Deep Dish Quiche

The deep dish quiche of your dreams. It’s made with a flaky all-butter crust. The filling is silky smooth and creamy, while still being perfectly sliceable. Switch up the add-ins based on the seasons – roasted cherry tomatoes in summer, winter squash later in the year.

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A deep dish quiche brings drama to any table. Here’s the thing though, if you’re going to make the effort to bake a quiche, it better deliver beyond the visual. A golden, flaky crust is a defining factor. And that structured, buttery crust playing off a sublime, silky, rich filling is where the magic happens. This page outlines how to bake a phenomenal quiche by incorporating my favorite tips. It also calls out a few pitfalls that are easy to avoid. Let’s bake a quiche!a wedge of quiche on a piece of parchment paper with a deep-dish golden crust

This Quiche: Let’s Talk it Through

This quiche is baked in a 9-inch springform pan. It allows you to achieve a deep dish version that sits high and proud on any table. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can adjust to an equivalent deep dish pie pan if you keep an eye on and adjust the timing if needed. The filling here is made with a blend of whole milk and either sour cream or crème fraîche plus eggs and a bit of flour. The result? Something decadent, buttery smooth and wildly delicious. Arguably better than the more typical heavy cream version.

When it comes to additional ingredients, there’s no need to add cheese here. Unless, of course, you can’t help yourself. In that case, go ahead and grate some in. I typically add some sort of well-chopped hearty green (kale, Swiss chard, etc.), plus whatever is seasonal. You see oven roasted tomatoes here, along with chopped Serrano chile and red chile flakes. Play around with your add-ins after you read the section below about how to avoid a watery quiche.a tall wedge of quiche with a golden crust on a brown plate

How to Make Quiche

The steps to making a quiche are straight-forward. But, like most baking, the difference between a good quiche and one that is truly memorable is in the details. Let’s start with the basics. They go something like this:

  • Make the dough for the crust. I use this pie crust recipe and it delivers every time.

    quiche crust after blond baking with pie weights filling the pan
  • Blind bake the dough for the quiche crust.
    preparing a quiche crust with a thin layer of mustard before filling and baking
  • Prepare the quiche filling.
  • Fill the pre-baked crust and bake quiche.a quiche after baking in a 9-inch springform pan
  • Allow to cool and set.

The Details That Make a Difference

Here are a couple things to focus on if you want to bake an exceptional quiche.

  • Thicker crust: Establishing a great crust is everything in the quiche realm. This is a crust that has to put in a good amount of work – especially when going the deep dish route like we are here. It should be flaky and structural at the same time. And, of course it needs to be beautiful and delicious. If you’re going to the effort to make quiche, go the distance and make your own crust. This pie dough is simple to work with (I promise!), and it can handle every job this deep dish quiche throws at it. Roll it out a tad bit thicker than you normally would for a standard pie if possible, and absolutely use it all. Confidently press any overhang or extra pieces into the walls of your pan.
  • Add flour to your filling: Adding a bit of flour to your quiche filling helps absorb moisture and stabilize things in general. I like to use the method Liz Prueitt writes about in Tartine (2006 edition). Whisk flour into one of the eggs, add more eggs gradually from there, and then strain the mixture into your liquid dairy ingredients.

a wedge of quiche with spinach and roasted tomatoes

How To Avoid Watery Quiche

A major quiche pitfall, there are a few key ways to avoid baking a watery quiche. The first, avoid the addition of water-filled ingredients. For example, raw mushrooms will release their water into your filling resulting in a watery quiche. The better option is to cook or roast as much water as possible from any quiche add-ins. Blot more with a clean towel or paper towels before incorporating. So, you want deeply roasted mushrooms versus raw. The quiche recipe below features roasted cherry tomatoes, not raw. The liquid bakes out and you’re left with a concentrated ingredient. The second technique is to add a bit of flour to your custard mixture. The flour will help with absorption and stabilize the filling in general. Lastly, bake it low and slow, opting for a lower temperature for longer time.A quiche on a marble counter alongside a wedge of quiche on a plate with a fork

What Temperature to Bake a Quiche?

You’ll see a wide range of baking temperatures used to bake quiche. I subscribe to the slow and low school of quiche baking. I find it lends a creamy texture you don’t get at higher temperatures. We’re after silky smooth with no eggy curds. This requires a longer baking time, but it’s worth it. I like a rustic vibe as well, so I’ll often finish with a quick flash of the broiler. Really quick, just a few seconds!

Variations:

  • Gruyere & Roasted Broccoli Quiche: Toss a couple handfuls of small broccoli florets in a bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast in a 375°F oven until golden. Allow to cool completely. Stir the broccoli and 1/2 cup grated gruyere into the quiche filling and proceed with the recipe.
  • Roasted Winter Squash & Caramelized Shallot Quiche: Toss your favorite winter squash (cut into 3/4-inch cubes) and wedges of shallots (or small red onions) in a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a 375°F oven until deeply golden and caramelized. Allow to cool completely. Stir into the filling and proceed with the recipe.

a quiche sliced into wedges on a sheet of parchment paper

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions

To Make Ahead: To bake the quiche up to two days ahead here’s what you do. After baking the quiche and removing it from the pan, allow to cool completely. Carefully wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready, if you’re opting to serve at room-temperature, allow the quiche to come up to temperature a couple hours prior to serving. Or, you can serve the quiche warm. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or so wrapped in foil, until the center of the quiche is warm.

To Freeze: Allow quiche to cool completely after baking. Wrap in a snug layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer or aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Two days before you’re ready to serve allow the quiche to thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or so wrapped in foil, until the center of the quiche is warm.

Leftovers: To Re-heat a Fully Cooled Quiche

Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and reheat on a middle oven rack for 15-20 minutes, or until the center of the quiche is warm.
a perfect wedge of quiche pictured from overhead on a small plate

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Shaker Lemon Pie

The defining detail of this lemon Shaker pie is the use of whole lemons for the filling. Thin slices of lemon including the peel, pith, and flesh are macerated in sugar and then turned into a vibrant, flavor-packed, custardy filling. Pair this with a flaky all-butter pie crust and you’ve got something special on your hands.

