I Am... Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
When you're hangry and craving an easy simple meal, this Instant Pot teriyaki chicken recipe is here for you. Just 5 minutes, a handful of ingredients that you (hopefully) have in your pantry, and you're good to go.
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I Am... Smash Gyoza
If you love gyoza but don’t love folding up tiny dumpling pockets, smash gyoza are for you! All the juicy, umami flavors of a gyoza, but open-face, extra crispy, and ready to eat.
What are smash gyoza?
Smash gyoza is another way of saying deconstructed gyoza. If you’ve seen the smash Big Mac tacos floating around TikTok, smash gyoza are essentially the same idea: gyoza filling pressed onto dumpling wrappers then cooked open faced. From there, you serve them up like little tacos, folding them up around rice, kimchi, or whatever you like. Essentially they’re gyoza flavors in a new format: smash taco style.How to make smash gyoza
- Prep. Toss the chopped cabbage with a sprinkle of salt and let it sit and soften for 5-10 minutes. When soft, squeeze out any excess water. Finely chop the ginger and garlic and slice the green onions.
- Mix. In a large bowl, mix together 2 tbsp water with 1 tbsp cornstarch, then add ground meat, the prepped cabbage, ginger, garlic, green onions, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and a bit of salt. Mix well. I like using food prep gloves to really get in there.
- Cook. Heat up a bit of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Use a spoon or a cookie scoop (cookie scoops are great at evenly portioning out the filling) to add 1-2 tbsp of the gyoza filling to the pan, leaving space in between.
- Top. Add gyoza wrappers directly to the tops of the gyoza filling.
- Smash. Use a spatula, ramekin, or bottom of a heat proof glass to press down on the gyoza wrapper, smashing the filling onto the pan, pushing down so the filling goes to the edges of the gyoza wrapper.
- Steam. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the hot pan and cover to steam for 1-2 minutes. Lift the lid off and let the excess water cook off.
- Flip. Flip the smash gyoza over to crisp up the gyoza wrapper. When the gyoza wrappers are slightly golden and a bit crisp, it’s time to eat!
- Enjoy. Serve them up open-faced and enjoy dipped in soy sauce and rice vinegar OR fill them with a spoonful of rice topped off with some kimchi, then fold up like a taco and eat.
Smash gyoza ingredients
- gyoza wrappers - they sell these at the grocery store, usually in the fridge department, near the tofu, but if they don’t have them you can make your own (recipe here). You can also use wonton wrappers or even small flour tortillas.
- ground pork - I love ground pork in gyoza because it’s super flavorful, but you can use any kind of ground meat like chicken or turkey. Typically there aren’t a lot of ground beef gyoza in Japan, but feel free to try it!
- cabbage - finely chopped cabbage is going to make the filling nice and juicy. You’ll want to salt, then squeeze and drain the cabbage slightly so the gyoza filling isn’t soggy.
- ginger and garlic - finely chopped or grated ginger and garlic are going to add so much flavor to our smash gyoza. If you need to, you can substitute in ground ginger and garlic, but in this case, I really recommend fresh.
- green onions - thinly sliced green onions add a bright freshness.
- soy sauce and toasted sesame oil - these are our main flavorings, along with a bit of salt. Toasted sesame oil adds nuttiness and flavor.
- cornstarch - a little bit of cornstarch is going to bind our filling together and make it super smooth and easy to smash.
What are gyoza?
Gyoza are Japanese dumplings: ground pork, cabbage, and seasonings wrapped up in a thin noodle-y like wrapper. Dumplings are one of my all time favorite foods ever and gyoza is one of those perfect iterations. Read more about gyoza here.How do you eat smash gyoza?
You can eat them open-faced, dipping them in your favorite dumping sauce, or you can top them with a bit of rice and some kimchi and fold them up like a taco. Really, there’s no wrong way to eat smash gyoza. As long as they get in your mouth, you’re good to go!Who invented smash gyoza?
The first instance of smash gyoza was on Instagram from @cooking_with_kiara10. They’re a mash up of gyoza and big mac smash tacos. She jumped on the smash taco trend but gyoza-fied it. She doesn’t have any specific recipe, but it’s a basic gyoza filling smashed onto a gyoza wrapper, fried, then steamed. Genius!Gyoza dipping sauce
Gyoza aren’t gyoza without a dipping sauce. The standard mix is soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Japanese chili oil aka rayu. To start, try 1 tbsp rice vinegar mixed with 2 tsp soy sauce and chili oil to taste. That being said, go ahead and play with the proportions and mix it to taste. Another traditional dipping sauce is rice vinegar, soy, and red miso. It's a big Kobe thing and we enjoy it everywhere in Japan.What to serve with smash gyoza
Happy smashing! xoxo Steph PS - If you have a blackstone grill, these guys are AMAZING on it. Smash away!Smash Gyoza
All the juicy, umami flavors of a gyoza, but open-face, extra crispy, and ready to eat.
- 1.5 cup cabbage (finely chopped)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup green onions (sliced)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 40 gyoza wrappers
Toss the chopped cabbage with a pinch of salt in a large bowl and mix well. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, the squeeze out and drain as much of the extra water as possible.
Mix together 2 tbsp water with the cornstarch add to the ground pork. Add the ginger, garlic, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and prepped cabbage. Mix until incorporated.
Heat up a bit of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan (one that has a lid) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, use a spoon (or cookie scoop) to add 1-2 tbsp balls of gyoza filling into the pan.
Immediately add gyoza wrappers on top of the filling and smash, using a ramekin, glass, or flipper to press down on the gyoza wrapper to smash the filling flat onto the pan.
Cook until the meat is slightly golden, about 1-2 minutes, then add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the pan, cover and steam for 1-2 minutes.
Lift the lid off the pan and flip the gyoza over to crisp the other side of the dumpling wrapper. When golden and crisp, remove from the pan and enjoy folded with rice and kimchi!
I Am... Homemade Clotted Cream
I love clotted cream. If you haven't had it, it's kind of like a mix between whipped cream and whipped butter, but with a deeper flavor. It's thick, it's creamy, and it's absolutely dreamy on scones warm from the oven. Clotted cream and scones have always been my favorite part of afternoon tea. I'm obsessed with it.
What is clotted cream?
Clotted cream sounds kind of funny, but really, it’s SO delicious. It’s also called Devonshire cream or Cornish cream, so if you’re not so fond of the word “clotted,” you can think of it like that. Really, clotted is just another word for thick, so just think of it as thick cream! It's thick, spreadable form of heavy cream first invented way back in the day by dairy farmers in Devon as a way to preserve milk.Clotted cream ingredients
- Cream. All you need to make clotted cream is heavy whipping cream. That’s it! You’ll need to make sure the milk fat percentage is 35% or higher and that it’s not ultra pasteurized and you’ll be good to go.
How to make clotted cream
- Bake. Pour your cream into an oven safe dish and bake it in a very low oven for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight.
- Cool. Let it cool down to room temp then place the dish in the fridge to firm and chill up.
- Skim. The slightly golden, thickened layer of cream at the top of the dish is clotted cream! Skim it off then enjoy.
What does it taste like?
Clotted cream tastes rich and, well, creamy. It’s not particularly sweet because it’s made from just cream. It’s fairly neutral like whipped cream and is the perfect compliment to jam. It has a smooth, rich texture that just melts in your mouth. It has a very slight hint of sweetness, kind of similar to how a really good butter tastes a bit sweet.What do you eat it with?
Clotted cream is essential with a batch of scones. Trust me when I say you haven’t lived until you’ve eaten a fresh scone slathered with Devonshire cream and jam. It’s divine. It's standard when you have British tea and scones. You can pretty much also eat it on anything where you would have butter. I love it on toast and I’ve been known to eat it with slices of banana bread too. You can also have a smoosh alongside cake.What kind of cream?
Clotted cream is made from heavy cream or whipping cream. Heavy cream is the high-fat layer that skimmed off of milk before homogenization. It’s kind of like that saying, “the cream always rises.” Because cream has so much fat in it, it rises to the top of milk and is skimmed off. We’re going to take heavy cream and concentrate it even more. Since you only need one ingredient, it’s best to use the highest quality cream you can find: local, organic, grass fed. Essentially, you want the stuff that tastes really good because your end product will taste like the cream you buy.What is heavy cream?
Heavy cream is just another name for whipping cream. It’s also sometimes labeled as heavy whipping cream. As long as the label says 35% fat or higher, you can make clotted cream with it.What is ultra pasteurized heavy cream?
Ultra pasteurized cream is cream that’s been heated to 280°F so that the cream is more shelf stable. Unfortunately you can’t use ultra pasteurized heavy cream to make clotted cream. I’m not too sure on the science of it but ultra pasteurized heavy cream won’t clot as much as regular pasteurized cream.Can I make clotted cream in an Instant Pot?
Yes! Just place the heavy cream in your Instant Pot and choose the yogurt setting until it hits boil. When the Instant Pot beeps to let you know that it’s come to temp, press keep warm. Let the cream cook for 8-10 hours. Turn the Instant Pot off and let cool down completely then place the insert in the fridge for at least 12 hours to chill and firm up. Scoop off the top layer of thickened cream - that’s the clotted cream.Slow cooker clotted cream
Yes, but it depends on your slow cooker settings. You’ll want to add the cream to the slow cooker and keep it on warm – the cream needs to stay between 165-180°F so read your manual to see which setting that is. It should probably just be warm, but it might also be the low setting, so double check. Once your cream is in the slow cooker and the temp is right, cover it with the lid and let cook for 8-10 hours or until a light golden crust starts to form. Turn the slow cooker off and let cool to room temp before chilling in the fridge completely, then just skim off the top thickened layer.Or even a rice cooker?!
Yup, as lot as your rice cooker has a keep warm setting that keeps things warm from 165-180°F. You can test your rice cooker with water and an instant read thermometer. Just pour 4 cups of water, set it on keep warm and after 30 minutes or so, check the temp of the water. If it reaches 165-180°F, you can make clotted cream in it. Simply pour the cream into the bowl and set the keep warm for 8-10 hours. Double check every so often to make sure your rice cooker hasn’t turned off. When it’s done, let it cool to room temp then pop it in the fridge to cool completely before skimming off the clotted cream that has formed on the top.Why is there a crust on my clotted cream?
