The Schmidty Wife

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Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup

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This Broccoli Cheese Soup has a protein packed heathy secret… Beans! A delicous creamy broccoli cheddar soup with the added benefits of great northern beans with no butter or no heavy cream it is perfect to satisfy your cozy cravings while keeping you full!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

White bowls filled with healthy broccoli cheese soup topped with extra cheddar cheese.

Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a warm comforting soup that always seems to satisfy! So I wanted to lighten it up a little bit as well as add in some protein and more fiber without compromising taste and I am so excited to share this recipe with you today.

Filled with veggies and beans you won’t even miss the fact there is no heavy cream in here!

I hope this soup warms and fill you up on a cold night!

Overhead view of a bowl filled with Broccoli Cheddar Soup with a spoon ready to eat.

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil – In lieu of butter this recipe calls for olive oil, if you prefer the taste of butter over olive oil you may certainly substitute it.
  • Yellow Onion – Yellow onion works great in this soup but a sweet onion or white onion will work just as well.
  • Great Northern Beans – I went with great northern beans because of their consistency to help keep the soup thick and ability to take on other flavors. GNB are a fairly flavor neutral and will take on the flavors of what they are cooked in, so you can make this soup and not even know they are in there. Plus there are great benefits to GNB like they are high in Protein, Fiber, Manganese, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, and high in countless more minerals.
  • Flour – I use all-purpose flour to help thicken up the soup.
  • Veggie Broth – Veggie Broth can be store-bought or homemade.
  • Bay Leaves – To help Gove the soup flavor.
  • Kosher Salt – I you don’t have kosher salt you can use Sea Salt as a substitute, if you only have table salt use half of the amount.
  • Dry Mustard – Just a little dry mustard for the flavor.
  • Ground Nutmeg – And surprisingly just a little bit of nutmeg goes a long ways in the recipe to help with flavor.
  • Shredded Carrots – A staple part of broccoli cheese soup.
  • Broccoli Florets – You may use pre-cut broccoli or cut the florets from 1 large or 2 small broccoli heads. If you do by pre-cut broccoli go through the florets and make sure they aren’t too big, cut them down to bite size if needed.
  • Milk – I use regular cows milk and recommend using whole for the flavor if possible.
  • Cheddar Cheese – One thing definitely worth its time in the recipe is shredding the cheddar cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese comes coated with additives that keep it from sticking and melting. If you use the pre-shredded cheese you might find yourself having a hard time getting the cheese to melt into the soup. You will want about a 16 ounce block or cheddar, you might have a little cheese leftover.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make healthy broccoli cheese soup laid out on a tabletop.

Instructions

Add a large dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and diced onion. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add the beans. Cook the beans with the onion about 1 minute.

Add in 1/4 cup flour to the pot. Stir and mix everything until it is well coated. Slowly stir in the veggie broth about 1 cup at a time until everything is mixed together well and it is smooth.

Carefully blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth.

If you don’t have an immersion blender transfer to a stand blender to blend smooth and then transfer back to the pot. Be careful as it will be hot. If possible leaves the spout open so the steam can escape during blending, cover with a towel to keep it from making a mess.

Next add to the pot the bay leaves, salt, mustard, nutmeg, carrots, and broccoli florets. Stir together. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the broccoli is tender.

Stir the milk into the soup.

In a bowl mix together the shredded cheese and 1 tablespoon flour so that the flour coats the cheese. Keep an eye on the soup to make sure it doesn’t start to simmer but continue to let it get warmer. Add in half of the cheese to the top of the soup. Let the cheese sit on the soup for 1-3 minutes to melt before slowly whisking into the soup. Add the remaining cheese to the top and let sit another 1-3 minutes until melted and gently whisk in. Turn off the heat. Serve immediately.

Large dutch oven pot filled with healthy broccoli cheddar soup with big chunks of Broccoli and little carrot pieces.

tips, tricks and questions

How to avoid the cheese ‘breaking’/’curdling’/’not melting’ into the soup.

A tricky component of Broccoli Cheese Soup is making sure it isn’t too hot when adding the cheese. Cheese will curdle and break apart if it is added to something too quickly or too hot. If the soup seems like it got too hot too quickly after adding the milk and before adding the cheese turn off the heat to the stovetop and give it a few minutes to cool down. If you follow the directions and make sure it isn’t too hot, let it melt a little on top, and then whisk it in you shouldn’t have an issue with the cheese breaking.

