Main Dishes Archives

Category: Main Dishes

18
Apr
2026

Cajun Shrimp and Cheese Grits

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Cajun Shrimp and Cheese Grits are a delicious meal for 4! Cheesy grits are topped with Cajun-seasoned, pan-seared shrimp and creamy sauce.

If you’re looking for a great looking and tasting meal to serve to family or friends, may I suggest you check out this recipe for Cajun Shrimp and Cheese Grits?

A few years ago, my husband and I enjoyed a vacation in Franklin, Tennessee. We had the opportunity to try several regional foods while in the area and one of the dishes tried was shrimp and grits!

Last year I decided to come up with a recipe that is slightly similar but has its own flavor profile and this really yummy recipe is the result. We really love it. I cook grits with two kinds of cheese (sharp cheddar cheese and a small amount of goat cheese).

The grits, the shrimp and the sauce are all flavored with Cajun spices, which give the overall dish a wonderful, cohesive flavor! If you don’t have this spice mix available, you might be interested in using my recipe for Homemade Cajun Seasoning.

I really think you will enjoy this delicious and decadent meal. Here’s my recipe to make Cajun Shrimp and Cheese Grits.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Cheese Grits

Cook 1 cup of grits with water and salt, according to the package directions. Please note that the time needed to cook the grits will depend on the type of grits you use.

TIP: Use either stone-ground grits or fast-cooking grits, according to your own personal preference or convenience. Stone-ground grits take between 30-45 minutes to cook, and Quick grits take about 5 minutes.

When the grits are fully cooked, add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and ¼ cup of crumbled goat cheese. Stir until the two cheeses melt and are fully incorporated.

Add ½ teaspoon of Cajun (or Creole) spice mix and stir until combined. Season the cheesy grits with enough salt and black pepper to suit your personal taste.

Now you have made the creamy cheesy grits that will serve as the base layer for the cooked shrimp. Cover the pan and keep the grits hot while you quickly finish the dish.

Cook The Shrimp

Sprinkle peeled and deveined shrimp with 2 teaspoons of Cajun (or Creole) spice mix. Toss the shrimp gently until all of them are lightly seasoned.

In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter, then stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook the butter and garlic for about 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn.

Add the seasoned shrimp and cook them for about 2-3 minutes per side and they are cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp or they may become “rubbery” in texture.

Cook The Sauce Topping

Making the sauce topping for the shrimp and grits is easy. This sauce will be spooned over the bowls of shrimp and grits right before serving and provide another layer of flavor!

TIP: To save time, you might want to make this sauce BEFORE cooking the shrimp and grits. Simply reheat it at the last minute to spoon over the shrimp and grits.

In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons butter on medium-low heat. Stir in ¾ cup of milk, ½ cup of chicken broth, ½ cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon of Cajun (or Creole) spice mix.

Heat the sauce until it is fully hot and lump-free (it will be a fairly thin sauce). Remember, you can reheat it right before serving if you want to make it a little bit ahead of time.

Serve Cajun Shrimp And Cheese Grits

When all the components are hot, fully cooked and are ready to serve, this is how to plate the finished shrimp and cheese grits.

Spoon the cheese grits onto the bottom of each serving bowl (or plate). Add shrimp on top of the grits, then sprinkle the top with chopped green onions or chives.

Spoon some of the sauce over the top of the dish. It is a fairly thin sauce, so it will coat the shrimp and then run down the sides of the bowl and encircle the grits (shown in the photo below).

All the flavors in the cheese grits, on the shrimp and in the sauce come together in every single bite of this delicious main dish!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this yummy dish for yourself and those you love. I am confident you will all love it!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking for More SHRIMP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious shrimp recipes to choose from, including:

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Cajun Shrimp and Grits

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Cajun Shrimp and Cheese Grits are a delicious meal for 4! Cheesy grits are topped with Cajun-seasoned, pan-seared shrimp and creamy sauce.

Category: Entree-Seafood, Main Dish

Cuisine: Cajun

Keyword: Cajun Shrimp and Cheese Grits

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 475 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Cheese Grits:

4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Quick Cooking Grits *OR stone-ground grits
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
¼ cup goat cheese (crumbled)
½ teaspoon Cajun spice mix
salt and black pepper enough to season to taste

For Shrimp:

2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Cajun spice mix to season shrimp
1 pound shrimp peeled/ deveined

For Sauce:

2 Tablespoons butter
¾ cup low-fat milk
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Cajun spice mix

Garnish dish with chopped green onions or chives, if desired (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook Cheese Grits:

Cook grits with water and salt, according to pkg. directions. Note: cooking time depends on which kind of grits you use. **Stone Ground Grits take approx. 30-45 minutes, while Quick Grits take about 5 minutes. Use "Stone-Ground Grits" OR "Quick Grits", according to your own personal preference.
Add grated cheddar cheese and crumbled goat cheese. Heat on medium-low stirring often until cheeses melt and are fully incorporated. Add ½ tsp. of Cajun spice mix; stir until combined. Season grits to taste with salt and black pepper. Set aside, cover pan and keep hot. If using Quick Grits, time them so they are done when the shrimp is done, to save time!

Prepare/Cook The Shrimp:

Sprinkle shrimp with 2 tsp. of Cajun spice mix; toss gently to distribute spices.
Melt butter in large skillet; stir in minced garlic. Cook butter/garlic for about 1 minute, stirring often. Add shrimp; cook 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through and pink (do not overcook!). Remove from heat.

Make The Sauce:

Melt butter in a large skillet on medium-low heat. Stir in milk, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp. Cajun spice mix. Heat sauce through. TIP: To save time, you may want to make the sauce BEFORE cooking shrimp/grits. Reheat it right before serving.

For Each Serving:

Spoon hot cheese grits (divide evenly) into the bottom of serving bowls. Arrange shrimp on top, then sprinkle with chopped green onions (optional garnish). Spoon sauce over the shrimp; it will run down the sides and encircle the grits. Serve hot and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Cook time shown is for using "quick grits". If using stone-ground grits, the cooking time for the grits will increase considerably (per pkg. directions).

Nutrition Facts

Cajun Shrimp and Grits

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 475 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g46%

Saturated Fat 17g106%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 262mg87%

Sodium 1306mg57%

Potassium 498mg14%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 39g78%

Vitamin A 1795IU36%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 475mg48%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

28
Mar
2026

Ground Beef Empanadas

categories: Beef, Main Dishes

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Make a dozen delicious Ground Beef Empanadas with meat, potatoes, Mexican spices and peas stuffed inside a fried, flaky pastry dough crust.

Today I want to share a great recipe for ground beef empanadas with you. This recipe will yield 12 beautiful empanadas, perfect for lunch or dinner!

I found this recipe online a while ago and decided to give it a try. I have made fruit empanadas quite a few times but decided to make some with ground beef and Mexican-inspired spices.

My husband and I both LOVED them! We froze several of the empanadas and then reheated them in our air fryer a couple weeks later. They were still just as amazing!

I hope you enjoy trying these ground beef empanadas, too! Here’s how to make them.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Pastry Dough

Put a blade attachment on a food processor, then add all-purpose flour, salt and chunks of very cold butter. Pulse these ingredients several times until the butter has been reduced to about the size of peas in the flour.

Add one large egg and cold water into the food processor. Pulse these ingredients again, continuing only until everything comes together into a cohesive ball of dough.

Remove the dough ball from the processor and shape it with your hands into a flat round circle. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for one hour (at least!).

Make The Ground Beef Filling

While the dough chills, make the meat filling. Heat olive oil on medium in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, add chopped red onion, chopped jalapeños and chopped green chiles.

Sauté them for a couple of minutes until they have softened slightly. Stir in salt, chili powder, paprika and ground cumin and stir to combine.

The next thing you will do is stir tomato paste into this veggie/spice mixture until it has been incorporated. Sauté these ingredients for another couple of minutes.

Add ground beef to the spice mixture and cook the beef until it is no longer pink. Break up the meat as it browns. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes.

