Now that I have basil growing in the garden again, I’m on a quest to use up my frozen pesto because I’ll be able to make it fresh whenever I want to. If making a big batch of pesto and freezing it for fall and winter marks the end of summer…
Now that I have basil growing in the garden again, I’m on a quest to use up my frozen pesto because I’ll be able to make it fresh whenever I want to. If making a big batch of pesto and freezing it for fall and winter marks the end of summer for me, then frantically trying to use up that pesto is a sure sign of spring. It happens every year, like clockwork. It’s a good thing this recipe took a few tries to get right—I think I used half of my pesto supply perfecting it. The first time I made it, I only used cannelini beans. It was not good. I’ve realized that I only like cannelini beans as a component of a dish, not as the main ingredient. White bean cakes with just white beans, pesto, panko, and egg were definitely meh. So then I used half the beans and more ingredients each subsequent trial. Cheese! Why not? A zucchini? Of course! And then quinoa. Sometimes less is more, but sometimes more is more. And this is a more is more recipe. But even with more, it’s still not a lot. If you make this, don’t skip the […]
I usually keep a few canned things on hand. Sardines, tuna, and tomatoes, are constants you’ll find in my cupboards. I also have oddities that I’m not sure what I’ll use them for, but keep them around anyways, like smoked sugar, butterscotch chips, coffee-flavored salt, Vietnamese coconut syrup, and a kit someone gave me for making queso blanco which does, indeed, work. I’ve discovered the…
I usually keep a few canned things on hand. Sardines, tuna, and tomatoes, are constants you’ll find in my cupboards. I also have oddities that I’m not sure what I’ll use them for, but keep them around anyways, like smoked sugar, butterscotch chips, coffee-flavored salt, Vietnamese coconut syrup, and a kit someone gave me for making queso blanco which does, indeed, work.
I’ve discovered the joy and deliciousness of fresh dried chickpeas, which sounds like an oxymoron. But most dried chickpeas are old and not as delicious as when you buy dried chickpeas from a local source, which are fresher and better-tasting. However canned chickpeas will certainly do in a pinch, or if you’re in a hurry, and I have a few tins in my larder for “just in case” moments, like this one, when I wanted to make a hearty version of Shakshuka.
This hearty vegan minestrone soup is a delicious combination of flavors that will warm your soul and satisfy your hunger. It is a comforting, nourishing bowl of goodness, brimming with various veggies, beans, and pasta, all simmered in a savory broth. …
This hearty vegan minestrone soup is a delicious combination of flavors that will warm your soul and satisfy your hunger. It is a comforting, nourishing bowl of goodness, brimming with various veggies, beans, and pasta, all simmered in a savory broth. It is the perfect meal for those chilly evenings or when you need a...
When I’m in the mood for a fun dinner, I make vegetarian tacos. Jack mixes up margaritas, I set out a taco bar for two, and we each fill our tortillas just the way we like them. The process is quick and easy, and at the end, we get to dig in to f…
When I’m in the mood for a fun dinner, I make vegetarian tacos. Jack mixes up margaritas, I set out a taco bar for two, and we each fill our tortillas just the way we like them. The process is quick and easy, and at the end, we get to dig in to flavorful veggie tacos. To me, it’s a pretty perfect night. In case you’re looking for a fun way to change up your dinner routine, I’m sharing 11 of my favorite vegetarian taco recipes below. They’d be perfect for Cinco de Mayo this week, but honestly, we make […]
I’m a big fan of traditional Cassoulet. And I’m not alone; a repeated question I get is “Where can I get a good cassoulet in Paris?” The short answer is: To the Southwest of France. Sure, one can pick up a jar of Cassoulet from Castelnaudary, or make it, which I sometimes do. For those who want to tackle the project, there’s a recipe in…
I’m a big fan of traditional Cassoulet. And I’m not alone; a repeated question I get is “Where can I get a good cassoulet in Paris?” The short answer is: To the Southwest of France. Sure, one can pick up a jar of Cassoulet from Castelnaudary, or make it, which I sometimes do. For those who want to tackle the project, there’s a recipe in My Paris Kitchen. But not everyone wants to spend a few days gathering ingredients and sauteeing and simmering them together, then baking, then reheating the behemoth in their oven.