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If you told me I could bake just one kind of pie in life, it would be this one. A flaky crusted Shaker lemon pie made with whole Meyer lemons sliced razor thin, macerated in sugar, and then chopped into a fragrant marmalade chunk. I love this pie for its simplicity, but have found over the years there are some details to fixate on to make it extra special.

shaker lemon pie with a wedge cut out in a glass pie dish

Shaker Lemon Pie: Whole Lemons

The Shaker lemon pie is attributed to the Shaker communities of the 19th century. Shakers continue to be celebrated for frugality and minimizing waste as well as their excellent design, craftsmanship, and agricultural acumen. The defining feature of the lemon shaker pie is the use of the (almost) the entire lemon – peel, pith, and flesh. The seeds get a pass. The Shaker’s weren’t unique in the use of the whole lemon. You see the use of whole citrus in a number of Sicilian cakes and pies as well.

Why I love This Pie:

The Shaker lemon pie is a fun pie to make and the payoff is big. You are rewarded with a pie that is intensely lemony with added dimension from the interplay between tart chunks, sweet custard, and buttery flakiness of the crust. It’s quick in the sense that it doesn’t require much active time. Especially if you’re comfortable shaping pies and working with pie crust dough.

What Kind of Lemons for a Shaker Lemon Pie?

The short answer here is very thinly sliced lemons of just about any sort. Make sure your slices are whisper thin, that should counter any bitterness you encounter (see photo below). You can use grocery store Lisbon or  Eurekas or other common lemons, but I nearly always bake this pie with thin-skinned Meyer lemons. They’re perfect for this pie. If Meyer lemons are hard to come by where you live, opt for the least pithy lemons you can find. I’m hoping to try a version at some point using pink variegated lemons – for a pink lemonade Shaker pie. I’m imagining the blushy pink flesh would make a real beauty of a pie.
frozen lemon halves in a bowl

The Details: Texture

A lot of the Shaker lemon pies you see leave the lemon slices whole – wagon wheel style. The slices lose structure, collapse and soften as they macerate in the sugar (photo below), but I prefer to cut the lemons into chunks at this point. This results in more of a marmalade texture. I like the mouthfeel and also find the pie easier to slice later on.thinly sliced lemons macerating in a metal bowl with sugar

Shaker Lemon Pie: Pro-tips

Here are a few pro-tips for this pie.

  • Glass pie dish: Number one tip, but don’t let this hold you back from baking a pie today. If you love pie, eventually you’re going to want to score a glass pie dish (photo below). It allows you to see the base of your pie take on color as it is baking.

    lemon pie cooling on a table
  • Mandolin: Use a mandolin to slice your lemons. Carefully! Using the safety guard.This results in uniform slices, thinner and more consistent than you’re able to slice by hand.
  • Work with confidence: Just keep going with the process. I think people are intimidated by making pie. I’m here to tell you that even when it is bad it is good. Just keep moving forward when you’re making a pie. And don’t give up. I was making this pie recently and assembled and shaped the whole thing before realizing I forgot to add the eggs to the filling. After a moment of having a crushed spirit I took the pie apart, dumped the filling, remixed it with the eggs, and re assembled the pie. It wasn’t as pretty, it had more rustic vibes than usually, but it was one of the best pies I’ve baked in a while! Pictured here.

    a shaker lemon pie with crust turned under in a glass dish

What Kind of Pie Crust is Best?

I’ve baked lemon Shaker pies using a range of crusts over the years. I went with a homemade rough puff pastry crust for a while, but eventually switched to this pie dough. It’s simple to make and results in a super-flaky all-butter pie crust. It bakes up beautifully golden thanks to a sugar-crusted egg wash prior to baking. I haven’t tested a Shaker lemon pie using store bought puff pastry, but I suspect you could get away with it? If you try, please leave a comment.

partial lemon pie being held at waist level by man

Shaker Lemon Pie: The Filling

The filling is what defines a Shaker lemon pie. You use thinly sliced whole lemons and let them macerate for hours in granulated sugar. After that, you add a few whisked eggs and anything else you’re inspired by. That’s your filling. It sets up beautifully as the pie bakes, and you are able to slice defined wedges after the pie cools. I like to keep this pie filling straight-forward for the most part, and typically bake it without other additions, but there are a few variations I’ve liked in the past.

  • Candied ginger: add a small handful of well-chopped candied ginger to to the filling along with the eggs.
  • Lime zest: Add a bit of lime zest to the lemon sugar mixture prior to macerating. I particularly like using Market lime zest here.
  • A hint of lavender: I used TART Lavender Vinegar in the crust, and also allowed the lemons to macerate with a bit of lavender. Just until the flavor was nicely developed. Removed the lavender sprigs and baked. So nice! The key is introducing enough flavor, but not too much.

shaker lemon pie cooling near a window

What else can I do with the Lemon Shaker Pie Filling?

If you’re not a pie person, and if you love the filling – it should taste amazing prior to adding the raw eggs – there are endless ways to incorporate it into other things. Let’s talk it through.

  • Lemon Shaker Ice Cream Pie: Blind bake a pie crust and allow to cool completely. You can either fold some of the lemon-sugar (without egg) mixture into softened ice cream, or layer it into the pie crust. Top with toasted almonds, toasted coconut, and freeze.
  • Lemon Shaker Parfait: Alternate a bit of the lemon-sugar mixture with yogurt, whipped cream, or ice bream in a tall champagne flute. Refrigerate, freeze, or serve immediately.
  • Waffles: Use the filling in your favorite waffle recipe, offsetting the eggs called for.
  • Lemon Shaker Crumble Pie: Arrange pie dough in baking dish for the bottom crust. Add the lemon filling as you would the original recipe. In place of the traditional top crust, add a good amount of streusel topping. Freeze for 15. Bake until golden topped and cooked through.

shaker lemon pie with a wedge cut out in a glass pie dish

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All-Butter Flaky Pie Crust

Most pages about pie crusts are going to point you to their “best ever” pie crust, but I’m taking a slightly different approach. I’m going to share a few of the inspirations that have impacted my pie baking over the years along with the pie dough recipe I currently use and love. Pie baking is a journey, and there are a few places I’d recommend jumping on or off along the way.

