Ingredients

Here is what you’ll need to make this refreshing summer juice:

Whole pineapple – that’s right, we’ll use a whole fresh pineapple for this recipe! The fresh pineapple is so much better than anything canned, and it adds a great sweetness to the drink.

Navel Oranges – a few oranges will complement all the other ingredients and also add more sweetness.

Cucumber – there’s nothing refreshing quite like a cucumber. We’ll use one whole cucumber for this recipe.

Carrots – we’ll also use 2 carrots, which will add to the nutrients and health benefits of the juice.

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How to Make Carrot Pineapple Cucumber Juice

It is super easy to make fruit & veggie juice at home. There are really two ways you can make this juice.

Method 1:

Prepare all the fruits and veggies. Wash and cut them all into smaller pieces. For the pineapple, cut the top and rind off. Then cut the pineapple down and around the core. Then cut into strips. Add all the ingredients to a juicer in small batches. Stir, chill, and serve!

Method 2:

If you don’t have a juicer, you can use this method instead. Prepare all the fruits and veggies the same way, but instead of putting them in the juicer, put them in the blender. Blend them all up and then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pulp.

Recipe Tips & Adjustments

The awesome thing about juice is you can customize it SO many different ways! You can add more fruit and veggies depending on what you have in your fridge—or you can just add in little flavorings!

Other fruits and veggies to add/substitute

• Sub apples for oranges if you don’t have any
• Add papaya for an extra tropical twist
• Add celery, spinach, or kale if you want extra nutrients

Flavorings to add:

• Add lemon or lime for a zing, plus extra citrus
• Add ginger for a little spice (plus it is super good for you!)

Some other common combinations I’ve seen for juice include pineapple cucumber juice (by itself) carrot pineapple ginger juice, pineapple carrot apple juice, or kale carrot pineapple juice.

See what I mean when I say there are TONS of ways to customize your juice?!

What are the benefits of carrot and pineapple juice?

The benefits of carrot and pineapple juice have to do with the nutrients they each provide. Carrots are high in beta carotene, which converts into vitamin A in the body. Pineapple are high in vitamin C.

And then there are cucumbers too, which have quite a few nutrients, like vitamin K, B, and C!

Should I peel carrots or cucumbers for juice?

There is no need to peel the carrots or the cucumber for this juice! Leaving the skin on gives you even more nutrients. You won’t see the skin at all, so it doesn’t matter!

More Fruity Drinks

• Fruit Smoothies Without Yogurt
• Strawberry Peach Smoothie
• Grape Strawberry Smoothie
• Banana Pear Smoothie

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Carrot Pineapple Cucumber Juice

Carrot Pineapple Cucumber juice is the perfect refreshing drink on a hot day! This juice is full of flavor, as well as nutrients like vitamin C and A.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• Juicer
• Chef's Knife

Ingredients

• 1 whole pineapple
• 3 naval oranges
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large cucumber

Instructions

• Wash and prepare all of the fruits and vegetables.
• Cut the top and rind off of the pineapple. Then cut the pineapple down and around the core. Then cut into strips that will fit into the juicer.
• Turn the juicer on and start the juicing process, placing all ingredients in the juicer chute in small batches.
• Alternatively, if you don’t have a juicer, you can blend the ingredients in a blender and strain out the pulp through a sieve.
• Stir and enjoy fresh or refrigerate for up to 3 days!

Notes

• There is no need to peel the carrots or cucumber before juicing them.
• Feel free to add extra flavorings like lemon, lime, or ginger!

Conclusion

Packed with vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin C and beta-carotene, carrot pineapple cucumber juice is a great way to support your overall health and wellness. So why wait? Try this delicious and refreshing juice recipe today!

The post Carrot Pineapple Cucumber Juice – Easy Recipe! appeared first on .

When I discovered I could make breakfast potatoes in the air fryer, my life changed.

Seriously! I used to make these potatoes from scratch in a frying pan, and I would have to watch them carefully to make sure they didn’t stick or burn. And they took forever to cook through.

But not in the air fryer. This recipe is a game changer, trust me! The only hands on time required is dicing the potatoes. After that, you just throw them in and let them get tender and crisp!

Ingredients

Potatoes – I used 3 russet potatoes, for a total of 1 pound. I love the way russets turn out in this recipe!

Olive oil – the oil will coat the potatoes and help them get crispy.

Garlic powder – I like adding just 1/4 tsp for some extra flavor.

Smoked paprika – this adds a hint of smokiness and more flavor!

Pepper – you can’t have breakfast potatoes without pepper! I used 1/4 tsp and the potatoes had a little kick. You can add less if desired.

Salt – start out with 1/2 tsp, and add more if necessary after tasting.

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How to Make Easy Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

Breakfast potatoes are SO EASY to make in the air fryer—way easier than making them in a pan! Here are the steps to take:

Step 1: Dice Potatoes

First of all, prep your potatoes. You can leave the skins on or peel them; up to you. If you leave them on, just make sure to scrub the potatoes.

Dice the potatoes into a small to medium dice. I like to go in between 1/4″ and 1/2″. You can learn how to dice potatoes here.

Step 2: Add Oil & Spices

Next, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and add olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.

Stir everything together until the potatoes are well coated with oil and spices.

Step 3: Cook

Finally, transfer the potatoes to the air fryer basket! Make sure they are in a single, even layer (this will help them get crispy).

Bake at 400 degrees until the potatoes are tender, about 15-18 minutes.

How long should I cook breakfast potatoes in air fryer?

In truth, it depends on your air fryer! All air fryers can be a little different. I used the Ninja Foodies air fryer to make these potatoes, and they were done within 15-18 minutes.

If you have a different air fryer, check the potatoes at this time and see if they’re done. If they’re not quite tender, just cook them a few minutes longer!

Recipes Tips & Adjustments

You can adjust this recipe in a variety of ways. Don’t be afraid to get creative! Here are some of my ideas:

• Omit the extra spices and just use salt and pepper. The potatoes will still be delicious!
• Add onions! Potatoes and onions together are a breakfast classic. Just slice up some white or yellow onions and cook them with the potatoes. This will add extra flavor, texture, and deliciousness!
• Add other veggies. For example, bell peppers also work great in the air fryer (and are great for breakfast recipes). Broccoli would also be delicious!

Serving & Storage

Speaking of bell peppers and broccoli, that reminds me of one way I love to use these air fryer veggies.

Of course, you can eat them on their own and they’re delicious, but another great thing to do is add them to scrambled eggs, frittatas, or omelets. Yum!

Alternatively, you can serve them on the side, with your favorite egg dish as the star of the show.

As for storage, you can keep these in an airtight container in the fridge and they will still be good warmed up later!

Print

Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

These mouth watering air fryer breakfast potatoes are tender, with just enough crispness! They’re just as good as pan-fried potatoes (better, in fact!) The best thing about this recipe is that it is done in under 30 minutes, with only 10 minutes of hands on time.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer breakfast potatoes, air fryer diced potatoes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb russet potatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Dice potatoes in a small to medium dice (I like to do in between a 1/4 and 1/2 inch dice). You can leave the skins on or off depending on your preference.
• Put diced potatoes in a large bowl.
• Add olive oil and mix.
• Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, pepper, and salt. Stir until all the potatoes are well coated with spices.
• Put potatoes in the air fryer in a single layer. Cook at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir/shake halfway through cooking.
• Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• I used the Ninja Foodie Air Fryer Toaster Oven. Remember that all air fryers can be a little different—so make sure to cook the potatoes until they are tender yet also crispy!
• The pepper and smoked paprika give these potatoes just a slight kick. If you are making these for kids who don’t like spice, you might want to cut these amounts in half.
• You can cut the potatoes bigger or smaller than I did, you just may have to adjust the cooking time slightly.
• You can leave the skins on the potatoes or peel them—it is up to you! I did a mixture of both.
• If you want air fryer breakfast potatoes and onions, you can definitely add onions! Just slice them up and put them with the potatoes.

Conclusion

These air fryer breakfast potatoes are absolutely delicious. My favorite part about them is how QUICK they are to make! I used to make breakfast potatoes in a frying pan, but I won’t be doing that anymore. Air fryer to the rescue!

More Veggie Side Dishes:

• Sweet & Smoky Carrots
• Garlic Basil Carrots

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Ingredients

Bell Peppers – I used one red, yellow, and green bell pepper. However, the skys the limit here! You can also use orange peppers, or just 1 or 2 colors you have on hand.

Red Onion – I used a whole red onion because I love onions. Feel free to use as much or little onion as you like. Red onion in particular complements the Mexican spices, but you can also use yellow or white if it is all you have.

Olive Oil – 1 tbsp will coat the veggies and help them get crispy.

Garlic Powder – will go into our spice mixture. In my opinion, a little garlic helps everything! I usually use fresh garlic, but in this instance it is easier to use powder so it doesn’t burn.

Chili Powder – will also go into our spice mixture. I always recommend using freshly chile powder, but store bought will work too.

Dried Oregano – the last spice in our mixture!

Salt and Pepper – put some on at the start, but remember, you can always taste and adjust seasoning at the end!