While it’s one of my top favorite dishes in the French food canon, sometimes I don’t want to wait, and remain wary of the jar. So when I saw a recipe for Cassoulet Toast in Open Kitchen: Inspired Food for Casual Gatherings, I was intrigued enough to give it a try. Cookbook author Susan Spungen is one of the top food stylists (she famously styled the food for Eat, Pray, Love and the Julie & Julia film), who noted in the headnote of the recipe that she originally wanted to include a Cassoulet recipe in her book, but decided it was too formidable to hoist on home cooks, so came up with a recipe that captures the flavors that we love about cassoulet; the rich, velvety beans, the caramelized aromatics, and the tender duck confit, all on a slice of crisp, country-style bread.
This Spanish rice and beans brings big flavor to humble ingredients! It’s a tasty vegan and vegetarian main dish or easy side dish. Here’s a dish made with humble ingredients yet big flavor: Spanish rice and beans! Alex and I recently shared a Spanish rice recipe as part of our Ultimate Vegan Burrito, and it so tasty we wanted to find another way to serve it. Enter: rice and beans! It’s a pantry-staple sort of meal that works as a healthy vegan and vegetarian dinner or a hearty side. Flavored with salsa and adobo sauce, the rice is filled with tangy roasted red peppers, beans, and herby cilantro. Alex and I took one bite, and then couldn’t stop eating it. Here’s more about it, and how to make it! Looking for something more traditional? Try our Black Beans and Rice or Cuban Black Beans Recipe. Spanish rice and beans: more of a concept than a recipe! Spanish rice is actually Mexican dish, sometimes called Mexican rice or arroz rojo (“red rice” in Spanish). It gets its red color from cooking it with tomatoes. Here’s our take on this popular Mexican-style side dish, which pairs perfectly with tacos and enchiladas. It’s fantastic in […]
This Spanish rice and beans brings big flavor to humble ingredients! It’s a tasty vegan and vegetarian main dish or easy side dish.
Here’s a dish made with humble ingredients yet big flavor: Spanish rice and beans! Alex and I recently shared a Spanish rice recipe as part of our Ultimate Vegan Burrito, and it so tasty we wanted to find another way to serve it. Enter: rice and beans! It’s a pantry-staple sort of meal that works as a healthy vegan and vegetarian dinner or a hearty side. Flavored with salsa and adobo sauce, the rice is filled with tangy roasted red peppers, beans, and herby cilantro. Alex and I took one bite, and then couldn’t stop eating it. Here’s more about it, and how to make it!
Spanish rice and beans: more of a concept than a recipe!
Spanish rice is actually Mexican dish, sometimes called Mexican rice or arroz rojo (“red rice” in Spanish). It gets its red color from cooking it with tomatoes. Here’s our take on this popular Mexican-style side dish, which pairs perfectly with tacos and enchiladas. It’s fantastic in this Vegan Burrito, or alongside these Zesty Red Enchiladas.
Add beans, and you’ve got Spanish rice and beans! Interestingly, there’s not really a “recipe standard” for it, like there is for Spanish rice. So, you can use any sort of bean you’d like! Adding that plant-based protein turns this classic side dish into a healthy vegetarian and vegan dinner.
Ingredients in Spanish rice and beans
There are lots of variations on how to make Spanish rice. Like coleslaw or potato salad, everyone has their own spin on this side dish. And as I mentioned above, there’s even more variation on the concept when you add beans to it. Here’s what is in this recipe:
This Spanish rice and beans recipe is more of a concept than a recipe, so remember: you can use whatever beans you’d like! Alex and I used kidney beans here since that’s a popular variation on the recipe, but you can use pinto beans or black beans as well.
Using kidney beans gave it a bit of a vibe of a sort of vegetarian paella! But using black beans gives it more of a straightforward Mexican vibe. You could also try our Black Beans and Rice recipe if you’d like to use black beans.
