Category: Side Dishes


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!
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!

A large potato is boiled until tender in water in a saucepan.

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.

The cooked potato is peeled and then mashed until smooth.An egg and flour are beaten into the mashed potato in a bowl.

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.

the dough for gnocchi is turned out onto a flour-covered 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” ball of dough.

Gnocchi dough is kneaded until it becomes a non-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.

Dough is divided, then each portion is rolled into a log, and sliced into small pieces.

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.

A fork can be used to imprint ridges onto the gnocchi before cooking.

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.

Some of the larger-style homemade potato gnocchi, ready for cooking.

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.).

When boiled gnocchi are done cooking, they float to the top in the pan.

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.

Making a brown butter sage sauce to serve on the potato gnocchi.

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.

Boiled gnocchi are combined in a skillet with brown butter sage sauce and reheated.Homemade potato gnocchi is garnished with fresh parsley and served 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 you can check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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Original recipe source and with thanks to: https://www.justataste.com/leftover-mashed-potato-gnocchi-recipe/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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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

  1. 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!

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Homemade Potato Gnocchi are made from scratch with mashed potato, flour and an egg. Gnocchi can be served, covered in a variety of sauces!


Nov
2025

Crispy Eggplant Milanese

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Crispy Eggplant Milanese is an Italian-inspired veggie side dish that will compliment a variety of main dishes. It’s crispy and delicious!
Crispy Eggplant Milanese is an Italian-inspired veggie side dish that will compliment a variety of main dishes. It's crispy and delicious!

Today I want to share a delicious vegetable recipe with you featuring eggplant. I discovered this recipe this past summer when I was growing my own eggplant in our little backyard raised garden. 

Our eggplant bush was VERY productive, far more than I had anticipated, so it set me on the search for additional “new to us” and yummy recipes! This is the first one I tried because it sounded wonderful, and after making it the first time, I knew instantly it was a “keeper”.

Eggplant slices are coated in a three-step process (don’t worry, it’s EASY), and then lightly fried in a small amount of olive oil in a skillet. This results in a well-seasoned, crispy topping on the outside and soft on the inside of the slices! It’s a beautiful, tasty side dish I’m sure you will enjoy, and here’s how to make it.

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

About the Eggplant

You will need two medium-sized eggplants for this recipe, which will serve four to five people about 5-6 slices per serving. I grew eggplant in our little raised bed garden this past summer, so I was fortunate to be able to use a couple of them for this recipe.

An eggplant growing in our little garden.Two homegrown medium-sized eggplants were used to make Crispy Eggplant Milanese.

Prepare The Eggplant For Cooking

Remove the stem end of the eggplants, then cut each eggplant into rounds, each one about ½” thick. Once cut, I ended up with about 30 slices from the two eggplants (your amount will vary based on the size eggplant you use).

Sprinkle all of the eggplant slices using one teaspoon of salt (total), then place them in a single layer on paper towels on top of a baking pan.

Allow the salted eggplant slices to sit and “rest” for about 25-30 minutes. This allows the salt you applied bring out the excess moisture from the eggplant.

Two eggplants are sliced, then laid on paper towels and lightly salted.

You can see in the photo below how the moisture is drawn out of the eggplant (that’s a GOOD thing!). Now pat each of the slices dry using additional paper towels, absorbing as much of the moisture as possible. Set the eggplant slices aside (in a single layer).

Salt on the eggplant draws out extra moisture in each piece before they are patted dry.

Make The Toppings To Coat The Eggplant Slices

Step #1: Combine all-purpose flour, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Stir until this mixture is combined. Set this dish aside.

Step #2: In a second shallow bowl, whisk two large eggs together until they are fully combined. You can use a wire whisk or a fork to do this. Set the bowl aside.

Step #3: In a third separate shallow bowl, stir together panko breadcrumbs, fresh parsley (chopped), finely grated Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

A four-photo collage of the different toppings for the eggplant slices.

Coat the Eggplant Slices

Now it’s time to season and coat the eggplant slices before cooking. It is best to do one slice at a time, and it is helpful to use the same hand for dipping each time, because it can get a bit messy!

Dip one slice of eggplant into the flour mixture bowl (bowl #1). Dredge the slice in this mixture to cover both sides. Lightly shake off the excess flour.

Step 1 is to dredge each eggplant slice in a seasoned flour mixture.

Next dip the flour covered slice in the egg mixture (bowl #2), making sure to cover both sides. Be sure to let any excess egg drip back into the bowl.

Flour-covered eggplant slices are then dipped in beaten egg mixture.

The last step is to coat the slice in the panko breadcrumb mixture. Dredge the egg-covered slice in this mixture until it is fully covered on all sides. You may find it helpful to press the breadcrumb mix onto each slice, so it adheres well.

As you finish each slice, lay it on a wax paper or parchment paper-covered tray or cutting board. Repeat this process (all 3 steps) with all remaining eggplant slices. Keep the finished, coated slices in a single layer on the wax or parchment paper.

Panko breadcrumbs and herbs are combined in a bowl for the last topping.Flour and egg coated slices, covered with breadcrumb topping rest before frying.

Fry The Eggplant Slices (or freeze them for later!)

Once all of the eggplant is coated, you are ready to fry them. You also have the option to freeze the eggplant at this point and cook them at a later date.

If you WANT to freeze them for later use, this is the point where you need to stop. Freeze the uncooked (but fully breaded) eggplant slices on a baking sheet (in a single layer). Once they’re solidly frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or into a large air-tight freezer container. When ready to use them, cook them frozen (but add 1-2 minutes more cooking time for each side).

TO COOK THE EGGPLANT IMMEDIATELY: In a large skillet (preferably non-stick), heat 2 T. of olive oil on Medium heat. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add 6-8 slices to the hot skillet/oil. NOTE: You need to fry the eggplant in batches, so the skillet doesn’t become overcrowded.

Several slices at a time are cooked in a small amount of hot olive oil in a skillet.

Fry the eggplant slices for 2-3 minutes, then carefully flip each piece to the other side and cook that side an additional couple minutes. when done, each slice should be crispy on the outside and nicely browned.

After a few minutes, crispy eggplant Milanese slices are turned to cook the other side.

When each batch is done, transfer the slices to paper towels to help absorb any extra oil. Cover them OR place them on a wire rack (uncovered) in a preheated 200°F. oven to keep them hot (AND crispy!).

Repeat this “frying” process with the remaining eggplant slices. NOTE: You may need to add additional olive oil, if needed, and heat it back up for each new batch.

Cooked eggplant slices drain on paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Serve The Crispy Eggplant Milanese

When you’re ready to serve the crispy eggplant Milanese, transfer the eggplant to a serving plate or platter. Garnish the platter or the slices with additional chopped parsley and/or grated Parmesan (if desired) and serve immediately.

Crispy Eggplant Milanese is transferred to a platter and garnished with parsley.The cooked slices are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

The crispy eggplant Milanese is absolutely yummy, has great flavor, and yes… each piece should be nice and crispy on the outside and wonderfully soft on the inside! I really am confident you’re going to love this vegetable dish.

A small platter of Crispy Eggplant Milanese, hot and ready to be served.

I hope you have the opportunity to try this delicious side dish and trust you and those you serve it to will enjoy it, too! This vegetable dish looks good AND tastes good, too, so it’s a nice, fairly elegant side dish to serve to guests!

Thanks 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 EGGPLANT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious eggplant recipes which include:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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:

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

Author's signature

Original recipe source (and with thanks to Allie Hagerty): The Best Crispy Eggplant Milanese Recipe (Fried) – Seasoned and Salted

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Crispy Eggplant Milanese
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Crispy Eggplant Milanese is an Italian-inspired veggie side dish that will compliment a variety of main dishes. It's crispy and delicious!

Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: crispy eggplant Milanese
Servings: 5
Calories Per Serving: 358 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 medium eggplants cut in ½" thick rounds
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt to sweat the eggplant
  • ¼ cup olive oil- to fry eggplant in (2 Tbsp. per batch)
Bowl #1 (seasoned flour mixture)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Bowl #2 (egg mixture)
  • 2 large eggs beaten
Bowl # 3 (panko breadcrumb mixture)
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For Garnish (optional): more grated Parmesan, lemon wedges, fresh parsley
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Remove stem from eggplant. Slice each eggplant into rounds about ½" thick.

    2. Sprinkle slices using 1 tsp. salt; place them in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Allow eggplant to "rest" 25-30 minutes to let the salt bring out excess moisture. Pat the slices very dry using paper towels, absorbing as much of the moisture as possible. Set eggplant slices aside (in a single layer).

    3. Bowl #1: Combine flour, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Stir until combined. Set bowl aside.

      Bowl #2: In a separate shallow bowl, whisk eggs together until fully combined. Set bowl aside.