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How to Make Air Fryer Peppers & Onions

Here are the steps to take when you want perfectly cooked peppers and onions straight from the air fryer:

Step 1: Prep Veggies

Start by slicing up your peppers and your onions! I like to cut mine into nice thin strips. Personally, I just find eating them more appealing.

You can do thicker strips if you’d like, but the cook time may increase just a bit!

Step 2: Season

Put all the peppers and onions in a bowl—make sure you have enough room in the bowl to stir. The first time I made these I made the mistake of using too small of a bowl and it made it tricky to add the other ingredients!

Next, add the olive oil and spices (garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano). Toss this all together till all the veggies are well coated. I like to use tongs for this job!

Step 3: Cook

Now your hands on time is almost done! Simply place the veggie mixture in the air fryer basket or tray.

Set the temperature to 360 and let everything cook until the veggies are tender and slightly charred – about 12-15 minutes! You can also stir halfway through if desired.

Can You Make Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas With This?

If you want to transform this side dish into a main dish, all you have to do is add chicken!

Yes seriously, you can make chicken fajitas right in the air fryer (done in no time!) I’ve used chicken tenderloins before and it works great.

Just make sure to season the chicken well with spices like chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion powder. Toss it with the veggies, and cook until the chicken is done! Just keep in mind you may need to cook everything in 2 batches if you go with this option.

Serving and Storage

The great thing about peppers and onions is they can last a long time in the fridge even after they are cut!

Once, I cut these veggies with good intentions of using them. However, I forgot about them for about a week. When I found them in the fridge, they were still perfectly good to use—so I made this recipe!

So with that in mind, this is a great meal-prep recipe. You can cut all the veggies at the beginning of the week and you’ll be very ahead when it comes to use them for dinner later in the week!

On the other hand, I do not recommend cooking these ahead of time. Cooked peppers just get softer and soggier with time. The air fryer crisps them up wonderfully, so eat them right away instead!

Serving

As for serving, these air fryer peppers and onions make a great side for any Mexican recipe. They work particularly well with fajitas, but don’t limit yourself to that!

If you make tacos, burritos, or even burrito bowls, these can go in the dish or be served on the side. Yum!

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Air Fryer Peppers And Onions

Tender yet slightly charred, these air fryer peppers and onions are the best! They come so fast that you can have a delicious side dish done in only 25 minutes (with only about 10 minutes of hands on time). Make these peppers and onions to go with fajitas or other Mexican dishes!

Course Sides

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Slice all the bell peppers into small strips. Slice the onion.
• In a large bowl, toss with olive oil, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and a little salt. Mix well (I like to use tongs).
• Add to your air fryer basket or tray.
• Cook at 360 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the peppers begin to char on the top. Stir halfway through if desired.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper as necessary.
• Serve right away! These are delicious as a healthy snack, or as a side dish with other Mexican recipes like fajitas!

Notes

• You can use any bell peppers you have on hand—no need to stick to the colors listed in the recipe!
• Meal prep instructions: cut up all the peppers and onions up to a week in advance from when you need them. Place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When ready to use, season according to the recipe and cook!
• To make this into a main dish as chicken fajitas, use chicken tenderloins and cook right in the air fryer with the peppers and onions! You’ll just want to add more seasoning on the chicken, and cook in 2 batches if necessary.

Conclusion

Air fryer peppers and onions are done in a jiffy, and they require little effort to make! You can serve these as a side, or make them on their own for a healthy snack. Either way, they are sure to please. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

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This tomato corn soup recipe came about when I was desperately trying to use up leftover ingredients in my kitchen. That’s why you’ll find some of the ingredients in “partial” form—like 2 tbsp marinara sauce, and 2 tbsp cream cheese.

If you don’t have an opened jar of marinara, you can simply leave this out of the soup. This recipe is designed to be flexible to the ingredients in your pantry, so do what works best for you! I’ve included lots of possible substitutions in the ingredients below.

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Ingredients

Olive oil – you can use any neutral cooking oil you have on hand.

Yellow onion – you’ll need one small to medium onion. I’ve also made this soup using shallots because I didn’t have any onions on hand. If you go for this option, add a 1/2 tsp of onion powder too.

Spices – a mix of thmye, herbs de provence and smoked paprika are the perfect mix of flavors for this soup!

Garlic – fresh garlic is always better, but if you don’t have any you can sub garlic powder.

Russet Potatoes – I used 3 large russet potatoes, but use whatever you have on hand.

Plum tomatoes – Likewise, these are the tomatoes I had on hand, but other kinds of tomatoes will work too. If they are roma or larger tomatoes, cut them up into chunks before adding.

Canadian bacon – You can use any type of ham product! I like canadian bacon because it is thicker than lunch meat but thinner than ham steak. However, you can make any leftover ham you have work!

Flour – Adding a few tbsp of flour thickens the soup into a chowder-like consistency. If you prefer this soup to be gluten free, omit the flour or use a gluten free blend.

Chicken broth – You can also use vegetable broth.

Parmesan rind – This is optional but I highly recommend! Simmered with the soup, the rind will add loads of rich flavor.

Fresh herbs – Fresh thyme and parsley in a bouquet garni will add subtle flavors. This can be omited if necessary, but if you have the herbs on hand go for it!

Jarred marinara – Adding just a few tbsp will add a little extra acidity and tomato flavor to the soup. If you don’t have an open jar, you can use more tomatoes, sub tomato sauce, or omit it altogether.

Frozen roasted corn – The corn will be added at the end. It adds a nice sweetness to the soup and complements the other flavors.

Cream cheese – I added just 2 tbsp for a bit of added thickness and creaminess. Feel free to add more or less to your desired consistency and flavor.

Sugar – At the end, you’ll want to taste the soup and see if it needs any extra sweetness.

Serving & Storage

This creamy fresh tomato soup will last for a few days if stored in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat it, simply put the soup in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until warm.

I do not recommend freezing this soup, since flour and cream cheese do not freeze well. If you want to make this as a meal-prep soup, omit these two ingredients. After defrosted, heat the soup on the stove. You can make a slurry with some flour and the broth to thicken it. Add cream cheese off the heat.

How to Make Tomato Corn Soup

Making this soup at home is not hard to do! This is a one-pot meal, so even though there are a lot of steps, everything goes into the same exact pot!

Step 1:

Take your sprigs of fresh parsley and thyme and tie them together with kitchen twine. Set aside with one bay leaf.

Step 2:

Heat oil in a pot. Once hot, add your aromatics – shallots or onion. Once these are softened, add garlic. Once fragrant, add spices. Cook for a few minutes to let the spices bloom.

Step 3:

Add sliced tomatoes to the pot and cook until tomatoes start to shrivel and release their juices.

Step 4:

Add canadian bacon, diced potatoes, and flour. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the ham starts to brown.

Step 5:

Next, add the chicken broth, parmesan rind, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil on high. Cover, and keep the soup on a low boil while letting the potatoes cook for about 15 minutes.

Step 6:

Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the marinara sauce, frozen corn, and sugar if needed. This is where you want to taste your soup and adjust any flavors! Add sugar if it needs more sweetness. Add more marinara or tomato sauce if it needs more acidity. And don’t forget to check for salt levels too!

Step 7:

Let the soup continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes so all the flavors meld together. Meanwhile, make the crostinis: combine the butter, olive oil, and fresh herbs in a small bowl. Cut the bread into strips – about 3 per slice. Use a butter knife to spread the butter-herb mixture over the bread. Air fry at 350 degrees for about 6-8 minutes (or use your desired method for toasting bread).

Step 8:

Prepare the garnish: dice up some extra canadian bacon or lunch meat ham and cook in a little butter until crispy. Set aside with extra parsley and parmesan cheese. Note: garnish is optional, but it is delicious!

Step 9:

After the soup is done simmering, remove the parmsean rind and bouquet garni. Whisk in the softened cream cheese until fully combined (if it looks lumpy, just keep whisking! I promise it will combine!)

Serve up the soup with the garnish and enjoy!

