This Creamy Tuscan Salmon recipe is totally restaurant quality, but super easy to make! Perfectly pan-seared salmon, drowning in a creamy parmesan sauce with garlic, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and fresh basil. It’s the perfect summer meal and is done in 30 minutes! Originally published May 7, 2020. The other day Eric removed the couch cushions and…
This Creamy Tuscan Salmon recipe is totally restaurant quality, but super easy to make! Perfectly pan-seared salmon, drowning in a creamy parmesan sauce with garlic, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and fresh basil. It’s the perfect summer meal and is done in 30 minutes! Originally published May 7, 2020.
The other day Eric removed the couch cushions and started investigating. I fled the room, because as a mother of 4, I have no desire to know what lies beneath, so to speak. That is just something that is better left unknown. Out of sight out of mind is my mantra when it comes to Stuff In The Couch. I have enough crap to worry about above ground, like the constant pile of shoes by the back door, or the state of the toilet.
Anyway, Eric decided to dive into the couch and from the other room, I heard him make repeated exclamations of surprise, and what sounded like counting. Counting? Oh dear. I didn’t ask, because as I said, ignorance is bliss when it comes to couch specimens, but then he shouted, “TWENTY-ONE!!” That was the number of Charlotte’s socks he pulled out of the armchair in our living room.
Apparently every day after school (this habit predates Covid apparently) she cozies up in our big stuffy green armchair with a nice book, then she takes off her socks and drops them on the floor. Then at some point I yell at her to pick up her darn socks and put them in the hamper, do I look like a maid? So she eliminated such interruptions by stuffing the worn socks under the cushions of the chair. Voila.
The only reason I didn’t lose my cool completely was because I remember doing this sort of stuff as a kid. And my grievances were way worse than socks. Shh don’t tell her. At least now I know why Charlotte NEVER has any socks in the drawer, even when I’ve just done laundry.
Maybe I’ll punish her by making her make me this Creamy Tuscan Salmon for dinner. It’s so easy, I bet she could do it on her own.
What I love about this Tuscan Butter Salmon
What could be better than perfectly seared salmon, with a buttery soft interior, swimming in a creamy cheesy sauce? It’s really more than a cream sauce though, because of the cherry tomatoes and spinach and basil. I’m telling you guys, creamy tuscan salmon is the best way to use up that summer produce! Especially if you have your own garden.
Tuscan Salmon Ingredients
This Tuscan salmon recipe has so many amazing flavors. Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
Olive oil
Salmon fillets (four fillets)
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Butter
Garlic (smashed and minced)
Cherry tomatoes
Heavy cream
Dried basil
Cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Parmesan cheese (shredded)
Spinach (chopped)
Fresh basil (roughly chopped)
How to make Tuscan Butter Salmon
First we start off by searing the salmon in a flaming hot pan. If you can never get those beautiful brown marks when you sear meat, it’s because your pan isn’t hot enough. I like to use my cast iron skillet to achieve Crisp Level Ultimate, but a regular pan will work fine too; just make sure to preheat it. Just like you would preheat the oven. Turn the burner on to medium high, and let the dry pan sit on the burner for at least 3 minutes, or up to 5. Don’t add your olive oil to a cold pan and then turn on the heat, it will just start smoking.
Add the olive oil and swirl to coat. It will shimmer immediately because your pan is super hot. Then add the salmon immediately, before the oil has a chance to smoke. Then DON’T TOUCH IT again until you are ready to flip it a couple minutes later. If you move it around it won’t have a chance to sear.
Remove the salmon and make the creamy parmesan sauce. Fry some garlic in butter, add some cherry tomatoes, pour cream over the top, then let some spinach and basil wilt in the warm sauce. That’s IT. It’s so delicious, and it’s done in less than 30 minutes. Plus it’s healthy to boot. I mean, besides the cream. But eating healthy fish and healthy spinach totally cancels out the cream, right?? Right. At least that’s what the corona quarantine told me.
P.S. Update! I love to serve this salmon with Cheddar Bay Biscuits. A cheesy buttery biscuit is JUST what you need to help you mop up all this sauce! Oh yeah.
How to serve Tuscan Salmon
There are plenty of delicious ways you can serve up your Creamy Tuscan Salmon!
Enjoy it as a lighter dinner option on its own, or make it into a heartier meal by serving it over a pile of cooked pasta. The extra cream sauce makes the perfect creamy pasta sauce! It’s also delicious with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, rice, or cauliflower rice. You could also make The Best Garlic Bread of Your Life and use it to sop up all the extra creamy sauce – yum!
How to store Creamy Salmon
If you happen to have leftovers of this Creamy Tuscan Salmon, it can be stored in in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, place the salmon and sauce in a covered baking dish (covering with foil is fine!) and warm at 275ºF for about 15 minutes, until heated through. Low and slow reheating keeps the salmon from drying out.
Let’s be honest though…sometimes, ain’t nobody got time for that. You can microwave it. The world will not end. The salmon WILL become more cooked, and a little dryer, but with the creamy sauce it still makes a good fast lunch when the oven isn’t an option. Cover it with a lid or piece of waxed paper and use the low setting, if you have one.
I don’t recommend freezing it, because the texture of the sauce won’t hold up when thawed.
Creamy Salmon Recipe FAQ
How do you make the best tasting salmon?
Making the best tasting salmon is all about texture. To create the crisp exterior of the salmon, you need to start with a super hot pan and let the salmon filets sear without moving them around. Then, you STOP cooking them. The best fresh salmon is tender and moist on the inside, crisp and well seasoned on the outside. Honestly, at that point all you need is a squeeze of lemon, but adding a cream sauce and veggies just takes it over the top.
How many calories are in Tuscan salmon?
One serving of this creamy Tuscan salmon has just 443 calories. It’s a great light and healthy meal, but can definitely be bulked up with rice or pasta!
What flavors go well with salmon?
Salmon itself has a mild buttery flavor, so it pairs beautifully with the creamy, garlicky sauce and doesn’t overwhelm the delicate flavors of the summer vegetables. In this recipe the fresh basil is the perfect foil for the mild salmon, but salmon is an outstanding vehicle for a ton of different flavors.
This Creamy Tuscan Salmon recipe is totally restaurant quality, but super easy to make! Perfectly pan-seared salmon, drowning in a creamy parmesan sauce with garlic, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and fresh basil. It's the perfect summer meal and is done in 30 minutes!
Begin by searing the salmon. Heat a 12 inch high-sided skillet over medium high heat. Let the pan sit on the burner for a couple minutes so that it gets super hot.
Meanwhile, pat each salmon fillet dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the top of the salmon with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat. It should shimmer immediately. Place each fillet of salmon into the hot pan. (If your salmon has the skin on, place the skin side down first.) Do not crowd the salmon together, make sure there is space in between so they don’t steam each other. Sprinkle the other side of each fillet with a bit more salt and pepper. Let the salmon sear well over medium high heat for 1-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Once you have a nice brown sear on the underside, flip the salmon to cook the other side for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before turning off the heat. Do not overcook your salmon.
Remove the salmon to a plate and keep warm.
Make the tuscan sauce. Over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter to whatever oil remains in the pan from making the salmon. When it is melted, add 6 cloves of minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Chop half of the cherry tomatoes, and leave the other half whole. Add to the pan with the butter, and cook for 1 minute, or until some of the tomatoes are starting to split.
Pour in 1 cup heavy cream. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and black pepper to taste.
Let the cream mixture come to a light simmer, about 2-4 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add 3-4 ounces chopped spinach and stir it all in.
Continue cooking over medium heat until the cream has thickened somewhat and the spinach has wilted.
Add in a half bunch of chopped fresh basil. Return the salmon to the pan. Heat through if necessary.
A traditional roasted Cuban Mojo Marinated pork recipe that is very simple, yet packed with tons of flavor! There is nothing to this pork except an amazing marinade, but it is honestly some of the best meat I’ve ever put in my mouth. Just look at that crust! Originally published April 9, 2015. Today I was…
A traditional roasted Cuban Mojo Marinated pork recipe that is very simple, yet packed with tons of flavor! There is nothing to this pork except an amazing marinade, but it is honestly some of the best meat I’ve ever put in my mouth. Just look at that crust! Originally published April 9, 2015.
Today I was craving a snack, so naturally I grabbed a banana and the jar of Biscoff sitting in our cupboard. The banana-Biscoff dip is a habit I’ve been nursing for a while now, and I don’t think it’s heading out anytime soon.
Then I opened the jar and IT WAS EMPTY. Not even last-tiny-bit-scrape-able. This was no crap job, that jar was CLEAN. I’m the only one in the house with a Biscoff habit, so there is no question about culpability here. Past-Karen scraped that jar clean, and then she put it back in my cupboard. It’s like she’s trying to torture me. Oh, hi Future-Karen, you wanted a snack? TOO BAD.
Have you guys seen the movie Chef? It’s about a guy who opens a food truck and drives across the country selling Cuban sandwiches and it helps him win at life. Whatever, all I know is that by the end of the movie I NEEDED a Cubano, more than anything ever.
But first things first: the pork. This pork, you guys. I would climb mountains and cross rivers for this pork. The crust alone is enough to make a man weep.
What is Mojo Pork?
If you’re pronouncing this like “moe-joe” stop it right now, it’s “moe-ho” (as in “ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!” as in, I wish Santa Claus would bring me some mojo pork). In Spanish “mojar” means to “to wetten” and we’re going to wetten, nay, DRENCH this pork with a delicious citrus herb marinade.
Mojo Pork Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick list of the ingredients so you can see whether or not you’ll need to go shopping for them. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions!
Extra virgin olive oil
Orange zest
Orange juice
Lime juice
Cilantro
Mint leaves
Minced oregano (fresh or dried)
Ground cumin
Kosher salt and pepper
Pork shoulder (boneless or bone-in will work)
What cut of pork to use for mojo pork?
Are you the person standing in the meat aisle, staring at the shrink wrapped styrofoam trays glinting in the fluorescent light and wondering helplessly what the labels mean? Pork shoulder. Boston butt. Picnic roast. Blade roast. Pork butt. How to choose??
The good news is, all of those things I just listed are the. same. thing. I know this is confusing but until somebody makes a rule, just know any of the above are great. A bone-in cut is going to be soooo flavorful but I’ve made this with boneless too. It’s still delicious!
Marinate the pork in olive oil, orange zest, orange and lime juice, chopped cilantro and mint, minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Allow it to marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
Season pork with salt and pepper. Roast it at 425ºF until browned, then turn the temperature down and cook at 375ºF for another 90 minutes or so.
Remove pork from the oven, cover with foil, and let the pork rest for 20 minutes.
In Cuba they have sour oranges. I’d never heard of them or tried one, but using sour oranges is how to make a true Mojo sauce. The best substitute is a combination of orange and lime, which is what I’ve done here. I’m not complaining. The result is incredible.
Check out the meat before and after cooking. It’s so beautiful!
Mojo Pork Recipe Tips
Here are a few of my best tips and tricks for the best Roasted Cuban Mojo Pork!
Bone-in or boneless: Feel free to use either! The recipe calls for boneless, but I’ve grabbed bone-in before and it has turned out great (really, even juicier).
Make time for the marinade. Marinating the pork for enough time is the key to a tender texture and great flavor. Don’t ruin the party! Give those amazing flavors at least a few hours to get acquainted, but ideally let them marinate overnight.
Cook at high heat, then low heat. Starting the pork at 425ºF gets the exterior nice and crispy. Finishing the roast at a lower temperature gives the pork time to cook all the way through without drying out. Check the temp. Use a meat thermometer to verify that the internal temperature of your pork is 160ºF before you take it out of the oven.
Let it rest. Give the pork 20 minutes to rest before you slice into it. Cut into it too soon, and all the moisture and flavor will seep out. Nooooooo
Slice against the grain. Cutting it against the grain makes for tender meat in every bite.
How to serve Cuban Mojo
I used this pork to fill Cuban sandwiches, coming to the blog next week. (UPDATED: Cubanos in the house.) The recipe for the pork and the sandwiches are both from the chef they hired for the movie. Cool right?
How to store Cuban Pork
Leftover Mojo pork will last in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. Keep it whole as slices tend to dry out more.
To reheat, thaw the pork overnight in the fridge if frozen. Wrap your pork (whole or sliced) in foil and warm for 10-20 minutes in a 375 degree oven. If you’re in a hurry, you can microwave slices on a plate, covered by a paper towel, in 30-second intervals until it’s warm.
Cuban Pork Recipe FAQs
What does Mojo Pork taste like?
Mojo pork has a unique fresh, citrusy, garlicky flavor. It’s made using a combination of fresh herbs, seasonings, orange juice and zest, and lime juice. It’s so tender, incredibly juicy, and SO GOOD!
Where does Mojo Pork come from?
Mojo pork is a type of pork roast that originated in Cuba, inspired by mojo sauces of the Canary Islands. It’s tender and juicy thanks to a flavorful marinade and roasting to perfection.
What is mojo sauce made of?
Mojo sauce is made with citrus juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, mint, and cumin. Everyone’s recipe is a little different, but those are the essential components. It’s simple but packs a serious flavor punch!
A traditional Cuban roasted pork recipe that is very simple, yet packed with tons of flavor! There is nothing to this pork except an amazing marinade, but it is honestly some of the best meat I’ve ever put in my mouth. Just look at that crust!
If you have a food processor: Add the orange juice, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, and smashed (not minced) garlic cloves, and pulse until everything is finely chopped. Add this mixture to a ziplock bag, along with the rest of the oil, zest, lime juice, oregano, and cumin.
If you don’t have a food processor: In a large ziplock bag, combine olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Shake it around a bit to mix it up, then add the pork shoulder.
Place the zipped up bag in a baking dish, and put it in the fridge overnight, or several hours at least.
Place the pork on the rack and discard the marinade. Salt and pepper the pork well.
Roast the pork for 30 minutes. It should be lightly browned.
Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. Roast for another 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160.
Transfer to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest at least 20 minutes.
Carve against the grain and serve.
Video
Notes
*I accidentally grabbed a bone-in pork shoulder. Worked great!Source: People.com, who published the recipe from the chef who cooked for the movie “Chef.”
Is it even Beef Bourguignon if you don’t follow Julia Child’s recipe?? Turns out, yes. This fabulous French beef stew featuring burgundy wine is famous for a reason! It is different from a regular beef stew because the wine sauce is richer and thicker, and great care is taken to ensure the vegetables are not…
Is it even Beef Bourguignon if you don’t follow Julia Child’s recipe?? Turns out, yes. This fabulous French beef stew featuring burgundy wine is famous for a reason! It is different from a regular beef stew because the wine sauce is richer and thicker, and great care is taken to ensure the vegetables are not overcooked. The result is truly transcendent!Originally published January 14, 2021.
This post is sponsored by Zoup! Good, Really Good® Broth, but all opinions are my own of course! Thanks for supporting the amazing brands that keep The Food Charlatan chugging along.
A few weeks ago Eric and I were folding laundry together. He said casually, “Karen, these days you fold my underwear even better than my mom!”
Why thank you! I will take a bow now. Let me just add this to my resume. And please make sure this fact ends up on my tombstone. Karen, the Greatest Folder of Eric’s Underwear. Even Better Than His Mom.
