I am in a salad ZONE right now. In all seasons, but especially in summer, I love a big Italian salad – salami, cheese, pepperoncini, all the spicy, briny, mouth-loving salady things.
But I do not love having to think about a dressing. I’m lazy. It’s not hard but it feels like a barrier? I don’t know.
So here’s how I’m doing Italian salads right now – and by doing, I mean, like, making every couple of days to sit outside and eat in the sun for some lunchy moments of bliss. It’s giving Olive Garden bottomless salad, but, like, more grown-up, more fun, and all-around incredible.
We’ve got shreds of romaine, chopped salami and cheese (two kinds, if you’re me), pepperoncini, paper-thin pieces of red onion, and a big spoonful of these garlic golden crispy bits that are essentially serving the purpose of a crouton in a more pleasant, less mouth-scratching format. Just a delicate, golden garlic bready crunch amidst all this flavor. Drool.
And the key component! The dressing gets slicked into every crevice of this salad – it’s just in the form of a couple of absolutely mindless, no-recipe splashes and drizzles. I use 3 things:
a good olive oil
pepperoncini brine
Italian seasoning
There’s already so much good stuff here with a ton of flavor, so I guess I just started to realize – why are we making a dressing for this? No need. Splish, splash, shake and done.
I’m using the DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this salad these days and it’s delightful – fruity, pleasantly bitter, with a peppery finish making it awesome for finishing which is basically all applications in this salad. Plus the squeeze bottle! Ooo baby! Love, love! It makes it THE PERFECT oil component in this recipe. I feel personally close to this bottle of olive oil right now. We’ve worked with DeLallo for years and they produce and import the best Italian products around!
Shrimp Po’ boys are the perfect sandwich… I said what I said! These easy Po’ Boys are crunchy, creamy, and tangy, with soft, chewy French bread and a subtle ocean flavor from the perfectly cooked fried shrimp. Sigh… they make me think me back to my college days and my first trip to New Orleans. If you don’t have a trip to New Orleans planned, don’t worry! My homemade take on the classic dish means you can whip up a shrimp po’ boy sandwich anytime.
To say New Orleans is a magical place is one of the biggest understatements I can think of as a chef, history buff, and appreciator of the arts. The food is outstanding, the people are full of life, and the pride residents have for the city’s culture is unlike anywhere else in the United States.
The most magical NOLA experience I’ve had was about 15 years ago when I was working with a band destined for South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. After our gig in the French Quarter, we were invited to someone’s house for a crawfish boil. I’m not kidding when I tell you it was the most welcoming and delicious hang I’ve ever been a part of. One of their neighbors was practicing with their jazz band within earshot, and there were fireflies around us in the backyard as we shared the messiest flavor bomb of a meal ever, everyone eating with their hands. Like I said… New Orleans is a magical place.
What Is A Shrimp Po’ Boy?
This sandwich is a staple in New Orleans, served up hot by local restaurants, groceries, and street vendors alike. While it may seem like a simple concept – fried shrimp piled onto French bread and ‘dressed’ with lettuce, tomato, and a tangy remoulade (a mayonnaise-based sauce with mustard and spices) – it’s the history that makes them really special. Extra hot sauce for me, please!
During the 1929 streetcar strike in New Orleans, brothers Bennie and Clovis Martin (of the Martin Brothers’ Coffee Stand) offered free sandwiches to the striking workers to show their support. The original sandwiches were likely loaded with fried potatoes, roast beef gravy, and roast beef scraps. It’s said they would call out, “Here comes another poor boy!” when a striking worker approached—which eventually evolved into the term “po’ boy,” as the sandwiches are known today.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this shrimp po’ boy recipe:
Shrimp: Use shrimp that have been peeled and deveined, either fresh or frozen. I’ve included instructions on safely thawing frozen shrimp in the recipe card below!
Flour: Dip the shrimp in all-purpose flour to help the egg wash and breadcrumb coating stick.
Eggs: Helps the seasoned panko breadcrumbs stick to the shrimp.
Buttermilk: Adding buttermilk to the egg wash helps to tenderize the shrimp and create a light, crispy texture. I highly recommend using real buttermilk (the flavor is unbeatable!), but you can make buttermilk by using milk and vinegar in a pinch. Mix ⅓ cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Panko Breadcrumbs: These absorb less oil than other breadcrumbs, giving the shrimp a lighter and crispier texture. Use plain panko breadcrumbs with no added seasonings.
Vegetable Oil: For frying the breaded shrimp. Any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point will work. Canola and grapeseed oil are good alternatives to vegetable oil for shallow frying.
Baguette: Traditional shrimp po’ boys are made with New Orleans-style French bread… but this isn’t always readily available outside of NOLA. I used a fresh baguette, and it was a great substitute!
Seasonings: Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning adds an authentic kick to the shrimp. I also add some Tony Chachere’s to the remoulade, along with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and fresh parsley.
Remoulade Sauce: I make a quick and easy homemade remoulade sauce using mayonnaise, grainy mustard, garlic, dill pickle relish, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and hot sauce (I like the Louisiana brand). If you don’t want to buy a full-size bottle, I recently saw the mini bottles of Louisiana brand hot sauce in the $1 sauce display at Walmart!
Iceberg Lettuce and Roma Tomatoes: Crisp iceberg lettuce and juicy Roma tomatoes add a refreshing crunch to your fried shrimp po’ boy sandwich.
Are Po’ Boys Always Shrimp?
Nope! Shrimp po’ boys are probably the most popular, but you can have any type of filling you desire. A little walk down the streets of New Orleans, and you’ll find po’ boys stuffed with anything from roast beef and gravy to fried oysters or catfish and even alligator sausage! You could make a killer veggie option, too, using fried green tomatoes or BBQ tofu.
Storage Instructions
The fried shrimp will last for 3 days in the refrigerator, but will not be as crispy as when freshly-made. Let the shrimp cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. To reheat, pop them in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-4 minutes, or in the oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway. Store the shrimp po’ boy sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just give it a good stir before serving! It makes a great dip for fresh vegetables, too!
Shrimp Po’ Boys Recipe
This Shrimp Po’ Boys recipe is creamy and tangy with crispy fried shrimp and a homemade remoulade sauce. Easy to make and full of flavor!
To prepare your shrimp for frying, thaw them in gently running cold water until soft and pliable, about 15 minutes. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Always avoid thawing seafood on the countertop, microwave, or using hot water.