      Bowl #3: In a third separate shallow bowl, stir together panko breadcrumbs, fresh parsley (chopped), finely grated Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

    4. Dip one slice at a time into the flour bowl (bowl #1). Dredge the slice in the mixture to cover both sides. Lightly shake off excess flour.

      Next dip the slice in the egg mixture (bowl #2), making sure to cover all sides. Be sure to let any excess egg drip back into the bowl. The last step is to coat the slice in the panko breadcrumb mixture (bowl #3).

      Dredge the egg-covered slice in this mixture until fully covered on all sides. Press breadcrumbs onto each slice, so it adheres well. As you finish each slice, lay it on a wax or parchment paper-covered tray in a single layer. Repeat process (all 3 steps) with remaining eggplant. SEE NOTE #2 below if you want to freeze them for later use.

    5. In a large skillet heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil on Medium heat. Once oil is hot (but not smoking), add 6-8 slices to the skillet. NOTE: Fry slices in batches, so skillet doesn't become overcrowded. Fry eggplant slices 2-3 minutes, then carefully turn them over. Cook 2-3 more minutes, until crispy and golden brown on both sides.

    6. When each batch is done, transfer slices to paper towels to absorb extra oil. Cover and keep slices warm (SEE NOTE #1 BELOW), then repeat with remaining slices. Tip: You may need to add more olive oil, if needed, for each new batch.

    7. To serve, transfer slices to a platter. Garnish with fresh parsley and/or grated Parmesan (if desired) and serve immediately.

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE #1: A simple way to keep the eggplant hot (AND crispy!) while you cook the remaining eggplant slices is to place the already fried slices on a wire rack (uncovered) in a pre-heated 200°F. oven.

    NOTE #2: If you WANT to freeze them for later use: Freeze uncooked (but fully breaded) eggplant slices on a baking sheet (in a single layer). Once solidly frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or into an air-tight freezer container. When ready to use, cook them frozen (but add 1-2 minutes more cooking time for each side).

    Nutrition Facts
    Crispy Eggplant Milanese
    Amount Per Serving (5 g)
    Calories 358 Calories from Fat 153
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 17g26%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Trans Fat 0.01g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 9g
    Cholesterol 83mg28%
    Sodium 1344mg58%
    Potassium 553mg16%
    Carbohydrates 42g14%
    Fiber 7g29%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 12g24%
    Vitamin A 387IU8%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 160mg16%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Crispy Eggplant Milanese is an Italian-inspired veggie side dish that will compliment a variety of main dishes. It's crispy and delicious!


    Nov
    2025

    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole

    categories: Holidays!, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole (topped with marshmallows and pecans) is a delicious side dish to enjoy for the holidays or any time!
    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole (topped with marshmallows and pecans) is a delicious side dish to enjoy for the holidays or any time!

    When I was growing up my Mom always made sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top for our Thanksgiving dinner. It’s tradition in a lot of homes to serve this sweet potato casserole with ooey, gooey toasted marshmallows on top, right?

    All that said, a classic sweet potato casserole with the warm flavors of cinnamon and brown sugar still hits the spot. Today I want to share a recipe that can be used for holidays or any other time of the year when you want to enjoy this classic side dish!

    Here’s how to make classic sweet potato casserole. There’s actually about million ways to make this traditional side dish, so guess what? Here’s another!

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

    Cook The Sweet Potatoes

    For this recipe you will need about 5 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. You have a few options: You can buy canned yams (need enough to get 5 cups of mashed), OR you can roast OR boil fresh sweet potatoes until tender.

    I make this dish using fresh, red-skinned sweet potatoes (fresh is best), and I boil them whole, with the peel on so they don’t get too watery. My photos shown for this recipe are from boiling fresh, whole sweet potatoes.

    For 5 cups of MASHED potatoes, you’ll need about 2½ pounds of sweet potatoes. NOTE: Depending on the size potatoes you’re using, you may want to add an additional 1-2 potatoes (as needed) to ensure you will end up with 5 cups of MASHED potatoes.

    Cook the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan full of boiling water (to cover) until they become tender. Test each potato for tenderness by inserting a sharp knife deep into the middle of each one. If the potato is tender enough, the knife should slide in quite easily.

    Three large sweet potatoes are cooked in boiling water until tender

    Remove the sweet potatoes from the boiling water and immediately plunge them into a large bowl of ice water (shown below). This helps stop the cooking process and will also allow the peels to come off easily.

    NOTE: Once the sweet potatoes are finished cooking, turn on the oven and preheat it to 375°F. That way your oven will be ready when the sweet potato casserole is ready for baking.

    After cooking, the sweet potatoes are plunged into ice water to stop cooking process.

    After the sweet potatoes have cooled in the ice water for a couple minutes, remove them from the water. The peels should EASILY come off of the potatoes and then you can discard them (the peels).

    Peels on cooked sweet potatoes come off easily after the ice water "bath".

    Mash Then Season The Sweet Potatoes

    Place the peeled sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat them on high speed until they are smooth in texture and mostly lump-free. You should have about 5 cups of mashed sweet potatoes before adding the remaining ingredients.

    An electric mixer is used to beat the sweet potatoes until creamy.A bowl full of the mashed/beaten sweet potatoes.

    Add brown sugar, milk, melted butter, eggs, salt, cinnamon and orange zest to the mashed sweet potatoes. Remove the beaters, then STIR these ingredients together until they’re fully combined.

    Spices, milk, egg, brown sugar, etc. are added to the mashed sweet potatoes.The seasoned mashed sweet potatoes are now combined with the spices, etc.

    Bake The Classic Sweet Potato Casserole

    Spray a 9″ x 9″ baking dish on the bottom and sides with non-stick baking spray. If you don’t have cooking spray or prefer not to use it, you can grease the dish with butter.

    Pour all of the batter into the prepared dish and spread it out evenly. Cover the dish with aluminum foil before baking.

    Mashed sweet potatoes are spread into a greased baking dish.

    Bake the classic sweet potato casserole (covered) at 375°F. for 35 minutes, remove the foil and then bake it (uncovered) an additional 10 minutes. When done, remove the dish from the oven. Keep the oven ON!

    After baking, the classic sweet potato casserole is ready for its topping.

    Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potatoes with miniature marshmallows and chopped pecans. Divide them evenly on top of the casserole as much as possible.

    Place the baking dish (uncovered) back into the hot oven and continue baking for 5-10 more minutes until done. Keep an eye on it so you don’t burn the marshmallows!

    Miniature marshmallows and chopped pecans sprinkled on top of the casserole.

    When The Dish Is Done

    The classic sweet potato casserole is done when the marshmallows are melted and lightly browned, and the sweet potatoes are bubbling around the edges.

    Carefully remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for several minutes to set up a bit before serving (it is really HOT).

    After it bakes a few minutes, the marshmallows on top are puffed and golden brown.An "inside" view of the classic sweet potato casserole shows the creamy sweet potatoes.

    Serve The Classic Sweet Potato Casserole

    Scoop the creamy sweet potatoes out of the baking dish and enjoy a serving of classic sweet potato casserole. I am confident you’ll enjoy this delicious dish during the holidays or any other time of the year.

    The golden marshmallows are a favorite part of this classic dish, and the pecans in the topping bring added crunch to the creamy sweet potatoes. An unexpected but tasty surprise is the tiny “pop” of bright citrus flavor the orange zest brings to this yummy dish!

    A small portion of the classic sweet potato casserole, ready to be enjoyed.

    I hope you have the opportunity to make this yummy casserole and trust you (and those you love) will like it, too! It’s really delicious and is a fairly simple side dish to make.

    Thank you for stopping by today, 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 SWEET POTATO or YAM Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious, sweet potato recipes you might enjoy, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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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    Recipe adapted from: “Thanksgiving- 100 Holiday Recipes” magazine, page 59, published in 2024 by A360 Media

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    40 mins
    Sweet Potato Cooking Time (inactive prep)
    40 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr 50 mins
     

    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole (topped with marshmallows and pecans) is a delicious side dish to enjoy for the holidays or any time of the year!

    Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: classic sweet potato casserole
    Servings: 6
    Calories Per Serving: 401 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 2½ pounds sweet potatoes (red-skinned)
    • ½ cup dark brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup whole milk
    • 3 Tablespoons butter melted
    • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
    • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon orange zest
    • 1¾ cups miniature marshmallows
    • ¼ cup chopped pecans
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Boil Sweet Potatoes: Cook sweet potatoes (peel ON) in a large saucepan full of boiling water (to cover) until tender. Test potatoes by inserting a sharp knife deep into the middle of each one. If potatoes are done/tender enough, the knife should slide in quite easily. NOTE: Depending on the size potatoes you're using, you may need to add an additional 1-2 potatoes, if needed to ensure you have enough for 5 cups of MASHED sweet potatoes for this recipe.

    2. Remove potatoes from the boiling water; immediately plunge them into a large bowl of ice water for 2 minutes, then remove them from the water. The peels should EASILY come off of the potatoes (discard peels).

