I Am... Panko Breadcrumbs Guide
If you love crunchy foods and you don’t know about the wonderful world of panko, your life is about to change!
What is panko?
Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs made from crustless white bread. They’re vastly different from regular breadcrumbs - fluffier and larger. The irregular flakes are what make Japanese tonkatsu so crunchy. Its drier and flakier consistency absorbs less oil which means lighter, crunchier fried foods. It's a big deal in Japan. Dedicated factories bake bread to different specifications just for panko. You can get fresh or dried versions in many different sized flakes. They even have different ways of baking the bread, either oven baked or electrically baked using currents. Many restaurants have fresh panko delivered daily. No panko, no life.What is panko made from?
It's made from a specific type of Japanese bread called shokupan (shown above), which literally means “eating bread” and can be thought of as “daily bread” or “regular bread.” Japanese shokupan is fluffy and soft, mild, and slightly sweet. Some say it is the best bread in the world and it inspires long lineups in Japan to get the best stuff.What’s the difference between panko and bread crumbs?
- Regular bread crumbs are made from all kinds of bread which have been torn with the crusts still on. Panko is made from crustless white bread, which makes it finer, flakier and evenly white.
- Breadcrumbs come seasoned. Panko is plain.
- Breadcrumbs are smaller and rounder. Panko is large flakes and shards.
Fresh (nama) panko/生パン粉
This kind has a light and super crispy texture. Fresh panko has the most moisture because the bread hasn’t been dried or toasted, and it's fluffier and more voluminous because it hasn’t been dried out. If you live in Japan you can buy the fresh stuff at bakeries and the grocery store, and no matter where you are, if you’re making it at home, you’re making nama panko!Dried (kansa) panko/乾燥パン粉
You use dried panko for breading or binding (like in meatballs). It’s the more common kind that you’ll find packaged in grocery stores.Flake sizes
- Large flakes: Used to give food a thicker, more voluminous coating.
- Medium flakes: The standard one.
- Small flakes: Mostly use for small ingredients and also items that have high moisture content - small flakes give you more coverage than large.
Where to buy
It's sold in most grocery stores in the Asian aisle but it’s cheaper to buy it at an Asian grocery store. You can also get it online. I prefer Japanese brands. With store brands, sometimes you’ll see something labeled panko but it looks like regular breadcrumbs. Check out the package and look for large, irregular, shards that are flat.What aisle would panko bread crumbs be in?
You can find it in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores, usually in a bag or cardboard box.How to make panko breadcrumbs
- Trim the crusts off of white bread.
- Use the grater attachment of your food processor and grate the bread OR let the bread dry out a bit then use a coarse cheese grater to grate the bread.
How to bread anything in a crispy, crunchy coat
- Set up three shallow dishes that are able to fit the items you are breading.
- Put flour in one dish, lightly beaten egg in the next dish, and panko in the last dish.
- Season your items with salt and pepper.
- Using one hand, dip your item in the flour, coating both sides. Shake off the excess flour and place it in the egg.
- Use your other (clean) hand to turn the items in the egg. Shake off any excess egg and place the items in the panko.
- Using the hand you used to flour, flip and press down on the items to coat, being sure to gently adhere the flakes all over. Shake off the excess flakes and you’re ready to cook!
Where to use
You can use it anywhere you would use regular breadcrumbs.- To coat fried food with a light, airy, delicately crisp texture.
- To bind meats, like meatballs or meatloaf.
- As a topping to add crunch to casseroles or pasta, like mac and cheese or Sicilian pasta.
If you’ve fallen in love, please try these recipes:
- Tonkatsu
- Korean corn dogs
- Salisbury steak
- Swedish meatballs
- Cheesy potato balls
- Crispy air fryer chicken strips
- Thanksgiving croquettes
- Cheddar cheese cauliflower tots
- Velveeta mac and cheese (as a crunchy topping!)
How to make panko breadcrumbs
It's probably better to buy the real thing though.
- food processor
- 1 loaf white bread (preferably unsliced)
Trim the crusts off your white bread. If using unsliced bread, cut the bread into manageable 3-4" cubes.
Use the grater attachment of your food processor and grate the bread OR let the bread dry out a bit (15-30 min uncovered) then use a coarse cheese grater to grate the bread.
I Am... The Ultimate Guide to Boba
Everything you need to know about bubble tea, including types, toppings, how to order, and where to get the best boba tea. Nowadays, it seems like you can go anywhere – even small town America – and see at least one shop that sells boba. But, what the heck is boba, where did it come from, and how do you drink it? As a long time boba addict, let me take you into the wonderfully sweet and chewy world of boba! My first taste of boba was in the 90s, just like much of America. Next to the Asian grocery store we visited every weekend was a tiny shop that seemed to pop up overnight. The signs were in a mix of English and Chinese and the nice shop owners explained to everyone curious that boba nai cha (bubble milk tea) was the most popular drink all over Taiwan.
I LOVE boba. Boba runs through my veins.
I mean, not really because the pearls would get stuck, but I love boba tea so much I would have it every single day of my life, twice a day. It’s my go-to treat: creamy and sweet with a fun chew. It comes in so many flavors with so many toppings that I’m pretty sure I could have a new kind every day for a really long time.What does boba tea taste like?
The classic boba milk tea is creamy and sweet with the essence of tea. The pearls are chewy with a tiny bit of mild sweetness. Boba milk tea is comforting and refreshing. If you take your tea with milk and sugar, you have an idea of what boba milk tea tastes like. The pearls add a pleasant chewiness similar to how gummy candies are chewy.What is boba?
Boba is a broad term: it can refer to chewy black tapioca pearls or to a category of drinks sold in a boba tea shop. It’s kind of an umbrella term so you’ll hear people say they’re having boba when they’re having a slushy fruit drink boba OR a pumped up drink topped with cheese foam and oreos. Essentially, people use boba as a catch all phrase for all the delicious drinks sold in a boba shop. It’s also called boba tea, bubble tea, tapioca milk tea, or pearl milk tea. Originally the bubbles in bubble tea referred to the bubbles in shaken tea and not the pearls at all.Boba milk tea
The most common and standard boba is boba milk tea, which strongly brewed tea mixed with milk and sugar shaken vigorously with ice and served with glossy black tapioca pearls. You get a thick straw so you can suck up the pearls and tea at the same time, simultaneously giving you something you drink and chew.Where is boba from?
Maybe it seems like boba came out of no where, but the truth its, it’s been around since the 80s. Just like other popular foods out there, there are a couple of shops that claim to be the first ever creators of boba tea. Milk tea is not a new thing and chewy tapioca balls aren’t new either - they’ve been around in Asian and South East Asian desserts for a long time. The combination of the two together came together in Taiwan in the 80s. The two shops that claim that they were the first are Chun Shui Tang and Hanlin Tea Room. The rumors go, Chun Shui Tang was already serving cold tea and they were looking for ways to improve sales. The product manager, Lin Hsiu Hui put some tapioca balls into her iced tea and thus boba milk tea was born. It’s not too clear on how Hanlin Tea Room invented boba milk tea but they claim to be the first as well and have been around since the 80s.The tea/base
Boba drinks usually start with a base: either tea or fruit. Teas can range from black, green, oolong, and matcha. Fruits are pretty obvious, they can come as fruit juices or blended up with ice as fruit slush.Milk
To the tea or fruit base, you can add milk, like the ever popular boba milk tea. When boba first came around the milk was a creamy mix of evaporated milk and condensed milk or non-dairy creamer, but now you can get all kinds of milk, depending on how hipster the boba shop you’re visiting. There are places that do soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, almond milk, you name it, if it’s milky, you can probably add it to your boba. The milk section also includes things like yogurt or yogurt drinks like Yakult.Boba tea flavors
There are a plethora of flavors added to boba via syrups, powders, or fresh ingredients. Some common flavors are: taro, coconut, almond, black sesame, melon, ovaltine, chocolate, mango, lychee, matcha, and the list goes on. Each boba tea shop will have it’s own list of curated flavors.Toppings
The name toppings is kind of a misnomer because the toppings actually sink down into the bottom of your cup, but most boba shops refer to their mix-ins as toppings. You can get as many toppings as you like, making boba drinks infinitely customizable. Most toppings have a pleasant chewiness or “QQ” which means bouncy, chewy, and satisfying.Pearls
The most popular and common topping for bubble tea. Balls of tapioca boil and simmer until chewy and tender, then soak in either brown sugar, sugar, or honey. They are subtly sweet, chewy, and absolute perfection when done right. All boba shops cook their pearls daily because they harden and don’t last overnight or in the fridge.Coconut or lychee jelly
Coconut jelly or nata de coco is coconut water set with gelatin. It comes in little clear rectangles and is a touch more crunchy rather than chewy. Sometimes they flavor the jelly with lychee and boom, it’s lychee jelly. Coconut and lychee jelly go great in tropical fruit based teas that don’t have any milk in them.Aloe vera
Aloe vera are clear jellied cubes that are harvested from the gel inside of large aloe vera leaves. They’re loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. Aloe ver is super refreshing, juicy, soft, and jelly-like with QQ. They’re soaked in syrup so they have a bit of sweetness and are they’re great in teas or fruit drinks that don’t have milk.Pudding
This isn’t your regular pudding cup pudding. Instead, think of pudding-like flan or custard. Essentially, it’s a jiggly custard made from eggs, cream, sugar, and gelatin. It’s extra creamy and soft with a bit of texture. You can suck it up through a thick straw and it pairs perfectly with creamy milk teas making them extra luxurious. The standard pudding flavor is vanilla but sometimes they have mango, taro, almond, or black sesame pudding too.Grass jelly
Grass jelly comes made from a plant that’s in the mint family. It’s a bit firm and can come either cut into small cubes or giant soft scoops that are easily sucked up through a straw. Think of it like jello but with a refreshing, slightly sweet, and herbaceous flavor. It goes great with milk tea and coffee based drinks and is lower calorie than boba making it a popular choice.Red bean
Red bean is an incredibly popular dessert flavor in asian desserts and red bean boba is delicious! Adzuki beans simmer until tender with sugar, making them starchy, chewy, and fragrant. They go great in milky teas and matcha based drinks, giving them an earthy, sweet chew.Foams
Foams are relatively new development in the boba world. Whipped foam toppings come in a huge array of flavors and is a fun and fluffy way of adding creaminess to boba. They have things like tiramisu cream, sea salt cream, and cheese tea. The idea is that the foams/whipped toppings are a liquid fluffy mousse or cheesecake that add an extra dimension of texture and flavor.Ice and sugar levels
Boba is all about customization and two of the basic customization questions you’ll get are: ice and sweetness. Boba comes warm/hot, which is perfect in the fall and winter. Ice and sugar can range from full ice/sugar to less ice/sugar. Boba shops usually have a handy little chart for you to look at with the ice and sweetness levels.From sweetest to zero sugar:
Extra sugar Regular sugar Less sugar Half sugar Less sugar No sugarFrom cold to hot:
Extra ice Regular ice Less ice Half ice No ice Warm HotPackaging
After your boba master gets your order, they’ll make your drink according to your customizations and pop everything into a cup, either plastic or paper, depending on the store. The cups are sealed with a paper or plastic film and they give you a thick straw with a pointy tip so you can puncture the lid and get to the goodness. Some shops have switched over to tops that aren’t sealed and have pre-made holes for you to pop straws into. The best way to poke the straw in is to place the cup on a stable surface, position the straw on top of the lid with one hand while using the other hand to firmly push down on the top of the straw. Most boba places have switched to paper straws and you can even get reusable straws made out of metal or glass. Hot drinks are usually served in a typical to-go coffee cup with a spoon so you can scoop out your toppings.What type of boba should I get?
