This pesto chicken recipe makes an impressive and easy dinner! Basil pesto makes a quick herby sauce to pair with the juicy chicken.
Got pesto? Here’s a great way to use it to make an impressive dinner recipe: Pesto Chicken! Combine basil pesto with a bit of cream and it makes a stunning fresh sauce for juicy chicken breasts! It’s a quick trick that makes an everyday dinner into something special, perfect for entertaining or just an easy weeknight meal. This one is very popular in our house: especially when we have guests!
Ingredients in this pesto chicken recipe
Pesto chicken in perfect for when you have access to fresh basil and can make a big batch of basil pesto! The flavor of homemade pesto far outshines the jarred variety you can find at the store. It also has a brighter green color! However, if you want to make pesto chicken with purchased pesto that works too (see our tips below).
Boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound, organic if possible), butterflied or cutlets
Garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt
Salted butter
Olive oil
Basil pesto
Heavy cream
For the pesto: homemade vs storebought
Pesto chicken tastes and looks best with homemade basil pesto. Of course, this isn’t always possible to have fresh basil on hand and time to make pesto homemade. If you’re using the jarred variety, keep this in mind: the flavor and quality of jarred pesto varies greatly between brands.
Homemade pesto has the best flavor and bright green color. Make a batch of Basil Pesto if you can. Or try Arugula Pesto or Kale Pesto, which have a slightly spicier flavor.
Purchased pesto brands vary greatly in flavor (a spritz of lemon juice can help). Each different brand has a different salt and acid level, and some taste very bitter and acidic, which can overwhelm a dish. Adding a spritz of fresh lemon juice can help to improve the flavor.
Or, try refrigerated fresh pesto (in the produce section). This type of pesto tends to have better flavor than pesto in jars.
How and why to butterfly chicken
Chicken breasts are often very thick, making them tricky to cook evenly because the thin part finishes before the thick part cooks through. The trick? Butterfly your chicken before cooking it! Slicing the chicken breast in half horizontally makes thinner pieces which cook more evenly. They’re also easier to eat and are better seasoned.
You can buy a chicken breast already butterflied, which may be marked on the package (or it may be labeled as “cutlets”). Or if you buy regular chicken breasts, you can butterfly it yourself. Here’s how to butterfly a chicken breast:
Place your hand over the top of the chicken breast.
Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the breast horizontally, leaving the edge intact so it can open up like a book (or butterfly!).
Unfold the chicken breast like a book, then for cutlets, cut along the fold to separate the two halves (each half is a cutlet).
Buy organic chicken if possible
How to find the best meat for this pesto chicken recipe? The best chicken to buy is organic. Per the USDA, organic chicken must be raised in living conditions that accommodate their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not given antibiotics or hormones.
Buying organic chicken makes sure that it is the highest quality meat that was raised sustainably, and it is also free of chemicals and additives so it’s the healthiest option for eating. It also tastes better!
Ways to serve it
How to make pesto chicken into a meal? Add an easy side dish or two to turn it into dinner! Here are a few ideas:
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then slice it in half horizontally (if not already butterflied). Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. When the internal temperature is 165°F or the center is no longer pink, remove to a plate and rest for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the basil pesto and cream with a pinch of kosher salt. When the chicken has rested, gently toss the chicken breasts in the sauce and serve immediately with a drizzle of the sauce over the chicken.
Hummus is a chickpea paste from Far Eastern cuisine. Currently, it is trendy due to its health-promoting properties. Chickpea paste is rich in minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, potassium, selenium, sodium, copper, iron, and calcium. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and those from group B. Humus also contains …
Hummus is a chickpea paste from Far Eastern cuisine. Currently, it is trendy due to its health-promoting properties. Chickpea paste is rich in minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, potassium, selenium, sodium, copper, iron, and calcium. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and those from group B.
Humus also contains folates ( the synthetic name of the form in tablets is folic acid) which is especially necessary for expectant mothers. Suppose I had known that I would have been eating hummus when I was expecting a child ;).
Nothing is lost because legumes, including chickpeas, also contain phytoestrogens, which are very helpful in relieving the symptoms of menopause in women. So, dear ladies, it is worth introducing this magical dish to your diet.