Honestly if I had a dollar for every time Eric has said to me, “Well that’s the way my mom always did it,” I’d be a very rich lady. Childhood habits tend to achieve a sort of godlike, noble status. Sometimes it’s kind of terrifying to think about what kind of impact I’m having on my own children’s psyche.
Another time recently Eric’s mom Kris was visiting. She was searching the fridge for the Worcestershire sauce and finally gave up and asked me where it was. I said, it’s in the pantry of course! Isn’t that where you store it? No, she said, her mom always put it in the fridge, so that’s what she does too. I said, well, my mom always put it in the pantry, so that’s what I do.
We ended up checking the label, because who knows! We both were just doing what our moms did! (It’s shelf-stable, turns out.) But isn’t it so funny how sometimes you just do something because that’s the way your mom did it? What other way even IS there? Kris, I will show you the proper way to fold Eric’s underwear the next time you’re in town.
Speaking of dyed in the wool traditions…
What is Beef Bourguignon? (Also known as Beef Burgundy or Boeuf Bourguignon)
BEEF BOURGUIGNON. The sultan of swat. The king of crash. The colossus of clout! Or maybe the T-Rex of Stews? Does anyone else feel a wee bit intimidated by this iconic dish?? (Also, if you can name that movie, hat’s off to you.)
There sure is a lot of hullabaloo about this recipe. Julia Child taught Americans how to make it 60 years ago, and we’ve all been tripped up on her version ever since. (Kind of like how your mom folds your underwear a certain way??)
I recently read a book about an American mom raising her kids in France. Most French children eat on what she calls “the national feeding schedule:” 8am, noon, 4pm, and 8pm. Her French pediatrician didn’t tell her about the schedule (she found out when she enrolled her kid in preschool). She asked him why he hadn’t mentioned it, and he said that he knew she would take the schedule too literally instead of finding her baby’s rhythm.
Sometimes we Americans get a little obsessed with rules. But simmer down you guys. It’s just a thick beef stew with some wine in it. If you want to make it a little different than Julia, I will still sit with you at lunch. She even says in the preface to the recipe in her book: “As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon.” Let’s go wild my friends.
Beef Bourguignon vs Beef Stew
Beef bourguignon is really just a type of beef stew–a thicker, richer beef stew with a wine sauce. Regular beef stew doesn’t include wine, but beef bourguignon always does.
French Beef Bourguignon Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
Salt pork (or bacon)
High quality, well-marbled beef (high quality doesn’t mean expensive! I like chuck roast)
Beef stock
Red wine
Flour
Garlic
Butter
Olive oil
Carrots
Onions
Pearl onions
Mushrooms
Tomato paste
Fresh thyme
Parsley
Bay leaves
The rest is just details. Oh you like details? Here they are!
The Bacon (or is it Salt Pork?)
A good Beef Bourguignon starts out with pork. In France, they use lardon, which is kind of like thick bacon, except it’s not smoked. Most of the bacon and lardon here in the US is smoked, so Julia Child recommends blanching the bacon in boiling water for 10 minutes, to reduce the smokey flavor.
I tried it and felt like I was committing an actual crime. The resulting bacon (after draining and frying for a few minutes) is pale and flavorless. I kept trying to steal bites, like I do whenever there is bacon in my kitchen. I would eat it and think “why did I just put this flavorless fat into my mouth” and then spit it in the sink.
I’m sure it’s fine in a stew. You will still get lots of fatty flavor. But I just couldn’t do it.
Here’s how to cut off the rind of your salt pork. Save it and add it to the stew while it’s cooking!
Instead, I used salt pork in my stew. This was my first time buying salt pork; it is cut from the same part of the pig as bacon (the belly) but is not smoked. Instead it is cured with salt, hence the name. It will give you that crispy, fatty flavor you want, minus the smokiness, which is closer to the flavor you would get in France. It’s delicious when fried and I couldn’t stop stealing bites.
Fair warning: it is indeed quite salty. I didn’t add any other salt to my beef bourguignon besides what I sprinkled on my beef before searing.
Can you just fry regular bacon and skip the blanching step? Absolutely! Your stew will have a smokey notes which is not traditional, but it will still be delicious! Who’s going to say no to bacon?
The Beef: what is the best cut of meat for Beef Burgundy?
Next up: the beef! We are cooking this meat low and slow. I love to use a simple chuck roast. It’s cheap, it’s reliable. Here are some other cuts:
Chuck roast
Brisket
Round. Either a rump roast or bottom round. Top round works too.
“But all these cuts of meat are cheap and lean and tough! Isn’t Beef Bourguignon supposed to be special??”
Here’s why tough cuts of beef are best for slow cooking and braising: all these cuts come from well-exercised muscles of the cow. They are lower in fat. But they are higher in connective muscle tissue called collagen. Collagen, when cooked low and slow, turns into gelatin, which tenderizes the meat and gives it that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
I like chuck roast best, because it has plenty of connective tissue but also a decent amount of fat. Best of both worlds! My next choice would be brisket.
Be careful with the packages marked “stew beef” at your store. I have used them successfully in the past, but just be aware that sometimes butchers throw in random scraps from other cuts. What cuts of meat end up in your pre-chopped stew beef really depends on your butcher. Ask them! MOST of the time, if cooked slow, stew beef will turn out fine. But if you have big plans for your beef bourguignon, just buy the cut of meat you know you want and chop it yourself. (Or ask your butcher to chop it!)
The Beef Stock
The better your beef stock, the better your beef bourguignon. Today I’m partnering with Zoup! Good, Really Good® Broth to tell you about their AMAZING broth selections! I love Zoup! Broth products and use them in my soups and stews all the time (like this Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup I made last year!)
Zoup! Good, Really Good® Beef Bone Broth is the perfect ingredient for this beef bourguignon. It is kettle cooked in small batches and you can tell, because the flavor is way more complex than what you get from mass-produced beef broth. It really is good enough to drink. It’s also low calorie, paleo-friendly, and free of artificial ingredients, preservatives, hormones, gluten, GMO’s, fat, trans fat, and saturated fat.
Their broths were developed by a 20+ year soup veteran and the team behind Zoup Eatery, a restaurant that specializes in soup. How cool is that? Soup is so underrated. If there is anyone I would trust with making a good broth, it’s a bunch of soup experts. Which is why they’ve taken their broths to the masses. You can find Zoup! Broth just about anywhere these days (I found it at my local Savemart), or you can always buy it online at ZoupBroth.com and Amazon.
In addition to Beef Bone Broth, they now offer new seafood broth, new spicy chicken bone broth, plus all the usual suspects like chicken broth, low-sodium chicken broth, veggie broth, and chicken bone broth, plus organic chicken and veggie broth. Head over to ZoupBroth.com to learn more, and follow @ZoupGoodReallyGood on Facebook and Instagram, and @ZoupGoodReallyGoodBroth on Pinterest.
Best Wine for Beef Bourguignon
Do you see the little sticker here where it says, “BEST Pinot Noir!” I feel like this is that part on Elf where Buddy sees the sign that says “Best Cup of Coffee in New York” and congratulates all the employees for achieving such a feat. No, it’s NOT the best coffee in New York, and no, this is NOT the best Pinot Noir.
I know because I went to the wine aisle in the store. Found the section for Pinot Noir. On the top shelf there was a bottle marked for $30. I thought to myself, H to the no. The next shelf had one for $18. Then I looked allll the way down on the bottom shelf where I saw this “Best Pinot Noir” for a whopping 5 dollars. I will take that one thankyouverymuch! Only the BEST for me!
Now listen. If you are a wine person, then buy your fancy wine and put it in your stew. Drop $30 on the top shelf. The rest of us will buy the cheap or moderate wine and still get a really amazing beef bourguignon. Usually I just use cooking wine, because hello cheap. But I felt like Beef Bourguignon deserved at least a little step up. (plus cooking wine has salt in it and I was worried about the salt level from the salt pork.)
Full disclosure: I do not drink alcohol. Obviously I’m not qualified to talk about wine selections. Use your best judgment! Here’s what Julia Child says: “Use a full-bodied, young red wine such as one of those suggested for serving.” Any red wine that you enjoy will be great in this recipe.
What if you want to skip the wine entirely? Now that’s when you start messing with the recipe in a real way. It’s a key ingredient. Can you replace the wine with beef broth? Absolutely! It will just be a regular beef stew though. The wine is crucial to the flavor of beef bourguignon.
The Vegetables
And lastly, the vegetables. Traditionally in beef bourguignon you see carrots, two kinds of onions for maximum flavor, and mushrooms. I’ve also seen recipes use potatoes, but that’s not as common.
The reason that this recipe gets fussy with extra steps is because of these darn vegetables. We want to give them as much flavor as possible (this means sautéing) but not cook them to death. Nobody wants mushy veggies. The beef needs to cook for 2-3 hours, and if you cook mushrooms and carrots that long, you will have a sad result indeed.
So this recipe calls for sauteing most of the vegetables individually, then setting aside on a plate to add back into the stew later. I know, I know, so annoying! It’s part of the reason beef bourguignon has a reputation for being fussy.
But the result is worth it. You end up with a stew that has the most amazingly rich creamy sauce (that is able to thicken much more because of a lack of vegetables, which release tons of liquid). And of course, the carrots are perfectly tender and not mushy. The pearl onions are soft, but firm enough to give you these amazing bursts of flavor when you bite into them. The mushrooms are not reduced to a slimy mess, but instead are perfectly plump and textured; they rival the meat itself.
How to make Beef Bourguignon
I’ll walk you through the steps!
Slice your salt pork into strips, then add them to the pan.
Look at how gloriously crispy and fatty it is. Hello flavor! Set the salt pork aside. Leave all that grease in the pan.
Now take some beef and fry it in the fat from the pork. Yum.
Be sure to dry your beef with a paper towel before adding salt and pepper. It won’t brown when you try to sear it.
Add the salt pork back to the pot, coat with flour, and saute it for a minute or two. Set aside off heat.
Meanwhile, chop up some onions, carrots, and garlic, and saute in a 12 inch skillet. Set aside on a plate.
In the same pan that you cooked the carrots, reduce the wine. This step is optional. Most recipes call for adding the wine straight to the beef, but I find that wine in stew can sometimes be sour, astringent, and overpowering if it’s not reduced a bit first. This is personal preference! Skip it if you like!
Add the wine and beef broth to the meat coated with flour. Add the tomato paste, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and add in the salt pork rind, if you have it. Bring it all to a boil. Then cover and cook at 300 in the oven for about 3 hours.
Halfway through cooking, add the carrots and onions to the stew.
When your beef bourguignon is almost finished cooking (you will know because the aroma is enough to knock you out), prepare your pearl onions and mushrooms.
Poach the pearl onions for a few minutes to make them nice and tender, then when the water evaporates, brown them in the remaining butter. You can add the frozen pearl onions to the stew (without sautéing) along with the carrots; but you would be giving up this beautiful browning.
Same goes for the mushrooms. They are so perfect and tender when you brown them by themselves; but if you like, you can add them in raw halfway through the cook time.
You can see in the photo on the right how your beef bourguignon sauce should look. If it is too thin to coat the back of a spoon when you take it out of the oven, then strain all the meat and veggies from the sauce and cook it down until the sauce is thick. Beef bourguignon is not soup.
Once you have your sauce nice and thick, add all the vegetables into the pot and stir it together.
Best Beef Bourguignon Recipe substitutions
Burgundy Wine Substitute
Burgundy wine refers to wine made in the Burgundy region of France; some is white, some is red. In beef bourguignon, we’re looking for a red wine–and in my opinion, you’ll get excellent results no matter how cheap the bottle. Any Pinot Noir or Cabernet is going to be most similar to Burgundy wine, taste-wise. But seriously–you’re not drinking it, you’re just using it in beef stew. Use the red wine you like best (if you drink red wine) or the cheapest red wine on the shelf (if you don’t drink) and you’ll be happy with the flavor in this dish.
What can I use instead of red wine in beef bourguignon?
If you really, really don’t want to use wine in your beef bourguignon, you can substitute beef broth. Your beef stew will be tasty, but it’ll be just that–beef stew. Making beef bourguignon without the red wine is kind of like a tofu burger–sure, it’s a burger, but it better come with a disclaimer. If you don’t have red wine on hand, save this recipe for another day when you do!
What to serve with this Recipe for Beef Bourguignon
I love to serve beef bourguignon with either these mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles. Traditionally it is served over boiled potatoes.
As for side dishes, I love to serve it with a nice big green salad! It’s nice to have something light to go with such a heavy dish. Try this Apple Gorgonzola Salad, or this Fancy No Chop Salad. You could also serve buttered peas (Julia’s suggestion) or anything else green. Brussels Sprouts, green beans, broccoli, etc.
It’s also nice to serve beef bourguignon with some crusty bread to mop up all the sauce. Try this One Hour French Bread!
One of my favorite things about Zoup! Broth is reusing the recyclable jars they come in. Every time I use Zoup, I immediately store some of whatever I’m making in the very convenient quart-size jars that the broth comes in. I either give some away to a friend or toss it in the freezer for a rainy day. Beef bourguignon is such a labor of love, it would be a shame not to share it with someone! Even if it’s just sharing it with your future self!
How to store this Beef Burgundy Recipe
Beef bourguignon will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or on the stove top as you prefer.
To freeze beef bourguignon, scoop it into a freezer bag, flatten it out, and freeze it flat so it’s easier to reheat. You can do this in smaller, quart-size bags if you’d like individual portions for the ultimate leftover lunch, or larger bags to serve multiple people.
When it’s time to eat, pull out the frozen beef bourguignon and put it in the fridge overnight. Then reheat it in the microwave or on the stove top.
Is it even Beef Bourguignon if you don’t follow Julia Child’s recipe?? Turns out, yes. This fabulous French beef stew featuring burgundy wine is famous for a reason! It is different from a regular beef stew because the wine sauce is richer and thicker, and great care is taken to ensure the vegetables are not overcooked. The result is truly transcendent!
If using bacon: Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces and cook over medium heat in a large oven-safe pot that has a lid. I prefer an enameled cast iron pot like this one from Lodge. Do not overcook the bacon. Set the cooked bacon aside on a paper towel lined plate; leave all the grease in the pot. (Turn off the heat if your beef is not ready for searing.)
If using salt pork: cut the rind off the end of the salt pork and set aside (we need it later). Slice the salt pork into strips about 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch by 1 and 1/2 inches. (see photos) Cook the salt pork in a large oven-safe pot that has a lid. over medium heat. Arrange the strips of salt pork in one layer in the pot, cook until browned, then turn each strip (just as you would bacon). The salt pork should be lightly browned when you remove it to a paper towel lined plate. Leave all the grease in the pot. (Turn off the heat if your beef is not ready for searing.)
Sear the beef. Chop your beef into roughly 2 inch pieces; they don’t have to be exact. Use a paper towel to dry off each piece of beef. (If you don’t do this, the meat will not brown.) Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Turn on the burner to medium high heat to warm up the bacon/salt pork grease. There should be plenty of grease (at least 2 tablespoons), but if there is not, add additional olive oil. When it is very hot, add about 1/3 of the beef, one piece at a time. Leave 1-2 inches space in between each piece so that it has room to sear (otherwise it will not brown). Let the beef cook in the oil for 1-2 minutes, until well browned, then flip each piece over with tongs and brown the other side. Remove the beef to a plate and continue searing the rest of the beef in batches until all the beef is done, adding additional oil as necessary. Adjust the heat as necessary so that it doesn’t burn.