Is this your first time?
If yes: Go for the classic milk tea, cold, with pearls. Choose your ice and sweetness according to your preferences. If no: go to the next question!Hot or cold?
- Hot: Have you had hot bubble tea before? It’s amazing when it’s cold outside! A warm boba is like a cozy hug. Get a roasted milk tea with pearls. Warm pearls will change your life.
- Cold: Try a lychee green tea with aloe vera. It’s super refreshing and SO good.
Do you like tea or fruit?
Tea: Matcha is always a good choice, try it with red beans and a foam/cheese top for a mix of earthy, sweet, creamy goodness. Fruit: Peach mango tea with pearls and coconut jelly for the ultimate in QQ and refreshing flavor.Are you into creamy drinks?
Yes: Try a slush! It’s like a fruit slurpee. Melon or taro are classic choices and they’re both cult favorites and they’re blended and creamy. No: Fruit tea is the way to go. Passionfruit tea with any sort of jelly, especially grass jelly is extra delicious.Do you want toppings?
Yes: If you’re a topping pro, you know what to get. If you’ve had a couple of cups and want to branch out I suggest you try brown sugar boba, aloe vera, or pudding! No: NOOOOOOO you must get toppings, I beg you.Do you like it sweet?
Sweet: I usually go half sweet or less sweet, but if you have a sweet tooth you’ll probably want regular sugar. Not too sweet: Most people get less sweet and below, it’s up to you! You are the master of your boba.How to order boba
Most boba shops have their own way of ordering, but generally, you place your order like this:- Size
- Drink
- Toppings
- Sugar level
- Ice level
- Wait and slurp away!
example: regular roasted rice tea with half pearls/half grass jelly, half sugar, less ice.
Popular boba shops
There are so many world wide chains of boba shops, many from Taiwan, the birthplace of boba. If you want a boba education, try them out. They’re all known for different things and they are all delicious! In no particular order:Chatime
Chatime is one of the largest global tea houses there. They started out in 2005 and they are going strong with their purple topped cups. Their most popular seller is pearl milk tea and it’s an excellent example of a classic boba milk tea: creamy and sweet with soft and chewy pearls. They’re also known for their QQ mix, which is pearls + coconut jelly. Each of their stores will have a top 10 drinks selection which can help you see what’s popular where you live. I personally love their roasted milk with pearls and pudding, half sweet, half ice.Coco Fresh Tea & Juice
Another brand started in Taiwan, Coco Fresh Tea & Juice might be the most well known boba brand around with other 4500 locations worldwide. The have a cute blob as their logo and they’re known for their fresh squeezed juices and fruit teas. They have cloud cream toppings and their combination toppings 2 ladies (pudding and pearls) or 3 guys (pearls, pudding, and grass jelly) are super popular.Gong Cha
Gong Cha, again out of Taiwan, tries to bring a more upscale, high-end feeling to boba. They use premium teas and you can really taste the flavor difference. Gong Cha has locations in the US, Canada, and Australia and they are one of my favorite bubble tea shops. They always have fun seasonal drinks that are incredibly pretty and delicious and their royal milk tea is creamy with a huge fragrant tea flavor. They have a ton of interesting toppings like white pearls, basil seeds, and ai-yu jelly as well as oreo and regular milk foam.Happy Lemon
Happy Lemon focuses on freshly squeezed juices and natural sweeteners. They’re known for their salted cheese foam series which is similar to a liquid cheese cake that’s poured on top of their regular menu items. Their Yakult (Japanese yogurt) drinks are very popular and they also have delicious made to order bubble waffles [https://blitzdealz.info/make-bubble-waffle-ice-cream-cones-at-home-its-the-best-way-to-eat-ice-cream-this-summer/](https://iamafoodblog.com/make-bubble-waffle-ice-cream-cones-at-home-its-the-best-way-to-eat-ice-cream-this-summer/)Tiger Sugar
Tiger Sugar’s signature drink is their brown sugar pearl milk and it’s delicious. You’ve probably seen Tiger Sugar on your Instagram feed because they went viral a couple of years ago and it’s thanks to them that we have the brown sugar boba trend. Brown sugar boba is sweetened with brown sugar and has a deep caramel flavor. The streaks of brown sugar against the cup contrast with milk or tea make it look like tiger stripes. Most boba shops now offer brown sugar boba - give it a try, they have a deeper, more caramel flavor.Boba Guys
An American chain based out of San Francisco, Boba Guys focuses on high quality ingredients. They brew real tea, use local organic milk, and make house made syrups. Boba Guys make their boba in America at their very own pearl factory. They have a boba kit which means even if you don’t live anywhere near a Boba Guys, you can try their boba at home. I love their drinks and whenever I’m near one, I can’t resist. More about Boba Guys here. [caption id="attachment_25906" align="alignnone" width="1450"] Hong Kong Style Milk Tea & Lychee Green Tea from Boba Guys SF[/caption]My go to boba order
My go to order at any new boba shop is their classic milk tea with pearls, half sweet, half ice. It’s an excellent way to judge a shop - if they do it right, then you know that the more interesting creative orders have a chance of being good too. The tea should have a strong essence, the sweetness and ice should be moderate, and the pearls should be slightly warm, bouncy, and chewy.My all time favorite boba that I have had in my life
Chun Shui Tang
These guys are the originators of classic boba milk tea and they are my absolute FAVORITE. They don’t have a lot of overseas locations and the first time I had one was in Japan. There was a long but quick moving line and because I am not the most proficient at Japanese I just got the classic pearl milk tea without any modifications. The tea was just the right amount of sweet and creamy, the ice was crushed and crunchy and the pearls were small and chewy. It was so good. I might have been because I was thirsty and hot but man, that boba just hit different. I haven’t been back to a Chun Shui Tang since because I’m afraid to ruin the memory.Machi machi
This is a super aesthetic Taiwanese tea shop that offers really premium (and expensive) teas. They have a cute series in bottles as well as teas in cups. As I wanted to say that it was a gimmick that was over priced, I REALLY liked them. I had the black milk tea latte with grass jelly and the grass jelly was soft and delicious and the milk tea was not too sweet and had plenty of black tea flavor. The black milk tea with a creme brûlée foam (lite sugar) and gold pearls is my ultimate boba dream drink. Definitely one of my top bobas of all time. The cream be brûlée foam topping was rich and creamy and the tea and the gold pearls matched perfectly. I’m dreaming of one right now.Ben Gong’s Tea
Tiny tea cubes are Ben Gong's signature. Think black tea set with gelatin and cut into tiny cubes. I love their tea cubes and their brown sugar boba but I wish their drinks had a more tea forward flavor. Depending on the order sometimes they’re more milk than tea with milk. I think it depends on the location because some have really good brewed tea and some are lighter in flavor. But when it’s done right, it’s SO GOOD.Chun Fun How
Another one of my favorite tea shops! They have beautiful cups and their drinks are flavorful and the toppings are chewy and fresh. Every drink I’ve tried from them is delicious. Their pearl oolong milk tea is one of the best milk teas I’ve tried. I also LOVE their lychee jade tea with aloe vera. It’s one of their best sellers and it’s refreshing delicate and the little chunks of aloe vera are jelly and QQ. I haven’t tried their sweet potato drinks but that’s next on my list because they’re one of the few shops that does fresh sweet potato.Boba must dos
- Get toppings! The whole point of boba is the toppings. It’s the fun in having something to drink and chew at the same time. If you get boba without any toppings are you even having boba at all? If you’re not a huge fan of pearls at least try a foam topping or salted cheese, they add an extra dimension of flavor.