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For a long time I used a different method for making pie dough than the one I’m going to share today. The process was all by hand, there was a lot of smearing and folding, and it was great – beautiful pie crust every time. This was in San Francisco where my kitchen tended to stay quite chilly. Summer temperatures rarely cracked 60°F. It was a pie makers dream – cold marble countertops year round. I’ve had to switch up my game since living in Los Angeles. My kitchen is always too warm, and when it comes to pies, I was struggling a bit. I’ve since realized the less I touch the pie dough in the process of making it, the better. So, here we are. This is my go-to pie crust these days. It’s a hot mash up of everything I’ve learned about pie dough over the years and delivers a beautifully golden, super flaky, all-butter pie crust. It’s easy to make, I use my electric mixer with the paddle attachment to smear butter into flour quickly, and it makes less of a mess than doing it all on a countertop (which I still love to do on occasion).

pie crust in a glass baking dish

Pie Dough: Details & Inspiration

My goal in this post is to provide you with direction that will result in you feeling more confident making pie dough and beautiful pie crusts. Or, if you already feel confident, perhaps you’ll learn a new technique. Every cook needs a great go-to pie dough recipe, one you love and can use across a wide range of pies in your life. For a long time, and while living in San Francisco I often used Pim’s One Pie Dough To Rule Them All, inspired by Judy Rodgers and the The Zuni Cafe cookbook. I still love this dough. For many years, I used it as a jumping off point, often playing around with different types of flour ratios, introducing rye flour, or farro flour, or semolina. If you want to make a beautiful pie crust 100% by hand and have a bit of time for the fold and chill series – this recipe and technique will do you right. It disappears from the internet now and then, but seems to be here pretty reliably.all-butter pie crust in a glass baking dish with edge turned under

When I came to Los Angeles, I met Nicole Rucker. She’s a force. She’s queen of the pie scene (and so much more!) and her pies are everything I want – technicolor flavor, juicy and bubbly, with shatteringly flaky, rustic, butter crusts. And so golden. The color of her crusts are swoon-worthy. She wrote a book in 2019 (Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers) and her approach to pie crusts caught my attention. There were two techniques that Nicole used that were unusual. She added a bit of vinegar to her pie dough. She also diluted her sugar into a hot water and vinegar solution, chilled it, and proceeded with the dough from there. Here’s what she says:”the addition of vinegar adds a layer of tenderizing magic that shortens the production of gluten strands.” And by incorporating the vinegar into the hot sugar mixture, you’re creating a syrup that thoroughly permeates the dough. Double win.

In Dappled, Nicole has you make her pie dough on a counter top. It tends to be so warm where I am, and we rarely use air-conditioning, so I’ve been incorporating Nicole’s wet sugar and vinegar move, but use my electric mixer with the paddle attachment to make quick work of things. To be honest, I haven’t looked back. The paddle attachment does a fine job of smearing the chunks of butter into the side of the bowl. I drizzle just enough icy liquid into the flour and butter, as the mixer is running, and everything quickly comes together. Then just a quick shape, wrap, and chill before it’s all set to roll out and assemble the pie. The recipe and technique included below is my current gold standard. It’s unfussy, contains the kitchen mess to one bowl, and delivers a banger of a pie crust. I’ll break it down into basics.

pie baking in oven with deeply golden crust

Electric Mixer vs. Food Processor for Pie Crusts

A lot of people use a food processor to cut the butter into the flour in their pie dough. It actually does a great job of this. That said, I like to use the stand mixer better. I feel like it is gentler and better mimics the motions of making pie dough by hand. The electric stand mixer smears and tumbles the flour and butter, it isn’t cutting and slashing the way a food processor does. And because of this it seems to leave more long thin pockets of butter in the dough as you roll it out resulting in a tender, shard-y crust that crackles as you slice into it.

Basic Pie Crust Steps

  1. Mix sugar, vinegar, and salt into hot water and chill.
    cubes of butter on a pie of flour in a bowl
  2. Smear butter cubes into flour using electric mixer with paddle attachment.
    cubes of butter coated with flour in a bowl
    shards of butter coated in flour in baker's hand
  3. Slowly drizzle chilled water mixture into dough until it comes together.
    pie dough coming together in the the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment
    pie dough in a mound on a marble countertop
  4. Mold pie dough into ball.
    pie dough shaped into a ball on marble counter
  5. Cut in half. This recipe yield two 9-inch crusts.
    two discs of pie dough wrapped in plastic wrap
  6. Flatten into discs and wrap in plastic wrap.
  7. Chill for 2 hours before using.

What type of vinegar to use in pie crust?

The short answer is: one that tastes good.  I’m including a list of vinegars I tend to reach for when I’m making crusts like this. Most often it’s a great tasting white wine vinegar, but I like to play around.

  • Apple cider vinegar: Reliably good, apple cider vinegar is something a lot of people keep on hand, and it works well in pie dough.
  • Katz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Vinegar (agro-dolce) 5.5% acidity: first choice for pie crust related vinegar in my kitchen.
  • Camino Red Wine Vinegar: I don’t always grab this one for pie crusts, but I have, and you should grab a bottle if you can. It’s wonderful, and makes everything it touches more wonderful. You should just know about it in general.
  • TART Lavender Vinegar: For a whisper of lavender in your crust this is the way to go. Or to reinforce lavender notes in your filling. For example, I baked a Lemon Shaker Pie using TART Lavender Vinegar in the crust, while also allowing the lemons to macerate alongside a bit of lavender. Just long enough for the flavor to develop nicely. Removed the lavender spring and baked.
  • Brightland Parasol: I love the citrus notes in this one. It’s a vinegar fermented with chardonnay grapes and Valencia and Navel oranges, 5% acidity.

How To Roll Out Pie Dough

Let’s just walk it though here step-by-step. After the pie dough has chilled for two hours, it is time to roll it out. Lightly flour the your counter, rolling pin, and your hands. If at any point in the process the dough is sticking, dust with more flour. Start from the center of the dough and roll out in all directions, turning the dough regularly as you go. Roll the dough a couple inches larger than your pie dish. I’ve found that if you start having cracks and fissures at the edges of your dough as you’re rolling, you can often use the rolling pin around the perimeter (like you were going around a roller skating rink) and that closes the gaps nicely. It might also help to let it warm up for another couple of minutes in case it is too cold.

If you’re new to pie-making, you might want to roll out the pie dough on a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper. This allows you to easily transfer the dough to the refrigerator if you need to chill it a bit mid-roll. Chill for 7-10 minutes and proceed. 

I’m sure you can tell, this recipe and my technique will likely continue to evolve little by little over the years. That’s part of what is great about cooking and baking. And wherever you land on pie making, I encourage you to make your own crust. It’s night and day from most store-bought doughs. I hope you love this pie dough as much as I do!

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Baked Oatmeal Cups

Baked oatmeal cups are the perfect on-the-go breakfast staple. These are made with oats, bananas, and lots of berries, then baked into golden deliciousness.

