce Bread recipe! This one is perfectly spiced with cinnamon, allspice and cloves, and studded with oats. It’s so tasty and perfect for special occasions! Suffice it to say, it went over very well in our house. Take it over the top with an easy icing drizzle. It’s great for an occasional treat or as a way to use up applesauce. Here’s how to make this impressive loaf! Ingredients in applesauce bread This applesauce bread is an easy quick bread, just like zucchini, pumpkin, and banana bread. But the fruit puree here is applesauce! We got the idea from brainstorming ways to use applesauce after making our family favorite applesauce cookies. Turns out: applesauce works in quick breads too! Here’s what you’ll need for this tasty bread: All purpose and whole wheat flour: A mix of flours adds a nuance to the flavor a pinch of nutrients. Granulated and brown sugar: Using two sugars […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This applesauce bread recipe is the best quick bread! It’s unbelievably tasty and cozy spiced. Step it up with an easy icing drizzle!

Applesauce bread

There’s zucchini bread for the summer and pumpkin bread for the fall…but here’s a cozy quick bread that works for anytime. This spiced and iced Applesauce Bread recipe! This one is perfectly spiced with cinnamon, allspice and cloves, and studded with oats. It’s so tasty and perfect for special occasions! Suffice it to say, it went over very well in our house. Take it over the top with an easy icing drizzle. It’s great for an occasional treat or as a way to use up applesauce. Here’s how to make this impressive loaf!

Ingredients in applesauce bread

This applesauce bread is an easy quick bread, just like zucchini, pumpkin, and banana bread. But the fruit puree here is applesauce! We got the idea from brainstorming ways to use applesauce after making our family favorite applesauce cookies. Turns out: applesauce works in quick breads too! Here’s what you’ll need for this tasty bread:

  • All purpose and whole wheat flour: A mix of flours adds a nuance to the flavor a pinch of nutrients.
  • Granulated and brown sugar: Using two sugars also adds nuance to the flavor.
  • Eggsbaking soda, baking powder, & salt: The regular players for a quick bread.
  • Cinnamon, allspice, and cloves: The perfect mix of spices.
  • Applesauce: We like unsweetened, but you can use sweetened if it’s all you have.
  • Neutral oilWe like oil in our quick breads because it doesn’t require melting like butter: one less step! It also makes it dairy free and easily vegan.
  • Vanilla: A hefty dose of vanilla gives it a smooth flavor.
Applesauce bread

What to expect with this applesauce bread

While it’s not as rich as banana, applesauce adds a nice lightness and moistness to breads and also works as a substitute for oil. Here are a few things to expect with this applesauce bread:

  • The texture is light and moist, not rich and oily. It’s not quite as dense or oily as a typical quick bread: the texture is lighter here.
  • Oats add interest to the texture. There’s just a 1/2 cup, but it adds a nice intriguing lightness as well.
  • Bake time depends on the pan size. Keep in mind: bake time varies whether you use an 8-inch or 9-inch pan. You’ll want to pull the bread when it feels solid and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs clinging on. Don’t wait until it’s fully clean, or you risk overbaking!

Step it up with powdered sugar icing!

This applesauce bread is delicious as is and perfectly sweet: it’s a total treat bread! (It’s not really in the healthy category, like you could argue with this Healthy Pumpkin Bread.) So if you really want to take it to treat status, drizzle it with our easy powdered sugar icing! It takes literally one minute to stir together. Here are some notes:

  • Use our 1 minute powdered sugar icing recipe. It’s so fast to stir up, and works for any diet.
  • For less sugar, use a half recipe! You can use just a half of the recipe for a glaze that’s lightly sweet. Or use a full recipe for maximum wow factor.
Applesauce bread recipe

Mix-ins for applesauce bread

Of course, you can customize this bread even further with mix ins! If you like chunks in your bread, there are lots of options. Here are a few ideas of mix-ins for applesauce bread:

  • Walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Hazelnuts
  • Almonds
  • Chocolate chips
  • Dried cherries or cranberries
  • Shredded coconut