How to choose the best ingredients for Hummus
Chickpeas: If you have the option, choose organic chickpeas with smaller grains. So the smaller grains in legumes are more velvety after cooking and cook for less time.
Lemon: Lemon here, we will only use juice, but I also recommend using lemon zest, e.g., to refresh the dishwasher. If you put the lemon zest, you will restore the dishwasher and make the smell of the washed dishes slightly lemon. I love it, and I recommend giving it a try. It’s natural, and you don’t have to buy artificial flavors.
Tahini: You can buy tahini, preferably organic. However, you can also do it yourself. Sesame paste can be used in a variety of dishes and can be stored for a very long time. I keep it in a glass jar in the fridge. I use it for spreads, soups, and desserts. How to make the perfect tahini can be found on my blog.
Garlic: garlic is essential in chickpea paste. However, it cannot dominate the effects, so one clove is added, and the variety does not matter here.
Lemon juice: lemon juice overpowers the taste of chickpeas and tahini. It goes perfectly with cumin. You can read how to squeeze lemon juice in tips and tricks effectively.
Cumin: cumin is supposedly included in hummus recipes as an optional addition, but I encourage you to add it if you don’t like the smell of this. I have a problem with one spice, and even though I know it has many health properties, I can’t eat the dish. So I give it a wide berth.
Tips and Tricks for Hummus
If you don’t use canned chickpeas, you need half of the dry chickpeas, about 150 gr.
I prefer this method, so I do it because I use a little treatment to make the chickpeas work well with my digestive system
First, soak chickpeas in water with half a teaspoon of baking soda to cook them well. To speed up this process, you can pour hot water over it, then overnight soaking is limited to 2-3 hours. Soaking the grains in baking soda also speeds up the cooking time, and the grains become super soft and easier to blend, and the hummus will be smoother.
In addition, if you want your hummus to be super smooth, then after cooking the chickpeas, throw the seeds into cold water, then the skin of the chickpeas separates and floats to the top. You can then separate it from the chickpeas.
Cumin is supposedly optional (if you don’t like its taste) but necessary because it soothes digestive ailments after chickpeas. Hummus is supposed to give joy to eating, not problems. Try and decide. Just peeling chickpeas from the skin and soaking them in baking soda can significantly reduce this process.
Hummus can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container or jar for up to 5 days.
Lemon to squeeze the juice from the lemon well, first roll it on the countertop, pressing it gently, and only after this procedure, cut it in half and squeeze the juice.
If you do not add cumin to hummus, it can be used for dessert, e.g. by mixing with dried fruits such as dates or chocolate cream, or if you add honey, peanut butter, or cocoa.
For other healthy inspirations with chickpeas in the main role:
Hummus is the perfect chickpea paste, perfect for a dip for fresh vegetables or added to pasta as an element of salad dressing. Hummus is very healthy and, at the same time, tasty, so keep the recipe for this chickpea paste with many uses.
Soak the lentils, preferably overnight (at least 12 hours), with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Then rinse well under running water. Boil the soaked beans in fresh, unsalted water until tender (1.5 -2h). If foam accumulates during cooking in the water, it should be removed regularly – these are impurities that need to be removed. If you want the hummus to be perfectly smooth, drain the cooked chickpeas from the water they were cooked and pour them with cold water. Then it will be easy to separate the skin, which you can easily remove from the water's surface.
I don't mind the skin because I can have an imperfectly smooth chickpea paste, but this trick can help those who prefer this smoothness in pastes.
Once you peel the lentils, throw them into the blender bowl, adding extras such as lemon juice, olive oil, a little boiled water if needed, and cumin and salt.
What is tahini paste? What is Homemade Tahini Paste Recipe? Tahini sauce is a creamy sesame-based sauce popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. It’s commonly used on falafels, vegetables, salad dressing, or pita bread. Tahini paste is only lightly roasted sesame seeds ground with or without olive oil. We should choose the ingredients depending …
What is Homemade Tahini Paste Recipe? Tahini sauce is a creamy sesame-based sauce popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.