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My book Super Natural Every Day was published in 2011, and right away one of the most popular recipes in it was the baked oatmeal. The cookbook focused on recipes made with natural, minimally-processed ingredients and the baked oatmeal made with rolled oats, toasted nuts, and lots of berries became an simple go-to breakfast for a lot of people. I’ve baked endless variations on it in the decade since, and make a muffin tin version of the original recipe whenever we want an easy breakfast-on-the-go option.
baked oatmeal cups with lots of berries in a muffin tin

These baked oatmeal cups are made with rolled oats, chopped bananas, nuts and berries baked in a vanilla-spiked milk mixture (you can use whatever milk you like). You bake them until everything comes together in a golden topped breakfast on the go. They’re flourless and gluten-free if you source gluten-free oats. You can enjoy them dairy-free if you use dairy-free milk. All in all, they’re packed with goodness, kid-friendly, and super tasty. 
six baked oatmeal cups with lots of berries pictured from the side

Variations

The different variations on baked oatmeal cups are endless. For starters, you can experiment with different liquids. I’ve baked versions with everything from buttermilk to oat milk to coconut milk to toasted coconut milk(!). Next, you can switch up the fruits. These are berry and cherry-centric, but there’s no reason you can’t swap in sautéed apples, or caramelized bananas, or stone fruits like pluots and apricots. You can experiment with sweeteners – maple syrup works great. A decadent version I took note of last summer was featured chopped cherries and chocolate chunks. Also, you can always go back to baking the mixture in an 8×8-inch baking dish if you want. Other ideas:

  • Almond baked oatmeal cups: swap in almond extract for the vanilla extract, and use sliced almonds as your nut component
  • Vegan baked oatmeal cups: add I tablespoon chia seeds and 3 tablespoons of water to the wet mixture in the recipe in place of the egg.
  • Play around with your spices: go beyond the cinnamon.
  • Dial up the coconut and citrus: coconut baked oatmeal

ingredient photo including strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, oats, and brown sugar
For the batch I made last week, I had lots of blueberries and strawberries from the farmers’ market. Cherry season just kicked off as well, and they’re so perfect and sweet. I pitted and added some of those to the mix as well. 
a bowl of ingredients including bananas, blueberries, oats, and walnuts
To make the oatmeal cups you combine the dry ingredients and fruit, and then combine it with the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Wait a few minutes to allow the mixture to come together a bit, the oats will start to absorb some of the liquid.
oatmeal cup batter in muffin tin on a counter before baking
One technical tip here: you want to fill each muffin cup roughly 3/4 full. You also want a balanced mixture of oats and any of the residual liquid. You can see in the photos above and below what the pan should look like prior to baking.
close up photo of oatmeal cup batter in muffin tin on a counter before baking

How To Store Baked Oatmeal Cups

To save any baked oatmeal cups you aren’t consuming on your baking day you have a few options. You can store them, refrigerated, in an air-tight container, for a few days. Bring them back to room temperature before serving or reheat in a toaster oven, etc.baked oatmeal cups on marble counter

How To Freeze Baked Oatmeal Cups

Yes, you can freeze them! Allow baked oatmeal cups to cool completely prior to freezing. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Transfer to freezer-safe bag for up to a month or so. Allow the oatmeal cups to come back up to room temperature before serving. You can reheat them for extra goodness. If you know you want oatmeal cups for breakfast, allow them to thaw in the front of the refrigerator overnight. Go from there in the morning.

baked oatmeal cups on marble counter

More Favorite Oatmeal Recipes

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Big List of Pizza Topping Ideas

Need pizza topping inspiration? The best pizza topping ideas focus on using fresh, flavor-packed ingredients. Combine a few to create your own signature combinations!

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When you combine a good homemade pizza dough with a handful fresh and flavorful pizza toppings, pizza night is on! The key is using flavor-packed, fast cooking ingredients that have a tendency to melt (or cook) quickly for your toppings. Second thing? Don’t go overboard, thoughtfully curate each pizza so the flavors of each ingredient have room to speak.
Tray filled with pizza topping ideas like mozzarella, pine nuts, corn and parmesan cheese
In this post you’ll find a range of favorite pizza topping ideas. They’re organized into sauces, cheese, vegetable toppings, finishing flavors, and a long list of favorite pizza topping combinations from years of pizza making. Enjoy! And I highly recommend keeping a pizza journal to keep track of all your favorite topping combinations!

Pizza with red sauce and arugula as pizza toppings

The Cheeses

Along with your sauce, cheese is often a defining pizza topping. Correspondingly, it’s important to get right. I avoid pre-shredded cheeses. They can have anti-caking agents and mold-inhibitors. Generally speaking, you want your cheese to be…cheese. My favorites? I love to tear up balls of fresh mozzarella into shreds, use dollops of ricotta, and grate fresh Parmesan or pecorino for the best results. On occasion, spoonfuls of Greek yogurt scooped around the tops of a pizza sets up beautifully as well (pictured above). Crumbled feta adds a nice salty accent, and gruyere cheese grated by hand delivers that oozy, melty cheese vibe with lots of flavor.

The Foundation: Good Pizza Sauce

Aside from a good, reliable pizza dough, your sauce choice is another foundation you want to get right before moving on to the wide world of pizza toppings.

Tomato Sauce: This is a favorite simple tomato sauce, and it’s great on many red sauce pizzas. My one pro-tip is to make it ahead of time, it’s fine for up to a week refrigerated. When you go to assemble your pizza, be sure the sauce is room temperature or cooler. Make sure it’s not hot. If the sauce is still warm when you’re topping your pizza, the dough is more likely to stick.

Pesto: Pesto pizzas are a favorite, and this pesto is my go-to. Made with hand-chopped basil, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and pine nuts, it’s the real deal. It’s a pesto recipe taught to me by my friend Francesca’s mother who came to visit from Genoa, Italy. It’s what you want as the foundation for your pesto pizza.

Mushroom Ragù: Use this mushroom ragù to double down on your favorite mushroom pizza combination. A pizza made with this sauce topped with pre-roasted sliced mushrooms, dollops of ricotta cheese, a sprinkling of rosemary, and finishing drizzle of chile oil is A-plus.
grilled pizza topped with mozzarella, corn, jalapeno, and pine nuts

Vegetable Pizza Toppings

There are so many ways to get creative about vegetable pizzas. Sometimes I’ll pre-cook vegetables, for example artichokes, other times they’ll go on a pizza raw. Some ideas.

Fresh corn, thin asparagus, roasted cherry tomatoes, peas, baked mushrooms, caramelized onions, olives, fava beans, citrus zests, grilled or pan-blistered artichokes, sautéed thinly sliced potatoes, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets.

Pictured above: A grilled pizza with mozzarella, fresh corn, quick pickled serrano chiles, and pine nuts. Finished with chive flowers.