- Don’t wait too long to drink it. Boba is best fresh. Like right when you get it. Some shops have warm pearls and the contrast between warm pearls and a cold drink is a match made in heaven. Boba doesn’t keep well so don’t even think of getting it in the morning and saving it.
- Half and half cups. Some shops have half and half cups and while they tend to be a bit pricier, it’s a great way to try out two flavors.
I Am... Sunomono Japanese Cucumber Salad
I’ve eaten sunomono every night for the last week. It’s hot out there. So hot maybe I don’t feel like eating? Who am I kidding, I always feel like eating. Especially cucumbers in the summertime. Heck, I love cucumbers anytime. I would even go so far as to say that cucumbers are my favorite vegetable. They’re crunchy, incredibly refreshing, and have a mild green flavor that goes with just about anything. I’ve been eating so much kyuri no sunomono aka Japanese cucumber salad that I think I’m going to turn into a cucumber soon. It’s so cooling, crisp, and refreshing. It’s the perfect accompaniment to any meal and I sometimes just eat it as a meal, it’s that good.
What is sunomono?
Sunomono are vinegar based dishes, kind of like pickles. The “su” in sunomono means vinegar in Japanese, the “no” means belonging to, and “mono” means things. So sunomono is vinegar things! They’re commonly served with Japanese meals, at the start or alongside the meal. The vinegar highlights and accentuates the other flavors in the meal and also whets your appetite. Sunomono are typically tangy, crunchy, and so, so good. It’s light and healthy and just about the perfect thing to eat anytime.How to make sunomono
Sunomono is essentially a light pickle. You make a vinegar based dressing and then toss your vegetables in the dressing then enjoy. It’s super simple and flavorful for a small amount of work.- Make the dressing. In a bow, mix together rice vinegar, mirin, and soy sauce.
- Slice and salt the cucumbers. Thinly slice the cucumbers and salt them to draw some of the moisture out. Rinse, drain well, and lightly squeeze any excess moisture out of the cucumbers.
- Soak the seaweed. Place dried wakame in water to rehydrate then drain well.
- Toss the salad. Toss the cucumbers and wakame with the dressing and finish with toasted sesame seeds.
- Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Cucumbers: go for either mini cucumbers or Persian, they have thin skins and are the perfect combination of crisp and fresh.
- Wakame: wakame is a dried edible seaweed. When rehydrated, it’s briny, slightly salty and tender with a bit of crunch. It’s often used in miso soup or salad.
- Rice vinegar: rice vinegar is delicate, sweet and tangy. It comes in seasoned and unseasoned. The seasoned rice vinegar has a bit of salt and sugar in it. You can use either in this recipe, but if you go with unseasoned, add a tiny bit of salt and sugar to taste. You can find rice vinegar in the Asian aisle or online.
- Mirin: mirin adds a bit of sweetness and depth to the dressing. It’s a Japanese sweet rice wine and a key ingredient in Japanese cooking. They sell mirin in the Asian aisle, at Asian grocery stores, and online.
- Soy sauce: It’s best to use Japanese soy sauce for this dish as it’s a lighter flavor with the right salt profile. We like Yamasa.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Toasted sesame seeds add a bit of crunch and nutty fragrance. It’s the finishing touch!
Which cucumber for Japanese cucumber salad?
The best cucumbers for sunomono are those cute mini cucumbers or Persian cucumbers. Japanese cucumbers tend to be smaller than English, with thinner skins. Garden cucumbers with thick skins and lots of seeds are not what you want. Persian cucumbers are the closest cucumber you can get in North America.To prep cucumbers for cucumber salad:
- Thinly slice. Slice the cucumbers thinly or use a mandoline to make even slices.
- Salt. Sprinkle the sliced cucumbers with salt to draw out excess moisture. Taking out the moisture allows the dressing to absorb into the cucumber making it more flavorful. Let the cucumbers sit for 5 minutes.
- Rinse. After the cucumbers have expelled a bunch of water, give them a rinse.
- Drain. Drain the cucumbers well.
- Squeeze. Lightly squeeze out any excess moisture and your cucumbers are ready to dress. They’ll be crunchy and ready to absorb all the delicious dressing.
Wakame
Wakame is a dried seaweed that’s beloved for it’s taste and texture. It comes sold dried in bags and it’s easy to rehydrate. Just put a small amount into warm water until it feels soft, about 5 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water and it’s ready to use in this salad. It’s also an amazing addition to miso soup.Where to buy wakame
You can find wakame where they keep the seaweed in your local Asian grocery store. They also sell it online.What to serve with sunomono
You can eat this salad on it’s own or serve it along side grilled fish or meats and rice. We like it with salmon or chicken karaage with fluffy Japanese rice.Tips and tricks
- Buy the right cucumbers. You want thin skinned, seedless cucumbers like Persians, which are small, seedless, sweet, and crunchy. They’re extra crisp instead of watery.
- Use a mandoline. If you have awesome knife skills, use them! But if you’re in a hurry and want perfectly sized slices a mandoline is your friend.
- Don’t skip out on the salting step. Salting the cucumbers adds flavor and draws out any extra moisture in the cucumbers. The dressing soaks into the cucumbers better after they’ve been salted.
- Add extra ingredients to customize. Feel free to add in extra items like baby shrimp, tako (octopus) or mung bean noodles.
Sunomono Salad
Cooling, crisp, and refreshing, it’s the perfect accompaniment to any meal.
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp mirin
- 1 tsp soy sauce (Japanese preferred)
- 2 Persian cucumbers
- salt (to taste)
- toasted sesame seeds (to finish)
Combine the rice vinegar, mirin, and soy sauce in a bowl and set aside.
Thinly slice the cucumbers and sprinkle on 1 tsp salt and toss. Let the cucumbers sit for 5 minutes.
Soak the wakame in a bowl with water.
Rinse the cucumbers and drain very well, gently squeezing out some of the water. Drain the softened wakame and squeeze out any excess water. Mix the cucumber and wakame in a bowl and season with the dressing.
Finish with toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!
I Am... Whipped Lemonade
Whipped lemonade is the new dalgona coffee. It is SO hot outside right now. Give me ALL the cold, iced, blended drinks all summer long. We don’t have air conditioning so I’m all about the cold drinks. My bucket list dream purchase is a nugget ice machine, that’s how much I love iced drinks. I keep seeing whipped lemonade all over the Tok so of course I had to give it a try. Dalgona coffee is so 2020, lemonade is here to stay.
What is whipped lemonade?
Whipped lemonade is a creamy sweet, lemony, and refreshing blended lemonade drink made with lemonade, ice, and cream. I’ve seen two kinds floating around on Tiktok: one made with fresh lemon juice and one made with lemonade powder. Both are DELICIOUS. The fresh juice one has more zing and the powdered version is pure nostalgic flavors. If you like lemon ice cream or frozen lemonade you’ll love whipped lemonade. I’m not sure who the first person who invented it was, but the Tiktok that I’ve seen most people credit is @mtlajeunesse.How to make whipped lemonade
Fresh whipped lemonade
- In a blender, add ice and blend with sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, and heavy whipping cream until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into a glass and finish with whipped cream and enjoy!
Powdered whipped lemonade
- Use a milk frother to whip up powdered lemonade with heavy cream until super frothy and whipped.
- Shake the whipped mixture with ice and water until combined OR scoop onto a glass of ice water, being sure to stir it in.
- Finish with whipped cream and enjoy!
Ingredients
- Lemon juice - super simple, just squeeze some fresh lemons, being sure to remove the seeds.
- Heavy whipping cream - aka the liquid form of whipped cream. Heavy whipping cream has 36% milk fat and you can use a whisk to whip it up into fluffy whipping cream clouds. It adds body and creaminess to the lemonade.
- Sweetened condensed milk - this’ll add a nice creamy sweetness to the lemonade. It’s also delicious in Vietnamese coffee.
- Ice - any ice will do, blending it will give your lemonade that icy thickness that all frozen drinks have.
- Powdered lemonade - you’ll only need this if you don’t want to go the fresh lemon juice route.
Do I need a blender?
To make this with fresh lemon juice, you’ll need a blender to blend everything into a smooth and icy drink. If you don’t have a blender, you can make powdered whipped lemonade.Do I need a milk frother for the powdered version?
You don’t! Using a milk frother will make it a LOT easier, but you can whip it up by hand with a whisk. I love this milk frother. I use it all the time for dalgona or even whipping up tiny amounts of whipping cream. Time to set up a lemonade stand! Happy lemonade-ing!Whipped Lemonade
Whipped lemonade is a creamy blended lemonade drink that’s sweet, lemony, and refreshing. See notes for an easier version
- blender
- 1.5 cups ice
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1-2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- whipped cream (to finish, optional)
In a blender, blend the ice, whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice together until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a glass and finish with whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
For an even easier version, try whipping together 1/4 cup cold heavy cream and 2 tbsp lemonade powder until creamy and whipped.