    3. NOTE: Once sweet potatoes have finished cooking, preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9" x 9" baking dish (bottom and sides) with non-stick spray.

    4. Place sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl; use an electric mixer on high speed to beat them until they're smooth/lump-free. **Make sure you have 5 full cups of mashed sweet potatoes before adding the remaining ingredients (measure them into a large bowl).

    5. Add brown sugar, milk, melted (cooled) butter, eggs, salt, cinnamon and orange zest to the sweet potatoes. STIR until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared dish, distributing it evenly.

    6. Cover dish with foil. Bake (covered) at 375°F. for 35 minutes; remove foil and bake (uncovered) 10 more minutes. Remove dish from the oven. Keep oven ON!

    7. Sprinkle casserole with marshmallows and pecans, distributing them evenly on top. Place casserole (uncovered) back into the hot oven; bake 5-10 more minutes until done (marshmallows are golden brown and casserole is bubbly around the edges). Remove dish from the oven; let cool on a wire rack 3-4 minutes to set up a bit before serving. Serve and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE ABOUT THE SWEET POTATOES: For this recipe you will need about 5 cups of MASHED sweet potatoes. You can roast OR boil the sweet potatoes until tender. For this amount of MASHED potatoes, I use three LARGE, sweet potatoes. Depending on the size potatoes you're using, you may need to add an additional 1-2 potatoes, as needed.

    Nutrition Facts
    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
    Calories 401 Calories from Fat 99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11g17%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Trans Fat 0.2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Cholesterol 79mg26%
    Sodium 353mg15%
    Potassium 989mg28%
    Carbohydrates 71g24%
    Fiber 7g29%
    Sugar 39g43%
    Protein 7g14%
    Vitamin A 36613IU732%
    Vitamin C 37mg45%
    Calcium 124mg12%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! Classic Sweet Potato Casserole (topped with marshmallows and pecans) is a delicious side dish to enjoy for the holidays or any time!


    Nov
    2025

    Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo

    categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Side Dishes, Slow Cooker Recipes
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    Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo is a yummy, easy side dish or meatless meal with corn, tomatoes, black beans, cheese, green chiles and spices. 
    Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo is a yummy, easy side dish or meatless meal with corn, tomatoes, black beans, cheese, green chiles and spices.

    Today I want to share a recipe for a delicious crockpot cheesy enchilada orzo. I found the original recipe online and then made a couple changes to suit our tastes. If you enjoy Mexican food or the flavors typically enjoyed in a delicious enchilada, then I’m pretty positive you will enjoy this dish, too!

    Because a slow cooker (or “crockpot” is used) to cook this dish, you can set the timer to fit your schedule, let it do it’s “thing” and then about half an hour before you want to serve it, you finish adding a few remaining ingredients. It really could not be any easier to make!

    Not only is it absolutely delicious, but it also makes a lot! If you choose to serve the enchilada orzo as a side dish, you should get approximately 10-12 servings. When you serve it as a main dish, it will yield between 6-8 servings.

    So… grab your slow cooker and let me show you how easy it is to make crockpot cheesy enchilada orzo!

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

    Fill The Crockpot

    Pour two (14.5 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes (and the juice) into a crockpot/slow cooker. Add one (10 oz.) can of red enchilada sauce, and one can (4.5 oz.)  of diced green chiles (drained).

    Pour in ½ cup of vegetable broth, plus one can (15.25 oz.) of drained whole kernel corn and one can (15 oz.) of drained and rinsed black beans.

    Ingredients for enchilada orzo are added to a slow cooker.

    Stir all these ingredients very well until they are fully combined in the crockpot. This mixture I will call the “sauce”, because it is the foundational liquid base for this recipe.

    After stirring, all ingredients are combined in the crockpot.

    Top the “sauce” with 4 oz. of cream cheese, cut into cubes or small pieces. Distribute it evenly over the surface and then add sharp cheddar cheese. I use three thin slices, cut into smaller pieces (as shown below). You can substitute cubes of sharp cheddar cheese, if necessary.

    Do not stir the cheese in- simply let the two cheeses rest on the surface. Secure the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 7-8 hours OR on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours

    Cream cheese and sharp cheddar are added and mixture is cooked in a crockpot for several hours.

    Make The Seasoning Mix

    While the slow cooker does its thing, you can whip up the seasoning mix to be added to this dish later. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, chili powder, ground cumin and garlic powder. Set aside.

    Measure 2 cups of dried orzo pasta into a small bowl and set it aside to be ready to add later to the slow cooker. You will also need some extra vegetable broth available (approx.½ cup) to add to the orzo later, if necessary, to achieve the right consistency.

    Salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder are combined in a small bowl.Dried orzo, spice mix and remaining vegetable broth to be added later to the crockpot.

    After The “Sauce” Finishes Cooking

    When the cooking time has concluded, remove the lid from the crockpot/slow cooker. Stir the mixture very well until the cheeses have melted and are fully incorporated into the “sauce”.

    When done cooking, the cream cheese and cheddar cheese are stirred into the hot mixture.

    Once the cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese have been incorporated well, it’s time to add the final ingredients to the crockpot.

    After mixing in the cheese, the mixture is ready for the final ingredients.

    Time To Add The Orzo And Spices

    Add the dried orzo and the seasoning mix to the crockpot. Stir these into the “sauce” very well until they are fully combined with the other ingredients.

    Add about ½ cup more vegetable broth to the crockpot and stir to combine. This additional liquid helps the dry orzo pasta to cook. Put the lid back on the slow cooker.

    Dried orzo, spice mix and more vegetable broth added to the crockpot to continue cooking.

    Cook the crockpot cheesy enchilada orzo for 30 more minutes on HIGH heat. After 15 minutes has passed, open the lid and stir everything well. If it looks like almost all of the liquid has already been absorbed, add a little bit more vegetable broth, as necessary.

    Continue cooking until the orzo is tender to the bite (yep, take a tiny taste). If it needs a little bit more time to become tender, add a teensy bit more broth and continue cooking a few more minutes.

    Crockpot cheesy enchilada orzo is cooked for 30 minutes until orzo reaches desired tenderness.

    Serve The Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo

    When the orzo is tender and almost all liquid has been absorbed, this dish is done and can be served immediately. Take a quick bite and add additional salt and pepper if desired, to suit your taste.

    When done, orzo is fully cooked and a lot of the liquid has been absorbed.

    Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo can be served as a flavorful side dish OR it can be enjoyed as a meatless main dish. The black beans and corn provide protein, which is good to know if you’re serving it as a meatless main dish!

    We enjoy serving the orzo topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro as a garnish, but that is optional! The orzo tastes absolutely delicious (so much flavor) and is really filling.

    The crockpot cheesy enchilada orzo, garnished with cilantro and sour cream for serving.

    That’s A LOT Of Orzo!

    This recipe also makes a LOT or crockpot cheesy enchilada orzo. Since it is just my husband and myself now that our sons are grown and live elsewhere, I divide it up after we’ve enjoyed our meal.

    One serving goes into the freezer for later use, one is garnished and refrigerated to eat as leftovers. I even had enough to give a container full to a friend (who is a vegetarian) to enjoy!

    The orzo can easily be reheated in a microwave (don’t add the optional sour cream and cilantro before you reheat it). It also freezes very well if sealed in an airtight freezer container.

    NOTE: If necessary, stir in a tiny bit of water (or more broth) to the orzo when you reheat it, as it may have absorbed even more of the liquid while refrigerated.

    The recipe make a lot! One container to eat immediately, one to give a friend, one to freeze.

    I hope you have the chance to make this delicious crockpot cheesy enchilada orzo for yourself, your family, and for others you love. This dish has amazing flavor, and I truly believe you will enjoy it, hopefully as much as we do.

    Thank you for stopping by today, 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 ORZO 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 ORZO recipes to choose from, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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!
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    Author's signature

    Recipe Adapted from Chungah Rhee at: Slow Cooker Enchilada Orzo – Damn Delicious

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    7 hrs 30 mins
    Total Time
    7 hrs 40 mins
     

    Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo is a yummy, easy side dish or meatless meal with corn, tomatoes, black beans, cheese, green chiles and spices.

    Category: Main Dish, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican, Southwestern
    Keyword: crockpot, slow cooker, cheesy enchilada orzo
    Servings: 12 side dish servings or 6 main dish servings
    Calories Per Serving: 197 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 29 ounces canned diced tomatoes (= two 14.5 oz. cans) including juice
    • 10 ounces canned red enchilada sauce = one 10 oz. can
    • 4.5 ounces canned chopped green chiles drained
    • 1 cup vegetable broth* *DIVIDED USE*
    • 15.25 ounces canned whole kernel corn drained
    • 15 ounces canned black beans rinsed and drained
    • 4 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
    • 3 thin slices sharp cheddar cheese cut in small pieces
    • 2 cups dried orzo pasta
    For Seasoning Mix:
    • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Put tomatoes (plus juice), enchilada sauce, *½ cup of vegetable broth, green chiles, corn and black beans into a slow cooker. Stir well, until they are combined.