When the meat is done cooking, take the skillet off of the heat and let the ground beef filling cool slightly.

After the filling has had the chance to cool a bit, add pre-cooked potato cubes, frozen peas, fresh chopped green onion and parsley to the meat filling.

Stir until all of these filling ingredients are well-combined. Now let’s make some ground beef empanadas!

Cut Out Pastry Dough

Remove and unwrap the refrigerated pastry dough and place it on a floured work surface. Roll the dough out until it is about ¼” thick.

Use a biscuit cutter, small bowl or a ring cutter that is approximately 4½”- 5″ in diameter. I ended up using a 4½” plastic jar lid for my empanadas, which worked great!

Cut out 12 circles of dough, approximately 5″ in diameter. Gather and re-roll leftover dough and cut out additional circles, until you have 12 total.

Fill The Empanadas

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough circles out just a little bit more to make them slightly larger (shown below). Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling in the center of each pastry round.

Avoid overfilling the empanada or it will make it a little bit harder to fully enclose and seal the filling with the pastry dough.

Seal The Empanadas

After filling the dough, fold each empanada in half by bringing one edge of the dough up and over the filling until it reaches the other edge. The empanadas should be in a half-moon shape now.

Pinch the edges together to lightly seal the edges, then crimp the outer edges of the dough with the tines of a fork (shown below), to tightly seal the filling inside the pastry dough.

Be careful not to puncture the dough with the fork and make sure the empanadas are fully sealed to prevent the filling from leaking out while frying them.

Fry The Empanadas

Fill an electric skillet OR a large, deep skillet or a large saucepan with enough vegetable oil until it is about 1″ in depth. Heat the oil until it registers between 360°-375°F. on a digital thermometer.

For best results do NOT add the empanadas to the hot oil until it has reached that temperature or level of heat.

Once the oil is at temperature, add 2-3 empanadas to the skillet at a time. Fry them for about 2-3 minutes, then carefully turn them over and cook the other side for the same amount of time.

When done, they should be lightly browned and crispy on both sides. Transfer them out of the skillet and onto a wire rack (on top of paper towels to absorb any dripping oil).

IMPORTANT: After cooking a batch, it is really important to let the oil come back again to the correct temperature before frying the next batch!

Let the hot empanadas cool slightly on the wire rack (for a minute or two) before you serve them. See how pretty and golden brown they are on the outside?

When they come out of the hot oil in the fryer the pastry crust is nice and flaky, too! Now it’s almost time to serve and enjoy them.

Serve The Ground Beef Empanadas

Serve the ground beef empanadas while they are hot. We serve them with sour cream and salsa on the side to dip each bite in, because they add even more flavor!

Taco sauce and guacamole are two more delicious toppings or dips for the empanadas, so serve them with whatever toppings you prefer.

Dip or spoon some sour cream and salsa on the empanadas and take a big bite. YUM! We think these ground beef empanadas are amazing!

The empanadas freeze very well (after they have cooled completely) if wrapped well. We reheat them (thawed) in our air fryer at 340°F. for about 3-4 minutes.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious recipe and trust you and those you love will enjoy these empanadas as much as we do.

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More Recipes Using GROUND BEEF?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of ground beef recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

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Original recipe source and with thanks to: Alyssa Rivers at: https://therecipecritic.com/empanadas

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Ground Beef Empanadas

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Resting Time (dough chilling)

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 50 mins

Make a dozen delicious Ground Beef Empanadas with meat, potatoes, Mexican spices and peas stuffed inside a fried, flaky pastry dough crust.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Spanish

Keyword: ground beef empanadas

Servings: 12 empanadas

Calories Per Serving: 278 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For The Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup COLD butter cubed (=one stick or 8 Tbl.)
1 large egg
¾ cup cold water

For The Beef Filling:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped red onion* *finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh jalapeño pepper seeded/finely chopped
1 Tablespoon diced green chiles
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
12 ounces ground beef (90% lean)
6 ounces russet potato (pre-boiled and diced)
¼ cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
1 Tablespoon chopped green onions
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
OIL, for frying empanadas enough for a 1" depth in skillet

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Dough:

Put blade attachment on food processor. Add flour, salt and cold butter chunks. Pulse several times until butter is reduced to the size of peas, then add egg and cold water. Pulse again, continuing only until mixture comes together in a cohesive ball of dough. Remove dough; shape it with your hands into a flat round circle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate dough one hour (at least!).

Make Beef Filling (while dough is refrigerated):

Heat olive oil on medium in a large skillet. Once hot, add red onion, jalapeños and green chiles. Sauté until they've softened slightly (2-3 minutes). Stir in salt, chili powder, paprika and cumin. Add tomato paste; stir until combined. Sauté 2 more minutes. Add ground beef. Cook until meat is browned/fully cooked, breaking up the meat as it cooks (about 4-5 minutes). When done, take skillet off the heat; let the filling cool slightly (3-4 minutes). Stir in cooked diced potato, frozen peas, green onion and parsley until combined.

Make and Fill Empanadas:

Unwrap cold pastry dough; put dough on floured work surface. Roll dough out until it is about ¼" thick. Use a biscuit cutter, small bowl or ring cutter that is approx. 5" in diameter. Cut dough into 12 circles, approximately 5" in diameter. Gather/re-roll leftover dough; cut additional circles until you have 12 total. Roll dough circles out just a little bit more to make them slightly larger.
Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling in the center of each dough round. Avoid overfilling or it will be harder to fully enclose and seal in the filling. Fold empanadas in half by bringing one half of the dough up and over the filling until it reaches the other edge (half-moon shape). Pinch edges together to seal, then carefully crimp edges with the tines of a fork to tightly seal filling inside. Make sure empanadas are fully sealed to prevent filling from leaking out while cooking.

Cooking The Empanadas:

Fill an electric skillet OR a large skillet or large saucepan with vegetable oil until oil reaches 1" in depth. Heat oil until it registers between 360°-375°F. on a digital thermometer. Do NOT add empanadas to the oil until it has reached the correct temp. (for best results). Once oil is at temp, add 2-3 empanadas to the oil at a time. Fry for 2-3 minutes, then turn them over; cook the other side 2-3 minutes. When done, both sides should be lightly browned and crispy. Transfer them from the oil onto a wire rack (over paper towels to absorb any oil drips). IMPORTANT: After cooking a batch, it is really important to let oil re-heat to the correct temperature again before frying the next batch!
Let empanadas cool slightly before serving. Serve with favorite condiments (guacamole/sour cream/salsa, etc.). Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Ground Beef Empanadas

Amount Per Serving (1 empanada)

Calories 278 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 54mg18%

Sodium 301mg13%

Potassium 239mg7%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 483IU10%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

14
Mar
2026

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin And Gravy

categories: Instant Pot Recipes, Main Dishes, Pork

3 Shares

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Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin (and gravy) is a delicious dish that serves 4! Juicy pork slices are drizzled with a maple syrup and Dijon gravy.

Today I want to share with you a great recipe for Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin and Gravy (4 servings). I found the original recipe on Pinterest a while ago, tried it, and it was a hit!

So, I decided to post the recipe here on the old blog in the hopes that others out there would enjoy making it, as well.

All in all, this is not a difficult recipe, and the result is wonderfully tender pork slices, coated in a delicious and flavorful gravy. It is delicious! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

A Little Bit Of Prep

In a small bowl, whisk together dried garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, salt and black pepper until they have been fully combined.

These dry ingredients are the spice mixture that will be used to season the pork tenderloin. Set the spices aside once combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk chicken broth, low sodium soy sauce, pure maple syrup (or honey) and Dijon mustard together until smooth.

Pan-Sear The Seasoned Pork Tenderloin

Prepare the tenderloin by patting it dry with paper towels, then cutting away and discarding any extra silver skin on the meat.

Brush or rub all sides of the pork with ½ Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle both sides of a pork tenderloin with the dry spices, pressing them into the meat so they adhere.