The crust is the part that you want - it’s the cream that has been clotted. Most people skim off the top most layer that is the thickest. Underneath the thickest layer there may be another layer that is a bit more loose. You can skim this out too and use it to loosen your cream if you like a looser, more flowy clotted cream. Underneath that layer will be liquid, which is the leftover whey (the liquid that is left over after making cheese or butter). You can use the whey in baked goods.What can I do with the left over liquid?
After you skim off the lovely layer of clotted cream, you’ll notice some whey at the bottom of your dish. You can use this in any baked good that calls for milk. You could use it to make scones, muffins, and cakes. xoxo steph PS - This last shot is pink because I used a bit of powdered strawberries and gold flecks!What to spread it on
Clotted Cream Recipe
Homemade clotted cream – thick, rich, and perfect for spreading onto cream scones (or toast!) for afternoon tea.
- casserole dish with glass cover
- 1 qt whipping cream (35% MF or higher, NOT ultra pasteurized)
Heat your oven to 170°F. Pour the cream into a deep casserole dish that has a cover that can go into the oven. You’re aiming for a deep dish so that the cream is about 2 to 2.5 inches deep when poured in. I used a casserole dish with a glass cover, kind of like an old school pyrex type thing. Cover the dish and place in the 170°F oven for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight, which is what I did.
The next day (or 10 to 12 hours later), remove the casserole from the oven and let cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours, or overnight.
Skim off the top, slightly golden, thickened layer. This is your clotted cream! There will be another layer under the slightly yellow layer that is creamy and thick like sour cream – this is clotted as well, but with a bit more moisture in it. Skim that off as well. Use as is, both the thickened creams are considered clotted. Some people mix the two and some people just use the top layer. Or, you could use a stand or hand mixer/a spoon and mix up the the two kinds of cream until thick, but this is not traditional at all. Serve chilled and enjoy! I love it on scones, toast (SO GOOD), cake, basically anything or everything!
via Rock Recipes
The clotted cream should keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, covered.
Be sure that your cream isn’t ultra pasteurized – double check while you’re buying the cream. If it is ultra pasteurized, it’ll say on the carton/bottle.
The original recipe just stirred the cream together, which I think would work as well, but I wanted a more smooth, whipped consistency. Whipping the top two layers together is NOT traditional.
I Am... Tiktok Baked Feta Pasta
Baked feta pasta has it all, big bold flavors, creamy comfort, and carbs! Baked feta pasta is the perfect summer food: it’s creamy, bright and tomato-y, and SO damn delicious. It’s probably the simplest pasta dish you’ll make this month and the reward is so high for an incredibly low effort.
What is tiktok pasta?
It’s super simple: cherry tomatoes are tossed with olive oil and placed in a baking dish with a block of feta. Everything gets baked up until the tomatoes burst, releasing their sweet and jammy flavors. The feta gets melty and oozy. You mix it all up into a quick sauce, toss in minced garlic, basil, crushed red pepper, and pasta. Boom, dinner is done!Tiktok pasta is so good and easy
Sometimes the best kind of cooking is the kind that takes no time at all so you can spend more time with loved ones enjoying the food. I love that the prep time for this dish is so low and the actual hands on time is super low. If you can stir, you can make this dish. The dominant flavors of this pasta are feta and tomatoes, it’s practically a two ingredient pasta. If you’re not a huge feta fan, you can definitely use another cheese – baked brie, cream cheese, or ricotta would be amazing.How to make tiktok pasta
- Toss: In a baking dish, toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil. Place a block of feta in the middle and drizzle some oil on top.
- Bake: Bake the tomatoes and feta in the oven until the tomatoes burst and the cheese is melty.
- Cook: While the feta is in the oven, cook the pasta.
- Stir: When the tomatoes and feta are done, stir in some minced garlic, some crushed red pepper flakes, and the pasta, loosening with some pasta water if needed. Finish with fresh basil.
- Eat: That’s it! Scoop it up an enjoy a bowl of pure cheesy carby comfort.
Tiktok pasta ingredients
- cherry tomatoes - the sweeter the better! There are so many types of mini tomatoes these days, from strawberry to grape to on the vine to heirloom. I used one package of classic cherry tomatoes and one package of cherry tomatoes on the vine.
- feta - you’ll want to get a nice higher quality Greek feta since it’s the main flavor of the dish. Grab a block of feta, the kind that comes in a brine, not the crumbles. If you want a milder, creamier feta, try French feta, it’s less tart than Greek.
- olive oil - most of the recipes I’ve seen call from anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil. I went with 1/3 cup, you want enough to coat the tomatoes and feta while having a bit of oil pool at the bottom of your baking dish so the tomatoes are essentially doing a tomato confit type thing. Too little olive oil and your tomatoes will end up drying out.
- pasta - you can use any shape you like, we went with casarecce the first time and rotini the second time and both were great.
- garlic - a couple cloves of minced garlic are mixed in and the residual heat of the tomatoes mellows the sharpness out while still giving you a huge hit of garlicky goodness.
- basil - fresh basil and tomatoes are perfect pairing. Slice some up to stir in and keep some extra leaves whole to garnish with!
Tomatoes
It’s tomato season and summer is the perfect time to make Tiktok baked feta pasta. There are so many sweet tomatoes out there right now and they’ll all add a nice seasonal twist to this comfort classic. Even if you aren’t a tomato fan, fresh, ripe, in-season tomatoes just hit different, so give them a try! Just remember to keep your tomatoes on the countertop until you cut them. Refrigerated tomatoes won't taste as good as room temp ones.Don't just stick with cherry, try these:
- roma tomatoes
- grape tomatoes
- beefsteak tomatoes
- cocktail tomatoes
- heirloom tomatoes
Not a tomatoer?
If you’re really not a fan of tomatoes, try these no tomato baked feta pastas:- Zucchini and peppers - chop up 1-2 zucchinis and 1 red pepper in place of the tomatoes.
- Broccoli and lemon - chop up 1 head of broccoli in place of the tomatoes and finish with lemon zest.
How to choose the best feta
Choose a feta that is made from sheep’s milk! Feta made from cow’s milk or goat milk is more crumby. If you want a smooth and creamy feta, sheep’s milk feta is the way to go. Also, younger fetas are more milky and creamy and aged fetas tend to be more complex and intense.Greek feta vs French feta
If you’re not a huge fan of feta but you want to try this pasta, try using French feta. Greek feta tends to be saltier, more crumbly, and tangy which can lead to your sauce being grainy. If you’re Greek feta fan, go for feta that has more sheep’s milk rather than goat. French feta is made with only sheep’s milk and is mild and creamy compared to Greek feta. Bulgarian feta is very similar to French feta: it’s made with 100% sheep’s milk and is not aged as long so it’s a lot creamier and not as tangy.Adding protein
If you’re looking to add some protein to your Tiktok baked feta pasta, it’s super easy, barely an inconvenience. Since the pasta bakes at 400°F for 30 minutes, you can add just about any protein to the baking dish and it’ll crisp up and cook in the oven while the tomatoes are roasting.Pancetta
For a twist, add cubes of pancetta, they’ll crisp up into little nuggets of rich, porky deliciousness.Chicken
You can add chicken to the pan, raw and cubed before you roast the feta and tomatoes. They’ll cook up while the tomatoes are roasting. If you have leftover chicken in the fridge, you can also just stir it into the sauce when you stirring in the pasta.Tofu
If you’re vegetarian, pressed tofu cubed up will add some extra lean protein. Some of the cubes with stay intact and some of them will stir into the sauce making it extra creamy.Help, my baked feta pasta is too tart!
It’s winter right now and there’s no escaping the fact that the cherry tomatoes out there aren’t the sweetest. Because this feta pasta doesn’t really have much sugar in it, the sauce can end up pretty tart or tangy depending on your tomatoes. The easy fix is adding a bit of sugar but if you don’t want to do that, the best thing to do is add some thinly sliced onions or shallots to the baking dish when you’re roasting the feta and tomatoes. The onions will caramelize in the oil and add a jammy sweetness.What is baked feta pasta?
Baked feta pasta is a pasta dish that’s currently going viral on TikTok right now because it’s incredibly easy to make, tasty, and it looks good. It’s based off of a Greek appetizer, baked feta. The first mention of mixing baked feta with pasta was popularized by Finnish blogger Jenni Häyrinen. She called it uunifetapasta or baked feta pasta. Apparently feta pasta is incredibly popular in Finland because a couple of other bloggers also blogged about it as well.Tiktok pasta FAQ
What if I don’t like feta?
If you don’t like feta, try using French feta which has a bit of a milder flavor or even a different kind of cheese. This pasta recipe will also work with brie, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, or even cream cheese.Do I have to use cherry tomatoes for tiktok pasta?
If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, literally any tomato will work, you want about 1 lb. If you use larger tomatoes, quarter them before baking.What kind of pasta should I use for feta baked pasta?
Any kind at all! I ended up using casarecce which is a cute pasta that’s shaped like an “S.” You can use penne, rotini, macaroni, rigatoni, or even long pastas like spaghetti or fettuccine.What kind of baking dish should I use?
It’s better to use a baking dish that’s not too large – a medium baking dish will help keep all the tomatoes close together and in the olive oil so they don’t dry out too much. We want the tomatoes jammy and soft, not oven dried.I don’t like raw garlic, does the garlic need to be raw?
When you add the raw garlic to the hot tomatoes, the residual heat of the tomatoes and feta will gently warm up the garlic and take off the raw edge while leaving a huge hit of garlicky flavor. If you really don’t want to use raw garlic, you can add it to the pan before you roast the tomatoes, but make sure they are covered in oil so they don’t get burnt.Tips on making Tiktok pasta taste EVEN BETTER
- Add everything to the pan. The original recipe has you stir in raw garlic after the tomatoes and feta are baked in the oven. For an even more delicious pasta, add crushed or smashed garlic directly to the pan when you add the tomatoes. Other aromatics will work too: quarter some onions or shallots for a sweet onion-y addition, or even ginger for a warming touch.