Shake the whipped lemon cream with 1 cup water and 1 cup ice until mixed and frothy OR layer it on top of a glass of ice water and stir it in.
Top with extra whipped cream if desired and enjoy!
I Am... Brioche French Toast
Brioche makes the best French toast: soft and custard-y in the middle and crispy and golden brown on the edges. French toast is the best breakfast out there. It’s the sweetest, fluffiest way to start the day. It aslo happens to be one of the easiest to make breakfasts that looks the most impressive. A giant platter of brioche French toast topped with fruit and syrup is a glorious thing! If you’ve never had brioche French toast before promise me you’re going to do it. It’s perfect in the summer with summer sweet peaches or in the fall with toasted caramelized nuts. It goes perfectly with golden brown breakfast sausages and crispy bacon. I could eat brioche French toast every day of the year and never be tired of it.
What is brioche?
Brioche is a type of French bread that is soft and fluffy with a rich and tender crumb. Unlike regular bread, it’s enriched with eggs and butter making it extra luxurious. It is one of my favorite types of bread (after Japanese milk bread). If you’ve had challah before, the texture is very similar - they’re both rich yeast breads made with egg. The main difference between the two is that challah doesn’t have any butter in it.Why brioche for French toast?
Brioche is the best bread for French toast. It’s thick and soaks in just the right amount of custard and the richness of the brioche really shines through. It puffs up when you cook it giving you fluffy French toast, every time. If you’re looking for a luxurious treat, it’s got to be brioche.Where to buy brioche?
You can buy brioche at any French bakery as well as regular bakeries. You can even find it at the grocery store, in the bread aisle. Most grocery stores will make brioche in house so you can find it in the freshly baked bread section as well. I love buying unsliced brioche so I can slice the bread to my preferred thickness.What can I use if I can’t find brioche?
If you can find brioche, use a thick cut, fluffy white bread or even French bread. It won’t be as rich or tender but it will still be amazing. If you have challah, challah French toast is amazing!How to make brioche French toast
- Make the custard. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, milk, and a bit of sugar, making sure the eggs are completely incorporated.
- Soak the brioche. Take your brioche and soak it in the custard mix, flipping once.
- Pan-fry. Add the soaked bread to a hot pan and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy.
- Top and enjoy. Finish it off with butter, syrup, powdered sugar, and fruit and enjoy immediately!
Ingredients
- Bread. Brioche of course! Some people say you need to use stale bread for french toast, but you can use fresh, just don’t soak it as long.
- Eggs. This is the next most important ingredient. If you don’t have eggs, you can’t make french toast. The most important thing about the eggs is making sure they’re completely whisked up so there are no bits of egg whites or yolks in the custard.
- Cream and milk. We’re going to use a mix of heavy cream and milk to give our toast base a lusciously rich custard texture.
- Sugar. Just a touch of sugar to add sweetness and help caramelize the outsides so your toast is crisp and not soggy.
The secret to really good French toast
The secret to the best french toast is the custard. You want to soak the brioche longer than you think. You want the bread to be saturated with the custard so that the inside of the bread is creamy and not dry. The second secret is cooking over medium to medium low heat then finishing on medium high. Starting on medium or medium low ensures that the custard-y insides cook all the way through and finishing on medium high gives it a golden brown and crisp caramelized crust.How long you should soak brioche for french toast
This depends on how old your brioche is, but soaking longer than you think is what will give you a creamy custard middle. Dry french toast is the worst!- If your brioche is fresh: 30 seconds to 1 minute per side
- If your brioche is old and dry: 2-5 minutes per side
Brioche French toast tips
- Mix well. Make sure you mix the custard extra well so you don’t have stray pieces of unincorporated egg whites or yolks.
- Use butter and oil to fry. Using a combination of butter and oil means you get the best of both worlds: flavor and no burning.
- Preheat the pan. Make sure your pan is heated to medium hot before you put your first slice in, it should sizzle slightly.
- Start on medium heat. You want to start on medium heat then move to medium high to finish. If you cook on high, you’ll end up cooking the outside of the bread, but the inside will still be soggy and raw.
- Take your time. Cook it on medium to medium low heat and aim for a golden brown crust with a creamy, custard-y cooked inside.
Brioche French Toast
Brioche makes the best French toast: soft and custard-y in the middle and crispy and golden brown on the edges.
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 slices brioche (thick slices: 3/4"-1")
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
In a shallow bowl (that will fit the brioche flat), whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, and sugar, making sure the eggs are completely incorporated.
Take a piece of brioche and put it in the custard mixture and let soak, flipping once.
Heat up a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a bit of oil and butter and when the oil and butter are hot, add the custard soaked bread (let the excess drip back into the shallow bowl) and cook until golden and crisp on the bottom side.
Gently flip and continue to cook until the other side is golden and crisp. Turn the heat up to medium high if needed to brown.
Serve immediately with butter, syrup, fruit, and powdered sugar, if desired.
I Am... Pasta Chips
Do you love pasta but want to eat it with your hands and dip it into tomato sauce? Pasta chips are for you! Crispy, crunchy, and totally dippable, pasta chips are all over Tiktok right now. Essentially, it’s cooked, al dente pasta that’s tossed in oil, cheese, and seasoning, then crisped up in the air fryer. If you like crunchy with a bit of chew in the middle, give them a try!
What are pasta chips?
Pasta chips are golden brown “chips” that are basically deep fried pasta. You can make them in the air fryer which makes them a perfect, quick snack when you’re looking for something warm and crunchy. Any type of pasta works but larger shapes that you can pick up and dip are the best. Even though pasta chips are trending right now, they’re actually kind of an established snack. Crispy crunchy pasta chips have been on the internet at least since 2013. I remember seeing them on this crazy wonderful food/fashion blog and I wanted to eat crispy penne so much after reading that post.What do pasta chips taste like?
If you’re the kind of person who likes the crunchy edges of lasagna then pasta chips are going to be your jam. They’re crunchy and crisp with a tiny bit of pasta chew in the middle. They taste just the the crunchy edges of lasagna or the little bits of macaroni that stick up in baked mac and cheese. As a lasagna edge lover, I am all over these chips.How to make pasta chips
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente in salted water according to package instructions. Drain well.
- Toss. Add some oil, grated parmesan, and seasoning to the pasta and toss well, making sure every piece of pasta is coated.
- Air fry. Working in batches, add the pasta to a lightly oiled air fryer basket and air fry on 400°F for 10-12 minutes, shaking the pan or stirring occasionally, until the pasta is golden brown and crisp.
- Make some dips. You can make some dips from scratch or warm up some jarred tomato sauce for dipping.
- Enjoy. Remove the pasta chips from the basket and let cool slightly, which will crisp them up some more. Dip, eat, and repeat!
Ingredients
- Pasta - You can use any kind of pasta you like but best would be larger pasta that you can grab onto and hold like a chip with some surface area for dipping.
- Oil - A neutral oil works best here, don’t go breaking out your super expensive extra virgin olive oil. I used grapeseed oil.
- Parmesan - Parmesan adds so much umami and cheesiness and it gets super crispy and crunchy too.
- Seasonings - Go wild and season to your heart’s delight. I kept it simple with parmesan and garlic. I have some more seasoning suggestions below.
What kind of pasta can I use for pasta chips?
Any large pasta that you can grab on to and use to scoop can be used. Here are some ideas:- penne
- ziti
- rigatoni
- fusilli
- farfalle/bow ties
- paccheri
- shells
- scoobi-doo/cavatappi
- any unique shapes you find like this trottole:
Pasta chips seasonings
- Salt and pepper: season with salt and pepper to taste
- Spicy: 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne (pictured)
- Ginger garlic: 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp ginger powder
- Italian: 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- Ranch: 1 tsp each buttermilk powder, dried parsley, dried dill, and onion powder
- Everything bagel: 1 tablespoon everything bagel spice
- BBQ: 1 tsp each smoked paprika, onion powder, brown sugar, and garlic powder
- Sour cream and onion: 1 tsp each buttermilk powder, onion powder, and garlic powder
What kind of dip do I serve with pasta chips?
- Whipped ricotta - I LOVE whipped ricotta. SO fluffy, so creamy, and the BEST dip, especially with crunchies for dipping. To make it: place 3/4 cups whole milk ricotta in a food processor and blend until very smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Top it off with some roasted tomatoes and it’s amazing.
- Tomato sauce - I have an awesome recipe for pizza style tomato sauce here that would be perfect for dipping. You can also buy some of your favorite jarred sauce and heat it up.
- Pesto - Pesto and crispy pasta chips are a match made in heaven
- Bolognese - A little bit of meaty, savory bolognese
- Ranch - Homemade ranch is so much better than store bought but even store bought ranch is pretty darn good.
Pasta chips FAQ
I don’t have an air fryer, can I make pasta chips?
Yes, you can bake them in the oven at 400°F. They might not get as crispy, but they’ll still be crunchy and addictive.Can I deep fry pasta?
Yup, if you want to break out a deep fryer or even just do pasta chips in a pot with oil, you can. Cook, drain very well, toss and season then lightly fry them in hot oil for 1-2 minutes or until golden and crisp.Do they taste like raw pasta?