The recipe (as written) calls for using a 1½ to 2-pound pork tenderloin, but I have included cooking times for a smaller sized tenderloin further below.

Press the SAUTÉ button on the Instant Pot and let the machine heat up for 1 minute. Add ½ Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and let it get hot.

Place the seasoned pork tenderloin in the hot oil and sauté it only until it is lightly browned on ALL sides. Do NOT cook it all the way through!

Once the tenderloin has been pan-seared and browned on all sides, take it out of the Instant Pot and let it rest onto a plate for a couple minutes.

Time To Cook The Pork Tenderloin

Pour the broth mixture into the Instant Pot inner cannister. The Instant Pot should still be on the SAUTÉ setting.

As the broth begins to heat up, use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze it as it cooks.

Continue heating and scraping until no browned bits of food are left stuck to the bottom of the pot. This will help prevent the Instant Pot from giving you the dreaded BURN warning later!

Scraping up the little browned bits from the bottom of the pot that are left over after sautéing the tenderloin will also add more flavor to this dish.

Cook The Pork Tenderloin

Press the CANCEL button to stop the sauté feature. Place the browned pork tenderloin on top of the broth mixture in the Instant Pot.

You may find you will need to curve or coil the meat slightly in the pot to help it fit comfortably on top of the broth. Lock the Instant Pot lid in place. Flip the toggle switch to SEALING.

Press the MANUAL (High pressure) button and cook the pork tenderloin for 3 minutes. If your pork tenderloin is smaller, you may find that less cooking time is necessary (see below).

NOTE: Cook a tenderloin with a weight between 1½-2 pounds for 3 minutes (then 12-minute Natural release time). If the tenderloin weighs 1¼ pounds or less, cook it for 1 minute (then 12-minute Natural release time)

The Instant Pot will gradually begin to heat and build pressure inside (about 10 minutes). Once it has reached full pressure, the pressure gauge on top of the machine will pop up, and the cooking program timer will begin.

Once The Pork Tenderloin Is Done Cooking

When done, let the pressure release NATURALLY (do nothing) for 12 minutes. The timer on the Instant Pot will begin counting the time and will show it on the display panel.

Once the internal pressure has been fully released, the pressure gauge (on top) will drop down, indicating it is now safe to open the lid.

Check the internal temperature of the pork using an instant-read digital thermometer. It should have a safe internal temperature of 145°F. (See below for instructions on what to do if the meat is at least 10 degrees or more below 145°F).

If you find it needs only a little more heat to reach 145°F, re-lock the lid and let the meat rest for 2-3 minutes in the residual heat remaining inside the Instant Pot. Unlock the lid and check the temp again.

What If Pork Hasn’t Reached The Correct Temperature?

NOTE: If the meat (after cooking and Natural 12-minute release) is more than 10 degrees less than 145°F., re-lock the lid and cook the meat for one more minute on HIGH PRESSURE, then do a quick release.of the remaining pressure.

Try not to over-cook the pork because that can make it dry! Transfer the pork tenderloin onto a plate, cover it tightly with foil, and let the meat rest for about 8-10 minutes.

Make The Gravy

While the meat rests, make the gravy using the liquid remaining in the Instant Pot. First, press the CANCEL button, then press the SAUTÉ button.

Whisk together 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 Tablespoon of water until it is lump-free. This is called a “slurry”, and it is used to thicken the broth.

Pour the slurry into the hot broth, and bring this liquid mixture to a simmer, stirring it often with a wooden spoon until it begins to thicken slightly.

Press the CANCEL button to turn off the heat and continue to stir as this gravy thickens. Once done, it is time to serve the Instant Pot pork tenderloin and gravy!

Serve The Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin And Gravy

Unwrap the pork tenderloin and place it on a cutting board. Cut it into ½” slices and then transfer those slices to a serving platter (shown below).

Spoon the hot gravy over the top, making sure each slice is covered with the hot gravy. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired and serve immediately.

My husband and I enjoyed the Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin and Gravy served with peas and homemade Duchess Potatoes on the side. It was a wonderful meal!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious Instant Pot recipe and trust you and those you love will enjoy it, too! It’s DELICIOUS!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking for More INSTANT POT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of Instant Pot recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Original recipe source: Erin Clarke (wellplated.com): Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin (and gravy)

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin (and gravy) is a delicious dish that serves 4! Juicy pork slices are drizzled with a maple syrup and Dijon gravy.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: instant pot pork tenderloin

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 295 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1½ pounds pork tenderloin 1½ - 2 pounds can be used
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ** **DIVIDED USE

Seasoning Mix:

2 teaspoons dried crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder

For Gravy:

¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (or honey)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

For Gravy "Slurry":

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, salt and pepper until combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk chicken broth, soy sauce, maple syrup (or honey) and Dijon together until smooth.
Pat tenderloin dry. Cut away (and discard) silver skin on the meat. Brush or rub all sides of the pork with ½ Tablespoon. olive oil. Season all sides of the pork with spice mix, pressing them into the meat to adhere.
Press SAUTÉ button; let Instant Pot heat for 1 minute. Add ½ Tablespoon of olive oil; let it get hot. Add tenderloin; sauté on all sides until browned Do NOT cook it all the way through! Transfer pork to a plate; let it rest.
Put broth, soy sauce, maple syrup and Dijon into the Instant Pot. Instant Pot should still be on SAUTÉ setting. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot often to deglaze it as it cooks. Continue until no browned bits are left stuck to the bottom of the pot (to avoid the BURN warning later).
Press CANCEL button. Put the tenderloin back in the Instant Pot. If needed, curve the meat slightly in the pot to help it fit. Lock the lid in place. Flip the toggle switch to SEALING. Press MANUAL (High pressure) button; set cook timer for 4 minutes. It should take about 10 minutes to reach full pressure (gauge will pop up) and the cooking program begins. (See NOTE section below cook time for smaller tenderloins).
When done, let pressure release NATURALLY (do nothing) for 12 minutes. Once the internal pressure has been fully released, the pressure gauge (on top) will drop down, indicating it is safe to open the lid. Check the internal temperature of the tenderloin using a digital thermometer. It should be 145°F. If you find it needs just a tiny bit more time to reach 145℉, re-lock the lid; let it "rest" for 2-3 minutes in the residual heat remaining inside the Instant Pot. Check the temp again. Try not to over-cook the pork because that makes it dry! Transfer the pork tenderloin onto a plate, cover tightly with foil; let meat rest for 7-8 minutes.
While meat rests, make gravy with liquid remaining in the Instant Pot. Press CANCEL button, then press SAUTÉ button. Whisk 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and 2 Tablespoon of water until smooth. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the hot broth. Heat liquid to a simmer, stirring often with a wooden spoon until it begins to thicken. Press CANCEL button to turn off heat; continue to stir until a thickened gravy forms.
Place tenderloin on a cutting board. Cut it into ½" slices, transfer slices to a serving platter. Spoon gravy over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley (optional). Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If tenderloin weighs 1¼ pounds or less, cook it for only 1 minute (then do the regular 12-minute Natural release time)

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin (and gravy)

Amount Per Serving (4 g)

Calories 295 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 111mg37%

Sodium 1001mg44%

Potassium 778mg22%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 0.5g2%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 37g74%

Vitamin A 18IU0%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 36mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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21
Feb
2026

Creole Salmon Caesar Salad

categories: Salads, Seafood

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Make a delicious Creole Salmon Caesar Salad with a pan-seared salmon fillet topping a crisp salad in about 15 minutes from start to finish!

If you’re looking for an all-in-one meal that can be made and enjoyed fairly quickly, I’d like to suggest trying this Creole Salmon Caesar Salad.

I’ve been making salmon this way for many years, as well as making many Caesar salads over the years! One night when my husband and I were out to dinner at a local restaurant, I saw a Cajun-spiced salmon Caesar salad on their menu.

That made me wonder why I had never combined the two before? So, fast forward a couple of months and I combined the two and this recipe is the result.