- Think about other herbs. Everyone knows basil and tomatoes go together, but get creative! Add some thyme sprigs, scallions, chives, oregano, parsley, or rosemary. Maybe sprinkle on some everything bagel spice or use Italian seasoning for even more flavor.
- Try a mix of cheeses. Go for half feta and half cream cheese for the ultimate in creamy, cheesy goodness.
Recipes similar to this Tiktok pasta
Did you enjoy making super delicious and easy pasta with under 5 ingredients? You can try these other ones too:- 2 Ingredient Creamy Herby Garlicky Pasta
- Everything Bagel Spice Aglio E Olio Pasta
- Sour Cream and Onion Pasta
- 2 Ingredient Alfredo Sauce
Baked feta pasta
This baked feta pasta has it all, big bold flavors, creamy comfort, and carbs!
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (or any other tomatoes )
- 1/3 cup olive oil (the good stuff)
- 8 oz feta cheese (1 block)
- 9 oz pasta (of choice)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- fresh basil (chopped, to finish)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a baking dish, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and place the feta in the middle, turning it to coat it in oil. Season everything with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, turn the heat up to 450°F and roast until the feta is golden brown 10-15 minutes.
While the feta is baking, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Save 1-2 cups of the pasta water, then drain well.
When the feta and tomatoes are done, remove from the oven and immediately add the garlic and crushed red pepper, if using. Stir everything together until the tomatoes and feta combine into a creamy sauce.
Stir in the drained pasta until well coated and creamy, adding in a bit of pasta water to loosen if too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in some chopped basil and finish with crushed red pepper. Enjoy!
This version inspired by Grilled Cheese Social.
Serves 2 hungry eaters generously with leftovers, or 3 for lunch.
Estimated nutrition is for 3 servings (3oz pasta per person).
I Am... Easy 7 Ingredient Homemade Al Pastor
By far the best taco filling you can make at home, in only 7 ingredients. Your local Mexican place is always going to have the best tacos, but for those times you can’t (or don't want to) go out, this al pastor recipe is so good you’ll feel like you’re back wherever your taco heart belongs. It's so easy to make this smoky spicy and juicy pork you'll even use it for more than just tacos. Best of all, this recipe only requires 7 ingredients that you can get at any supermarket.
What is al pastor
Al pastor is a Mexican dish with pork that's been slow roasted on a vertical spit. Vertical spits are often associated with middle eastern food and this is no exception: legend says that Lebanese immigrants brought the cooking method to Mexico, where they paired it with traditional adobada to make the genius known as al pastor. It’s served in all kinds of dishes, in tortas/sandwiches, pizzas, and even on rice, but the most celebrated way to serve it is in tacos al pastor. The crisp smoky pork is sliced-to-order with a razor sharp knife as it's flame crisped by the vertical spit. The meat falls right into each taco and topped with a flourish of slow-roasted pineapple. It’s heaven in a tiny tortilla. Because you probably don't have a flame powered vertical spit at home, you can't replicate it 100% perfectly. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an amazing, just-as-good version at home too, especially if you are far away from Mexico right now.The best homemade al pastor
Why this is the best homemade al pastor recipe: it’s smoky, sweet, and super easy. I’ve tried a lot of recipes on the internet and none of them really come close to what I love about al pastor - the smoky finish and the crisp edges. More importantly, a recipe that starts with "get your vertical spit" or "slice your pork with a commercial meat slicer" is a no go for me. This recipe has been in my back pocket for a long time now. It’s our go-to for taco nights, but I’ve never put it up until now because I always thought the ingredients were a little hard to come by. It’s worth it though, this recipe is simple, tasty, and comes really close to the real street-side deal.How to make al pastor
- Soak your chiles. Guajillos come dried and soaking them makes them pliable and easy to deseed.
- Slice and season your pork. I try to go for as thin of a slice as possible, so that there’s more surface area to absorb the marinade.
- Make the marinade. Blend the guajillos together with garlic, sugar, achiote, adobo, and pineapple juice until smooth.
- Marinate. Marinate your pork for at least 30 minutes, but better yet, overnight.
- Roast. You probably don’t have a vertical spit at home, so the best way to achieve that combination of soft supple insides and crispy, smoky edges is to lay out the pork in a single layer and broil at 500ºF until cooked. Don’t forget to roast your pineapples as well (on a separate baking sheet).
How to make tacos al pastor
- Prep your toppings. Dice your onions, chop your cilantro, slice your jalapenos, and portion out your salsas.
- Chop it up. Roughly chop your pork so that the majority of the pieces are about 1/2" x 1/2".
- Crisp up your al pastor. Frying it is optional but really intensifies the flavors, not to mention gets it nice and piping hot.
- Prep your tortillas. If you’re using flour tortillas, you should cook them now. If corn, cover 10-12 at a time with a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds (or use a tortilla warmer like we do), then let sit another 30 seconds to steam before you build.
- Build and enjoy! Top with roast pineapples and all the other toppings you love.
Al pastor ingredients
Guajillo chilies
Guajillo are dried mirasol chiles that are sweet, smoky, and not very spicy. One of the most common chiles for Mexican food and one of our favorites. I’ve found the easiest way to buy the best quality chiles is online, where it’s far superior to anything outside of a good Mexican grocery store.Achiote paste
A blend of spices featuring annatto that goes great in everything. Not at all spicy, just deeply flavorful. My favorite brand is El Yucateco. From a staining perspective, annatto is just as bad as turmeric, so be careful not to get any on your clothes or white porous surfaces.Chipotle chilies in adobo
These are smoky spicy dried chipotle chiles (chipotle is smoked jalapeno) in adobo sauce - a sweet blend of tomatoes, vinegar, and spices. This recipe uses a whole can. Most people won’t find chipotle in adobo very spicy, but if you don’t prefer the spice level of jalapeno, it might be best to skip one or two of the pepper pods inside the can - the adobo part is a must however.Canned pineapple
Al pastor is traditionally served with roasted pineapple cut from the top of the vertical spit. This recipe needs pineapple juice anyway, so I prefer to use canned chunk pineapple and roast them, rather than deal with a whole pineapple. Most 398ml/13.5oz cans will yield exactly 1/2 cup of juice, which is what is called for in this recipe.Corn or flour tortillas
A lot of people prefer corn but if you live in the Southwest, you know (fresh) flour is awesome. When I’m not near really good flour tortillas, I try to buy locally made corn tortillas, but sometimes you're just in a food desert and don't have a lot of options other than national brands. In those cases, Mission is my go-to, both for corn and flour. Look for a street taco size.Spice level
This is not a spicy dish, but if you’re the kind of person where black pepper is just on the edge of spicy to you, then you might want to leave out a chipotle chile or two from the can. If you really, really hate spice, you’ll also want to deseed the guajillos. We use them for smoky flavor in this recipe, so you can remove all the seeds if you want to. The larger peppers are easier to deseed. Once softened, just turn them upside down and remove the stem, and 80-90% of them should fall right out.Grilling at the table
For taco nights, we like to do the last warming part at the table with a small tabletop griddle. You can warm your tortillas and the al pastor all at once, and it makes for a really fun night. Just prep all your toppings in little communal bowls, grab some drinks, and taco the night away.What to serve with tacos al pastor
- Other taco meats for an awesome taco night such as barbacoa, carnitas, adovada, and birria
- Tomatoey Mexican rice
- Homemade Salsa Verde
- Cilantro Lime Rice
Al Pastor Recipe
Smoky, sweet, and super easy crispy edged roast pork tacos topped with broiled pineapples.
- 8 dried guajillo peppers
- 2 lb pork shoulder/butt (cut into~ 1/4" slices, boneless)
- 8 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo (1 can)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp achiote paste (1.75oz/half package)
- 13.5 oz pineapple chunks (fruit and juice separated, 1 can)
- corn or flour tortillas (warmed, as needed)
Soak the guajillos in a small bowl filled with hot tap water for 15 mins. You can either remove the stems and seeds beforehand, or wait til the peppers are soft and pliable, hold them by the tip, upside down, over the sink, and cut the stems off. The seeds should fall right out.
Meanwhile, season the pork generously with salt.
Add guajillos, garlic, chipotle in adobo, sugar, achiote paste, and 1/2 cup pineapple juice to a blender and blend into a smooth marinade.
Marinate the pork for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Preheat your oven to 500°F. Arrange the pork in a single layer on another baking sheet. Broil the pork until the edges and corners start to char, about 20 minutes.
While you wait for your pork to finish, arrange drained pineapple chunks in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet. Remove the pork and broil pineapples until charred, another 15 minutes.
Slice meats, fry up, and make tacos.
Makes roughly 16 tacos (2oz per taco). Serves 8 when paired with other food, or 4 for taco nights. Estimated nutrition doesn't include tortillas, toppings, or sauces (if any).
I Am... Green Chile Cheeseburger
This spicy, crispy, cheesy smash green chile cheeseburger is probably the best you’ll ever eat. The cheese is melt-y and almost queso-y, the fire roasted hatch green chiles are fire, and the smashed patties are charred and juicy. Seriously amazing. If you’ve had the chance to travel to New Mexico, you’ll know that the state slogan really rings true. New Mexico is the land of enchantment. Enchantment and green chile cheeseburgers. Green chile cheeseburgers, if you haven’t had the pleasure of trying them, are amazing. Fire roasted chopped green chile on top of a perfectly juicy burger with cheese in a buttery toasted bun – ugh, they just hit different. We're turning the last of last year's frozen green chiles into GCCs this week. I'm already getting hyped for next year's release.
What is a green chile cheeseburger?
If you’re eating burgers in New Mexico and you order a burger, you’ll get the question: do you want chile on that? By chile (chile with an “e” by the way, never chili, which is chili con carne), they mean fire roasted and chopped green chiles. They have them year round but come late summer and fall, the hatch chiles start getting harvested and everything smells smoky and delicious from all of the fire roasting going on at all the grocery stores. By the way, if they ask you if you want chile on it, the answer should always be yes. We were at a burger place and someone answered no and I swear I saw the server physically recoil as if it was absolutely the wrong answer.What kind of peppers for green chile cheeseburgers?