It’s commonly used on falafels, vegetables, salad dressing, or pita bread.
Tahini paste is only lightly roasted sesame seeds ground with or without olive oil. We should choose the ingredients depending on our expectations and what we will use tahini paste for.
I made a little test to show you the differences in tahini paste made from unshelled sesame seeds and what happens when you make it from hulled sesame seeds.
Depending on our preferences, I will show you what happens when we add oil or other liquid fat to sesame.
How to make an ideal sesame paste? How to perfectly roast sesame so that the pasta is not bitter in taste? Everything is to be found here.
Make tahini and enjoy the quality and taste when you use it to add dips, spreads, soups, desserts, and perhaps many other recipes.
Where to find tahini paste?
I often ask where to buy tahini and which brands to use. You can find tahini paste at some if you’d like. Oil — We add a few tablespoons of neutral-flavored oil to help the tahini turn into a creamy smooth paste.
A variety of oils work. Try avocado oil, light and fruity olive oil, vegetable oil, and grape seed oil. Salt is an optional ingredient, but I always use it. It just makes the tahini taste better.
Our Simple Process for Making Tahini.
Making tahini is easy and only requires a few simple steps.
Step 1: Toast the sesame seeds. I love toasting the sesame seeds before making the tahini. The flavor is far superior this way. If you plan to toast the seeds, we recommend doing so.
Step 2: Blend the sesame seeds into a mass with or without liquid vegetable fat.
How to Serve Homemade Tahini Sauce?
The most popular recipe where you can use tahini sauce is, of course, Hummus.
Other uses would be various kinds of pastes like Baba Ghanoush.
Or other spreads for bread based on baked eggplants and peppers.
Soup with additions of lentils or chickpeas.
You can try my soup recipes with tahini sauce recipe.
Various dips and salad dressing. Tahini goes perfectly with lemon juice, minced garlic, garlic cloves, or yogurt. The perfect dip for the grill or roasted vegetables will be with yogurt and tahini.
The flavor is a bit nutty from the tahini paste used, but it also has a slight citrus flavor from the lemon.
The end result is a deliciously creamy sauce that is meant for dipping!
Interestingly, black sesame seeds are very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine and are used to make a paste. This paste, in its taste, is even more expressive.
Such a paste can be used for desserts, spreading on bread or Japanese mochi, or for entertaining ice cream desserts, adding to cakes or buttercream. Such an addition will make the taste not so boring but original.
Tahini, without adding oil, can perfectly serve as a nut or seed butter. You can also combine it with nut butter to sharpen its taste.
Tahini will be perfect for desserts like ice cream as a topping in the sweet version or as an ingredient (then we will get delicious halwa ice cream).
A healthy version of sweets will also be made based on tahini and dried dates. For these sweets, I always use homemade tahini without oil.
How to Make Tahini in Minutes?
Is it possible to make tahini in a minute? It is possible if you have good equipment and skip roasting the seeds.
Only if it’s worth making such tahini.
Tahini paste recipe without roasting has a more delicate taste and is not so nutty.
You have to try it yourself if you like the taste.
I sometimes decide on a quick tahini I need for desserts or ice cream.
Easy Tahini – Better Than Store-bought
Easy Tahini Recipe has a rich nutty taste and is so easy to make with just two ingredients – sesame seeds and oil. It is so much better and cheaper than store bought tahini.
Once you try this simple recipe, you will never buy tahini in a store again.
Depending on our preferences, I will show you what happens when we add oil or other liquid fat to sesame.
Is it worth making homemade sesame paste? For all certainty, I recommend it because then you know what you eat and do it definitely for yourself and your preferences.
You decide how thick it should be, whether it should be with adding liquid vegetable fat and whether you choose to use organic sesame.
It’s up to you to decide whether you use hulled or unhulled sesame, which has much more nutritional value.
Tahini will then be less liquid but healthy. The choice is up to you.
Homemade sesame paste is very easy to make. There is only one condition. You do nothing else while roasting sesame seeds.
How to choose the best ingredients for Tahini paste recipe.
Sesame seeds: We choose the best white sesame seeds you can buy for homemade tahini.