This is a very easy main dish to prepare, because I use a purchased Caesar dressing, which cuts down on the time and ingredients necessary for this entree. Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Caesar Salad

Place 4 cups of chopped Romaine lettuce in a mixing bowl. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and coarse black pepper to the salad and toss to combine.

Top the tossed salad with freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the salad. The lemon juice in the salad will help the Parmesan to cling to the lettuce.

Now you need to add Caesar salad dressing to the salad and toss it well, to fully combine the salad and the dressing.

Put the salad in the refrigerator while you cook the salmon to keep it chilled. Do not add the croutons at this point because they would get soggy (and who wants soggy croutons?).

Season The Salmon Fillets

Pat two boneless, skinless salmon fillets dry using paper towels. Lightly sprinkle each piece of salmon (on one side only) with Creole seasoning.

We tend to go fairly light on the seasoning, but if you really like it spicy (heat), add more, as desired.

Here’s a photo of the two fillets and the creole seasoning on top.

Pan-Sear The Seasoned Salmon Fillets

Heat 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil in a medium skillet on medium-low heat. When the oil is hot (but NOT smoking), place the salmon fillets in the hot oil, spice side DOWN.

They should sizzle when they hit the hot oil. Once you put the salmon in the skillet, do not move them! Let them pan-sear for about 4 minutes, then carefully turn the fillets to the other side using a spatula.

The salmon should be nicely browned (on top). Immediately add 1 Tablespoon of butter to the skillet and let it melt as the salmon continues cooking.

Continue cooking the salmon for 3-4 more minutes or until it is fully cooked through (ours usually take about 8 minutes total). While it’s cooking, continually spoon the melted butter over the top of both fillets.

As the melted butter continues to cook, it will become “browned butter” which will add a nice depth of flavor to the salmon! Just keep basting/spooning the melted butter on top of the salmon!

Serve The Creole Salmon Caesar Salad

Right before serving, add croutons to the Caesar salad and toss, to combine. Don’t add the croutons until right before you serve this dish, so they stay nice and crunchy!

At this point, the salad has been fully tossed with the dressing and now has the added croutons, as well. Now it’s ready to go!

Place a portion of Caesar salad onto individual serving plates (or into serving bowls), dividing the salad evenly between the 2 plates (or bowls).

Use a spatula to carefully transfer one hot salmon fillet out of the skillet and onto the top of each salad.

Serve the Creole Salmon Caesar Salad immediately while the salmon is hot and the salad greens are cold! We enjoyed having some roasted Brussel sprouts on the side!

The salmon will flake easily into bites that pair very well with the salad, making this a wonderful main dish that is quite delicious!

I hope you have a chance to make this simple Creole Salmon Caesar Salad, and I feel confident you will appreciate how quickly it all comes together. It also tastes really good, too!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More MAIN DISH SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful main dish salad recipes to choose from, including:

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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Creole Salmon Caesar Salad

Prep Time

7 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Make a delicious Creole Salmon Caesar Salad with a pan-seared salmon fillet topping a crisp salad in about 15 minutes from start to finish!

Category: Entree Salad, Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: creole salmon caesar salad

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 538 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Salad:

4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or more, if desired
¼ cup Caesar salad dressing or more, if desired
¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper (optional) to season salad to taste
10 salad croutons or more, if desired

For Salmon:

10 ounces boneless, skinless salmon fillets
½ teaspoon Creole seasoning mix (¼ tsp. per fillet) or more, if desired
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place chopped Romaine in a medium bowl. Add lemon juice and pepper; toss to combine. Top salad with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Add Caesar salad dressing to salad and toss well, to combine salad and dressing. Refrigerate salad while salmon cooks. Don't add croutons (they can get soggy).
Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Lightly sprinkle each piece (one side only) with Creole seasoning. If you really like it spicy (heat), add more, as desired.
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. When oil is hot (but NOT smoking), add salmon fillets seasoned side DOWN. They should sizzle when they hit the hot oil. Once fillets are in the skillet, do not move them! Pan-sear them for 4 minutes, then carefully turn fillets over using a spatula. Salmon should be nicely browned (on top). Immediately add butter to the skillet; let it melt.
Continue cooking salmon 3-4 more minutes or until fully cooked through (about 8 minutes total). While it's cooking, continually spoon melted butter over the top of the fillets. As the melted butter cooks, it will become "browned butter" which adds more flavor to the salmon! Keep spooning the melted butter on top!
TO SERVE: Right before serving, add croutons to the salad; toss, to combine. Evenly divide salad onto 2 plates. Use a spatula to carefully transfer each fillet out of the skillet and onto the top of each salad. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Creole Salmon Caesar Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 fillet and salad)

Calories 538 Calories from Fat 360

% Daily Value*

Fat 40g62%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 14g

Monounsaturated Fat 12g

Cholesterol 115mg38%

Sodium 724mg31%

Potassium 985mg28%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 8747IU175%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 180mg18%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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07
Feb
2026

Crockpot Garlic Herb Pork Butt

categories: Main Dishes, Pork, Slow Cooker Recipes

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Crockpot Garlic Herb Pork Butt is seasoned with herbs, brown sugar and Dijon, and cooked low & slow until it’s fall-apart tender! Delicious!

Today I want to share a delicious recipe I found online for crockpot garlic herb pork butt. It is a super simple recipe to pull together, and then it slowly cooks in a crockpot all day!

The result is a fabulous tasting, fall-apart tender pork butt (also known as a pork shoulder) I am sure you are going to love!

If you want to make this ahead of time for convenience, you can make the marinade and let the marinated pork chill overnight in the refrigerator, if necessary.

After that it is as simple as putting the pork butt in a slow cooker with a little bit of chicken broth and cooking it low and slow! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

First- Make The Marinade For the Pork

Combine 4 minced garlic cloves, **1½ Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary and **2 Tbsp. thyme leaves, salt and black pepper in a food processor. Process them together until well-combined.

NOTE: **If you don’t have access to fresh herbs, you can substitute dried (**1½ tsp. rosemary and **2 tsp. dried thyme).

Add extra virgin olive oil and brown sugar to the food processor. Process them until the mixture has become a slightly thick “paste-like” mixture.

Now add Dijon mustard to the marinade. Process until all ingredients in this marinade have come together into a spreadable mixture (you may need to scrape down the sides).

Remove the marinade from the processor. I find it easiest to transfer the marinade into a small bowl before I brush the meat with it.

Cover The Pork Butt With The Marinade

Place the pork butt on a cookie sheet. If you have a pastry brush, use it to brush the marinade all over the entire surface of the Pork butt (as shown below).

Make sure all sides of the meat are fully coated with the marinade. NOTE: If you don’t own a pastry brush, use the back of a large spoon or your hands to rub the marinade onto all sides of the meat.

Time To CHILL!

Once the meat has been covered with the marinade, cover the pork butt loosely with plastic cling wrap. Now it’s time to let it absorb some flavor!

Plan ahead for this step! Place it in the refrigerator and let the meat chill and marinate anywhere from 2 hours (minimum) up to 24 hours ahead of time.

I typically put the marinated meat in the refrigerator overnight OR I marinate and refrigerate it first thing in the morning for our dinner later that day.

Cook The Crockpot Garlic Herb Pork Butt

When you’re ready to cook it, place the marinated pork butt in the crockpot. Pour a cup of chicken broth AROUND THE SIDES of the pork butt (NOT ON TOP).

You want the broth poured AROUND the pork and not on top of it, because you don’t want to wash off any of the flavorful marinade on top of the meat.

Cook the crockpot garlic herb pork butt on LOW heat for 6-7 hours, covered. When I photographed this recipe, I used a 3½ pound pork butt, and it was fully cooked (and tender) after 6½ hours.

Serve The Garlic Herb Pork Butt

Once the pork butt has finished cooking, CAREFULLY remove it out of the crockpot. The meat will pull apart easily, so be careful removing it!

NOTE: I recommend using a couple of large spatulas under the pork butt to transfer the meat (in one piece) onto a plate or serving platter.