Vegan variation

Do you eat vegan, or cooking for someone who is? Because this applesauce bread is made with oil instead of butter, it’s naturally dairy free. As we noted above, we prefer using oil in our quick breads because it makes them even quicker: you don’t have to melt butter! Here’s the only thing you need to do to make this bread vegan:

  • Use flax eggs! A flax egg is simply ground flax seed mixed with water. When it sits, it forms a gel like substance that you can use in vegan baked goods like muffins, cookies, and quick breads. We’ve found it works well, like in our Vegan Banana Bread and Vegan Zucchini Bread. It changes the texture a bit, but it’s still just as delicious.
Applesauce bread

Applesauce bread storage

This applesauce bread stores very well! You’ll find on the day of baking it has a crisp crust, but as you store it it becomes softer. (It’s delicious both ways!) We like to keep it at room temperature because it’s so beautifully moist and you can eat it right away. But here are a few options for storage:

  • How long does applesauce bread last at room temperature? 4 to 5 days, covered in aluminum foil..
  • Can you refrigerate applesauce bread? You can! Keep in mind that it does dry out a bit in the fridge. It also tastes a little better at room temp, so if you refrigerate it be sure to let it come to room temperature before enjoying.
  • Can you freeze applesauce bread? Yes! Slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer safe bag or container. It stays good for about 3 months.

This applesauce bread recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Print
Applesauce bread

Spiced Applesauce Bread


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 4.83 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12 slices
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This applesauce bread recipe is the best quick bread! It’s unbelievably tasty, cozy spiced and covered in an easy icing drizzle.


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 large eggs (for vegan, use flax eggs)
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil (organic vegetable, canola or grapeseed)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing (optional; or use 1/2 recipe)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8 or 9-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. 
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined and a smooth dough forms.
  4. Bake: Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until it feels solid and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with some clinging crumbs, or the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact timing will depend on the size of the pan.
  5. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Or if desired, allow to cool fully to room temperature (about 1 hour), then drizzle with Powdered Sugar Icing (if desired, use a half recipe for less sweetness). Storage info: The bread lasts 4 to 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil, refrigerated for 10 days, or frozen for 3 months (slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container).
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Quick Bread

Keywords: Applesauce bread, Applesauce bread recipe

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Oatmeal Bars

Here’s an oatmeal bars recipe that’s beyond easy! These healthy breakfast bars are irresistibly tasty and great for busy mornings and snacks. Here’s a recipe that’s perfect for breakfast and all those in between moments, too. This ridiculously easy no bake Oatmeal Bars recipe! These were big winners in our house and quickly solidified themselves into the weekly repertoire. These breakfast bars star peanut butter, honey, and Old Fashioned oats, and they’re a healthy breakfast or snack you can feel good feeding yourself or your family. In fact, I had to remind myself I didn’t need to sneak these like a treat. Ingredients for this oatmeal bars recipe These oatmeal bars have just 4 ingredients plus salt (because salt’s a given, right?). This makes them easy to whip up on moments notice…and we do. Here’s what you’ll need to make them: Old Fashioned rolled oats: That’s the standard oatmeal you’re used to, not steel cut oats! Because it has the texture of rice, it’s not a substitute here. Peanut butter: Use creamy, no sugar added peanut butter. If all you have is sweetened, leave out a bit of the honey. Use sunflower butter as a nut allergy substitute. Honey: Honey […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Here’s an oatmeal bars recipe that’s beyond easy! These healthy breakfast bars are irresistibly tasty and great for busy mornings and snacks.

Oatmeal bars

Here’s a recipe that’s perfect for breakfast and all those in between moments, too. This ridiculously easy no bake Oatmeal Bars recipe! These were big winners in our house and quickly solidified themselves into the weekly repertoire. These breakfast bars star peanut butter, honey, and Old Fashioned oats, and they’re a healthy breakfast or snack you can feel good feeding yourself or your family. In fact, I had to remind myself I didn’t need to sneak these like a treat.