Coat beef with flour. When the last batch of beef is seared, lower the heat to medium and add all the beef back to the pot. Add the cooked bacon or salt pork into the pot. Add a tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Stir to coat all the meat. Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over the top. Stir to coat each piece of beef with flour. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the flour has absorbed and had a chance to heat up and cook (this gets rid of the flour flavor.) Turn off the heat and set aside.
Saute veggies. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch high sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and chopped carrots. Let cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to brown.
Add 6 cloves of sliced garlic to the carrots and onions (add additional oil if necessary). Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let it brown. Remove the vegetables to a plate or bowl and set aside.
Reduce the wine, optional:** In the same 12 inch high sided skillet, add 3 cups of red wine, which is just about the entire bottle if you bought 750ml. Bring to a boil over high heat. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the vegetables. Lower to a rolling simmer and let cook until the wine has reduced by about a cup, about 10-15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Bring the stew to a simmer on the stovetop. Once the wine is reduced, pour it on top of the beef in the pot. (Don’t bother washing the skillet. We need it again.) Add enough beef broth to almost cover the beef in the pot. It should be mostly covered with just a few pieces sticking up over the surface. Set over medium high heat and bring to a simmer, making sure to scrape the bottom so it doesn’t burn.
Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1/3 cup chopped parsley, 6 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, and the rind from the salt pork, if you have it. Stir it all together. (Don’t add the carrots yet.)
Once simmering, cover the pot with an oven safe lid. Put the covered pot in the oven with a rack set in the lower third of the oven. Cook at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
After an hour and a half,*** add the sautéed carrot mixture to the pot. Stir together, cover, and return to the oven for another 60-90 minutes. Your beef should be cooking in the oven for a minimum of 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours. We are adding the carrots halfway so that they don’t get too mushy.
Meanwhile, prepare the pearl onions. Add the frozen onions to the same 12-inch high sided skillet that you reduced the wine in. (No need to wash it out.) Add 2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and let the onions simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the water has evaporated, let the onions saute in the remaining butter until they are browned on all sides. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.
Prepare the mushrooms. Clean the mushrooms and dry them very well. Leave small mushrooms whole, halve or quarter any large ones. In the same pan that you prepared the pearl onions, melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. When it is very hot, add HALF of the mushrooms. Saute for about 4 minutes. First the mushrooms will absorb the fat, then after about 4-5 minutes they will start to release it again and brown. When they start to brown, remove the mushrooms to a plate. Repeat the same process for the second batch of mushrooms. (Yes, of course you can saute the mushrooms all at once if you prefer. Doing it in batches lets you sear the mushrooms rather than steaming them in a crowded pan. Fussy step? Yes! It’s beef bourguignon! Take shortcuts when you start shaking your fist at the sky!) Remove all the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
When your beef has been cooking for a minimum of 2 and 1/2 hours, remove from the oven and test the meat. You should be able to break up the beef with a wooden spoon. If it is still too tough, put it back in the oven for another 20-40 minutes.
Taste the sauce and thicken if necessary. At this point, Julia calls for straining the whole thing and cooking down the sauce some more, but I found it wasn’t necessary. The sauce should be rich, creamy, and thick. It should coat the back of a spoon. If it is too thin, use a colander to strain out all the meat and veggies (catching the sauce in a bowl), return the sauce to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and will coat the back of a spoon.****
Remove the thyme stems, bay leaves, and salt pork rind, if using. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the pot and stir it together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the beef bourguignon over mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.
Notes
*Bacon is smoked, and smokey things don’t belong in beef bourguignon (technically). Julia Child’s solution was to boil the bacon for a while to get rid of all the smokey flavor. I tried this and unfortunately it just gets rid of ALL the flavor, so I don’t recommend it. I prefer salt pork, which is cut from the same part of the pig as bacon (the belly) but is not smoked. It is cured with salt and is indeed quite salty, but nothing you can’t handle. (I didn’t add any salt to my beef bourguignon beyond what I sprinkled on the beef when I seared it.) If you can only find bacon, use that. Don’t bother with boiling it. I won’t tell Julia. Or the nation of France. **Reducing the wine is optional. I like to cook down the wine a bit before adding to the stew, to help the flavors develop a bit more, and minimize the sourness and astringency that wine can bring to a stew. Most beef bourguignon recipes call for adding the wine directly on top of the beef.***At this point, you can add the (raw) mushrooms and the frozen pearl onions if you like. They will cook just fine. They won’t be as tasty and tender as they would be if sautéed. Sautéing all the veggies is really what sets beef bourguignon apart. **** If your sauce is very thin, make a paste in a bowl of 2 tablespoons softened butter and 2 tablespoons flour. Stir it into the sauce, bring to a simmer, then cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Source: adapted, of course, from the Great Bambino herself, Julia Child.
You might think Taco Salad is one of those throw-it-together, last minute, nothing-else-to-eat kind of meals. WRONG. Taco Salad is a show-stopper dinner, if you do it right. Plus it’s healthy! I’ll show you all my tips (and the best ingredients) for Taco Salad, Done Right. Plus two taco salad dressing recipes to choose from!…
You might think Taco Salad is one of those throw-it-together, last minute, nothing-else-to-eat kind of meals. WRONG. Taco Salad is a show-stopper dinner, if you do it right. Plus it’s healthy! I’ll show you all my tips (and the best ingredients) for Taco Salad, Done Right. Plus two taco salad dressing recipes to choose from!Originally published April 17, 2021.
The other day Eric and I tied sweaters around our shoulders and went to the country club to play tennis. As one does.
Just kidding. We just went to the local park where they have cracked and terribly neglected courts. We pulled our tennis rackets and balls out of the trunk of our car, where they live permanently, just in case the mood for a quick tennis excursion strikes us unexpectedly, which happens exactly never. (I think when we bought the gear years ago we were too lazy to figure out where to fit them in our rather cramped garage, so they just never made it out of the trunk.)
Then we hit the courts. Literally, meaning we definitely hit the tennis ball on the actual court many many times. Whether or not anyone watching would have been able to identify it as tennis is up for debate.
I am just not what you would call a sporty person, you guys. I try to have confidence, but usually when a ball is flying at me, all the sporty desire inside of me vanishes, and my brain can only focus on one task: get as far away from that ball as you can if you want to survive. Or die trying. This rapid shift usually results in me absurdly flailing around like one those inflatable-dancing-mans you see at car dealerships. It ain’t pretty.
I have to make up for my athletic failures somehow. I’m on a roll with the healthy recipes lately, did you see my P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps Copycat? So satisfying and delicious, and super low carb. Today’s recipe is amazingly low carb too! Let’s get those summer bods ready! ;) Who needs to workout if you’re eating salad every day?? (Although sometimes I think I get a better workout playing my version of avoid-the-tennis-ball rather than traditional tennis. Have you seen how those inflatable men can move??)
You will love this recipe for Taco Salad
Maybe you’re thinking, taco salad? Meh. I’d rather have tacos.
I get it, tortillas are tough to beat. But I’m telling you, when you use the right ingredients and commit to making your own dressing, you will have a change of heart. You will go from thinking of taco salad as a second class healthy substitute to real tacos, to thinking mid-salad-chomp, “Dang. This is legit amazing.” And suddenly salad is no longer substandard.
Ground Beef Taco Salad ingredients
First things first, we need some lettuce. I prefer Romaine; it’s the perfect blend of leafy green and CRUNCH. Green or red leaf is fine, or iceberg will do in a pinch. Chop your lettuce into nice easy bite size pieces; we aren’t feeding dinosaurs. And for heaven’s sake, get yourself a salad spinner. One of the best kitchen purchases you will ever make! It simplifies the salad-making experience so much. Here is the exact salad spinner I have.
Here is my ultimate ingredient list for the best taco salad. Full recipe can be found below.
add black beans or pinto beans. I feel that this ingredient isn’t necessary if you are using taco meat. If you aren’t, see recipe notes for how to jazz up beans to make this a great meatless meal!
use Crema Mexicana in place of sour cream. I LOVE this stuff. It’s kind of like creme fraiche, but more buttery tasting. It’s like a richer, pourable sour cream. I always find it in my store near the Cotija cheese. I live in California though, where it’s easy to find Mexican ingredients. (If you live midwest or east coast, have you ever seen Crema in stores?)
What are the best chips to use for taco salad?
Yes, I really wrote a whole section just about chips. IT’S IMPORTANT.
Juanitas are the way to go. Have you ever tried Juanitas tortilla chips? I don’t know if they are available everywhere, but if you can get your hands on them, buy out the store and tell the manager to order more. That’s how good they are. I’ve never had a tortilla chip like it anywhere. I eat them by themselves, no dip necessary. These days my carb conscious self won’t even bother with tortilla chips if there’s no dip, but I make an exception for Juanitas.
The next best option, in my opinion, is to use Fritos. I love the corny flavor that Fritos lend, they are not the same as regular tortilla chips. They are super delicious on salad.
I know many of you grew up eating Doritos with your taco salad. I had never even heard of this, but I noticed the trend right away when I started researching recipes. I still say try out Juanitas if you can find it, but Doritos is gonna be a pretty amazing option too.
For the dressing
Let’s talk dressings, one of my required ingredients. You really can go wild when it comes to dressings for your taco salad, there are so many good options. Buttermilk Ranch and Thousand Island come to mind. But I love to make my own of course! I’m including two dressing options that are both delicious, one is stupid simple, one is a little more involved but to DIE for.
Creamy Salsa Dressing: this is simple. Take the sour cream (or Crema Mexicana!) and the salsa that you were already planning to put on your taco salad, and mix them up beforehand. Add in a little taco seasoning and the juice from one lime to give it that acidic kick. I prefer to use Restaurant Style Salsa, either this homemade version or one from the store. Restaurant style just means that it’s blended rather than super chunky.
Tomatillo Dressing on the left; Creamy Salsa Dressing on the right.
Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch: this is the dressing that I put on these Cafe Rio Burritos. It’s made with mayonnaise, sour cream, serrano pepper, tomatillos, cilantro, and a dry packet of buttermilk Ranch. It’s so incredibly tasty!! Definitely make this one if you have the time, it is well worth a quick process in the blender.
How to make Taco Salad
It really isn’t hard. The most time consuming part is chopping up all the toppings! You’ll want to do this first, as well as preparing the dressing of your choice, so that once the taco meat is cooked you’re ready to go.
Start by browning your taco meat.
Drain the fat (I used 80% ground beef).
Now it’s time for the seasoning: guess what guys, I love using regular ol’ McCormick’s premium taco seasoning for my ground beef. Super basic. (UPDATE 2023! I finally figured out a homemade version! Here’s my homemade Taco Seasoning recipe!)
Don’t dry out your taco meat by cooking it too long after adding the water and seasoning; you want to still see a little liquid at the bottom of the pan. You want drippy, juicy taco meat! Yum.
We do Taco Tuesdays that are open to the neighborhood during the summer (I describe it all in this post), and I have friends ask me all the time what I put in the taco meat. Umm, the package you buy at the store?? It really is just good stuff, no shame in that. (UPDATE: It’s true I still love and use the Premium McCormick’s taco seasoning..but I love my new homemade taco seasoning even more 🖤)
One thing I will say: not all taco seasonings are created equal. I prefer the McCormick’s taco seasoning they sell at Costco. It’s labeled “Premium.” The ingredient list is actually different than the same brand that comes in a little packet. The Premium blend uses yellow cornmeal as a thickener instead of cornstarch, and I think it lends a richer flavor. (My new homemade taco seasoning recipe uses 6 tablespoons of cornmeal, I’m not messing around 😂 it’s amazing I’m in love.)
Taco Salad Recipe tips for success
Here are my secrets to get yourself to the BEST taco salad situation:
You must make a dressing, even if it’s an easy one.
Avocados are required, either fresh or in guac form.
Taco meat must be beef. Sorry turkey, but no, you are not the best.
Mix herbs (cilantro and green onions) in with your lettuce. Chop your lettuce into small easy-to-bite pieces.
Don’t skimp on the cheese! Cheese is everything!
You must use Juanitas or Fritos. The end. Forever and ever amen.
One of my best taco salad tips is to mix your herbs in with your greens. And by herbs in this case, I mean cilantro and green onions. I toss both of these ingredients in with my romaine, right in the salad spinner, and give it a whirl. It helps distribute them properly so that you get ultimate flavor in every bite of salad. Chopped cilantro tends to clump up and stay in little bits. This is a good way to spread the cilantro love. If you aren’t a cilantro lover, GET OUT OF HERE. I’m just kidding. Kind of. Try to change your ways. I know, I know, it’s a gene and not your fault. Maybe ;)
Serving Suggestions
This taco salad is a complete meal as far as I’m concerned! You’ve got your protein, your veggies, what more do you need?? But if you want to go all out, here are some of my favorites to serve with your salad.
All of the ingredients for this taco salad can be stored separately in the fridge (or on the counter, if we’re talking chips). They’ll last 3-4 days in the fridge. Make up a taco salad whenever you’re ready to eat it; mixing dressing and toppings with the lettuce beforehand will just leave you with weird wilted soggy lettuce (gross).
Make the Best Taco Salad ahead of time
Taco salad is perfect for meal prepping. Everything can be done ahead of time. Chop your lettuce and add in the green onions and cilantro, and get them as dry as possible. Wrap in a paper towel and place in a ziplock. Place your meat or beans in one container that can be heated up in the microwave. Then add all your other vegetable toppings to a separate container.
Tomatoes are going to give you the most trouble. Overnight is okay, but if you are planning for the whole week, I would take a minute to chop your tomatoes and add them to your veggie container the night before you plan to eat it. Add chips, dressing, salsa, and sour cream last minute. Perfect healthy meal that will last you all week!
Totally! While there may be a couple richer ingredients in this recipe, overall taco salad is healthy. I mean, it’s loaded with protein from the beef (or beans, if you’re going meatless), has tons of veggies, and you can always use a lighter hand with the cheese, dressing and chips if you want to be boring. I mean healthy.
At the end of the day, it’s a salad. Don’t overthink it, I say!
What is the difference between taco salad and nacho salad?
Taco salad and nacho salads are similar, but have different base layers. Taco salad starts with a bed of lettuce and gets topped with meat, cheese, tomatoes, onions, guac, sour cream, chips, etc etc. Nacho salad starts with a layer of chips and then gets topped with all the same stuff, except maybe also some queso (aka melty creamy cheese) rather than shredded.
Taco Salad is a show-stopper dinner, if you do it right. Plus it's healthy! I'll show you all my tips (and the best ingredients) for Taco Salad, Done Right. Plus two taco salad dressing recipes to choose from!