While your shrimp is thawing, prepare your remoulade by adding mayonnaise, hot sauce, grainy mustard, garlic, dill pickle relish, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Tony’s, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper to a mixing bowl.
Whisk to combine and set aside.
In 3 separate mixing bowls, prepare your steps for frying; in bowl #1, you will want to have the flour. Then, in bowl #2, you will want to beat together the eggs and buttermilk. In bowl #3, you will want to mix 2 tsp Tony’s, black pepper, and panko.
First, toss your shrimp in the #1 bowl of flour.
Then, dip the floured shrimp in the #2 bowl of beaten egg and buttermilk.
Finally, toss the shrimp in the panko spice mix. (I like to get all of my shrimp ready to fry at the same time so when it comes time to drop them in the oil, I can focus on the frying shrimp without the risk of burning a batch.)
In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat up the vegetable on medium heat. The oil should be around 350 to 375 degrees, but hotter than that will burn your oil and result in poor flavor. You can use a meat thermometer to check.
Once your oil is ready to fry, use tongs or a fork to place enough shrimp in the oil without overcrowding. Flip after 1-2 minutes with tongs. (Just 1-2 minutes on each side will do!)
Place the fried shrimp onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Once your shrimps are all golden fried, make your shrimp Po’ Boys! I recommend you be generous with that remoulade! Enjoy with shaved iceberg lettuce, extra hot sauce, and chopped tomatoes in a sliced baguette.
* Other suitable oils for shallow frying include: avocado, canola, corn, safflower, sunflower, and grapeseed oil. Vegetable oil is a budget-friendly blend of oils with high smoke points of 400–450°F and it’s flavor is neutral. ** Po’ Boys are typically served on a freshly made French bread, but the best we can do here that’s widely available in Nashville is a baguette, so hopefully this works for you, too, wherever you call home!
To prepare the 1lb of shrimp for frying, thaw them in gently running cold water until soft and pliable, about 15 minutes. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Always avoid thawing seafood on the countertop, microwave, or using hot water.
While your shrimp is thawing, prepare your remoulade by adding 1 ½ cups mayonnaise, ½ tsp hot sauce, 2 Tbsp grainy mustard, 2 cloves minced garlic, 3 Tbsp dill pickle relish, 1 Tbsp prepared horseradish, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Tony Chachere’s seasoning, ½ tsp smoked paprika and ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper to a mixing bowl.
Whisk to combine and set aside.
In 3 separate mixing bowls, prepare your steps for frying; in bowl #1, you will want to have ⅓ cup of flour. Then, in bowl #2, you will want to beat together 2 eggs and ⅓ cup buttermilk. In bowl #3, you will want to mix 2 tsp Tony’s, 1 tsp black pepper, and ¼ cups plain panko.
First, toss your shrimp in the #1 bowl of flour. Then, dip the floured shrimp in the #2 bowl of beaten egg and buttermilk. Finally, toss the shrimp in the panko spice mix. (I like to get all of my shrimp ready to fry at the same time so when it comes time to drop them in the oil, I can focus on the frying shrimp without the risk of burning a batch.)
In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat up 1 cup vegetable on medium heat. The oil should be around 350 to 375 degrees, but hotter than that will burn your oil and result in poor flavor. You can use a meat thermometer to check. Once your oil is ready to fry, use tongs or a fork to place enough shrimp in the oil without overcrowding.
Flip after 1-2 minutes with tongs. (Just 1-2 minutes on each side will do!)
Place the fried shrimp onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Once your shrimps are all golden fried, make your shrimp Po’ Boys! I recommend you be generous with that remoulade! Enjoy with ¼ head shaved iceberg lettuce, extra hot sauce, and 2-3 chopped roma tomatoes in a sliced baguette.
It’s the perfect sandwich that will have you booking tickets to New Orleans during Carnival season in no time!
Nut-free friends, this one’s for you! We’re no strangers to energy bites (and cake bites… and cookie bites…), but a nut-free version of these snackable treats was long overdue!
With dates, tahini, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds, these tasty snacks are nutrient-packed and SO easy to make! They’re perfect for lunch boxes, party platters, or just grabbing out of the refrigerator when you need a treat. Let us show you how it’s done!
These EASY, delicious snack bites have a wholesome base of oats, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds. Dates and tahini bind them together — and the dates also add sweetness while the tahini adds richness. The remaining ingredients are vanilla and salt for flavor!
To make these snack bites, start by blending up the dates in a food processor to ensure even distribution of the sweetness. Next, you’ll break up the blended dates and add the remaining ingredients. A few more pulses in the food processor and they’re ready to roll!
Enjoy these snack bites as-is, roll them in hemp seeds, or, if you’re craving a little decadence, add a chocolate-tahini topping + flaky salt!
We think you’ll LOVE these snack bites! They’re:
Chewy Naturally sweet Wholesome Nut-free Easy to make & SO snackable!
They’re the perfect snack to pack in lunch boxes, have around for workweek snacking, or add to a party platter for something a little different!
More Energy & Snack Bite Recipes
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Prep Time 45 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 12(~1 Tbsp) snack bites
Course Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 5-7 Days
Prevent your screen from going dark
3/4cuptightly packed pitted medjool dates(10-12 large dates yield ~3/4 cup or 150 g)
1/3cupold-fashioned rolled oats(ensure gluten-free as needed)
To a food processor, add pitted dates and process until broken down and the dates have formed a “date ball” — about 1 minute. Break up the “date ball” into smaller pieces, then add the remaining ingredients: oats, tahini, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, vanilla, and sea salt. Process until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture should be a bit loose and “chunky” — and not so wet that it sticks to your fingers. If too wet, add more oats 1 Tbsp at a time. If too dry, add a little more tahini.
CHOCOLATE TOPPING (optional): Add the chocolate chips and tahini to a small glass or metal bowl. Carefully place the bowl on top of a saucepan with simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula or spoon, until melted and no lumps remain (~5 minutes). You can also melt the chocolate and tahini in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave in 15-second increments until melted.
Place a small plate or dish nearby for your bites and, if desired, add hemp seeds to a small mixing bowl. Then, scoop out 1 Tbsp amounts and form into balls, dropping some of them into the hemp seeds if desired. We drizzled some with chocolate + a sprinkle of sea salt and rolled some in hemp seeds (both toppings optional).
Place finished bites on your plate or dish and transfer to the refrigerator to firm up (at least 30 minutes for best texture). Enjoy! Leftover bites keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for 1 month.