Finishing Flavor

This is where you can take your pizza topping ideas from really good to great. The final accent drizzles and sprinkles are the punctuation marks on your pizza. Finishing touches I love and use all the time: lemon olive oil, tangerine olive oil, makrut lime oil, chives and chive flowers, and hot honey. Other favorites include:

  • Za’atar: Singling this out. Love the greenness and fragrance this brings to white pizza.
  • Fresh basil: Forever classic.
  • Herbs: a sprinkle of fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, fresh basil, minced chives, lemon verbena
  • Flavored olive oil: There are so many amazing oils available now, experiment!
  • Kale chips: So easy to make, and a favorite finishing pizza topping. Toss a bunch of de-stemmed curly kale leaves in a bowl with a few glugs of olive oil, a very generous sprinkling of nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt. Bake on baking sheets at 375F until crispy, tossing once along the way.
  • Pickled Serrano chiles: Keep these on hand at all times! Slice 8 (or more!) Serrano chiles 1/8th-inch thick and place in 2 cups of white vinegar in a Mason jar. Use the chiles w/in a week or two. You can use the vinegar for weeks after that on pizza, in dressings, on lettuce wraps, and rice bowls.
  • Citrus zests: (lemon, orange, tangerine, lime, etc.)

A close-up photo of pesto

Favorite Classic Pizza Combinations

Margherita: simple tomato sauce, good mozzarella, fresh basil after baking pizza, and a finishing drizzle of olive oil.

White pizza: see the corn pizza up above. I also love a white pizza with garlic oil and mushrooms and lots of fresh herbs to finish.

An example of a favorite pizza topping idea - artichoke hearts, ricotta, lemon zest, and marinara sauce on an unbaked pizza
Artichoke pizza: Olive oil or pesto, sautéed artichoke hearts, mozzarella or ricotta cheese, and lemon zest. Pictured directly above, prior to baking.

Pesto pizza: Few things are better than a pesto pizza made with ricotta, fava beans, lemon zest and a tangle of arugula to top the pizza once it is out of the oven.
Pizza with potatoes, fava beans, ricotta, herbs and lemon

Favorite Wildcard Pizza Topping Combinations

I keep a journal of pizza topping ideas that are a hit around here. These are a bunch of recent favorites.

  • Chile Crisp Potato Pizza: I love a potato pizza. This one (above) was a chile crisp oil like the one by Fly By Jing or KariKari, thinly sliced blanched potatoes, ricotta, fava beans, and lemon zest. Finish, after baking, with a lemon olive oil drizzle and lots of chopped chives.
  • Chana Masala & Chickpea Pizza: We make this one a lot. Start with a foundation of tomato sauce made with lots of caramelized onions added along with a generous amount of chana masala spice blend (or sometimes garam masala). Top that with chickpeas and dollops of low-fat yogurt (it works better than full-fat here for some reason). When the pizza comes out of the oven top with tons of crushed nutritional yeast baked kale chips (or fresh arugula), and a drizzle of lemon or basil olive oil. So so so good. Pictured just below with some added sesame seeds.

An example of a favorite pizza topping idea - marinara, arugula, and other ingredients on a freshly baked pizza

  • Cherry Tomato Kosho Pizza: Start by smearing the pizza dough with a foundation layer of kosho or other citrus garlic paste. To that add cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, chives, and slivered basil with a drizzle of tangerine oil (or other citrus olive oil) after it comes out of the oven.
  • Meyer Lemon Pizza: Inspired by my favorite pizza ever, at Bettina in Santa Barbara, CA. Ricotta cheese dollops, pickled red onion, thinnest slivers of whole Meyer lemon, pistachios.
  • Paneer & Pea Pizza: Turmeric-marinated paneer (like the paneer I use for these veggie kebabs), scallions, chickpeas, sautéed artichoke hearts, tomato sauce, peas, a bit of crumbled goat cheese, and serrano chiles. Add lots of chopped cilantro after the pizza comes out of the oven.
  • Garlic & Pineapple Pizza: Peel a bunch of garlic cloves, sprinkle them generously with salt and then smash and chop them into a paste. Transfer to a jar and add 1/3 cup (or so) or extra virgin olive oil and stir well. For each pizza, spread some garlic oil across your dough. Then top with mozzarella, fresh pineapple, fresh jalapeño slices, and sliced black olives. When the pizza is done baking finish with fresh arugula or crushed kale chips and a finishing drizzle of good olive oil.

Pizza with red sauce and arugula as pizza toppings

More Pizza Topping Ideas

Thirteen grilled pizza ideas that go beyond classic margherita. And this post does a deep dive into how to grill pizza. Helpful as the weather heats up and it’s too hot to use your oven! Have fun making lots of pizza!





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Mushroom Lasagna

This freezer-friendly mushroom lasagna is all about homemade mushroom ragù, big dollops of ricotta cheese, and silky tender sheets of pasta finished with a bit of basil and some grated Parmesan cheese.

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This is the mushroom lasagna I make when no-one is looking. The one where I cut a couple of traditional corners, add a few personal touches and, quite honestly, never look back. Sometimes I go long-form and use homemade pasta for the layers, other times it’s all about keeping the process quick — store-bought lasagna sheets and ragù from the freezer it is. Both versions are pictured here.

Consider yourself warned, this lasagna is a big boy, and will fill all of a 13×9 pan with layers of a vibrant, hearty and creamy mushroom ragù. There are generous dollops of ricotta and ribbons of silky pasta. I’ve grated fragrant lemon zest into the bottom of every lasagna for as long as I can remember, and that’s a feature here too.
Mushroom Lasagna in a baking pan

The Vision

There are a number of different styles of mushroom lasagna. Some are white lasagnas, with no tomatoes whatsoever. They rely on creamy béchamel (butter, milk, flour) for some of the binding and creaminess desired in lasagna. My version isn’t that. I generously layer a creamy, tomato-based mushroom ragù as the primary sauce throughout. It’s rich enough that I simply skip the béchamel component you see in many lasagnas. Lemon zest lifts all the flavors up, and you can choose to use store-bought lasagna sheets or make them from homemade pasta depending on how ambitious you’re feeling.
Mushroom Lasagna in a baking pan

Quick version vs. Slow Version

Lasagna is always made with love. They can be all day affairs, but with a bit of planning, one like this can come together reasonably quick. To make the lasagna pictured above I used mushroom ragù thawed from the freezer with store-bought noodles. Had the whole thing in the oven 30 minutes after walking in the kitchen. The other lasagna picture, not so much. I made the ragù the same day, rolled out homemade pasta sheets, and when I say it was an all-day situation, no exaggeration. Either way, a lasagna is never not worth the effort.