Ingredients for this oatmeal bars recipe

These oatmeal bars have just 4 ingredients plus salt (because salt’s a given, right?). This makes them easy to whip up on moments notice…and we do. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

  • Old Fashioned rolled oats: That’s the standard oatmeal you’re used to, not steel cut oats! Because it has the texture of rice, it’s not a substitute here.
  • Peanut butter: Use creamy, no sugar added peanut butter. If all you have is sweetened, leave out a bit of the honey. Use sunflower butter as a nut allergy substitute.
  • Honey: Honey adds a warm, golden flavor and a nice sticky texture. See our notes on vegan substitutes below.
  • Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds just the right hint of complexity.

Of course, you’ll need a little salt to round it out for the perfect flavor. Make sure to use kosher salt, since it flavors foods more gently than table salt.

Oatmeal bars recipe

How to make no bake bars: a few tips

Over here we love a good no bake recipe: and not just because you don’t have to wait for the bake time! No bake recipes are as close to no fail as you can get. Here are a few tips to note about the process of making this oatmeal bars recipe:

  • Use a small glass to get them perfectly flat. You’ll mix the ingredients together then throw them into a square pan with parchment underneath. Pat them as flat as you can, then roll over the top with a small glass. It gets the most uniform texture.
  • Freeze first! Freeze the pan for 15 minutes, which sets the bars. They will still be a little soft at this point.
  • Cut into bars. Then cut them into bar shapes. You can eat immediately, but we prefer waiting for another 1 hour of refrigeration for them to set completely.
Oatmeal breakfast bars

Make large or small oatmeal bars (we prefer small)

One of the things we like about this recipe is cutting the bars smaller: to get more of them! Here are a few notes on the pros of smaller oatmeal breakfast bars:

  • Make 32 rectangle-shaped bars for more servings & less calories and sugar. The sugar in a small bar is only 1 teaspoon, and it’s still a super satisfying snack or treat. We prefer this size for most versatility (though the photos show the squares).
  • Make 16 square bars for breakfasts. If you’re eating them as breakfast bars, you’ll probably want a larger bar to be more filling. Of course, you could just eat 2 small bars!

Vegan oatmeal bars variation

Want to make these into vegan oatmeal bars? We typically use maple syrup as our liquid sweetener of choice, which is vegan. But in this recipe, the flavor and texture of honey is integral to the structure of the oatmeal breakfast bars. Here’s our preferred vegan sweetener:

  • For vegan oatmeal bars, try agave syrup! It’s a little thicker than maple syrup, so it will work a little more similarly to honey. You can also try using a little less (see the notes below).
  • You can also try maple if it’s your only sweetener on hand. Just note that the bars will do better right from the refrigerator. Use a little less than the honey amount as well.
Oatmeal bars

When to eat oatmeal bars…breakfast, snack or anytime!

Yes, we love these oatmeal bars because they are perfect for those times in between meals when you’re hungry and don’t want to grab and unhealthy option. Here are a few ideas we’d recommend:

  • Breakfast: Grab them as you go out the door, or crumble over Greek yogurt
  • Snack: Grab one from the fridge anytime
  • Sweet treat: This is all we need to feel like a satisfying treat without a splurge. They’re especially good for kids (our son loves them!)

Oatmeal nutrition info

What’s so great about eating oats for snacks and in oatmeal breakfast bars? Well, these whole grains have a lot of good going on. Here’s some of the benefits you get from oats (source):

  • High in plant based protein. 1 cup of raw oats has 11 grams protein, or ~20% of your daily need!
  • High in fiber. 1 cup of raw oats has 8 grams of fiber, ~30% of your daily need.
  • Very filling: Oats may reduce appetite and help you eat less calories overall.
Oatmeal breakfast bars

More oatmeal recipes

It might sound silly as a “foodie” and cookbook author, but one of my favorite foods ever is oatmeal! I eat it every day and it’s always satisfying and filling. Here are our top oatmeal recipes:

This oatmeal bars recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, see the notes in the recipe.

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Oatmeal bars

Easy Oatmeal Bars (4 Ingredients!)