Start with the taco meat.**Brown 1 pound ground beef in a skillet on the stove, over medium heat. Break up the meat into small pieces. Once it is no longer pink (3-5 minutes), remove from heat. Tilt the pan and scoop the grease into a foil-lined bowl (then refrigerate and toss when solidified). Return the pan back to the stove and set over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup homemade taco seasoning. (Or use 1/4 cup Premium Taco Seasoning. Or a regular taco packet will do, but add in a tablespoon of cornmeal along with the packet.) Add 3/4 cup water to the pan. Let the mixture come to a simmer. Turn off the heat when there is still thickened liquid at the bottom of the pan. If you cook until all the liquid has evaporated, you will have dry taco meat; no thanks. Set aside and keep warm, covered.
Prep the lettuce and herbs. Chop the romaine into bite size pieces and dry in a salad spinner (or dry off with paper towels). Add 1/2 cup chopped green onions and 1 bunch of chopped cilantro. Spin to mix, or add to a large bowl and toss together.
Prep your toppings. Grate 1 and 1/2 cups cheddar cheese. Chop 1 and 1/2 cups tomatoes. Thinly slice 8 radishes. Dice half a red onion. Chop 2 avocados (or make a quick guacamole with them by adding a bit of lime and salt). Thaw out 1 cup of frozen corn (I usually stick it in the microwave for 20 seconds and then let it finish thawing on the counter). Slice 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers. Crush some Juanitas or Fritos, but leave some whole for garnishing.
Decide which dressing you want to make:
Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch (Dressing Option 1). In a blender, add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 package ranch seasoning, 1 serrano pepper (roughy chopped), 2 halved tomatillos, half a bunch of cilantro, and the zest and juice from 1 lime. Blend until smooth. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time if it is too thick. (Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks!)
Creamy Salsa Dressing (Dressing Option 2). In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream (OR Crema Mexicana!) with 1/3 cup Restaurant style salsa, 1 teaspoon taco seasoning,** and the zest and juice from 1 lime. (Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks!)
Assemble the salad. Divide the lettuce mixture between 4 large plates or wide bowls. Add about a quarter of the taco meat to each bowl. Add about a quarter of each topping ingredient to each bowl. Cheese, tomatoes, radishes, red onion, avocados, corn, jalapeños, and crushed chips. Top with sour cream, salsa, extra whole tortilla chips, and dressing of your choice. And guacamole and extra avocados if you want. Squeeze a lime over the whole thing for an extra zing.
Alternatively, you can place all the toppings in bowls on the table, and guests can build their own salad. If trying to impress, it’s actually really helpful to post a list of ingredients nearby for people to check as they build. There’s nothing sadder than getting halfway through eating your salad only to realize you’re missing the guac!
Video
Notes
*Cheddar cheese is classic, but sometimes I like to mix it up by adding in Cotija cheese or Queso Fresco!** If you plan to make the Creamy Salsa Dressing, save out a teaspoon of your taco seasoning for your dressing. This taco seasoning makes a generous amount; your meat will still be tasty if you save a teaspoon for the dressing. Other topping ideas: My husband called me a traitor when he saw that I had made this taco salad without sliced black olives. It’s a Midwestern classic! Other ideas include using white onions (instead of red), homemade Pico de Gallo, adding black beans or pinto beans, using Doritos instead of tortilla chips/Fritos, etc. You can also drizzle the whole thing with this Cheese Sauce, or even with this Chili’s Queso Dip. I’ve tried both and they are delicious. Why isn’t Nacho-Style Taco Salad a thing, anyway? Let’s make it happen!Meatless option: You can make this meal meatless by omitting the taco meat and replacing it with black beans or pinto beans. I would use two cans of beans. If you want them to be extra tasty, heat a bit of olive oil on the stove, toast a couple cloves of garlic and/or 1/4 cup chopped onion in it until soft, then add in the beans with about half the amount of the can liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro at the end.Meal Prep Instructions: Chop your lettuce and add in the green onions and cilantro, and get them as dry as possible. Wrap in a paper towel and place in a ziplock. Place your meat or beans in one container that can be heated up in the microwave. Then add all your other vegetable toppings EXCEPT tomatoes to a separate container. Add tomatoes to your veggie container the night before you plan to eat it. Add chips, dressing, salsa, and sour cream last minute.Nutrition info: Neither salad dressing option is included in the nutrition facts.
Kung! PAO! This chicken has been taking karate and it’s here to kick you in the taste buds. Just kidding, it’s actually a healthy weeknight recipe with bell peppers, zucchini, and crunchy peanuts, in a fire orange-chili sauce. It’s got a little bit of heat and a lot of amazing Asian flavor. Special thanks to…
Kung! PAO! This chicken has been taking karate and it’s here to kick you in the taste buds.Just kidding, it’s actually a healthy weeknight recipe with bell peppers, zucchini, and crunchy peanuts, in a fire orange-chili sauce. It’s got a little bit of heat and a lot of amazing Asian flavor. Special thanks to my new BFF, chili crisp. This stuff is sooo good, I always drizzle extra on my plate. Make this easy stir fry with Rice, Coconut Jasmine Rice, Brown Rice, or Cauliflower Rice, and dinner is DONE. Originally published December 9, 2011.
Last night at 9pm my dad sent our family a cryptic text that said they had a “minor emergency over here.” The rest of the message was weird, as if the voice-to-text had been garbled. Or maybe, I thought, because he’s in a hostage situation! And this was all he could get out before someone pistol-whipped him and shoved him in the back of a van!
I’m not usually anxious. I went straight into panic mode because my parents are on vacation overseas right now, and I always worry that something will happen to them. (It’s so weird reaching the level of adulthood where I’m freaked out about my parents’ safety, not the other way around.)
Well the story came out after a few frantic text clarifications. It turns out, my mom was stuck in a bathroom stall in a hotel in Kyrgyzstan. (Yes, Kyrgyzstan. My parents are incredible world travelers!) She was totally fine, but you know that moment where you’re leaving the bathroom stall and the lock is tricky. The claustrophobia kicks in right away!
It was a very secure stall, with only a couple inches of clearance on the bottom, and it was way too tall to climb over. Someone from the hotel brought a screwdriver and she got herself out in a jiffy.
Truthfully, I’m kind of bummed she wasn’t forced to crawl out underneath. The only thing funnier than imagining my mom stuck in a locked bathroom stall in Kyrgyzstan would be a picture of her crawling out of a locked bathroom stall in Kyrgyzstan. (Dad, please be on call to make this photo happen if there are any more tricky locks.)
Kung pao chicken
Have you tried Kung Pao Chicken? I posted this recipe years and years ago, back in 2011. It was about the 9th or 10th recipe I ever posted on the blog. (Scroll down past the recipe card to see an old photo, and to read my post from when I was 24 😆 🙈)
This recipe has stood the test of time. It’s a classic stir fry. I love it because it’s low-carb, but still super flavorful, and you can get it on the table in less than 45 minutes start to finish. Most of the work is prep time: getting the chicken in a quick marinade, cutting veggies, whisking up an easy sauce. Your stove will only be on for a few minutes, so it’s a great meal for hot summer nights, or fall nights when you have that 60 minute window in between soccer practice pick ups!
What is Kung Pao chicken?
Kung pao chicken is a simple stir fry of tender chicken, spicy peppers, veggies, and peanuts in a sweet and tangy sauce. It’s an authentic Chinese dish from the Szechuan (also spelled Sichuan) province of China.
Of course my version is Americanized (and also Karen-ized, because it’s me). I’m subbing out the chili peppers for an amazing little jar of goodness called chili crisp, because I’m way too much of a wuss to be downing real deal spicy Chinese red hot chili peppers (and the subsequent 10 glasses of water) on a Thursday night. Instead, we’re going the chili crisp route.
Chili crisp ftw
I was first introduced to Chili crisp from Eric, who bought me a jar of Fly By Jing a few years ago for Mother’s Day. (Spicy condiment instead of flowers? The man knows the way to my heart. Just kidding, he also definitely bought the flowers. Ladies, get you a man like my Eric.)
Fly by Jing is one of the best condiments I’ve ever had. Jing’s recipe includes the magical Sichuan pepper, and dried black beans. The flavor and texture is just so different! I love it. Chili crisp is SO popular right now, that I promise you can find some at any store with a decent Asian selection. Any brand of chili crisp will do for this recipe! But try out the Fly by Jing someday. It’s so good.
What are the ingredients in kung pao chicken?
Here’s a quick list of everything you need to make this easy weeknight dish. Scroll down to the recipe card for a complete list with all the details.
chicken breasts, you can sub chicken thighs
low sodium soy sauce
cornstarch
dry sherry (or substitute Shaoxing wine if you have it)
balsamic vinegar (or substitute rice vinegar, or Chinese black vinegar if you have it!)
roasted salted peanuts (or cashews, I love this option!)
How to make kung pao chicken
First things first, chop up that chicken. Breasts are great in this recipe, but thighs are amazing too. Whatever you’ve got is fine. And then douse it in the easiest marinade of all time.
Seriously, it’s only 3 ingredients: soy sauce, cornstarch, and Sherry wine. If you want to be a little more authentic, use Shaoxing Wine, a traditional Chinese wine. I couldn’t find it in any grocery store I went to, so I opted to use Sherry wine, a great substitute. You could certainly get it at an international market, or online!
Let the chicken sit in the marinade for a hot minute while you prep all the veggies.
Here’s how I like to chop my bell peppers.
We aren’t dicing these peppers, instead cut them into big squares. It’s the Kung Pao way!
Did you know that green bell peppers are just red bell peppers that were picked earlier? I had no idea! No wonder they are so much cheaper. They don’t need nearly as much time on the vine as the colorful varieties do. They can be picked whenever they are big enough. Of course they are not as sweet. I like to use a variety of colors for this dish, just because it’s so pretty. Any colors will do.
Move on to your zucchini:
I like to cut the zucchini into fairly large pieces like this. Zucchini cooks the fastest (and peppers take a bit longer) so if the zucchini is chopped bigger, it takes longer to cook. Small pieces will just overcook and disintegrate.
I just did a whole post recently on How to Cut an Onion, and realized I’ve been doing it “wrong” my entire life. 🤣 Figures. However you want to cut it, you only need about 1/2 cup of onion, so toss the rest in a ziplock and store them in the freezer for a future meal (tomorrow’s you will be singing your praises!)
Set the veggies aside for a hot minute. We’re going to cook up that marinating chicken!
Sear the chicken with plenty of space in between each piece. You want this pan hot, hot, hot! Use a large skillet or wok if you don’t have a cast iron skillet.
Flip each piece of chicken individually to cook the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Now back to the veggies: dump them all in the chicken pan, with a little more oil.
After a couple minutes, add in the ginger and garlic.
Dump the cooked chicken back in the pan.
Then add the sauce and stir it up for just a minute! Don’t forget to add in the peanuts at the end, they add the perfect crunch, I love it.
Serve this goodness up with some hot steamy rice! You could do regular white rice, Brown rice, Cauliflower Rice (mine and Eric’s weeknight go-to), or Basmati rice (not traditional, but the first time we tried this, Eric made Basmati on accident. (Literally just grabbed the wrong bag and didn’t realize.) And then he kind of burnt the bottom. Not like burned burned, just some golden crisp on the bottom of the pot. It was actually SOOO good, little bits of crispy golden aromatic rice with this killer orange chili sauce….YUM.
Easy kung pao chicken recipe variations
Kung Pao Chicken is like any classic recipe that has withstood the test of time: there are a ton of ways to get it done. Here are a few ideas for making it your own!
Add roasted cashews instead of peanuts
Switch out the dry sherry for Shaoxing wine (great flavor if you can find it!)
Use rice vinegar (or even Chinese black vinegar) instead of balsamic vinegar. Normally I reach for rice vinegar when cooking Asian food, but balsamic mimics the flavor of Chinese black vinegar the best.
Add (or swap out) veggies, like broccoli or water chestnuts. These would add a nice crunch!
If you want more heat, add 5-10 small dried red chilies (like Tien Tsin chilies or chiles de arbol) to the hot oil right before cooking the chicken. Fry them for about 30 seconds to release the oil, then remove them while you sear the chicken. Add back into the pan before serving. Then get ready to CHUG MILK. 🤣 I told you, I’m kind of a baby.
Omit the orange juice and zest if you’re not into that. I LOVE the hint of orange in this chicken, it really amps up the flavor in my opinion, but it is not a traditional ingredient. You will be totally fine leaving it out.
What to serve with kung pao chicken
I’m a simple girl. If I’m in charge of dinner, the only thing I’m serving with Kung pao chicken is rice, because hello stir fry vegetables!! There are already a ton and if my kids eat it, I’m patting myself on the back. But if you are feeding a lot of people and need to stretch dinner, here are some other ideas. If your people aren’t into rice, you could even serve it with noodles. Here are a few more family favorites to add!
A simple green salad or lightly sautéed Asian greens, like baby bok choy would be good.
Kung pao chicken should be kept in the refrigerator in a tupperware for 3-5 days. It’s also great for meal prepping, just portion out the chicken and rice (or cauliflower rice) ratios you want into individual containers. Heat up your individual serving or meal prep container in the microwave when you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, stirring every 30 seconds to avoid hot spots.
Can you freeze kung pao chicken?
You can definitely freeze leftover kung pao chicken, but lower your crispness expectations. The peppers, onions, and zucchini will all be quite soft when you defrost them. If you don’t mind, freeze away, in an airtight container or a ziplock (and label it, so you’re not left wondering what the heck it is). I recommend defrosting overnight in the fridge and then re-warming the amount you want to eat/serve in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds.
Kung pao chicken frequently asked questions
More Asian flavors to love
Banh Mi Sandwich >> did you know you can make these at home? OBSESSED
Kung! PAO! This chicken has been taking karate and it's here to kick you in the taste buds.Just kidding, it's actually a healthy weeknight recipe with bell peppers, zucchini, and crunchy peanuts, in an orange-chili sauce that is fire. It's got a little bit of heat and a lot of amazing Asian flavor. Special thanks to my new BFF, chili crisp. That stuff is sooo good, I always drizzle extra on my plate. Make this easy stir fry with Rice, Brown Rice, or Cauliflower Rice, and dinner is DONE.
Marinate the chicken. Add the marinade ingredients to a medium bowl: 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon Sherry wine (or Shaoxing wine). Whisk together.
Chop the chicken breast (or thighs) into 1 inch cubes. Add chicken to the bowl with the marinade. Stir and set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Chop the veggies: Chop the red bell pepper and green bell pepper into squares (see photos). Slice 2 zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise again. Chop the strips into 2 inch pieces. Chop an onion and measure out 1/2 cup (save the rest in the freezer for a future meal). Set these veggies aside.
Smash 4 cloves of garlic with the side of your chef's knife, then peel off the skins. Mince the garlic. Peel a 1 and 1/2 or 2 inch piece of ginger, then finely mince the ginger (or grate it). Set the ginger and garlic aside, separate from the other veggies.
Make the sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients to a small bowl: 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon chili crisp (or less, you can always add more as a garnish later), 1/2 cup chicken broth*, 1 teaspoon zest from 1 orange, and about 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice (about 1/2 an orange). Whisk together. Leave the whisk in the bowl so you can give it a final mix right before adding it to the skillet.
Sear the chicken. Heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet** (or wok) over medium-high heat. When it's very hot (2-3 minutes), add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat the bottom. It should shimmer right away.