Find roasted red peppers in a jar
The great thing about using roasted red peppers in a jar is that they’re pantry friendly! Alex and I wanted this recipe to be an easy pantry meal using staples you can have on hand, so we used red peppers in a jar instead of fresh bell peppers. They’re easy to find at your local grocery, and are usually near the canned goods next to the olives and jarred artichokes.
Because the peppers are roasted, their flavor is beautifully tangy. Alex and I loved the zing they added to this Spanish rice and beans, so we’d recommend finding a few jars for your pantry and using one for this recipe. You’ll only use about 1 to 2 peppers, so you can refrigerate the rest for using later! An opened jar of roasted red peppers lasts about 1 month in the refrigerator.
This Spanish rice and beans recipe also stars adobo sauce: a tomato-chili sauce that brings savory, smoky flavor to Mexican dishes. It’s optional in this recipe, but we highly recommend it. It uses only 1 teaspoon, so it doesn’t add heat! Here’s what you need to know about it:
Chipotles in adobo sauce are available in the Mexican food section in most groceries. The can has both chipotle chiles (smoked and dried jalapeños that are rehydrated) and adobo sauce: a purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and other spices.
This recipe calls for adobo sauce only, not the peppers! Pull out just 1 teaspoon sauce from the can and leave the peppers inside. Each brand of can has different amounts of adobo sauce, so you’ll have to experiment and find your favorite.
Refrigerate or freeze the rest for other recipes. You can refrigerate the can for a few weeks, or place the contents in a sealed container and freeze for a few months.
If you have a pressure cooker, you can also make this Spanish rice and beans with it! Go to Instant Pot Spanish Rice to make the rice, then stir in the beans, roasted red peppers, and fresh cilantro at the end. The advantage to using an Instant Pot is that it makes it hands off! (The recipe will take about the same amount of time, so for this one it’s not a huge time saver.)
This Spanish rice and beans recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the salsa, adobo sauce, broth, and kosher salt.
Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until all the liquid is cooked out. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes to steam.
Fluff with a fork. Stir in the beans (drained and rinsed), chopped roasted red peppers and cilantro. Serve immediately.
We’re still experiencing a lot of grocery shortages in the middle of this pandemic, but when I ventured out to the grocery store this week I noticed something. The produce department was very well stocked, while many of the shelf stable items were sold out. I presume that’s because people are afraid to buy perishables. So, […]
We’re still experiencing a lot of grocery shortages in the middle of this pandemic, but when I ventured out to the grocery store this week I noticed something. The produce department was very well stocked, while many of the shelf stable items were sold out. I presume that’s because people are afraid to buy perishables. So, that made me rethink my strategy. I’m going to focus on fresh ingredients for about a week after shopping, then transition into the more shelf stable recipes (like my 15 Pantry Staple Recipes) for the second week, or until my next grocery run. Besides, after eating so many pantry recipes over the past month, I’m craving fresh produce hard. So this week I grabbed some fresh parsley, cilantro, and a pint of tomatoes, and whipped up this SUPER easy Chimichurri Chickpea Salad.
If you want to turn this into a vegetarian meal, consider chopping up some pita or a crusty bread and stirring it right into the salad to make it like a Panzanella, or adding a few greens and a chopped hard boiled egg.
How to Use Leftover Parsley and Cilantro
Don’t let the rest of the parsley and cilantro go to waste after you make this salad! Parsley and cilantro are great in and on so many other dishes. This chickpea salad recipe uses a half batch of my basic Chimichurri recipe, but you could always make the full size batch and use half on this salad, then use the other half for dipping some crusty bread. That will use up more of your parsley and cilantro.
Here are some other great recipes for using parsley and cilantro:
This super simple chickpea salad is bright and flavorful thanks to homemade chimichurri and feta. Goes great with all your summer grilling!