Which seeds to choose for tahini? The tahini paste you buy at the store is made from hulled sesame seeds.
I make sesame paste from different seeds depending on what I will use it for.
If you are determined to use it for homemade hummus, this paste can be made from unhulled seeds. It has more bitterness then, but it is definitely pro-health.
If I use sesame paste for desserts, I opt for hulled sesame. Tahini paste is then more delicate.
The picture above shows the difference between hulled sesame and unhulled seeds. The latter is a bit darker with a yellow tint.
Olive oil: if we decide to add liquid fat to tahini, we choose the best quality extra virgin oil. The oil in the tahini makes the sesame pasta more fluid.
You can also replace olive with another neutral oil, such as grapeseed or avocado oil.
When I prepare tahini for desserts, I like to add coconut oil, which is not a neutral oil, but its taste is perfect for desserts.
What’s next once you’ve chosen the ingredients for an easy homemade tahini?
You may remember the roasting stage if you are new to tahini making. However, I personally recommend toasted sesame seeds.
Below I will describe in detail how to make perfectly toasted sesame seeds. It’s a delicate moment, but nothing separates us as soon as we focus on roasting. You can handle it.
The taste of tahini with roasted sesame is much better because the sesame paste takes on a nutty flavor.
The taste of tahini with toasted sesame seeds is much better.
How to perfectly toast sesame seeds for an easy homemade tahini paste recipe.
If you want to perfectly roast sesame seeds on tahini. Prepare your workplace.
You will need two bowls and a pan with a non-stick coating. I use a pan with a stone coating.
A spatula to stir the sesame while roasting and a good eye.
How to tell that sesame seeds are perfectly roasted?
The photo below shows unroasted grains. They are separated from each other and have a loose consistency.
I set the pan on medium heat and sprinkled some seeds so that only a single seed covered the pan’s surface.
Roasting the sesame seeds will be slightly sticky to each other as they begin to produce oil in the process. You can see it in the picture below.
It also changes the color to a slightly darker one.
When I start to make roasted sesame, I prepare two bowls.
I have unroasted sesame seeds in one and pour the already-roasted ones into the other.
I only have enough grains in the pan to cover the surface of the pan one at a time.
It is better to use a smaller pan, especially if you are a beginner at making homemade tahini, then it is easier to control the process.
Which tahini will be best for you?
Let’s summarize everything we know about the best homemade tahini recipe.
What seeds to choose for the best tahini sauce recipe?
Which seeds will you choose, hulled or unhulled?
Unhulled seeds
Let’s sum up unhulled sesame seeds have more nutrients.
However, it makes our tahini sauce more bitter in taste and will not be smooth.
Hulled seeds
You can make tahini smoother with hulled sesame seeds, especially if you add liquid vegetable fat.
However, such tahini will have slightly fewer nutrients and health.
Large differences are especially in the content of iron and calcium. So if you have a shortage of them, opt for the unhulled version.
Unless you also add sesame seeds to other dishes.
Tahini with or without roasted seeds.
Tahini from roasted seeds is more expressive, but the roasting process is very delicate, and you must be very careful at this stage.
Tahini from the seeds alone is simple but less expressive in taste.
But it’s perfect for desserts, and you can make it in the proverbial minute.
Tahini recipe with oil or not.
You can see the differences in the consistency of tahini with or without oil in the pictures below.
Tahini, without adding oil, will be much thicker, and it will not be perfectly smooth.
The taste will be more universal because it can be used for desserts, main courses, dips, or salad dressing.
Tahini with olive oil or other liquid fat such as avocado oil. It will be as shown in the picture below.
The thickness depends on how much oil you add. The picture shows an option where I added 4 tablespoons of liquid vegetable fat to 200 grams of sesame seeds.
As you can see, this is a really liquid version of tahini sauce. Just like you buy at the store.
How to store tahini sauce recipe?
Put it in an airtight container or jar in your fridge. I keep tahini in a sealed jar in the fridge.
I usually prepare it in several versions with and without oil and use it depending on the need. Tahini prepared in this way can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months and will stay fresh.