*If not nut-free, almond extract is also super tasty in these! *Prep time includes chilling. *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
If you enjoy watermelon, this is your new summer salad. This simple watermelon salad recipe features classic Mediterranean flavors like tangy crumbled feta and fresh mint. Roughly chopped pistachios, lightly pickled shallots and a drizzle of olive oil make it taste incredible.
The layering method might make this salad look fancy, but it’s easy to make and yields a stunning display. Grab your largest platter for this recipe so the ingredients can be evenly distributed and scooped without stirring. The composition of this salad helps avoid the watery watermelon, messy-looking feta situation that plagues many watermelon salads.
This watermelon salad was inspired by one we tasted in Tampa last summer. I loved the pistachios sprinkled on top. They offered the perfect crunch, and the green color contrasted beautifully with the bright red watermelon.
I’m still obsessed with the vinegar-soaked shallot that I used on this Watermelon Salad with Herbed Yogurt Sauce, and it worked just as well here. The shallots are lightly pickled, so they’re tangy but less pungent, and a drizzle of the leftover vinegar brightens up the whole salad.
Isn’t it lovely? This beautiful salad is sure to be a hit at your summer parties.
How to Choose Your Watermelon
To make the best watermelon salad, start with a great watermelon. It’s a bummer to slice into a watermelon and find pale, flavorless fruit. I’m partial to the Sugar Baby heirloom variety that you see in these photos. Sugar Babies are almost solid, dark green on the outside, often nearly seedless, with a wonderfully sweet flavor.
When you choose a watermelon, look for one that is:
Heavy for its size
Dull, not shiny
Evenly shaped
Darker green, with a yellow to orange “field spot” that indicates it sufficiently ripened on the vine (the stronger the yellow-orange color, the better)
Uses for Leftover Watermelon
For this recipe, you’ll need half a small watermelon (3 pounds, or about 4 cups cubed). Our toddler loves watermelon, so she takes care of the leftovers for us.
If you don’t have a watermelon-obsessed tot in your household, here are some more ways to enjoy watermelon:
Watermelon Salad Serving Suggestions
This refreshing watermelon salad could inspire a full summertime spread. Try serving it with other warm-weather favorites that won’t heat up the house, like Caprese sandwiches or grilled options like pizza or veggie burgers. For complementary flavors, look for recipes using fresh mint, basil or pesto. Here are a few of my top recommendations:
Watch How to Make Watermelon Salad
More Salads to Make This Summer
These refreshing salads make the best of summer produce like ripe berries, tomatoes and cucumber.
Please let me know how your watermelon salad turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
This classic watermelon salad recipe features crumbled feta and fresh mint. Lightly pickled shallots and chopped pistachios make it amazing! Recipe yields 6 to 8 side salads.
Scale
Ingredients
1 medium-to-large shallot or ½ small red onion, sliced very thinly (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon fine salt
3 pounds ripe seedless watermelon (about ½ small round watermelon or 4 cups cubed), cut into ¾″ cubes
½ cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
⅓ cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Small handful of fresh mint and/or basil leaves, torn if large, for garnish
In a small bowl, combine the sliced shallot with the vinegar and fine salt. Toss to combine, and place in the refrigerator to lightly pickle while you prepare the remaining ingredients (at least 10 minutes).
Spread the cubed watermelon over a large platter or shallow serving bowl. Arrange the pickled shallot on top, and spoon the leftover vinegar over the salad. Sprinkle the feta and pistachios on top.
Drizzle the olive oil all over. Finish the salad with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and flaky salt. This salad is best enjoyed within an hour or two, but will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Prepare in advance: Since watermelon starts releasing moisture once it comes into contact with salt, your best bet is to arrange the cubed watermelon across a platter and store everything separately until it’s close to serving time. Or, at minimum, wait to sprinkle flaky salt on top until it’s time to serve.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta. You might like some roughly chopped, pitted Kalamatas in its place.
▸ Nutrition Information
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I first posted this pancake recipe in 2006, and figured it was time to elaborate a bit. This is a recipe I use a lot, resulting in a beautiful, classic stack of pancakes with impossibly tender crumb and golden edges. The pancakes have lightness and lift, and good color. That said, the real reason I love this recipe is because it’s endlessly adaptable. I’ve used it as a base pancake recipe and jumping off pointfor endless pancake adaptations and I heartily encourage you to do the same. You can experiment with a range of flours, liquids, and add-ins, and I list off a number of suggestions below. If you’re looking for classic pancakes to make when camping, your search is over.
Let’s Make a Great Pancake Batter
The best pancakes start with great batter. You don’t want your batter too thick, because pancakes made with really thick batter tend to cook well on the outside, but the inside they can be undercooked. Worse, in my opinion, is too thin pancake batter. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good crepe, but if you’re after the perfect fluffy weekend pancake? You don’t want your batter spreading out all over the pan. This recipe hits that perfect middle mark. And you can use a range of liquids, depending on what is in your refrigerator.
Buttermilk, Yogurt, or Milk? – use what you’ve got!
You can make these pancakes with just about any liquid you have on hand. I’ve listed them in order of preference. Buttermilk is wonderful, but yogurt works like a dream too. Not everyone keeps buttermilk on hand, but many people have a cup of yogurt. Go for it! Thin Greek yogurt with an equal amount of water, so for this recipe I’d combine 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Greek Yogurt with the same amount of water. If you’re using a standard yogurt don’t bother thinning it.
Both of the above (buttermilk or yogurt) are A-plus choices. Don’t have other of those? Dairy milk, oat milk, and almond milk will all give you good results. When using one of these, allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes before cooking, allowing the batter to thicken a bit.
Experiment with Different Flours in Your Pancakes
I’ll start by saying, you can use all-purpose flour in these pancakes. But, by all means, experiment with more nutritious whole-grain flours if you have them (I have suggestions below and in the recipe). White whole wheat flour works wonderfully here. It’s the Trojan horse of whole-grain flours, because for finicky people who won’t eat anything brown or wholesome you can pass it off as white. It is made from a strain of hard white winter wheat berries and the nutritious bran and germ aren’t processed out the way they are in all-purpose white flour. The white whole wheat flour makes for a tender crumb.
Rye Pancakes: Replace about 1/2 of the all-purpose flour with rye flour.
Oatmeal Pancakes: Replace 1/3 cup of the flour with quick-cooking oats or uncooked oats you’ve blitzed in a blender. These pancakes are particularly good with slices of banana cooked in. Sprinkled with a bit of brown sugar in place of syrup.