Hatch green chile of course! If you don’t have a batch stored in your freezer, you can also substitute in another variety of green chile like Anaheim or jalapeño if needed. You can also go with jarred green chile if you’re no where near New Mexico and you don’t want to roast Anaheims or jalapeños.What are hatch chiles?
Hatch chiles are a green chile pepper grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico. They’re sweet, smoky, long green peppers that taste amazing fresh and even more delicious when roasted. Hatch chiles come in both red and green. The red Hatch chiles are chiles that have been left to ripen longer than the younger green chiles. They come in mild, medium, spicy, and x-hot varieties. Hatch chile season is one of the most magical seasons of all. The little green chile that could comes from New Mexico and is the backbone of so many wonderful New Mexican and Southwestern dishes. Hatch season starts at the end of summer and goes into the beginning of fall and if you’ve ever visited the Southwest, you’ve definitely seen the well deserved love for Hatch green chiles.Why are Hatch chiles special?
Hatch chiles are a surprisingly famous pepper considering how small the growing season and region is. They’re just like the Champagne region in France – if the grapes aren’t grown in Champagne, what you make from them isn’t really champagne, it’s just sparkling wine. Similarly, you can grow Hatch chiles elsewhere but if they’re not grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico, they’re not real Hatch chiles and they won’t taste quite the same.What do Hatch chiles taste like?
They’re earthy, crisp, spicy, and have a bit of onion when eaten raw. When they’re roasted, they’re smoky, rich, and slightly buttery. Green chiles tend to be spicier and the red ones slightly sweeter. They have the ideal balance between heat and sweet. When they’re roasted they’re smoky, delicious heaven.Are Hatch chiles spicy?
Hatch chiles come in mild, medium, hot, and xtra hot. They go from milder than a jalapeño to pretty darn spicy.Where to buy Hatch chiles
When they’re in season, during August and September, they sell and ship fresh chiles online. There are also whole dried hatch chiles, jarred, or canned that are available at most grocery stores or online. Sometimes they even sell them fresh for a really short window at Whole Foods or other specialty food stores. If you’re lucky enough to live in Southern California, Colorado, or Texas, you’ll probably easily find them in your local grocery store. You can also get Hatch chile powder in both red and green.How to roast green chiles
Wash and dry your chiles then roast them however you like:- In the oven Place the chiles on a foil lined pan and broil, directly under the element for 10-15 minutes, flipping as needed until the skin chars and blisters.
- On the grill Place the chiles over direct high heat, flipping every couple of minutes until the skin chars and blisters.
- In the air fryer Add the chiles to the air fryer and air fry at the highest temp, for 15 minutes, or until the skin chars and blisters, flipping halfway.
- On the stove Char the chiles directly on the flame or element, flipping as needed, until the skin chars and blisters.
How to make a green chile cheeseburger
If you can’t make it to New Mexico, it’s relatively simple to make a green chile cheeseburger at home. Pick up some long green peppers – hatch is preferable but Anaheim works too. Lightly oil and roast them in the oven, then skin, seed, and chop them up. Go about your usual cheeseburger making and just before you put the cheese on to melt, add a generous amount of chopped chilies.What kind of cheese for green chile cheeseburgers?
If you’re going for a classic burger, you can’t beat the melt and creaminess of American cheese. If you want something with more flavor, try pepper jack!Cheese on top or underneath the chiles?
There’s a bit of a debate on whether the green chiles should be on top of the cheese or under a blanket of melted cheese. Both Mike and I agree that underneath melted cheese is better for eating because the cheese blanket holds everything together. That being said, for this post we went with the green chiles on top because we wanted everyone to be able to see the green chiles. It’s up to you what you prefer green chile wise. We’ve seen plenty of both in New Mexico, so go with your gut.Other ways to enjoy Hatch chiles
You can enjoy Hatch chiles raw or once they’re roasted you can use them in stews, chile relleno, enchiladas, salsas, sauces, dips, on tacos, as pizza toppings, on burgers, with eggs, or with noodles. They’re incredibly versatile and add smoke, flavor, and spice. Happy hatch chile burger-ing! xoxo steph PS - If you love hatch green chile cheeseburgers please check out our search for the best one in New Mexico.The Ultimate Double Double Hatch Green Chile Cheeseburger
A deluxe double patty cheeseburger with plenty of smoky and spicy fire roasted green chiles.
- 1 - 2 Hatch green chiles
- neutral oil
- 1 tbsp butter (room temp)
- 1 brioche burger bun
- 1/3 lbs ground beef chuck
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 slices American cheese
- 1 slice tomato
- 1 leaf green leaf lettuce
- 1-2 thin slices onion
- mustard (to taste)
- mayo (to taste)
Lightly coat the chiles with the tiniest bit of oil and roast under the broiler until deeply golden, almost black, about 10-12 minutes, flipping once.
When roasted, place in a paper or plastic bag, close, and let peppers steam for 10 minutes. Skin, seed, and stem the peppers, then chop.
Divide the meat into 2 equal portions and gently form very thin patties larger than your bun. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Butter and lightly toast the bun in a dry pan over medium heat. Remove from the pan and set aside, keeping warm in a low oven if desired.
Heat up a large pan over medium high-heat and add a bit of oil to the pan. When hot, add the patties and cook, without moving for 2 to 3 minutes, or until caramelized, pressing down. Flip and cook for another minute or so.
When the patties are just about done cooking, immediately with a slice of American cheese and a generous amount of the roasted Hatch green chiles.
Build the burger: the bottom bun gets mayo and mustard to taste, then lettuce, tomato, and onion. Top with the two melty, green chile patties and the top bun. Enjoy immediately.
Notes: If you can’t get your hands on Hatch green chiles, you can roast any other long green chile in the same way. You can also use jarred or canned roasted green chiles, you’ll want about 1/4 cup.
I Am... How to Tteokbokki
Sweet and spicy, saucy, chewy tteokbokki is one of my all time favorite snacks. Tteokbokki is probably THE most famous street food from Korea. They’re chewy rice cakes simmered in a glorious mix of sweet, savory, spicy sauce that is completely addictive. The best thing about tteokbokki is that it’s so easy to make. It’s deliciously simple and completely customizable. What are you waiting for, tteokbokki is in your future!
What is tteokbokki?
They’re spicy Korean rice cakes. Tteokbokki literally means stir fried rice cakes: tteok is the word for rice cake and bokki means fried. It’s an extremely popular dish, both as street food and comfort food at home. Tteokbokki are made with cylindrical rice cakes simmered in a thick and spicy sauce.Where to buy tteokbokki rice cakes
You can find tteokbokki rice cakes at Korean markets. They’ll usually come freshly made by the store, commercially made fresh and packaged, or frozen. If you can get ones that are made fresh, they are the top choice, but packaged and frozen are good too. You can even get them online, although we've never tried these, they seem to be well reviewed.How to make tteokbokki
- Soak the rice cakes. Soak the rice cakes in a bit of warm tap water to loosen and soften them up.
- Make the sauce. While the rice cakes are soaking, mix together the tteokbokki sauce in a small bowl: gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic.
- Simmer. Stir the sauce into some anchovy stock and bring to a simmer. Add the rice cakes and cook until the sauce reduces and the rice cakes are chewy, soft, and heated through.
- Enjoy! Finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced scallions and enjoy warm.
What does tteokbokki taste like?
It tastes like heaven! If you love carbs, you’ll love tteokbokki. It’s chewy and filling, sweet and spicy and savory. If you haven’t had it before, think of it like a savory mochi or maybe like a gnocchi in a spicy sauce. Korean rice cakes are chewy and bouncy. The rice cakes themselves are very mild but when you cook them in sauce, they soak up flavor like a sponge and become incredibly delicious. Many tteokbokki also have fish cakes and boiled eggs added in for extra flavor and protein.Ingredients
- Garae-tteok/tteokbokki rice cakes. You can find Korean rice cakes freshly made, packaged in the refrigerated section, or frozen in the freezer aisles at a Korean grocery store. Most Korean grocery stores make their own, which would be the best choice because they’re soft and chewy, but the packaged and frozen rice cakes work great too.
- Anchovy stock. Anchovy stock, much like dashi in Japanese cooking, is a backbone of Korean food. You can make your own by using small dried anchovies and dried kelp, or you can use these handy anchovy stock packets that work like a little teabag that you steep in hot water. The anchovy stock adds a deep umami and flavor that you don’t get if you’re just using water. If you have dashi at home, you can use that too.
- Tteokbokki sauce. Tteokbokki sauce is made up of gochjang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. It’s garlicky, a tiny bit sweet, and spicy. It’s definitely super savory and keeps you wanting to come back for more and more.
- Korean fish cakes. I didn’t include fish cakes in my tteokbokki but I love Korean fish cakes. They’re chewy and savory and have the best texture. They come in ball form, tube form, and sheets. Most tteokbokki uses sheets, cut into triangles, squares, or strips.
- Toasted sesame oil. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil right before you serve adds a golden sheen and fragrant finish.
- Scallions. Thinly sliced scallions add freshness and bite.
- Toasted sesame seeds. A couple of toasty, nutty sesame seeds a bit of textural contrast.
Gochujang vs gochugaru
If you’re not familiar with Korean food, you might not know what gochujang or gochugaru is.- Gochujang is a spicy Korean sauce. It’s savory, sweet, spicy thick fermented paste made from chili powder and sticky rice. It adds sweet and heat and a ton of flavor. Traditionally it comes in tubs, but these days you can find it in convenient squeeze bottles in the Asian aisle of literally any grocery store and online, of course.
- Gochugaru, on the other hand, are Korean chili flakes. Korean chili flakes are fruity, sweet, smoky, sun dried bright red flakes. They’re not too spicy and their heat is gentle and delicious. I always buy coarse gochugaru which looks like flaky sea salt. They usually come labeled with mild, medium, or hot, so you can buy them according to your spice preference.