More Soup Recipes to Try:

• Sausauge Gnocchi Soup
• 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
• Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

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Creamy Tomato Corn Soup

Fresh tomatoes meet corn and aromatic spices in this delicious tomato corn soup recipe! Luciously creamy and full of flavor, this soup has the inviting aroma of Fall, all while using up leftover ingredients you already have in your pantry.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small or medium yellow onion,
• 3 large cloves garlic,
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp herbs de provence
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large russet potatoes,
• 25-30 plum tomatoes,
• 4 oz of canadian bacon or ham,
• 2 tbsp flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 frozen or fresh parmesan rind
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf
• 2 spoonfuls jarred marinara sauce
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• Grated parmesan cheese

Crostini

• 3 slices of bread
• 1-1.5 tbsp softened butter
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley + 2 sprigs fresh thyme,
• 1 garlic clove,

Instructions

• Gather your fresh parsley and thyme sprigs and tie together with kitchen twine to form a bouquet garni. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven. Once oil is hot, add chopped onions. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook until aromatic, 1-2 minutes.
• Add dried thyme, herbs de provence, salt, and smoked paprika. Allow spices to bloom for a few minutes until fragrant.
• Add the sliced tomatoes to the pot and cook until the tomatoes start to shrivel and release their juices.
• Add canadian bacon/ham, diced potatoes and flour to the pot. Stir well and cook for 3-4 more minutes, or until the ham begins browning.
• Next, add the chicken broth, parmesan rind, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil on high. Cover, and keep the soup on a low boil for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Once the potatoes are done, add the marinara sauce, frozen corn, and sugar (if needed – see note). Taste and adjust salt and sugar levels.
• Let the soup simmer on low for 10-15 minutes longer to let all the flavors meld together.
• While the soup is simmering, make the crostinis: combine the butter, olive oil, and fresh herbs in a small bowl. Cut the bread into strips – about 3 per slice. Use a butter knife to spread the butter-herb mixture over the bread. Air fry at 350 degrees for about 6-8 minutes (or use your desired method for toasting bread).
• For the garnish (optional): dice up some extra canadian bacon or ham and cook in a little butter until crispy. Set aside with extra parsley and parmesan cheese.
• Back to the soup: after simmering is done, remove the parmesan rind and bouquet garni. Whisk in the softened cream cheese or sour cream until fully combined (if it looks lumpy, just keep whisking! I promise it will combine!)
• Serve soup in bowls topped with garnishes, and crostinis on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

• Note on the Sugar: taste the soup after adding the marinara, before adding sugar in. If the marinara sauce you’re using is on the sweet side, you may not need as much (or any) sugar. Personally, the soup tasted a little too acidic so I added in sugar. As long as you taste before adding, you won’t end up with a soup that is too sweet.
• The parmesan rind adds a lot of flavor to this soup. I highly recommend this step! I always freeze mine when I finish a wedge of parm, but if you don’t have one in the freezer, you can cut the rind off of a fresh rind. Just keep an eye on the soup while it is simmering. The rind will start to melt down into the soup. You don’t want big lumps of parmesan. If it seems like it is separating too much, you can remove it from the pot early.
• Use any kind of ham you have on hand! I’ve tried both canadian bacon and lunch meat and they both taste great. You can also try ham steak, leftover holiday ham, etc.
• If you don’t have an open jar of marinara, you can use extra fresh tomatoes, or sub tomato sauce.
• Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not freeze unless you omit the flour and cream cheese (add after defrosting instead. Make a slurry with the flour, and add cream cheese off the heat). 

Conclusion

Tomato corn soup is a delicious comfort food for a Fall or winter afternoon. Use up fresh tomatoes and leftover marinara sauce in a jiffy with this recipe! Or sub ingredients you have in your own pantry. I hope you enjoy this recipe – I had a blast creating it!

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What sides pair well with chicken alfredo?

Standard side dishes that are served with chicken alfredo include garlic bread, salad, or broccoli. But what if you want to take your meal to the next level? There are many creative side dishes that will work just as well, if not better! Things like:

• Roasted veggies (asparagus, potatos, zucchini)
• Creamed Corn
• Garlic knots
• Fritters

What to Serve With Chicken Alfredo

I’m about to show you 30+ recipes that include the ones above (plus many more!) I’ve split this post into 5 categories that you can jump to below if desired.

Table of Contents:

1. Roasted Veggies
2. Breads
3. Potato Side Dishes
4. Salads
5. Unique Side Dishes

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Roasted Veggies

First, let me show you some of my favorite roasted veggie sides! There are a variety of vegetables that pair well with chicken alfredo, including asparagus, zucchini, broccolini, and more. (Note: these are also great sides for pot roast).

Delicious Cast Iron Asparagus

First, meet the Delicious Cast Iron Asparagus recipe. Because of its interesting flavor and texture, asparagus can sometimes be a little intimidating to cook with. That’s why it’s important to get familiar with different ways to cook and season it so that it will come out delicious every time! In this post, I’ll not only go over different ways to cook your asparagus (and the science behind it), but I’ll also show you an amazing recipe that you should definitely try out!

Recipe From: Ginger Divine

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine

Now here’s a unique recipe: Roasted Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine. You might’ve seen pictures like this on a magazine and thought it looked tricky or too beautiful to obtain. In all honesty, though, this is actually a super quick and simple recipe to recreate (you don’t even have to wait for the oven to preheat!), and it makes a fantastic side to almost any dish!

Recipe From: Two Cloves Kitchen

Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower

Have you ever used an air fryer before? It’s a great alternative to use when you just don’t have time for the oven to preheat. Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower is the perfect, delicious addition to just about any dish! It’s incredibly simple to make, and it’s sure to become a popular dish in your household!

Recipe From: Two Cloves Kitchen

Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli (Broccolini)

Do you need a good, last minute addition to your meal? This Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli is the perfect thing! Not only is it super quick to make (only about 15 minutes total!), it’s also a great way to add a touch of elegance and fanciness to your dish.

Recipe From: It’s Not Complicated Recipes

Roasted Zucchini With Garlic and Parmesan

Next, check out this Roasted Zucchini recipe! Zucchini in it of itself is a pretty bland vegetable, and because of that, it’s usually not the favorite side dish option. But don’t give up on it yet! The fact that it’s more mild makes it a great vessel for all kinds of amazing flavors. This recipe is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious!

Recipe From: Joyous Apron

Frozen Spinach: 3 Different Ways

Frozen spinach can be pretty difficult and intimidating to work with. The goal is always to make it tender, delicious, and as close to fresh as possible. With these 3 Frozen Spinach Recipes, you’ll get all the tips and tricks you need to doctor it up perfectly (including an amazing air fryer recipe)!

Recipe From: Temecula Blogs

Honey Roasted Vegetables With Rosemary

Are you looking for a lighter side dish? This Honey Roasted Vegetable recipe is just the thing! This recipe has a wonderful sweetness and lightness to it, and it pairs super well with herbs. In addition, it’s fairly simple to make and goes with just about any dish!

Recipe From: Through the Fibro Fog

Bread Sides

Next, here are a few delicious bread sides, that can definitely take your standard garlic bread up a notch! Hint: all of these breads would work great as chicken alfredo appetizers.

Parmesan Garlic Knots

First up, meet the Parmesan Garlic Knot recipe. Aren’t these beautiful? They’re soft, chewy, and absolutely packed with delicious flavor. These guys would make great appetizers, party food, a side to pasta, salad, etc.!

Recipe From: Fresh Apron

Bread Machine Rolls

Are you looking for something even quicker and easier? If so, I think you’ll like these Bread Machine Rolls. This recipe is basically foolproof. Just add some ingredients to your bread machine, hit a button, and let it work its magic! If you’ve never worked with a bread machine before, then this is a great place to start.

Recipe From: Fluxing Well

Ciabatta Garlic Bread

Next is a little twist on a classic side dish: Ciabatta Garlic Bread! With its soft, tender center, crunchy outside, and delicious, buttery and garlicky flavor, you really can’t beat this bread. This simple recipe is the perfect way to elevate your pasta dish!

Recipe From: Marcellina in Cucina

No Knead Focaccia Bread

The next recipe I’d like to show you is the No Knead Focaccia Bread! As the title implies, it’s super easy to make. Additionally, it creates a gorgeous bread that’s fluffly on the inside, crispy on the outside, and delicious! If you’ve ever been intimidated by bread recipes, this is a great place to start!

Recipe From: Rich and Delish

Cheesy Garlic Bread in Air Fryer

Next is an incredibly quick recipe: the Cheesy Garlic Air Fryer Bread! I don’t know about you, but I just love air fryer recipes. Not only is this one smothered in buttery, cheesy goodness, but thanks to the air fryer, it can be done in less than 3 minutes! Of course, you can easily bake this one as well.

Recipe From: Chili to Choc

Air Fryer Pull Apart Bread

Next is another air fryer recipe: the Air Fryer Pull Apart Bread! These guys are super easy to prep, bake, and serve. These guys are perfect to make for when you’re on a time crunch! They also make great vessels for all kinds of seasonings and toppings, so you can have fun experimenting with different flavor combinations.

Recipe From: Recipe This

Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough

Last but not least for the bread recipes, meet the Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough! This recipe has such a unique, tangy and spicy flavor that makes it fun for any occasion. Overall, this is a relatively simple bread to make, and it’s sure to be a hit wherever you serve it!

Recipe From: The Flavor Bells

Potato Sides

Are you looking for something more starchy? Check out these next few potato recipes!

Sliced Potato Cottage Fries

First up, take a look at this Sliced Potato Cottage Fries recipe! These unique fries are absolutely delicious with their crispy outside and fluffy inside. Not only are they amazing texture and flavor-wise, but they can be made from scratch in just 30 minutes! They’re also super easy to adapt with different flavors. Serve these guys as an appetizer with your favorite dip, a side dish, etc., and they’re sure to be a favorite!

Recipe From: Gluten Free Tranquility

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Next, meet the Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes. With their garlicky and herby seasoning and cheesy, buttery coating, these guys are just tiny bites of flavorful goodness. They’re easy to make, go with just about any dish, and can easily add a touch of elegance, or comfort to your dish, depending on what you present it with.