Allow the pork butt to sit and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing it, to allow the internal juices to redistribute inside the meat. If desired, cover the meat loosely with foil while it rests.

Use a fork or a knife to slice or pull apart the pork into small pieces for serving. I really think you will be surprised at how absolutely tender the meat is!

If desired, spoon a little bit of the broth left in the crockpot over the pork, once cut. This is optional but adds a bit of additional flavor to the meat.

We thoroughly enjoyed this pork, and I served it with some fresh steamed vegetables and some brown rice on the side. It truly was “fall apart tender” and was full of great flavor!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious dish for yourself and for those you love. It’s really delicious, and I am confident you’re going to like it, too!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More CROCKPOT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have other delicious slow cooker recipes you can choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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Original recipe source and with thanks to: Katie Workman, at: Slow Cooker Fall Apart Pork Butt with Brown Sugar Recipe – The Mom 100

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Crockpot Garlic Herb Pork Butt

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

Chilled Marinating Time (inactive 2-24 hrs.)

2 hrs

Total Time

8 hrs 10 mins

Crockpot Garlic Herb Pork Butt is seasoned with herbs, brown sugar and Dijon, and cooked low & slow until it's fall-apart tender! Delicious!

Category: Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: crockpot garlic herb pork butt, slow cooker

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 416 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 pounds pork butt (also known as pork shoulder) * 3–4-pound pork butt or shoulder

For seasoning sauce:

4 cloves garlic minced
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp. dried)
1½ Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves (or 1½ tsp. dried)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup Dijon mustard

Additional (to add to crockpot):

1 cup chicken broth

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine minced garlic, chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process until well-combined. Add extra virgin olive oil and brown sugar. Process until mixture becomes a slightly thick "paste-like" mixture. Add Dijon mustard. Process until ingredients come together into a spreadable mixture.
Place the pork butt on a cookie sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the marinade over all sides of the meat until fully coated. NOTE: No pastry brush? Use the back of a large spoon or your hands to rub the marinade onto all sides of the meat.
Cover pork butt loosely with plastic cling wrap. Refrigerate/marinate the meat anywhere from 2 hours (minimum) up to 24 hours ahead of time.
When you're ready to cook, place pork butt in the crockpot. Pour chicken broth AROUND THE SIDES of the pork butt (NOT ON TOP), so you don't wash off any of the flavorful marinade on top of the meat.
Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (covered). When done, CAREFULLY remove it from the crockpot. NOTE: I recommend using 2 large spatulas under the pork butt to transfer the meat (in 1 piece) onto a serving platter. Allow pork to rest 10-15 minutes before slicing, to allow internal juices to redistribute inside the meat. If desired, cover loosely with foil while it rests.
Use a fork or knife to pull apart pork into small pieces for serving. If desired, spoon a little broth (from crockpot) on the pork, once cut. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Crockpot Garlic Herb Pork Butt

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 416 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.04g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Cholesterol 136mg45%

Sodium 1015mg44%

Potassium 915mg26%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 52g104%

Vitamin A 135IU3%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 47mg5%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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24
Jan
2026

Air Fryer Cheese Enchiladas

categories: Air Fryer Recipes, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Mexican / Southwestern

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Make air fryer cheese enchiladas in under 15 minutes, using only 5 ingredients! They taste wonderful and are simple to prepare (yields 4).

Do you like enchiladas? I sure do, and today I want to share how easy they are to make in an air fryer! I’ve been eating AND MAKING enchiladas for many, many years, but recently began using my air fryer to make them when it’s really hot and I don’t want to turn on our oven.

Using an air fryer to make delicious cheese enchiladas is simple. Enchiladas are easily stuffed with cheese, onions and sauce, etc., then covered in more sauce and into the air fryer they go!

The results are amazing, so I hope you try making them this way and see what I’m talking about! Here’s how to make air fryer cheese enchiladas.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Corn Tortillas

Corn tortillas can crack a bit at times if you simply roll them around a meat filling. There is a fairly quick and easy solution to ensure the tortillas for the enchiladas are very pliable.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small skillet on medium heat until it is very hot but not smoking. Carefully place one tortilla into the hot oil.

Very quickly flip the tortilla to the other side and then remove it from the hot oil onto paper towels to absorb excess oil. Use tongs to carefully remove the tortilla.

NOTE: Do not fry the tortilla… simply let it get coated on both sides with the hot oil and then remove it!

Continue until all the tortillas have been slightly heated in the oil. Stack them, then pat each one dry before adding the cheese filling.

Prepare The Cooking Dish

Find an ovenproof baking dish that will fit in the basket of your model of air fryer. The glass baking dish I use fit perfectly in the basket of my Cosori air fryer.

Spread ¼ cup of the red enchilada sauce you are using on the bottom of the baking dish and spread until the bottom of the dish is fully covered. Once that is done, you are ready to fill the enchiladas.

TIP: If you don’t have any store-bought red enchilada sauce you can make your own using my recipe for Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce (it’s easy and really GOOD).

Fill The Tortillas

Fill one tortilla at a time, evenly filling each one with ¼ of the grated cheddar cheese down the middle of the tortilla.

Sprinkle ¼ of the chopped onions on top of the cheese, then spoon a little bit of the remaining enchilada sauce in a line on top of the cheese and onions.

TIP: Reserve a small amount of chopped onions and cheese to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas before you cook them!

Roll one side of the tortilla up and over the filling fairly tightly. Place the enchilada SEAM SIDE DOWN on top of the enchilada sauce in the baking dish.

Top Enchiladas With Onions And Cheese

Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas, fully covering the tortillas. Sprinkle the enchiladas with the small amount of reserved onions.

Evenly divide the reserved grated cheddar cheese on top of the enchiladas. Now the air fryer cheese enchiladas are ready to cook!

NOTE: If your air fryer has a “preheat” function, you can preheat it to 350°F. before filling the enchiladas, in order to save time.

Cook The Air Fryer Cheese Enchiladas

Air fry the cheese enchiladas for 7-8 minutes at 350°F (check on them at the 7-minute mark). When they’re done, the sauce should be bubbling around the edges of the dish, and the cheese should be fully melted.

Carefully remove the dish out of the air fryer basket using hot pads (it’s HOT). Let the air fryer cheese enchiladas cool for a minute to let the cheese cool slightly before they are served.

Optional Garnish For Serving

If you want, garnish the enchiladas with fresh cilantro leaves, guacamole, and/or dollops of sour cream for more color and flavor. This is optional, but you can add those if desired.

Use a spatula to remove the enchiladas one at a time out of the baking dish and onto plates for serving. These enchiladas are cheesy good!

If you have any leftover, cover the dish well and store it in the refrigerator. The enchiladas can easily be reheated in a microwave for another meal.

I really hope you have the opportunity to make and enjoy these delicious air fryer cheese enchiladas. It is easy to make additional batches of them if you need more servings for you and your family.

If you enjoy enchiladas (oven-baked), then be sure to check out my other recipes for Chicken Green Chile Enchiladas, Pork Enchiladas with Lime Cilantro Sauce and Easy Cheesy Enchiladas.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More AIR FRYER Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of Air Fryer recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Air Fryer Cheese Enchiladas

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

7 mins

Total Time

17 mins

Make air fryer cheese enchiladas in under 15 minutes, using only 5 ingredients! They taste wonderful and are simple to prepare (yields 4).