Tiny Grain Pancakes: Stir 1/2 cup cooked quinoa or millet into your batter.
Blueberry Beet Pancakes (Vegan): If you’re looking for a colorful vegan pancake variation – hearty, substantial, delicious, and kid-friendly.
Variations From other Cooks
A number of you have left helpful comments for tweaks and variations to this recipe over the years and I wanted to list off a couple:
Lactose Intolerant: Jenny noted, “I just made these this morning for my lactose-intolerant twins, substituting the 2 1/4 C buttermilk for 1C soy milk. They were absolutely awesome! I ground 2 C wheat berries, which made 4C flour, and doubled the recipe for my large family.”
Lots of Bran: Rachael says, “I would really encourage you to try adding bran to your waffles or pancakes next time. I substitute up to half of my flour with bran (sometimes have to reduce the liquid a bit or add in something thicker, like yogurt, because the bran doesn’t absorb milk)… it lends a wonderfully nutty flavor to things and it lightens the texture substantially, not to mentioned the good-for-you fiber.
Extra Credit Fluffy
I’ve tweaked the recipe here to have you separate your eggs, and beat the whites into fluffy peaks. It’s an annoying step, and requires extra effort, but is arguably worth it. You fold the whites into your batter as a last step before cooking, and it adds a really nice lightness to the pancake batter. That said, if you’re not feeling up to it, no big deal – lightly beat the two eggs and add them to the liquid mixture.
Favorite Toppings for your Pancakes
Whole Blueberry Maple Syrup: This is my favorite syrup for these pancakes and worth the bit of extra effort to make. It’s delicious, fragrant and beautiful without being overly sweet. To make blueberry maple syrup put half of a 6-ounce basket of blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons of water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 or 6 minutes or until the blueberries begin to split. Remove from heat and press the blueberry mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl. Mash the fruit to get all the juiciness extracted. Throw out the solids. Stir the remaining blueberries into the warm syrup and set aside. You can use whatever sugar you like here – white, brown, coconut sugar, etc.
Homemade Blackberry Syrup: For blackberry fans who enjoy a bit of feistiness, this is your syrup. It’s slow-burning, sweet and spicy. Inspired by a recipe in the September 2007 issue of Gourmet Magazine, it’s great not only over pancakes and waffles, it’s also aces in oatmeal, and in all sorts of drinks and spritzers.
Churro-style Cinnamon Sugar: Combine 2 tablespoons cinnamon with 1/2 cup sugar and stir well. Sprinkle generously across hot buttered pancakes. You can experiment with the sugar blend beyond this as well, adding a pinch of ground cloves or curry powder, and/or crushed rose petals.
Roasted Strawberries: These jammy gems are a favorite topping. You can make them ahead of time and refrigerate for up to a week.
Compound Butters: One of my favorite pancake toppings for a weekend brunch. Make a compound butter or two and let people choose.
Tasty Pancake Add-Ins
Berries: If you’re adding berries to your pancakes, add them to your pancakes after they’re on the griddle. This way your pancake batter retains its color.
Bananas: If you’re adding slices of banana to your pancakes, add them after the pancakes are on the griddle.
Boosts: Adding a boost of oat bran, wheat germ, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, kale or beet powder, hemp or flax seeds is always an option. I usually start with a tablespoon or two.
Some Cooking Tips
My pan of choice for pancakes is cast iron, but any pan that holds steady heat is fine. The key is getting and maintaining the right temperature. Too much heat and you end up with burned pancakes that are under-cooked in the middle. Too little heat, and they take forever to cook, and they end up with a bit dry with a toughened crumb. I tend to startat a lower temperature than I think I’ll want, and creep it up from there.
What Kind of Pan is Best for Pancakes?
Related to the above sentiment, I nearly always use my favorite well-seasoned cast iron pan to make pancakes. That said, I keep a non-stick skillet on hand for omelettes and the like. Both pans cook these pancakes well, but the non-stick pan makes beautiful, golden, perfect-looking pancakes. The cast iron pan pancakes taste very similar, they just aren’t as uniform or golden in color. And maintaining a steady temperature seems easier using cast iron.
How do I Know When to Flip My Pancakes?
For starters, when cooking pancakes, your pan shouldn’t be too hot, or too cool. If the pan is too hot, the pancakes end up overcooked before the insides have time to cook. Alternately, when the pan is too cool, pancakes take too long to cook and it impacts the texture negatively. So, control the temperature of the pan, flip when perfectly golden, and finish the second side. The batter should be set throughout and you’re ready to ladle in your next round of pancakes. Flip pancakes with a thin spatula when the bottoms are golden. You should also see bubbles coming up.
Keep Those Pancakes Warm!
Unless you have a griddle, or multiple pans going, you’re going to need make your pancakes in batches. And you don’t want your first round to go cold while you’re making the next. If you have a cooling rack you use for cookies, you can deploy it here. Place pancakes, preferably in a single layer, on the cooling rack after transferring from the skillet, and place them in a 200F oven to keep warm. I like the cooling rack better than a plate because it allows air to circulate around the entire pancake. This way, the bottom sides of the hot pancakes won’t get soggy.
How to Make Pancake Mix Ahead
I often make a pancake mix in a jar and and add the liquid ingredients just before I’m ready to make them. Simply combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a Mason jar. The morning you want to make pancakes combine the buttermilk, egg yolks, and melted butter (or alternately, olive oil), fold in whipped egg whites, and you’re ready to go.
Can I Freeze these Pancakes?
You can! Allow pancakes to cool completely. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, and freeze. Transfer to a freezer bag or container. Reheat pancakes by placing them on a baking sheet, cover tightly with foil and place in a 350F until hot, 10 minutes or so. If you don’t want to heat the oven, you can thaw them in the skillet you originally cooked them in. Another choice is to pop them in the toaster for a quick breakfast, you get a bit more crispness, but still good! Freeze for up to two months.
My go-to for garlic bread! French bread, butter, fresh garlic, garlic powder, Parmesan, and parsley. It’s so simple and so ridiculously good.
I mean, you can make what you want for dinner, but what gets people excited is the garlic bread.
This is our house favorite garlic bread, the one I make almost weekly at this point – it’s generous with the butter and Parmesan, solidly garlicky, and flecked with herbs to really make it pop. It’s classic, it’s versatile, and it’s so ridiculously good.