Recipe From: The Forked Spoon

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries

Next is a fun twist on a classic side dish: Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries! Not only are these guys absolutely delicious, but they’re a healthy alternative to your average fried-in-oil fries! Whether you cook them in an air fryer on an oven, they’ll come out beautifully each time. Additionally, they only use five ingredients!

Recipe From: Budget Delicious

Creamy Potato and Cauliflower Mash

Last but not least is a healthy spin on a classic dish: Creamy Potato and Cauliflower Mash! This recipe is packed with flavor and makes an excellent side for just about any dish, especially for the fast approaching holiday season!

Recipe From: Through the Fibro Fog

Salads

If you’re looking for a lighter side dish, I think you’ll enjoy these nest few recipes! Salads do work wonderfully with chicken alfredo because they balance out the heavy sauce with something more refreshing.

Spinach Caesar Salad

First up, meet the Spinach Caesar Salad. If you struggle to get a healthy dose of veggies in, this spinach salad is a great way to do it! It’s delicious, simple, and makes a great addition to a light lunch or dinner. Also, if you keep the dressing separately this is a great dish to prepare the night before and event so there’s no stress the day of!

Recipe From: Famfoodery

Restaurant Style Coleslaw

Another one of my favorites is this Restaurant Style Coleslaw recipe! What I love about this recipe (on top of how incredibly easy it is to make) is that unlike store bought coleslaw, it’s not at all bitter. This would make an amazing side for pasta, barbecue, etc.!

Recipe From: Pattern Princess

Rocket and Pear Salad

Are you looking for something a little more unique to elevate your dish? This Rocket and Pear Salad is just the thing! This recipe features some interesting ingredients like pear, peppery arugula, roasted almonds, and umami flavored parmesan cheese that add an element of interest and elegance to your dish. With its cool flavor combinations, this salad is the perfect mix of sweet and savory!

Recipe From: It’s Not Complicated Recipes

Tomato Mozzarella Avocado Salad

Are you wanting a recipe that will add some fresh color to your dish? Check out the Tomato Mozzarella Avocado Salad! Not only is this salad full of juicy flavor, but it’s pretty simple to recreate as well. This is a great, healthy addition to any dish, especially during the summer months!

Recipe From: iFoodreal

Burrata Salad

Have you ever had or made Burrata Salad before? It’s a special salad that incorporates fresh ingredients like burrata cheese, leafy greens and tomatoes that together represent the colors of the Italian flag. Topped with balsamic or pesto dressing, you really can’t beat it. With this delicious recipe, you’ll be whipping up a scrumptious salad in no time!

Recipe From: In the Kitch

Easy Chopped Italian Salad

The last salad recipe I’d like to show you is this Easy Chopped Italian Salad. With its spicy peppers, salty feta, and delicious homemade dressing, this is the perfect salad to pair with pasta, pizza, etc.! This recipe is also super easy to adapt if you need to substitute or add any ingredients.

Recipe From: i heart vegetables

Unique Sides

Last but not least, here are a few more recipes I loved that didn’t necessarily fit in a specific category. Some of these are my favorite because they are so unique!

Creamed Corn

First up is an incredibly quick recipe: Easy Creamed Corn! Unlike your typical creamed corn recipe, this one incorporates a touch of parmesan cheese that perfectly compliments the sweetness of the corn. If you’re needing a last minute recipe for any occasion, this one is the one!

Recipe From: The Soccer Mom Blog

Sicilian Fried Artichoke Hearts in Pastella

Now here’s a recipe you gotta try: Sicilian Fried Artichoke Hearts in Pastella! This one combines unique flavors like mint, parsley, and parmesan cheese to create this delicious, batter coating for the artichoke. The batter puffs up beautiful as it cooks, and it compliments the tangy artichoke heart so well. If you want a side that will elevate your dish, this one is it!

Recipe From: Enza’s Quail Hollow Kitchen

Cheesy Courgette Fritters

Next, meet these Cheesy Courgette Fritters! These are quick and easy to make, and they’re the perfect healthy after-school snack! Their yummy, crispy exterior combined with their gooey and cheesy interior create a beautiful explosion of flavors. These would also make great appetizers, sides, etc.!

Recipe From: Healthy Life Trainer

Roasted Squash and Eggplant Pasta

Are you looking for a vegan recipe? If so, I think you’ll enjoy this Roasted Squash and Eggplant Pasta recipe! Not only is it completely vegan, but it’s packed with healthy, hearty veggies and delicious flavor. It’s cheap, simple, and relatively quick to make. Because it uses up veggies, it’s also a great recipe to fight food waste with!

Recipe From: Little Pans

Italian Stuffed Mushroom

Next up, meet the Italian Stuffed Mushroom recipe! This recipe is deliciously easy to make. I love how well the meatiness of the mushroom pairs with the crispy, parmesan cheese coating. This unique recipe is sure to become a family favorite!

Recipe From: Lynne’s Way of Life

Mushroom Marsala

Last but definitely not least, check out this Mushroom Marsala recipe! This recipe is incredibly simple and requires almost no cleanup afterward (seriously, it only uses one pan)! It uses little ingredients, and yet it’s packed with flavor. This would make a great side dish, as well as a topping for pasta, rice, salad, etc.!

Recipe From: Urban Bliss Life

More Sides to Try:

• Side Dishes for Quiche
• Side Dishes for Meatball Subs

Conclusion

Chicken alfredo and Fettuccini alfredo are delicious Italian dinners, beloved by many. When you’re making it for a crowd, you may need some extra side dishes. Making salads, breads, or veggies are all great options! I hope you found the perfect side dish recipe for your meal tonight. Enjoy!

The post 30 Best Side Dishes for Chicken Alfredo appeared first on .

You can thicken salsa by adding more ingredients suited to the type of salsa. Prevent salsa from becoming watery by choosing the right tomatoes, scooping, draining, and chopping them. Adding arrowroot or xanthan gum, additional tomato paste, and less-watery vegetables will help thicken salsa.

I love freshly made salsa with tomatoes, but I’ve had a couple of times where my salsa came out too watery, thin, and not appealing. If you’ve had a similar problem, you’ll know just how frustrating it can be, but don’t throw it away! There are a few ways to thicken salsa and prevent watery sauces.

How Do I Thicken Salsa?

There are several ways to rescue a watery salsa, usually by adding a thickener to help soak up some of the liquid or adding extra vegetable ingredients that are not watery.

Different salsas have different flavors, so you’ll want to stick to ingredients that compliment your salsa. The most common salsa is the tomato-based one, and these tomatoes are usually responsible for thinning down salsa and making it too liquid.

Some vegetables are chunky, less watery, and will help bulk up your salsa, while other ingredients can give your salsa a creamy texture.

By adding more ingredients, you’ll end up with more salsa, and you’ll need to taste test and adjust your seasonings, but when is too much salsa ever a problem?

My solutions also depend on whether you’re making fresh, raw salsa or a cooked sauce. Ensure you’re using ingredients or tips that work with your salsa type.

Tip #1: Thicken Fresh Salsa By Draining

If you’ve made fresh salsa and the tomatoes have left it watery, you can line a colander with a coffee filter and leave your salsa to drain. I recommend lining even a fine sieve with either filter paper or a clean cloth, allowing the liquid to drain without losing any smaller pieces of tomato.

If you’re thrifty, you can collect the strained juice to use in another dish.

Tip #2: Thicken Fresh Salsa With Xanthan Gum

When making fresh salsa with raw ingredients, you don’t want to add thickeners that need heating to work.

Heating a fresh salsa can change the taste and texture, so I’d avoid using cornflour and instead suggest xanthan gum.

Xanthan gum has a neutral flavor so that it won’t change the taste of your salsa. You’ll only need a small pinch to thicken your sauce. Blend your sauce well, and only add more in tiny amounts until you have the consistency you want.

Please don’t add too much, as it can change the texture of your sauce and could cause stomach troubles in large amounts.

Tip #3: Thicken Fresh Salsa With Avocado

Adding a creamy ingredient like avocado can give your salsa a thicker, richer texture. The tase of avocado also goes very well with fresh tomato salsa.

Only chop and add avocados right before serving to avoid the avo turning brown and going soft or pulpy.

Some people find adding avocado (or other bland foods like cucumber) takes away the spiciness of the salsa and makes it too mild.

Tip #4: Thicken Fresh Salsa With Peppers And Cucumbers

If you dislike the creamy texture of avocado, you can also bulk up your salsa by adding other fresh vegetables that don’t go watery, like tomatoes.

Good candidates are chopped jalapenos, bell peppers, and cucumbers. You can add extra cilantro to bulk up your salsa, but some people don’t like the ‘soapy’ taste, so use to suit.

Tip #5: Thicken Fresh Salsa With Mango Or Peach

Every extra ingredient you add will change the taste of your salsa, but this can be a good thing. If you know there are certain flavors you either want to use or avoid.

If you like sweet salsa, adding fresh chopped mango or peaches can be a great way to thicken salsa.

Tip #6: Thicken Fresh Salsa With Tomatillos

Tomatillos can be a great way to thicken a salsa by using a fruit native to Central America, and chopped tomatillos have different flavors depending on their color.