Use tongs to add the chicken pieces in the pan one at a time, with space in between. You will have to do this in 2-3 batches. Let the chicken cook without touching it for 2-3 minutes, until completely browned on the bottom. Flip each piece of chicken and sear the other side for about 1 minute, until brown. Turn the heat down to medium and let the chicken finish cooking for a couple minutes at a lower temperature, if your chicken pieces are large. (If they are small, you can keep the heat at medium-high.) When the chicken is cooked all the way through (internal temperature of 160 degrees F, or split one in half to make sure the chicken is not pink), remove the chicken to a plate. Repeat with all the remaining chicken.
Cook the vegetables. Once the chicken is done, add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet and turn the burner up to medium high heat. Add the peppers, onions, and zucchini all at once. Saute for about 2 minutes, until crisp-tender.
After about 2 minutes, add the garlic and ginger and stir them in. Cook for another 1-3 minutes, depending on how soft you like your vegetables. Kung Pao chicken traditionally has very crisp tender vegetables. Keep in mind they will continue to cook a bit even after you turn off the heat.
Add in the chicken and orange sauce. Scrape the chicken and any juices into the pan with the veggies. Add all the orange chili sauce. Stir up all the browned bits from cooking the chicken. Add 1/2 cup roasted peanuts (or cashews) and stir everything to coat it well with the sauce. Remove from the heat.
Garnish the chicken with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Pass extra chili crisp sauce at the table, in case anyone likes it extra spicy!
*I use 1/2 cup water and 3/4 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken base.**If you don’t have a cast iron pan, use your heaviest skillet. Nutrition facts do not include rice.
I published a version of this Kung Pao Chicken recipe on December 9, 2011, about two months after I started my blog! Atrocious photo below as proof 😂 What follows is a very silly story that I included on that post (in all it’s double-space-after-the period-glory) about my first time going to a Zumba class. I was 24:
“What happens when you combine sexy Latin hip-shaking with aerobics and an awkward, rhythm-less Karen? Love. Love is what happens.
My friend Lauren invited me to go to a free Zumba class she is taking. I’ve heard people bear their testimonies about Zumba before, but had never seen it. I now join their throngs. It. Was. Awesome.
It’s kind of like learning a line dance but instead of doing the electric slide and a lasso at every turn, you’re shaking your booty for all you’ve got. But it’s more about the exercise than the dance, so instead of doing the same step over and over til you’ve got it, you just move right on to the next step.
The best part? The amazing Latin-techno music blaring as loud as the speakers will go. It was especially awesome because these sexy Latin songs inevitably feature Latin men hissing and whistling suggestively, and listening to that while trying to imitate sexy Latin dance moves and failing miserably is hilarious.
Seriously, I am not a dancer. I love it, I’m just not good at it. I decided to take a ballet 101 class for “fun” my first semester in college after my sister-in-law convinced me to. I thought, A dance class. How hard can it be? The first day we all sat around in a circle and everyone had to explain their dance experience. I told the truth: I took a jazz class for a few months when I was 7! Everyone else? I’m a clogging major. I’m taking ballet to improve my form. Or: I’ve been taking modern since I was 3. Or: I’ve been dancing since I was in the womb. Probably in the preexistence, too.
Needless to say I was the worst in the class. I have absolutely no grace, rhythm, and even lack the memory for dance steps.
In spite of this history, I still loved Zumba. If we were to watch a video of me Zumba-ing (pray that you never do) I’m sure it would bear no resemblance to what the instructor was doing. Probably because I broke down laughing after about every 3rd step. I think I burned more calories laughing at my attempt to do sexy shimmy-shaking than I did actually shimmying.
The worst steps are the ones that involve clapping. For normal moves it’s easy to pretend no one notices that I’m horribly off beat, but it kind of gives me away when all my claps are a half beat or more behind everyone else’s. My brain also feels that it’s necessary to get in as many claps as I heard, even if I am late. So if there are 3 successive claps and I just missed all of them, in my frenzy to catch up I will still clap 3 times rapid fire, while everyone else in the room has moved on to the completely silent spin-step. Then I break down in laughter and miss the next 3 moves.
This [Kung Pao Chicken] is one of my favorite recipes. Super quick and delicious. I never use snow peas because they are expensive, but I’m sure it would be really good that way. I don’t know if it tastes authentic because I’ve never ordered it in a restaurant, so no haters if it’s not. If you are disappointed, just do some shimmy-shakes until you feel better.
Say hello to your new favorite 30-minute meal! This easy one-pot dish meatballs and rice recipe is great for nights when you forget about dinner until everyone is starving. The meatballs make it nice and hearty. Use store-bought meatballs to speed things up even more! Originally published October 11, 2016. Today after Charlotte’s dance class,…
Say hello to your new favorite 30-minute meal! This easy one-pot dish meatballs and rice recipe is great for nights when you forget about dinner until everyone is starving. The meatballs make it nice and hearty. Use store-bought meatballs to speed things up even more! Originally published October 11, 2016.
Today after Charlotte’s dance class, a little girl walked up to me, her wide eyes on my 8-month-pregnant belly. She said wisely, “I see you have an EGG in there!” Ha! Well, something like that, kid.
Later I was in the grocery store getting stuff to make dinner, when it was already past dinnertime. My kids were definitely letting me know that I had made a bad parenting choice: maniacal laughing, “fall-down hugs,” running up and down the aisles, randomly grabbing merchandise. Crazy hyper children are always preferable to the alternative (crazy tantrum children), but still enough to drive any mom insane. Especially one who waddles as much as I do.
We were in the meat department and I was walking fast while they lagged, hoping that passers-by wouldn’t know the screaming-laughing kids were with me. A lady with an indulgent smile said to me as I passed, “They just have the BEST laughs!” And I said, “You know what you’re right, but right now I still want to strangle them. You basically just saved both of their lives, congratulations.” Thank you, indulgent smile lady. My children owe you one.
She has a recipe for Kielbasa with rice and peas. It looks really delicious, but I haven’t tried it as written yet. The only prepped meat I had in the freezer on the night I needed to make a quick dinner was meatballs, so I changed up the recipe to work with meatballs. It worked out great! Someday I will try the kielbasa version. Maybe. These are good meatballs.
Meatball with Rice Recipe Ingredients
I made this meatball and rice recipe twice, once with frozen Costco meatballs, and once with my Homemade Easy Baked Meatballs. I liked it both ways but of course, fresh homemade meatballs are always going to be better than the frozen ones. But sometimes you just have to git ‘er done, and frozen store-bought meatballs totally git ‘er done.
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
My kids loved these meatballs and rice. Are your kids as obsessed with rice as mine are? This meal is super simple but still delicious so it’s basically perfect for them.
How to make Meatballs and Rice
When I say this dish is easy, I mean it! Just toss the meatballs into a skillet, throw in the rest of the ingredients, let it all simmer until it’s cooked through, then add some peas at the very end. Easy-PEAsy meatballs and rice in under 30 minutes! You can use fresh or frozen meatballs—I won’t tell. If you go with frozen, just give them a quick thaw in the microwave before you get started.
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card to get all the details!
Stir in the peas, then add the green onions and parsley. Cover until the peas are warm, just a few minutes. We don’t want to overcook them. No mushy peas!!
Thaw the meatballs if they are frozen (not necessary if you made homemade meatballs).
Heat oil and saute the garlic for one minute.
Add the meatballs and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the beef broth, rice, garlic powder, pepper and salt; stir and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer with the lid on for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from the heat and season to taste.
Meatballs with Rice and Peas: Substitutions and Variations
One of the best things about a last-minute, clean-out-the-fridge recipe like this one is that you can easily substitute what you have on hand. Here are some ideas!
Instead of meatballs, use 14 oz. of kielbasa or smoked sausage.
Grab a rotisserie chicken at the store, cut it up into bite-size pieces, and add it in place of the meatballs. Or use leftover grilled chicken from the fridge!
If you have a bag of frozen peas and carrots, use those instead of frozen peas alone.
Only have chicken broth or veggie broth? They’re perfectly fine to use if you don’t have beef broth.
Want extra greens? Add in a couple generous handfuls of spinach in step 7 when you turn the rice and meatballs down to a simmer.
How to serve Rice and Meatballs
This meatballs and rice recipe is kind of a meal all by itself. It’s perfect for when you kinda forgot dinner was a thing (I do this all the time). It’s even got peas so you can check the “I served a veggie today” box. If you do want to add something more, a simple green salad or some Easy Roasted Broccoli are great. If you want to round out the food groups, try my Fruit Salad Recipe. For bonus points, you can make some fast bread. My favorite is this easy, no-fail One Hour French Bread or The Best Garlic Butter Bread I’m usually too lazy for any sides so if you do any of these, kudos to you for going the extra mile!
Storing Meatballs with Rice
This meatballs and rice dish can be stored in a tupperware in the fridge for 3-4 days. When you reheat it, I recommend sprinkling just a tiny bit of water (like 1-2 teaspoons) on the rice to make sure it stays nice and moist as you reheat it.
You can also freeze this dish! It will all defrost and reheat wonderfully later, so feel free to make a double batch of this meatballs and rice recipe and treat Future You to a worry-free evening. It’s also a great meal to take to someone who’s been sick or had a new baby. The only thing you’ll want to omit is the green onions since they’re best fresh.
More one-dish recipes you’ll love
Keep this list handy for those nights when you just need something quick, fast and easy. AND they all can be on your table in 30 minutes or less.
Add eggs! Eggs act as a binder to keep the meat, breadcrumbs, and any other ingredients together. Since these meatballs are baked, they also stay together a little more easily than pan-fried ones, since you’re not messing with them by turning them..
What is the secret to good meatballs?
The best meatballs are NOT just made of meat. They’re combined with moist, tender ingredients like breadcrumbs, milk, and eggs. In this recipe, you can use either panko bread crumbs or quick oats. Don’t skip these! They’re essential to the perfect meatball texture. I also add onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper for flavor.
What should meatballs be cooked to?
Meatballs should be cooked to 160 degrees. You can use an instant-read thermometer pushed into the center of a meatball to check.
Say hello to your new favorite 30-minute-meal! This easy one-pot dish is great for nights when you forget about dinner until everyone is starving. The meatballs make it nice and hearty. Use store bought meatballs to speed things up even more!
1 & 1/2cupsfrozen peasor however much looks good to you
1/2cupgreen onionschopped
1/4cupparsleyfresh, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Thaw the meatballs if they are frozen. I just stuck them in the microwave for a couple minutes. They don’t have to be completely thaw, just enough that they will finish thawing and warm up while cooking the rice.
Heat a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil.
When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and saute 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the meatballs and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the beef broth, rice, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Scrape up any browned bits.
Stir and bring the heat up to high so that it comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cover with a lid.
Continue to simmer with the lid on for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Stir at 15 minutes to make sure it isn’t sticking.
When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and season to taste, adding more salt and pepper if you want.
Stir in the peas. Add as much as looks good to you.
Add the green onions and parsley, if using. Cover until the peas are warm, just a few minutes.
This is great with a big green salad. I actually ate mine right on top of a bed of spinach. If you wanted you could stir fresh spinach into the meal and let it wilt while it’s still on the stove.
Notes
*As always, I used water and 3 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon.Source: adapted from Mary Younkin’s book The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook
Quiche is not a breakfast casserole baked in a pie shell, oh no. It is a creamy concoction that is more custard like, with plenty of cheese and add-ins. This is my favorite basic spinach quiche recipe because it is easy, incredibly flavorful, and hello, bacon. I will show you step-by-step how to make quiche…
Quiche is not a breakfast casserole baked in a pie shell, oh no. It is a creamy concoction that is more custard like, with plenty of cheese and add-ins. This is my favorite basic spinach quiche recipe because it is easy, incredibly flavorful, and hello, bacon. I will show you step-by-step how to make quiche for the perfect brunch or dinner! Originally published January 8, 2022.
So, did your flight get cancelled over Christmas?? We had tickets to Montana to spend the holidays with Eric’s family. It’s a two-day drive and we have four kids, so if you do the math, it comes out to about 5,000 snack requests, 1,200 emergency bathroom stops, and at least 400 are-we-there-yets. I’m actively trying not to murder my children most days, so that’s why we bought plane tickets.
BUT THEN. On the morning of the flight, when we literally were packing into the car to leave for the airport, we get notified that the flight has been delayed so much that we would miss our connecting flight. Whaaat no!! The next flight would have us leaving our house at 2am, and since we are not insane, we just decided to jump in the car and start driving.
And we made it… eventually! Whew. Two days there, two days back, and all my children survived, so I’m calling it a win. It got down to -25 degrees up there in the frozen north. I went out of the house approximately 3 times. Montana, man. Not for the faint of heart.
Quiche
We had such a nice time celebrating the holidays, I hope you did too! I intended to get this recipe out to you guys before Christmas so that you could make it for the big day, but alas, I was too busy making a thousand cookies and enjoying a much needed break.
Spinach and Bacon Quiche Recipe
But you guys seriously need to start gathering the ingredients for this quiche RIGHT AWAY. No occasion necessary, you can make it for dinner tonight. I’m in love with this breakfast, or breakfast for dinner! A flaky, decadent homemade crust, plus three kinds of cheese (Cheddar! Swiss! Gruyere!), BACON of course, and spinach to make it healthy. Healthy I say! Okay maybe don’t quote me on that, there is a lot of cream in this recipe. Necessary for quiche!! Read on!
What is Quiche?
At its most basic, quiche is a mixture of cream and eggs, poured into a pie crust, and baked until it is custardy and golden. It is NOT an egg casserole, which is much heavier on the eggs (more on that below). Quiche has almost double the amount of dairy (cream and/or milk) to eggs. A proper quiche should have 1/2 cup dairy for every large egg. A large egg has about 1/4 cup of liquid in is, so that is double. This results in an irresistibly smooth, custardy texture. GIMME ALL THE CREAM.
What to put in it? Basically anything you want! Quiche is just a set of ingredients of your choosing, mixed with more cream than eggs, and cooked in a pie crust. Pretty simple! I wanted to create a MASTER quiche recipe, that you can literally add any ingredients to, and that’s what today’s recipe is. Go wild!!
Easy Quiche Recipe ingredients
Here’s everything you’re going to need to make the best quiche ever! If you keep the egg, milk, and cream amounts the same, you can literally change out any other ingredient on this list. Change up the spices, add ham instead of bacon, use any cheese you fancy.
Absolutely! Just make sure you thaw it out and drain it. This means you have to pick it up and squeeze the water out once it’s thawed. I have vivid childhood memories of my mom squeezing vomitous masses of spinach into the sink for her quiches. Apparently, I haven’t gotten over it?? You can decide what sounds easier: wilting fresh spinach in a bit of bacon grease, or squeezing out frozen spinach.
Bacon Quiche filling ideas
Today’s recipe is designed to be a basic master recipe that you can mix and match to your hearts content. I went with bacon, spinach, and cheese, but you can swap these however you like. Here are some other ideas for what to fill your quiche with! It’s a great clean-out-the-fridge meal, you can use whatever veggies you have.
You need 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups total filling(veggies + proteins), in addition to about 1 and 1/2 cups cheese.
We’re going to start by preparing the crust! If you’re ready to go next level on this quiche, definitely make your own crust. If not, store bought will do ya. (I’ve heard the Trader Joe’s crusts are pretty good!)