They kind of look like toasted raw pasta but these pasta chips don’t taste like raw pasta at all. They taste the the crunchy baked edges of lasagna.My chips aren’t crunchy or crisp
You might need to air fry or bake them a bit longer. Be sure to toss or shake in between and let them cool down before snacking. They will crisp up a bit more after they cool.What to serve with pasta chips
They taste great with dips!- You can also serve them along side a charcuterie board
- with some homemade garlic knots
- or another tiktok fave, baked feta pasta
Are pasta chips worth the hype?
YES! I just saw two opposing headlines right next to each other on google. One said that pasta chips are worthy and the other said that they’re not worth it. If you ask me, they are deliciously crunchy and absolutely worth the hype. It’s always interesting finding a new and different way to use ingredients and if you love the crunchy edges of baked pasta you’ll love pasta chips. Mike and I devoured our first batch. Mike was skeptical at first but he loved the crunch and the flavor. It’s a fun and quick snack and they’re super versatile, flavor wise. I think my favorite batch so far has been Tajin garlic parmesan used to scoop up creamy avocado crema. SO GOOD.Pasta chip nachos
For the ultimate in pasta chip heaven, try pasta chip nachos. They’re like lasagna but in crunchy chip form.- Make your pasta chips, seasoning them with garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
- Whip up some ricotta and season it with salt and pepper. Warm up some tomato sauce.
- When your pasta chips are ready, place them in a single layer on a sheet of foil in the air fryer. Top them with a layer of shredded mozzarella and a sprinkle of parm then continue to layer the pasta chips and cheese, just like your making nachos. Air fry for 1-2 minutes at 370°F or until the cheese is melts.
- Remove and enjoy dipping good cheesy pasta chips into the ricotta and warm tomato sauce!
Pasta Chips
Do you love pasta but want to eat it with your hands? Pasta chips are for you!
- air fryer
- 8 oz pasta
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (freshly grated)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Cook your pasta according to package directions.
Toss your pasta with the oil, grated cheese, and garlic powder
Air fry or bake your pasta:
Air fryer: Air fry at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, tossing occasionally, until pasta is golden brown and crisp.
Oven: Heat the oven to 400°F on convection mode. Bake the chips on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, tossing occasionally until pasta is golden brown and crisp.
Optionally toss with seasonings (see post) and serve immediately with dips.
I Am... Lettuce Water
Lettuce water: it works! I suffer from insomnia. It could be the fact that I have too many coffees a day, sometimes even in the afternoon. Or it could be my anxiety keeping me awake at night. I’ve resorted to taking melatonin, which apparently makes me sleep like the dead. Recently I ran out which meant a couple of nights of tossing and turning before heading to the store to buy another bottle. But then, I saw a bunch of people drinking lettuce water on Tiktok. So I gave it a try.
What is lettuce water?
It’s lettuce leaves and hot water. That’s it. The hot water wilts the lettuce and it mildly flavors the water. You can’t really taste it. It comes to us via Shapla who heard that it helps you sleep. She took some lettuce, put it in a cup with a bag of peppermint tea, then poured hot water on it and took out the lettuce and tea. Apparently it tastes like nothing and it made her sleepy. I happened to have lettuce in the fridge and at 3 in the morning, after staring at multiple lettuce water tiktoks I was more than ready to give it a try.How to make lettuce water
- Take a bunch of clean lettuce leaves and place them in a mug.
- Pour hot water on top and let the leaves wilt.
- Remove everything and drink the water.
Does lettuce water make you sleepy?
YES! It’s science. Lettuce and lettuce seed oil has long been used to promote sleepiness. Lettuce has high leaves of lactucin and lactucarium, which makes you sleepy, relieves mild pain, and promotes relaxation. Here’s an study on lettuce and sleepiness that I found interesting!Why does lettuce water make you sleepy?
The lactucin in lettuce makes you sleepy and relaxed. You could probably also just eat a bunch of lettuce, but it seems more night time to have a warm drink. Lettuce is the new sleepytime tea!What kind of lettuce can I use?
I used green leaf lettuce. You can also use romaine. The lettuce with the most lactucarium are wild lettuce. Wild lettuce isn’t sold in stores though.Lettuce in order of sleepiness effect (more sleepy to less sleepy)
- red romaine
- green romaine
- red leaf lettuce
- green leaf lettuce
Which lettuce doesn’t work?
If you want to fall asleep, don’t use iceberg lettuce. It doesn’t contain any lacturcarium.What does lettuce water taste like?
It doesn’t taste like much, like water with a slight, mild vegetal flavor.How can I make it taste nicer?
Add some tea! On Tiktok they added peppermint tea (which can actually help with deeper sleep and is caffeine free). You can also use chamomile, ginger, or any herbal caffeine free tea that you like.Did it work for me?
Yes! It might have been because it was really late at night but I think it was the combination of lettuce and chamomile that made me drowsy. After I finished my mug, I resisted looking at my phone in bed and drifted off to sleep what felt like instantly.The placebo effect
There have been a bunch of articles saying that lettuce water doesn’t work because it doesn’t contain enough lacturcarium. That might be true, but if it’s the placebo effect and it still makes me sleepy, that’s a win! As far as sleep remedies go, lettuce water is super natural and having a warm drink at the end of the night before bed is a nice little ritual.Good sleep hygiene
If you’re having problems sleeping and lettuce water isn’t working for you, make sure you’re not looking at your phone in bed. Or, if you are, be sure to check your settings and have them on night mode - looking at blue lights (like the ones that come from screens) can make you more alert and cause insomnia.What to do with all your extra lettuce
- Vietnamese spring rolls (pictured below)
- grilled romaine salad
- BLT fried rice
- fattoush
- summer soba salad
- with Japanese salad dressing
Lettuce Water
Fall asleep easier with lettuce water.
- 3-4 leaves lettuce (torn)
- 1-2 cups hot water
- 1 bag tea (of choice, optional)
Place the lettuce and herbal tea in a tea cup and pour boiling hot water on top.
Let steep for 5 minutes, then remove the lettuce and tea bag. Let cool slightly, enjoy, and fall asleep.
I Am... Oreo Sushi
Oreos are the perfect store bought cookie. You can do so many things with them. You can dunk them, make mug cakes with them, and even make oreo sushi. Yup, you read that right, oreo sushi! Why eat oreos the regular way when you can sushi-fy them!? Some of you might think that Japanese people would think that oreo sushi would be a travesty, but I assure you, Japanese people are totally down for innovation! Besides, obviously these oreo sushi are not really sushi. They are a sweet and fun oreo dessert shaped into little sushi rolls. It’s bussin as the kids say! I love oreos. In fact, we almost always have some in the pantry. Right now they’re oreo thins but I pretty much like all the oreos, even the wacky flavored ones like cinnamon bun and carrot cake. There’s just something incredibly nostalgic about the taste of oreos. They make me feel like everything is right with the world. This is not sponsored by the way. I just love oreos. Whenever I see a new oreo trend, I gotta try it. These lil oreo rolls are super cute and really easy to make.
What is oreo sushi?
Oreo sushi is made from oreos, crushed up and re-shaped into sushi rolls. Basically, you take oreos, separate them, crush the cookies, then mix them with milk to create a dough. The dough is rolled out, then spread with oreo cream. Roll everything up and slice it, like a sushi roll. Oreo sushi comes to us via Tiktok and it looks like @mariahortiz20 was the one who popularized it.How to make oreo sushi
- Separate the cookies. Twist the cookies and scrape off the cream into a bowl. Repeat until all of the cookies and cream are separated.
- Crush the cookies. Pop the chocolate cookies into a food processor and pulse until the cookies turn into a fine crumb.
- Make the dough. Add 3 tbsp milk to the cookies and pulse until everything comes together in a dough.
- Roll out the dough. On a piece of plastic wrap, shape the dough into a rough rectangle with your hands. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out evenly. Trim the edges so they’re straight.
- Mix the cream. Mix the cream with 2 tsp of milk, until smooth and creamy. Spread the cream. Evenly spread the cream onto the cookie base.
- Roll. Roll up the cookie tightly around the cream, using the plastic wrap to help you. If you have time, wrap the roll up in plastic wrap and let it set in the fridge for a while.
- Slice. Use a sharp knife and slice through the roll to make cute lil sushi rounds and enjoy!
Ingredients
- Oreos - I went with standard oreos because they have the perfect cream to cookie ratio.
- Milk - You can use any kind of milk you like, non-dairy included. If you use a vegan milk, these oreo sushi end up being vegan because oreos are naturally vegan!
FAQ
How do I make perfectly round rolls?
When you’re rolling up the sushi, roll it slowly, evenly, and tightly across the entire roll, using the plastic wrap to help guide you. For extra clean rounds, wrap up the roll in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a couple of minutes for it to firm up before slicing. When you slice, use a slicing motion instead of just pushing down on the knife.Why is my oreo sushi squished?
It’s possible that your oreo base got too warm or you added too much milk to the oreos when you were making the oreo dough. Try putting the rolled up sushi in the fridge to firm it up a bit before slicing.My oreo dough keeps falling apart
This is probably because you don’t have enough milk in your oreo cookies. Add a tiny bit more, a teaspoon at a time until the oreo dough can be squished into a ball and hold its shape.Do I have to use oreos?