House Favorite Garlic Bread
Why I Love This Garlic Bread
Garlic bread is something that I’ve spent a stupid amount of time thinking about over the last 2-ish years.
We did a soup series a few years ago, and I was thisclose to posting a garlic bread recipe in the series, but I never quite locked it in. I just could never commit to a certain type of bread, or a particular texture, or just a general look and feel. Do we want it crusty? Chewy? Hearty? Or light and toasty?
A few years and many batches of garlic bread later, and I think I’ve landed. And we are garlic bread happy over here.
This is the house favorite garlic bread at the Ostrom household these days – beautifully springy French bread as the base, generously slathered with butter and Parmesan, appropriately garlicky but not overdone (and important balance, even for garlic bread), and flecked with bits of fresh herb to just elevate the eating experience.
The end result is golden brown, buttery and savory, with a satisfying bite and chew to it while at the same time staying toasty and light. It makes for elite dipping, sopping, and scooping, which is a top quality for me when it comes to garlic bread.
Another important quality: this is fast. In our house, garlic bread is usually a bonus meal item (served with spaghetti, soup, etc.) in which case I’m willing to give it 15 minutes of my life, but no more.
Garlic (I use both fresh garlic and a pinch of garlic powder)
Parmesan cheese
Parsley
Which leads us to the most important decision one can make about garlic bread, I think.
What Type of Bread is Best for Garlic Bread?
This is something that I’ve spent a stupid amount of time thinking about, and all of it comes down to this:
What do you really want from your garlic bread?
We need to anchor its identity. Do you want it to sop up sauces? Do you want it to give you a hearty, crusty chunk that you can sink your teeth into? Do you just want it to be a vehicle for that Parmesan-laced garlic butter flavor? Is it standing on its own or coming alongside something else?
The two main breads that are easiest to think about for garlic bread, I think, are these two, which are labeled in the store as “French bread” and “baguette”.
I have made multiple rounds of this garlic bread on both types of bread, and they’re both delicious.
But ultimately I’ve found that I prefer French bread because it has a more even crumb with fewer holes, giving you a flatter surface area to spread the butter mixture and therefore a more even golden brown topping to your garlic bread.
French bread is on the lighter and fluffier side, which, to be honest, gave me pause. I generally like a really hearty bread that has some density, crunch, and chew to it. But after many many batches of this, I’ve actually really enjoyed the lightness of the French bread because it can kind of be both – it gets crunchy and chewy with the golden browning of the Parmesan on top, but it’s light enough to sop up whatever sauces and soups you’re eating it with.
I’ve also seen garlic bread made with challah, and sourdough, and ciabatta, and being that it’s garlic bread – I kind of don’t think you can go wrong. But if you’re asking me (and you are on my website!) in the year of our Lord 2023, I’m going with French bread.
How To Make This Garlic Bread
Step 1: Soften your butter.
I do this in the microwave, in short increments, and then whisk it to get it smooth-ish. Cutting it into uniform chunks (like the photo above) will help it soften at an even rate.
Step 2: Grate that garlic right in there.
My hot take: anything more than one clove is overpowering and generally unpleasant. Stop at one!
It doesn’t seem like it will be enough, but trust me. Even for me – a self-proclaimed garlic lover – one clove is plenty.
Step 3: Add Parmesan and parsley.
Finely grated Parmesan cheese is where it’s at! That savory flavor and golden browning – YUM.
I also like to add a little bit of garlic powder at this point just to slightly extend my garlick-ing of things (but with more subtlety than fresh garlic).
Step 4: Spread that amazingness on your bread.
I find this amount of butter mixture is good for half of a long loaf of French bread.
Really, really coat it. Layer it on. Be generous.
Step 5: Bake it!
If you don’t want any browning, first of all, why? It’s delightful. Second of all, you’ll just want go for more like 375 to 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
If you like it a little golden brown, like I do, with a bit of texture on top, shoot for 10 minutes at 400 to 425 degrees. Just keep an eye on it and nudge it up as needed.
Cut those halves into strips and get straight to the dunking!
My go-to for garlic bread! French bread, butter, fresh garlic, garlic powder, Parmesan, and parsley. It’s so simple and so ridiculously good.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Soften the butter in the microwave in short increments. I like to whisk it to get it smoothed out a bit.
Grate the garlic directly into the butter. Add the garlic powder, Parmesan, and parsley; stir to combine.
Cut the French bread in half and spread with the butter mixture (this amount of butter is good for half of one large French bread loaf – see photos above).
Bake for 9-10 minutes in the middle of the oven, adding an extra 1-2 minutes or bumping to 425 at the end for more browning.
Remove from the oven, cut into slices, and serve. Life is good.
Notes
For the exact amount of bread, see photos above! The photo with the French bread next to the baguette – that shows how much bread I use for this amount of butter. It will all depend on the size of your loaf, but I use half of the (very large) loaf of French bread that I buy at Target.
If you use unsalted butter, be sure to add a pinch of salt to the butter mixture!
Spread the bread with a thick layer of the butter mixture, then put the two halves together so that you don’t have any butter on the outside. Wrap it in foil or plastic wrap and freeze until you’re ready to bake! To bake: thaw, separate the two pieces so they’re butter-side up, and bake as directed.
Could you use another type of bread besides French bread? (baguette, ciabatta, etc.)
Yes! I’ve done them all and they’re all great. I love French bread the most (as discussed above) but I promise nobody is going to turn down any kind of bread with this garlicky buttery Parmesan-laced mixture slathered all over it.
How can I make this vegan?
Use a plant-based butter and skip the cheese!
Could you use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic?
Yes! I prefer the taste of fresh garlic because I think it makes it taste a little more zingy, But for a fast and easy back-up option, yes, absolutely you can use garlic powder. Be aware that garlic powder sometimes burns in the oven if you have it too close to the heating element!
This Chicken Salad is so good! Protein-packed with a delicious creamy dressing, and perfect for an on-the-go lunch in a sandwich or wrap.
It’s a Chicken Salad Summer For Me.
Chicken salad is officially the hero of my summer.
As summer activities have picked up for our family, I’ve been riding the highs of having a weekly batch of chicken salad in the fridge. I love a cold, creamy bowl of it straight out of the fridge for an high protein Summer Mom Lunch, and my girls love to eat the components (plain chicken, grapes, celery and cashews) dipped in a bit of dressing for a kid-friendly snack plate.