 If you add green tomatillos, they will add a tart, fresh flavor, while the sweeter red and purple versions, often used in jam-making, add extra sweetness.

Tomatillos have natural pectins, which are thickening agents used in jams. Pectin requires heating, which is also a way to thicken cooked salsas.

Tip #7: Thicken Cooked Salsa With Longer Cooking Time

If you’ve made a cooked sauce, there are other ways to improve the thickness, usually requiring extra ingredients, thickeners, and heat.

The first way that uses no extra ingredients that could change the flavor is to cook your salsa over low heat. Cook your salsa in a wide pot or saucepan and leave the lid off so the moisture can escape.

Keep checking and frequently stirring to avoid your salsa burning, or sticking to the pan’s bottom. Cook until your salsa reaches the desired consistency.

This method also works for thickening marinara sauce, and baked beans.

Tip #8: Thicken Cooked Salsa With Tomato Paste

Once you’ve cooked your salsa mixture, you can add a tablespoon – or two, depending on how much salsa you’re making – to the sauce. Adding paste can add extra thickness and a richer, deeper tomato flavor. (Likewise, this also works with tomato soup!)

Tip #9: Thicken Cooked Salsa With Ground Seeds And Nuts

Mix and grind some suitable nuts and seeds, such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds, to create a paste that you can add to your salsa. This ground paste will give your salsa a much earthier, nuttier flavor, which can work very well with salsa-topped crusty bread.

Use nuts that are not intensely flavored, and experiment to see which nuts and seeds work well for you.

Tip #10: Thicken Cooked Salsa With Arrowroot

Arrowroot is a common ingredient in many Asian and gluten-free kitchens and can be a great way to thicken your salsa. Never add arrowroot directly to the sauce, but first, blend it thoroughly with a little cold water.

Use a tiny amount to start, usually around half a teaspoon, and add the arrowroot mixture to your salsa at the end of the cooking time. The less time you heat it, the better, as prolonged heat can make it break down and lose its thickening properties.

As arrowroot has minimal flavor, it is unlikely to change the taste of your salsa, making it a better option for some than cornstarch.

In general, I’ve found arrowroot to be the best thickener for salsa; better than cornstarch, guar gum, and xanthan gum, though potato starch can also do in a pinch.

Tip #11: Thicken Cooked Salsa With Cornstarch

Cornstarch is a handy ingredient used to thicken cooked soups and sauces. Most of us have cornstarch in the pantry, and it’s relatively easy to use.

Many chefs prefer only to use cornstarch as a last resort, as it can affect the taste and texture of your salsa; however, it’s one of the most convenient ingredients, so if it’s all you have, here’s how to use it.

Mix a scant teaspoon of cornstarch with a little cold water to make a thin liquid, then add this to your salsa on the stovetop.

Stir in the liquid cornstarch mixture, and allow the salsa to thicken as you keep stirring. Cornstarch can also change the look of your salsa, so only add a tiny amount. Add near the end of the cooking time to prevent the thickener from breaking down and becoming thin again.

Is Salsa Meant To Be Watery?

There are different types of salsa, some of which are more thin and runny than others.

Pico de Gallo salsa made with tomato, onion, peppers, and cilantro should not be watery. Fresh salsa left to sit will become more watery as the ingredients break down as the salt draws out the liquid.

You can refresh your salsa and thicken it by straining it, but fresh salsa is best eaten just after it has been served.

If you plan to make your fresh Pico de Gallo salsa ahead of time, it’s best to leave the salt out until just before serving to prevent your salsa from becoming too watery.

What Salsa Is Meant To Be Thin?

The thin red cooked salsa, known as Salsa Taquera, will appear more sauce-like and thinner than the fresh variety and the cooked Salsa Roja. Thanks to the Arbol chiles, it also tends to have a kick.

Once cooked, this salsa is blended into a smooth sauce. It’s a thinner sauce than the purred, chunky Salsa Roja, which is made with tomato, onion, jalapenos, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and salt.

It depends on what kind of salsa you’re preparing; some are meant to be thinner or thicker than others.

More Questions About Thickening Salsa

You can prevent your salsa from becoming too watery with some tips on ingredients choices and preparation.

What Tomatoes Should I Use for Thicker Salsa?

One of the reasons salsa can become so watery is because of the type of tomatoes used. Some tomatoes are much better for salsa; one of my favorites is the Roma tomato. Younger tomatoes will also have less juice, while riper ones will be more liquid.

Choose paste tomato for salsa, a tomato type that is fleshy and has few seeds and less juice. The best tomato types for salsa are:

• Roma plum
• Little Mama/Big Mama
• Amish Paste
• San Marzona

How to Prevent Watery Salsa?

Besides choosing tomatoes with less liquid and seeds, you can also avoid watery salsas by halving your tomatoes to scoop out the seeds, then chopping the tomatoes by hand rather than pureeing them in a blender.

Add salt only before serving, as salt draws moisture out of vegetables and can make your salsa watery the longer the sauce stands.

You can use salt to your advantage here by adding salt to your tomatoes while draining them to get even more liquid out before adding them to your salsa.

Can I Use Canned Tomatoes for a Thick Salsa?

You can use canned tomatoes for your salsa in a pinch, though the taste will be slightly different from fresh tomatoes. Always drain the canned tomatoes entirely before using them to avoid extra liquid in the salsa.

Using a can of fire-roasted tomatoes will improve the flavor, though many canned fire-roasted tomatoes also have additional seasonings, so taste-test your salsa before adding more spices.

Conclusion

Salsa is a wonderful Mexican dip that is beloved by many. You can easily make salsa at home by using a mixture of tomatoes, onions, and other ingredients. However, some of these ingredients are extra juice and can result in watery salsa if you don’t know what you’re doing. If this happens to you, try one of the above methods to thicken your salsa perfectly!

Read More:

• How to Thicken Mashed Cauliflower
• How to Thicken Gumbo
• How to Thicke Soups in the crockpot
• How to Thicken Ganache
• How to Thicken a Glaze
• How to Thicken Cookie Dough

The post How To Thicken Salsa: 11 Foolproof Methods appeared first on .

My collection of tried and true methods for thickening marinara sauce includes combining cheese or dairy products for pasta dishes. A corn starch slurry or mashed potatoes will thicken the marinara sauce beautifully. If you have some time, it is always better to let it reduce and thicken.

The following are some suggestions that can help you make Marinara sauce even more delicious than it already is. So check out my list of proven ways to thicken the marinara sauce.

How To Fix A Marinara Sause That Is Too Runny

Maintaining a supply of marinara sauce in your pantry enables you to elevate various recipes. On the other hand, if you already have a marinara sauce that is too thin for your taste, there is always a method to make it thicker and more flavorful. You may improve your Marinara sauce-making skills by following the recommendations that are provided here.

There is no doubt that you may experiment with many different ways to thicken your marinara sauce. For instance, using it on a pizza will be slightly different from using it on pasta. Likewise, adding meat to your spaghetti marinara sauce helps improve the taste and thickness.

Tip #1: By Reduction

Simmering the Marinara sauce over a stovetop burner set to medium-low heat is the easiest way to get the desired consistency of a reduced sauce. If you don’t want to add something additional to the sauce, this is a great method. To avoid scorching, stir regularly.

Boil the marinara sauce for a few more hours or until it has reached the required thickness and the liquid has mostly evaporated. It will result in a marinara sauce that is robust and concentrated. Keep in mind that the sauce will be thicker when cold.

This is great to keep in mind especially if you are making marinara from fresh tomatoes. Since tomatoes have a lot of liquid, do not panic if the sauce is very runny at first. It needs to reduce for a long time to turn into marinara.

See the photo below for an example of fresh marinara that still needs to reduce:

Tip #2: With Corn Starch

Cornstarch is a common thickening ingredient in the food industry, but if you add it directly into the hot sauce you want to thicken, it will clump. Cornstarch is made up of molecules that look like miniature sponges. They swell up in size as they consume more water. Every type of starch goes through the same process.

To begin, put one tablespoon of cornstarch into a small dish, and stir in an equal amount of cold liquid (you can use stock, water, or wine). When the mixture has formed a smooth paste, It is a slurry. If you want the right consistency, you need to add in the hot, boiling liquid. Bring to a boil, then after it has cooked, reduce the heat and simmer for some time to remove any leftover starchy flavor.

You can add cornstarch to a sauce made with tomatoes to make it thicker, but the cornstarch will lose some of its effectiveness if the sauce has a high acidity level. In this situation, you might use either arrowroot or tapioca starch as an alternative. These two alternatives are preferable because cornstarch can take on a spongy texture when frozen, so if you create something you want to freeze, these are the better choices.

Tip #3: With Pasta Water

Any good chef will tell you not to waste any ingredients, and pasta water is no exception since pasta water contains starch which will thicken the marinara sauce like corn starch. The pasta water will also give it a nice creamy flavor and texture as a nice bonus.