    2. Distribute cream cheese cubes and sharp cheddar pieces evenly on top. Do not stir the cheese in- simply let the two cheeses rest on top. Secure the lid on the slow cooker; cook on LOW heat for 7-8 hours OR on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours.

    3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, chili powder, ground cumin and garlic powder. Set aside.

    4. When crockpot cooking time has ended, remove the lid from the crockpot/slow cooker. Stir well, until the cheeses have melted and are fully incorporated.

    5. Add the orzo and seasoning mix to the crockpot. Stir until well combined. Add ½ cup more vegetable broth; stir to combine. Put the lid back on the slow cooker. Cook 30 more minutes on HIGH heat, stirring it HALFWAY (after 15 minutes) through the cooking time. When stirring, if it looks like almost all the liquid has already been absorbed, add a little more vegetable broth, as necessary. Cover slow cooker. Continue cooking for the remaining 15 minutes until the orzo is tender to the bite (take a tiny taste). If it needs a little bit more time to become tender, continue cooking 2-3 more minutes.

    6. Take another quick bite to verify orzo tenderness; add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately, and garnish with sour cream, cilantro or avocado slices, if desired (optional). Enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: The caloric calculation is an estimate per SIDE SERVING, based on a total yield of 12 side dish servings.

    Nutrition Facts
    Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/12 of total))
    Calories 197 Calories from Fat 27
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3g5%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 5mg2%
    Sodium 802mg35%
    Potassium 375mg11%
    Carbohydrates 36g12%
    Fiber 5g21%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 8g16%
    Vitamin A 374IU7%
    Vitamin C 12mg15%
    Calcium 60mg6%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Orzo is a yummy, easy side dish or meatless meal with corn, tomatoes, black beans, cheese, green chiles and spices.


    Sep
    2025

    Instant Pot Black Beans

    categories: Instant Pot Recipes, Side Dishes
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    It’s so easy to make Instant Pot Black Beans to use in so many dishes! 2 cups of dried beans will yield about 6 cups of cooked black beans!
    It's so easy to make Instant Pot Black Beans to use in so many dishes! 2 cups of dried beans will yield about 6 cups of cooked black beans!

    I don’t know about you, but I keep a stash of dried black beans in our pantry all the time so I am able to pressure can them for long-term storage. I haven’t purchased canned black beans in a while! However, recently while making a quick pot of chili, I went to our pantry to grab a jar of home-canned black beans and realized we were OUT!

    Yep, I had used all of my home-canned black beans and hadn’t realized it, so I knew what I had to do. I grabbed a big ol’ bag of dried black beans, cooked them in my Instant Pot, and in under an hour I had my cooked black beans in the chili. Hooray!

    The best part was by using my Instant Pot, I didn’t have to soak the dried beans overnight! I rinsed them, dumped them in my Instant Pot with water, minced garlic and salt, let them cook for 25 minutes and they turned out perfect!

    I used 2 cups of dry black beans and ended up with about 6 cups of cooked beans, so I was able to use some for the chili and froze the rest to use in other meals. If you’d like to know how to easily cook Instant Pot Black Beans, you can find out right here!

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

    Rinse and Sort The Beans

    It probably goes without saying, but you should definitely rinse and sort the black beans you’ll be using because sometimes dirt or little pebbles find their way into the bags (crazy, right?).

    Pour the beans you will be using (2 cups dried) into a colander and give them a good rinse to clean them. Let them drain well.

    Black beans are rinsed well and then drained in a colander before cooking.

    Do a quick check of the beans in the colander to make sure no tiny pebbles are hiding! I also try to pull out some of the beans that have already split or been broken during packaging.

    Broken beans and any tiny rocks are pulled out and discarded before cooking.

    Into The Instant Pot They Go!

    Place 2 cups of rinsed and sorted black beans into the inner pot. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and about 1½-2 teaspoons of minced garlic to the beans.

    Pour 6 cups of water over the beans. This amount of water should be enough to fully cover the beans and be about 1″ over the top of them (add more water, if necessary). 

    black beans, garlic and salt are fully covered with 6 cups of water in the Instant Pot.

    Cook The Instant Pot Black Beans

    Lock the lid of the Instant Pot in place and flip the pressure lever to SEALING. Set the cooking program for MANUAL (high pressure) and set the cooking timer for 25 minutes.

    It will take close to 10 minutes for the internal pressure to build and then the cooking program (and timer) will begin. When the Instant Pot reaches full pressure, the pressure gauge will pop up.

    Once the cooking time (25 minutes) has ended, let the pressure release NATURALLY, which means you do nothing while the internal pressure lowers on its own.

    The pressure gauge will drop back down once all internal pressure has been released, indicating it is safe to unlock and remove the lid of the Instant Pot.

    Instant Pot Black Beans cook for 25 minutes at High pressure.

    Remove the lid and you will find perfectly cooked black beans to use as you see fit. They will be the same consistency as canned black beans you would find at the grocery store!

    Here are the black beans, still in the Instant Pot, after being cooked.

    Use a slotted spoon to remove the beans from the Instant Pot, and now they are ready to be eaten or added to other dishes.

    Two cups of dried beans will yield about 6 cups of cooked black beans.

    Using the Instant Pot Black Beans

    I love to make black beans in the Instant Pot and add them to a big pot of homemade chili. They are also good when mashed and seasoned well to use as black refried beans, as a side dish.

    Black beans taste wonderful in other Mexican dishes (burritos, salads, tostadas and taco bowls), as well. There are so many uses for these black beans; the possibilities are practically endless.

    Instant Pot Black Beans, can be added to a pot of homemade chili.

    You could also use them to make Black Beans And Rice, Easy Black Bean Stew, Turkey Black Bean Soup (Instant Pot), Black Bean Butternut Squash Chili and Black Bean Burgers, to name a few!

    Black beans can be used to make Black Beans and Rice.

    Using cooked black beans to make Easy black Bean Stew for a meal.

    If you are fortunate enough to have an Instant Pot, using it to cook dried black beans is a simple (and much quicker) way to do this. I hope you have the opportunity to try making Instant Pot Black Beans!

    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 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 check out, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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    Author's signature

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Instant Pot Black Beans
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    25 mins
    Natural Pressure Release (approx.)
    20 mins
    Total Time
    50 mins
     

    It's so easy to make Instant Pot Black Beans to use in so many dishes! 2 cups of dried beans will yield about 6 cups of cooked black beans!

    Category: Vegetable
    Cuisine: All Cuisines
    Keyword: Instant Pot, black beans
    Servings: 12 half-cup servings
    Calories Per Serving: 111 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 2 cups dry black beans rinsed, drained, sorted
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1½ teaspoons minced garlic
    • 6 cups water or more to be 1" above beans
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Pour beans into a colander; rinse and drain. Discard any rocks/broken beans.

    2. Place beans into inner pot. Add salt and minced garlic. Pour 6 cups water over the beans. This should be enough to fully cover the beans and be 1" over the top of them (add more water, if needed). 

    3. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot in place; flip pressure lever to SEALING. Set the cooking program for MANUAL (high pressure); set timer for 25 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to reach full pressure, then the cooking program (and timer) will begin. When it reaches full internal pressure, the pressure gauge will pop up. Once cooking time (25 minutes) has ended, let the pressure release NATURALLY (do nothing). The pressure gauge will drop back down once all internal pressure has been naturally released, indicating it is safe to unlock and remove the lid.

    4. Remove Instant Pot lid; remove beans with a slotted spoon and use the cooked black beans as you see fit. Enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: 2 cups of dried beans will typically yield about 6 cups of cooked beans. Serving size used for the caloric calculation was ½ cup cooked beans.

    Nutrition Facts
    Instant Pot Black Beans
    Amount Per Serving (1 g)
    Calories 111 Calories from Fat 5
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 0.5g1%
    Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 0.04g
    Sodium 201mg9%
    Potassium 481mg14%
    Carbohydrates 20g7%
    Fiber 5g21%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 7g14%
    Vitamin A 6IU0%
    Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
    Calcium 44mg4%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's so easy to make Instant Pot Black Beans to use in so many dishes! 2 cups of dried beans will yield about 6 cups of cooked black beans!


    Sep
    2025

    Broccoli Cheese Orzo

    categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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    Broccoli Cheese Orzo is a delicious side dish with orzo pasta, broccoli, cheddar and Parmesan cheese, cooked in a creamy garlic sauce.
    Broccoli Cheese Orzo is a delicious side dish with orzo pasta, broccoli, cheddar and Parmesan cheese, cooked in a creamy garlic sauce.

    Are you looking for a new (and yummy) side dish you can serve with beef, chicken, pork or fish? If you are, then I hope you’ll check out this recipe for broccoli cheese orzo!