You can use any cream sandwich cookie! You can even make this with other flavored oreos, not just the classic.Do I need a food processor?
It’s easiest to make this with a food processor because the food processor can break down the oreo cookies into a fine crumb which makes it easier to come together in a dough. It also helps with mixing the milk into the oreo cookies. We have this one, it was not too expensive and it's lasted us a long time!How can I crush oreos without a food processor?
If you don’t have a food processor, take your oreo cookies and place them in a ziplock bag and crush the cookies, as much as you can, until they turn into fine crumbs. You can use a rolling pin to crush and roll over them.I don’t have a rolling pin, how do I make oreo sushi?
If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a bottle or something with straight sides to roll out the dough. It might not be as pretty, but it will definitely work!How do I spread the cream evenly?
My all time favorite too for spreading things evenly is an offset spatula! You can also place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the cream and use a rolling pin to roll it out gently.If you love oreos, please try these other oreo recipes:
Oreo
A super easy, sweet and fun oreo dessert shaped into little sushi rolls.
- food processor
- 24 oreos (separated (one package))
- 1/4 cup milk
In a food processor, blitz the oreos until they become fine crumbs. Add 3 tbsp milk to the food processor and blitz until the cookies combine with the milk to become a ball of dough.
Take the ball of oreos and gather it together on a sheet of plastic wrap. Press the dough down into a rough square shape. Use a rolling pin to roll everything into an even layer, about 1/4 inch thick. Trim off the sides so it’s a perfect square.
Take the oreo cream and mix it together in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of milk until it is smooth and creamy.
Evenly spread the oreo cream onto the oreo square.
Roll up the oreo dough, using the plastic wrap to help you. You can wrap up the roll in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge to firm it up a bit, if desired.
Unwrap the roll, slice, and enjoy!
I Am... Air Fryer Mushrooms
If you’re looking for a quick and easy side dish, air fryer mushrooms are here for you. Buttery, garlicky, sautéed mushrooms done right in the air fryer. Quick, easy, and full of flavor and texture. Sometimes I’ll make a big batch and snack on these. Sometimes I’ll even eat them as a meal. Garlicky mushrooms are pure comfort food: tender and juicy little pops of umami.
How to make air fryer mushrooms
- Clean and trim. Clean and trim your mushrooms, being sure that they don’t get too soggy. Cut them in half and dry them off.
- Toss. Mix up some oil, soy sauce, and garlic powder and toss in the mushrooms.
- Air fry. Heat the air fryer and when it’s hot, add the mushrooms and air fry, for 8-10 minutes, tossing or shaking in between.
- Enjoy. If desired, toss in a bit of butter and freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!
Ingredients
- mushrooms - clean, trim, and halve your mushrooms of choice.
- soy sauce - soy sauce adds a bit of color and a whole lot of umami.
- garlic powder - fresh chopped garlic can burn in the air fryer so we’re going to use dehydrated garlic to give us that garlicky flavor we need.
How to clean mushrooms
Try to pick out mushrooms that are smooth and clean in the first place. I don’t like washing mushrooms because they get discolored easily. I pick out the cleanest mushrooms then brush them gently with a wet or dry mushroom brush/paper towel. If you want to wash your mushrooms, the best way to do it is to spray them and dry in a salad spinner. Clean them right before you’re going to use them.
- Put the whole mushrooms in a salad spinner and spray until visible dirt is removed - don’t soak them!
- Spin the mushrooms dry and use a paper towel to absorb any extra water on the surface.
- Trim the bottoms and cut in half.
Which mushrooms for air fryer mushrooms?
I love how many varieties of mushrooms there are out there! To keep it simple I used crimini/brown mushrooms but you can also go with:- white button mushrooms
- portobella mushrooms
- shiitake mushrooms
- oyster mushrooms
- enoki mushrooms
- king trumpet/oyster mushrooms
- maitake mushrooms
- shimeji mushrooms
What air fryer do you have?
If you’re wondering which kind of air-fryer we have, it’s this style. It’s quiet and easy to clean and fairly wide. We love it.What to serve with air fryer mushrooms
- air fryer steak, of course!
- super creamy cacio e pepe with a side of mushrooms is my idea of heaven
- ham and mushrooms, yes please
Air Fryer Mushrooms
Buttery, garlicky, sautéed mushrooms done right in the air fryer.
- air fryer
- 8 oz mushrooms (cleaned, trimmed, and cut)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Preheat the air fryer at 400°F. Toss the cut mushrooms with the oil, soy sauce, and garlic powder
Air fry in the basket at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, shaking and stirring halfway through.
Remove and serve immediately. If desired, toss with a bit of butter and chopped herbs such as Italian parsley.
I Am... 60 Best Dinner Ideas
We’re rounding up our 60 best dinner ideas! We’ve got everything from super easy pastas to slow cooked tender taco fillings - we’ve got you covered when you’re wondering: what should I cook for dinner tonight? It’s the eternal question: what’s should I make for dinner tonight? It’s always hard to balance taste, easy, and heath. Plus when there are just SO many ideas out there, how do you decide? I have the worst indecision ever so I put together this lil round up of our 60 best dinner ideas. Now, all you have to do is pick one!
Our best chicken dinner ideas
There’s a reason why chicken is the most popular protein. Chicken is flavorful, fast, and makes the best dinners.- Lemon Pepper Chicken and Cous Cous. Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest with poppy pepper adds a huge amount of flavor in this Greek inspired dish.
- Teriyaki Chicken. There’s a reason why teriyaki chicken is a perennial favorite: sweet and savory juicy chicken with loads of sauce, perfect for serving up with rice and veggies.
- One Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice. Possibly the best comfort food ever: chicken and rice cooked up with a trio of aromatics. So simple but so, so good.
- Malaysian Coconut Chicken Curry. Rich, spicy, and full of coconut flavors, juicy chicken, and tender chunks of potato.
- Thai Basil Chicken. You can make this with ground chicken or chicken thighs - either will taste amazing. This is a super quick and flavor forward stir fry that will save you $$ on take out.
- One Pan Dijon Mushroom Chicken. One pan, chicken, mushrooms, dijon, kale, all the good stuff!
Our best beef dinner ideas
There’s something so satisfying about beef for dinner, especially if it’s a special occasion.f- Beef Tenderloin. Tenderloin might be the ultimate in luxuriousness. Here’s everything you need to know so you don’t mess up.
- Steak Frites with 8 Different Kinds of Steak Sauces. If you want the ultimate steak house experience at home, make one of these 8 steak sauces and serve up your steak with perfectly crispy fries. Pro tip, check out this post on how to cook steak.
- Tomahawk Steak. Why go home when you’re already at home? Go big instead and treat yourself to a tomahawk steak. Everything you need to know about tempering, temperature, and how to cook your big bone in steak without ruining it.
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Bowl. Thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and spicy marinade, then fried to smoky perfection and served over rice or vermicelli and doused in fish sauce.
- Osso Buco. It doesn’t get better than rich and meaty melt in your mouth beef shank in a bone marrow tomato sauce.
- Bulgogi. Thin and tender sliced meat marinated in a sweet and spicy sauce, just right for eating in rice bowls or alongside a salad if you’re feeling healthy.
Our best pork dinner ideas
Pork the one you love - that’s an old school pork slogan and I LOVE it. It cooks fast, it’s juicy, and it's super filling.- Pork Tenderloin. Tenderloins are a great dinner choice. The cook up quickly and become melt in your mouth pieces of awesomeness, especially drenched in a lemon rosemary, fennel sauce.
- Easy Chinese Char Siu. I LOVE a big bowl of rice topped off with char siu and the best part is that it’s so much easier to make than you think. Marinate, roast, slice, and you’re in rice bowl heaven.
- Air Fryer Pork Chops. These air fryer pork chops are one and done. The herby green sauce is full of fresh rosemary, crushed fennel seeds, lemon, and parsley.
- Oven Baked Tonkatsu. All the crispy crunch of Japanese tonkatsu without the deep frying so it’s healthier. Serve this up with rice and a big side of shredded cabbage.
- Larb Moo Pork. Ground pork is the star of this stir fry featuring fish sauce, shallots, mint, and cilantro. Eat it wrapped up in little lettuce cups with rice.
- Honey Garlic Ribs. Hands off oven baked honey garlic pork ribs: crispy, sweet, savory, and super addictive.
Our best pasta dinner ideas
For those days when nothing but carbs will do, these are our best pastas. Comfort food at its best!- Brown Butter Parmesan Noodles. These are just like the butter noodles you loved as a kid, but all grown up with nutty brown butter, loads of garlic, and parm.
- Vodka Sauce. Why just drink vodka when you can have it in your pasta sauce too? Creamy, tomato-y, and fancy enough for date night or easy enough for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Velveeta Mac and Cheese. Classic for a reason, this is THE mac and cheese recipe you’ve been searching for. Super creamy, cheesy, and full of noodles.
- Creamy Cacio e Pepe. Extra creamy cacio e pepe that’s full of cheese and pepper and a not so traditional ingredient: cream.
- Ragu di Prosciutto. Everyone loves Bolognese sauce but what about Modenese sauce? This sauce is from an area just a bit North of Bologna and is made with ground pork, prosciutto, and mortadella.
- Weeknight Pasta Tips. Here’s everything you’ll ever need to know about making the greatest weeknight pasta of your life. Grab some fridge ingredients, read these tips and cozy up to a plate of deliciousness.