Can I use Gluten-Free Flour?

YES! Make this gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour.

Is this Broccoli Cheese Soup Healthy?

In general I try to avoid the word healthy since it is subjective but in the general since that this recipe doesn’t use heavy cream or butter, is full of vegetables, and has the added benefits of beans I am calling this soup healthy!

Not a fan of nutmeg, try subbing out for paprika instead.

Can I freeze this soup?

Yes, transfer to a freezer safe container before transferring to the freezer.

Two bowls on a table filled with healthy broccoli cheese soup garnished with extra cheddar cheese.

If you like this Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe you might also like:

what to serve with this

a white platter full of simple spinach salad with cheese and walnuts

Simple Spinach Salad

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Easy Beer Bread

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Air Fryer Baby Potatoes

healthy best chocolate hummus in a white bowl sprinkled with chocolate shavings and slices of strawberries

Healthy Chocolate Dessert Hummus

Yield: 6 servings

Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Overhead view of a white bowl filled with fresh broccoli cheddar soup topped with extra cheddar cheese.

This Broccoli Cheese Soup has a protien packed heathy secret... Beans! A delicous creamy broccoli cheddar soup with the added benefits of great northern beans with no butter or no heavy cream it is perfect to satisfy your cozy cravings while keeping you full!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 can great northern beans (15oz), drained
  • 1/4 cup flour, plus 1 tablespoon divided
  • 4 cups veggie broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 8 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

    1. Add a dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and diced onion. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add beans. Cook the beans with the onion about 1 minute.
    2. Add in 1/4 cup flour to the pot. Stir and mix everything until it is well coated. Slowly stir in the veggie broth about 1 cup at a time until everything is mixed together well and it is smooth.
    3. Carefully blend everything with an immersion blender* until smooth.
    4. Add to the pot the bay leaves, salt, mustard, nutmeg, carrots, and broccoli florets. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
    5. Stir the milk into the soup.
    6. In a bowl mix together the shredded cheese and 1 tablespoon flour so that the flour coats the cheese. Keep an eye on the soup to make sure it doesn’t start to simmer but continue to let it get warmer. Add in half of the cheese to the top of the soup. Let sit 1-3 minutes to melt before slowly whisking into the soup. Add the remaining cheese to the top and let sit another 1-3 minutes until melted and gently whisk in. Turn off the heat. Serve immediately.

Notes

*If you don't have an immersion blender transfer to a stand blender to blend smooth and then transfer back to the pot. Be careful as it will be hot.

I recommend buying a block of cheddar and shredding it yourself, you will want a block of cheddar about 16 ounces, you won't use all of it but you will have more than enough to make the 2 cups of shredded cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1/6 the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 507Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 724mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 15gSugar: 13gProtein: 25g

Nutritional data is automated and might not be 100% accurate, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Soup

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Instant Pot Risotto

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How to make Risotto in the Instant Pot. Impress even yourself with this amazing homemade risotto where the pressure cooker does all the hard work!

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Overhead view of Instant Pot Risotto in a large white bowl with a gold serving spoon topped with fresh parmesan and black pepper.

Instant Pot Risotto with Parmesan and White Wine

I stopped ordering risotto at restaurants because of this recipe. Risotto used to be such a foreign thing to make at home because in order to get it just right you had to get every step just perfectly including stirring the dish the entire time! No one has time for that at home….

Until the rise of the Instant Pot.

Risotto works in the instant pot because risotto gets its texture from one of two ways. It needs to either be stirred constantly or not touched at all. With the pressure cooker you can ensure that the arborio rice cooking doesn’t get touched at all.

So if you haven’t tried risotto at home, now is the time!

Overhead view of a pressure cooker with freshly made risotto inside with a wooden spoon.

Equipment

As far as electric pressure cookers go I myself have an Instant Pot, although any brand will work for this recipe. You can also use any size for this recipe, the size shouldn’t affect the outcome of the recipe. I use a 6 quart Instant Pot.

Overhead view of a large white bowl filled with instant pot risotto with fresh parmesan on top and a serving spoon.