Your marinara sauce won’t thicken just by adding pasta water. Instead, it would help if you let it simmer on low heat for all of the starch left by the pasta to thicken and give your sauce some body. Also, don’t salt your marinara sauce if you add pasta water to your sauce so as not to over-salt your pasta because when making pasta, you usually add salt to the water unless you like bland pasta.

Tip #4: Using Cheese Or Dairy Products

There are other dairy products besides butter that you may use to thicken your marinara sauce in addition to the butter. The topping of shredded parmesan or pecorino cheese is a favorite option for many people regarding sauce. It imparts a luscious smoothness and flavor to the sauce. Of course, any cream cheese will do in this situation.

Tip #5: Using Bread Crumbs

Adding bread crumbs to your marinara sauce will help to thicken the sauce and give it more structure. In addition, bread crumbs are a very cost-efficient option for thickening soup, which is why they frequently get used.

It will enable you to use any stale bread you would have thrown away. If you are in the mood for laziness and do not want to deal with breaking your bread, you may toss vast pieces of bread into the soup pot and let the boiling process break them down into smaller pieces.

Tip #6: Using Beurre Manié

You might not even be familiar with this method of thickening soup called Beurre Manié, which translates as kneaded butter in French. Although butter and flour are required for the preparation, you should use the same quantity of both ingredients. When they say kneading, they mean nothing more than mixing the two components with a fork or your fingers.

Scoop out little balls of the mixture the size of a teaspoon, drop them into your sauce, and heat for at least a minute after processing the ingredients until they resemble a smooth paste. At this point, the sauce should have reached the desired consistency, and the butter should have melted.

If it is too watery, add one more Beurre ball to the mixture. Beurre Manié can make even the worst things taste better is maybe its greatest asset. Ask any chef to tell you that including it in your sauce will create a sleek gloss.

Tip #7: With Mashed Potatoes

When making the Marinara sauce at home, if it seems like a giant pot of depressing food, add one spoonful of instant mashed potatoes. Then, all you have to do to make your sauce thicker is stir in a tiny quantity of instant mash, like Smash. It will work in a relatively short length of time.

If you don’t want to use quick mash, you may replace it with some leftover mashed potatoes. For those who don’t have access to pre-cooked mashed potatoes, you can substitute it with frozen hash browns, a sauce thickener you’ve never thought to use to its fullest potential.

It is because frozen hash browns are the best possible thickening you’ve ever imagined using in your sauce. When hash browns are warmed gently in a sauce, they transform into a tasty starch that does not form clumps and may be used to thicken a sauce, a chowder, or even a stew or chili. It is because hash browns have already been cooked and shredded before being reheated.

The addition of hash browns will give that sauce a more substantial flavor. You may use the frozen hash brown thickening technique on the stovetop, but you’ll find it works much better in the slow cooker. Because it takes some time for those hash browns to dissolve, you must be sure to cook them gently, at a moderate temperature, and for a considerable amount of time.

Tip #8: With Ground Meat

When I consider a method to thicken my Marinara sauce for spaghetti, the first thing that springs to mind is the addition of meat. It is because the ground meat must be cooked separately from the other ingredients in the cuisine.

I always brown my ground meat first. After that, pour in the marinara sauce, bring to a boil, and continue to cook while occasionally stirring for the maximum amount of time. If you do this, the flavor of your sauce will be at a new level.

After each bite, you’ll find that the robust taste and thick consistency remain on your tongue for some time after you swallow. Therefore, it is suggested that you use either ground beef, pulled pork, or bacon pieces when it comes to the kinds of meats most frequently utilized in this procedure.

Tip #9: Using Egg Yolk

There will be no change to the marinara sauce’s appearance, consistency, or flavor if egg yolks are used to thicken it. In a bowl, whisking continuously, add a couple of spoons’ worth of hot sauce to one or two egg yolks. Continue to add the sauce gently while whisking. It won’t end up overcooking the egg yolk due to this. In addition, you should continue to simmer the Marinara for a few more minutes while mixing it with the egg.

Tip #10: Using Tomato Paste

Your homemade marinara sauce can be thickened by adding a tiny amount of tomato paste, but the flavor won’t be dramatically affected. This highly concentrated tomato-based product has a viscosity similar to paste, and it can thicken any sauce while naturally increasing the taste of tomatoes.

One of the most beneficial uses for tomato paste is a natural thickening for tomato-based sauces. However, it is also one of its most widely used applications. This essential item in the pantry will help modify a sauce’s consistency while enhancing the deep, delicious scents already in tomato sauce.

You may get close to creating the perfect sauce by using one or two teaspoons, allowing it to simmer over low heat for an additional five minutes, and then serving it. Following these steps can increase the tomato taste in your sauce. Using less tomato paste than tomato puree (more watery tomato liquid) would be best.

This method is also great for thickening salsa and tomato soup.

More Questions About How To Thicken Marinara Sauce

What Distinguishes Spaghetti Sauce From The Marinara Sauce?

Marinara is easier than spaghetti sauce since it requires fewer ingredients and takes less time to make. Spaghetti sauce, on the other hand, is unique because it has a more robust flavor, more components, and a more substantial and complex structure.

In contrast to spaghetti sauce, which frequently contains ins meat, the marinara sauce does not. Therefore, it results in a more watery sauce. Also, in contrast to pasta sauce, Marinara is commonly used as a dipping sauce.

What Are The Ingredients For A Good Marinara Sauce?

• Whole peeled tomatoes, the better the quality of tomatoes, the better the result
• Finely chopped cloves of garlic
• Salt to taste
• Coarse Black pepper
• Fresh basil leaves
• Finely chopped fresh parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil

Can You Freeze Marinara Sauce To Use Later?

For future usage, the marinara sauce can get frozen. It won’t go bad if kept frozen for up to six months. Divide the sauce into servings after it has had time to cool, and then put each dish in a freezer-safe bag or another container. Then you can put the sauce in the freezer after labeling it.

Conclusion

There are so many ways to make delicious marinara at home. You can use fresh tomatoes, or canned. You can add a variety of ingredients for flavor and texture. One of the greatest things about marinara is how much better it tastes after simmering for a long period of time. If your marinara is too runny, you can always reduce it more! If that’s not good enough, you can also try other methods like cornstarch, pasta water, and more. Good luck!

Read More:

• How to Thicken Mashed Cauliflower
• How to Thicken Soups in the crockpot
• How to Thicken Ganache
• How to Thicken a Glaze
• How to Thicken Cookie Dough
• How to Thicken Gumbo
• How to Thicken Baked Beans

The post How To Thicken Marinara Sauce – 10 Methods appeared first on .

You can avoid creating watery mashed cauliflower by adhering to a few useful tips to cook it in as little water as possible or by adding thickening ingredients to the cauliflower mash. Raw cauliflower naturally contains a lot of water and is prone to becoming waterlogged if boiled for too long.

The great news is that we don’t need to throw out the soggy mess we have created. Below are some fine tips and suggestions to help avoid and, if necessary, rescue the mashed cauliflower that is not doing what we want it to do.

Tips For Thickening Mashed Cauliflower

If you have found yourself with a watery cauliflower mess that is not fit for fine eating, fear not…all is not lost. You have a few choices to help you fix the watery faux pas, and you might even want to try them again because “Your (resuscitated) cauliflower mash tasted so delicious!”

Thank you very much. It’s a secret recipe, you know.

Tip #1: Don’t Boil Your Cauliflower – Steam Or Pressure Cook It

Cauliflower contains a lot of water in its uncooked state, so boiling it until it is soft is likely to cause the cauliflower to become waterlogged. Then, to make matters worse, when you throw out the water, all the goodness that boiled out of the water goes down the drain.

A better option for cooking your cauliflower to a mashable state is to steam it or pressure cook it, ensuring the cauliflower is not immersed in the water. You can cut or break the florets into small to medium chunks so that the cooking process will be faster and cook the florets evenly.

Tip #2: Strain Out As Much Water As Possible

If you haven’t got a steamer or a pressure cooker, you can boil the cauliflower and then strain it by squeezing out excess water. Remember to be cautious when handling steaming hot cauliflower to prevent burning yourself with the steam.

You can strain the excess water from boiled cauliflower by putting it in a colander or sieve and pressing it down with a mashing device. Another option is to use a clean kitchen towel: you can bind up the cooked cauliflower, ensuring the towel won’t open and press out the excess water. This option isn’t entirely practical, though, as it’s messy and time-consuming.

Tip #3: Add Other Thickening Ingredients

You can add other thickening ingredients to watery cauliflower mash to improve the consistency. Baking Kneads suggests these options:

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Potatoes

Add cream cheese, almond flour, or other vegetables to help thicken your mash to keep the carbs down. Once you have added the extra thickening ingredient, you might need to mash it again to form a homogenous – and hopefully less watery – texture.

Tip #4: Avoid Adding Too Many Liquid Ingredients

Your cooked cauliflower may not seem watery initially, but it could become a liquid mess if you add too many liquid ingredients. Examples include adding milk, cream, or sour cream to your cauliflower mash. Even though it is hard at room temperature, butter melts with heat and can create too much liquid in the mash.