Total Cost $4.36 recipe / $0.73 serving
Prep Time 15minutes
Cook Time 0minutes
Total Time 15minutes
Servings 6about 1 cup each
Calories 328.57kcal
Author Beth - Budget Bytes
Ingredients
Chimichurri
½ cupchopped fresh parsley$0.18
¼ cupchopped fresh cilantro$0.10
¼ cupolive oil$0.42
2Tbspred wine vinegar$0.20
1clovegarlic, minced$0.08
½ tspdried oregano$0.05
1/4tspground cumin$0.02
1/8tspcrushed red pepper$0.02
1/4tspsalt$0.02
Salad
215oz. canschickpeas$0.49
1pintgrape tomatoes$1.69
2oz.feta$1.09
Instructions
Make the chimichurri first. Rinse the fresh parsley and cilantro, then drain well. Roughly chop the parsley and cilantro, then add it to a bowl along with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt. Stir to combine, then set the dressing aside.
Rinse and drain both cans of chickpeas. Slice the grape tomatoes in half. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes to a large bowl. Crumble the feta, add it to the bowl, then drizzle the chimichurri over top. Stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat (up to four days).
How to Make Chimichurri Chickpea Salad – Step by Step Photos
Make the chimichurri first. Rinse and drain the fresh parsley and cilantro. Roughly chop the parsley and cilantro, you’ll need ½ cup parsley (about ¼ bunch) and about ¼ cup cilantro (a big handful). Add them to the bowl along with 1 minced clove of garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp ground cumin, ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper, and ¼ tsp salt.
Stir the ingredients together and now you have chimichurri! Set the chimichurri aside.
Rinse and drain 2 15oz. cans of chickpeas. Slice 1 pint of grape tomatoes in half. Crumble 2oz. feta. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, and feta to a bowl, then pour the chimichurri over top.
Stir to combine and it’s ready to eat! Or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
I like to buy my feta in a block, as opposed to pre-crumbled, because it’s easier to save for later. I cut the block into quarters first (right through the plastic) because I usually use about 2oz. per recipe. I then place the rest of the block, still in the original plastic, inside a freezer bag, then inside a re-usable freezer container. I can take out one 2oz. block at a time to use whenever needed!
If you would like to eat a vegetarian goulash soup EXACTLY how Hungarians eat it, you should try this recipe. Our family has been making bean goulash this way for generations. It is a 30-min simple, one-pot soup using only veggies and beans. You …
If you would like to eat a vegetarian goulash soup EXACTLY how Hungarians eat it, you should try this recipe. Our family has been making bean goulash this way for generations. It is a 30-min simple, one-pot soup using only veggies and beans. You may not know but we are in fact Hungarians. You can...
Our Favorite Quesadillas– These quesadillas are loaded with beans, avocado, fresh veggies, and of course…CHEESE! This easy quesadilla recipe is perfect for lunch, dinner, and is always a hit with the entire family! Favorite Quesadilla Recip…
Our Favorite Quesadillas– These quesadillas are loaded with beans, avocado, fresh veggies, and of course…CHEESE! This easy quesadilla recipe is perfect for lunch, dinner, and is always a hit with the entire family! Favorite Quesadilla Recipe This is an easy and classic quesadilla recipe with a special family twist (keep reading for our secret)! I…
There are two things you should know about this recipe: 1. The name is a lie. There’s no queso in these quesadillas. But calling them “dillas” makes them sound like something cutesy off of a children’s menu, doesn’t it? 2….
There are two things you should know about this recipe: 1. The name is a lie. There’s no queso in these quesadillas. But calling them “dillas” makes them sound like something cutesy off of a children’s menu, doesn’t it? 2. Yes, if it sounds familiar, it’s because I made these with leftovers from my Sweet Potato & Kale Wraps. I decided to save the recipe for a rainy day and its day has finally come! So yeah, about #2. We had tortillas and fillings leftover after making those wraps. But, as you saw, I am no burrito wrapper, so the second night around, I made these Kale & Sweet Potato Quesadillas for dinner. Instead of binding everything together with cheese like in a traditional quesadillas, I used mashed sweet potatoes. Is this weird? Okay, fine, maybe it sounds weird, but sweet potatoes and kale go really well together (this is one of my most popular posts, after all!) and so do sweet potatoes and black beans. Oh, and one note about the chorizo: if you can purchase Field Roast locally, use their Mexican Chipotle sausage. Their sausage is made with real vegetables, grains, and spices and it’s minimally processed. (Yes, […]