Make sure you tuck those edges under and mold the crust like play-dough to make sure they don’t end up all crackly when you bake. Use your fingers to smooth it out before you start crimping. See my Flaky Pie Crust tutorial for a bazillion more photos.
My non-blind baked crust turned out crispy and golden just as it should. You need to do a few things:
Freeze your pie crust for 30-60 minutes to help it keep its shape and not slump down when you bake the quiche
Use a generous amount of filling to help keep the pie crust up (see notes for a scaled-down version of this recipe)
Bake on the bottom of the oven to help get the bottom of the crust nice and toasty
Use a pie shield so you don’t burn the edges of your crust.
Proof that an unbaked pie shell browns in the oven just fine when done right :)
Once your pie crust is in the freezer chilling out, it’s time to make the filling!
We’re starting out with God’s greatest gift to the breakfast kingdom, bacon. And why chop when you can snip? Does anyone else use scissors for this or am I just a freak? Set your bacon aside onto some paper towels, and drain off most of the bacon grease. Leave a little in the pan so that we can saute our spinach in it.
You’re going to need about 2 cups of packed fresh spinach, make sure you punch it down in there! You need 2 cups because it’s going to cook down a ton when you wilt it. Spinach is mostly water, and we need to cook some of it off before adding it to our quiche. Say yes to flavor and vitamins, say no to watery quiche.
Once the spinach is wilted, set it aside and get to work on your cheese.
For today’s quiche, I used shredded Gruyere, Cheddar, and Swiss. You can use literally any combination of cheese that you like. Sky is the limit here. Mozzarella, Colby, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Gouda, Goat cheese, Fontina…pretty much anything that melts well is going to be a winner for your quiche.
Why am I making you separate 2 of the eggs? It’s because I love you. Adding extra egg yolks and leaving out those whites makes the quiche extra creamy and custard like. See? If custard isn’t love, I don’t know what is.
The amount of eggs and dairy called for in this recipe is for a DEEP pie dish. I like having a thick and tall quiche. See notes for a scaled down recipe if you don’t have a deep pie pan (2 inches deep). You can see from the photos that I shot two different quiches. In the deep crust version, the egg filling goes right to the top of the edge of the pie crust, and that’s what most of the pictures show. Scroll down to the last quiche photo before the recipe, and you can see the scaled down version of this quiche, that has more crust exposed.
Okay now it’s time to assemble! First up, a layer of cheese, I did Swiss first. Then pile on all your bacon.
Top with a layer of cheddar and then all the spinach. Make sure you drain out any liquid that might have settled from the spinach. Say no to spinach juice.
Once you’ve added all your desired fillings, top it off with your last bit of cheese (in this case Gruyere), and then the fun part, dump the cream and egg filling over the top. See how thick and creamy it is? YUM.
And there she is all ready for the oven!
About 15 minutes into the bake time, you’re going to want to cover the edges of the crust with foil. You can see in that first photo that the crust is lightly browned (and bubbling away, from all the butter). We still have a good 40 minutes to bake, and we don’t want our crust to burn.
I’ve tried the fancy pie crust covers that you can buy, but I always go back to foil. It’s light enough that it won’t crush or push down on your crust, and it’s cheap and easy to make. Plus it makes your pie look like it’s going to outer space. I mean right??
How long to cook quiche
It’s important to bake at a higher temperature for the first few minutes to brown the crust and make it super flaky. But we don’t want to burn the crust and overcook the filling (say no to rubbery eggs), so after a 15 minute blast at high heat, lower the temperature and cook for another 35-45 minutes until it’s golden brown on top. The center should still be slightly wobbly. Not too sloshy, not too stiff. We’re looking for that perfect soft-set custard to get the best creamy texture.
Tips for this Easy Quiche
Just as with any classic recipe, there are lots of ways to make a good quiche. But here are some basics to keep in mind:
Use the proper ratio of eggs to cream (or milk. But really you should use cream, because you’re worth it. The ratio of your quiche should be about 1/2 cup of dairy for every large egg.)
Dry out your fillings (cook your veggies first)
Bake on the bottom rack to help brown the crust
Don’t over bake!!! We want dreamy, creamy quiche! Not dried out eggs!
What to serve with this Bacon Quiche Recipe
Quiche is a very hearty and rich meal (okay fine, you can slash what I said up there about it being healthy ;)
An assorted fruit tray or fruit salad would also make a nice, light side. For something a touch more fancy, you can never go wrong with Ambrosia Salad or Creamy Pear Jello!
If you’re looking for something more hearty, you could make some quick and easy Tomato Soup, or try out some easy Roasted Red Potatoes. Check out all my Side Dishes for more veggie ideas!
How to store Bacon Quiche
This quiche keeps very well in the fridge for 3-4 days; just make sure it’s covered tightly with plastic wrap. And don’t even think about leaving it out on the counter. It may look like a pie, but all those eggs and bacon aren’t going to stay fresh at room temperature.
Can you freeze quiche?
Absolutely! Wait until the quiche is completely cooled, then wrap well in a few layers of plastic wrap and then foil. Even better if you can fit the entire dish into a 2 gallon freezer bag, I love those things.
Quiche will last in the freezer for about 2-3 months. To reheat, take the dish out of the freezer, remove the foil, remove the plastic wrap, and then tightly put the foil back on to avoid moisture loss. Put in a 350 degree oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes until warmed through.
One thing to keep in mind with freezing quiche is the add-ins you used. The more vegetables you have, the more moisture content in your quiche, and it is possible that when you reheat the quiche it may get a bit watery. If you know ahead of time you plan to freeze, I suggest you avoid lots of vegetables and stick to the more basic cream, egg, and bacon quiche.
How to reheat this Bacon Quiche Recipe
The best way to reheat quiche is in the oven, especially if you’re warming the entire dish. Simply pop the pan (covered tightly with foil) in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. If you want to reheat just one slice, a toaster oven works great. It should be done in about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
You can reheat quiche in the microwave, but be careful not to overcook the eggs and make them rubbery. We want to keep that smooth, creamy texture. The safest bet is to start with one minute at 50% power, then keep adding 30-60 seconds at 50% power until it is warmed through to the temperature you like it.
Best Quiche Recipe FAQs
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream for quiche?
Yes, though I don’t necessarily recommend it. Quiche is a rich, over-the-top breakfast pie. It’s not health food. While you can substitute whole milk for heavy cream, it won’t be quite the same. If you’re looking for a lighter (but still totally delicious) egg-based breakfast, I recommend trying this Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Frittata.
Should spinach be cooked before adding to quiche?
In this quiche recipe, I wilt the spinach over medium heat before adding it. Other quiche recipes put in chopped spinach but don’t wilt it first. It depends on your personal preference and how much spinach you’re adding. Generally, veggies that release a lot of liquid when they cook SHOULD be pre-cooked so that they won’t make your quiche watery (mushrooms, for example). Spinach doesn’t release much liquid, so the choice is yours.
What is a quiche without pastry called?
Many people refer to a quiche without the pastry as a “crustless quiche.” It shouldn’t be called a frittata, because a frittata doesn’t have nearly as much dairy as a quiche does.
What is the difference between egg casserole, frittata, and quiche?
In a traditional quiche, there is less egg and more cream than your average frittata or breakfast casserole. The result is a much smoother and more tender custard-like filling that will make you want to lie down and take a nap on it, it’s so pillowy and soft. The other trademark of a quiche is that it’s baked in a pie crust, a buttery flaky nest for your soft soft pillowy quiche. Ahh it’s so good you guys, I wish you could taste a slice right now!
How do you make a quiche not soggy?
Nobody likes a soggy quiche! Make sure that any vegetables you’re including are cooked BEFORE adding to your quiche, so they can release water as they cook and not in your nice flaky delicious breakfast. It’s also important to use heavy cream and whole milk. I know it’s tempting to try to go low-cal with some less fatty dairy, but less fat = more water. This isn’t the recipe to cut corners on. Go full fat and enjoy your slice to the fullest.
Does crust for quiche need to be pre-baked?
I don’t. Most of the recipes I researched required a blind bake before adding the egg filling (meaning you bake the crust by itself first.) They say the egg filling makes the crust soggy. I call BS. I tried it both ways and think it’s totally unnecessary. I don’t blind bake an Apple Pie, or even a Chicken Pot Pie, and those fillings are plenty liquidy.
And that’s a wrap!! Happy 2022 everyone, I hope you see a dreamy creamy quiche in your near future!!
Quiche is not a breakfast casserole baked in a pie shell, oh no. It is a creamy concoction that is more custard like, with plenty of cheese to boot. This is my favorite basic spinach quiche recipe because it is easy, incredibly flavorful, and hello, bacon. I will show you step-by-step how to make quiche for the perfect brunch!
This recipe requires a deep pie dish (1 and 1/2 to 2 inches deep). If you want to use a tart pan or a regular pie dish (1.25 inch), see notes for a scaled down recipe!
Make the pie crust: I highly recommend making a homemade pie crust for quiche! It seriously makes it next level. But a store bought crust is going to work just fine. You only need one sheet. If you are making my flaky pie crust recipe, see note about eggs. You will have one disc of pie dough leftover that you can tuck in your freezer for the next time you want to make this quiche. Or any pie!
Roll out the pie dough and transfer it to your pie pan. Fold the edges under and smooth out the crust with your fingers (just pretend you are working with play dough. You don't want jagged edges because that makes your crust crumbly. Try to get it smooth.) See photos. I have even more tips for rolling out pie dough on my pie crust recipe.
Crimp the edges of your pie crust. See photos. Try to make it so that the edge of your crust is sitting on top of the pie pan edge. (This well help keep your crust from falling while it's baking.)
Stick the whole pie pan in the freezer if you have room. Freeze for 30 minutes. If not, chill in the fridge for 60 minutes.
When you are ready to assemble your quiche, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place a baking sheet on a rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven to preheat as well (or a pizza stone works great too.)Let it preheat for at least 20 minutes and make sure it's at temperature.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon. In a large skillet, add 8-10 ounces chopped bacon (8 ounces is half of a 1 pound package. Add in a couple extra slices of bacon if you're feeling extra. I know I'm always feeling extra when it comes to bacon.) I always use scissors to snip the bacon right into the pan.Cook the bacon over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is the way you like bacon. I like mine mostly crisp while still being a little flexible. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Drain most of the grease from the pan, leaving behind about a teaspoon.
Wilt your spinach. Pack spinach into a 2 cup measuring cup. Push it down with your fist. Chop the spinach into bite size pieces and set aside.
When you have drained most of the bacon grease from the pan, return it to the stove over medium heat and add in the chopped spinach. Cook the spinach for 1-2 minutes until it is wilted. Add in a sprinkle of salt if you know what's good for you. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Make the egg custard mixture. To a large bowl or stand mixer, add 4 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks. (See note if you made my homemade pie crust).
To the eggs, add 1 and 1/2 cups cream**, 1 cup whole milk, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. The nutmeg adds a nutty warmth. The cayenne adds great flavor but no heat.
Grate the cheese. You need a 1/2 cup each of Gruyere, Swiss, and Cheddar for this recipe, but 1 and 1/2 cups of literally any cheese that sounds good to you can be substituted.
Assemble the quiche. Get your pie crust out the the freezer or fridge. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Swiss cheese on the bottom of the pie. Sprinkle all the bacon on top. Cover the bacon with cheddar cheese. Spread the spinach evenly over the cheddar. Top the spinach with 1/2 cup Gruyere. Give the egg mixture one last stir to distribute the spices, then pour it all over the cheese.
Place the quiche on the hot pan or pizza stone that you have preheated to 425 F in the oven. The rack you bake the quiche on should be in the lower 1/3 of the oven, to help brown the crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make a pie crust shield. Get a square of aluminum foil a little bigger than the size of your pie. Fold it in half, then in half again so that it’s in quarters. Then use scissors to cut out the middle section. When you open it, you will have a square of foil with a circle cut out from the center.
After baking for 15 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 375. Take the quiche out of the oven and quickly shut the door. The crust should be lightly browned. Place your tin pie shield over the edges of your crust and mold it around the edges a bit so it doesn't burn.Don't forget to lower the temperature. Place the quiche back in the oven (still on the pan or pizza stone) and bake at 375 for another 35-45 minutes. You will know the quiche is done when the top is lightly browned. Don't over bake! The center of the quiche will still be a little jiggly!! (But not sloshy. Give it a shake.) A slightly loose center is how you get a creamy and silky quiche! You want the edges of the quiche to be fairly firm; the 2 inches of the quiche closest to the crust should be set and not jiggly. When you insert a sharp knife into the center edge of the quiche, it should come out dry.
Let the quiche cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes to continue setting.
Serve the quiche warm with chopped parsley and sliced green onions. Quiche is also delicious served room temperature, making it nice for potlucks!
Notes
*If you made my homemade pie crust you are going to have half a beaten egg leftover. You can use this half egg in place of one egg yolk in the quiche filling.** Cream is a dairy product sold near the milk. Sometimes it’s called whipping cream, ultra heavy cream, etc. (This differentiates fat content) Any type will work for this recipe!No deep dish? If all you have is a standard pie pan (1 and 1/4 inch deep), use the following measurements.
8 ounces bacon
1 and 1/2 cups spinach, packed
3 eggs + 2 yolks
1 and 1/2 cups cream
3/4 cup milk
1 and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
large pinch nutmeg
large pinch cayenne pepper
1/3 cup Gruyere
1/3 cup Swiss
1/3 cup Cheddar
Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425 as directed, then lower the temp to 375 and bake for another 30-40 minutes until set on the edges.
This smash burger recipe is your favorite, even if you don’t know it yet. This method for a cast iron skillet burger is the secret to crispy, craggy hamburger edges and a seriously juicy center. It’s so simple. You will never go back! Make it for 4th of July! Originally published June 28, 2017. Eric…
This smash burger recipe is your favorite, even if you don’t know it yet. This method for a cast iron skillet burger is the secret to crispy, craggy hamburger edges and a seriously juicy center. It’s so simple. You will never go back! Make it for 4th of July!Originally published June 28, 2017.
Eric looked in the fridge the other day and said, “I’m not going to tell you how many tubs of sour cream are in our fridge right now.”
So I counted…5. Five sour creams. And one of them was a huge 3 pound tub from Costco. Sour cream is the thing at the store that I’m always like, “Hm, do we have any sour cream at home? Probably not.” And then I add it to the cart. (Five times.)
The reason I bought the huge one from Costco was because of Taco Tuesday. A few weeks ago I read an article on Kitchn called “5 Rules for Hosting a Crappy Dinner Party (and Seeing Your Friends More Often.)” Basically the idea is to stop worrying so much about fancy food and clean houses and focus on just hanging out. Somebody mentioned in the comments that they have a standing Taco Tuesday at their house. So we are trying it out! It’s been a lot of fun and hasn’t been too overwhelming. (Read: no cleaning allowed.) But apparently people don’t eat sour cream like I do, so we still have 4 unopened tubs of sour cream.
But I don’t have a taco recipe for you today. (In fact for Taco Tuesday my rule is NO SPECIAL RECIPES. Just regular ol tacos. Less stress.)