Tips and tricks for Tahini Paste recipe
You can add salt for taste.
Sesame seeds can be roasted in small batches, so ensuring they do not burn is easier.
If you don’t like the bitter taste of Tahini, use sesame seeds. I especially recommend hulled sesame seeds if you use tahini for desserts.
Use a small pan for roasting, and it will be easier to control this activity so that the sesame does not burn.
Our Simple Process for Making Homemade Tahini Paste recipe
My method for tahini is simple because it disassembles it into prime factors, making it very difficult to do something wrong.
I improved it at every recipe step to make a perfect tahini paste.
Now that you know everything about choosing sesame seeds, whether you want them with or without oil.
Tahini is a very inspired taste that we use in cooking.
This paste is very popular in the Mediterranean diet, which is one of the healthiest.
This is another reason to make your own tahini.
After reading this article, I am sure you will find many ways to make your perfect tahini.
After such an article, you will never buy ready-made tahini again. Here you decide about the consistency, taste and aroma.
Homemade Tahini paste is the recipe for the perfect sesame paste that you can use for desserts or savory dishes such as hummus, soups, or oatmeal. It is essential at the preparation stage what you will use tahini for, then decide what additives you will use.
To roast the sesame perfectly, divide it into small portions, making it easier to control the toast level of the sesame. Also, so that they cover the pan, the grains do not lie on each other, only in the pan.
Set the burner to low heat so you can control roasted sesame seeds.
The sesame seeds will be ready when they become slightly golden (note if they are brown, the tahini may become brown and have a somewhat bitter taste) and start to make oil.Nothing happens if there are few seeds (about 10% of all seeds), but if there are more, then the Tahini will be bitter.
If you start with a cold pan, the time of the first roasted beans will be longer than the rest of the batches. I recommend keeping the sifting bowl close to the pan to control sesame roasting. Whether the sesame is roasted can be recognized by two things: it will change its color slightly too golden, slightly golden, and its loose structure will change to sticky. This is because, during roasting, sesame produces oil that makes the seeds stick to each other.
Pour the roasted sesame into a tall container attached to the hand blender. You can also use a small chopper, mini food processor, or large food processor if you have a lot of toasted sesame.
Blend the sesame seeds high speed blender patiently for 10-15 minutes until the oil releases and the mass becomes smooth.
Add the oil a little bit at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. If we want tahini with a more liquid consistency, we add more oil If you need a thicker paste, add less oil.
Can I use sesame oil for homemade tahini paste recipe?
It would seem that since we are making sesame paste, the perfect oil that we add will be sesame oil.
It doesn’t work like that because sesame oil has a sharp taste and a slightly bitter aftertaste.
So these flavors can be enhanced even more in our homemade tahini. Sometimes you can overdo it, which will be the case when you add sesame oil to tahini.
I encourage you to do a small test and add some sesame oil to the ground tahini.
I don’t like the taste, but you decide to taste bitter for yourself.
And be sure to let me know, thank you so much, in the comment.
What to choose to make the perfect tahini sauce recipe Food processor, blender, or coffee grinder?
Which one will be the best depends on several factors?
How much do you want to prepare tahini sauce?
Do you decide to add olive oil to the tahini sauce recipe?
Do you have a coffee grinder specifically designed for grinding beans and not coffee?
To grind the sesame seeds, you can use a food processor if you have enough, a hand blender, or, as I do it, a coffee grinder.
My coffee grinder has a special insert for wet things like tahini. Especially when adding oil or various kinds of pesto or preparing dips if I want them to taste perfect.
Such a grinder is a good option for preparing small portions of the tahini sauce recipe.
Fancy a delicious, simple spring-smelling dish? Now with the ingredients available all year round, you can bring up any time with this simple crispy smashed potatoes with yogurt dip in your home. The flavors may be a bit revolutionized, but they remind me of many visits to my grandma, where baby potatoes were served with …
Fancy a delicious, simple spring-smelling dish? Now with the ingredients available all year round, you can bring up any time with this simple crispy smashed potatoes with yogurt dip in your home. The flavors may be a bit revolutionized, but they remind me of many visits to my grandma, where baby potatoes were served with curdled milk. Here we replace curdled milk with yogurt and do it as a spicy dip.