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 16 large or 32 small
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Here’s an oatmeal bars recipe that’s beyond easy! These healthy breakfast bars are irresistibly tasty and great for busy mornings and snacks.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (no sugar added, or sunflower butter for nut free)
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons honey (or 1/2 cup agave syrup* for vegan)
  • 4 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Add a sheet of parchment paper to a 9 x 9 pan. Place the ingredients in the pan and press it into an even layer. Use a small glass to roll over the top to get it smooth. 
  2. Freeze the bars for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the freezer and use the parchment to lift it out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares or 32 rectangles. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. You can eat right away, or refrigerate for about 1 hour for a more solid texture.  

Notes

*Maple syrup is generally our sweetener of choice, but the flavor and texture of honey really make these bars. Since maple syrup is not as sticky as honey, for vegan substitute we recommend agave syrup. 

  • Category: Snack
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: Breakfast

Keywords: Oatmeal bars, oatmeal bar recipe, oatmeal breakfast bars

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Vegan Scones

This vegan scones recipe makes beautifully golden and sweet scones with no dairy! Add fruit like blueberries an easy icing drizzle. What’s better than a fresh scone on a lazy morning? For a stellar plant-based version of this popular baked good, try these Vegan Scones! They come out golden and lightly sweet, an ideal morning treat for weekends or entertaining. Like a good scone, they’re scented with vanilla and orange zest (non-negotiable, we think). And even better? They’re endlessly customizable. Add fruit like blueberries or cranberries, or drizzle with an easy powdered sugar icing. Ready to get baking? Ingredients for vegan scones The ingredient list for vegan scones looks just like a normal scones recipe, with the exception of 3 ingredients. There’s no egg, there’s a vegan butter substitute and a vegan milk substitute. Here’s what to have on hand: All purpose flour and whole wheat flour: Adding whole wheat adds a robust flavor and a bit more golden color, which is helpful in a vegan scones recipe Granulated sugar: Substitute coconut sugar if desired Baking powder and baking soda Salt Vegan butter or coconut oil Oat milk (or almond milk) Vanilla extract Orange zest: This makes the flavor really […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This vegan scones recipe makes beautifully golden and sweet scones with no dairy! Add fruit like blueberries an easy icing drizzle.

Vegan scones

What’s better than a fresh scone on a lazy morning? For a stellar plant-based version of this popular baked good, try these Vegan Scones! They come out golden and lightly sweet, an ideal morning treat for weekends or entertaining. Like a good scone, they’re scented with vanilla and orange zest (non-negotiable, we think). And even better? They’re endlessly customizable. Add fruit like blueberries or cranberries, or drizzle with an easy powdered sugar icing. Ready to get baking?

Ingredients for vegan scones

The ingredient list for vegan scones looks just like a normal scones recipe, with the exception of 3 ingredients. There’s no egg, there’s a vegan butter substitute and a vegan milk substitute. Here’s what to have on hand:

  • All purpose flour and whole wheat flour: Adding whole wheat adds a robust flavor and a bit more golden color, which is helpful in a vegan scones recipe
  • Granulated sugar: Substitute coconut sugar if desired
  • Baking powder and baking soda
  • Salt
  • Vegan butter or coconut oil
  • Oat milk (or almond milk)
  • Vanilla extract
  • Orange zest: This makes the flavor really pop! Don’t even consider omitting it
Vegan scones

Vegan butter vs coconut oil: use either one!

You can use either vegan butter or coconut oil in this vegan scones recipe! It’s nice to have the ability to use either here, which is true with our vegan pie crust. (But with vegan biscuits, you absolutely must use vegan butter.) Here are a few notes on the two choices:

  • Coconut oil scones: Coconut oil is very easy to work with! Make sure it’s solid, which it should be at room temperature unless you live in a hot climate. Use refined coconut oil, which has a neutral flavor.
  • Vegan butter scones: We slightly preferred the texture with vegan butter for these vegan scones, but both were delicious! The exact texture and flavor that will result depends on the brand of vegan butter and what it’s made of. Check the ingredient lists and find one that is minimally processed with real food ingredients. We like Miyoko’s Vegan Butter, which is made with mostly cashews and coconut: it happens to be organic, too.

One note about texture of vegan scones

One note about the texture of this scones recipe. Vegan scones are slightly more caky than crumbly. If you want a perfectly crumbly scone, real butter is key. But our family absolutely loved these scones, so they’re still absolutely delicious. Just keep in mind, the texture is slightly less crumbly than a standard scone like our Blueberry Scones.