Our best noodle dinner ideas
Do you love noodles? We do too, we are totally on board for that noodle life. Slurp up because these noodle bowls for dinner are going to give you life.- Zha Jiang Mian. A super umami forward sweet and savory meat sauce that tastes amazing with noodles.
- Beef and Broccoli Chow Mein. Forget ordering takeout and make beef and broccoli chow mein at home.
- Pork Belly and Kale Fried Noodles. Crispy pork belly and hearty kale in a sweet and smoky noodle dish.
- Yaki Udon. Thick and chewy udon noodles with pork and cabbage, just like the kind you get at a Japanese summer festival.
- Khao Soi Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup. Deliciously warming coconut curry noodles with chicken, lime, and crunchy wonton crisps.
- Mayo Ramen. Don’t knock it til you try it: an egg yolk and mayo mixed into your ramen broth gives you a luxurious creamy bowl that’s restaurant level.
Our best Instant Pot dinner recipes
Set it and forget it with these Instant Pot dinner ideas. Pressure cookers are a dinner life saver.- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo. A classic favorite made quick and easy in the Instant Pot.
- Instant Pot Chili. This is a dinner time favorite, especially if you have a toppings bar with shredded cheese, fritos, and sour cream.
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Pasta. When you want chicken pot pie flavors but you don’t want to roll out pie crust, this pot pie pasta is here to save the day.
- Instant Pot Pasta and Meatballs. Put everything in the Instant Pot, including the meatballs and raw pasta, and turn it on for al dente noodles and meatballs in a tangy rich tomato sauce.
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken. Creamy, saucy, tomato butter chicken that’s just begging for naan and rice.
- Instant Pot Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup. Light and gingery with tender bits of rice, carrots, and mushrooms in a soy sauce seasoned broth, done in a flash.
The best Mexican-inspired dinners
Taco Tuesday everyday, am I right? But we have so many more ideas, not just tacos!- Chicken Tinga. Chunks of chicken in a tomato chipotle sauce: sweet and smoky and savory. We love this in tacos and also just with Mexican rice.
- Chicken Enchiladas. Juicy chicken tucked into tortillas and smothered in enchilada sauce and cheese.
- Barbacoa. Juicy, soft, tender spiced beef perfect for tacos, rice plates, or burritos.
- Air Fryer Chicken Tacos. You can make crisp and crunchy tacos in your air fryer! These New Mexico style chicken tacos are filled with chicken and avocado.
- Al Pastor. Sweet and smoky thanks to chipotle in adobo al pastor is perfect with roasted pineapples tucked into tortillas.
- Birria Tacos. Tender, fall apart beef inside a crisp taco served with spicy consome for dipping.
Our best soup dinner ideas
Soup (and stew) for dinner is underrated. It’s cozy, it’s filling, it’s heathy! Soup forever, please and thank you.- Lasagna Soup. If you want all the flavors of lasagna but don’t want to layer, this soup is here to the rescue.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup. Like tacos in a bowl. Warm and filling with crispy crunchy tortillas on top.
- Crock Pot Beef Stew. This stew will warm up your house with so many amazing cozy smells. Plus, who doesn’t love when dinner’s already done when you get home?
- Spicy White Bean and Barley Soup. Nutty barley, filling protein forward white beans and lots of greens in this spicy, tasty, warming soup.
- Sundubu Jjigae. This soft tofu kimchi stew is pure spicy comfort heaven.
- Coconut Curry Chickpea Stew. Curry, coconut, and two kinds of chickpeas: soft and crispy.
Our best stir fry dinner recipes
Stir fries are the OG quick and easy dinner. Start a pot of rice, show off your stir fry skills and dinner is on the table in no time.- Spicy Beef Udon Stir Fry. Fresh greens, strips of beef, onion, and spice in a one pan udon stir fry.
- Mapo Tofu. If you love the spice, this is the dinner for you. Soft and silken tofu in a ruby red hot spicy Sichuan chili sauce.
- Ginger Beef and Onion Stir Fry. Full of huge umami flavor thanks to the onions, ginger, and tangy lemon soy sauce.
- Thai Curry Stir Fry Udon. Minimal chopping, one pan, spicy, noodle goodness full of crispy ground pork, sugar snap peas, and fresh herbs.
- Yangzhou Fried Rice. Fried rice is the ultimate stir fry: all your proteins and veggies and carbs in one delicious dish.
- Shrimp and Snap Pea Stir Fry. A sweet and spicy shrimp stir fry that comes together in a snap.
Our best ground beef dinner ideas
Ground beef is the ultimate ingredient. It keeps well in the freezer so if you have some, you’re never far from dinner. Plus, it’s incredibly versatile, easy to cook, and affordable too.- Bolognese. The meatiest pasta sauce full of rich flavors due to onions, carrots, celery, milk, and beef broth. Perfect for a big bowl of pasta.
- Salisbury Steak. Modern retro here we come: juicy tender beef swimming in mushroom gravy. The 80s are in, right?
- Shepherd’s Pie. Technically shepherd’s pie should be made with lamb, but I won’t tell if you won’t. Saucy beef mixed with corn and peas topped off with creamy mashed potatoes and baked to a bubbly golden brown.
- Swedish Meatballs. Forget Ikea, these homemade Swedish meatballs are tender, juicy, and perfect with a creamy sauce and mashed potatoes.
- Meatball Subs. Juicy, tender slow simmered tomato sauce meatballs covered in cheese on a toasted submarine bun.
- Juicy Lucy Burgers. All beef burgers stuffed with cheese inside the patty. If you love cheese burgers, this is next level.
I Am... Bolognese
Hearty, comforting, and meaty, bolognese is the ultimate ragu. If I had to choose, my ultimate comfort food would be a big bowl of pappardelle Bolognese. Toothsome, chewy, perfectly cooked wide ribbons of slippery egg pasta coated in the most delicious ragu of them all: Bolognese. It’s hearty, it’s rich, it’s absolute flavor heaven. Good bolognese is the best comfort food. Thick, umami forward sauce with soft and supple slow cooked meat, a hint of sweet tomatoes, luxuriously creamy, and full bodied.
But wait, just what is Bolognese?
When you think of Bolognese, what do you think of? Probably a tomato-y, meaty pasta sauce, which is exactly what it is, but with a couple of specifics. “Bolognese” means in the style of Bologna, the capital city of of Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy. Essentially, Bolognese is a ragu (meat based sauce served over pasta) made famous in Bologna and now popular worldwide. Typically, Bolognese includes: meat (a mix of beef and pork), a classic soffritto (onion, celery, carrot), wine, milk or cream, and tomatoes. Bolognese in Bologna is almost always served with tagliatelle. Nowadays it seems like every tomato based meat sauce is called Bolognese. I’m sure the people of Bologna would disagree 9 times out of 10. This sauce is pretty close to the classic with just a couple of twists.Bolognese vs meat sauce
Bolognese is meat sauce but not all meat sauces are Bolognese. The main difference is that a meat sauce is a tomato based sauce simmered with ground beef and various vegetables. Bolognese is a much more complex sauce with layers of flavor. It’s velvety rich, thicker, creamier (thanks to milk), and just straight up better.The secret to a good Bolognese
Building out flavors is key to why this bolognese works, whether you only have one hour or 6. Thirty minutes and an Instant Pot will give you something truly delicious but if you can slow simmer for 6 hours, the sauce will become next level. The ingredients layer together in a way that builds up, leaving you completely satisfied. These are reasons why this Bolognese is going to be the best you’ll ever make:Beef and pork
Most meat sauces out there - including the ones masquerading as Bolognese only call for beef. But for a really good Bolognese, you need a mix of beef and pork, not only for the different flavors, but for the differing fat contents. Pork adds a lighter umami sweetness that pairs well with the deeper flavors of beef. Plus ground pork tends to be a bit fattier than ground beef, giving the sauce a richness that you won’t get from just using beef alone.Soffritto
The holy trinity of aromatic vegetables are onions, carrots, and celery, otherwise known as soffritto. Slow cooking soffritto in olive oil gently coaxes out an immense amount of flavor and complexity.Garlic
There are two schools on garlic in Bolognese. Some say it doesn’t belong because its flavors overwhelm the sauce. I love garlic and find it adds nice mellow sweetness and hint of caramelization. This sauce has garlic in it!Dairy
One of the ingredients that sets Bolognese apart from other ragu is the milk in the sauce. Slow cooking the meats in milk makes the sauce incredibly silky and rich and tenderizes the meat.Cheese
Finish with cheese, always! Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano (get the DOP good stuff) adds saltiness, nuttiness, and so much umami. This bolognese is finished with a shower of fresh cheese and you should definitely have more at the table, so you can add as you wish.How to make the ultimate Bolognese
- Prep: Start by prepping the ingredients. Use a food processor if you have it, otherwise chop the onions, carrots, and celery into a very fine dice. Use a garlic press to mince the garlic, mince the prosciutto, and use a knife to roughly chop and break up the ground meats.
- Sweat the aromatics: Add a generous amount of olive oil to a heavy bottomed pan and stir in the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until very soft, but not brown. Stir in the anchovies, breaking them up, then deglaze with some white wine and reduce the wine over high heat.
- Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, milk, meats, and bay leaf. Unlike most other sauces that want you to brown your meat for the maillard reaction, just stir in the meat and break it up in the liquid. We want to slow braise the meats so they become silky soft and tender, so no browning is necessary.