Ingredients

  • Butter – Unsalted and divided. You will use a little butter at the beginning and more to finish off the dish. Make sure it is unsalted, the last thing you want is a whole batch of super salty risotto.
  • Onion – I prefer a sweet onion in this recipe which works just as well as a yellow or white onion as well, you could also use 1-2 shallots if you needed to. The one type of onion I would not use though is a red onion, that will throw the whole dish off.
  • Garlic – A must for risotto in my opinion, you will want a few cloves minced well. If you are a garlic lover (or hater) you can adjust the amount of minced garlic in this recipe.
  • Arborio Rice – Is a very specific type of rice. It is an Italian short-grained rice. Compared to other varieties of rice arborio rice is chewier and creamier due to the high starch levels. Because of this arborio rice cannot be substituted for other rices in this recipe. Luckily arborio rice is pretty commonplace at most grocery stores.
  • White Wine – White wine a staple of risotto, before the rice gets cooked in broth you will cook the rice with the wine to make sure it gets all soaked in! As for choosing white wine I recommend using a dry white wine like a  Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay. In the end thought I think you should choose what you like to drink.
  • Chicken Stock or Broth – Risotto takes quite a bit of liquid so you will use 4 cups of chicken stock or broth.
  • Dried Thyme – In this classic recipe of a plain risotto I opted for some dried thyme for flavor but feel free to swap or add-in other seasoning if you see fit. You can also use fresh thyme you will just want to double the amount.
  • Kosher or Sea Salt – To avoid an overly salty dish avoid using table salt and stick to either kosher or sea salt for this recipe. If you ever get nervous about the amount of salt add less before cooking because you can always taste it at the end and see if it needs more then.
  • Black Pepper (optional) – If you want to offset any richness adding a little black pepper is a great way to go. I recommend using freshly ground black pepper if that is available to you.
  • Parmesan Cheese – Lastly parmesan cheese, it would be complete without parmesan cheese! I highly recommend grabbing a black for this recipe and freshly grating it yourself, it is going to melt into the risotto so much better.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Risotto laid out on a table top.

pro tip

Once everything is in the pressure cooker with the lid on this is very hands off BUT before that the recipe comes together fairly quickly. I recommend practicing mise en place, otherwise know as having everything cut, prepped, and measured out and ready to go.

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot onto SAUTÉ mode. Add 2 tablespoon butter to the Instant Pot and let melt.

Add the diced onion and sauté 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Collage showing the first steps of melting the butter, sautéing the onions, and adding minced garlic.

Add the Arborio rice and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Add the white wine and deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom to make sure there isn’t anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. While continuing to stir, cook the rice until no liquid remains and has been absorbed into the rice, about 2-3 minutes.

Collage showing the steps of adding the rice, sautéing, and adding the white wine.
Collage showing the steps of the rice absorbing the wine, adding the seasonings, and the chicken broth and stirring together.

Add the chicken stock, dried thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir everything to combine.

Cancel SAUTÉ mode. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is sealed. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK mode for 5 minutes. 

Once the 5 minutes are done, QUICK RELEASE the steam valve and let the steam escape. Remove the lid carefully once the valve has dropped.

Add the remaining 4 tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmesan cheese to the top. Stir to combine everything. Let rest about 5 minute before serving.

Collage showing the steps of opening the lid after it is cooked, adding butter, and parmesan before stirring together.
Stirring the freshly made risotto together in the instant pot.

tips, tricks and questions

Can I make this risotto without the wine?

Yes you could, just substitute the wine for more chicken broth.

Can I add veggies, mushrooms, or anything else?

Yes! Most things you will want to add at the very end. For example adding frozen peas as you are stirring in the butter and cheese will work wonderfully. You can also add in other items at the ends like crispy bacon or prosciutto. If you want to add mushrooms I would add those in with the onions.

Can I Prep this ahead or use delay start?

Sorry no that won’t work for this recipe.

Bowl of Risotto made in the Instant Pot with a spoon ready to serve.

If you like this Instant Pot Risotto Recipe you might also like:

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Yield: 6 servings

Instant Pot Risotto

A serving bowl filled with risotto made in the pressure cooker with a serving spoon.