Vegan scones recipe

Tip: Chill time is essential!

When you’re making vegan scones, or any sort of scones for that matter, chill time is key. Why? If your dough is room temperature or warm, the scones will spread in the oven. Take it from us: we’ve tested many versions of them! There’s nothing worse than opening the oven to a melty, spread-out scone. Follow the chilling instructions in the recipe below closely to get the best shaped scones. You’ll thank us later!

Add 1-minute powdered sugar icing

These vegan scones are delicious on their own. But if you’d like, you can add an easy powdered sugar icing to take them over the top! We used our favorite quick icing that comes together in 1 minute. You can keep it white, or go pink with cranberry juice like we did (we styled it as a holiday recipe). Here’s what to know:

  • Make 1 minute icing. This Powdered Sugar Icing is so easy to mix up: it really takes 1 minute! Use oat milk instead of milk for vegan.
  • If you’d like, use cranberry juice to make a pink cranberry icing. We wanted a cranberry flavor to go with the orange zest. So we simply used 100% cranberry juice in place of the milk in the icing. It makes a beautiful vegan pink icing!
  • Top with crushed nuts or sprinkles. To make them like the photo, top with crushed pistachios. Or use whatever sort of sprinkle topping you’d like!
Vegan scones recipe

Variations: how to customize vegan scones!

This vegan scones recipe is a template recipe. The orange and vanilla scented base is perfect for customizing to whatever you’d like. Here are some great ways to customize it:

  • Vegan vlueberry scones: Add 1 cup fresh blueberries to the dough, mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar if desired. (We prefer fresh blueberries in scones: frozen melt and turn the dough purple.)
  • Lemon blueberry scones: Substitute lemon zest for the orange, and add fresh blueberries. Top with plain powdered sugar icing and lemon zest.
  • Cranberry scones: Add 1 cup dried cranberries; keep the cranberry glaze.
  • Cherry pecan scones: Add 1 cup dried cherries and 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans.
  • Chocolate chip scones: Add 1 cup dark chocolate chips.

What do you like in your scones? Let us know in the comments below.

How to store vegan scones

Last notes on this vegan scones recipe: storage! These scones are best the day of baking: let them cool to room temperature so they firm up before enjoying them. If you have some left over (which we always do), here’s how to store them:

  • Store at room temperature for 2 days: Cover them with a dry towel or place in a container with the cover ajar.
  • Refrigerated for 5 days (bring to room temperature or reheat before serving): You could refrigerate for up to 5 days, but they do become rather tough in the refrigerator. If you’d like to store them for longer, your best bet is freezing them.
  • Frozen for 3 months: Let them cool them to room temperature (un-iced), then place them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. When you’re ready to eat, leave them on the counter for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight.

This vegan scones recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.

Print
Vegan scones

Easy Vegan Scones


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This vegan scones recipe makes beautifully golden and sweet scones with no dairy! Add fruit like blueberries an easy icing drizzle.


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 10 tablespoons cold vegan butter (not margarine!) or solid refined coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup oat milk (or almond milk)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • Mix-ins: 1 cup fresh blueberries, dried cranberries or cherries, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, etc.
  • 1 recipe 1 Minute Powdered Sugar Icing

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. Cut the vegan butter into small chunks and add to the flour. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until crumbly. 
  2. In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the oat milk, vanilla and orange zest. 
  3. Pour the oat milk mixture into the center of the flour (and any mix ins, if using) and gently stir with a spatula until a crumbly dough just comes together.
  4. Turn the crumbly dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to gently pat it into a large rectangle. Fold over the rectangle, placing any floury crumbles in the middle of the fold, and continue patting. If the dough is still floury, fold one more time in the same manner. Then pat into a 7” circle about 1 inch thick. The dough should be more incorporated and fairly firm at this point, try not to overwork the dough. Carefully transfer the dough round to a cutting board and chill in freezer for 6 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. After chilling, use a large knife to slice the dough into 8 pie shaped pieces. Carefully transfer the scones slices to the tray and space evenly in two rows. Lightly brush the top of the scones with a bit of oat milk, then place the tray into the freezer and freeze additional 12 minutes.
  7. After chilling, add the baking tray directly to the hot oven and bake for about 17 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
  8. Cool on a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature. If desired, once cooled make the 1 Minute Powdered Sugar Icing and spread it on top of each scone. (Here we used cranberry juice in place of the milk to make a pink icing, then topped it with crushed pistachios.)
  9. Storage info: Serve immediately; scones are best the day of baking. They keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days. You also can freeze them: cool them to room temperature, then place them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. To thaw them, leave them on the counter for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. They’re best room temperature, but if you’d like them warmed, place in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through.
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Scones