    I originally checked out 5-6 recipes online, then used some of the ingredients and added other ingredients (and cooking methods) to suit our taste. 

    This delicious side dish is cooked all in one pan and the orzo is lightly toasted and is wonderfully flavored with two cheeses, broccoli florets and a creamy garlic butter sauce.

    It’s simple to make, tastes amazing and it’s done in about 30 minutes. I hope you’ll give it a try, so here’s how to make it.

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

    Prepare The Broccoli And Orzo Pasta

    Cut fresh broccoli into small florets. Heat extra virgin olive oil on medium heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the broccoli florets and cook them, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.

    Fresh broccoli florets are quickly cooked in olive oil for 2-3 minutes.

    Add the uncooked orzo pasta, and lightly “toast” it by cooking it (stirring often) for about 2 minutes until it is “toasted” and slightly browned. Stir in finely chopped red (or orange) bell pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

    Note: You will also add salt and pepper later “to taste”, after the orzo has finished cooking, so no need to add it now.

    Pour chicken OR vegetable broth into the pan, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the broth to a boil. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and put a lid on the pan.

    Orzo pasta is added to the pan and lightly "toasted".Chicken (or vegetable) broth is added to the broccoli and orzo.

    Cook The Orzo

    Cook the orzo (covered) on LOW for about 9-12 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the lid a few times and give it a good quick stir and see how much liquid remains. Do not let the orzo burn, so keep an eye on it!

    The orzo is cooked in the covered pan until liquid has been fully absorbed.

    Once all the chicken (or vegetable) broth has been absorbed into the pasta, take a little bite of the orzo pasta to make sure it is tender.

    If for some reason it is still a bit too firm, add 1-2 Tablespoons of water (or more broth). Stir again, re-cover the pan and let it cook 1-2 more minutes or until the orzo becomes tender.

    Orzo pasta is finished cooking, and all broth has been absorbed.

    Add The Final Ingredients

    As soon as the orzo is done, remove the pan from the heat source. Immediately add butter, heavy whipping cream (can substitute half and half or milk), freshly grated Parmesan and cheddar cheeses.

    Stir these ingredients into the pasta until the butter and cheeses have melted and along with the cream have been fully incorporated into the orzo. Once combined, season with (and stir in) salt and pepper to suit your taste.

    Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, whipping cream and butter are stirred into orzo.

    Sprinkle the top of the broccoli cheese orzo with additional cheddar cheese. Put the lid back on the pan for 2-3 minutes so the cheese on top melts. The creamy orzo mixture will also thicken slightly as it rests.

    Salt, pepper and more grated cheddar are added to the broccoli cheese orzo.

    Serve The Broccoli Cheese Orzo

    The broccoli cheese orzo can be served immediately, right from the pan, if desired OR you can transfer it to a serving bowl. I like to serve it in a bowl, so I use a spatula to remove large portions of the broccoli cheese orzo at a time to transfer it.

    A spoonful of the creamy broccoli cheese orzo is shown over the pan.

    Transfer the broccoli cheese orzo to a serving bowl (keeping some of the melted cheese from the top, on top!). Serve the orzo immediately while it is hot!

    The broccoli cheese orzo, served in a white bowl.

    We enjoyed this absolutely delicious side dish served alongside a piece of pan-seared creole salmon. This was a filling and “all in one” meal for us because it consisted of meat, a vegetable and pasta!

    A piece of creole salmon is served next to the broccoli cheese orzo pasta.

    I hope you have the opportunity to try this broccoli cheese orzo and trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we do. It’s a fairly simple, one-pan dish to make and if you have any leftovers, they’re easy to reheat in the microwave.

    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 ORZO Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious recipes featuring ORZO you might enjoy, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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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    Broccoli Cheese Orzo
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    15 mins
    Total Time
    30 mins
     

    Broccoli Cheese Orzo is a delicious side dish with orzo pasta, broccoli, cheddar and Parmesan cheese, cooked in a creamy garlic sauce.

    Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: broccoli cheese orzo
    Servings: 5
    Calories Per Serving: 415 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 cups fresh broccoli florets *Bite-sized pieces
    • 1 cup orzo pasta Uncooked
    • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
    • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 cups chicken broth Can substitute veggie broth
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • 1¼ cups grated cheddar cheese* *DIVIDED USE
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • ½ cup heavy whipping cream* *Can substitute half n' half or milk
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large saucepan. Once oil is hot, add broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.

    2. Add orzo; cook for 1-2 minutes (stirring often) until it's "toasted" and slightly browned. Stir in red bell pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

    3. Add chicken broth; turn heat up to medium-high, bring broth to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer; cover the pan. Cook (covered) on LOW for 9-12 minutes (or until all liquid is absorbed). Remove lid 2-3 times, give it a quick stir and see how much liquid remains. Keep an eye on it so the orzo doesn't burn! Once all broth has been absorbed, taste orzo to make sure it is tender. If it's still too firm, add 1-2 Tbsp. water (or broth). Stir again, re-cover the pan and let it cook 1-2 more minutes or until orzo is tender. Remove pan from heat source.

    4. Immediately add butter, whipping cream, Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Stir until ingredients are combined and butter and cheeses have melted. Once combined, season with salt and pepper to suit your taste.

    5. Sprinkle orzo with remaining ¼ cup of grated cheddar. Put the lid back on the pan for 2-3 minutes. Cheese on top will melt and orzo mixture will thicken slightly as it rests.

    6. Transfer broccoli cheese orzo to a serving bowl (keep some of the melted cheese from the top, on top!). Serve hot and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE:  The caloric calculation was made using heavy whipping cream. If you want the dish to have fewer calories, substitute half and half or milk for the cream called for.

    Nutrition Facts
    Broccoli Cheese Orzo
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/5 of total))
    Calories 415 Calories from Fat 243
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 27g42%
    Saturated Fat 14g88%
    Trans Fat 0.1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 8g
    Cholesterol 72mg24%
    Sodium 902mg39%
    Potassium 277mg8%
    Carbohydrates 28g9%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 16g32%
    Vitamin A 1135IU23%
    Vitamin C 37mg45%
    Calcium 333mg33%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Broccoli Cheese Orzo is a delicious side dish with orzo pasta, broccoli, cheddar and Parmesan cheese, cooked in a creamy garlic sauce.


    Aug
    2025

    Garlic Butter Red Potatoes

    categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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    Garlic Butter Red Potatoes is an easy veggie dish with only a few ingredients. Buttery tender potatoes with spices and parsley taste great!
    Garlic Butter Red Potatoes is an easy veggie dish with only a few ingredients. Buttery tender potatoes with spices and parsley taste great!

    Today I want to share a yummy recipe for garlic butter red potatoes. This “recipe” is how I typically have cooked red potatoes for many years because they always turn out so good!

    The cooking method is so simple, and these delicious, buttery and tender potatoes are filling and are such a perfect side dish for so many meals! Here’s how to make garlic butter red potatoes.

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

    Good Ol’ Red Potatoes

    I love red potatoes and have grown them in our little backyard raised bed garden for many years. Some of them are pictured below, which show the different sizes they can grow in the same planting bed.

    You never know what you will harvest with potatoes, so it’s like a treasure hunt to dig them up! This year I didn’t get any planted, so my husband and I have been purchasing them at our local grocery store when we want to eat them.

    Today I will share this recipe for red potatoes that is so simple to prepare, and the results are delicious, whether you use home-grown or store-bought potatoes!

    Red potatoes from our garden, some large and some are small.

    Prepare The Red Potatoes

    The red potatoes shown below are the ones I used so you can see the varying sizes. For this recipe I used about 1¼ pounds of red potatoes, which was about 15 small red potatoes. This recipe is best (and the quickest cooking time) if you use red potatoes that are on the SMALL side.

    NOTE: Ignore the purple potatoes in the photo below- they’re awfully cute, but I boiled them at the same time as the red ones and used them for another dish.

    Give the red potatoes a good rinse, then place them whole (do not peel) in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Add a couple pinches of salt, then bring the water to a boil on High heat.

    Boil Potatoes Until Tender

    Cook the potatoes in boiling water until they’re tender. It usually takes about 15 minutes for small potatoes to become tender, but your time may vary slightly due to size of the potatoes you are using.

    Test the potatoes for tenderness by inserting a butter knife into one of the potatoes (choose a bigger one). The knife should easily slide into the potato and that’s when you’ll know they are done. 

    Red potatoes are rinsed well before boiling them in water.

    Time To Add Butter And Spices

    When done, remove the potatoes from the water. Drain the potatoes and then slice them in half lengthwise and set them aside briefly.

    Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large skillet on LOW heat. Once melted, carefully add the halved, hot potatoes to the skillet. They are already tender, so all they need is some seasoning and a quick re-heat before they’re ready to be served.

    Red potatoes are boiled in water until tender, then halved and cooked in butter and garlic.

    Season the potatoes with salt, black pepper and garlic powder, to taste. Typically, I add about ¼ teaspoon of each of these spices.