The Best Smash Burger Recipe
Today we are talking SMASHBURGERS. Look at this beauty. Have you had one? Of course you have. You may not have known it. But probably any burger that you have eaten and thought to yourself, “That was exceptional,” it was made using this method. They are incredibly juicy, not too thick, and have perfectly crispy edges that are the star of the show. You get this effect by throwing some 80% ground beef on a hot pan, sprinkling with salt, and smashing the heck out of it.
Two years ago my mother-in-law came to visit and told me that she wanted to try a new hamburger recipe for dinner. She smashed up these cast iron skillet burgers and I’m not kidding you, we have never gone back. Every burger that has come from my kitchen since that day has been a smash burger.
Homemade Smash Burger Ingredients
This isn’t meatloaf. You don’t need a bunch of seasonings to get a great burger. Salt is all you need. Variations & substitutions include . . . nothing. Burgers are great because beef is great. Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec says it best: “It’s a hamburger made out of meat, on a bun, with nothing. Add ketchup if you want, I couldn’t care less.” In other words:
1 pound 80% ground beef. Not 95%. Not 90%. 80 PERCENT!!
Vegetable oil. To brush the pan!
Salt. Kosher salt is what you want.
American cheese. Don’t be an American cheese hater, see more below!
Soft buns. Not too big!
Mayonnaise. LOTS. not optional.
(quantities listed in the recipe below!)
BEEF. Salt. Mayonnaise. People. Subtract nothing from the above!
Toppings for Cast Iron Burgers
If you want, you’re allowed to add toppings.
pickles
lettuce
tomatoes
onions
mustard
ketchup
BBQ sauce
bacon
avocado
blue cheese
pepperoncinis . . . anyone? Pepperoncinis? I freaking love pepperoncinis
Best meat for Smash Burgers
You are going to buy 80% ground beef. That’s 20% FAT, my friends. Fat is flavor. Say it with me now: Fat=flavor. Don’t you forget it.
Did I mention you need mayonnaise? I didn’t say you might want some; I said you NEED IT. (again: “add ketchup if you want, I couldn’t care less.”)
How to make Smash Burgers
The basics at a glance. (Pro tips below! More instructions included in the recipe)
Put a cast iron skillet on your grill or stove.
Drop a chunk of ground beef directly onto the skillet.
Salt the meat. Salt is your friend.
Smash the meat, obviously. I feel like this is an 80’s song. Smash it, smash it real good!
Smell the frying beef and drool. Have wipes on hand.
What temperature do you cook Smash Burgers?
Ground beef needs to be cooked to about 160 degrees. But I never use a meat thermometer to check smash burgers. They are smashed thin enough that if the outer edge is crispy and browned, you can rest assured that the inside is cooked perfectly. Just like cooking Skirt Steak for Carne Asada.
The heating surface for burgers should be about 400-425 degrees F. Wet your fingers and sprinkle a bit of water on the greasy surface. It should sizzle and pop. A cast iron skillet or griddle is what you want. All the fat drips into the fire if you put it directly on a grill, and remember what fat is? So instead we are cooking the meat in its own juices, which is the secret to getting those delightfully crispy edges.
You can cook this in a skillet on your stovetop, but I actually like to cook it on the grill so that I don’t heat up the whole kitchen. Like this:
I have a flat griddle, but I’m thinking of buying this one from Lodge. It is nice and big so you could fit a bunch of burgers at once, and it has raised edges so all the fat doesn’t drip into the grill. It would be great for making bacon when camping too, I’m always starting grease fires with a flat griddle.
Smash Burgers Recipe variations
How do you smash a burger without a smasher?
Yes, you need something to smash the burgers with and, yes, a grill press is best. Here’s one for sale that is similar to the one I have pictured here, but here’s the kind I wish I had; it’s round and the perfect shape for a burger. You can see that some of the burgers I made today are a bit oval.
But, hey, no press, no problem! A heavy spatula will do.
Can you make Smash Burgers on an electric griddle?
Yes, as long as you keep plenty of fat on the griddle surface. Electric griddles aren’t going to have quite as much heating power, but they will do in a pinch.
Smash Burger Recipe tips
American cheese melts better than cheddar cheese. Don’t turn your nose up at me. It is the best. (Read this article if you’re not convinced.) I got mine from the deli at the grocery store. (My friend Tawna told me the other day that she’s never gotten anything from the deli. NEVER. This is crazy, right? Or do I just go to the deli a lot.)
Get yourself some nice soft buns. Not too big.
What is the secret to juicy hamburgers?
The less you mess with the meat, the better. You want really loose ground beef. The more you mold it, the more packed it will become. (No bueno.) Don’t round off those edges; craggy, crispy edges are what you’re going for.
I think that’s about it. It really is simple. If you are grilling for 4th of July next week you seriously have to try out this smash burger recipe! If you don’t have any cast iron, now is the time. It’s a game changer!
Update: The day after I published this recipe my cousin Alice texted me…”Karen, I read your post about the sour cream. I went to the fridge and counted how many open jars of pickles I have. 6.” HA!
Other great ground beef ideas – including more hamburgers!
Place a cast iron skillet or griddle on your grill. Turn the grill to high heat and close the lid. Let it heat up for several minutes, until it is very hot. (You can also make these on the stovetop; set your skillet over medium-high heat.)
Brush the skillet with vegetable oil.
Take 1/4 pound of ground beef straight from the package. Loosely shape it into a ball if you need to (depending on the shape of the ground beef you bought, you may not even need to do any shaping. If it came from the store in a nice tall mound, you might just need to grab a hunk.) Do NOT pack.
Place the ball of meat on the oiled skillet. Work in batches if you need to; I can fit 2 at a time on my skillet. (Need to get myself a griddle!)
Smash the burger with a metal spatula or a grill press. You want your 1/4 pound burger to be about 4 inches across.
Season with a generous amount of salt. Salt is your friend. Add some pepper if you want, but not necessary.
Close the lid of your grill (no need to cover if you’re on the stovetop.) Let cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until the outer edges are brown.
Flip the burger, season with more salt, and place two slices of American cheese on the burger. Cook until the cheese droops, about 1 more minute. This is for medium rare. Remove from the skillet.
Serve with a soft warm bun, lots of mayonnaise, and whatever over toppings you want. You really can’t go wrong. You could even get crazy and stack 2 patties together for a double decker. (2 thin patties is way better than 1 too-thick patty.)
Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy “cheater” lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It’s…
Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy “cheater” lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It’s heaven! You can even make it in the slow cooker. Eat it with some crusty Breadsticks!Originally published January 4, 2012.
My daughter Charlotte turned 13 this year, which is stupid and weird and glorious all at once. (Can any advancing parents relate to this roller coaster, ha). We got her tickets to see Wicked in San Francisco, and decided to make a day of it. This meant playing hookie from school on a random Wednesday, which I feel is good for the soul anyway.
I mean, learning how to swing from a cable car has got to be a more valuable for her than history and math, right?
We stopped at one of my all time favorite restaurants, Pazzia, a little Italian place that Eric and I found years ago on a recommendation from my friend Dorothy at Crazy for Crust. The Italian owner is always bustling around checking in on everyone. Its super homey, and the food is just unbelievable. Look at this Coccoli appetizer: those are fried dough balls with prosciutto and Stracchino cheese.
Their lasagna is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth, and was a huge inspiration for me when I was developing my ultimate Lasagna recipe last year. As I sat blissfully eating in the restaurant yesterday, I found a piece of carrot, and was so pleased. Carrot is not a typical ingredient in Americanized Lasagna, but is definitely found in my recipe. And it’s definitely found in today’s soup!
What is lasagna soup?
This soup is one of my favorites, ever. It’s exactly what it sounds like. All the components of lasagna, turned into a rich and creamy soup.
The thing that sets my Lasagna apart is the Bolognese Sauce, which takes quite a while to make, which is why people are always cheating on Lasagna and using marinara. I get it, I get it, but good things come to those who wait.
The good news is, we don’t have to wait as long for this soup. I basically took my recipe for Bolognese sauce and soup-ified it, then added lasagna noodles and a ricotta topping. I mean, I’m happy to eat this sauce all over some pasta, why not eat a version of it in a bowl? It was a good choice. I mean, how many times do I have to say ricotta swirls?
Rich, creamy bolognese combined with broth, perfectly cooked noodles, a dollop of creamy ricotta goodness, and loads of mozzarella. And, the best part, it’s done in just about 45 minutes, which is definitely an upgrade from the hours long Bolognese-to-Lasagna process.
Annoyingly, it is not made in one pot, because I insist on cooking the lasagna noodles separately. They just get too mushy if you add the dry noodles straight to the soup. If you are really short on time, I do include instructions for this method, but just know that your leftovers will be kind of soggy-sad.
I even included a slow cooker version, if you are rolling with the crock pot these days. You still have to start on the stove, but it’s a great way to front load your day if you know you’ve got a busy afternoon.
Lasagna soup recipe ingredients
This is just an overview, full ingredient amounts and instructions are located in the recipe card, so be sure to take a look below!
oil
onion
celery
carrots
spices
fresh rosemary
garlic
lasagna noodles
Italian sausage
white wine
cream
tomato paste
crushed tomatoes chicken broth
balsamic vinegar
Ricotta
parmesan
How to make lasagna soup
Start out by roughly chopping your veggies, then dumping them in the food processor.
Pulse until they are finely minced. There are always a couple pieces that refuse to be chopped, the problem child, you know. You don’t want to just keep blending, or it will end up pulverized, and we are looking for a mince. Just take out the naughty pieces and chop them by hand.
Start sauteing the veggies in a soup pot, and add all your spices. The fennel is optional, especially since there is already some in the sausage we are using. But I love the stuff. Let this cook for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, prep your rosemary and garlic. I love to use fresh rosemary in this soup, it brings such an amazing aromatic flavor. Let that saute for a minute…
Then add in the sausage. Once that is cooked and crumbled, add in the cream. YES, CREAM!
The wine, then the tomato paste. Don’t hate me for my cooking wine, just use the wine you like best, I don’t keep wine in the house so this works for me :)
This is where the magic happens. Most lasagna soups don’t have these ingredients (cream, wine), this tastes more like a Bolognese sauce. But I love to make my lasagna with Bolognese sauce, so that’s why I added it here!
Finally, add in the crushed tomatoes, water and chicken bouillon base, and balsamic vinegar for a little extra punch of flavor.
That’s it for the soup. Boil your noodles separately if you hate soggy noodles! I hate soggy noodles more than I hate those shopping carts with a wonky wheel (you know the ones). More than I hate drying off with a damp towel. More than I hate a crisply sharp pencil with no eraser. So it’s worth it to me to boil the noodles separately. If you are in a rush, just toss the dry noodles into the soup with an extra cup of water and keep simmering an extra 25-30 minutes or so, and call me the next day when you are eating soggy leftovers for lunch so that I can mock you.
Now for the best garnish known to mankind: ricotta + parmesan + salt and pepper. I could eat this stuff with a spoon, for days!
And that’s it my friends. A pot of goodness just for you.
What to serve with easy lasagna soup
This soup is rich and hearty, so something light like a salad, other vegetables, or even fruit is a good way to round out the meal. But, I’m also NOT going to say no to some delicious bread to dip in! Here are some lovely sides that will pair nicely.
The Best Garlic Butter Bread >> my mouth is watering thinking about dipping this crusty garlic bread into lasagna soup!
How long does slow cooker lasagna soup last in the fridge?
Any leftover lasagna soup can be kept in the fridge for a good 5-6 days. Wait for the soup to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. I like to store the noodles, soup, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella all in separate containers.
To reheat the entire amount, add all the soup back into a large pot on the stove over medium heat until hot and serve over noodles in a bowl. For single serving, spoon the soup and noodles into a bowl and cook in the microwave, stirring every minute, until hot. Add your toppings and you’re ready to eat!
Can you freeze lasagna soup
Lasagna soup freezes well! While technically there’s nothing wrong with freezing it all mixed up (other than soggy noodles…) I prefer to freeze the different parts of the soup separately. Cooked pasta generally holds up to the freezing/thawing process better with no sauce or broth on it, so place any cooled, cooked noodles in a ziplock freezer bag. You can put parchment paper between layers if you’re worried about them sticking. The soup, ricotta mixture, and even the mozzarella can all be frozen in their own separate freezer ziplock bag. Make sure with each bag to squeeze out as much air as possible, seal, and then place in the freezer. The bags will be good there for about 2-3 months.
To thaw, place all the bags in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours. If you are reheating a large portion, add the soup to a pot and cook over medium heat until hot, then pour over noodles in a bowl. For an individual portion, add soup and noodles to a bowl and cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute. Add as much ricotta and mozzarella as you like, and you’re all set.
Lasagna soup frequently asked questions
Who made lasagna?
We have the Italians, and especially early Italian-American immigrants, to thank for the deliciousness we know today as Lasagna (THANKS GUYS!) If you want a fascinating read, I recommend Ian MacAllen’s book “Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American”. It gives the background on Italian food in the U.S. and discusses how specific dishes (like lasagna) arrived to their current form here.
Where did lasagna soup originate?
It’s hard to say for sure! The same author mentioned above believes we can thank a hotel restaurant, specifically the Windsor Lounge at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, for the original idea in the 1990s. Not too long after that, Campbell Soup published a version of the recipe and it really took off from there! Soon many versions started to pop up on the internet (including on my site in 2012) as food blogs got more popular in the 2010s. It’s pretty ubiquitous now!
can you use oven ready noodles in lasagna soup?
Yes, you can! Just boil them for less time, probably only a couple minutes. I prefer to use regular lasagna noodles because I like the curly edges. But really any kind of noodle you prefer or have on hand will work, including oven ready lasagna noodles. You just need to make sure that whatever you use, they get cooked to al dente, don’t overdo it.
What wine goes with lasagna soup?
I’m not the best person to advise you on this since I don’t drink. But a quick google search tells me a red wine with high acidity, Pinot Noir or Sangiovese could pair well. Take that with a grain of salt, and rely on what you think would balance out the very hearty, earthy flavor of the soup.
More cozy soups you’ll love
Soup is the perfect answer to chilly nights, feeling under the weather, rainy days, or anytime you want to feel like your food is giving you a big ol’ comfort hug. These soups are some of my favorites, and hit the spot every time!
Okay guys are you ready for 2012 Karen?? I posted a version of this recipe back in the day, when I had a point and shoot camera and apparently used brown cardstock paper as my photo backdrop??? I’m dying over here 😳🤣 Below is my story from back when I was 24 years old, with a brand new baby marriage, a baby Charlotte, and a baby lil blog I had just started months earlier:
Sometimes I wish I had a house elf. Or heck I’d even take a mere dish-elf. It’s kind of pathetic that I’m wishing for this and not world peace or something, especially since all I do is stay home every day. It’s not like I don’t have time for dishes. I just hate them. Hate them with the fire of a thousand suns.
This really is a problem for me, since I cook constantly. Almost every day Eric walks in the door after work and I say, I’m making dinner. Sorry about the mess. Then he proceeds to clean it up. After being at work for 9 hours. The man truly is a saint. Or maybe he’s part house elf.
Seriously though. I’m kind of like a tornado in the kitchen. I leave destruction in my wake. Eric is like disaster cleanup. He comes in and saves the day. Maybe I should get him one of those Helping Hands t-shirts. It would probably be more appropriate than wearing an apron.