Do I need to soak tteokbokki rice cakes?
If you have fresh rice cakes you don’t need to soak them. If you are using ones that are packaged or frozen, give them a soak in warm water to loosen them up and rehydrate them a bit.Anchovy stock substitute
You can buy anchovy stock packets online or at a Korean grocery store but if you’re looking for a substitute, you can use Japanese dashi or even chicken stock or water. If you use chicken stock or water, the tteokbokki won’t have the same depth of flavor but it will still be good.Where to buy fish cakes
All Korean stores will sell fresh fish cakes in their deli section and frozen ones in the freezer aisles. You can also find fish cakes at regular Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find Korean fish cakes, Japanese fish cakes or Chinese fish cakes can sub in.Is tteokbokki spicy?
Depending on your spice level tteokbokki is on the spicier side. If you want to make mild tteokbokki, I have an adaptation below.Non-spicy tteokbokki
For non-spicy tteokbokki, make this sauce instead of the sauce listed in the recipe:- 2 tbsp mild gochujang
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
How to store tteokbokki
Tteokbokki will keep tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.How to reheat tteokbokki
To reheat, add the tteokbokki to a pot with 1/4 cup water or dashi and simmer over low heat until heated through. You can also warm it in the microwave with a bit of water added to the sauce.What to serve with tteokbokki
- Korean fried chicken of course!
- DIY at home Korean BBQ
- Korean corn dogs
- Spicy tofu stew/sundubu jjigae
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need to use anchovy stock? You don’t need too, especially if you’re vegetarian, but the anchovy stock adds a lot of extra flavor and depth that is the secret to a good tteokbokki.
- What can I use instead of fish cakes? If you’re vegetarian but still want some protein in this dish you can use tofu! Tofu puffs taste amazing in this sauce.
- Why do my tteokbokki split apart and crack? If your tteokbokki keep splitting and cracking, it’s because your rice cakes are too dry and freezer burnt. They may have been frozen and defrosted more than once. If you have problems with them splitting, try soaking them in cold water and letting them defrost slowly overnight in the fridge.
- How to pronounce tteokbokki? It’s “duck boak key.” A short and hard “duck,” “boak” like oat with a b in front, and “key” like the key for a door. Thanks Chloe for answering in the comments!
- Why is tteokbokki so famous? Tteokbokki is one of Korea’s top street food and convenience items. It’s a super casual kind of food that friends go out for when they meet up and drink and it’s also been featured in so many Korean dramas that it’s kind of been romanticized. Imagine a rainy night where you see a lone tteokbokki stall with steaming spicy rice cakes. There’s a little counter and an awning covering customers from the rain. The streets are shiny and the city lights are glowing. You order some tteokbokki with extra fish cakes and a good looking stranger next to you orders the exact same thing…K-drama feels!
Trader Joe’s tteokbokki
Recently Trader Joe’s has come out with tteokbokki! It’s in the freezer section and it comes with everything you need in one convenient pack. To be honest you can also get packs of tteokbokki with the sauce and everything you need at a Korean store in the freezer section as well but if you’re nowhere near a Korean grocery store this is a good alternative. We haven’t tried them yet but they have pretty positive reviews so next time we spot them we’ll give them a go. I think they’re a style that is not as spicy or saucy and more of a sweet and sticky style.How to make tteokbokki with cheese
This one is really simple, just add a slice of cheese on top of your hot tteokbokki. You can also add shredded cheese if you don’t have a slice of cheese. Mozzarella is what they usually use because it’s super stretchy and mild.How to make rose tteokbokki
We’ve been eating tteokbokki on the regular and experimenting with different variations and our current favorite is rose or rosé (like the wine or pasta sauce!) tteokbokki. Rosé sauce is simply a red sauce with a bit of cream mixed in and rosé tteokbokki is the same! Rose sauce is super popular in Korea: it’s spicy and creamy and incredibly addictive. To make it, all you do is make the recipe as below. Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream until the sauce turns a beautiful pink. Top it off with plenty of mozzarella cheese, let it melt, then go to town. So good!What other recipes have Korean rice cakes?
- Rabokki - the amazing mix of ramen and rice cakes
- Korean corn dogs - instead of using cheese, add a rice cake!
- Budae Jjigae - you can add rice cakes to army stew, they get soft and chewy and are so good
- Kimchi Stew - is it even kimchi stew without rice cakes?!
Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is probably THE most famous street food from Korea: chewy rice cakes simmered in an addictive mix of sweet, savory, spicy sauce.
- 1 lb tteokbokki tteok
- 3 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 cups anchovy stock (sub dashi or other stock if needed)
To Finish
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Soak the tteokbokki tteok in warm tap water while you prepare the sauce.
In a small bowl, mix together the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic. (See notes for a mild version of the sauce.)
Add the anchovy stock to a pot and stir in the sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
Drain the tteokbokki and add to the pot. Stir occasionally and bring to a simmer for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and let the sauce bubble and reduce, stirring so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, about 10-15 minutes depending on how thick you want the sauce.
Before serving drizzle with toasted sesame oil and finish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Enjoy warm!
I Am... Sushi Bake
Have you heard of sushi bake? It’s a super popular potluck dish inspired by sushi. It’s a deconstructed California roll, layered and baked in a casserole. Everything gets warm and creamy and you scoop it up into crispy sheets of roasted seaweed and top it off with cucumber and avocado. It’s SO good. If you love California rolls, you’ll love sushi bake. It’s savory, creamy, and super satisfying. Because it's so easy to make, it's perfect for potlucks, gatherings, and get togethers.
What is sushi bake?
Sushi bake came around as an alternative to sushi rolls: all the flavors of creative sushi rolls layered and baked into a warm and comforting delicious casserole, meant to be scooped into little sheets of roasted seaweed. Like most casseroles, it’s a home style dish meant to be shared with friends and family. It’s easier than rolling lots of rolls and the scooping and sharing makes it fun and interactive. It’s infinitely customizable meaning there’s a sushi bake out there for everyone!How to make sushi bake
- Make: Take the time to make sushi rice. You can just use plain cooked short grain rice, but taking the time to add vinegar, sugar, and salt to make sushi rice will take your sushi bake to a whole other level.
- Spread: Spread the sushi rice into a oven safe dish and sprinkle with some furikake.
- Mix: In a bowl, mix up some shredded chopped crab with cream cheese and Kewpie mayo and then spread it on top of the rice layer. Sprinkle on a bit more furikake.
- Bake: Pop the sushi bake into the oven and bake until it starts to brown and bubble and is heated through.
- Enjoy: Remove from the oven and if desired, drizzle with extra kewpie mayo and sriracha. Enjoy scooped on to roasted seaweed snacks with cucumber and avocado.
Ingredients
- Sushi rice - Koshihikari is the standard variety of rice used for sushi and is very easily found online and in grocery stores. It’s a short and stubby rice that is that is naturally sticky. It cooks up beautifully and is perfect for sushi bake.
- Crab or seafood - You can go with either imitation crab (which is not crab at all but pollock which is a fish), canned crab, or fresh crab. Since the crab is baked, I suggest just going with whatever is easiest. For me, that means either canned or imitation crab. If you’re not a fan of crab, you can definitely used any sort of seafood that you love - like salmon or tuna or prawns!
- Kewpie mayo and cream cheese - the cream cheese mixed up with the crab gets melty and creamy and is so decadent and addictive. Kewpie mayo adds a subtle rich and sweet mayo flavor that is tangy from the rice vinegar.
- Furikake - Furikake, if you haven’t heard of it, is rice seasoning. Think of it as a mix of seaweed and sesame seeds and other tasty bits that people sprinkle onto bowls of rice to dress them up a bit. It’s super addictive and tastes amazing on everything: rice, noodles, pasta, popcorn, eggs, you name it, furikake makes it better. You can find furikake at Asian grocery stores or online.
How to serve sushi bake
Sushi bakes are eaten kind of like a little taco with roasted seaweed snack being the tortilla and the sushi bake being the filling. Just scoop a bit of sushi bake onto a piece of roasted seaweed snack and pop it in your mouth for the perfect bite. Typically you just put a dish of warm sushi bake in the center of the table and everyone can scoop a bit onto their plate, wrap it in seaweed and eat it. You can also slice it into little pre-portioned slices that you can easily move onto roasted seaweed.What kind of seaweed do I need?
Seasoned roasted Korean laver seaweed snacks is the best seaweed to eat with sushi bake. You’ll see them in little foil packs sold in the snack section. They sell them at Asian grocery stores, Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, online, essentially everywhere! Roasted seaweed snacks look a little bit different than the typical seaweed used for sushi - slightly more translucent with a looser weave. You can also just use regular toasted seaweed cut into rectangular strips but I love the crispy crunch of roasted seaweed snacks.Sushi bake variations
Sushi bake variations are endless! Try these:- Miso salmon - instead of crab, use the equal amount of drained canned salmon. Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of miso.
- Tuna salad - instead of crab, use the equal amount of drained canned tuna. Mix in some sliced scallions.
- Spicy - mix in 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha into the crab mix and top with an extra drizzle of sriracha when eating.
- Cheesy - add an extra layer of shredded cheddar cheese on top before baking.
Spicy salmon roll sushi bake
To make a spicy salmon roll sushi bake, prepare the rice base as below. For the topping, combine 1 lb cooked and flaked salmon with 1 cup kewpie mayo, and 2 tbsp sriracha. Spread the spicy salmon mixture on top of the rice and top with the furikake and bake as directed below. Enjoy warm with seaweed!Crock pot sushi bake
A reader asked a really good question about making sushi bake in a Crock Pot so they could bring it to a party while keeping it warm. I hadn’t thought of it before, but the more I pondered, the more I thought about how it would absolute work to use the Crock Pot as a warmer. They key to making sushi bake in a Crock Pot is to use the Crock Pot as a warmer after you’ve already made and baked it. Here’s how you do it:- Make sushi rice by mixing cooked short grain rice with vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Spread the sushi rice into the bottom of the slow cooker insert and top generously with furikake.