    Stir the spices into the potatoes, then take a little bite. Add more salt, pepper OR garlic powder as needed to suit your own taste.

    Buttery seasoned red potato halves are cooked in skillet until heated through.

    Heat the potatoes only until they have been reheated through, then transfer them out of the skillet and into a serving bowl. Pour any leftover melted butter from the skillet over the potatoes.

    Potatoes are transferred from pan to bowl, and any remaining garlic butter is poured on top.

    Garnish And Serve The Garlic Butter Red Potatoes

    The final step is to sprinkle fresh parsley leaves on top of the garlic butter red potatoes. The bright green of fresh parsley sure adds a pop of color, doesn’t it? Fresh parsley also adds even more flavor to these soft, buttery potatoes!

    Fresh parsley is sprinkled on the hot garlic butter red potatoes.

    Serve the garlic butter red potatoes while hot and enjoy this delicious veggie side along with a favorite meat dish. The potatoes are quite tasty and look lovely on any table.

    The garlic butter red potatoes are garnished for serving with fresh parsley leaves.

    We enjoyed the potatoes served with Air Fryer Veggies for Two and delicious Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops. There are usually enough small potatoes for 4 small side portions.

    What a yummy meal, and even though the potatoes are really easy to prepare, they taste wonderful and I’m confident you’ll like them, too. 

    Garlic butter red potatoes served along with veggies and a pork chop.

    I hope you have the opportunity to make Garlic Butter Red Potatoes for those you love and trust you will enjoy them as much as we do.

    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 POTATO 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 dishes featuring potatoes you might enjoy, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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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    Garlic Butter Red Potatoes
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    15 mins
    Total Time
    30 mins
     

    Garlic Butter Red Potatoes is an easy veggie dish with only a few ingredients. Buttery tender potatoes with spices and parsley taste great!

    Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
    Cuisine: All Cuisines
    Keyword: garlic butter red potatoes
    Servings: 4 small servings
    Calories Per Serving: 151 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1¼ pounds small red potatoes
    • 2 pinches salt (added to boiling water to cook potatoes) *Used only for boiling water
    • 2 Tablespoons butter melted
    • ¼ teaspoon salt + more to taste, if needed
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper + more to taste, if needed
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    For Garnish:
    • 1½ Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves chopped, if very large
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender (approx. 15 minutes for small potatoes to become tender)- your time may vary due to size of potatoes you're using. Test potatoes for doneness by inserting a butter knife into a potato (choose a bigger one). The knife should easily slide into the potato once fully cooked. Drain potatoes; slice them in half lengthwise; set aside.

    2. Melt butter in a large skillet on LOW heat. Carefully add the halved, hot potatoes.

    3. Season potatoes with salt, black pepper and garlic powder, to taste. Stir potatoes until coated. Taste; add more salt, pepper or garlic powder as needed to suit your taste.

    4. Heat potatoes only until reheated through. Transfer hot potatoes into a serving bowl. Pour any leftover butter from the skillet over the potatoes.

    5. Sprinkle fresh parsley leaves on top of the potatoes. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Garlic Butter Red Potatoes
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
    Calories 151 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Trans Fat 0.2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 15mg5%
    Sodium 217mg9%
    Potassium 659mg19%
    Carbohydrates 23g8%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 312IU6%
    Vitamin C 14mg17%
    Calcium 19mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Garlic Butter Red Potatoes is an easy veggie dish with only a few ingredients. Buttery tender potatoes with spices and parsley taste great!

     


    May
    2025

    Simple Fried Green Tomatoes

    categories: Appetizers, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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    Make a batch of classic Southern style Fried Green Tomatoes as a side dish or appetizer! They’re crispy, tangy, delicious, and easy to make.
    Make a batch of classic Southern style Fried Green Tomatoes as a side dish or appetizer! They're crispy, tangy, delicious, and easy to make.

    In the Spring of 2024, my husband and I flew to Tennessee (Nashville and Franklin) to explore the area for a few days before we drove down to northern Georgia to visit my sister and my Mom.

    It was our first night in Tennessee, so we went “all in” on “Southern” food. We had a fantastic dinner at Tupelo Honey Cafe, a well-known Southern restaurant located in several states. It was our first time ever going to this restaurant, and wow! We wish we had one here in Oregon because we loved it so much!

    My husband and I ordered panko-crusted fried green tomatoes (served on goat cheese grits) for an appetizer, then ordered a “Mac-n-Cheese Waffle with Asheville Hot Fried Chicken” and “Tupelo Shrimp and Grits” for our main dishes. We absolutely loved it all (and the great service) and were amazed at how tangy (but oh so good) the fried green tomatoes were!

    I came home from that trip determined to make fried green tomatoes (using our garden tomatoes), but only a simple recipe without grits, etc. A couple months later I picked several GREEN, unripe tomatoes from our little garden and turned to a “Southern” cookbook I’ve owned for many years for a basic recipe.

    This is the result… simple fried green tomatoes (no frills) that taste wonderful! Here’s how to use unripe green tomatoes (from your garden or a farmer’s market) to make them.

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

    Prepare The Green Tomatoes

    Rinse and de-stem 3 firm, unripe green tomatoes, then pat them dry with paper towels. Slice each of the tomatoes into 4″ round slices. Set the tomatoes aside.

    In a medium-sized bowl whisk together an egg, milk, salt and black pepper until they are fully combined. Set this mixture aside.

    Unripe, firm green tomatoes are rinsed, de-stemmed, and sliced into rounds.Milk, an egg, salt and pepper are combined in a medium bowl.

    On a large dinner plate, stir yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour together until they’re fully blended.

    All-purpose flour and yellow cornmeal are mixed together on a white dinner plate.

    Dip And Coat the Tomato Slices

    Now it’s time to get the green tomato slices ready for frying! Preheat oil to 350°F. in a large skillet (or electric skillet if you have one). While the oil preheats, prepare the tomatoes for frying.

    Doing ONE AT A TIME, dip a tomato slice into the egg mixture and turn it until it’s covered. Lift the slice up, letting any excess egg mixture drip back into the bowl.

    Immediately lay the tomato slice in the cornmeal/flour mixture and dredge it in this coating, turning until all sides of each slice are covered. Place the prepared slice on the rim of the plate and repeat the process with the other slices.

    TIP: Use the same hand for dipping and dredging, because it creates less messy hands! I use a plate for the flour mixture, so I can place coated slices on the rim to rest until they’re all ready to be fried.

    Tomato slices are coated with the egg mixture (one at a time).Egg-covered tomato slices are then dredged in flour/cornmeal mixture until fully coated.

    Time To Fry The Tomatoes

    When the oil has reached 350°F (or 180°C.), it is hot enough to fry the tomatoes. It’s extremely important the oil is at this temperature before beginning so it can crisp and brown the coating on the tomatoes!

    Carefully place the tomato slices into the very hot oil (you may have to fry them in batches because you do not want to overcrowd the skillet!

    Fry the tomatoes for a total amount of 3-5 minutes per batch, making sure to flip them to the other side about halfway through the frying time. When done, the outer coating should be golden brown in color on both sides and the coating should be crispy.

    Fried green tomatoes are cooked in hot oil, flipping them over, halfway through frying time.The fried green tomatoes are cooked until golden brown and crispy on both sides.

    Remove the fried green tomatoes one at a time from the hot oil with a slotted spatula, to let oil drip back into the skillet. Lay the fried green tomatoes in a single layer on several thicknesses of paper towels, to absorb any remaining oil.

    TIP: If you’re making lots (more than one batch), keep the fried green tomatoes warm while you fry up any additional batches. You can do this by placing them on a baking sheet and keeping them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven until you’re done frying and ready to serve all the tomatoes.

    After frying, the tomato slices drain on paper towels before serving.

    Serve The Fried Green Tomatoes

    After the fried green tomatoes have rested briefly on the paper towels to absorb any remaining oil, they can be served. Carefully arrange the tomato slices on a serving plate or platter.

    If desired, sprinkle them with additional salt or pepper (to taste), then garnish the tomatoes with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve them while they are still hot and enjoy! They should be crispy on the outside and have a slight lemony tartness in each bite.

    Note: If you follow the recipe below as written, there should be enough fried green tomatoes for three per serving, but the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to suit your needs.

    Garnished with fresh thyme leaves, the fried green tomatoes are served.

    I hope you have a chance to make these delicious fried green tomatoes, whether you serve them as an appetizer or a side dish! They really are quite simple to make, and I trust you’ll enjoy them as much as we do!

    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 VEGGIE SIDE DISH 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 veggie side dish recipes to choose from, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: “The SOUTH – The Beautiful Cookbook”, by Mara Reid Rogers, page 147, published by Harper Collins Publishers in1996

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    Simple Fried Green Tomatoes
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    25 mins
     

    Make a batch of classic Southern style Fried Green Tomatoes as a side dish or appetizer! They're crispy, tangy, delicious, and easy to make.

    Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: simple fried green tomatoes
    Servings: 4 (3 slices per serving)
    Calories Per Serving: 214 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 3 medium firm, unripe green tomatoes cored, each cut into 4 round slices
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 Tablespoons milk
    • ½ teaspoons salt
    • ¼ teaspoons black pepper
    • ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
    • ½ cup sifted all-purpose flour
    • vegetable oil, for frying ½" depth in large skillet
    For Garnish (optional): Additional salt/pepper and thyme sprigs
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Rinse/ de-stem tomatoes and pat dry. Slice tomatoes into 4 slices. Set aside.

      2. In a medium bowl whisk egg, milk, salt and pepper until combined. Set aside.

      3. On a dinner plate, combine cornmeal and flour. Set aside.

      4. Preheat oil to 350°F. in large skillet (or electric skillet). While oil preheats, prepare tomatoes. ONE AT A TIME, dip tomato slice into egg mixture; turn until it's coated on both sides. Lift slice up, letting excess liquid drip back into bowl. Immediately place tomato slice in cornmeal/flour mixture, turning until both sides are covered. Place prepared slice on the rim of the plate; repeat process with remaining slices.

      5. When oil is 350°F (or 180°C.), it is hot enough to fry the tomatoes. Carefully place slices in hot oil (don't overcrowd skillet-fry in batches, if necessary). Fry tomatoes 3-5 minutes per batch, making sure to flip them over halfway through this time. When done, coating should be golden brown on both sides and crispy.

      6. Remove fried tomatoes from the oil with a slotted spatula, to let oil drip back into the skillet. Lay tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels, to drain.

      7. To serve, arrange tomato slices on a serving plate or platter. Sprinkle with salt or pepper (to taste), then garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve warm and enjoy!

      Nutrition Facts
      Simple Fried Green Tomatoes
      Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total-approx. 3 slices))
      Calories 214 Calories from Fat 27
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 3g5%
      Saturated Fat 1g6%
      Trans Fat 0.01g
      Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
      Monounsaturated Fat 1g
      Cholesterol 47mg16%
      Sodium 325mg14%
      Potassium 332mg9%
      Carbohydrates 39g13%
      Fiber 4g17%
      Sugar 5g6%
      Protein 8g16%
      Vitamin A 675IU14%
      Vitamin C 22mg27%
      Calcium 33mg3%
      Iron 2mg11%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a batch of classic Southern style Fried Green Tomatoes as a side dish or appetizer! They're crispy, tangy, delicious, and easy to make.


      May
      2025

      Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad

      categories: Salads, Side Dishes
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      Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad is an amazing, delicious salad with cranberries, goat cheese, and toasted pecans! It’s a great side dish or entree!
      Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad is an amazing, delicious salad with cranberries, goat cheese, and toasted pecans! It's a great side dish or entree!

      Hi, friends! If you’re looking for a fantastic salad, I’m confident you’re going to love the recipe for spinach apple quinoa salad I’m sharing today. I found the original recipe online about a year ago and only have positive things to say about it.

      This salad is packed with color, texture, crunch, protein, fiber and creamy goat cheese and it’s become one of my favorite salads! Topped with a delicious honey, lemon and Dijon salad dressing, it’s a wonderful side dish to compliment a variety of meals.

      The spinach apple quinoa salad is also wonderful served as a healthy light lunch too, because it’s filling AND the quinoa in it provides a good amount of old-fashioned protein!

      Apart from a tiny bit of prep (cooking the quinoa and toasting pecans), all it takes is “building the salad” layer by layer, adding salad dressing, and eating! Here’s how to make this scrumptious spinach apple quinoa salad.

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

      A Little Prep – Cook The Quinoa

      The first thing you’ll need to do is cook ¼ cup of quinoa and let it cool completely, before you can add it to the salad. Before cooking the quinoa, give it a good rinse and drain it well.

      Bring a ½ cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan, then add the rinsed/drained quinoa.  Stir to combine, then turn the heat down to Low (a simmer) and put a lid on the saucepan.

      Cook the quinoa (covered) for 10-12 minutes OR until all of the water has been absorbed. I recommend checking on it and giving the quinoa a quick stir once or twice while it cooks.

      Quinoa is cooked in boiling water until all water is gone.

      Once all the liquid’s been absorbed, the quinoa is done. Use a fork to “fluff” up the quinoa, then transfer it out of the hot saucepan and place it in a bowl. Allow the quinoa to cool until it’s at room temperature before adding it to the salad.

      The cooked quinoa is cooled to room temperature in a bowl.

      Toast The Pecans

      While the quinoa is cooking (and cooling), lightly “toast” the pecans. I prefer to roughly chop or break apart the pecans, but if you’d prefer to use intact pecan halves, feel free to do so.

      Place the pecans in a small skillet, and heat them on Medium, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes to lightly “toast” them. Keep checking them and stirring, because the nuts can burn fairly quickly if you’re not keeping an eye on them.

      When they become aromatic and are lightly browned, they’re done! Transfer the pecans out of the skillet and let them cool completely to room temperature before adding them to the salad.

      Pecan pieces are lightly "toasted" in a dry skillet until aromatic.

      Make The Salad Dressing

      The ingredients you’ll use for the salad dressing are extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine these ingredients using a whisk or a fork until they have been fully incorporated together. 

      A lemon Dijon salad dressing ix mixed together for the salad.

      Time To Create The Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad

      Place clean, dry baby spinach leaves in a medium sized serving bowl. Make sure the leaves are dry to ensure the salad dressing will coat them well.

      Baby spinach leaves are placed in a large serving bowl.

      Fluff the cooked and cooled quinoa again with a fork, then add it on top of the baby spinach leaves in the bowl.

      Room temperature, cooked quinoa is added to baby spinach leaves in bowl.

      Top the quinoa with the toasted pecan pieces and dried cranberries. Now this yummy salad is starting to look nice and colorful, right?

      Toasted pecans, dried cranberries are added to the salad.

      Top the salad with thin unpeeled apple slices (or chunks) and then add creamy goat cheese crumbles. Now all that is left to do is add the salad dressing, toss and serve!

      TIP If you’re not going to serve the salad right away, toss the apple slices in some lemon juice before adding, so they don’t turn brown, once exposed to the air.

      Goat cheese crumbles and thinly sliced apples are added to the salad.

      Dress And Serve The Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad

      Give the salad dressing a final whisk, then add it to the salad. NOTE: Don’t add the dressing ahead of time- only add it right before you serve the salad, for best results!

      Gently toss the salad until all the ingredients are covered with the salad dressing. Gently re-arrange some of the apples, cranberries, pecans and goat cheese back on top of the salad for presentation (if desired).

      Lemon dressing is poured over the Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad before combining.The Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad is ready to serve after the dressing is added.

      Serve and enjoy this delicious salad alongside a favorite main dish! We enjoyed it with a stuffed sweet potato and Lemon Garlic Baked Chicken and it was great!

      You could also enjoy having the Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad as a main dish, dividing the full amount of salad in half (2 servings).

      The quinoa packs enough protein and fiber that would make this tasty salad a wonderful and filling side dish or a “stand-alone” lunch meal.

      Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad is served with lemon chicken and a baked sweet potato.

      I really hope you enjoy this fantastic spinach apple quinoa salad, and trust those you share it with will like it, as well! The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to meet your needs, which is a great thing!

      Thank you for stopping by today, 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 SALAD 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 fantastic salad recipes (sweet, savory and main dish) to choose from, including:

      Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

      I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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:

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

      Author's signature

      Recipe adapted from: https://kristineskitchenblog.com/spinach-and-quinoa-salad-with-apple-and-pecans/amp/

      ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

      0 from 0 votes
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      Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad
      Prep Time
      15 mins
      Cook Time
      10 mins
      Total Time
      25 mins
       

      Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad is an amazing, delicious salad with cranberries, goat cheese, and toasted pecans! It's a great side dish or entree!

      Category: Salad
      Cuisine: All Cuisines
      Keyword: spinach, apple, quinoa, salad
      Servings: 3
      Calories Per Serving: 324 kcal
      Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
      Ingredients
      For Salad:
      • ½ cup water
      • ¼ cup uncooked quinoa rinsed, drained
      • ¼ cup raw pecans (or walnuts) rough chopped or halves
      • 3½ cups fresh baby spinach
      • ¼ cup dried cranberries
      • ½ large apple (unpeeled) cored/thinly sliced (or cut in chunks)
      • 2 ounces goat cheese
      For Salad Dressing:
      • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
      • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
      • 1 Tablespoon honey
      • ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
      • ⅙ teaspoon salt
      • 1 pinch black pepper
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan; add rinsed/drained quinoa. Stir to combine, then turn heat down to Low (simmer) and put a lid on pan. Cook quinoa (covered) for 10-12 minutes OR until all water has been absorbed. Check on it and give quinoa a stir 1 or 2 times while it cooks.