Resturant quality risotto made easy at home thanks to the pressure cooker! This Instant Pot Risotto is surprisingly easy and yields a great result every time.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups Arborio rice
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 4 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Instructions

    1. Turn the Instant Pot onto SAUTÉ mode. Add 2 tablespoon butter to the Instant Pot and let melt.
    2. Add the diced onion and sauté 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
    3. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
    4. Add the Arborio rice and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
    5. Add the white wine and deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom to make sure there isn't anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. While continuing to stir, cook the rice until no liquid remains and has been absorbed into the rice, about 2-3 minutes.
    6. Add the chicken stock, dried thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir everything to combine.
    7. Cancel SAUTÉ mode. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve ison seal. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK mode for 5 minutes.
    8. Once the 5 minutes are done, QUICK RELEASE the steam valve and let the steam escape. Remove the lid carefully once the valve has dropped.
    9. Add the remaining 4 tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmesan cheese to the top. Stir to combine everything. Let rest about 5 minute before serving.

Notes

This recipe comes together quickly in the beginnging to it is a good recipe to practive mise en place AKA have everything ready to go when starting the recipe.

White wine is a staple of risotto and all of the alcohol does get cooked off during the cooking process. If you still don't want to use the wine you may subsititute more chicken broth.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1/6 of the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 351Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 943mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 12g

Nutritional data is automated and might not be 100% accurate, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Instant Pot

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Sheet Pan Shrimp and Veggies

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Simple and delicious this Sheet Pan Shrimp and Veggies makes a delicious dinner. Packed with a lot of vegetables and topped with juicy shrimp this is an easy dinner you will make again and again.

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

Close up of the corner of sheet pan shrimp and veggies with colorful vegetables and plump juicy shrimp.

Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetables

Nothing is better than a veggie packed quick dinner and this Sheet Pan Shrimp and Veggies is exactly that.

Packed with all sorts of veggies that will help your body feel amazing and topped off with juicy shrimp! This recipe relies of simple flavors like salt, garlic, and lemon which in turn make it easy to make as well.

To make it even better this is one of those meals that you can easily turn into your own variation. You can substitute all the veggies to what fit you and your family the best.

A sheet pan with baked shrimp and vegetables.

Equipment

This simple dinner you don’t need a whole lot. You will need a sheet pan, a mixing bowl (technically optional but makes it way easier), and typical kitchen equipment like knife and measuring spoons.

Ingredients

  • Shrimp – Medium works great but if you want to go with Large or extra Large they will also work just watch the cooking time to make sure they are in long enough. I prefer to have them peeled because it makes them easier to eat. If you want to keep the shells on you may do that, it shouldn’t affect the cooking too much.
  • Broccoli – One head on the smaller size works good here. If you want to use some pre-cut florets you will want to use about 2 cups, but feel free to use a little more or less as long as the sheet pan doesn’t seem too crowded.
  • Red Bell Pepper – Cut into strips, I like red bell pepper here because of it’s sweetness but can easily be substituted out for a yellow or orange bell pepper.
  • Zucchini – A small to medium zucchini works best so that the sheet pan doesn’t get to over crowded specifically with the zucchini because it is the vegetable that releases the most amount of liquid during cooking.
  • Red Onion – I like the flavor of red onion best for this recipe, but if you are looking for something a little more mellow you can certainly substitute any other kind of onion, a sweet onion would also be delicious.
  • Lemon – The secret star of the meal and where the most flavor comes from, so don’t skip it! While you do include the whole lemon in the cooking process I don’t intend for it to be eaten and just to add the flavor to the rest of the meal.
  • Garlic – Another boost of flavor, about 2 cloves of garlic mined seemed like a balanced amount to me. This recipe is certainly adaptable enough that you can easily use more or less garlic to your choosing.
  • Olive Oil – Since this dish is fairly simple it will always make it better if you use a good tasting olive oil when baking. I prefer to use California Olive Ranch, 100% California olives (not a sponsor just a fan).
  • Kosher Salt – I like to use kosher salt when cooking because the salt dissolves better into the food but if you don’t have any substitute sea salt instead.
  • Pepper – If you want to use some black pepper to taste feel free to add some!

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients to make Sheet Pan Shrimp and Veggies.

pro tip

Feel Free to make this your own by adding any seasoning blends you have whether pre-made or homemade. This would be really good with seasoning blends like Lemon Pepper, All-Purpose, or even Italian Seasoning!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400º F.