Keywords: Vegan scones, Vegan scone recipe

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Instant Pot Hummus

This Instant Pot hummus is super creamy and easy to make from scratch using a pressure cooker! You’ll be hooked on the flavor. Here’s a fun trick you can whip up with your pressure cooker: Instant Pot hummus! Sure, it’s easy to buy store-bought hummus. But for the very best creamy chickpea puree: homemade hummus is where it’s at! It’s a great trick using your Instant Pot, and perfect if you whip up a big batch of chickpeas. This recipe comes straight to you from our friend Sarah Copeland’s new cookbook, Instant Family Meals: an incredible collection of beautiful recipes and genius tips for your pressure cooker. Let’s get started! Why make Instant Pot hummus? Hummus has grown from a niche food (when we were kids!) to a household staple today. Really, I don’t know what our household would do without it! We do buy our hummus often, but when we can, we like to make it at home. Which is why we love this hummus recipe from Sarah’s book! Why make Instant Pot hummus? It’s got the best flavor. Many purchased hummus brands can be overly intense and garlicky, or too bland. Homemade hummus has just the right integrity […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This Instant Pot hummus is super creamy and easy to make from scratch using a pressure cooker! You’ll be hooked on the flavor.

Instant pot hummus

Here’s a fun trick you can whip up with your pressure cooker: Instant Pot hummus! Sure, it’s easy to buy store-bought hummus. But for the very best creamy chickpea puree: homemade hummus is where it’s at! It’s a great trick using your Instant Pot, and perfect if you whip up a big batch of chickpeas. This recipe comes straight to you from our friend Sarah Copeland’s new cookbook, Instant Family Meals: an incredible collection of beautiful recipes and genius tips for your pressure cooker. Let’s get started!

Why make Instant Pot hummus?

Hummus has grown from a niche food (when we were kids!) to a household staple today. Really, I don’t know what our household would do without it! We do buy our hummus often, but when we can, we like to make it at home. Which is why we love this hummus recipe from Sarah’s book! Why make Instant Pot hummus?

  • It’s got the best flavor. Many purchased hummus brands can be overly intense and garlicky, or too bland. Homemade hummus has just the right integrity in flavor.
  • It’s cheaper! Some hummus brands can be quite expensive: homemade hummus in an Instant Pot is cheaper than buying lots of hummus tubs.
  • It’s a great use for a batch of chickpeas. If you cook up a big batch of chickpeas in your Instant Pot, what better way to use them? Use half for hummus and half for eating.
Instant pot hummus

About the book: Instant Family Meals

This recipe is from the book Instant Family Meals by our dear friend Sarah Copeland, and it truly is a masterpiece! This collection of recipes is beautifully fresh, modern and sophisticated: just like Sarah’s recipes always are. (Her other cookbooks Feast and Every Day is Saturday are both big hits in our house!)

You’ll find recipes like Sweet Potato Tacos, Eggplant Parmesan, Cacio e Pepe Risotto, and Double Chocolate Cheesecake. Yes, please! There are wholesome healthy recipes for people of every diet, including lots for vegetable-forward eaters like ourselves. Congratulations to Sarah on this new masterpiece!

Instant Family Meals

A few tips for the chickpeas

Here we’ve provided a few methods for cooking the chickpeas in this Instant Pot hummus. You can cook lots of chickpeas, or just enough for this hummus. You can also soak the chickpeas to decrease the cook time and make for more tender chickpeas.