Mushroom Lasagna: The Ingredients

The list here is short, so you want to make sure each component is on point, seasoned well and tasting good.

  • Mushroom Ragù: There’s only one sauce in this lasagna recipe and it is this mushroom ragù is it. It’s a hearty, wonderful, slow-cooked tomato and mushroom sauce featuring finely chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, and aromatics. Keep it in your freezer. Use half for pastas, the other half for this lasagna.
  • Pasta: You have options here and both are fantastic! You can use homemade pasta or store-bought lasagna sheets.
  • Cheese: The main cheese in this lasagna is ricotta. Parmesan is used more as a finishing cheese.
  • Lemon zest: Don’t skip it. It is the secret wink of goodness.
  • Basil: Use it when basil is in season – always fresh basil. But don’t let the lack of basil deter you from making this.

Mushroom Lasagna being served on a table

Dial up the Mushrooms

All of the mushrooms in this lasagna are introduced in the ragù. They’re well chopped. That said, if you want a mushroom lasagna with more defined mushrooms you have options! Stem and slice a pound of mushrooms 1/4-inch thick. Cook them in a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a hot skillet with a pinch of salt until golden. Alternately, you can also roast them after tossing with olive oil in the oven as it is pre-heating. Introduce these mushrooms to your lasagna layers.

Mushroom Lasagna: The Process

Here’s a step by step illustration of how to make this lasagna. The first thing to do is butter or oil your baking pan, and then sprinkle with some citrus zest. You see orange here, but I typically use lemon. Or a blend.
Lasagna pan prepared with butter and citrus zest
The next step is pre-cooking the lasagna sheets in boiling, salted water. You’ll dunk them in a big bowl of ice water spiked with a bit of olive oil. Then transfer to a baking sheet. See below.
Cooked Pasta on a Baking Sheet
From there, build the lasagna in layers starting with a thin layer of ragù. Next, a layer of pasta, more mushroom ragù, and then dollops of ricotta.
Mushroom Lasagna being layered in a Baking Pan with ragu, ricotta cheese and pasta noodles
Repeat until you’ve run out of ingredients. Make sure to end with a good amount of sauce. You can add ricotta, a bit of basil, and more lemon zest to the top if you like, or keep it simple with just a bit of sauce and a finishing layer of Parmesan. The lasagna below was made with homemade pasta and Parmesan to finish. Bake until golden and beautiful.
Mushroom Lasagna in pan just after baking on cooling on a counter
Once your lasagna has finished baking, allow it to sit for a few minutes before cutting into it.
Mushroom Lasagna in a baking pan being served with a spatula

Freezing Lasagna

The house rule for this mushroom lasagna is eat half, freeze half. It reheats brilliantly and makes for an easy weeknight meal alongside a quick salad or vegetable side of some sort. To freeze the lasagna, first allow it to cool completely. Slice into desired individual pieces and freeze. Store each slice in an individual container or freezer bag. It makes things easier and slices don’t freeze together. Keep frozen for up to three months.
Mushroom Lasagna in a baking pan

Reheating Lasagna

Arrange frozen slices of lasagna on a parchment-lined baking sheet, an inch or more apart. If you remember, allow it to thaw a bit ahead of time. Not a big deal if you forget, thawing just allows you to reheat it more quickly. Heat the oven to 400F, cover the baking sheet with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until the lasagna is hot throughout. You may need to cut into a slice to make sure the center is hot.
Mushroom Lasagna in a baking pan

More Pasta Recipes

Favorite Pasta Sauces

Mushroom Lasagna in a baking pan
Other Favorite Italian Recipes

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Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mesquite flour adds a wonderful accent to these oat and walnut studded chocolate chip cookies. If you’ve never baked with it, this is your encouragement

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If you’re looking for a unique and special chocolate chip cookie, this is the recipe. I developed a version of these for my book Super Natural Cooking circa 2007 and they’ve had a special place in my heart (and kitchen!) in the years since. If I were going to enter a cookie contest, these might very well be my entry. The flavor is that good. To make them requires tracking down one specialty ingredient, mesquite flour. I promise it is worth the extra effort. Mesquite flour is a wonderful, fragrant flour made from the ground-up pods of the mesquite tree. It has a slightly sweet and chocolaty flavor, with a touch of malt and smokiness. You can use it all sorts of things, far beyond these cookies, including pancake mixes, waffle mixes, oatmeal, and sweet quick breads.
Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Baking Sheet

Ingredient Spotlight: Mesquite Flour

Chances are you’re new to mesquite flour, so here’s a bit about where it comes from. First thing, mesquite trees are very generous and play an important role in the lives of many native cultures in the Americas. They grow in a wide area ranging from the Southwestern United States all the way through Central and South America – the Sonoran desert, Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico. If you’ve driven through the Southwest, you’ve seen a lot of mesquite. And, as you can see from this list, mesquite are drought-tolerant and thrive in hot and arid climates. They are also remarkably resilient plants that give back in many ways and contribute life-sustaining properties to the communities they are a part of. Mesquite also nitrogen fixes, so it gives back to the land in that way as well.

Different parts of the plant are used for different purposes. Mesquite wood has long been used as fuel or shelter. Beyond that, flour ground from mesquite pods are an important food source, celebrated for being nutrient-rich profile, contributing fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates to traditional diets. The plant has medicinal uses as well as ceremonial. So, mesquite flour, a wonderfully delicious ingredient plays a rich and important role in many cultures.
Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Baking Sheet

Where to Buy Mesquite Flour

Sourcing mesquite flour will take a bit of effort. Look for products that are sustainably harvested preferably using traditional methods. You want 100% mesquite flour with no other added ingredients or flavoring. If you roadtrip through the Southwest, keep an eye out at local markets and farmers’ markets for bags of mesquite flour. This is where you’re likely to find locally produced products.  Unfortunately, the ones I’ve picked up in the past that way don’t have active websites. This Peruvian mesquite flours mentioned below have been reliably good, and are easy to get. Please let me know in the comments if you are using local mesquite flour and can point me to a site to order.

Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Baking Sheet

What if I don’t have Mesquite Flour?

If you don’t have mesquite flour, substitute 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour OR all-purpose flour in its place; your chocolate chip cookies will still turn out chocolate chewy and fantastic.

Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Baking Sheet

How To Freeze Cookies:

Scoop cookie dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Freeze for an hour or so and then transfer the frozen dough balls to a container or freezer bag. The will keep, frozen, for a month or two. Bake at the regular the temperature, adding a couple minutes to the overall baking time. You can see them arranged to be frozen in the photo above.