- Mix up your toppings of choice with cream cheese and Kewpie mayo and spread it over the rice. Finish with a generous sprinkle of furikake.
- Bake the sushi rice in the crock pot insert in the oven at 350°F. This is a lower temperature than usual because the crock pot insert can’t be heated too high.
- When the top is brown and bubbly and everything is warmed through (about 20 minutes), transfer the crock pot insert to the crock pot and keep warm on low.
- Keep it on low until ready to serve, then top with extra mayo and sriracha, if desired. Serve warm with roasted seaweed snacks to scoop up!
What to serve with sushi bake
Truthfully sushi bake is a full meal within itself but if you’re looking for some extras, try these:- Tamagoyaki because who doesn’t love sweet and savory rolled eggs
- No Japanese inspired meal is complete without miso soup!
- A lil salad with incredibly addictive Japanese dressing would be a lovely side
- Spicy, creamy, addictive prawn tempura in chili mayo
- Super fluffy, jiggly Japanese cheesecake for dessert
Sushi Bake
A savory, creamy, and super satisfying deconstructed California roll, layered and baked in a casserole.
- 1 cup rice (Koshihikari or other short grain rice preferred)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz imitation crab (shredded and chopped)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese (room temp)
- 1/2 cup mayo (kewpie mayo preferred)
- 1/4 cup furikake
- 1/2 cucumber (sliced, to serve)
- 1 avocado (cubed, to serve)
- 3 packages roasted laver (aka Korean seaweed snacks, to serve)
Heat the oven to 425°F. Place the sushi rice in a colander, rinse throughly and let drain for 15 minutes. Cook rice according to the package instructions or your preference. While the rice is cooking, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small sauce pan and warm over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Alternatively, microwave briefly, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the shredded crab with the cream cheese and mayo until smooth. Set aside.
When the rice is done, transfer to a very large bowl. Sprinkle on the vinegar mixture and use a rice paddle or spatula to mix the vinegar into the rice while using a slicing motion. Fan the rice while mixing to dry it out slightly.
Spread the sushi rice into an oven safe baking dish and top with 1/2 of the furikake.
Top with the cream cheese mayo crab mix. Sprinkle on the remaining furikake.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top just begins to brown and bubble and the casserole is warmed through.
Enjoy warm with roasted seaweed snack, sliced cucumbers, and sliced avocados.
To reheat: warm in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through or in the microwave for 30s - 1 min.
I Am... Japanese Cheesecake Recipe
Japanese cheesecake is probably my all-time favorite cake of any kind, cheese or not. Recently, I’ve been making Japanese cheesecake after cheesecake, not to perfect a recipe or anything, but because they’re just so fluffy and addictive. Can you ever have too much cheesecake?
What is Japanese Cheesecake?
Japanese cheesecake is a soufflé cheesecake that's quite different than the dense and thick New York style cheesecake we all know and love, but every bit as tasty. They are light and fluffy thanks to loads of whipped egg whites, are a little less sweet, and have a slightly tangy cream cheese flavor. They’re so fluffy that you can probably eat a whole cheesecake by yourself and not feel totally guilty about it. They're like the cheesecake version of Japanese soufflé pancakes. They look pretty darn cute and squishy and taste good too. This recipe bakes up beautifully, doesn't crack and the inside texture is bang on, almost exactly the same as the cheesecakes I get in Tokyo. The key is baking it at different temperatures. It starts off high so it can get a lot of heat to help it rise, then goes low and slow so everything bakes evenly.How to make Japanese Cheesecake
- Make the cream cheese batter: The cream cheese is melted over a double boiler so that it gets extra smooth and creamy. When it’s melty, mix in the butter, milk, egg yolks, and a bit of sugar.
- Sift in the flour and cornstarch: After everything is smooth you sift in the cake flour and cornstarch.
- Whip the egg whites: This is the part that is key. It’s not too difficult, especially if you’ve made meringue before. Just whip up your whites to about soft peaks.
- Mix: Gently fold together the whites and cream cheese batter, being careful not to deflate the whites too much.
- Bake in a water bath: Japanese cheesecake is a bit delicate so you’ll need to bake it in a water bath with a kitchen towel underneath so that it doesn't contact direct heat in any way.
- Cool: If you like, you can remove it from the pan once it’s cool enough to touch and do the jiggly shake that I’m sure you’ve seen on the internet. Otherwise, just let it cool very slowly then you’re ready to eat!
Japanese Cheesecake Ingredients
The ingredients for this Japanese cheesecake recipe are are similar to regular cheesecake, but with a few important changes:- cake flour: if you don't live in America, cake flour is low protein flour, usually about 8%-9% protein
- corn starch: not corn flour. corn starch is used to get the protein content down even further to make the cake as light and fluffy as possible
- cream of tartar: cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites, which are whipped into a meringue. Cream of tartar can be hard to find depending on where you live, so if you don't have it but you're pretty good at whipping egg whites to soft peaks, you could skip it. You can also order it online.
The importance of cooling your cheesecake
After the baking, the cheesecake will spend an enormously long time to cool off in the oven. I’m pretty sure this is not how they do it in Japan because they take them out of the oven when they’re still super hot and jiggly, but this works for me so I roll with it. The super slow cooling keeps your cheesecake looking non-wrinkly and crack-free, which was a problem I faced the first few times I made this. The only thing is, when you cool it in the oven, you don’t get to have fun jiggling it while it’s still hot. And really, the cheesecake is most jiggly when it’s warm. After it cools down, it deflates a bit and is more like a regular fluffy sponge cake texture rather than a jiggly puffball. If you don't care about aesthetics, or care more about jiggling, or just want to eat cheesecake ASAP, feel free to shorten the cooling time or even take it out right away.Soft peaks
Japanese cheesecake is made light and fluffy by whipping up egg whites. We’re aiming for a soft peak, which will help the cheesecake be fluffy and jiggly. You want your egg whites to look like almost fully whipped egg whites, but when you pull your whisk up from the whites, the whites will gently fold over like the tip of a nice swirl of soft ice cream, instead of standing straight up.Kitchen scale
The measurements in this recipe are by weight because Japanese cheesecake can be a little finicky when baking by volume. If you don't yet have a kitchen scale, you should totally get one because they are cheap and will change your baking life forever. You'll wonder why it took you so long to start baking by weight before, it's so much easier! This is a recipe that takes time and care but it’s totally worth it! Wishing you a fluffy Japanese cheesecake :)The Best Japanese Cheesecake Recipe
Just the right sweetness and perfectly fluffy and jiggly with a hint of tart cream cheese.
- kitchen scale
Cream Cheese Batter
- 250 grams room temperature cream cheese
- 60 grams unsalted butter
- 100 ml whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 70 grams sugar
- 60 grams cake flour
- 20 grams cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Meringue
- 6 large egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 70 grams sugar
Preheat your oven to 390°F and lightly grease a 8” x 3” round cake pan with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Pour boiling water into a large bowl or pan, then sit a smaller mixing bowl inside. Add the cream cheese to the smaller bowl and let soften while you separate your eggs. When the cream cheese is soft, whisk until smooth and creamy, then stir in butter and milk until smooth and incorporated. Whisk in the yolks until smooth, then whisk in the sugar. Remove the bowl from the hot water bath and sift in the cake flour and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth.
Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until frothy and pale, adding sugar bit at a time until the whites are whipped into a glossy thick meringue that holds a soft peak. Be careful not to over whip.
Take 1/3 of the whipped egg whites and whisk it into the bowl with the yolks until completely incorporated. Add half of the remaining whites and whisk into the yolk batter, being careful not to deflate.
Transfer the egg yolk mixture to the remaining egg whites, whisk and then use a spatula to fold together. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan – it should come up almost to the top of the pan, about 1/4 inch from the top. Tap the pan against the counter to release any air bubbles.
Place a kitchen towel into a large deep baking dish and place the cake pan on top (this ensures that the cheesecake doesn’t have any contact with direct heat), then put everything into the preheated oven and carefully pour hot water about 1 inch high.
Bake at 390°F for 18 minutes, then drop the heat to 285°F and bake for another 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes is up, turn off the oven and leave the cake inside without opening the door for another 30 minutes. Finally, open the oven door and remove the water bath. Place the cake back into the oven and leave the door slightly open to let cool gently for another 30 minutes. The idea is to let the cake cool very gradually so it doesn’t crack.
The cake will have naturally shrunk from the sides and should be cool enough to touch. Use a cutting board (or your hands) to invert and remove from the pan. Flip back right side up and place on your serving dish. It should be soft, fluffy, and jiggly while it’s still warm.
adapted from craftpassion.com
I Am... How to make the best charcuterie board
I love date-nights in. So cozy and romantic. You get to pick the music, or maybe a movie, light some candles and just chill with your boo. My favorite way to do an easy night in is a charcuterie board. Mike and I first discovered our love for charcuterie together. Way back in the day, years and years ago, a hot new restaurant opened in a literal alley in a very sketchy part of town. It was hipster before being hipster was a thing. They offered flights of meat and cheese for an insane amount of money (to us, back then) and we fell in love.
Charcuterie at home
After our fourth visit there in 2 weeks, we wised up to the fact that we were spending an absurd amount of money on something that we could easily do at home. After all, the restaurant literally told us where they sourced their charcuterie from. This was way before made-in-house was a thing. So, we went right to the source, bought a bunch of our favorites, which we handily already knew, and went to town. Ever since, we’ve always made charcuterie and cheese boards at home. The best part is coming up with fun little accompaniments, because stuff that makes everything prettier makes things tastier too, right? Our boards are heavy on the pate because to me, that's the best part.Where to get charcuterie ingredients
Ideally you have a nice little European inspired artisanal meat and cheese provider in your city. Failing that though, you can get a decent selection of salamis, cured meats, cheeses, and pates from the deli section of most major grocery stores, especially Whole Foods and similar higher end stores.How to make a charcuterie board
First off, don’t feel like you have to go crazy. I love a simple charcuterie board. You can do just one meat and one cheese and have some mustard and good bread and call it a day. Or you could also go crazy and make a huge impressive platter! You do you. You are after all, the star of your meat and cheese bar.- Grab your board. Just in case you’re wondering, do you need a fancy marble and wood charcuterie board? The answer is nope, you can use any old cutting board or plate you have at home! In these photos we used a baking sheet.