How to choose the best ingredients for Crispy smashed potatoes with yogurt dip
Baby Potatoes: I recommend young potatoes with a low starch content (it also makes the yellow inside easier). This detail will make the potatoes soft enough after cooking and keep their shape.
Oliveoil: Olive, I recommend the one you like from the best quality olives extra virgin. I like Italian and Greek oils. When you choose an olive, check where it was produced and, most importantly, where the olives come from (there are situations where the production is in Italy and the olives come from plantations in Africa.).
Rosemary: Rosemary goes perfectly with potatoes and gives them a spring fragrance. It is not necessary, but if you have the opportunity to add fresh rosemary, I highly recommend it.
Tips and tricksfor Crispy smashed potatoes with yogurt dip
Mash the potatoes while they are warm (when they cool down). They will be less flexible and may fall apart.
Mashed potatoes can be lightly sprinkled with pizza cheese to enrich the taste. I prefer to saute versions, but you check them out. I’m waiting for your opinions.
You can sprinkle the baking potatoes with fresh thyme for flavor.
You can also try other dips based on yogurt, e.g., tzatziki. You can find my delicious tzatziki recipe here.
*I’m proud to partner with Watkins to bring you this story and recipe. It’s quite evident in my recipes that I’m a big fan of flavor and I rely on good, fresh organic spices and dried herbs. Watkins uses only USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients in its spices, spice blends, and herbs…. Read more »
*I’m proud to partner with Watkins to bring you this story and recipe. It’s quite evident in my recipes that I’m a big fan of flavor and I rely on good, fresh organic spices and dried herbs. Watkins uses only USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients in its spices, spice blends, and herbs. You can find their products at Watkins1868.com and select stores nationwide.
As always, the words and photos are mine. I appreciate your support and the companies who graciously partner with me so I can continue to share my stories through the recipes that fill our table.
You may have heard of the popular street food recipe in Mexico called Elote. If not, it’s an incredible dish that starts with corn on the cob; grilled until blackened and smoky then slathered in a creamy and spicy sauce before being rolled in cheese then finished with fresh lime juice. It is now absolutely my preferred way of eating corn. Esquites is the same idea but minus the cob. Corn kernels are blackened (or the cobs are grilled then the kernels removed) and then mixed with mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder, cilantro leaves, ground cumin, adobo seasoning and lots of lime.
Because I’m a believer in “all things are better when wrapped in a tortilla” we’ve turned this classic Mexican corn dish into a taco. It’s paired with what is basically a chunky guacamole that is loaded with scallions and a touch of sour cream (or if you’re an Antoni fan you can use Greek yogurt).
This recipe is written to feed a crowd or to have plenty of leftovers. I also added slow simmered pinto beans to bulk up the tacos but you can add grilled fish, chicken, steak, or carnitas – the options are endless.
8 corn cobs, kernels removed (or about 24 ounces corn kernels – you can use frozen corn here too)
Instructions
In a medium size bowl stir together the mayonnaise, cheese, lime zest, juice, salt and chili powder. Feel free to add more chili powder if you want more heat.
Add the butter to a large skillet set over medium high heat. When the butter sizzles add the corn then let blacken. Give a quick stir after a couple of minutes then let sit again. Add a hefty pinch of salt then turn off the heat.
Stir the blackened corn into the creamy mayonnaise mixture.
Alternately you can grill the corn cobs then let cool and remove the kernels from the cob before stirring into the creamy sauce.
Creamy Avocado and Scallion Salsa
2 large avocados, peeled and diced
5 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
2 TBL sour cream
1/2 tsp Watkins Organic Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Watkins Organic Adobo Seasoning Pinch salt
1 TBL fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBL minced jalapeño (more or less depending on your spice preference)
1 TBL Watkins Organic Cilantro Leaves
In a medium size bowl stir together the avocado, scallions, cumin, adobo, salt, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño and dried cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired
Tacos
12 small flour or corn tortillas
Meat or beans (optional)
Crumbled cotija or queso fresco
Pickled jalapeños
Warm the tortillas then serve with meat or beans, esquites, salsa and whatever other toppings you prefer. I’ve listed my favorites.