Below you can see the cookies ready to go into the oven. I use a 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop to get uniform cookies. This recipe makes a lot of cookie dough. The motto here is bake some, freeze some. 
Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Baking Sheet

Pro-tip

Avoid over-baking these cookies. The dough is darker that cookies made exclusively with unbleached all-purpose flour. Because of this, it can be a bit trickier to tell when they’re fully baked. Look at the edges of the cookies, where the dough touches the pan. You want that to be nice and golden.

Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Baking Sheet
Lastly, lets talk about add-ins. These cookies are loaded with chocolate chunks and boosted with walnut pieces. I feel like the chocolate is key here, and I love the chocolate walnut combination. But I encourage you to experiment with other combinations. A bit of espresso powder might be nice. Or maybe some sort of toasted coconut version.
Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Baking Sheet

Related Recipes

Here’s where you can find all the cookie recipes. I love chocolate chip cookies and you can find a number of different takes on them including David Lebovitz’s Great Chocolate Chip Cookies, Itsy Bitsy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (best ice cream sandwich cookies), Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies, this Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, and these Healthful Double Chocolate Cookies.

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Glazed Lemon Cake

This lemon cake is moist, fragrant and topped with a salted lemon glaze. It is made with lots of lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice. You don’t need a mixer, the olive oil based batter comes together quickly, and you’re not much longer than an hour from having a beautiful cake to share.

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If you love to bake, you likely have a lemon cake in your repertoire. This is mine and I’ve been making variations on it for just about ever. I love it for many of the reasons people celebrate a good cake. It is moist and beautifully fragrant. It makes people happy and it sings with lemon flavor. You fold an arguably aggressive amount of hand-chopped lemon zest and a good jolt of juice into the batter and glaze. I like to make this cake with sourdough discard, but just as often don’t – instructions for both methods are included in the recipe below. This is the perfect picnic cake. No mixer necessary, and the batter comes together in a flash. Give it a try!
Glazed Lemon Cake in Baking Pan

Lemon Cake: Ingredients

The ingredient list for this cake is relatively short. Considerations for some of the main ingredients have notes below.

  • Yogurt – I like to use Greek yogurt for this cake. Either low-fat or full-fat will work.
  • Sourdough Discard – Sourdough discard works beautifully in this batter. It adds a dimension of flavor and contributes to a fluffy crumb. Also, I’m eternally trying to use my discard up in things like crackers, quick breads, and the like. If you don’t have discard, you can still make the cake (see the asterisk in the recipe). I do it all the time. Basically, add an extra 1/4 cup of flour to the flour mix, and add an extra 1/4 cup of water as well. The crumb is a bit more dense, but in a good way! The cake below was made with discard and you can see the fluffy crumb.

Partially Sliced Lemon Cake

  • Olive Oil – You are going to want to use a mild tasting olive oil here.
  • Almond Extract – I love almond extract and use it in a lot of my baking. I especially love the combination of lemon and almonds here. But if you don’t have it on hand, by all means swap in vanilla extract. It’s not a big deal at all.
  • Lemon – As I mention above, I’m particular about how I like to use lemon in this cake. For bursts of lemon zesty flavor, I suggest that you take the time to peel the zest from the lemon, scrape off any pith and cut it into the the thinnest whispers of strips (below). See photos. The rest of the cake is such a breeze, it’s worth it to make a bit of extra effort at this step.

Small Pile of Lemon Peel
You can see above, all the bitter white pith is stripped from the peel. And below, the lemon peel is cut into long, thin strips.
Small Bowl of Lemon Zest for Lemon Cake

Lemon Cake Variations

These are all variations on this lemon cake I’ve baked in the past. Lemon pairs well with so many other ingredients, I’m sure you’ll come up with other wonderful variations!

  • Boozy Lemon Cake: Brush 1/4 cup whiskey (or whisky) across the top of the cake after it comes out of the oven, before topping with the lemon glaze. Limoncello is another option, and I also love amaretto here.
  • Glazed Citrus Cake: Experiment beyond the lemon! You can make this cake with a wide range of citrus. Or even a blend of zests and juices. Consider blood orange, lime, grapefruit, etc. Or a blend.
  • Berry Lemon Cake: Fold in room-temperature berries along with the final addition of yogurt mixture called for in the recipe. Use as few or as many berries (within reason) as you like. I also prefer to finish off berry versions of this cake with a dusting of crushed freeze-dried berries after drizzling the warm cake with glaze. Raspberries, sliced strawberries, blueberries and huckleberries are all fair game. Or combine into a mix!
    Glazed Lemon Cake Cooling on a Counter
  • Glazed Sourdough Lemon Cake: This is the version of the cake you see in the recipe below. I love the crumb in the sourdough discard version — it is super fluffy, like a fluffy banana bread. The version with no discard has a more dense crumb – not quite in the poundcake realm but in that direction on the spectrum. The instructions for both are included below.
  • Lemon Cake with Pretty Flowers: Add some edible flower petals after drizzling the lemon glaze – rose, calendula, violet, rose geranium, etc. You can add fresh or dried. (Edible Flowers)

Glazed Lemon Cake
Please let me know if you try this one! Or if you explore any fun variations. Or(!) if you bake one and take it somewhere wonderful on a picnic. It’s the kind of cake that loves an adventure and loves to be shared!Glazed Lemon Cake

More Recipes

Here’s where you can find more favorite baking recipes. A few to look out for include this one bowl banana bread, this no-bake chocolate cake, my favorite flourless chocolate cake, this Rosemary Olive Oil Cake is outstanding (thank you Kim Boyce!), and the Violet Bakery Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake.

For anyone wanting more lemon inspiration, here’s where you can browse all the lemon recipes. A couple favorites include these lemon ricotta pancakes, this lemony olive oil banana bread, this lemon focaccia, this roasted lemon chutney, and these limoncello macaroons. oh! And there are some good citrus recipes here as well!

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Baked Quinoa Patties

Great served hot or room-temperature, these quinoa patties are packed with herbs, kale and creamy feta cheese. Adult and kid-friendly, and perfect for lunches on the go.