- Little bowls. Put down a couple of small bowls for things like olives, rillettes, mustards, jams, dips, nuts, anything that you don’t want spreading all over the board. The bowls add height to your board and also give you more space because you can lean/stack things against them. How many bowls depends on the size of your board or plate.
- Meats and cheeses. After the bowls are on the platter, add the sliced meats, either in neat rows or in a organic pile. Add the cheese. While the exact combination is up to you, a little further below we have suggested amounts, varieties, and mixes.
- Breads and crackers. Stack or lay out the carbs in little piles, keeping the crackers with the crackers and the breads with the breads.
- Spreads. We like to use a couple of different mustards (usually 1 English and 1 stone ground French) as well as whatever jelly we have sitting around.
- Fruit and garnish. Add some seasonal fruit and herbs for color and freshness! In the photos we use a little trick we learned from Cassia in Santa Monica: pairing charcuterie with Vietnamese herbs. It's genius!
How much charcuterie per person?
It’s nice to get a mix of meats and cheeses but the ratio is up to you! We base everything on a minimum order of 2oz.- For an appetizer, get 2 different meats/cheeses per person (4oz total per person)
- As a main, get 4 different meats/cheeses per person (8oz total per person).
What to put on a charcuterie board?
If you want to go all out and make the perfect charcuterie board, this is our formula:- Something machine-sliced: These are your cured meats like prosciutto, sliced thin for a salty, savory hit. Since you probably don't have a meat slicer, if they don't already come sliced, get these from the deli and ask them to slice them as thin as they recommend (different meats require different thicknesses).
- Something hand-sliced: These are the cured meats that you want with a little bit of a heartier/heftier bite, sausages and the like that you can slice yourself at home.
- Something spreadable: These are the squishy spreadable things that add a bit of fat and are smooth and rich on the tongue. We like to go for a couple pâtés or terrines, and always add a small scoop of rillettes too.
- Cheese. Not all charcuterie boards include cheese, but the best ones do, in my opinion! You can just add one as an accent or do a combination that highlight contrasting flavors and textures. We like to go about 70/30 meats vs cheese, usually one brie and one harder cheese like gouda (more on this below).
- Carbs. Carbs are the base upon which your (probably pretty expensive) meats and cheeses are enjoyed. Crusty bread, untoasted and toasted, crisp rye crackers, homemade sourdough crackers, water crackers - the list goes on. While the point of the carbs on a charcuterie board is a blank canvas for the flavors of the meats and cheeses, a really good selection of crusty toasted baguettes and crispy crunchy crackers can turn an ordinary grocery store meat and cheese board into something extraordinary.
- Bright Notes. These are your fruits, olives, mustards, pickles, herbs, and jellies. They shouldn't be an afterthought, actually, they should be the star of the show! These guys are what people really find themselves enjoying after the first couple of bites, because they offset the richness of the meats and cheeses with complex flavors and mix-and-match combinations. We like to go crazy with different mustards and always include some nice cornichons and olives.
Best cured meats
These are our favorites:- Soppressata: a dry Italian salami made from pork that comes in different flavors like black pepper or spicy. Salty, rich, and flavorful. You can get this sliced thin at the deli or cut slightly thicker slices at home.
- Saucisson sec: a thick dry cured French sausage usually made from pork, saucisson sec is similar to salami or summer sausage. It’s meaty, mild, and comes in a variety of flavors like red wine or garlic. You can get this sliced thin at the deli or cut slightly thicker slices at home.
- Calabrese: a spicy cured pork sausage from Calabria, Italy. Bright red, rich, and robust. You can get this sliced thin at the deli or cut slightly thicker slices at home.
- Mortadella: a large Italian pork sausage studded with small cubes of pork fat, whole black pepper, and optionally pistachios or olives. Mortadella is soft and smooth and silky. It might remind you of baloney, but it’s nothing like baloney. Get this sliced thin.
- Prosciutto: By now everyone and their grandma knows prosciutto and it’s no wonder why, it’s salty, rich, and just melts in your mouth. What’s not to love about thinly sliced cured ham?! Get this sliced thin at the deli.
- Jamon (Serrano and Iberico): The Spanish version of dry cured ham. Sweet, nutty, and earthy, this delicate ham is cured longer than prosciutto and has a deeper, stronger flavor. Serrano is the more common jamon and Iberico is the more specialty, made from black Iberian pigs. Get this sliced thin at the deli.
- Bresaloa: Air dry salted lean beef that’s been aged, made famous in the Lombardy region of Italy. It’s kind of like a beefy version of prosciutto, but less fatty and milder in flavor. Get it sliced thin at the deli.
- Finocchiona: a Tuscan salami on the sweeter side flecked with fennel seeds. This is one of my favorites!
Best pâtés, terrines, and rillettes
Head to a charcutier (a place where they make in house charcuterie) for a selection of spreadables to up your charcuterie game. Spreadable things are incredibly addictive, especially on crackers and bread.- Pâté: The most decadent and delicious of the pâté is foie gras but a more accessible pâté is probably chicken liver pâté or chicken liver mousse. It’s light, rich, and silky smooth. We also like a simple peppercorn pâté or a rustic country style pâté de campagne.
- Terrine: Terrine mostly refers to the loaf-shaped pan that they’re cooked in. Sometimes they’re layered or baked in puff pastry. We love duck and pistachio terrine for its simple heartiness and amazing time tested flavors.
- Rillettes: Rillettes are meat or fish that’s been chopped or shredded and confit/cooked own fat to make a thick spread. If you’ve had potted whitefish dip or potted salmon, it was probably a rillette. Rillettes are heartier than pâté and incredibly satisfying. Our favorite is pork rillettes.
Best cheeses
The best cheese is a cheese you like! That being said, if you want to expand your cheese horizons, these are some of our favorites that aren’t the usual cheddar, brie, and mozzarella. Epoisses de Bourgongne or Saint-Andre: These two are creamy, soft cheeses perfect for spreading. The Epoisses has a pretty pungent smell, but when you taste it, it’s creamy, salty, and sweet. At room temp it’s absolutely luscious. If you’re against stinky cheeses, you should go for the Saint Andre, a triple cream which is dense, buttery, and rich. It’s like brie, but better! Kaasaggio Robusto Gouda: It’s our new favorite cheese obsession. Flavor wise, it’s a blend of parmesan and gouda, with the salty nuttiness of Parmesan and the sweet butterscotch-y flavors of an aged gouda. It has a an intense amount of those addictive little crunchy crystals that are only found in really good aged cheese. Castello Double Creme Blue: I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese, but I have a deep respect for their sharp, deep flavors. I’m slowly liking blue cheese more and more and if you want a gateway blue cheese, this is the one to try. Castello is a Danish cheese, tender and mild compared to other blues while still having a delicate bitterness with a creamy finish. Kind of addictive to be honest! Saint Paulin: This is one of those cheeses that everyone will love. It’s a semi-firm pressed cheese that has a pleasing edible yellow-orange rind and a velvety buttery smooth interior. It’s very similar to a harvarti – super subtle with a hint of sweetness and the taste of fresh milk.Bread and crackers
We like having a variety of breads and crunchy things too.- I’m really into these rye crisps
- and these crispy crackers
- Mike loves toasted baguettes that we get sliced at our local bakery, then put on a baking sheet at home and toast all at once at 350ºF for 15 minutes.
- Of course if you want to go all out, homemade sourdough crackers are the way to go!
What are the best garnishes for a charcuterie board?
- Spreads: jams and honey add a touch of sweetness. They’re perfect with cheese!
- Nuts: walnuts, macadamias, marcona almonds, pecans, pistachios, all the nuts!
- Seeds: this sounds funny, but seeds go exceptionally well sprinkled onto cheese, especially soft ones like goat cheese. Have little dishes of poppy seeds, toasted sesame seeds, toasted sunflower seeds, pepitas
- Olives: Pick your favorite olives! We like picholine (small green French olives), Nicoise (small black French olives), and Manzanilla (firm smoky green Spanish olives).
- Fruit: Any seasonal fruit will do, in the summer berries and stone fruits are nice and in the fall and winter things like pears and apples.
- Mustards: whole grain, dijon, spicy brown, honey mustard, English; mustards add heat and acidity.
- Pickles: cornichon (those cute little French pickles), picked onions or shallots, pickled vegetable such as beets, peppers, radishes, beans, etc.
What is charcuterie, anyway?
Charcuterie is the french term for prepared meat products like hams, sausages, terrines, and pâtés. While traditionally that was more or less it, these days a charcuterie board implies a big spread of cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, spreads, crackers, and breads. Part of the fun of charcuterie is that everything is prepared and all you have to do is pick out your favorites and make everything look pretty. It’s easy and delicious and can feel fancy or casual, but always luxurious. You can go from grocery store pâtés to local artisanal cheeses and everything in between.Why are charcuterie boards so popular?
I think it’s because people like choice and abundance. Place a charcuterie board down in front of people and they get to pick and choose what they like, making flavor combinations appeal to them – kind of like a food version of choose-your-own-adventure. With one or two items, it’s a low key appetizer or light meal, perfect for pairing with drinks. If you go all out, it’s also super easy for fancy entertaining or for a casual date night in. We've used charcuterie boards as easy-yet-fancy appetizers for dinner parties that can be quickly thrown together more times than I can remember. You don’t have to go fancy though. Sometimes the best thing to do is to stick to one kind of meat, a really good mustard, and some olives. Keep it simple, keep it crazy, keep it you. It's delicious no matter how you slice it (pun intended).How do you say charcuterie?
It’s shar-CUTE-er-ee! Go forth and meat and cheese with abandon! xoxo stephThe Ultimate Charcuterie Board
Our ultimate version of a classic charcuterie board.