Reasons I love it:
Reason A: The creamy dressing is… weirdly so good. It doesn’t taste like straight Greek yogurt (gross) but there’s enough to be in there so that you aren’t just eating straight gobs of mayo, either. Perfect creaminess achieved! The flavors from the dijon, salt, sugar, onion and garlic powder make it into a luscious little everything sauce that I’m licking off the spoon every single time.
Reason B: Lots of protein! It’s a super satisfying mid-day boost!
Reason C: Convenience, naturally. I frequently just grab a little wrap, sandwich, or bowl of it for a solidly delicious munch between chaotic mid-afternoon errands and/or kid pick-ups!
SUMMER HERO!
You might notice there are no raw onions in this chicken salad and that is very much on purpose. I prefer a substantial lacing of onion powder in the sauce to give us the good flavor… but in a smooth, creamy way, without the watery, weepy weirdness of diced raw onion. To each their own! Throw the onions in if you want. But I am a strong proponent that onion powder > raw onions when it comes to chicken salad.
The mix-ins that you’ll see here are my favorites (grapes, celery, and cashews) but you might like apples, almonds, pistachios, wild rice (!), walnuts, etc. The beauty is that this protein-rich, ultra-creamy chicken salad dressing as a base can take us to many good places.
Welcome To My House! Let’s Have a Chicken Salad Lunch.
1
Make Your Dressing.
Greek yogurt, mayo, and dijon mustard will carry you! Add some salt, sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder, and you’ll be licking this right off the spoon. It’s luxurious and savory-sweet and so weirdly good.
2
Cut Everything Up!
I like the chicken to be CUBED, not shredded, so the whole thing doesn’t get too thick and sticky.
For classic chicken salad, you want to have these three elements:
Something sweet (apples, grapes, dried cherries)
Something crunchy (celery, diced onion)
Something nutty (cashews, almonds, or pistachios)
My all-time favorite combo is grapes, celery, and cashews! So classic. Hits every time. But I have more fun ideas in the notes of the recipe based on your suggestions from Instagram!
3
Mix it all up + season it.
After you mix the dressing with everything, you can season it with whatever you like. Salt and pepper, for starters! I typically do freeze-dried chives and white pepper (so it doesn’t make the whole thing turn dark). You do you!
4
You’re Done! Yum!
You can put this on a croissant for a luncheon-style sandwich, or tuck it into a lettuce wrap, or a whole weat wrap, or dip into it with crackers (can recommend Everything Seasoned crackers), or just eat it plain! which I very often do.
This Chicken Salad is so good! Protein-packed with a delicious creamy dressing, and perfect for an on-the-go lunch in a sandwich or wrap.
Chicken Salad Dressing:
Chicken Salad Base:
Dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust, keeping in mind that it should taste salty / concentrated as it will distribute amongst all the other ingredients.
Mix: Toss your mix-ins (chicken, grapes, celery, and cashews) with as much of the dressing as you like.
Season: Taste, adjust, and zhuzh to your heart’s content. I usually stir in some freeze-dried chives and white pepper.
You’re Done! Yum! Eat on a whole wheat wrap, lettuce wrap, sandwich, toast, dipped with crackers or just PLAIN! Delicious, cold, creamy, I love it. Store leftovers in an airtight container the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Dressing Amounts: You may not need all of the dressing depending on how much creaminess you like – I typically have a few tablespoons left over and I save them to toss with the leftovers so they are freshly creamy again!
Herbs: Fresh herbs work, but my complaint with them is that they don’t hold up as well in the fridge / after they get mixed in, which is why I like freeze dried herbs (in my case, I use chives).
White Pepper: Regular freshly ground black pepper works just fine, but it darkens the color a bit with the black flecks and I care about these things so I go for the white pepper!
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:0 minutes
Category:Lunch
Method:No-Cook
Cuisine:American
Keywords: chicken salad, chicken salad recipe, chicken salad sandwich, easy lunch recipe, high protein lunch
Chicken Salad Variation Ideas
There are so many directions you could take this! The main recipe included here is for a classic, salty-sweet chicken salad, but here are a few other ideas!
Curry Chicken Salad
Recipe is right here! 🙂 It’s so good – packed with sweet curry flavor and golden raisins, pistachios, cilantro and parsley! It’s one of my faves!
Basil Chicken Salad
Use this basil sauce as the base, and mix in chicken, dried cherries, celery, and slivered almonds! SO good!
Buffalo Chicken Salad
My husband loves this one! (And me, too.)
Dressing: 1/3 cup mayo, 1/4 cup plan Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons buffalo hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot, 1/3 cup blue cheese.
Mix-Ins: 1 1/2 cups cubed chicken, 1 cup diced celery, sliced green onions for topping!
Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
Make the same chicken salad dressing base, omitting sugar and salt. Add diced pickles, fresh dill, and a bit of pickle brine. Perfect for summer!
Frequently Asked Questions For This Chicken Salad
What are some other chicken salad mix-in ideas?
I asked on Instagram and you guys had the best ideas! Thank you for sharing! – salt and vinegar chips (or any chips, let’s be honest) – apples – wild rice – sweet pickled jalapeños – fried onions – crushed ramen noodles – bacon – sweet corn
Can you omit or replace the celery?
Yes, you can omit the celery! This is your own adventure. I would suggest adding a crunchy diced or sliced vegetable in its place – water chestnuts (polarizing!), radishes, jicama, or bell pepper! Fennel is very similar to celery but it is sometimes tolerated better by celery-haters, so that’s another option! It gives you a similar crunch and flavor.
Could you use your air fryer chicken in this?
Yes! Yummy. I would just cut it into cubes after you cook it in the air fryer! Here’s that recipe. Keep in mind that there’s a lot of seasoning on the exterior of that chicken so it will likely transfer into the sauce, making it more colored than the version here in the pictures.
How can I make this chicken salad dairy-free?
Use a dairy free plain yogurt! Almost all mayo should be naturally dairy free.
What other nut could I use instead of cashews?
SO many options. Walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and almonds come to mind!
How long does this chicken salad keep in the refrigerator?
I like it best within 3 days! The USDA recommends eating leftover rotisserie chicken (stored in the refrigerator) within 3-4 days.
How do you serve this chicken salad?
In a sandwich (croissants are the bomb), in a wrap (whole wheat wrap or a lettuce wrap! yum), on top of some greens, or as a dip for crackers! Or just plain, straight out of the fridge. 🙂
Can you make this recipe without mayonnaise?
You could use all Greek yogurt but I find that the mayo is really helpful for the overall flavor and texture. It gives a silkiness and a lusciousness that you can’t get from the thick, tangy Greek yogurt. Some people like to make their chicken salad with sour cream, so that’s another option, but I find a base of tangy Greek yogurt + the buttery-ness of a little mayo to be the ideal combo!
There’s a certain ease and simplicity to free-form tarts like this. Sometimes they’re called a crostata, sometimes a galette. You can call it whatever you want, but I call it a fast way to use great fruit when it’s in season, without a lot of fuss.
At the beginning of summer, when rhubarb is still lingering around, and strawberries are elbowing their way forward, it’s a good thing the two go so well together. And I’m happy to help them hook up.
I remember a neighbor had a big rhubarb plant in their backyard and we used to dip the raw stalks in a cup of sugar and eat them. (Somehow, we knew not to eat the leaves, which are toxic.) I still remember, not just the fact that you could get free food from the earth, but that something could have so much flavor. Some kids aren’t fond of things that are tangy but I’ve always loved the contrast of sweet and tart.
Recently I was so excited to find such beautiful berries that I bought three big baskets of them. I made a little batch of Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, and another batch of Strawberry Vodka, both of which I hope will prolong the season…unlike this tart, which lasted not so long around here.
I first learned to make tarts like this from Jacques Pépin, when he came to work with us and began his shift by rolling out dough for fruit tarts. He actually double-doughed his tarts, rolling out two rounds of dough, and sandwiching the fruit between the two.
Being French, he brushed the top with lots of butter and liberally dusted the top with sugar. Today I usually make them open-faced, but do brush the crust with lots of butter and a generous sprinkling of sugar, which makes a crunchy crust, and is a nice contrast to the tender fruit-forward filling.
When I posted a picture of this tart on social media, with a promise to share the recipe, a friend, Ann Mah, asked me how I dealt with all the juice from rhubarb, which can exude a moderate amount. Hothouse rhubarb is generally redder in color and holds its color better than field-grown rhubarb once baked. However, I’ve never found much of a correlation between if it’s grown indoors or out, and how much juice it exudes.
That said, as insurance, I sprinkle the dough with a little bit of almond flour to absorb any errant juices. But I don’t mind things being a little bit messy; a friend’s Norwegian grandmother once told me that if pie doesn’t fall apart when you slice it, it’s not going to be any good. This tart slices nicely but tastes great. So you’re getting the best of both worlds here, in more ways than one.
Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
I often sprinkle a little almond flour on the tart dough, to soak up any extra juices that may come out of the fruit when it’s baking. You can use cracker or bread crumbs, crumbled amaretti cookies, a bit of flour, or leave it out.
For those who want to reduce the sugar, feel free to cut the sugar in the filling down to 1/2 cup (100g). For another variation, you could swap out fresh pitted cherries for the strawberries, or mix a basket or two of raspberries or blackberries with the rhubarb, in place of the strawberries.
This tart is sometimes called a galette or crostata and is baked free-form. It could also be baked in a tart pan as well. Be sure to cover the baking sheet well if using parchment paper, to catch any juices that may run out during baking. I used an unrimmed baking sheet for this one but use a rimmed one if you want to make sure you’re containing any errant juices.
Servings 8servings
For the tart dough
1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
1tablespoonsugar
1/2teaspoon salt
1/2cup (4oz, 115g)unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
6tablespoons (90ml)ice water
For the filling
3cups (13oz, 380g)diced rhubarb, (trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch, 2cm pieces)
2cups (10oz, 300g)strawberries, hulled and quartered
zestof 1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
2/3cup (130g)sugar
1 1/2tablespoonscorn starch
2tablespoonsalmond flour , (optional)
1 – 1 1/2tablespoonsmelted butter
turbinado or granulated sugar, for finishing the tart
Prevent your screen from going dark
To make the tart dough, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can also make it in a food processor, or by hand, using a pastry blender.) Add the cold butter and mix until the butter pieces are the size of peas.
Add the ice water and continue to mix just until the dough comes together. Gather the dough with your hands, shape it into a disk, wrap it plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Put the rhubarb and strawberries in a medium bowl with the lemon zest. Sprinkle the sugar and corn starch on top, but do not mix the ingredients together yet. (If you do, they’ll start to juice and may be overly juicy by the time you’re ready to use them.)
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºF). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 14-inch (36cm) circle and place it on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the almond flour over the tart dough, if using. Mix the fruit together with the sugar and corn starch and place the fruit into the center of the tart dough, then spread it with your hands, leaving 3-inch (8cm) of space between the fruit and the edge of the dough.
Fold the edges of the dough up and over the fruit filling. Brush the crush liberally with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the tart until the filling is cooked and bubbling, and the crust is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and slide the tart off the baking sheet, onto a cooling rack.
Serving: Serve the tart on its own, or with Vanilla Ice Cream, White Chocolate and Fresh Ginger Ice Cream, or Cinnamon Ice Cream, or a dollop of crème fraîche. Storage: The unrolled dough can be refrigerated for up to three days, or frozen for up to two months. The baked tart is best the same day but can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. (The dough will get softer the longer it sits.)
July is here! Let’s hear it for long summer days and warm summer evenings. I hope you have fun plans for Independence Day—it’s one of my favorite holidays. Please be safe out there.
If you love to fire up your grill during the summer, I wanted to let you know that one of my favorite recipe writers, Gaby Dalkin, has just released a dedicated grilling cookbook called What’s Gaby Cooking: Grilling All the Things. Great job as always, Gaby!
If you’re looking for Fourth of July recipes, here are some of my favorites. The more salads, the better. Browse with pictures here.