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: air fryer, cheese enchiladas

Servings: 4 enchiladas

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Enchiladas:

4 small corn tortillas
1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped yellow onion *divided use
1 cup red enchilada sauce *divided use

For Garnish (optional): cilantro leaves, sour cream, guacamole

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat vegetable oil in small skillet on medium heat until hot. Place 1 tortilla into hot oil. Using tongs, quickly flip tortilla to the other side and then transfer it onto paper towels to absorb excess oil. NOTE: Do not fry the tortilla... simply let it get coated on both sides with hot oil and then remove it! Continue until all the tortillas have been heated in the oil. Pat each one dry before filling.
Use ovenproof pan that fits in your air fryer basket. Spread ¼ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of dish until covered. NOTE: If your air fryer has a "preheat" function, preheat to 350°F. in order to save time.
Fill one tortilla at a time with ¼ of the grated cheese down the middle of the tortilla. Sprinkle ¼ of the onions on top, then spoon a little bit of remaining enchilada sauce in a line on top of cheese/onions. TIP: Reserve small amount of onions/cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas before they're cooked! Roll one side of the tortilla up and over the filling fairly tightly. Place enchilada SEAM SIDE DOWN on top of sauce in the dish.
Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas, to cover. Top enchiladas with reserved onions and cheese.
Air fry enchiladas for 7-8 minutes at 350°F (check them at 7 minutes). When done, sauce should be bubbly around edges, and cheese should be fully melted.
Carefully remove dish out of the air fryer basket using hot pads. Let enchiladas cool for a minute before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, dollops of sour cream or guacamole (optional). Serve and enjoy!

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10
Jan
2026

Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry features lots of fresh veggies and noodles cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce. It’s an easy and delicious meal!

Today I want to share an “all-in-one dish” recipe that is a great meal to enjoy, because it has meat, veggies, pasta and sauce all together in one delicious dish!

I came up with this recipe by using some ingredients from a sauce I’ve used before, then included lots of vegetables we enjoy, along with a cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast.

My husband and I really love this meal! It has GREAT flavor (thanks to that yummy sauce) and is very filling. We usually have one serving leftover for another meal. Here’s how to make Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Sauté The Chicken First

Cut a large (6-7 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat.

Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), sauté the chicken until it’s fully cooked through and lightly browned on all sides. When done, transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it warm.

Prep And Stir-Fry Vegetables

For this recipe I use chopped broccoli and cauliflower, thinly sliced carrots, green beans and celery, chopped red bell pepper, and sugar snap peas.

I also thinly slice 3 stalks of green onions (the green stem and the white bulb) but set them aside to add after the other veggies are mostly cooked.

The sugar snap peas and red bell pepper, as seen below (from our garden) were frozen, but I added them to the skillet even though they were still slightly frozen.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat until the oil is hot (but not smoking). Add all the prepped veggies (except for the green onions). Sauté the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, stirring often as they cook.

Now add the sliced green onions and stir well in order to fully combine the vegetables. Continue to cook the combined vegetables for one more minute.

Make The Asian-Inspired Sauce

At this point you will add the ingredients for Asian-inspired sauce directly into the skillet with the vegetables. The sauce will come together quickly and add lots of flavor to the veggies!

Stir in soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, honey, sesame oil, Tabasco sauce and red pepper flakes. Add chopped, dry roasted peanuts and white sesame seeds to the veggies.

Stir well, until the vegetables and sauce ingredients are fully combined. Cook, stirring often for about 1-2 minutes, then turn off the heat under the skillet.

Cook Pasta While Veggies Cook!

While the veggies and then the sauce are being cooked, you can cook the pasta, in order to save a bit of time. This is optional, of course, but it does make the recipe take less time to make.

When done cooking the noodles according to package instructions, drain the pasta.

Add Chicken To The Stir-Fry

Add the reserved, cooked chicken pieces to the stir-fry in the skillet and stir well, until the chicken is combined with the veggies and coated with sauce.

Cook the veggies, sauce and chicken on medium heat only until they’re heated through.

Combine Veggies, Chicken and Hot Pasta

Add the cooked and well-drained pasta to the skillet and toss with tongs until the noodles are combined and covered with the sauce. Cook until heated through, then serve immediately.

Serve The Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry

Once fully heated, serve the Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry! Transfer each portion to a serving plate (or bowl). Garnish each serving with additional (reserved) sesame seeds and green onion slices. Serve hot and enjoy!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this scrumptious meal. It has a little bit of everything all in one dish- pasta, chicken, a delicious sauce and lots of vegetables. YUM!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of Asian-inspired recipes to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry features lots of fresh veggies and noodles cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce. It's an easy and delicious meal!

Category: Dinner, Entree

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Asian chicken pasta stir-fry

Servings: 3

Calories Per Serving: 527 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

7 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vegetable oil for cooking chicken
6 ounces spaghetti noodles cooked to pkg. directions, drained

For Veggie Stir-Fry:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup broccoli florets (bite-size) fresh, if possible
1 cup cauliflower florets (bite-size) fresh, if possible
1 medium carrot peeled, thinly sliced in rounds
10 sugar snap peas fresh or frozen
10 green beans fresh, if possible, cut in 2" pieces
½ cup celery , thinly sliced
¼ cup red bell pepper , chopped
3 stems green onions (green and white parts)* *thinly sliced (reserve 1 Tbsp. for garnish)

For Sauce:

6½ Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2½ Tablespoons ketchup
1½ Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 shakes Tabasco sauce
3 Tablespoons dry roasted peanuts (chopped)
2 Tablespoons white sesame seeds* *reserve ½ tsp. for garnish

Additional:

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut chicken into 1" pieces. Heat 1 tsp. vegetable oil in large skillet on. When oil is hot (but not smoking), sauté chicken until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate; keep warm until added later.
Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in large skillet on medium heat until oil is hot (but not smoking). Add veggies (except green onions). Sauté veggies 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add green onions; stir well to combine. Cook vegetables 1 more minute.
Stir in soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, honey, sesame oil, Tabasco sauce and red pepper flakes. Add peanuts and sesame seeds. Stir until combined. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Remove skillet from heat.
OPTIONAL: Cook the pasta while cooking veggies/sauce to save time. When done cooking noodles according to package instructions, drain the pasta.
Add cooked chicken to the stir-fry in the skillet; stir well, until combined. Cook the veggies, sauce and chicken on medium heat, only until heated through.
Add cooked, drained pasta to the skillet; toss (or stir) until combined and pasta is covered with the sauce. Cook until hot. Serve immediately, garnished with reserved sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Asian Chicken Pasta Stir-Fry

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))

Calories 527 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.05g

Polyunsaturated Fat 7g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 42mg14%

Sodium 1552mg67%

Potassium 1007mg29%

Carbohydrates 65g22%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 4333IU87%

Vitamin C 67mg81%

Calcium 131mg13%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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18
Dec
2025

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes

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Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two is easy and delicious! Chicken breasts are topped with artichoke hearts, red peppers, Parmesan and garlic!

If you’re looking for a wonderfully delicious main dish that is EASY to prepare, then I hope you will check out this recipe for Artichoke Chicken Bake for Two. We love it, and since it is only my husband and I at home nowadays, a meal just for two is perfect!

The prep time is about 10 minutes, and then this dish bakes in the oven until it is golden brown and done! You really can’t beat this simple recipe that not only looks good, but it also tastes good, too.

A simple artichoke topping is stirred together, placed on lightly seasoned chicken breasts and then they’re baked! It’s so simple, anyone can prepare this absolutely YUMMY main dish! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken Breasts

Before beginning, preheat your oven to 375°F. and spray an 8″ x 8″ (or 9″ x 9″) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. This dish doesn’t take too long to prepare, so you will want to have your oven preheated and ready to go, in order to save time!

Pat the chicken breasts dry on both sides using paper towels and trim off any excess fat. Lightly season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Place the two chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish in a single layer.

Chop The Marinated Artichokes

Chop 6-7 ounces of drained, marinated artichoke halves into smaller pieces, using a sharp knife. I use marinated artichokes for extra flavor, but if you only have plain, water-packed artichoke hearts those are perfectly good to use, as well.

You can see in the photo below that the artichoke hearts have been cut much smaller. Now they are ready to go into the topping that’s used to season and garnish the chicken.

Create The Artichoke Topping

Place the chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers (chopped), finely grated Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and minced garlic in a medium bowl.

Gently stir these ingredients until they have been fully combined. This thick mixture will be used to cover the top of the chicken breasts while they bake.