  • Cook just enough for the hummus. In the instructions below we’ve provided instructions to cook just enough chickpeas for the hummus recipe. This is great if you’re not sure whether you’ll use the rest of the chickpeas.
  • Make 1 pound chickpeas. You can cook up to 1 pound of chickpeas at one time! If you do this, you can eat the remaining chickpeas or freeze them for up to 3 months. Go to Instant Pot Chickpeas.
  • Soak if you have time. If you have time to soak the chickpeas over night, even better! Soak 1 pound chickpeas with 8 cups water for 10 to 12 hours. Then you can reduce the cook time to 20 to 25 minutes.
Instant pot hummus

Ingredients for Instant Pot hummus

Once you’ve cooked the chickpeas, this Instant Pot hummus is a breeze to whip up! You’ll need a food processor for this task (a blender doesn’t get it smooth enough!). Here’s what you’ll need on hand:

  • Cooked chickpeas
  • Garlic
  • Tahini
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Ground coriander A fun variation on the standard cumin! we loved this
  • Kosher salt
  • Olive oil
  • Water, as needed

A bit about tahini

If you’ve never made hummus before, you’ll need a jar of tahini! Tahini is sesame seed paste that’s most famous for its use in hummus, but it’s used in lots of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes (like lemon tahini sauce!). Since it’s simply made of sesame seeds and salt, tahini is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, Paleo, keto, and Whole 30 friendly.

If you buy a jar of tahini and aren’t sure how to use it up, we’ve got lots of ideas for you! See our top Delicious & Healthy Tahini Recipes, from hummus to cookies.

Instant pot hummus

More Instant Pot recipes

What else can you make with an Instant Pot? So many things! Alex and I originally weren’t into the pressure cooker trend…until we tried it for ourselves! Here are a few of our favorite ways to use an Instant Pot:

This Instant Pot hummus recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Print
Instant pot hummus

Creamy Instant Pot Hummus


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1/2 cups
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This Instant Pot hummus is super creamy and easy to make from scratch using a pressure cooker! You’ll be hooked on the flavor.


Ingredients

For the chickpeas

  • 1 cup dry chickpeas*
  • Water
  • 1 pinch salt

For the Instant Pot hummus

  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 5 tablespoons lemon juice (2 medium lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Water, as needed

Instructions

  1. Place the chickpeas in the Instant Pot, cover with 2 inches water, and add the kosher salt. Lock the lid and place the vent in the “Sealing” position. (If you want to cook 1 pound chickpeas at once, go to Instant Pot Chickpeas instead!)
  2. Cook on high pressure 35 minutes (unsoaked) or 25 minutes (soaked): Note that it takes about 10 minutes for the pot to “preheat” and come up to pressure before it starts cooking. Wait while the Instant Pot cooks. (During cooking, avoid touching the metal part of the lid.)
  3. Natural release for 20 minutes: After the Instant Pot beeps, wait for another 20 minutes to let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure. (Tip: We set a timer for this part so we don’t forget!) After 20 minutes, vent any remaining steam by moving the vent to “Venting”, covering your hand with a towel or hot pad. Never put your hands or face near the vent when releasing steam. (The pressure indicator in the lid may drop on its own after 10 minutes, meaning that there is no remaining steam in the pot.)
  4. In the bowl of a food processor, add 2 cups of the cooked chickpeas. (You’ll have a few left over, which you can use for another recipe.) Add the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, coriander, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. 
  5. Turn on the processor and pour in the olive oil until a smooth paste forms, then add water to get to a creamy consistency (we added 10 tablespoons). Process for 3 to 4 minutes until super creamy and smooth. Taste and add additional salt as needed. Store refrigerated for up to 4 to 5 days. 

Notes

Reprinted with permission from Instant Family Meals by Sarah Copeland, copyright © 2020. Photographs by Christopher Testani. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. 

*If you can, soak the chickpeas for 10 to 12 hours the night before. This decreases the cook time and makes for more tender beans. But you can also do it without soaking and cook longer! 

  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: Pressure Cooker

Keywords: Instant Pot hummus, hummus instant pot

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes