I Am... Japanese Vegetable Skewers aka Vegetable Yakitori
If you love grilled vegetables, you’re going to love Japanese grilled vegetable yakitori. Eating grilled vegetables off a stick is simply the best, it’s the only way to do it! The best grilled vegetable yakitori I’ve ever had were in Tokyo. I still dream of them today: fresh from the farm vegetables skewered onto wooden sticks lightly grilled over charcoal and dipped in an addictive sweet and savory sauce. If you’ve been to Japan, you’ve most likely have indulged in yakitori: smoky, tender, juicy skewers of grilled chicken either dipped in a savory sauce or sprinkled with salt. Yakitori is the ultimate food. It can be fancy (think 3 Michelin starred restaurants) or be made at home. The chicken yakitori is amazing, but even better are the vegetable skewers. Most fancy yakitori places actually place higher value on the vegetable skewers because seasonal vegetables are exceptional and high value in Japan. You can get special vegetables like the first negi of spring(extra large Japanese green onions) or roasted gingko nuts.
What is yakitori?
Yakitori is Japan’s answer to grilled chicken. Yakitori is bite-size pieces of chicken threaded onto skewers and grilled over binchotan, a special Japanese charcoal that gets extra hot. The skewers come seasoned with salt (shio) or sauce (tare).Is yakitori chicken only?
Yakitori is technically chicken but colloquially, people refer to all grilled Japanese skewers as yakitori. Even at specialized yakitori shops, they have skewers of things like quail eggs, beef, pork, mochi, and vegetables.What is vegetable yakitori
Vegetable yakitori is kind of a misnomer, but essentially, it’s vegetables skewers grilled yakitori style – that is, bite-sized pieces of vegetables threaded onto short skewers and grilled until tender and slightly charred. Vegetable yakitori can be lightly sprinkled with just salt but here we’re going to make a Japanese tare for a glossy, sweet and savory finish.What vegetables for yakitori
The best vegetables for grilling are ones that are slightly sturdy but don’t take too long to cook. In this case, we’re going to grill tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, red onion, bell peppers, king oyster mushrooms, shishito, and asparagus.How to cut vegetables for vegetable skewers
The best way to cut vegetables for vegetable yakitori is in 3/4 inch by 2.5 inch sticks. Think carrot sticks, but slightly shorter and stubbier. The baton-like shape makes it easy to thread the vegetables onto skewers and the large surface area helps the vegetables cook quickly and evenly. Here’s how you cut/prep everything:- Japanese eggplant - wash, dry, then trim the tips and tails. Cut the eggplant into 2.5-3 inch lengths. Cut each section in half, then cut the halves into thirds. Thread the eggplant onto skewers with 4 pieces per skewer.
- zucchini - wash, dry, and trim the tips and tails. Cut the zucchini into 2.5-3 inch lengths. Cut each section in half, then cut the halves into thirds. Thread the zucchini onto skewers with 4 pieces per skewer.
- king oyster mushrooms - wash, dry, and trim the bottom of the mushroom. Cut the mushroom into equal lengths, making sure to keep the mushroom cap intact with some stem. Cut the mushroom lengths into quarter wedges. Thread the mushrooms onto skewers with 4 pieces per skewer.
- bell pepper - wash dry, and deseed the peppers. Cut into 2 inch by 3/4 inch strips. Thread the peppers onto skewers with 8 pieces per skewer.
- shishito peppers - wash and dry the peppers. Thread them onto skewers, about 4-6 whole peppers per skewer. You can also double skewer these with a bit of space in between the two skewers. Shishitos have a tendency to turn on the skewer as you cook them, so using two skewers helps you flip them easily.
- cherry tomatoes - wash, dry, and thread 4 tomatoes onto each skewer.
- red onion - peel the onion then trim off the top and bottom. Cut the in half along the equator. You should have two half spheres. Place the large cut sides down onto the cutting board, then cut into halves. Cut the halves into thirds, keeping the onion slices together. Thread the wedges onto skewers with 3 wedges per skewer.
- asparagus - trim off the woody ends then cut the asparagus into 2.5 inch lengths. Skewer 6-8 pieces on per skewer.
Vegetable yakitori sauce
Yakitori sauce is tare (which translates to sauce in Japanese) and it contains the classic Japanese combination of sake, mirin, soy, and sugar.- sake - aka Japanese rice wine. It adds umami and a natural sweetness. Just like wine in French cooking adds an extra layer of aroma and flavor, sake is common in Japanese cooking – it’s in almost every sauce. They sell cooking sake at Asian grocery stores, or if you’re feeling flush, you can use the nice sake you have for drinking. Buy a bottle and you won’t regret it, it’ll take your Japanese cooking to another level.
- mirin - Japanese sweet rice wine and the other ingredient that is key in Japanese cooking. Compared to sake, it has a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content that occurs naturally from fermentation. It’s used as a seasoning and glazing agent. They sell mirin in the Asian aisle and at Asian grocery stores.
- soy sauce - I’m pretty sure you have a bottle of soy sauce in your pantry. It adds umami, a glorious brown sheen, and is delicious. A Japanese naturally brewed soy sauce would be best for this tare.
- sugar - this helps thicken the sauce as well as adding a glossy sweetness. We like to use brown sugar but any sugar or sweetener will do.
- green onions, ginger, garlic - these aromatics are optional and aren’t typically found in traditional tare but I find that they add a pleasant flavor that accentuates the freshness of vegetable yakitori.
How to grill vegetable yakitori skewers
The good news is that grilling vegetables is super easy. Heat the grill to medium-high. Brush the grill or the vegetable skewers with a neutral oil then set them on the grill. Flip them every 2-3 minutes so they grill evenly on both sides. They’re done when they’re tender and have a bit of color on them, generally, it takes about 5-8 minutes, depending on the vegetable and size. When the vegetables are tender, move them off the grill and generously brush all sides with tare then place the skewers back on the grill to lightly caramelize the sauce. Enjoy hot, right off the grill, but be careful not to burn yourself on the deliciousness!What kind of grill for yakitori
Traditionally you would use a grill with binchotan - a special type of Japanese charcoal that gets extra hot and burns bright white. At home you can use a regular BBQ grill, a grill pan, a cast iron-pan, or even the broiler in your oven. Our favorite way to grill is to use the tiny electric yakitori grill we packed home from Japan, but we also regularly use our gas BBQ grill as well.What kind of skewers for yakitori
There’s a huge variety of skewers out there for yakitori, from double pronged to thick flat sticks, to simple short rounds. Typically Japanese yakitori skewers are shorter than what you normally see at a BBQ. They’re about 6 inches in length. You can order them on amazon: here are some regular ones and here are the one that have a flat tab at the end). Usually you can find short skewers at the grocery store too. Make sure you soak them in water for at least 1 hour before grilling, otherwise the sticks might burn and break off.Extra seasoning for yakitori
Most yakitori-ya (yakitori shops/restaurants) pride themselves on their tare so they don’t really give you anything extra to season your skewers with. The exception is shichimi togarashi or sansho pepper. Both are delicious!- Shichimi togarashi is a seven spice mixture containing ground chili pepper, ground ginger, sansho, black sesame, white sesame, dried orange peel, and nori. It’s pleasantly spicy with a citrusy aftertaste.
- Sansho is a Japanese peppercorn with a lemony citrus flavor that has a slight numbing effect, kind of like Sichuan peppercorns. It comes finely ground so you can sprinkle it on as you please.
How to throw a vegetable yakitori party
- Make the sauce - you can make the yakitori tare the morning or day before your yakitori party. It’s best to go ahead and make a double batch so you don’t run out. The sauce will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to a week.
- Prep the yakitori - Soak the skewers, wash all the vegetables, cut, and skewer everything. You can do this ahead of time, just make sure to cover everything tightly and keep it in the fridge before grilling.
- Set the table - You’ll need a portable indoor grill or a portable indoor burner with a large pan or grill pan. Place the grill in the center of the table so everyone can reach. Pour some neutral oil into a glass or liquid measuring cup along with a brush so you can oil the grill. Pour the yakitori sauce into a tall, thin container (one that you can easily dip the skewers into). Add plates, chopsticks, glasses, and napkins. Set out the shichimi togarashi and sansho. Have an empty cup for discarded skewers. Add some personal decorative touches. Set out the plates/trays of vegetable yakitori.
- Pour the drinks - anything you like: Japanese beer, sake, maybe some iced oolong tea or sparkling tea.
- Grill and enjoy - Heat up the grill at the table, add the skewers, grill, drink, and chat the night away.
What to serve with vegetable yakitori
Usually vegetable yakitori and chicken yakitori go hand in hand and you end up pretty full. But if you’re making a meal of just vegetable yakitori, I recommend a fluffy bowl of rice, really good miso soup, and some pickled cucumber sunomono. Happy grilling friends! I’m so happy it’s grilling season again! xoxo stephVegetable Yakitori
If you love grilled vegetables, you’re going to love Japanese grilled vegetable yakitori.
- 1 Japanese eggplant
- 1 zucchini
- 2 king oyster mushrooms
- 1 bell pepper
- 24 shishito peppers
- 24 cherry tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 8 spears asparagus
Tare
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 green onions (whites only)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 slice ginger
In a very small pot, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, green onion whites, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and when bubbly, reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce bubble away and reduce until it’s thick and glossy, it should take about 20 minutes. Keep and eye on it and stir it every once in a while. While the tare is reducing, you can prep the vegetables. When the sauce is slightly thick, remove the aromatics and discard.
Wash the vegetables and cut into 2-2.5 inch even bite-sized pieces that are easy to thread onto skewers. Long, baton-like shapes work best.
Thread the vegetables onto the skewers, with 4-6 pieces of vegetables per stick.
Grill the skewers on a medium-hot grill, flipping occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and slightly charred, about 5-8 minutes, depending on the vegetable.
Brush the yakitori generously with the tare and continue to grill for 1-2 more minutes or until the tare caramelizes slightly. Enjoy hot!
Estimated nutrition is for 1 tbsp tare, no vegetables.
I Am... Coconut Macaroons
I’m a huge fan of macaroons, especially when they’re homemade. I love coconut macaroons! I don’t mean those delicate, finicky French almond macaron treats – I mean crisp and coconutty haystacks. A good coconut macaroon is a delicious thing: tall and mounded with crisp and crunchy outsides and soft chewy insides. They’re coconutty, hearty, chewy little cookie-cakes that are the perfect tea time snack.
How to make coconut macaroons
Making coconut macaroons is super easy. It’s probably the easiest cook you’ll ever make. All you do is measure, stir, and bake. No whipping eggs, no chill time, just mix, bake, and eat!- Mix. Mix together shredded coconut, a bit of flour, and sugar.
- Stir. Stir in the egg whites until everything comes together.
- Scoop. Scoop out little mounds on to a baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake until lightly toasted, let cool, and enjoy!
Coconut macaroon ingredients
You only need four ingredients for these perfectly plush cookies!- Shredded coconut. You’ll want to pick up a bag of unsweetened shredded coconut, also sometimes called fancy coconut. More on shredded coconut and all of its varieties below!
- Sugar. We’re going to use just enough sugar to bring out the natural sweetness of coconut.
- Flour. Lots of macaroons are gluten free (these can be too, just sub almond or coconut flour!) but I find that just the tiniest amount of flour helps everything hold together properly.
- Egg whites. Egg whites are what is going to bind everything and also give the macaroons crispy edges and a moist middle.
What is a macaroon?
If you haven’t had one, macaroons are little coconut cookie-cakes that are usually mounded up like a cute little snow capped mountain. They’re dense and moist and sweet and are probably going to be the easiest cookie you’ll ever make. They also keep well for days making them the best bake ahead treat. If you like mounds bars or almond joys, you will LOVE these coconut macaroons.Macaron vs macaroons
What is a macaron?
A macaron is notoriously difficult to make little French flat almond floured based cookies that sandwich different flavored fillings.What is a macaroon?
Macaroons are mounded cookie haystacks made with shredded coconut. The only difference between their names is an extra “O” but the difference between the two treats is vast. Personally, while I love having a macaron on occasion (if it’s from a patisserie and well made) it’s more of a sometimes treat. Truth be told, I would much rather eat macaroons.What is shredded coconut?
Shredded coconut is what you think of when you buy coconut for baking. It’s dry, but with a tiny bit of moisture, shredded into thin strips. You’ll find it in the baking aisle. Shredded coconut goes by a bunch of different names: grated coconut, desiccated coconut, dried shredded coconut, and fancy coconut. If you end up getting desiccated coconut, you’ll find that its pieces are not as long as shredded coconut. It will still work for these macaroons, but I prefer the texture of shredded. Whichever type of shred you end up getting, make sure you go for unsweetened.Tips and tricks for coconut macaroons
Use a cookie scoop! I like my trusty medium cookie scoop, which portions out the batter into 1.5 tablespoon cookies. Don’t bake them too long. You want a little bit of golden toastiness, but don’t over bake or you might end up with dry macaroons.How to decorate macaroons
Sometimes I keep them pure and have them plain but a little chocolate bottom with a drizzle of chocolate on top is very festive. You can even make peppermint bark macaroons by putting 1/4 teaspoon mint extract into the batter, drizzle with dark and white chocolate, and sprinkle on crushed up peppermint candy canes!How to make chocolate dipped macaroons
- Melt 1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) of chocolate in a double boiler over low heat while stirring. Or, microwave on low, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth.
- Take a baked macaroon and dip the bottom in the melted chocolate and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Optional: Use a spoon to drizzle extra chocolate on top.
- Let the chocolate set in the fridge.
Why this coconut macaroon recipe?
- No whipping egg whites
- No condensed milk
- Your macaroons will not spread because the batter is stiff
- Your macaroons will not burn because there isn’t a huge amount of condensed milk pooling around the edges
- Super simple, only 4 ingredients
- You can easily make them gluten free by swapping the flour for coconut or almond flour
- Mega coconutty flavor
- Perfectly toasty on the outside and chewy and moist on the inside
- Super fast
How long do coconut macaroons last?
To store and keep your coconut macaroons, keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. Happy macaroon-ing! I ate five of these for breakfast today >_< xoxo steph PS - Other things to make with shredded coconut if you have some extra:- Small Batch Triple Coconut Bread
- Blueberry, Coconut, Dark Chocolate Cookie
- Sunday Brunch: Christmas Morning Coconut French Toast
- Coconut Almond Rice Krispie Treat
Coconut Macaroons
A good coconut macaroon is a delicious thing: tall and mounded with crisp and crunchy outsides and soft chewy insides.
- 172 g unsweetened shredded coconut (6oz, roughly 2 2/3 cups)
- 67 g sugar (2/3 cup)
- 45 g all purpose flour (1/3 cup)
- 120 g egg whites (about 4 egg whites)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine the coconut, sugar, and flour in a bowl.
Stir in the egg whites.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookies in mounds and place the mounds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are very lightly golden brown. Let cool and enjoy!
I Am... Cheesy Potatoes
If you’re looking for a warm comforting side dish or just a great snack, cheesy potatoes are for you. Creamy, tender potatoes baked in a cheesy sauce until bubbly and golden. Perfect for holidays and big dinners, or anytime you need more cheese in your life. If you love potatoes and cheese, this is the ultimate potato casserole. It’s perfect for serving with ham, chicken, pork, or beef. Heck, I even eat it just on its own without a protein. It’s warming, filling, and the best comfort food side dish there is – hearty and homey but delicious enough to serve to company.
What are cheesy potatoes?
Cheesy potatoes are potatoes that are cooked until tender and then baked in a creamy cheese sauce. The potato casserole gets bubbly and hot and the top becomes golden and delicious. Cheesy potatoes are similar to scalloped potatoes but with diced potatoes and a thicker sauce. They’re also a lot easier to make! There are a ton of cheesy potato recipes out there that use canned condensed soup as the base but making your own cheese sauce is simple and so much more satisfying.What makes them so good?
Potatoes are the perfect cozy comfort food and when you pair them with a creamy, cheesy sauce, they are just indescribable. Think of steamy, warm, and fluffy potatoes in a savory gooey cheese sauce that has garlicky-onion flavors and a hint of sour cream tang. SO GOOD.How to make cheesy potatoes
- Cook the potatoes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender, then drain well.
- Make a roux. While the potatoes are cooking, make a roux by melting butter in a saucepan. When it’s melted, add in the flour and spices and stir until everything comes together.
- Add the milk. Pour the milk in slowly, stirring so the sauce is smooth and creamy. When you’re done adding in the milk, let the sauce come to a simmer so it thickens up.
- Melt the cheese. Add the cheese and some sour cream and stir until melted and creamy.
- Stir in the potatoes. Add the drained potatoes and mix everything up. Sneak a bite or five!
- Bake. Put the potatoes in an oven safe dish and top with cheese, bake until bubbly then dig in.
What are the best potatoes for cheesy potatoes?
There are only two kinds of potatoes that are perfect for cheesy potatoes: Yukon golds (my absolute favorite) and Russets. Yukon golds are perfect for cheesy potatoes because they’re slightly starchy, beautifully yellow, and have a rich buttery potato taste. They’re a dense potato with a thin skin, and when you use them, you get a more luxurious casserole. Russets (or Idaho) potatoes are those big potatoes with the dusty skin that most people use for baked potatoes. These are also excellent for cheesy potatoes: fluffy, dry, and starchy, when cooked right. For us these are a good second choice. Russets are the more mild potato of the two potatoes I recommend and if you’re a fan of lighter, fluffier potatoes, they make a cheesy potato with a more delicate, fall apart texture.- Yukon golds: dense, buttery, rich, more potato flavor, sauce won’t be as thick but the potatoes will hold their shape.
- Russets: light, delicate, fluffy, mild potato flavor, will thicken the sauce, but fall apart more.
What kind of cheese for cheesy potatoes
Classic is cheddar with it’s familiar orange glow, but you can also switch it up and use any kind of melty cheese. Some cheeses that will work are: Swiss, marble, Tex-mex, Parmesan, Gruyere, mozzarella, harvarti. Any melty cheese will work great.Do you need to peel the potatoes
That’s completely up to you. There are a lot of nutrients in potato skins and it’s an extra step but I actually do like to peel them just so all the potatoes have the same texture. If you’re a fan of potato skins, just give them a good scrub and leave them on.What size pan
You’ll want to use a 2 quart (8 cups) baking or casserole dish. It can be an 8x8 inch or 11 x 7 inch. As long as it is an oven safe dish with 8 cups capacity, you’re good to go.What to serve with cheesy potatoes
Make ahead
Cheesy potatoes are the perfect make ahead side – you can make the entire dish and hold off on baking OR you can go ahead and bake the dish before hand and then warm it, covered in foil, in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 15-30 minutes.How to store
Wrap the potatoes tightly and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days.How to reheat
Simply reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through or warm covered in foil, in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 15-30 minutes. I cannot wait for cheesy potato season, cheesy potatoes are life! xoxo steph PS - Pro tip, I love adding things on top afterwards, sliced scallions, everything bagel spice, Tajin, or even an extra dollop of sour cream and bacon bits!!Cheesy Potatoes
Cheesy potatoes are hearty and homey and delicious enough to serve to company.
- 2 lb potatoes
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- 2 cup milk
- 2 cup shredded cheese (divided)
- 1 cup sour cream
Heat the oven to 350°F. Peel and chop the potatoes into 1.5-2 inch chunks. Place in a pot and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium high heat and let simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork tender, 13-15 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, stir in the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard, until smooth and incorporated.
Pour the milk into the pan in a thin stream while whisking, until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 3-5 minutes. Add half of the shredded cheddar and the sour cream and stir until melted and creamy.
Add in the drained potatoes, mixing until coated. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Spread the cheesy potatoes into an oven safe dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove, let cool slightly, and enjoy!
I Am... The Ultimate Guide to Seitan
Seitan is a super versatile vegan protein made from vital wheat gluten. It's what's used to make vegan chicken, aka fake chicken, and doesn't that lead image look just like chicken? If you’re vegan, or maybe even if you’re not but you’ve been peeping on viral cooking Tiktoks, I’m sure you’ve heard of seitan. These days, many people call it fake chicken because it's made from flour. However, even though it's made from wheat, it's nothing like bread. When it’s cooked it looks and acts like meat! It’s high in protein which makes it the perfect vegan meat alternative. Like meat, seitan can be prepared multiple ways: boiled, baked, deep-fried, pan fried, sliced, crumbled, or shredded. Like tofu it can take on SO many flavors and is extremely versatile.
What is seitan?
Seitan is wheat gluten. Essentially, it’s food made from gluten, the protein found in wheat. The commonly used name, seitan, is Japanese (セイタン) which implies that it was invented in Japan, but wheat gluten first appeared in China in the 6th century. It's an incredibly popular ingredient in Asian and Southeast Asian countries as a vegan alternative to meat because of its chewiness that’s reminiscent of the texture of meat. You can buy it at health food grocery stores or Whole Foods, but even better, it’s really easy to make at home! You can make it one of two ways: either by using whole flour and washing it or by using vital wheat gluten.How to make seitan
- Make the dough: Mix together 1 cup vital wheat gluten with 1/4 cup chickpea flour. Add some seasonings and stir in 1 cup of water or vegetable broth.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes so it develops strands of gluten - this is what gives seitan its meaty texture. The more you knead, the more chewy it'll be. Conversely, the less you knead, the more tender, so adjust according to what you like. I like to use a stand mixer.
- Let it rest: Let the dough rest, covered for about 5 minutes so the gluten can relax.
- Simmer: Cut the dough into 4 (or more pieces), shape and simmer on low in a flavorful broth.
- Use it in recipes: Your seitan is cooked and ready to eat! You can eat it as is, or use it in recipes where you would use meat.
Seitan ingredients
All you need is vital wheat gluten and water.Where is it from?
Seitan was first invented as a meat alternative for Chinese Buddhist monks because one of the key tenets of Buddhism is strict vegetarianism. There’s a huge amount of Chinese vegetarian food that looks just like regular Chinese food but is made with seitan. Nowadays it's popular all over the world for vegans and vegetarians.How is seitan used?
Seitan is used like most meat and meat alternative products. You can use it anywhere meat is used! It can be shredded and crumbled, sliced, and made into sausages or nuggets. Anything meat can do, it can do too.What does seitan taste like?
Seitan on its own doesn’t taste like much - it’s very mild, a little bit savory and kind of bland. It's more about texture rather than its taste. Texturally, it's ultra meaty and can take on any flavor. You can season it to taste like meat, but most people use it as a blank slate which then can be seasoned when you cook it in recipes.What is seitan made of?
Seitan is made from wheat gluten, the protein found in wheat.The easy way to make seitan
The key to making seitan at home is vital wheat gluten! It used to be a difficult thing to make but now that vital wheat gluten is widely available, it’s the easiest meat alternative you can make at home.What is vital wheat gluten?
Vital wheat gluten is the extracted form of protein found in wheat. It’s what helps make bread bouncy, squishy, and elastic. When you isolate the gluten protein in wheat, you end up vital wheat gluten, which, when mixed with water and kneaded a little, has a dense meat-like texture. Optional: Adding a bit of an alternative type of flour gives you a softer texture. Using just gluten can yield an end product that's a bit tougher than some people like. That’s why when you look at the ingredients of on a commercial package of this stuff, you’ll often see soy protein. You can use any alternative flour you like, I like chickpea or soy flour. If you don’t have chickpea flour but you have dried chickpeas, you can make chickpea flour at home by using a blender or food processor to grind dried chickpeas until they are fine and powdery.Washed flour seitan aka Tiktok seitan
Washed flour seitan is what’s going viral on Tiktok and while it definitely works, it’s a LOT more work than using vital wheat gluten. It can take hours. Here’s how you do it:- Mix 3 parts flour with 1 part water and knead. Place the ball of dough in a bowl of cool water. Wash the dough by kneading and stretching.
- Discard the water, add new water and keep washing, discarding and adding new water, until the water becomes more or less just touch cloudy and your dough is stringy.
- Let the dough rest in a colander for 20 minutes then shape and cook the same as seitan made from vital wheat gluten.
How to cook seitan
Just like meat, there are tons of ways you can cook seitan. I like to simmer it so that the flavor of the stock permeates and flavors the inside. My favorite way to finish it is to rip it into pieces then pan fry after it’s been simmered. Steam: steaming creates a fluffy rise that has bubbles and aeration of the gluten. It’s more dense than simmered seitan and not as juicy - it’s good for searing or stir frying. Steaming is also slightly quicker than simmering. Simmer: Simmering gives you a fluffy rise and lots of aeration of the gluten. It also has the added bonus of adding flavor to the seitan because you can season your broth. When you’re simmering, be careful not to let it come to a boil because it will get overly puffy and lose the meaty texture you’re looking for. Deep fry: Deep frying gives you golden puffs that are airy and have a smooth texture when you cook it again. Pictured below.Where to buy it
If you’re wondering where is seitan at the grocery store, it’s in the fridge section! You’ll find it next to the tofu. Sometimes you may need to go to the local Asian grocery store, where it’ll be in the frozen section as well.How to store
Store it wrapped, in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.Is it healthy?
It's an excellent source of lean protein and is a great meat substitute. It’s low in saturated fat and carbs. That being said, if you’re sensitive to gluten or are celiac, you’re better off eating tofu because seitan is made from vital wheat gluten. Hopefully this answers some of your questions about seitan and inspires you to try making it at home! If you’re looking for meat alternatives that aren’t tofu, this is a great choice.Seitan recipes
- chicken fried rice but make it seitan!
- pan fry seitan and slather it in this super addictive Korean fried chicken sauce
- shred or chop up seitan and pop it into taquitos
- slice seitan and add it to super savory fried yakiudon noodles
Seitan Recipe
I can't believe it's not meat!
- 1 cup vital wheat gluten (~120g)
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour (~30g, or soy flour)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 - 1 cup water
- 6 cups broth (of choice, eg: vegetable)
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1 carrot (roughly chopped)
- 1 stalk celery (roughly chopped)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
In a large bowl, stir together the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
Add the water or vegetable broth and stir into a dough. Turn out onto a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes. The more you knead, the more meat-y your seitan will be. If you’re looking for seitan that can shred, knead longer. If you want more tender seitan, knead for less time. Cover and let the seitan rest for 5 minutes.
While the seitan is resting, bring the vegetable broth, onion, carrot, celery, and soy sauce up to a boil in a very large pot then turn the heat down to the lowest it will go, so that it’s barely simmering.
Cut the dough into at least 4 large pieces and shape. You can also cut or pull the dough into small strips or chunks.
Optional: Shape and wrap the seitan in foil before simmering. This will give you a more dense, meaty texture because the seitan won’t have as much room to expand.
Add the seitan to the barely simmering broth and cook, uncovered for 1 hour, making sure it doesn’t come to a boil.
When the hour is up, remove from the heat and let cool. Use immediately or store in the broth for future use. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze.
Note: some of the photos feature sweet and sour seitan. To make:
1 lb seitan, torn into small pieces
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 bell pepper cubed
1/2 red onion cubed
Toss the seitan with 1 tbsp cornstarch to coat evenly.
Heat up a bit of oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the seitan until golden and crisp over medium high heat. Remove from the pan and let rest on a wire rack.
Make the sweet and sour sauce: whisk together the remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Whisk in the sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Add the sauce to the pan and bring it to a boil. Once bubbling, turn the heat to low and add the vegetables. Cook until your desired doneness then remove from the heat (we keep the vegetables almost raw).
Add the cooked seitan to the sauce and toss until well coated. Enjoy!
I Am... Instant Pot Pasta and Meatballs
Instant pot pasta and meatballs is the answer to what's for dinner. It's quick and easy, super cozy comfort food for those days when you want real food, but you're just done with it all. I know what you’re thinking: meatballs on a weekday?! Yes, it’s true, after a long day of work the last thing I want to do is roll meatballs. In fact, getting delivery is probably my most favorite way to have a relaxing night. But, sometimes only homemade will do. In those cases, homemade plus Instant Pot is the answer.
Instant pot pasta is easy
Is this recipe super quick to make? Yes and no. It only needs 5 minutes on high pressure in your Instant Pot, but of course it takes time for your IP to come up to pressure. Also, you need to mix and roll out meatballs. But, you don’t have to cook and drain your pasta and you don’t have to worry about hanging out near the stove in case your tomato sauce starts splattering. Instead, you can do the prep, set it, and forget it. Or, you know, have a quick shower, change into comfy clothes and pour yourself a glass of wine or five. This is a pretty easy recipe to make! All you do is dump the sauce ingredients, along with the pasta into the instant pot. Stir that all up, then mix up your meatballs, shape them, and place them right on top. On goes the lid, set it, then wait. When everything’s done and you open up your pot, give it all a stir and you’re ready to eat. This is self care at it’s finest. A saucy bowl of pasta and tender, juicy meatballs. The key to tender meatballs is the breadcrumbs. They help give it a soft, fall apart texture. If you want your meatballs really soft, add an extra egg – the extra moisture will loosen up the mix and make the meatballs even more tender. And yes, these are tender balls. No searing or browning here. Mostly because we’re trying to save on time, but also because a braised meatball is somehow cozier than a browned one. Don’t forget the parm! Shower your bowl with some cheesy love, you deserve it!More easy instant pot recipes
- Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Chile Verde
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Instant Pot Black Dal
Instant pot pasta recipes
- Instant Pot Lamb Ragu
- Instant Pot Ragu Modenese
- The Ultimate Easy Instant Pot Meat Sauce
- Chicken Pot Pie Bow Ties
Instant Pot Pasta and Meatballs
Cozy comforting pasta rings and meatballs in tomato sauce.
- instant pot
Sauce
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 8 ounces pasta of choice
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup panko or breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
In the Instant Pot insert, combine the onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of water then add the pasta on top, without stirring in.
Make the meatballs by combining the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Shape the meat into balls and place directly into the pot on top without stirring in.
Cover and cook on high pressure for five minutes. When done, quick release the pressure and carefully open the Instant Pot.
Stir and turn on sauté mode to reduce the sauce if needed. Taste and season. Enjoy!
I Am... Taco Seasoning
Fresh, fragrant, super easy, and flavorful homemade taco seasoning is way better than store bought. Who doesn’t love tacos? I love fast and easy hard shell tacos with ground beef, lettuce, and tomatoes as much as I love long stewing birria tacos. Tacos are amazing and what’s even more amazing is making homemade taco seasoning so you never have to buy those little packets again.
What is taco seasoning?
Taco seasoning is a warm and savory spice blend that adds a smoky flavor to anything it’s added to. It’s used for tacos (of course) and also soups, casseroles, or for seasoning vegetables and proteins.Why make homemade taco seasoning?
If you’ve ever looked at the back of a store bought seasoning packet, you probably know how much sodium they contain. When you make your own at home, it guarantees freshness, less sodium (so you can salt to taste), and the opportunity to customize the spices to your own personal taste. Plus, you can lightly toast the spices to bring out even more intensity and flavor.Taco seasoning ingredients
There's only 6 spices you may need to buy, plus salt and pepper!- ground cumin - cumin is extremely fragrant and delicious. It’s nutty, earthy, and has a hint of spice. When you smell it, it’s the scent that most people associate with curry and chili.
- granulated garlic powder - use granulated garlic instead of powder because granulated garlic is a bit more coarsely ground and is what you usually find in commercial taco seasoning.
- granulated onion powder - ditto on the granulated onion instead of powdered onion.
- dried oregano - dried oregano is classic in Mexican cuisine. In fact, if you can, you should get Mexican oregano – it’s different than the stuff you usually find in the spice aisle. Read more about Mexican oregano below.
- smoked paprika
- ground coriander - warm, earthy, and nutty, ground coriander is super aromatic, slightly sweet, and slightly lemony. Ground coriander are the dried seeds from cilantro, so it’s no surprise to find it here.
- black pepper - most people don’t find black pepper spicy, and it isn’t, but it does add a nice warming hint of peppery-ness. Freshly ground is the way to go. The coarser your grind, the more you will taste the black pepper flavors.
- salt - you’ve got to have salt to enhance flavors. The nice part about making your own homemade taco seasoning is that you can adjust the salt to your own preference.
What about chili powder?
Although most recipes call for chili powder, we’re going to skip out on buying store bought chili powder and change the spice ratios to make up for it. This way you don’t need to go out and buy a spice blend just to make a homemade spice blend. Essentially, chili powder is a spice mix that contains a lot of the same ingredients as taco seasoning, but in a different ratio. Chili powders are used to season chili – the stew. A lot of the recipes online for taco seasoning call for chili powder, but if you’re taking the effort to make your own seasoning, you probably don't want to buy store bought chili powder. This recipe doesn’t have chili powder in it, it just adjusts the ratios of the other spices to create the right taco seasoning blend. The main difference between taco seasoning and chili seasoning is the addition of cayenne. There’s quite a bit of cayenne in chili powder, but here we’re keeping it to just 1/8 of a teaspoon to mimic what you’d get if used chili powder. By the way, if you want to make homemade chili powder, it’s super easy to do, check out this post here.Is Mexican oregano different?
Yes, Mexican oregano is a different plant altogether! It’s indigenous to Mexico and has a more woodsy, citrus-lime earthy flavor compared to your typical oregano, which is from the Mediterranean. You can find Mexican oregano in the Mexican aisle at the grocery store and if you can’t, you can sub regular oregano, but try and find some, it makes a difference.The secret to homemade taco seasoning
Dry toasting spices intensifies their flavors by warming up and bringing out their aromatic oils. It also adds a layer of warm toasty-ness. To toast whole or ground spices heat them in a dry pan over very low heat, stirring often, until they smell fragrant. Remove them from the pan immediately after they become aromatic and be careful not to burn. The toastiness adds a whole other layer to your homemade taco seasoning.How to substitute homemade taco seasoning for store bought
You can use 1/2 batch of this seasoning to substitute for any recipe that specifies a packet of the store bought stuff. Most packets of taco seasoning contain about 2 tbsp.What can you use taco seasoning in?
You can use this as a seasoning for everything, from taco fillings to meats, vegetables, seafood, rice, beans, soups, and salad dressings. You can sprinkle, rub, or finish with it, it will add so much flavor. Here are some recipes to start: Happy taco Tuesday and everyday! xoxo stephHomemade Taco Seasoning
Know what goes in your tacos!
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican preferred)
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and use immediately or store in an airtight container.
I Am... The ultimate guide to dashi
If you’re wondering why Japanese food is so full of flavor and umami, the reason why is dashi! Dashi is a key component to much of Japanese cuisine. Instead of water as a component to cooking, dashi adds flavor and complexity.
What is dashi?
Dashi is a Japanese soup stock that is the base of many Japanese dishes. It’s the base of miso soup and is an key ingredient for noodle soup dishes, simmered dishes, ramen broth, and sauces. and it's one of the backbones of Japanese cuisine. There are three main kinds of dashi. The most common is awase, a simple broth made from kombu (dried kelp) and shaved katsuobushi (dried bonito/skipjack tuna). To make it, kombu and flakes of bonito soak in near-boiling water. The strained liquid is salty, sweet, and full of umami.Five main kinds
- Kombu - kelp stock. This is the simplest version there is. It’s kombu (kelp, a type of seaweed) soaked in almost boiling water, then strained. Kombu dashi is vegan and used in many vegetarian and vegan dishes.
- Katsuo - bonito stock. This is a simple broth made from soaking katsuobushi in almost boiling water. It’s simple, pure flavor.
- Niboshi - sardine stock. Tiny dried sardines (with the heads and insides removed) are soak in almost boiling water. Niboshi stock is an umami forward, bombastic dashi that adds so much flavor.
- Shiitake - mushroom stock. Dried shiitakes have huge umami flavor. Shiitakes soak in almost boiling water, and the strained liquid is equals shiitake dashi. Like kombu, it’s vegan.
- Awase - meaning a combination, this is the most delicious! My favorite is kombu and katsuo, probably the most common combination that you’ll find used in most Japanese dishes. I find it the most delicious of all the different versions. Awase dashi can also be a mix of any of the other versions described above.
How to make dashi
- Simmer. Place a piece of kombu in a pot with water and gently bring to a simmer until the water just about reaches a boil. Remove the kombu and set aside.
- Steep. Add katsuobushi to the pot and bring to a simmer for 30 seconds, then remove the pot from the stove and let steep.
- Strain. After 10 minutes the katsuobushi should gently sink to the bottom. Strain the stock using a fine mesh sieve.
- Enjoy. You have dashi! You can enjoy it as is or use it in your favorite recipe.
Dashi ingredients
We like to use kombu and katsuobushi for our most standard, basic version. Kombu - kombu, or dried kelp, is a variety of seaweed. It has all the umami salty flavor of the sea. It comes in large pieces with a slightly white powdery substance on it. The white stuff is umami. Sometimes people tell you to wash kombu but if you do, you’re really washing off flavor. Your kombu shouldn’t be dirty but if it is, you can wipe it down with a damp cloth. Since kombu comes in large pieces, simply use a pair of scissors to cut it into a manageable square piece, about 4 inches by 4 inches. You can find kombu at Asian grocery stores and online. There are so many different brands and qualities available. We usually buy kombu that’s sourced from Japan. Katsuobushi - also known as bonito flakes, kastsuobushi are the shavings of a bonito fish (slapjack tuna) that’s been dried and shaved. They smell like smoked fish and are delicious! If you’ve ever had high end kasuobushi freshly shaved on a fluffy bowl of rice, you know what I’m talking about. That being said, the quality of katsuobushi quality can really vary. Try to look for large, fresh, supple shavings imported from Japan. If your kasuobushi is dry and crumbly, it won’t have as much flavor. You can find kasuobushi at Asian grocery stores and online.What are dashi granules?
Even though dashi is incredibly easy to make, there’s an even easier way to make it: with instant granules. Most Asian grocery stores will sell instant dashi packets containing granules that instantly dissolve. They’re handily packaged in single serving sizes. These are readily available in Asian grocery stores and online, in all of the flavors.How to use dashi granules
To make dashi using granules, bring water up to a boil, then remove from the heat. Measure out 1 cup of hot water into a heatproof liquid measuring cup and stir in 1 teaspoon of the granules. Usually granules are sold in pre-measured packs that make 1 cup each. The ratio tends to be 1 teaspoon of granules for 1 cup of hot water, but always check the package to be sure. A very popular Japanese brand for granules in Shimaya Dashi-no-Moto. They make instant katsuo, kombu, shiitake, niboshi, and awase.What are dashi packs?
If you want a mix of ease and the feeling of making something from scratch, you’ll want to use dashi packs. These are ready-to-steep packages of pre-measured ingredients (kombu, bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms, niboshi) that are sealed in a large bag that resembles a tea bag. You steep the bag in almost boiling water and simply pull the bag out when done, meaning there’s no straining. Dashi packs are delicious! They’re readily available at Asian grocery stores and online.How to use dashi packs
To use a dashi pack, add 2 cups of water to a saucepan over medium heat. Once it boils, turn the heat down, add the little tea bag, and let everything simmer for 3-5 minutes. Of course, different brands have different instructions, so make sure you read the package. Our favorite brand of dashi packs has got to Kayanoya. Kayanoya has been around since 1893 and they've become something of a luxury brand. Japanese people even buy it as omiyage (an edible gift) for people when they visit the island of Kyushu, the birthplace of Kayanoya. Their dashi is absolutely delicious.Recipes that use dashi
For us, we utilize all of these cooking methods, and there's not one that's better than another, depending on what we're doing. For something like yakiudon, granules add a huge hit of umami. If we’re making a complex ramen, Mike will make something from scratch, carefully tweaking the proportions of kombu and katsuo. And, the best, if we’re making oden, a dashi pack is a fast and easy way to make a flavorful base. Dashi is truly a unique and amazing ingredient that adds so much flavor to everything. You can use it anywhere you use water to add a bit more flavor. Or, you can substitute it in recipes that call for chicken stock to add a bit more umami. I hope you give dashi a try, it’s really delicious! Happy dashi-ing! xoxo stephDashi
Katsuo Dashi Recipe
- 1 piece kombu (~4" x 4")
- 1 cup katsuobushi (~10g)
Use a pair of scissors to cut some slits into the sheet of kombu. The kombu might have specks of what looks like powdered salt. That’s umami! There’s no need to wipe it off. The only reason you need to wipe it is if it looks dirty with literal dirt - which shouldn’t happen in this day and age.
Place the kombu in a medium saucepan with 4 cups of water. Turn the heat to medium low. The water should slowly heat up and almost come to a boil. If needed, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Heating up the pot of water will take about 8-10 minutes, depending on the strength of your stove. When the water starts forming bubbles and almost starts to boil, remove the kombu and set aside.
Add all of the katsuobushi to the pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once the dashi comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and remove from the stove.
Let the katsuobushi infuse the dashi for 10 minutes. It should gently sink to the bottom.
When the 10 minutes are up, strain the dashi through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Your dashi is ready to use in recipes or to enjoy as is!
If needed, you can store the dashi in a tightly covered container for 3-5 days in the fridge.
I Am... Tiktok Pancakes
Tiktok pancakes are coming to make your breakfast life easier. Ice cube tray pancakes aren’t pre-cooked frozen pancakes, they’re raw frozen pancake batter that you cook from frozen. This means a fresh stack of pancakes without the mixing and cleaning! I’m a breakfast person. I used to skip breakfast on the regular but now that I’m an “adult” I aim to eat breakfast everyday. It really IS the most important meal of the day. Usually I just have a slice of toast or something simple, but lately, thanks to Tiktok, I’ve been having daily breakfasts of quick and easy fluffy pancake stacks.
What are tiktok pancakes?
Frozen pancakes, ice cube pancakes, ice cute tray pancakes, pancake ice cube hack, freezer pancakes: whatever you want to call them, they’re all essentially the same thing. Pour pancake batter into an ice cube tray (or food mold), freeze it, and boom, you have ice cube tray pancakes. You can add mix-ins to the batter or leave it plain, it’s up to you. The genius part is that the batter is pre-mixed, pre-portioned, and ready for the frying pan. That means there’s no measuring, no mixing, and not as much clean up. It’s perfect for those days when you feel like a little bit of a special breakfast but don’t have the time or inclination to break out everything you need to mix up a batch of pancakes.Frozen pancake batter?!
Some people think raw frozen pancake batter is ridiculous – you can’t win over everyone – but for me, I love that almost instantaneous, but still cooking aspect of ice cube pancakes. I love a fresh stack of pancakes and they cook up super cute and small. Sure, it’s true that you can meal prep pancakes and freeze them already cooked, but it’s not quite the same as freshly cooked. As for where ice cube tray pancakes came from, I think they’ve been around for a while, at least according to a quick google search, but I first saw them on Tiktok when I saw this post. The thick and fluffy pancakes caught my eye and more than 8 million other people too.How to make Tiktok pancakes
Make your favorite pancake recipe
You can go with store bought pancake mix or use your go-to pancake recipe. I like to use my simple fluffy buttermilk pancake recipe. It’s one cup flour mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. After that’s mixed up in a bowl, you whisk an egg with 1 cup of buttermilk then add it to the dry mix. Stir it up so everything’s mixed together – this batter is nice and thick which means extra fluffy pancakes.Pour the pancake batter into an ice cube tray
After your pancake batter is ready, all you need to do is pour it into clean ice cube trays. The smaller your ice cubes, the smaller your pancakes will be, so be sure to use an appropriate sized ice cube tray to how big you want your pancakes to be.Add-ins
If you want, this is the time to add mix-ins to your pancakes. Make sure whatever you’re adding is small enough to fit into the ice cube molds. You can do fruit (berries, bananas, apples), sprinkles (for funfetti pancakes!), nuts (chopped pecans, almonds, walnuts, pistachios), chocolate, or spices like cinnamon or pumpkin spice. Just drop the mix ins on top of the pancake batter, as you cook the pancakes, the mix ins will gently insert themselves into the pancakes.Freeze the pancakes
Once the pancake batter (and mix-ins, if using) are all set up in the ice cube trays, it’s time to freeze. Simply freeze in the freezer until frozen solid. After that, you can leave them in the trays or pop them out and place them in freezer bags/a freezer container. I like to just pop them out and put them in a container.Cook the pancakes as needed
When you need a quick pancake fix, heat up a non stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Add a bit of butter or oil and a frozen ice cube pancake straight from the freezer. Cook, on low and slow, until the until the pancake melts, cooks, and starts to bubble at the edges, about 2-3 minutes, depending on the size. When the edges are set, flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden then enjoy with butter and syrup!What ice cube tray for Tiktok pancakes?
Truthfully you can use any ice cube tray you have at home, but the best tray you can use is a silicone ice cube tray. They come in so many sizes and it’s super easy to push the pancakes out. I like using the silicone molds that I use for hot chocolate bombs because I have them and they’re round like pancakes.Tiktok pancakes tips and tricks
- Use a liquid measuring cup to pour the pancake batter into the ice cube tray/mold.
- Chop up your fruit or nuts so they’re small enough to fit inside each individual ice cube.
- Mini chocolate chips work better than large chocolate chips.
- Any size ice cube tray or mold will work: regular size ice cube trays make small, cute pancakes and larger ice cube trays will make regular standard size pancakes.
- Cook ice cube tray pancakes low and slow to give them enough time to melt and cook through.
How long will Tiktok pancakes keep in the freezer?
They’re best in the first month that you freeze them, but you can keep them in the freezer for up to three months.More pancake recipes
- super fluffy Japanese pancakes
- extra mini cereal pancakes
- strawberry shortcake pancakes
- crème brûlée pancakes
- pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes
- Greek yogurt pancakes
- chocolate coconut pancakes
- crispy cornmeal pancakes
- fruity pebble pancakes
Tiktok Pancakes
Ice cube tray pancakes make breakfast a breeze!
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup add ins (of choice, optional, such as chopped fruit, mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or sprinkles)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
In another bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk the egg and mix in the buttermilk.
Add the buttermilk egg mix to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined, some small lumps are okay.
Evenly pour the pancake batter into your ice cube tray or food molds, about 1/4 inch from the top. If you are using add ins, add your fruit, nuts, or chocolate to each individual pancake now.
Freeze the tray in the freezer until completely solid.
Remove the pancakes from the tray and store in an air tight container or ziplock bag.
To cook: Heat up a non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Melt a bit of butter or add a bit of oil of choice. Add the frozen ice cube pancake and cook on medium low, until the pancake melts, cooks, and starts to bubble at the edges, about 2-3 minutes.
When the edges are set and there are bubbles in the surface of the pancake, flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until golden. Remove from the pan and enjoy with butter and syrup!
I Am... The Easiest Naan
Making homemade naan is easy and delicious – it’s the fastest, best bread you’ll make at home. This naan recipe comes together super quick. It’s soft and puffy, just like the bread you get at your favorite Indian restaurant. A recipe for naan is something every home cook should have in their back pocket. This recipe gets it tang and softness from milk and yogurt. The fluffy plushness is thanks to baking powder and soda which is amazing because you don’t need to proof it as long as you would with yeasted dough.
What is naan?
Naan is a type of flatbread, popular in India, South Asia, and Indonesia. The kind we’re talking about here specifically, is Indian-style bread baked in a super hot tandoor oven where the bread gets puffy and bubbly. Most home cooks use a (hopefully gas) stove top with a hot cast iron skillet because who has a tandoori at home?! (Some people, actually. They even make not-well-rated mini tandoori ovens for home) Naan is soft yet crispy, puffy and lush. It’s basically the best flatbread you’ll ever eat. If you like fresh homemade bread, you’ll love this recipe. Side note, although a lot of people call it naan bread, it’s kind of funny because the word naan actually means bread. So really, you’re saying “bread bread”. It’s kind of how like when you say shrimp scampi you’re saying “shrimp shrimp.”Naan ingredients
- Milk. I use 2% milk because it’s usually what I have in the fridge but this recipe will work with any kind of milk. If you’re vegan, you can make a vegan version by using a plant-based milk.
- Yogurt. Yogurt gives your bread a bit of tang and flavor. I’ve made this with Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, kefir, and soy yogurt.
- Flour. Simple all-purpose flour is what you need. If you’re looking to sub whole wheat, you can use 3/4 cup whole wheat with 1/4 cup all-purpose.
- Baking powder and baking soda. This is a yeast free recipe which is perfect because you don’t need to wait for it to rise. Instead it gets its fluffiness from baking powder and soda.
- Sugar. We need just a touch of sugar for a bit of sweetness. There’s only 1/4 teaspoon in this whole recipe so you can always skip the sugar if you want to be sugar-free, you probably won’t miss it.
- Salt. You need just a touch of salt to make your naan sing. We like our homemade naan more neutral, so be sure to adjust the salt level to your personal salt taste.
- Butter and herbs. Butter and herbs are optional but so delicious. We use melted butter and chopped cilantro, but you can use all kinds of herbs and spices. Try parsley, mint, green onions, garlic, cayenne, cumin, graham masala, chili powder, the world is your oyster! If you’re making vegan naan, sub olive oil or a vegan butter.
How to make naan
- Whisk. Whisk the milk and yogurt together in a liquid measuring cup.
- Combine. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Make well in the middle and add the yogurt mix in bit by bit with a rubber spatula. Knead into a soft dough, gather into a ball, cover, and let rest for 1 hour.
- Shape. Give your dough a little knead on a lightly floured work surface then divide it up. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into ovals or circles. You’ve made naan!
- Bake. Heat up a heavy bottomed cast iron skillet over high heat. Brush the naan with water and place in the skillet water side down and cover. When it bubbles and rises, take the lid off and then flip it over and cook the other side.
Variations
- Mini naan - Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces and make naan dippers then cook as usual.
- Giant naan - Divide the dough into 2 and then cook as usual. If your naan isn’t rolling out large enough, let the dough rest longer. The longer it rests, the more relaxed the dough will be and the larger you’ll be able to roll it.
- Garlic naan - To make garlic naan, melt together 1/4 cup butter with 4 cloves minced garlic and 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley or cilantro. Brush the garlic butter on both sides of cooked naan and enjoy.
- Cheesy naan - To make cheesy naan, divide the dough into four pieces then roll them out. Place 2 tbsp shredded cheese into the middle of each naan and seal it in the middle by pinching together the edges. Let it rest briefly, then use a rolling pin to roll it out. Cook as per usual.
How to store naan
Naan tastes best fresh. But if you want to make it in advance, just cook it and leave it plain, without butter. Let it cool off completely then store in an airtight container or zip top bag. It should keep for up to three days.How to freeze
To freeze, just cook it and keep it plain, then let it cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap before putting it in an air tight container or bag. It should keep frozen for up to 2 months.Reheating
Microwave
Lightly brush with water and heat briefly, in 20 second intervals until it’s warm and pliable. When it’s warm, brush with melted butter and finish with chopped herbs.Oven
Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly brush the naan with water and heat on a baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. When it’s warm, brush with melted butter and finish with chopped herbs.From frozen
Let thaw at room temp before reheating, either in the microwave or oven.What to serve alongside
- butter chicken
- basmati rice
- butter paneer
- dal makhani aka black dal
- tandoori chicken
- chicken tikka masala
- chicken biryani
Naan Recipe
The best flatbread you’ll ever eat.
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder (+ an extra 1/8 tsp)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter (melted, to serve)
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped, to serve)
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and yogurt. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl or on a clean work surface. Make a well and slowly add in the milk-yogurt mix bit by bit, combining with the flour. Knead into a soft dough. Gather into ball and cover for 1 hour.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 4-6 equal pieces and use a rolling pin to flatten and stretch out.
Heat up a heavy bottomed or cast iron skillet (with a lid, preferably a glass lid) over high heat. Brush one side of the naan with water and place in the skillet, water side down.
Cover the pan and cook for 30 seconds, then check it to see if has started to bubble and rise. If it has, use a pair of tongs and take it off the pan and cook the uncooked side over direct flames until it starts to char. Alternatively, flip and cook the pan until it starts to brown.
When the naan is browned on both sides, brush with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle on chopped cilantro. Repeat with the remaining dough. Enjoy warm.
via Indian Simmer
I Am... Warm and Cozy Chicken Stuffed Shells
It’s stuffed shell season and chicken stuffed shells are here for it. This recipe is two of my favorite things ever in one dish: stuffed shells and chicken pot pie. I love the creamy flavors of chicken pot pie but honestly I hardly ever make it because I’m not the greatest at making pie crust. So, I thought I’d combine chicken pot pie with pasta, but went a little further and took the time to stuff giant pasta shells. Because honestly, stuffed shells are elite.
This recipe is perfect for people who:
- love stuffed shells but don’t like tomatoes or red sauce
- love chicken pot pie filling
- don’t love making pie crust
- want a giant pan of comfort
- want a cozy make ahead meal that can be frozen and gifted
What are stuffed shells
Stuffed shells are the ultimate casserole. They’re giant pasta shells, called conchiglioni, in Italian. Cooked shells are stuffed with filling, placed in a casserole or baking dish, topped with sauce and cheese and baked in the oven. Just like lasagna or manicotti, you can stuff shells with just about any sauce you can think of. Most commonly you’ll see them stuffed with ricotta and topped with marinara or meat sauce and cheese. I went with a creamy chicken pot pie filling here because chicken pot pie is essentially a creamy chicken sauce, perfect for stuffing into shells.How to make chicken stuffed shells
- Cook the onions and garlic - cook the onions and garlic in a bit of butter until soft and translucent.
- Cook the chicken - add the chicken and lightly sear. It doesn’t need to be cooked through because it will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Add flour to make a roux - sprinkle the flour over the chicken, onions, and garlic, stirring to coat everything evenly in flour. The flour should cook and stick to the chicken, giving it a little golden coat.
- Stream in chicken stock and milk - slowly stream in the chicken stock while whisking. Stir in the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the cheese - stir in the cheese and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Cook the shells - cook the shells in salted water 2-3 minutes less than al dente according to the package. Drain, shock in cold water, then drain well. We do this after making the filling so the filling has time to cool.
- Stuff the shells - Spoon a generous amount of sauce into a large baking/casserole dish. Stir the frozen peas into the remaining sauce. Adding frozen peas to the sauce right before baking makes sure that they don’t get mushy. Stuff each pasta shell with a generous amount of filling. Place the stuffed shells into the sauced dish, tucking them neatly next to each other. Top the shells with any left over sauce as well as mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake the shells - place the baking dish into a 375°F oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden.
Chicken stuffed shell ingredients
- jumbo pasta shells - you’ll need 1 box of jumbo pasta shells for this dish. They typically come in 12 oz boxes. Shells come in three sizes, small, medium, and jumbo. You want the jumbo box.
- butter and flour - butter and flour cook together to make a roux, which is what is going to thicken our chicken pot pie sauce
- onion and garlic - onion and garlic are classic savory aromatics that add so much background flavor to the sauce
- chicken - you can’t have chicken pot pie without chicken. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs, but if you have leftover cooked chicken, you can use that too!
- peas - personally I love peas in chicken pot pie! Frozen peas are the best peas because they’re picked and frozen at their peak. We will add them in at the very last minute, without thawing or really letting them get warm so they hold their pea shape and texture while being baked.
- chicken stock and milk - a mix of chicken stock and milk make the sauce creamy and full of chicken-y flavor
- mozzarella and parmesan - a mix of mozzarella and parm here is key. The mozzarella gives the sauce a cheesy, unctuous stretch and a sprinkle of parmesan on top when the shells bake in the oven add a deep cheese umami and slight crunch.
- flat leaf parsley - you might be tempted to skip this but freshly chopped flat leaf parsley adds much a needed fresh herbaceousness. Plus, finishing your casserole after it comes out of the oven with whole leaves of parsley is extra pretty.
Which shells to buy for stuffed shells
Jumbo shells are the shells you want. They’re usually hanging out near the lasagna noodles and manicotti in a big box. They come in 12 oz boxes and 1 box has enough shells to fill a standard casserole dish.Tips and tricks for stuffed shells
Undercook your shells
There are usually two cooking times on pasta shell boxes: one for al dente and one for baking. Use the cooking time for baking so your shells don’t get over cooked. If the box doesn’t come with a baking time, make sure to cook your shells 2-3 minutes under the cooking time. Firmer, undercooked shells are easier to stuff and don’t break as much. The shells will continue to cook in the oven becoming tender and perfectly cooked.Don’t sweat broken shells
It’s inevitable that some of the shells in the box will be broken. Or maybe you’ll be too excited and stuff a shell too much and it’ll rip. Don’t worry about it, just put it in your pan, the sauce on top plus the cheese will hide the fact that it’s broken.What size baking dish for stuffed shells
A standard 9x13 inch casserole or baking dish will fit your stuffed shells perfectly. If you have a pan that you use for lasagna, that is what you should reach for. That being said, you can bake stuffed shells in any heat proof vessel, it doesn’t have to be a rectangle. You can use a cake pan or even a cast iron pan.Make ahead chicken stuffed shells
You can make and assemble the entire casserole the day before, cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking it. Add 15 minutes onto the baking time, covering with foil if the top starts to brown too much. You can also make the sauce the day before and assemble the next day. If you do, loosen the sauce slightly before spreading it in the pan by giving it a minute or two in microwave, stirring well after it’s been warmed.How to freeze stuffed shells
Make the stuffed shells in a foil pan and wrap tightly. Freeze the entire pan. You can keep this in the freezer for up to 1 month.How to reheat stuffed shells
- Microwave - Simply scoop out a portion, cover, and warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through.
- Oven - Cover the pan with foil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until warmed through.
How to reheat frozen stuffed shells
Cover the casserole with foil and bake from frozen for 1 hour and 30 minutes then remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden.What to serve with stuffed shells
I think these stuffed shells are a complete meal, but salad and bread is always good! A simple kale salad and the best fluffy garlic rolls would make this the ultimate dinner. Have a cozy one, happy shell stuffing! xoxo stephChicken Stuffed Shells
All the goodness of chicken pot pie stuffed into giant pasta shells and baked with a cheesy golden blanket
- 12 oz jumbo pasta shells (~1 box)
- 5 tbsp butter (divided)
- 1 medium onion (peeled and diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock (no sodium preferred)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
- 10 oz frozen peas (~1 bag)
- salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup parmesan (finely grated)
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent.
Add the chicken and lightly sear, then melt in the remaining butter. When melted, sprinkle in the flour and stir until the chicken is coated evenly.
Add the chicken stock in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Stir in the milk and let simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Add 3 cups of the shredded mozzarella and the parsley. Stir until the cheese is melted, then season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
While the filling is cooling, cook the shells in a large pot of salted water over high heat. Cook to the package instructions for baking (usually 2-3 minutes less than al dente) - they will continue to cook as you bake them. When the shells are cooked, drain them and shock them in cold tap water. Drain well.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread out a generous amount of sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
Stir the frozen peas into the remaining sauce.
Stuff each shell with a generous amount of filling, placing the stuffed shells in the sauced dish. Top the shells with any remaining sauce and remaining shredded mozzarella and the parmesan. Bake the dish for 30-45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is golden. Remove and let cool slightly before enjoying.
I Am... Sour Cream Sauce
Sour cream sauce is fast, easy, and delicious. You can use it with chicken, fish, potatoes, you name it, it adds delicious tart creaminess. I especially love it drizzled on tacos and as a dip with nachos. If you’re looking for a fast and easy sour cream sauce, this is it. No roux, no flour, just sour cream and flavor!
What is sour cream sauce?
It’s exactly what it sounds like, sauce that’s made with sour cream. Essentially it’s a flavored sour cream that’s a bit looser than plain sour cream, making it easy to drizzle or smother over anything that needs a bit of creamy, fresh, tart flavor.What is it made of?
The main ingredient is sour cream. No surprises there, sour cream sauce is simple and consists of: sour cream, spices, and a bit of milk to thin it out.Sour cream sauce ingredients
- sour cream - at its heart, sour cream is simply regular cream that’s been fermented with enzymes and active cultures (like yogurt) so it thickens. My all time favorite brand of sour cream is Good Culture. Sour creams vary by thickness, tanginess, and creaminess, so grab a brand that you love the taste of.
- garlic and onion powder - a small amount of garlic and onion powder stirred into sour cream is virtually indistinguishable, texture-wise, but it adds so much savoriness and flavor. You could use fresh garlic and onion, but I find that granulated/powdered garlic and onion powder superior because you end up with a smooth sauce. Just be sure to get garlic power and onion power, not garlic salt or onion salt.
- milk - just the tiniest bit of milk is going to thin out sour cream to a saucy, pourable consistency. I like using whole milk to keep the sauce creamy but if you don’t have milk on hand, you can actually use a bit of water.
- salt and freshly ground pepper - this is pretty self explanatory, add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste to your sauce.
Can you heat up sour cream?
For this sauce, you don’t need to heat up your sour cream, so it’s not relevant, but for the sake of science, let’s talk about heating up sour cream. The answer is yes, you can. The key to adding sour cream to warm sauces is to add it at the end, when your hot sauce is off the heat. The residual heat of your sauce will gently heat and melt the sour cream without breaking it. If you heat it too high or too quickly sour cream has a tendency to break or curdle. If you want to add something that’s similar to a warm sauce that you bring to a boil, it’s better to reach for crème fraîche.Is it the same as crema or crème fraîche?
Sour cream sauce is not the same as crema or crème fraîche, but you can certainly use it as a substitute, especially if you using sour cream to finish your dish.Crème fraîche vs crema vs sour cream
- Crème fraîche - 30% butterfat, rich, thick, works well cold and hot. Naturally cultured cream with tang and richness.
- Mexican crema - 30% butterfat, slightly thick but drizzleable, tangy, rich, works well cold and hot. Naturally tangy, slightly thickened cream that tastes like a mix of sour cream and crème fraîche.
- Sour cream - 20% butterfat, lots of body, thick, mildly tangy, better for cold sauces/finishing. Naturally cultured, cooling, rich, and creamy.
What to use sour cream sauce for
This sauce is perfect for serving with:- paprika chicken
- wings
- salmon
- chicken
- steak
- tacos
- chili
- tostadas
- baked potatoes
- beef tenderloin
- chilaquiles
- potatoes
- lasagna soup
- enchiladas
- tortilla soup
Pasta too!
Also, if you love sour cream, please check out our sour cream and onion pasta recipe – it’s a warm sour cream sauce made with a roux (butter and flour cooked together) served on penne and it’s AMAZING. Happy saucing! xoxo stephSour Cream Sauce
Sour cream sauce adds delicious tart creaminess to chicken, fish, potatoes, and it's so easy to make.
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp milk (of choice, whole milk preferred)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, milk, onion powder, and garlic powder. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
If you need your sauce to be looser, stir in more milk, 1 tsp at a time, until the desired consistency.
Sauce will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 1 week.
I Am... Poutine Recipe
One of the absolute best things in the world to eat is poutine. It has everything: savory deep flavors, hearty carbs, mountains of cheese, and gravy. It’s an absolute beast of a dish, in the best way. I have eaten so many poutines in my life and I don’t regret any of them.
What is poutine
Poutine is a classic Quebequois Canadian dish consisting of fries, fresh cheese curds, and gravy. It’s fairly newish, created in the 50s - it doesn’t really have a clear inventor, but there are tons of places who claim they invented it. It’s insanely popular in Canada and is pretty much known around the world as a classic Canadian snack food. It’s definitely a favorite amongst Canadians: there are poutineries that sell only poutine, high-end poutines at fancy restaurants, snack shack poutines, and even poutine at McDonald’s and Costco.Poutine ingredients
- Fries: almost always medium thick with creamy, soft interiors, double fried for crunch.
- Cheese curds: fresh cheese curds are a must. Fresh cheese curds are squeaky, chewy, and melt just the tiniest bit on the outside when drenched in gravy. They’re mild and a little salty and they taste amazing.
- Gravy: also known as poutine sauce. This is where everyone gets a little inventive. Classic poutine sauce is a brown gravy that is butter and flour roux based. People use a mix of beef or chicken stock and spices. Vegetarian gravy is super common as well and and a lot of the poutinerie in Quebec exclusively serve vegetarian gravy. Poutine sauce is so popular that they even sell poutine sauce packets in the grocery store.
- Toppings: classic poutine is always just fries, cheese curds, and gravy, but there are loads of toppings you can add on top like bacon, scallions, sausages, pulled pork, mushrooms, peppers, essentially anything you can ever think of.
You probably haven’t had poutine
If you haven’t visited Canada, you’ve probably never had real poutine. For me, real poutine MUST have fresh and squeaky cheese curds. They serve poutine in the US, but trust me when I say it’s not the same. The worst contenders use shredded cheese that melts into the gravy making it cheesy gravy and fries. Which is delicious in its own right, but a real poutine needs to have 3 distinct ingredients/textures.What makes a good poutine
In my humble opinion as a lifelong eater of poutine, I love poutine that has golden brown, crisp and crunchy fries with fluffy insides, thick but not too thick umami filled gravy, and loads of fresh cheese curds that have melty edges and squeaky middles. The ultimate expression of poutine that I’ve had was at the Chez Ashton in the food court in the mall where Celine Dion was discovered.Regional differences
A note about poutine in Montreal. I think it’s something you need to grow up with, but for some reason, the poutine in Montreal features soggy fries. I’m not a fan. I just don’t LOVE the style of fries that people in Montreal prefer. I find them oily and limp. I need my fries to hold up gravy and heat. I want them to be crispy and crunchy and fluffy, not soggy and creamy.Fresh cheese curds
Cheese curds, aka squeaky cheese, are little randomly shaped nuggets of fresh young cheddar cheese. They are mild like mozzarella and are squeaky between your teeth when you chew them. They keep their shape well and and melt slightly when warmed. Cheese curds are essentially baby cheese that aren’t mature and pressed. The have extra air in them which is what makes the squeak.Why fresh cheese curds?
Fresh cheese curds are perfect for poutine because you don’t want the curds to melt into the gravy, you want little nuggets of cheese that hold up to the heat. The perfect poutine cheese curd has a blanket of piping hot gravy and is slightly melty and gooey on the outside with a firm yet soft squeaky distinct bite on the inside. The contrast in temperature and texture is what makes fresh cheese curds in poutine amazing.Where to buy fresh cheese curds
Fresh cheese curds are always sold at room temp and they can be hard to find depending on if there’s cheese being made near you or not. Once you refrigerate fresh cheese curds, they lose their squeak and texture. Even in the West Coast of Canada, it can be difficult to find fresh, unrefrigerated cheese curds. In the East Coast, you’ll find bags of fresh cheese curds, unrefrigerated, near the bakery/deli. In Quebec they’ll also be near the checkouts, like candy. In America (and western Canada) you can find cheese curds in the cheese section. Outside of Wisconsin, they probably won’t be same day fresh, so they won’t be squeaky, but leaving them on the counter top for 20 minutes at room temp will at least give them a bit of a head start on the melting. You can even buy cheese curds online these days, believe it or not.What is poutine sauce?
Poutine sauce is another way Canadians say gravy. I kid, I kid – but really poutine sauce is essentially a brown gravy that’s make from butter, flour, stock, and spices. Like gravy, it’s rich and hearty, warm and full of flavor. Not all poutine sauces are meat based, in fact a lot of them are vegetarian, but they have a very hearty, rich flavor to them that tastes like the brown gravy you get when you eat pot roast or a roast dinner. The nice thing about it is that unlike brown gravy, you don’t need drippings. You can buy little packets of instant poutine sauce at the grocery store in Quebec and they also sell jarred and canned versions too.How to make poutine sauce
If you’ve made gravy before, you can make poutine sauce! This particular poutine sauce is special because it uses both a roux and a cornstarch slurry to thicken. You get the best of both worlds: the richness of a roux based gravy and the silliness of a cornstarch thickened gravy. This gravy is just thick enough to cling to and coat the fries and curds without being goopy.- Melt some butter over low heat and sprinkle on some flour. Cook the butter and flour into a roux, stirring and letting it bubble away for 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly stream in beef stock (or vegetable if you prefer) while whisking over medium low heat.
- Whisk in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Mix cornstarch with a bit of water to create a slurry and add it to the gravy. Bring the heat up to medium high and simmer until bubbly and thick.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Best fries for poutine
Mike and I almost always turn to frozen fries and our air fryer when it comes to fries at home. Frozen fries exist for a reason. They’re consistent and come out crispier than fresh cut french fried potatoes. The air fryer magically makes frozen fries hot and crisp and just as good (if not better) than fries fried in oil. We like to choose a sturdy straight cut fry and fry it for 10-15 minutes with a couple of shakes in between.What are the best potatoes for poutine?
If you’re going to go the route and make your own fries, I recommend Russets because of their dense high starch content. You want them to be able to soak up as much gravy as possible.Less-traditional but amazing variations
Traditional is good but life is too short to be just the classics. You can take any flavor or dish and fries, cheese curds, and gravy them up. Here are some we've made over the years (warning, throwback posts):- Thanksgiving Poutine
- Peking Duck Poutine
- Breakfast Poutine: Fries, Crispy Quail Eggs, Cheese Curds and Bacon Gravy
Poutine Recipe
One of the absolute best things in the world to eat is poutine.
- 1 lb frozen french fries (~ 1 bag)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups beef stock (no sodium preferred)
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (made into a slurry with 1 tbsp water)
- 1.5 cups fresh cheese curds
Make the frozen fries in the air fryer or oven according to the package.
While the fries are crisping up, make the gravy: Melt the butter over low heat then sprinkle in the flour. Cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Slowly stream in the beef stock while whisking. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, and cornstarch slurry. Bring the heat up to medium high and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
When the fries are ready, make the poutine: layer the fries and cheese curds and ladle on the gravy. Enjoy hot!
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