Chop vegetables into pieces, the broccoli into florets, the bell pepper into strips, the zucchini into half circles, and the red onion and lemon into slices.

Add the veggies, salt and oil to a bowl. Toss well to mix. Transfer the veggies to a sheet pan spread out into a single layer.

A collage showing a mixing bowl with cut up veggies and then tossed in oil.

Transfer to the oven and cook 20 minutes.

Remove sheet pan from the oven and gently toss the vegetables. Add the shrimp over top the vegetables. Cook another 10 minutes. 

A collage showing the before and after of colorful vegetables being cooked on a sheet pan.
Side by side collage showing raw and cooked shrimp on top of a bed of veggies.

The shrimp will be ready when it turns solid white and pink in color. Remove from the oven and serve hot. 

Side view of a sheet pan filled with shrimp and veggies.

tips, tricks and questions

I included a 10 minute prep time in the recipe for chopping up all of the vegetables. I you are quick with a knife or buy some of the veggies pre-cut the prep time should be cut down significantly.

While the lemons add a lot for the flavor of the dish, I don’t plan on you eating them with the final product. You can leave them off the plate or feel free to just leave them to the side as you are eating.

Can I change up the vegetables? And What vegetable goes good with shrimp?

This recipe is super adaptable and you can easily change up the vegetables. The only thing to consider is that you don’t want the sheet pan too crowded or things won’t cook in the given time.

If you are looking for some other good vegetables to use with shrimp you could also try asparagus, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or green beans. When choosing a vegetables just makes sure the cooking time wouldn’t be much longer than 30 minutes, so veggies like carrots or potatoes won’t work.

What can I serve with Baked Shrimp?

This recipe is wonderful because the shrimp already come with a bunch of side veggies! If you are looking to make the meal a bit larger though I recommend adding a healthy starch/carb. Cooked Quinoa or Rice Pilaf with Cranberries is always a great option.

Overhead view of a sheet pan with shrimp and colorful vegetables.

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Yield: 4 servings

Sheet Pan Shrimp and Veggies

An angled sheet pan on a kitchen towel holding baked shrimp and veggies.

A heatlhy and fast this Sheet Pan Shrimp & Veggies not ony takes minimal effort to make but is also delicious! Loaded with healthy vegetables and juicy shrimp this is a meal you can keep on your weekly rotation!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
  • 1 small head broccoli
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 Lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.
    2. Chop vegetables into pieces, the broccoli into florets, the bell pepper into strips, the zucchini into half circles, and the red onion and lemon into slices.
    3. Add the veggies, salt and oil to a bowl. Toss well to mix. Transfer the veggies to a sheet pan spread out into a single layer.
    4. Transfer to the oven and cook 20 minutes.
    5. Remove sheet pan from the oven and gently toss the vegetables. Add the shrimp over top the vegetables. Cook another 10 minutes.
    6. The shrimp will be ready when it turns solid white and pink in color. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Notes

I included a 10 minute prep time for chopping of the vegetables, if you are quick with the knife or if you buy some precut veggies the prep time should be cut down significantly.

While the lemons add so much flavor to this sheet pan meal, they aren't meant to be eaten and just added to produce flavor!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4 of the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 270Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 239mgSodium: 1406mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 28g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Sheet Pan

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Instant Pot Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats

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A great hands-off way to make breakfast for the family, Instant Pot Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats! The pressure cooker makes cooking steel cut oats a breeze. The warm fall flavors of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice are a fantastic flavor the whole family is sure to love!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

Close up of a white bowl filled with orange hued pumpkin spice steel cut oats that were made in the pressure cooker and topped with cream and pumpkin seeds.

Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal

I often get in a breakfast rut, and so when I discovered how easy it was to make a large batch of steel cut oats in the Instant Pot I got very excited. I have tried a few different flavors now but today I am sharing my favorite Pumpkin Spice. Call me basic but it is delicious.

Using the pressure cooker is great because it makes the meal very hands off. I like that I just throw it together and then have time to make coffee or tea and wipe down the kitchen or catch up on emails while it cooks!

Overhead view of three what bowls on a tabletop filled with pumpkin spice oatmeal.

Equipment

Yes you will need an electric pressure cooker for this recipe. I have an Instant Pot 6 quart which works perfect for this recipe.