      2. Once all liquid is absorbed, quinoa is done. Fluff it with a fork, then transfer quinoa to a bowl and cool to room temp.

      3. Place pecans in a small skillet. Cook on Medium, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes to lightly "toast" them. Keep checking them and stirring (they can burn quickly). When they become aromatic and are lightly browned, they're done! Transfer them out of the skillet and cool to room temp.

      4. In a small bowl, combine salad dressing ingredients using a whisk (or fork) until fully incorporated. 

      5. To "build" the salad, put spinach in medium bowl. Top with (cooled) quinoa, dried cranberries, (cooled) pecans, apple slices and crumbled goat cheese. Right before serving, add salad dressing and gently toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!

      Nutrition Facts
      Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad
      Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))
      Calories 324 Calories from Fat 180
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 20g31%
      Saturated Fat 5g31%
      Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
      Monounsaturated Fat 11g
      Cholesterol 9mg3%
      Sodium 244mg11%
      Potassium 375mg11%
      Carbohydrates 32g11%
      Fiber 4g17%
      Sugar 18g20%
      Protein 7g14%
      Vitamin A 3506IU70%
      Vitamin C 16mg19%
      Calcium 80mg8%
      Iron 2mg11%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Spinach Apple Quinoa Salad is an amazing, delicious salad with cranberries, goat cheese, and toasted pecans! It's a great side dish or entree!

       


      Apr
      2025

      Mediterranean Butternut Squash

      categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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      Mediterranean Butternut Squash is a flavorful side dish with roasted squash topped with tahini dressing, feta cheese, mint, and pistachios!
      Mediterranean Butternut Squash is a flavorful side dish with roasted squash topped with tahini dressing, feta cheese, mint, and pistachios!

      If you’re looking for a unique and flavorful vegetable side dish, I hope you’ll check out this recipe for Mediterranean butternut squash! I found the original recipe in a cookbook I own that features all Mediterranean-inspired recipes, made a few small changes, and really enjoy this vegetable dish.

      There are several unique ingredients used in this recipe which add some flavorful “zing” to “plain-old butternut squash”. I love roasted butternut squash, but the addition of Mediterranean-inspired toppings really takes this recipe up a notch or two and that’s awesome!

      I truly hope you enjoy this absolutely delicious and colorful winter squash recipe. Here’s how to make Mediterranean butternut squash, step by step.

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

      Prepare The Butternut Squash

      Slice the stem end and the very bottom end off of a 1½ pound butternut squash. Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to remove the peel. Peel enough of the outer skin until the orange flesh (not white) of the squash is showing.

      Slice the squash in half from top to bottom, then remove and discard the seeds and “stringy pith” from the cavity of each piece. Turn the squash over and place the squash cut side down. Slice each half into ½” thick “half-moon” shaped pieces. Repeat with the other half of the squash.

      A 4-photo collage showing the peeling and slicing of a butternut squash for this recipe.

      Place the squash slices in a large bowl and drizzle them with 1½ Tablespoons of olive oil, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss the slices until they’re evenly coated with the olive oil, then set the bowl aside.

      Butternut squash slices are tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

      Make The Tahini Dressing

      One of the primary ingredients for the dressing is tahini, which is a roasted sesame seed purée. It is thick in texture and must be stirred very well before using. Tahini looks a bit like peanut butter and can be found in most grocery stores nowadays.

      A jar of tahini paste which is used for this recipe is shown.

      In a small bowl, use a whisk to fully combine the tahini, fresh lemon juice, honey, 2 teaspoons of additional extra virgin olive oil, and a small pinch of salt.

      Tahini is whisked with lemon juice, honey, olive oil, and salt to make a creamy dressing.

      Once the butternut squash has been roasted, you’ll drizzle this tahini dressing over the squash, then garnish it with toasted pistachio seeds, crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh mint.

      I like to get these toppings prepped and ready to go, so it’s really quick and easy to add them to the hot squash as soon as the slices come out of the oven.

      Pistachios, crumbled feta, chopped mint and tahini dressing ready to garnish baked squash.

      Time To Roast The Butternut Squash

      Lay the squash in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and roast (on a middle rack) for 20 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet in the oven and continue to cook for 6-10 more minutes.

      The butternut squash slices in a single layer on baking sheet, ready for oven.

      Remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula to carefully turn each slice over. Put the pan back in the oven and bake 10 more minutes, or until the squash is very tender.

      When done, both sides of the squash will be nicely browned, and a knife can easily be inserted into the squash without meeting any resistance.

      After baking, squash slices are well-browned on both sides.

      Prepare The Baked Squash For Serving

      Arrange the hot squash slices on a serving plate or platter however you wish. I usually layer or “shingle” them in a single line on the serving dish so each slice gets some of the toppings.

      Roasted squash slices are "shingled" and arranged on a serving platter before garnishing.

      Drizzle the tahini dressing over the Mediterranean butternut squash, ensuring each slice gets a bit of the creamy dressing on top!

      Tahini dressing is drizzled over the top of baked butternut squash slices on platter.

      Garnish And Serve Mediterranean Butternut Squash

      Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese, pistachios and chopped, fresh mint leaves on top of the tahini dressing and squash slices. Distribute them evenly over the surface to bring a pop of color and crunch to every piece of squash.

      Mediterranean butternut squash is garnished with feta cheese, mint, and toasted pistachios.

      Serve this yummy side dish immediately after garnishing, to ensure the squash remains hot for serving. We enjoyed our Mediterranean butternut squash served as a side dish, with wild rice and salmon! Everything was absolutely delicious!

      The butternut squash is so creamy and delicious, the tahini dressing provides great flavor, and the feta cheese, mint, and crunchy pistachios make it taste amazing!

      A white plate with a piece of salmon, wild rice and Mediterranean butternut squash is served.

      I really hope you give this unique and yummy recipe a try, and trust you’ll enjoy it, too! We enjoy the fresh flavors and texture this Mediterranean-style recipe adds to a common winter squash!

      Thank you for stopping by today, 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 VEGETABLE 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 veggie recipes you may want to check out, including:

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      Author's signature

      Recipe adapted from “The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook”, page 227, published by the editors at America’s Test Kitchen in 2016

      ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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      Mediterranean Butternut Squash
      Prep Time
      15 mins
      Cook Time
      31 mins
      Total Time
      46 mins
       

      Mediterranean Butternut Squash is a flavorful side dish with roasted squash topped with tahini dressing, feta cheese, mint, and pistachios!

      Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
      Cuisine: Mediterranean
      Keyword: Mediterranean Butternut Squash
      Servings: 4
      Calories Per Serving: 239 kcal
      Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
      Ingredients
      • 1½ pounds butternut squash
      • 1½ Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
      • ½ teaspoon salt
      • ½ teaspoon black pepper
      For Tahini Dressing:
      • 1 Tablespoon tahini
      • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
      • 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
      • 1 teaspoon honey
      • 1 pinch salt
      For Garnish:
      • ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
      • ¼ cup toasted pistachios shelled
      • 2 Tablespoons fresh mint chopped
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Preheat oven to 425℉ (or 218.33℃).

      2. Slice stem end and bottom off of squash. Peel squash until the orange flesh (no white) is showing. Slice squash in half from top to bottom. Remove/discard seeds and "stringy pith". Place a squash half, cut side down, on cutting board. Slice into ½" thick "half-moon" shaped pieces. Repeat with remaining half.

      3. Place squash slices in a large bowl; drizzle with 1½ Tbsp. olive oil; season with salt/pepper. Toss until evenly coated with olive oil; set bowl aside.

      4. In a small bowl, use a whisk to combine tahini, lemon juice, honey, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and a small pinch of salt. Set aside.

      5. Lay squash in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425℉ on a lower rack for 20 minutes. Rotate baking sheet; continue to cook 6-10 more minutes. Remove pan from oven; use spatula to turn each slice over. Put pan back in oven; bake 10 more minutes, or until squash is very tender and well-browned.

      6. Layer or "shingle" squash slices in a single line on a serving platter. Drizzle with tahini dressing, ensuring each slice gets some! Sprinkle crumbled feta, pistachios and chopped mint leaves evenly on top. Serve hot and enjoy!

      Nutrition Facts
      Mediterranean Butternut Squash
      Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
      Calories 239 Calories from Fat 135
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 15g23%
      Saturated Fat 3g19%
      Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
      Monounsaturated Fat 8g
      Cholesterol 8mg3%
      Sodium 417mg18%
      Potassium 721mg21%
      Carbohydrates 25g8%
      Fiber 5g21%
      Sugar 6g7%
      Protein 5g10%
      Vitamin A 18263IU365%
      Vitamin C 38mg46%
      Calcium 149mg15%
      Iron 2mg11%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Mediterranean Butternut Squash is a flavorful side dish with roasted squash topped with tahini dressing, feta cheese, mint, and pistachios!