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Quinoa patties are portable, packed with protein, and adaptable. Even people who are on the fence about quinoa tend to love them, especially the ones you see here. This version is sesame-crusted and boosted with lots of herbs and kale. That said, you can play around with a wide range of accent ingredients and cooking techniques. I initially featured a skillet-cooked version in my book, Super Natural Cooking (2007), but you can bake them as well with great results, and that’s what you see here.
Baked Quinoa Patties

How to Make Quinoa Patties

Quinoa patties come together quickly, particularly if you have a few cups of leftover quinoa on hand. I always cook extra quinoa, knowing it will come together into a quick lunch if I plan ahead a bit. To make quinoa patties you simply combine cooked quinoa, eggs, herbs, breadcrumbs and seasoning in a bowl. The patties are shaped by hand and then baked or pan-fried. They can be enjoyed hot or room-temperature, and, either way, I love them with a bit of hot sauce.
Quinoa patties on a baking sheet prior to baking
You can see the patties prior to baking above. And then after baking below. I like to sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top for added crunch. Really push them into shape using your hands so that they will hold their shape.
Quinoa patties on a baking sheet after baking

Quinoa Patties: On the Go

I initially highlighted these quinoa patties (below) when a number of you asked about packing meals for flights. I was heading to London – so, a long flight from San Francisco. My strategy for flight meals is an ever-evolving system which (currently) involves a collapsible container, two thick rubber bands, and a plastic fork/spoon thing. All food goes in one container, and I avoid anything liquid to get through security. A good splash of sauce seems to be fine though. For my flight to London, I packed these potstickers. What you didn’t see was the way I buried them under a layer of these baked quinoa patties. Not pretty, but great to have on hand. I use a folded piece of parchment paper to divide the dumplings from the patties.
Quinoa patties packed for lunch in a small box
When I stay closer to home, I tend to go the bento or tiffin route – have a look at this page if you’re interested in more on-the-go, feel-good lunch ideas.
Quinoa patties in a bowl served with a side salad

Variations:

As long as your base ingredients (quinoa, eggs, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs) hold together into a patty, you can play around with different accents and ingredients. Here are a few ideas I’ve had success with over the years.

  • Za’atar Quinoa Patties: Follow the recipe as follows, adding 1 tablespoon of za’atar to quinoa mixture. This is a favorite, especially along with a sesame crust.
  • Lemon Madras Quinoa Patties: Skip some of the herbs and stir in 2 teaspoons Madras curry powder and the slivered zest of one large lemon.
  • Gluten-free Quinoa Patties: Niki commented, “I substitute ground almonds or walnuts for the bread crumbs – works perfectly.”
  • Brussels Sprout Quinoa Patties: VL noted,”I just want to say I made these for a trip this weekend, but used brussels sprouts instead of the kale. They were great!” I can also imagine finely chopped cabbage working brilliantly as well, along similar lines.

There are a bunch of other great substitution ideas down in the comments as well.
Travel photos in London

A Few Tips!

One thing I’ve learned over the years of making these is that the quinoa mixture is easier to shape if you allow it to sit overnight, refrigerated. It just holds together better.

Linda Marie commented, “I found that wet hands made shaping the patties easier. Did them in the skillet. Turned out great. Will try baking next time.”
Quinoa patties in a bowl served with a side salad

Related Recipes

Here’s a post about how to cook quinoa along with a bunch of related quinoa recipes. And here’s where you can get more inspiration for feel-good lunch ideas. These quinoa patties are great tucked into a bento situation along with edamame, a bit of coleslaw, and bit of spiced avocado.

 

 

 

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Baked Mushrooms with Miso Butter

Baked mushrooms are the ultimate low-lift creation. Here, mushrooms are tossed in a simple ponzu marinade, topped with cubes of butter and citrus slices, then baked into perfection in a hot oven.

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I’ve been lucky to live in the vicinity of some world-class mushroom growers for most of my life. Far West Funghi were a staple at the weekly Ferry Building Farmers’ market in San Francisco and Long Beach Mushrooms are a bright spot now that we are farther south. I’ve cooked a lot of mushrooms over the years and simple, baked mushrooms are an easy go-to for me. What you see here are mushrooms tossed in a simple ponzu marinade topped with little cubes of butter and citrus slices. Everything is covered and baked into succulent perfection in a hot oven. The sauce creates itself in the base of the dish. This is the type of preparation that is great whether you have regular button mushrooms or a fancy mix of exotic varietals. Promise.

Baked Mushrooms in a Casserole Dish

The Inspiration

Using soy sauce or ponzu as an anchor ingredient in a mushroom marinade is a fantastic combination. You see skewered soy-brushed mushrooms grilled as standard fare at many izakayas in Japan. I do variations on this at home a lot, switching variables up depending on what ingredients are on hand, and what cooking method is available. For example, the recipe today bakes the mushrooms in a hot oven, alternately, you might make a foil or parchment pocket and grill or bake that way. I tend to use ponzu sauce, and made a fresh batch of it recently. The citrus accent is key, and I like to use whatever citrus is coming out of the garden – in this case Rangpur lime. I’m equally happy using lemon, Meyer lemon, lime, slivered market lime leaves, or orange. Use whatever you have access to!

Baked Mushrooms with Rice and More on a Marble Table

Make it Vegan

I like the richness and flavor the little dabs of butter lend to the recipe as written, the miso in the marinade melds with the butter into a fantastic sauce as the mushrooms bake. That said, a generous drizzle of good olive oil before baking would work nearly as well.
Close-up photo of specialty mushrooms - oyster mushrooms, mother of pearl mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms and more

Baked Mushrooms: What Kind?

You have a lot of latitude here. The mushrooms you see pictured are beautiful cultivated types from a local mushroom grower including oyster mushrooms, mother of pearl, lion’s mane, pioppino, chestnut, and golden oyster mushrooms. I like doing versions with enoki and nameko as well. I also made a fantastic version earlier in the week with straight-ahead grocery store cremini mushrooms – absolutely perfect over a bowl of steaming hot rice. So, don’t sweat it if that is what is available. This is still going to be great. One pro-tip, I like to break (or cut) the mushrooms into slightly bigger than bite-sized pieces before tossing with the marinade. They will go on to collapse as they bake.Raw mushrooms before baking
Above you can see the raw mushrooms in the dish they will eventually bake in. Some of the larger mushrooms, the oyster mushrooms for example, are torn into smaller pieces.
Marinated mushrooms before baking in a baking dish
In this shot (above) you can see the mushrooms after they’ve been tossed in the ponzu marinade. They are topped with citrus and a bit of butter. At this point you will cover and bake for about 20 minutes.
Baked Mushrooms in a Casserole Dish
Here’s what the finished mushrooms look like less than a minute after removing from the oven. I like to sprinkle fresh herbs on them before serving, chives are top of that list. And if you want to get a bit decadent, a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche is magic.

This is so simple to through together, I hope you give it a try. And for the mushroom fans, here’s where you can have a look through all the mushroom recipes.

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