How to make weeknight Bolognese
When making weeknight bolognese, the Instant Pot is your best friend.Instant Pot Bolognese
If you have an Instant Pot, you’ll have almost instant sauce. Pressure cooked ragu is a short cut on time but definitely not a short cut on flavor. Ground meat cooked under pressure becomes incredibly tender and moist thanks to the combo of heat and steam. Instead of simmering for hours, you can have a rich and full bodied ragu in under an hour. There are just a couple of things to remember: when pressure cooking, there’s no evaporation (because you’re cooking in a closed environment), so you want to start out with quite a bit less liquid than you would use when cooking on the stove.How to make Bolognese in the Instant Pot
- Cook the soffritto in the olive oil, along with the anchovies over medium heat.
- When the soffritto is soft, but not browned, add 1/2 cup wine and cook down until almost evaporated. Stir in 1.5 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of milk.
- Add the tomato paste, and bay leaf. Stir in the meats.
- Put the lid on, set the pressure to high and cook time to 30 minutes. Quick release the pressure when cooking time is completed.
- Give the sauce a stir, then add the grated parmigiano.
- Taste and adjust with salt as needed and enjoy with pasta.
Cooking notes
No searing? What about the maillard reaction?
The key to a good Bolognese is slow simmered meats that are tiny yet juicy and supple. Traditionally, back in the day Bolognese was made with whole cuts of meat that were chopped and then, through the magic of slow cooking, melted down into tender shreds. More commonly today we use ground meats. Because ground meats have such little surface area, instead of browning the meats, we’re going to stir them into stock; the meat will break up into little pieces and then slow cook until incredibly tender and juicy. Searing can lead to hard nuggets of meat that are dry, completely the opposite of what we are going for.Go the extra mile
- Whole cuts: If you have the money and the inclination, try making this with whole cuts of meat like 1 lb of pork shoulder and 1 lb of beef shank or skirt steak. Chop them up into cubes and instead of stirring them into the sauce, give them a good sear so they’re browned on the outside, then continue with the recipe.
- Chicken liver: Blend 1/2 pound trimmed chicken livers until smooth and stir them into the sauce before adding the chicken stock. The livers add an underlying earthy meatiness and umami.
- Finish with cream: While you’re stirring in the parmesan at the end, add a generous amount of cream to emulsify and bring everything together into an even more rich sauce.
One last thing now that you’ve spent six hours on your sauce, please, please properly sauce your pasta!
How to properly sauce your pasta
The biggest difference in restaurant quality pasta and the pasta you make at home is how you finish and sauce the pasta. The best way to serve this Bolognese is to cook the pasta 1 minute before the al dente time on the package, then drain the pasta and transfer to a non-stick skillet along with about 1/4-1/2 a cup of sauce per portion. Heat the sauce and pasta over high heat and once the pasta is glossy and clinging with sauce, plate, adding extra freshly grated cheese. Enjoy immediately.The best pasta
A good sauce needs a good pasta. You don’t have to go super expensive, but look for a slow dried bronze extruded pasta, it’ll be miles better than the $1 package at the grocery store. For commonly available brands, Garofalo is always a popular choice, and Rustichella d'Abruzzo is a nice upgrade.Other recipes to try
- How to make fresh pasta the easy way: our almost no knead pasta recipe
- Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots
- Kale Salad
- Pasta alla Norcina Recipe
- Ragu beyond Bolognese: Modena Edition
Ragu Bolognese Recipe
- 1 medium onion (finely diced, about 1.5 cups)
- 2 small carrots (finely diced, about 1.5 cups)
- 4 stalks celery (finely diced, about 1.5 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 filets anchovies (or 2 tsp anchovy paste or fish sauce)
- 1 cup white wine (dry Italian such as pinot grigio preferred)
- 2.5 cup chicken stock (no sodium preferred)
- 1 cup milk (whole/full fat milk preferred)
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 lb ground pork (lean preferred)
- 1 lb ground beef (lean preferred)
- 4 oz Proscuitto di Parma (thinly sliced, then minced)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (finely grated)
Finely mince your onion, carrots, celery; you want about 1 cup of each. Mince the garlic. If you have a food processor, use it: the mince should be very small.
Add the olive oil to a very large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven and heat over medium. Add the onions, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until very soft, but not brown.
Stir in the anchovies, breaking them up. Add the wine, stir to deglaze and cook over high heat until the wine is mostly evaporated.
Stir in the chicken stock, milk, and tomato paste. Add the meats, making sure they’re broken up in the liquid. We’re not browning the meats, instead opting for a very tender, slow braise. Add the bay leaf and bring to hard simmer, the reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Simmer for 6 hours, partially covered, checking on it every hour or so to make sure it hasn’t gone dry. Add stock as necessary.
After simmering, the liquid should be almost completely reduced and the sauce should be thick and luscious. Stir in the cheese and season with salt to taste.
To sauce: Cook your pasta 1-2 minutes before the time indicated on the package. Transfer 1/2 cup sauce per portion to a nonstick skillet and toss your pasta in the skillet for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
Serve with extra cheese and chili flakes.
I Am... Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Cinco de Mayo is coming up soon. Here are 15 recipes that you can make to celebrate! Start planning now for your perfect Cinco de Mayo menu.
Classic cinco de mayo tacos
Birria tacos
These tacos are viral for a reason: smokey, sweet, spicy fall-apart-tender beef stewed in a savory consomé. Tortilla shells are dipped in fat, stuffed with beef, and fried to a crispy glorious bite. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="31388"]Carnitas
Classic carnitas, you will always have my heart. Good carnitas are juicy, crispy, and so, so good. Slow braised pork crisped up then all snug in soft tortillas is absolutely the best. The best part about carnitas is that it’s so hands-off: meal prep a huge batch and you’re set. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="37752"]Barbacoa
If you’re a beef fan, barbacoa is for you: slow cooked brisket that is super flavorful, soft, and juicy, seasoned with dried chiles, cumin, oregano, and vinegar. Barbacoa is amazing in tacos, burritos, on its own. There’s nothing barbacoa can’t do. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="33286"]Off the beaten path tacos
Al pastor quesatacos
Cheesy tacos > non-cheesy tacos, amirite? These’s ultra cheesy al pastor tacos are sweet, smoky, juicy, and so so cheesy. I love the bright sweet acidity of pineapples with al pastor - don’t sleep on these guys, they will change your taco life! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32722"]Chicken al pastor tacos
If you’re a fan of the sweet and smoky flavors of al pastor but are feeling like chicken, chicken al pastor tacos are just the thing. This is a super easy, barely an inconvenience 6 ingredient al pastor sauce that is perfect with chicken. Everything gets baked in the oven while you chill out with margaritas and when the chicken’s ready, you shred it and pop it into warmed tortillas. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item link="https://blitzdealz.info/easy-6-ingredient-al-pastor-sauce/" newtab="0" name="" summary=""]Adovada
If you’re from New Mexico or even if you’ve passed through the state of enchantment, I’m sure you’ve had adovada: a red chile New Mexico pork stew that is perfect when tucked into soft and fluffy tortillas. The smokey deep flavor comes from roasting dried chilies - you can coax out so much flavor and complexity. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32736"]Air fryer chicken tacos
These guys are based off of those famous crispy chicken tacos from El Parasol in New Mexico. They juicy, crisp, and so good. I dream of these tacos. If you’re a crunchy taco fan, try these guys out, the juiciness of the chicken with the creaminess of the avocado next to the crispy crunch of freshly fried corn tortillas is amazing. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="33683"]Other delicious mains for cinco de mayo
Chile verde pork stew
Slow roasted pork shoulder in a smokey roasted green pepper and tomatillo sauce makes up a satisfying hearty stew that you can serve up in burritos, enchiladas, tacos, or on a plate with retried beans, rice, and tortillas. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32857"]Chicken enchiladas
Corn tortillas wrapped around a super savory chicken, smothered in homemade enchilada sauce and cheese, baked to gooey perfection. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="36912"]Chicken tortilla soup
Sopa de tortilla made from tomatoes, garlic, onions, and chile is warming, filling, and full of so much flavor. Don’t forget the toppings because crispy strips of tortilla, avocados, and plenty of cheese takes this soup over the top. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="35557"]Air fryer taquitos
Crispy, crunchy rolled tacos stuffed with chipotle chicken served up with avocado lime crema and pico de gallo. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="37505"]Insanely good side dishes for your cinco de mayo
Mexican rice
Rice is absolutely a necessity for classic Mexican plates, with enchiladas, on the side of tacos, wrapped up in burritos, or with stews. Rice is fried up with aromatics and spices then cooked with water and tomatoes for a flavorful side that is great on its own or as the supporting star to a great main. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="29108"]Homemade tortilla chips
Hot and fresh tortilla chips are a revaluation. Once you’ve had tortilla chips fresh from the fryer, you’ll never go back. Super simple to make and even easier to eat! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32748"]Guacamole
What are chips without guacamole? The ingredients are so simple but the execution is where it your guacamole can shine. Don’t be afraid to be creative, guacamole can take it! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item link="https://blitzdealz.info/how-to-make-guacamole/" newtab="0" name="" summary=""]Salsa verde
A four ingredient green salsa for all your saucing and dipping needs: smokey, fresh, and delicious. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32764"]
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