- 2 oz prosciutto (thinly sliced at the deli)
- 2 oz soppressata (thinly sliced at the deli)
- 2 oz finocchiona (thinly sliced at the deli)
- 2 oz duck with truffles pâté
- 2 oz pork rillettes
- 2 oz double creme brie (or bleu)
- 2 oz Kaasaggio Robusto Gouda
- 2 oz boursin (high-low baby)
- 1 baguette (1/3" sliced at the bakery)
- 1/2 package crackers (see blog for recommendations)
- 1/4 cup stone ground mustard
- 1/4 cup English mustard
- 1/2 cup olives (see blog for recommendations)
- 1/4 cup cornichons
- 1 fruit (thinly sliced, seasonal)
Toast your baguettes in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, slice your cheeses and salamis, if needed
Arrange your mustards, olives, cornichons, and other spreads in small dishes.
Smear your pâté, rillettes, and soft cheeses along the edges of deep plates.
Remove baguette from oven and arrange in a large bowl or two. In a separate bowl, snap into small pieces (if homemade) and arrange your crackers.
Serve immediately with tongs, forks, or other serving utensils.
As a main, either double the volume or variety of the proteins.
The meats and cheeses are just a base, you should add jams, jellies, herbs, and other fruits or veggies according to your taste.
Estimated nutrition is a good representation but will be highly variable based on your selections.
I Am... Air Fryer Eggs
I’m forever looking for ways to improve my egg game and I think these air fryer eggs just did it. I love eggs. Fried, boiled, jammy, sous voided, scrambled, give me all the eggs, all the time. I recently came across an amazing way to make boiled eggs, no water required. Inspired by people who hard boil bake their eggs, I thought to myself, why not air fry? I haven’t tried hard boiling eggs in the oven, but an air fryer is like a mini oven and you don’t need to preheat it so I figured it was a win. My life is changed. No more waiting for water to boil and the eggs crack perfectly every time. No water, just eggs and an air fryer. We use our air fryer for so many things: fried chicken, tacos, steak, bacon, I guess it was just a matter of time until we used it for eggs too. It couldn’t be simpler, just put your eggs straight from the fridge into the air fryer basket, set it, then forget it. When the air fryer timer goes off, plunge the eggs into an ice bath or cold water, peel and you’re in egg heaven. I’ve done them at all different times and I love them most at medium, which is what I like to use in egg salad and as a snack.
How to make air fryer eggs
- Place cold eggs into the air fryer basket.
- Cook them for 9-15 minutes depending on your yolk preference at 250°F.
- Plunge immediately into cold water or an ice bath.
- Peel and enjoy.
How many eggs can I make in an air fryer?
As many as you want! You can make one, or up to 6. Just give the eggs a little bit of room between them so they have enough heat circulation so they’re evenly cooked.How do you like your eggs?
I like them all! Every doneness has a purpose. I love a softie egg with toast, jammy eggs to eat on their own, and hard boiled for making deviled eggs.How long to air fry eggs
- Soft boiled: For just set whites and a very runny yolk you need 9 minutes at 270°F.
- Medium boiled: For medium boiled eggs medium firm whites and a jammy yolk you need 10 minutes at 270°F.
- Hard boiled: For hard boiled eggs with firm whites and a fully set not chalky yolk you need 13 minutes at 270°F.
Tips
- Make sure you use eggs straight from the fridge so they cook evenly.
- Plunge the eggs in an ice bath to stop them from cooking.
- Crack them on the fat end then roll them around and peel.
Every air fryer is different
Be sure to experiment with cook times because each air fryer is a different size with a different wattage and even how many eggs you place in the basket will affect the cook time. Give one or two eggs a try at first, hone in the timing, then go to town and meal prep ALL THE EGGS.Don't have an air fryer but have an instant pot?
Try this recipe!How to eat boiled eggs
Boiled eggs are the perfect snack. Full of protein, filling, flavorful, quick and easy. I like them with:- salt and freshly ground pepper
- topped with freshly chopped herbs
- drizzled with chili oil
- topped with everything bagel spice
- topped with pesto
- sprinkled with bacon bits
- sprinkled with furikake
Recipes that use boiled eggs
- ultra creamy deviled eggs
- egg and yogurt breakfast bowl
- oven roasted steak with chimichurri eggs
- ramen eggs
- egg salad sandwiches or this style too
Air fryer eggs
Perfect eggs every time in the air fryer, faster than boiling because you don't need to wait for the water.
- air fryer
- eggs (as many as needed)
Place the eggs, straight from the fridge into the air fryer basket, leaving space between the eggs. Air fry at 270°F for 9-13 minutes depending on how you want your yolks done.
Soft - 9 minutes
Jammy - 10 minutes
Medium - 11 minutes
Hard - 13 minutes
When the time is up, plunge into cold water or an ice bath to stop the cooking, then when cool enough to handle, peel and enjoy.
Estimated nutrition based on 1 large egg.
I Am... Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Instant Pot butter chicken is savory and saucy and perfect with rice and naan for soaking up that delicious tomato-y buttery sauce. Butter chicken is one of those dishes that holds a special spot in my heart. It was one of Mike and I’s go-to dishes to make and eat when we first moved in together. I wasn’t much of a cook back then but we both had a love of Indian food and when we wanted to stay in and play house, we would buy jarred butter chicken sauce and heat up some chicken and naan and have a cute night in of “cooking” even though it was more like heating up. I’m much more adept at cooking now and Indian food is still one of those things we love to make and eat. Sometimes I’ll go all out and make a 24 hour dal and homemade naan but sometimes we’ll want something quick, easy, and flavorful without much fuss. For those days, it’s always Instant Pot butter chicken.
How to make Instant Pot butter chicken
- Add. To the insert of the Instant Pot, add a can of diced tomatoes along with the garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir everything together, then nestle in the chicken pieces, whole.
- Pressure cook. Pop the lid on and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to take the chicken out and set it aside on a plate.
- Blend. Use an immersion blender and blend the sauce until smooth. Or, carefully transfer to a blender and blend. When the sauce is smooth, let it cool slightly, 3-5 minutes.
- Stir. Stir in the butter, cream, then an extra bit of garam masala. The sauce should be lovely and thick, able to coat the back of a spoon.
- Simmer. Chop up the chicken into bite size pieces and add it back to the sauce in the Instant Pot. Set the pot to sauté on low and heat the chicken through and let the sauce bubble.
- Serve. Enjoy with freshly chopped cilantro!
Ingredients
- Diced tomatoes. Tomatoes are the base of butter chicken. Please use diced tomatoes and not tomato paste or sauce - diced tomatoes tend to have a lot more liquid in them which is key for the Instant Pot. You’ll want to add in the ENTIRE can of diced tomatoes, juice and all.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic adds so much flavor. Use a garlic press for extra ease.
- Ginger. Fresh ginger adds heat and a bit of warming spice.
- Spices. Turmeric, cayenne pepper, ground paprika, cumin. These are spices that you’ll probably have hanging out in the pantry. Make sure they’re fresh!
- Garam masala. This is a mix of spices that varies greatly from spice mix to spice mix but usually contains: fennel, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and red chili powder. You can make your own, but you can also buy a mix at the store.
- Chicken. Chicken thighs are best because they cook up juicy and tender.
- Butter. It wouldn’t be butter chicken without butter. Go for unsalted so you can control the saltiness of your butter chicken.
- Heavy cream. Full fat whipping cream adds luxurious creaminess and mixes with the redness of the tomatoes to butter chicken its iconic golden color.
What is butter chicken?
Butter chicken, known as murgh makhani, is a chicken curry made with tomatoes, spices, butter, and cream. It’s mild and creamy and so incredibly delicious. It’s a fairly new curry, developed by a restaurant group called Moti Mahal in India.Is this authentic butter chicken?
Yup, I would say so! This recipe is based off of Urvashi Pitre’s butter chicken and she has had a whole lifetime of making and eating it. Butter chicken is an Indian dish, very popular in North India and also widely eaten in South India.Urvashi Pitre’s Instant Pot butter chicken is perfection:
- it’s quick and easy, you basically put everything in the Instant Pot and turn it on
- it’s full of SO much flavor, creamy, just a touch of heat, and so delicious
- it’s authentic because Urvashi Pitre is essentially known as “the butter chicken lady”
Why does butter chicken taste so good?
Curry chicken is the ultimate comfort food and butter chicken is the most comforting curry because it’s warm and cozy, full of savory flavors that aren’t too spicy. The cream and tomatoes play off each other perfectly. The tomatoes add umami and acidity and the cream counters the acidity and adds a lovely texture and the added bonus of tempering the the heat of the spices.What is the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala?
Butter chicken and chicken tikka masala are very similar with distinctly different flavors. Butter chicken is creamier and not as spicy. Chicken tikka masala is more tomato-y and doesn’t have as much dairy. They’re both delicious!Tips and tricks
- There no need to add extra water. Lots of water will cook out from the chicken so you don’t need to add extra water to the pot. If you do, your sauce will be thin.
- Let the sauce cool slightly before adding the butter and cream
- Finish with garam masala. Adding garam masala at the end makes all the difference. The garam masala added at the end adds a fresh burst of spice.
- If you’re getting a “burn warning” it’s probably because your diced tomatoes don’t have enough liquid. In this case, adding 1/4 cup chicken stock will help, but making sure you use a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, including all the liquid in the can, is best!
What to serve with butter chicken
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Instant Pot butter chicken is savory and saucy and perfect with rice and naan.
- instant pot
- 14 oz diced tomatoes (1 can, undrained)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb chicken breast (boneless skinless, or thighs)
- 1/2 cup butter (cubed)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, cumin, and salt in the Instant Pot. Stir throughly and nestle the chicken in.
Put the lid on and set the pressure to high for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then depressurize.
Carefully open the lid and remove the chicken. Use an immersion blender and blend the sauce until smooth. Alternately, carefully transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Let cool slightly for 3-5 minutes then stir in the butter, cream, the last teaspoon of garam masala. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Roughly chop the chicken then add back into the sauce. Set the Instant Pot to sauté on low, letting the chicken heat through. Top with the cilantro and enjoy with basmati and naan!
via The New Yorker
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