A friend of mine revealed to me the secret of the oven. If you have a sink full of dishes and company coming, stick them in the oven to get them out of the way. Why didn’t I think of that? Genius. Then she told me about the time she used this trick just before a potluck at her house. One guest arrived and said, My casserole needs to keep warm. Do you mind if I stick it in your oven?
The lesson here? It’s for you people: don’t ask to use my oven when you come over, unless you are part house elf.
Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy "cheater" lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It's heaven! You can even make it in the slow cooker. Eat it with some crusty Breadsticks!Originally published January 4, 2012.
1/2teaspoonkosher saltor sea salt (if using table salt, add less)
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
Additional toppings:
parmesan cheesegrated
mozzarella cheeseshredded
fresh basil
Instructions
Prep your veggies: Use a food processor to quickly mince your onions, celery, and carrots. Chop 1 onion into quarters, peel 2 large carrots and lop off the ends, and cut 2 stalks of celery into a few pieces.
Add it all to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the veggies are uniformly chopped. There will always be a couple pieces that refuse to be chopped, pull them out and use your knife to finish the job. The reason I like to use a food processor is because we want these veggies chopped very small.
If you don't have a food processor, chop the onion, carrots, and veggies by hand into a fairly small mince.
Make the soup: Heat a large (6 quart) soup pot over medium heat. When it's hot, add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions, celery, and carrots.
Season the veggies with 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or sea salt). Add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
If you love fennel (it's optional), add 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed to a ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. Add to the veggies.
Let the veggies saute on medium heat with the spices for about 5 minutes, until the onions are tender.
Rosemary and garlic. Meanwhile, remove the rosemary from the stems. Finely chop all the spindly leaves. You need about 1 tablespoon. Smash and mince 6 cloves of garlic. Add the rosemary and garlic to the pot with the veggies. If it's starting to stick and look dry, add a little extra oil. Saute for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Immediately add 1 pound mild Italian sausage. Saute for another 6-8 minutes until the sausage is fully cooked, breaking it up with a spoon.
Reduce wine: Add 1 cup white wine (I use cooking wine), 1 cup cream (sometimes labeled heavy cream or whipping cream), and the 6-ounce can tomato paste. Stir it all together and turn the heat to medium high to bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat back down to medium, or wherever it needs to be to maintain a low bubble. Let cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is thick.
Add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 8 cups of water, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium or medium low to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Make the ricotta topping: In a medium bowl, add 1 pound ricotta cheese, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir it all together. Set aside until you're ready to serve.
Boil the lasagna noodles.* Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil, and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 9 lasagna noodles. Cook, stirring, according to package instructions, usually it's about 8-12 minutes. Do NOT overcook. You want these noodles very al dente, since they will be sitting in soup and will keep absorbing liquid. We don't want them soggy. When they are done cooking, drain the water and drizzle the noodles with oil. Set aside until you are ready to serve.
Serve the soup. Add 1 or 2 cooked lasagna noodles to a bowl. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Top with a healthy scoop of the ricotta mixture. Healthy, I say! Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil. Devour with crusty French bread, Garlic Bread, or Breadsticks!
Storage: Store the noodles separate from the soup. Keep noodles and soup covered in the fridge for up to 5-7 days; follow your nose.
Freezer: To freeze leftovers, place any cooled, cooked noodles in a ziplock freezer bag. You can put parchment paper between layers if you're worried about them sticking. The soup, ricotta mixture, and even the mozzarella can all be frozen in their own separate freezer ziplock bag. Make sure with each bag to squeeze out as much air as possible, seal, and then place in the freezer. The bags will be good there for about 2-3 months. See post for thawing tips.
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Follow the instructions as written, up through reducing the wine, cream, and tomato paste for 5 minutes. Once this mixture is reduced and like a paste, add it to a crock pot.
Add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 8 cups of water, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Stir. Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 4-8 hours.
Follow the recipe instructions for boiling the noodles and making the ricotta mixture. (If you really don't want to boil the noodles separate, add them to the crock pot and cook an extra 1-2 hours, until al dente.)
Serve the soup. Add 1 or 2 cooked lasagna noodles to a bowl. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Top with a healthy scoop of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil. Devour with crusty French bread, Garlic Bread, or Breadsticks!
Notes
*Boiling noodles: Listen, I know it’s super annoying to boil the noodles separately. Can’t you just toss the dry noodles into the soup? Yes, you totally can! Add an extra cup of water so the soup doesn’t get too thick. Just know that your noodles could end up overcooked, and any leftovers will definitely be soggy. I am perhaps a little fussy about this, haha. I prefer to serve and store the noodles separate, but you do you bro. Don’t let some food blogger tell you what to do.
Who wants to spend all day weeping over their cutting board?? Cutting an onion doesn’t have to be torture. I’m going to show you how a real deal (charlatan) chef does it, with all the best tricks to keep the tears away. The next time you make Pico de Gallo, French Onion Dip, or Spaghetti,…
Who wants to spend all day weeping over their cutting board?? Cutting an onion doesn’t have to be torture. I’m going to show you how a real deal (charlatan) chef does it, with all the best tricks to keep the tears away.The next time you make Pico de Gallo, French Onion Dip, or Spaghetti, you’ll impress yourself with how quickly you get this done!
The fact that I ever cut onions is a testament to how obsessed I am with only eating delicious food. Because cutting onions IS THE FREAKING WORST.
Can I get an amen? The time, the chopping, the TEARS for days and days. I’m not just a watery-eyes and maybe a sniffle onion-cryer. I am a bust-out-the handkerchief-and-slide-to-the-floor-sobbing-onion-cryer.
(Side note, my best friend Sarah told me recently that her husband keeps a handkerchief in his pocket at all times. White ones. That are pristinely folded. We were both going on about how there is no way we could be handkerchief people; one blow and that thing is a GONER. We are not the delicate ladies of the Regency Era, quietly passing back a man’s handkerchief after we wipe away a tear. I single handedly keep the Kleenex company in business I think.)
What I’m trying to say is, my sinuses are not cut out for onion cuttin’. But I still get it done at least 3-4 times a week, because just like every best baking project starts with butter, almost every decent dinner (across cultures) starts with an onion. So it’s best to learn the tips and tricks that work for you, because going without is just not an option!
If you’re already totally satisfied with your onion cutting abilities, send this post to someone you’ve been judging for cutting onions poorly. (That person might be me, my email is karen at thefoodcharlatan.com)
Onion chopping, maybe the wrong way
I have a secret and it’s coming out: I don’t cut onions like The Bear, I don’t cut them like Gordon Ramsey, and I don’t cut them like any other video or tutorial I have found. Kind of like how I learned to type on AOL instant messenger back in 2001 instead of in a proper keyboard class. My hunt-and-peck is still the fastest smoking gun in the west. No regrets.
I’m showing you two methods of cutting today, my AOL version, and the chef-sies version, so you can figure out what works best for you.
But first: a word about THE TEARS.
It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to
The reason that onions hurt your eyes so much is actually an onion self-defense mechanism. (Can anyone else hear the Toby Spiderman saying this? Ahh 2002, good times.) When the cell walls of an onion are bitten by a hungry little creature, amino acids meet up with enzymes and create sulfuric acid. This is great news for the onion, because hungry little creatures don’t like acid, and bad news for you, because now you have ACID wafting into your eyes!! Gah! What to do??
Do they look ridiculous? Yes. Do they leave raccoon marks on your face for hours after? Yes. Are they a better alternative to crying so hard that you cut your fingers off? YES.
They sell special “onion goggles” for $16 that are 100% ineffective. They have foam around the edges, which is porous, meaning that the acid we mentioned earlier goes right through. Swim goggles are better because they seal to your face, meaning the acid literally can’t get through to your eyes.
Other ways to reduce the tears:
If you don’t have goggles, and the fumes are hitting your eyes, run your wrists under cold water at the sink for a few moments. My mom taught me this trick and it works EVERY time, do not knock it! It doesn’t solve the problem, but treats the symptom nicely.
Wear contacts. They block your eyes perfectly from the acid fumes. (this is not helpful for me since I don’t wear contacts, but if you do, just know your poor vision has a culinary perk!!)
Put the onions in the fridge for a couple hours, cold onions emit fewer fumes. It’s better not to make the fridge their permanent home, because the humid environment can turn them mushy (a cool, dark, dry place is preferable). I would literally never remember to do this 😂
Turn on a fan or open your window, because the movement of the air blows away the irritating acid.
Soak a cut-in-half onion in a bowl of ice water so the acid flows into the water.
But honestly, these are all paltry seconds. For me it’s onion goggles forever.
One more recommendation: use fresh onions. Not only do older onions create stronger acidic compounds (more eye pain!) but they’re also more difficult to cut. If you’re at the store, look for firm onions with dry, papery skin that looks smooth. Definitely don’t buy onions that are sprouting. If you have these at home you can still cut and use them, no problem, just be aware that they may be harder to cut (and more painful for your poor eyes).
(I tried to get Eric to take a newer picture of me with onion goggles on, but we couldn’t stop laughing because I look so stupid 😂 the first photo up there is from years and years ago, I’ve been goggling forever!)
You need a SHARP knife
Using a sharp chef’s knife will save you tears and reduce the risk of hurting yourself. If you don’t already own an electric knife sharpener, I am telling you, ask for one for Christmas. Warning, once you get spoiled by sharp knives, you’re going to hate using knives at your friends’ houses. It’s not just more efficient. Using a knife with a sharp blade is actually much safer, because you can slice more gently and not be vigorously hacking your way through the onion.
How to cut an onion: 2002 AOL method
Here’s how I do. This method applies to any kind of onion you’ve got.
First chop off both ends.
Cut the onion in half this way. Then peel each half.
Sometimes the papery layer of the onion will stick to the onion we want. You can decide whether or not its texture is worthy of being saved. When an outside layer is papery, I throw it out. It’s harder to chop and doesn’t taste as good. That said, if i have even 3 seconds where I’m trying to get my fingernail under the paper-y part and it’s not coming, I go full Hulk and rip off the next layer of perfectly good onion, tossing it out, because ain’t nobody got time for that.
And start slicing! Use your fingers to keep the onion in it’s shape, don’t let the slices start falling all over the place. Once I start getting close to my thumb, I flip it around so the knife is further away from my thumb.
Then we start to dice:
Once I get close to my fingers, I tilt the remaining onion down so that the longer edge is flat on the cutting board.
This is the only part of the dice that gets a little dicey. You have to be careful holding the onions together. I’m used to it and can go pretty fast. If this looks annoying or dangerous to you, see the next method below!
Voila! Easy peasy!
How to cut an onion: Chef-sies method
My girl Katie is my kitchen assistant. She helps me out on photo shoot days! Katie is super talented, and she used to do kitchen prep for Giada. Yes, really, like, THE Giada! Katie went through culinary school, and showed me how the Real Chefs cut their onions. Here’s how it’s done!
First, chop your onion through the root.
Then, chop off the paper-y end. (not the end with root stringies.)
Peel the onion. You will have to yank the peel off of the intact root end.
Start making vertical cuts, don’t cut through the root end! You kind of have to angle your knife on the edge slices.
Then you turn the onion around and starting dicing. EASY!
When I saw Katie do this, not gonna lie, I was impressed. Maybe I will change my ways??
How to slice an onion
There’s a little trick to slicing an onion into perfect rounds, that makes it safer. First, chop off both ends:
Then make a little baby slice on the side like this. This is to create a flat edge. Put this edge right on your cutting board. This gives you a more stable onion for making slices.
If you’re not going to use them right away, put the sliced or chopped onions in a ziplock or an airtight container. I’ve found that the smell seeps through sandwich or snack-size baggies. Either double bag, or be sure to use freezer ziplocks, which are more heavy duty. Keep them in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or, even better, freeze them! Then they’re ready for tossing into soups, omelets, or other cooked dishes. I don’t recommend freezing them if you want to use them for fresh pico de gallo or other recipes; they won’t be crisp.
FAQs about how to cut an onion
Do you have to peel an onion before cutting it?
If you don’t like eating onion skin, then yes, yes you do. It’s easiest if you first cut off both ends, root and stem, right through the skin. The skin should peel away easily from the cut ends. If it’s still being stubborn, you can slice through the skin of the onion on one side (don’t worry if you also cut into some of the onion itself) and peel the skin from that point.
what side of the onion do you not cut?
Some people like to avoid cutting off the root end of the onion right away (the one with little wispy tendrils, not onion skin; that one’s the stem). It helps hold the onion together while you’re cutting it, so there is less risk of cutting yourself.
how do i properly chop an onion like gordon ramsay?
Follow the second method as described above, the Fancy Chef version. (Cut the onion in half through the root, make vertical cuts (leaving the root intact), then cut into the onion horizontally.
how do i properly chop an onion like chuck norris?
Chuck Norris chopped an onion.
The onion cried.
Recipes starring onions!
Onions are in soooo many dishes, and for good reason. Now that you’ve polished your chopping skills, put ’em to good use! Here are some of my favorite recipes where onions really shine. And, of course, you can always just peruse my Dinner Recipes collection since most of them have onion too!
Who wants to spend all day weeping over their cutting board?? Cutting an onion doesn't have to be torture. I'm going to show you how a real deal (charlatan) chef does it, with all the best tricks to keep the tears away.The next time you make Pico de Gallo, French Onion Dip, or Spaghetti, you'll impress yourself with how quickly you get this done!
Karen's version: (The photo tutorial above is really useful for the visuals here) Put on your goggles, you're no fool. Cut off both the root end and the paper-y end. With the flat end on bottom, slice the onion in half. Take off the peels from each half.
Set an onion half down, flat side on the cutting board. Start making vertical slices, so you end up with little half-moon shape onion slices. Use your fingers to keep the slices in place, don't let them flop down. Turn the whole cutting board around to slice from the other end when you get close to your fingers.
Once the onion is sliced all the way across, turn your cutting board 90 degrees and start dicing. Once you get close to your fingers, lay the long end of the onion down on the board and keep chopping. See photos!
Chef method: Slice the onion in half through the root end. Cut off the paper-y end. Peel the paper peel off, you will have to yank it off the root.
Make vertical slices, angling your knife across the round of the onion as necessary. Do not cut all the way through at the top; leave the root intact.
Turn the onion 90 degrees and start dicing. The onion pieces will start to fall off the end. Chop all the way to the root, then turn the onion to get any edges leftover near the root. That's it!
How to slice an onion into rings: start by cutting a little slice off one rounded side of the onion. Then place the onion on this more stable side (this keeps it from rolling so much.) Now slice through the onion at your desired thickness. You'll want thinner slices for sandwiches and burgers, thicker ones for onion rings.
If you're cutting an onion into slices for caramelizing or for putting on salads, cut off both the root end and the paper-y end. With a flat end on bottom, slice the onion in half. Take off the peels from each half. Set the flat, cut part of the onion down on the cutting board. Slice the onion into half moon shapes.
If you want to mince an onion, you're going to follow the same process that you did to chop it, but make cuts that are closer together.
When you're all finished, use your knife to slide the chopped or minced onion off your cutting board and into your soup, stew, or salsa.
Storage: If you want to save your chopped onion for later, store it in an airtight container or ziplock bag and refrigerate or freeze!