Cover The Chicken

Evenly divide the artichoke mixture between the chicken breasts, carefully spreading it to the edge, to fully cover the top of each piece.

Now it’s time to bake the chicken… see how easy that was? Place the baking dish into a preheated 375°F. oven.

Cook The Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

Bake the chicken at 375°F. (uncovered) for 30-35 minutes OR until you see the juices run clear out of the chicken. Check its internal temperature at the 30-minute mark, so you don’t overcook the chicken (which will dry it out).

It may take 2-3 more minutes more baking time to reach 165°F., depending on your oven’s temperature (oven temps can vary quite a bit). Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast to determine the internal temperature.

When the chicken is done, the artichoke topping should be lightly browned, and the chicken breasts should be cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove the artichoke chicken bake for two from the oven and let it rest in the baking dish (on a wire rack) for 2-3 minutes. This resting time will allow the internal juices to redistribute inside the chicken, keeping it moist.

Once the chicken has rested, use a spatula to carefully transfer each piece to individual serving plates, then serve and enjoy with a favorite side dish!

The baked chicken is delicious, moist (if not overcooked!), and the artichoke Parmesan topping brings lots of added flavor to each bite!

I really hope you love this simple, yet absolutely delicious main dish as much as we do! We love to serve this beautiful chicken dish with fresh roasted veggies on the side… yum!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious chicken recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Recipe adapted from (and with thanks to) Kristy Denney at: Artichoke Chicken | The Girl Who Ate Everything

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two is easy and delicious! Chicken breasts are topped with artichoke hearts, red peppers, Parmesan and garlic!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: artichoke chicken bake for two

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 584 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts* *Use two, 6 oz. breasts
salt and black pepper to lightly season chicken on both sides
6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts drained/chopped
5 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese fresh is best!
5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons roasted red peppers finely chopped
1½ teaspoons minced garlic

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. and spray an 8" x 8" (or 9" x 9") baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. This doesn't take too long to prepare, so you need to have your oven preheated and ready to go, to save time!
Pat chicken breasts dry on both sides using paper towels. Trim off any excess fat. Lightly season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
Place chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers (chopped), Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Gently stir until they're fully combined. Spread the mixture on top of the chicken breasts (dividing evenly between the 2 pieces). Cover the top of the chicken by spreading it to the edges.
Bake (uncovered) at 375℉. for 30-35 minutes OR until you see the juices running clear from the chicken. Check the internal temp. at 30-minutes, so you don't overcook the chicken. It may take 2-3 more minutes to reach 165°F., depending on oven temperature (oven temps can vary). Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken to check internal temp. When done, the topping should be lightly browned, chicken should be cooked through and have an internal temp. of 165°F.
Transfer pan from oven to a wire rack. Let chicken rest 2-3 minutes (to let internal juices redistribute), then serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

Amount Per Serving (1 chicken breast)

Calories 584 Calories from Fat 378

% Daily Value*

Fat 42g65%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 17g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 134mg45%

Sodium 1164mg51%

Potassium 690mg20%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 41g82%

Vitamin A 1109IU22%

Vitamin C 27mg33%

Calcium 149mg15%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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06
Dec
2025

Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

categories: Pork, Slow Cooker Recipes

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Creamy crockpot pork chops are a delicious, minimum prep dish! They’re pan-seared, then slow cooked in a mushroom onion gravy until tender!

Have a busy day ahead of you and want a delicious dinner that doesn’t take much prep? This recipe for creamy crockpot pork chops might be a great option for you!

Boneless pork chops are lightly browned in butter in a skillet, then they go into a slow cooker. After topping them with 3 simple ingredients, you turn on the crockpot and walk away!

How’s that for convenient? The pork chops turn out incredibly tender and are saturated with flavor. I’m not kidding – this is a yummy (and easy) “winner-winner crockpot dinner”!

Here’s how to make yummy and creamy crockpot pork chops.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Season And Brown The Pork Chops

Pat four, 1″ thick boneless pork chops dry using paper towels. Lightly season both sides of each pork chop with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet on Medium-High heat until it is very hot (but not smoking). Add a Tablespoon of butter; heat it until it has melted, then spread it out to cover the skillet.

Pan-Sear The Pork Chops

Add the four seasoned pork chops to the melted butter in the skillet, keeping them in a single layer. You will only be PAN-SEARING the meat quickly to give it good color and caramelization on the outside.

Cook only until the pork chops are lightly browned on the bottom (1-2 minutes), then flip them over and lightly brown the other side for 1-2 minutes. Do not cook the pork chops all the way through!

The pork chops should only be lightly browned on both sides, and yes… there may still be pink showing. They will finish cooking in the crockpot, so no worries!

Into The Crockpot They Go!

Place the four browned pork chops in an ungreased crockpot, laying them (once again) in a single layer.

Pour ¼ cup of water around the edges of the pork chops, then spoon cream of mushroom soup (right out of the can) on top of the pork chops.

Use a spoon or spatula to spread the soup mixture directly on top of each of the chops, covering them as much as possible.

Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of Ranch dressing mix on top of the cream of mushroom soup, evenly distributing it as you add it.

I was told a while ago to use this dry seasoning mix, because it has wonderful spices in it, like garlic powder, onion powder, chives (and many other herbs).

This seasoning mix really does add a lot of flavor to the pork chops (and the gravy that forms while they cook), so don’t leave this out!

The last step is to add thinly sliced raw onion “rings” on top of the pork chops (not the appetizer kind… ha ha!). Now you’re ready to cook some creamy crockpot pork chops!

Cover the crockpot and let the pork chops cook on Low Heat for 6 hours, undisturbed. As this dish gets more fully cooked, the onions on top slowly brown and will add wonderful flavor to the finished pork chops.

Serve The Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

When the pork chops have cooked for 6 hours, remove the lid and transfer the pork chops out of the slow cooker and onto individual serving plates.

Pork should have an internal temperature of 145°F. for safety. That never seems to be an issue, especially if you use 1″ thick chops as the recipe indicates and cook them the full 6 hours in the crockpot.

Make sure to add a few of the onions to the top of each pork chops for great added flavor! We had the pork chops with mashed potatoes and Air Fryer Zucchini Bites.

Don’t Forget The GRAVY!

Give the “gravy” left in the crockpot a quick stir, then spoon it over the pork chops before serving, because it is absolutely DELICIOUS! Cover those pork chops with gravy!

The gravy in the crockpot also tastes amazing on mashed potatoes, so I HIGHLY recommend making some and adding the yummy gravy to them when you make this dish!

Mashed potatoes are a perfect side dish that really compliment the tender, “cut them with a fork” creamy crockpot pork chops! No kidding- the chops are so tender we cut them with a fork!

I hope you have the chance to make these delicious creamy crockpot pork chops and trust you’ll love them as much as we do.

The prep time is so minimal, and then you can walk away until they’re finished cooking! That’s a Win-Win in my book!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More PORK CHOP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful pork chop recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

Total Time

6 hrs 10 mins

Creamy crockpot pork chops are a delicious, minimum prep dish! They're pan-seared, then slow cooked in a mushroom onion gravy until tender!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy crockpot pork chops, slow cooker

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 264 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 1" thick boneless pork chops approx. 5 oz. per chop
salt and black pepper, to lightly season pork enough to season both sides of chops
1 Tablespoon butter
¼ cup water
10.5 ounces canned cream of mushroom soup right out of the can
1 Tablespoon ranch dressing mix
½ small brown onion peeled, sliced into thin ¼" rings

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Lightly season both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet on Medium-High heat until it hot. Add butter; heat until melted; spread it out to coat the skillet.
Add pork chops to the melted butter in a single layer. Cook only until pork chops are lightly browned on the bottom (1-2 minutes), then flip them over and lightly brown the other side 1-2 minutes. Don't cook pork chops all the way through!
Place pork chops in an ungreased crockpot in a single layer. Pour water around the edges of the pork chops. Add cream of mushroom soup (right out of the can) on top of the pork chops. Use a spoon or spatula to spread soup mixture on top of the chops, covering them as much as possible. Sprinkle Ranch dressing mix on top, evenly distributing it. Lay the onion slices on top of the pork chops.
Cover crockpot; cook on Low Heat for 6 hours, undisturbed. When done, remove the lid; transfer pork chops out of the slow cooker with a spatula and onto individual plates. Pork should have an internal temperature of 145°F.
Give the "gravy" left in the crockpot a quick stir, then spoon it over the pork chops before serving (gravy's also good on mashed potatoes)! Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)

Calories 264 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 105mg35%

Sodium 902mg39%

Potassium 656mg19%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 0.4g0%

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A 88IU2%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 13mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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25
Nov
2025

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

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Homemade Potato Gnocchi are made from scratch with mashed potato, flour and an egg. Gnocchi can be served, covered in a variety of sauces!