“Made this immediately last night and loved it – my daughter as well! Quick and easy for when you get home from work – served alongside pasta.” – Connie
“I made this for a cooking class I taught and everyone loved it!! Hopefully you get some more readership, because I tell so many of my patients about your blog :)” – Tricia
“Grilled farm fresh corn on the grill last night in Columbus, Ohio. Followed your instructions, and our corn looked exactly like yours! Plump kernels with a beautiful charred finish. Slathered in butter and salt! Perfect grilled corn! All of your recipes I’ve tried have been spot on! Thanks Cookie (and Kate, of course)! :)” – Pam
“My husband’s comment was – these are the best green beans I’ve ever had! Wow, that made me happy. First time I’ve ever cooked a shallot, but sure enjoyed making the recipe. I know what you mean when you said you have to be careful not to eat the whole pan! Thanks for the great recipe.” – Faith
“Kate, this salad is so delicious. The DRESSING–I know everyone is going wild for your coconut bacon, which is wonderful and all, but the DRESSING! I love that it is oil-free so you can really load up on it. This salad is raising the bar for salads in my book. You’ve done it again, Cookie and Kate!” – Tory
“I made these tonight and they are so delicious. A perfect summer meal. I also mustvsay that this is the first time myself and my boyfriend have actually enjoyed (even, loved) tofu! Yay for soggy free perfectly crisp tofu.” – Deana
“My husband and my favorite recipe! Are you able to substitute the peaches for other fruits? Was thinking strawberry or raspberry!” – Mallory (the answer is yes—check out my Roasted Berry and Honey Yogurt Popsicles!)
“Hi Kate, I had forgotten how delicious this salad is! Served it with slow cooker mac & cheese for dinner last night. I really like that you mix the whole salad at one time, no separate dressing to prepare, and also that the dressing just “dresses” the ingredients and does not drown them!! Perfect summer meal – easy, make ahead, no use of the stove 🙂 Thanks, again, for sharing!” – Kris
“Absolutely wonderful recipe- so fresh and light compared to traditional potato salad and was a hit during my father’s birthday! Liked it so much we’re making it again tonight!” – Tori
“I Just made these for dinner and they were delicious! My whole family loved them. Easy to put together and fun to assemble at the table. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes!” – Katherine
“Didn’t think twice about whipping this one up for tonight since all I had to buy were the zucchinis and tomatoes. I made it vegan with nutritional yeast and OH MY this is an amazing recipe. So simple! You are quickly becoming my favorite food blogger! Can’t wait to share this creation with my loves. Thanks” – Lauren
“Made this tonight for a quick dinner. It was so delicious! I’ll be bringing this to all the parties/BBQs I go to this summer. I love your blog :)” – Jodi
Don’t forget to tag your recipe photos #cookieandkate on Instagram so we can all see them! If you’re looking for an ingredient that didn’t make the list, check my ingredient index for relevant recipes.
These stuffed peppers are a vegetarian dinner that everyone will love! They’re filled with rice and beans and topped with a melty layer of cheese.
These stuffed peppers deserve a spot in your dinner rotation! They’re the perfect combination of comforting and fresh, filled with a delicious blend of rice and beans and topped with melty cheese. Yes, they’re vegetarian, but these stuffed peppers are so tasty that everyone—meat eaters included!—will love them.
I’ve shared other stuffed peppers recipes on the blog before, but this one is hands down my favorite. Here’s why:
The filling is so darn flavorful. It starts with a base of hearty brown rice, with black beans for protein and corn kernels for crunch. Onions, garlic, and tomato paste make it nice and savory, and chili powder and cumin add earthy flavor and heat. YUM!
It’s great for meal prep. Make the rice filling a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. That way, you can quickly assemble the peppers for an easy weeknight meal.
It’s healthy! These stuffed bell peppers are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and, of course, fresh veggies. Seconds, anyone?
Let’s cook!
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
This vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe has three main steps:
Roasting the peppers. Baking the peppers on their own before adding the filling gives them the perfect tender texture.
Making the filling. It comes together in a few minutes on the stovetop.
Assembling and baking the peppers. You’ll stuff the peppers with the rice filling and broil until the cheese is melted and browned.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Roasting the Peppers
The first step in this recipe is roasting the peppers. It takes just 10 minutes, and it gives them the perfect tender texture.
Any sweet bell peppers work well here. I typically use red, but feel free to use other colors if you like. Orange and yellow peppers would both be delicious. Just avoid green ones—they’re not sweet enough for this recipe.
Slice them in half vertically, remove the membranes and seeds, and place them cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper, then bake at 450°F until the peppers are tender.
After roasting, tip out any liquid that pools inside the peppers, and set them aside while you make the stuffing.
Making the Filling
While the peppers roast, make the filling. If you don’t already have cooked brown rice on hand, start by preparing it. (See the tip below!)
When it’s ready, sauté the onions, jalapeño, and garlic until softened. Then, add the tomato paste and spices. Cook until the tomato paste darkens and the spices are fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rice, beans, and corn. Add fresh lime juice and zest for a burst of bright flavor. Season to taste.
Recipe Tip
Cook the rice in advance. Brown rice takes nearly an hour to cook on the stove, so to streamline this recipe, I recommend cooking it in advance.
The cooked rice will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge and in the freezer for up to 3 months. See my guide to how to cook brown rice for cooking instructions and tips! In a pinch, cooked white rice will work here too.
Another option is to fully prepare the filling ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and bake the peppers.
Finally, assemble and bake!
Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture and top with the cheese.
Broil until the cheese is melted and browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Variation: Make vegan stuffed peppers!
Replace the cheese with your favorite vegan cheese shreds. You could also skip the cheese and serve the peppers with sliced avocado and drizzles of chipotle sauce. No need to broil the peppers in that case.
What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers
Want to make these vegetarian stuffed peppers even more flavorful? Serve them with sliced avocado or guacamole and your favorite salsa!
The peppers are a satisfying meal on their own, but if you’re looking for something to serve on the side, you can’t go wrong with any of these recipes:
Storage
Store leftover peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They reheat perfectly in the microwave or a 350°F oven.
More Easy Vegetarian Recipes
If you love these stuffed bell peppers, try one of these easy vegetarian recipes next:
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Prep Time: 30 minutesmins
Cook Time: 30 minutesmins
Total Time: 1 hourhr
Serves 4
These healthy stuffed peppers are filled with a flavorful mix of rice, beans, and vegetables and topped with melty cheese. They’re naturally gluten-free; see the notes below to make them vegan.
4red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
2tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the peppers, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 10 minutes, or until tender. Tip out and discard any liquid that pools inside the peppers. Set the peppers aside while you prepare the filling.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens and the spices are fragrant.
Remove from the heat and stir in the brown rice, black beans, corn, and lime juice and zest. Season to taste.
Fill the peppers with the rice mixture and top with the cheese. Place in a large baking dish and broil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is browned.
Top with fresh cilantro and serve with salsa and avocado, if desired, and lime wedges for squeezing.
*To make vegan stuffed peppers, replace the pepper jack with your favorite vegan cheese shreds. You can also omit the cheese and serve the peppers with avocado and chipotle sauce. No need to broil the peppers in that case.