I feel like celebrating. It’s been a year (give or take a day or so) since Let’s Stay In hit the bookstores and I’m feeling sentimental. This little book went out to the world with a bit of fanfare and then I just left it to do its thing. Hoping, praying and crossing my fingers… Read more »
I feel like celebrating. It’s been a year (give or take a day or so) since Let’s Stay In hit the bookstores and I’m feeling sentimental. This little book went out to the world with a bit of fanfare and then I just left it to do its thing. Hoping, praying and crossing my fingers that the recipes will find their way into your homes, around your table and perhaps even into the stories of your families. I’ve received so many incredible messages throughout the year that indicate that my prayers were answered.
Thank you for trusting me with your time, your resources and with those precious moments spent around the table. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude today as I reflect on the incredible gift it is to be able to share this work. Just like any job there are many moments where it feels just like work. That’s when I sit back, often head into the kitchen just to cook and revel in the goodness.
Words fail me so let’s just celebrate this little occasion with a warming, special yet delightfully simple dinner. It’s what I’ll be making tonight and I hope you join me. Connecting with you all over recipes really does bring an intimacy that is felt beyond the computer screen.
Thanks for all the support and for enjoying and sharing the work I do. It would not happen without you all.
Oven Baked Risotto with Butternut Squash and Candied Rosemary Walnuts
AuthorAshley Rodriguez
Yield4-6servings
As much as I love cooking the reality is most days don’t afford me the luxury of gingerly stirring a pot for an hour with a glass of Pinot in hand. But just because that’s my reality doesn’t mean I can’t have risotto on a regular basis. Enter oven-baked risotto. This no-stir method produces a creamy, satisfying result without all the stirring (don’t worry, you can still have the wine in hand while the oven does all the work).
The process starts with a cold oven so that pesky preheating isn’t even an issue here. And if fall is a season or two away feel free to skip the squash and candied walnuts and go for say, roasted asparagus with peas. Or how about roasted corn and tomato laced with twangy goat cheese and a few wisps of basil? The adaptability here makes this dinner a perfect candidate for cleaning out your fridge.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons/ 60 g unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
1 large onion, diced about 3 cups/ 450 g
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced, about 4 cups / 540 g
1 1/4 cups/ 250 g arborio rice
4 cups/960 ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup/ 240 ml white wine, divided
1 cup/ 10 g finely grated Parmesan
1/2 cup/ 60 g crumbled gorgonzola (optional)
Instructions
Add 2 tablespoons butter to a large skillet. Stir in the onions and rosemary and sauté over medium heat until they just start to color, about 15 minutes. Add the butternut squash and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt then continue to cook for 5 minutes. In a 9×13 baking dish add the rice, stock, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon sea salt then stir in the butternut squash mixture. Place the dish in the middle rack of your oven. Turn the oven to 400°F. Bake the rice for 30 minutes stirring about halfway through. The rice should still be ever so chewy. Remove the rice from the oven then stir in the remaining 1/2 cup white wine and the parmesan. Serve with the candied walnuts and gorgonzola crumbles, if using. Serve while warm.
*Leftovers? Breaded in Panko crumbs leftover risotto fries up beautifully in a skillet with just a bit of oil. Add an egg if the risotto is not wanting to hold together.
Candied Rosemary Walnuts
1 cup/ 120 g walnuts
1/4 cup/ 50 g sugar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
Flake salt
Add the walnuts, sugar, and rosemary leaves to a dry skillet set over medium high heat. Stir occasionally as the sugar melts and caramelizes. Don’t leave the pan as the walnuts and sugar can easily burn. As the sugar starts to melt stir continuously until completely melted and the walnuts have shifted in color. The sugar will start to smoke but continue to cook until deeply caramelized. Carefully dump the caramelized walnuts onto a plate, sprinkle with flake salt then let cool.
Prep Time: 15 minutes 
Yield: 4 
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Pin Recipe
Category: Main dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Dinner