I finally decided to make homemade potato gnocchi from scratch after many years of buying them at the grocery store! After finding a recipe online a number of years ago, I finally got around to making them on my own, and they were good!

I love gnocchi and have shared quite a few gnocchi recipes over the years here on this blog. They include Chicken, Parmesan & Spinach Gnocchi, Gnocchi and Broccoli Carbonara, Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi and others.

I love all those recipes (they’re delicious), but my favorite way to enjoy gnocchi has always been Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup (copycat recipe). YUM!

All of my gnocchi recipes are delicious and were made using purchased gnocchi, so making them from scratch was a good learning experience.

So… if you enjoy learning to make foods you normally buy interests you, here’s one way to make homemade potato gnocchi from scratch.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Mashed Potato

NOTE: If you already have leftover mashed potatoes (with no added butter, salt, etc.) then you can skip this step. To make the gnocchi you will need 1 cup of plain mashed potatoes, at room temperature.

To make a cup of mashed potatoes from scratch, boil a LARGE russet potato in water until it is tender and can easily be pierced through with a knife. Once done, remove it from the boiling water.

You can also choose to bake the potato and then proceed once it is tender. I typically just boil it since it is only one big potato (and then I don’t have to heat up the kitchen with the oven). It’s your choice, though!

Remove the peel from the potato and place it in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to “mash” the potatoes until they become smooth and lump-free.

IMPORTANT: Let the mashed potato cool to room temperature before adding the next 2 ingredients, because you don’t want HOT potatoes to scramble the egg you’re adding!

Add a cup of all-purpose flour and one egg to the room temperature mashed potato. Beat until the egg and flour have been combined fully with the mashed potato.

Make The Gnocchi Dough

Turn the potato mixture out onto a well-floured cutting board or other work surface. The homemade potato gnocchi “dough” will be thick and sticky.

You may find it necessary to add a tiny bit more flour to the dough to make it “less sticky”, because the consistency of mashed potatoes can vary sometimes.

Knead the dough with your hands, adding a bit more flour to the dough a little bit at a time (if necessary) until it forms a “not-too–sticky” ball of dough.

Cut And Shape The Gnocchi

Separate the dough ball into 4 equal portions. One at a time, roll each piece of dough with your hands into a rope shape, about 1″ thick.

Use a sharp knife to then cut each dough rope into 1″ pieces of gnocchi.

Gnocchi pieces are typically rolled on a gnocchi roller board. That is a piece of wood with many ridges that create indentations on gnocchi to help sauce adhere to the gnocchi.

If you don’t own a gnocchi roller board (I don’t!), use the tines on the back of a fork to manually add these ridges to each piece of gnocchi (both sides). There are two ways to do this.

The first method is to lightly depress the fork tines on each piece of gnocchi to leave ridges, then flip it over and do the other side.

The second method is to roll each piece of gnocchi down the back side of the fork to imprint ridges on each side. It takes a tiny bit of time to do this, but the end result is worth the effort in my opinion.

Place the gnocchi on parchment paper to rest while you bring water to a boil (to cook them). Homemade potato gnocchi may not look as uniform as machine-manufactured ones, but they still taste just as good!

I typically make my homemade gnocchi slightly larger than the kind you find in the store. If you feel the gnocchi pieces are too long and want smaller gnocchi, cut each long piece in half across the middle.

The recipe, as written will yield enough “small” gnocchi for about 4 servings, so if you decide to make them larger, you will have a slightly smaller total amount of gnocchi.

Cook and Serve Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a full boil. Add all of the gnocchi to the pan and cook them until they float to the top of the water.

It usually takes 2-3 minutes to cook them all the way through, and they begin to float. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi as they float to the top.

Serve the homemade potato gnocchi right away while they are steaming hot. Serve them covered in a favorite sauce (browned butter sauce, marinara, etc.).

We Enjoy Gnocchi With A Butter Sage Sauce

Serve gnocchi with your favorite sauce, but if you’re looking for one that goes well with potato gnocchi, perhaps you’d like a browned butter sage sauce!

You can make it ahead of time, then very quickly reheat it right before adding the finished gnocchi.

To make it, melt 3 Tablespoons butter on Medium-Low heat in a skillet until it has melted, foamed and has browned (2-3 minutes). Stir in 1/8 of a teaspoon of ground sage, plus a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Stir until combined.

Add the drained, cooked gnocchi to the skillet and stir to cover the gnocchi with the browned butter sauce. Once heated through, transfer the gnocchi and leftover sauce to a serving bowl and serve it immediately while hot.

I hope you have the chance to make homemade potato gnocchi for your family and/or friends. It’s simply another way to use up leftover mashed potatoes and create another yummy dish to be enjoyed!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More POTATO Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a variety of delicious potato recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Original recipe source and with thanks to: https://www.justataste.com/leftover-mashed-potato-gnocchi-recipe/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

3 mins

Total Time

28 mins

Homemade Potato Gnocchi are made from scratch with mashed potato, flour and an egg. Gnocchi can be served, covered in a variety of sauces!

Category: Main Dish, Side Dish, Vegetable Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: homemade potato gnocchi

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 161 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 cup leftover mashed potatoes (approx. 1 large russet) (no butter, milk, etc.)- room temp.
1 cup all-purpose flour + more, as needed
1 large egg

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

SEE NOTE #1 BELOW if using leftover mashed potatoes. If making mashed potato from scratch, boil a LARGE russet potato in water until tender and easily pierced through with a knife. Remove potato from pan. You can also bake the potato and then proceed once tender. Remove/discard potato peel; put potato in mixing bowl. Use electric mixer to "mash" the potato until smooth/lump-free. IMPORTANT: Let mashed potato cool to room temp. before adding egg/flour, so the HOT potato doesn't scramble the egg!
Add flour and egg to room temp. mashed potato. Beat until combined, and dough is thick and sticky. Turn potato mixture out onto a well-floured work surface. Knead the dough with your hands, adding a bit more flour to the dough a little bit at a time (if necessary) until it forms a "not-too-sticky" dough ball.
Separate the dough ball into 4 equal portions. Roll each piece of dough into a rope shape, about 1" thick. Cut each dough rope into 1" pieces of gnocchi.
Use a gnocchi roller board OR use the tines on the back of a fork to add ridges to each piece of gnocchi (both sides). You can use a fork in 2 different ways: 1) Lightly depress the fork tines on both sides of each piece to leave ridges. 2) Roll each piece on the back side of the fork tines to imprint ridges on each side.
Bring a large pan of salted water to a full boil. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water; cook 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi once they've floated to the top.
Serve homemade potato gnocchi right away while hot, covered in a favorite sauce (browned butter sauce, marinara sauce, etc.). Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE #1: If you already have 1 cup of leftover mashed potatoes (at room temperature and with no butter or milk added), skip the first step and proceed with the addition of egg and flour.

NOTE #2: Caloric calculation was made using the 3 gnocchi ingredients only. Sauce was not added to the calculation as a variety of sauces may be used.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 161 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 0.5g3%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g

Cholesterol 47mg16%

Sodium 20mg1%

Potassium 207mg6%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 0.4g0%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 68IU1%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 17mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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