Tip #5: Sauté The Cauliflower After Mashing

If you have boiled or steamed your cauliflower too long or want to be certain that all the excess water is out, you can sauté the cauliflower after mashing it. If you do this step, it is wise but not necessary to do so before adding any other ingredients.

By gently sautéing the mashed cauliflower without the lid on the pot, you can assist the excess water in evaporating. Keep an eye on it while it’s sautéing, as you don’t want the mash to brown or burn.

Tip #6: Use A Blender For Fine, Homogenous Mash

I grew up mashing potatoes manually in the cooking pot after draining the cooking water (it creates fewer dishes). However, cauliflower has a different consistency to potatoes, and those little mini-florets might get through the masher. A blender is your friend to get your mash to a homogenous consistency, with all the ingredients and flavors evenly spread.

There are many sorts of blenders on the market, but a handheld immersion blender might be the best option for creating the perfect mashed cauliflower. By blending cooked cauliflower in the pot (water drained, obviously), you can assess its consistency and sauté it without transferring from one dish to the next, without damaging your pot either.

The benefit of an immersion blender is that you can assess the consistency of your mash as you add your ingredients. By adding the ingredients little by little, you can see when you need more thickener or if you can add another dollop of cream.

You can watch Salted Pepper’s video or follow this link for two delicious cauliflower mash recipes.

More Questions About How To Thicken Mashed Cauliflower

What vegetables can I use to thicken cauliflower mash?

Examples include cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and green beans. If you use other vegetables to thicken your cauliflower mash, remember to choose a vegetable that can mash up easily or be blended into a pureed state. You don’t want to choose a vegetable that will add excess water or overpower the cauliflower flavor.

Something to note is that your mash will be green if you add broccoli or orange if you add carrots – in case you would like to avoid that. In the absence of vegetables, you can use cooked and pureed drained beans or other legumes.

What flour can I use to thicken cauliflower mash?

If you wish to add flour, make a slurry using white flour, almond flour, or cornstarch, and add it bit by bit while gently reheating until you get to the desired consistency. The risk of using too much flour for thickening is that your mash might have a pasty texture, so use it sparingly.

What else can I do with watery cauliflower?

If you have given up on making mashed cauliflower but don’t want to throw away your watery cauliflower, you can add it to a stew or make a hearty soup with it. The watery cauliflower can be frozen, refrigerated, or used straight away when making either of these dishes.

For a stew, your watery cauliflower (mashed or not) will add some substance and, ironically, thicken it a bit. For a soup, you can add your not-good-enough-for-mash cauliflower to a bone broth or vegetable soup for extra substance, flavor, and nutritional value.

Does mashed cauliflower freeze well?

Mashed cauliflower freezes well as long as it does not contain sour cream and there is no air in the container. The mash must be completely cooled before being put into an airtight container or plastic bag. Mashed cauliflower freezes best when vacuum-sealed, preventing ice formation on the mash.

How do I thicken keto mashed cauliflower?

Low-carb thickeners include vegetables, almond flour, mashed legumes such as beans or peas, or cream cheese. Xanthan gum and guar gum are also options for thickening watery cauliflower mash. For a keto mashed cauliflower recipe, you can watch this video.

Conclusion

Mashed cauliflower can be a delicious side dish for pot roast and lots of other meals! But no one likes watery mashed cauliflower. If yours is starting to take a turn for the worse, try out one of these 6 tips and you’ll be on the mend in no time!

Read More:

• How to Thicken Baked Beans
• How to Thicken Tomato Soup or soups in crockpot
• How to Thicken Marinara Sauce
• How to Thicken Salsa
• How to Thicken Gumbo
• How to Thicken Ganache
• How to Thicken a Glaze

The post How To Thicken Mashed Cauliflower – 6 Methods appeared first on .

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

6 Methods For Cutting Sweet Potatoes

The way you decide to cut your sweet potatoes largely depends on the recipe you are making. For roasted sweet potatoes, you might want a large chop or a smaller dice. For soup, you might want a simple small chop. For a side dish, you might want some beautiful sweet potato rounds. And of course, there is the beloved sweet potato fry as well.

But cutting a sweet potato each of these ways has its differences, so we’ll cover each method separately. If you are interested in one particular method, use the table of contents below to jump to it.

Table of Contents

1. What You Need
2. Rounds
3. Small Chop
4. Large Chop
5. Rough-Cut Fries
6. Even-Cut Fries
7. Dice
8. FAQ

What You Will Need

Before you get started cutting sweet potatoes, there are a few things you will need to make the process easier.

A sharp chef’s knife: this is absolutely essential. I used to cut sweet potatoes with a dull knife of my moms (at the time, I didn’t even know it was dull!) I had SO much trouble cutting through the tough flesh of sweet potatoes. I even almost lost a finger a few times from the potato and knife sliding around.

Let’s just say, using a dull knife is a bad idea. Contrary to common belief, it is actually much more dangerous to use a dull knife, for the reasons I just described. So do yourself a favor and make sure your knife is sharp before cutting sweet potatoes.

If you’re not sure if your knife is sharp, you can test it by holding up a piece of paper in one hand and slicing through the paper one a diagonal with the knife in your other hand. The knife should go through effortlessly. If it doesn’t, it needs a good sharpening.

A cutting board + something non-slip: Obviously, you’ll need a good strong cutting board when cutting sweet potatoes. But also, don’t forget about something to anchor that cutting board to the counter. If your cutting board is not non-slip, just put a kitchen towel underneath it. This will keep it from sliding around.

A kitchen ruler: This tool is optional. But if you want to make sure your cuts are even (especially on the dicing and fry-cutting) a kitchen ruler will do the trick.

Sweet potatoes + vegetable peeler: Finally, you’ll need some sweet potatoes and a peeler!

Video Tutorial:

All of the methods are shown in this video, or scroll down for separate photo tutorials and instructions.

1. Rounds

The first way you might want to cut sweet potatoes in into rounds. As rounds, sweet potatoes make an excellent side dish. They can be roasted up with brown sugar for a sweeter side, or turned into a savory side as well.

Thankfully, cutting sweet potato rounds is one of the easiest cuts! Simply peel your sweet potato and cut slices with your chef’s knife at your desired thickness.

If your sweet potato is a very strange shape and won’t hold still on the cutting board, you can always cut off a small bit of one side to create a flat surface (just note that doing this will result in the pieces not quite being round).

If your knife is very sharp, however, this extra step shouldn’t be necessary. Instead, you should be able to anchor the sweet potato with your non-dominant hand, and use your knuckles as a guide when slicing.

2. Small Chop

Now, let’s say you want to roast some smaller chunks of sweet potato, but you don’t care about getting perfectly even sized pieces. This is when a small chop comes in handy! Follow these steps:

Step 1:

First, follow the directions for the previous cutting method to make sweet potato rounds. Cut them at the desired thickness of your finished chop.

Step 2:

Take one of the rounds and make 2 cuts so you have a total of 3 pieces of sweet potato.

Step 3:

Rotate the round so that you are now working perpendicular to the cuts you just made. Make another 2 cuts, spacing them as evenly as possible (though perfect cubes are not attainable using this method).

And there you have a quick small chop, perfect for roasting!

3. Large Chop

If you’re also in a hurry and you need slightly bigger pieces of sweet potato, you have another option that is a slight “spin off” of the previous method.

Once again, cut round slices out of the sweet potato. But this time, simply make 1 cut down the center of the round. Then rotate, and make another cut down the center, so you have 4 diamond-shaped pieces.

This will result in a larger chop of sweet potato!

4. Rough-Cut Fries

I get a hankering for some good sweet potato fries every once and awhile. There’s really nothing like them! Here is the fastest way to cut sweet potato fries (we’ll cover the more even, technical way next).

Step 1:

Start off with either a half or whole peeled sweet potato. I’m using a half in this demonstration because it’s what I had on hand. A half will also be slightly easier to handle, but you can use a whole if you’d like.

Step 2:

First of all, slice off a small bit of the sweet potato on one side to form a flat surface (top left photo). Lay the flat surface down on the cutting board.

Step 3:

Cut planks out of the sweet potato at the desired thickness of your fries (usually 1/4 or 1/2 inch is good). Simply slice down the potato, using your knuckles as a guide and pressing down firmly to keep the potato in place.

Step 4:

Lay your planks down on the cutting board and cut them into fry shapes! You should make these cuts the same size as the last one you did. When you get down to the “edge” pieces, you can still cut these into fries. If they are slightly smaller than the rest of the planks, just cut them into less fries (I did 4 fries out of the regular planks and 3 fries out of the edge planks).

5. Evenly Cut Fries

The above method is great if you’re in a time crunch, but if you have a little more time and want nicely even sweet potato fries, then keep reading! In this demonstration I’m using a more lopsided sweet potato.

Step 1:

The first thing we need to do is square off our sweet potato. Start by cutting off a small piece on one side just like we did in the previous methods. Lay the flat edge down on the cutting board and continue to cut off each side until you have flat edges on every side.

Step 2:

Cut the sweet potato into planks just like before. Rock your knife down and into the potato, using your non-dominant hand to help guide it through if you’re having trouble.

Step 3:

In the bottom left photo, you can see what the planks should look like. From here, you can cut each plank lengthwise to get a fry shape! Remember, all these cuts should be the same size. You can always use a kitchen ruler if you’re not used to keeping cuts even.

Here’s what a few of my finished fries looked like:

6. Dice

Lastly (but definitely not least) let’s dice a sweet potato! Use this method when you want nice and even cubed sweet potatoes for roasting.

Step 1:

Follow steps 1-3 of the fry method. Before we can get an even dice, we need shapes just like a fry!

Step 2:

Take your fries and line a few of them up. Now, cut the fries into even cubes! Make sure your cut here is the same size as the previous cuts, as always.

Simply repeat this process, cutting more planks, planks into fries, and then fries into cubes!

P.S. Check out the recipe I like using diced sweet potatoes in here!

FAQ

Let’s finish this post with a few more questions about cutting sweet potatoes!

Why is it so hard to cut sweet potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are much denser and harder than regular white potatoes. This makes them tougher to get through. However, it can be made much easier by using a sharp knife.

What is the best knife to use to cut sweet potatoes?

You’ll want to use a sharp chef’s knife to cut sweet potatoes. This is the chef’s knife I use (recommended by America’s Test Kitchen). It works great and is relatively inexpensive.

Will a mandolin cut sweet potatoes?

Yes, a mandolin does work for cutting sweet potatoes! It is especially good for cutting thin slices of sweet potato. For larger cuts of sweet potato, I prefer using a knife as I’ve shown in this post.

Can a food processor slice sweet potatoes?

While a good food processor may be able to break up a sweet potato, it’s not going to give you even slices. For that, you’ll need to use a mandolin or a sharp knife.

Do you have to peel sweet potatoes?

No, you actually do not have to peel sweet potatoes! The skin is perfectly edible and even good for you. But most people still prefer to take the peel off. It is totally up to you.

Do you wash sweet potatoes?

Yes, it is a good idea to wash sweet potatoes, especially if you are not peeling them. In this case, a good scrub with a vegetable brush will help get all the dirt off.

More Knife Skills to Learn

Now that you know how to cut a sweet potato, there are lots of other veggies you can learn to cut too! Learn how to dice a carrot or cut it into sticks. Learn the best carrot cuts for stir fry here. Or, learn to dice a regular potato 2 ways.

All of these knife skills are great to know!

Conclusion

Cutting sweet potatoes does not have to be a painful process. So long as you have a sharp knife, an anchored cutting board and some good technique, it can actually be quite easy to cut a sweet potato. So which cut is your favorite? Try them all out in your kitchen today and let me know!

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Quinoa is such a cool grain to me. I love how healthy it is. Yet it is still filling and delicious—especially if you add other ingredients to it!

Tricolor quinoa is just an added bonus because it makes a dish more beautiful. In this recipe we’ll be using it mixed with sweet potatoes and other spices. I hope you love it!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to get started on this yummy tricolor quinoa recipe:

Tricolor Quinoa – I used a package from Trader Joes, but you can use any tricolor quinoa in this recipe! In fact, you can even sub in regular quinoa in you prefer that instead.

Sweet Potatoes – you’ll need one medium sweet potato, cut into a 1/4 inch dice. Having the sweet potato cut this small will allow it to cook faster in a cast iron pan.

Garlic – you’ll need two cloves that are minced. This will add great flavor to the dish.

Cumin – we’ll sprinkle this in right after the garlic.

Water – adding some water to the pan will help cook the sweet potatoes faster.

Cilantro – we’ll mince some up and add it in at the end. It ends a beautiful freshness and pairs well with the cumin and garlic!

Save this recipe for later by pinning to Pinterest

How to Cook Tricolor Quinoa

The good news about cooking tricolor quinoa is that it can be done in the same exact way as regular white quinoa! You can always follow the instructions on the package. But here’s a step by step guide:

Step 1:

Rinse quinoa well in a fine mesh strainer.

Step 2:

Put 1 part quinoa and 2 parts water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Step 3:

Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until all the water is gone—about 15 minutes. Fluff and serve! What it should look like:

Step 4:

To continue in this recipe, we’ll now make the sweet potatoes. Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan, then add the sweet potatoes. After 4-5 minutes, add the garlic and cumin.

Step 5:

Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add some butter to the pan, then the cooked quinoa. Stir to combine, taste and add more spices to taste. Then, remove from the heat and add cilantro.

Recipe Variations

You can easily adjust this recipe to fit your needs! If you are vegan, don’t add butter at the end, but simply use another tablespoon of olive oil.

If you don’t like sweet potatoes, you can take them out completely or sub with other veggies.

And you can easily change up the flavors by using different spices and herbs! Here’s a few other combinations I might try soon:

Middle-eastern flavored – garlic, cumin, and tumeric.

Ranch flavored – garlic, onion powder, and fresh dill. Sub sweet potatoes for diced peppers or any veggies you like with ranch flavoring.

Mexican flavored – garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika.

Lemon Pepper flavored – garlic, freshly cracked pepper, lemon zest.

Serving & Storage

This tricolor quinoa makes for a great side dish. It can be taken to a potluck, or paired with other proteins/dinner recipes.

My favorite way to enjoy it is eaten along with roast chicken. You can even add some of the same spices to the chicken to make everything marry well together!

As far as storage goes, this recipe will last awhile in the fridge: up to one week! When you reheat it, you can use the microwave or put it back in a pan with a little oil or butter.

In addition, both quinoa and sweet potatoes freeze well, so if you have an overabundance, stick it in the freezer!

Tricolor Quinoa Recipe Tips:

Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this recipe.

1. Make sure to rinse your quinoa. You don’t want to miss this step!
2. Taste as you go along. You can add more salt and pepper, and more cumin and cilantro too. I prefer strong spice flavors, but you can go easy on them if you prefer.
3. Make sure you add the cilantro at the end. Since cilantro is considered a “dainty” herb, the flavor will be best preserved if added off the heat.
4. You can also use broth instead of water when cooking the quinoa, if you want even better flavor!

More Veggie Side Dishes:

• Sweet & Smoky Carrots
• Basil Carrots Recipe
• Garlic Parm Asparagus

Print

Spiced Tricolor Quinoa Recipe With Sweet Potatoes

A delicious tricolor quinoa recipe with sweet potatoes! This quinoa side dish incorporates fragrant spices for a unique flavor profile you will love! Serve with chicken or other protein for a complete meal.

Course Sides

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 207kcal

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato, diced
• 1.5 cups cooked tricolor quinoa (about 1/2 cup uncooked)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp butter
• Small handful of cilantro

Instructions

• Cook tricolor quinoa according to package instructions: bring 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. This should yield about 1.5 cups cooked quinoa.
• Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Once hot, add diced sweet potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4-5 min. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add cumin and cook for another minute. 
• Add water and let sweet potatoes continue to cook until fork tender. Next, turn down the heat and melt 1 tbsp butter in the pan. Add 1.5 cups cooked tricolor quinoa. Stir frequently so it doesn’t stick. Taste and add more salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. 
• Remove pan from heat and stir in minced cilantro to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• Make sure the sweet potato chunks aren’t too big. If they are larger than a quarter inch, it will be hard to get them fork tender.
• Rinse your quinoa before cooking it!
• Make sure to taste as you make this dish and add more spices/herbs to your liking!

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal

Tricolor Quinoa FAQ

I thought we would end this post by talking about some common questions people have about tricolor quinoa.

Is Tri-color quinoa better than white?

As far as nutrition goes, all colors of quinoa are about the same. However, they do have some differences in taste and texture. White quinoa is not as bitter as the other colors.

What can I make with Tri-color quinoa?

There are lots of options! You can use it in pretty much any dish that calls for regular quinoa. However, tricolor quinoa is particularly good in salads since the red and black quinoa has a chewier texture compared to white quinoa. You can also make bowls, side dishes, or pair it with chicken or beef for dinner.

Is quinoa healthier than rice?

Yes. Overall, quinoa has more nutrients than both white and brown rice (but espeically white). Quinoa has more protein and fiber. And it is also high in other nutrients like iron, magnesium, and zinc.

What can you add to quinoa to make it taste good?

Lots of things! I love experimenting with adding spices to quinoa, because it makes it literally so much better. Of course, in this recipe I did a mix of garlic, cumin, and cilantro. If you want to go more middle-eastern style, you can try garlic, cumin, and tumeric. Or, you can use different fresh herbs like dill or parsely.

Just keep in mind when you are adding these things in. With fresh herbs, it is usually best to stir them in at the end. However, spices like cumin can be added either at the beginning of cooking, or at the end.

Does quinoa have to be rinsed?

Yes, it is best to rinse your quinoa before cooking (whether tricolor or not). Believe it or not, rinsing gets rid of a bitter flavor in your quinoa: saponin, which coats the seeds.

Conclusion

Tricolor quinoa makes for both a beautiful AND tasty dish! It can be used in so many different recipes, but I love pairing it with sweet potatoes and fragrant spices. But now its your turn to experiment in the kitchen – what flavor combinations will you make? If you try this recipe, I hope you love it!

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