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin Purée – You will want o make sure that this is 100% pumpkin puree and not a can of pumpkin pie filling, there is a difference! Pumpkin being high in vitamin A & K is not only helping with the flavor but giving you some nutrients as well!
  • Water – I opted to go with water in this version to avoid the instant pot giving off the dreaded burn signal. If you like a little milk in your oatmeal I recommend just adding a little drizzle to the top once you are ready to serve.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice – Pumpkin Pie Spice can be found at all types of stores these days but you can also make your own! You can grab my recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice HERE.
  • Kosher Salt – I prefer cooking with kosher salt it sticks to food better than table salt. If you don’t have table salt you can substitute sea salt for this recipe. If you only have table salt available I recommend only using a little pinch as a substitute or leaving it our all together.
  • Brown Sugar – If you are looking to sub out the refined sugar you can easily sub out for Maple Syrup in this recipe, I found they were pretty interchangeable.
  • Vanilla Extract – Vanilla added for flavor.
  • Steel Cut Oats – Last but not least Steel Cut Oats, not old fashioned oats or quick oats, these are all different and you will get different results! Steel cut oats which might also be labeled as pinhead oats are named for how they are processed (with steel cut blades) are more dense than rolled or old fashioned oats and tends to have a chewer and coarser texture than other processed oats. I most often find them at the store from the Bob’s Red Mill brand.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make instant pot pumpkin steel cut oats.
Steel cut oats in a bag and in a measuring cup.

Instructions

I love this simplicity of this one…

Add all of the ingredients to the pot of the pressure cooker and stir to combine. 

Cover and seal lid, turn steam vent to sealing, and select manual/pressure cook. Set to high pressure for 4 minutes. 

Collage showing the steps for making pumpkin spice oatmeal in the pressure cooker showing all of the ingredients and then ,mixed with water before putting the lid on the cook.

Natural release 10 minutes. After 10 minutes if the float hasn’t dropped release the rest of the steam by moving the switch. Once the float has dropped carefully open the lid.

Stir the oats, they will start to thicken as they are stirred and as they cool down. I recommened letting rest about 5 minutes to cool before serving.

Overhead view of a collage of pumpkin spice oats in a pressure cooker after being cooked and stirred ready for eating.

pro tip

Once ready to serve I love adding a topping. Some of my favorite toppings for this oatmeal is pumpkin seeds, cream, walnuts, or mini chocolate chips!

Overhead view of a white bowl with a gold spoon on top of orange colored pumpkin spice steel cut oats garnished with cream and pumpkin seeds.

tips, tricks and questions

What is the ratio of water to steel cut oats?

For this recipe in the pressure cooker it is 3 cups water to 1 cup steel cut oats.

Can this pumpkin oatmeal be refrigerated and reheated?

Yes! Use this to meal prep, the oatmeal will last several days in the fridge and can be reheated or served cold.

White bowl filled with orange hued pumpkin spice steel cut oats topped with cream and pumpkin seeds.

If you like this Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal you might also like:

what to serve with this

fresh colorful fruit in a glass of orange juice with a paper straw

Orange Juice Mocktail

A large glass with a metal straw filled to the top with an energizing green smoothie, topped with chia seeds.

Energizing Green Smoothie

Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte

A glass filled with ice and salted maple cold brew coffee sitting on a table top next to another drink and a vase of pink flowers.

Salted Maple Cold Brew

Yield: 4 servings

Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal

Close up of a white bowl filled with instant pot pumpkin oatmeal garnished with cream and pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Spiced Steel Cut Oats made easy in the Instant Pot. Only a few minutes of prep and quick to cook. This is a breakfast that not only tastes good but you can feel good about too!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup pumpkin purée
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup steel cut oats

Instructions

    1. Add all of the ingredients to the pot of the pressure cooker and stir to combine.
    2. Cover and seal lid, turn steam vent to sealing, and select manual/pressure cook. Set to high pressure for 4 minutes.
    3. Natural release 10 minutes. After 10 minutes if the float hasn't dropped release the rest of the steam by moving the switch. Once the float has dropped carefully open the lid.
    4. Stir the oats, they will start to thicken as they are stirred and as they cool down. I recommened letting rest about 5 minutes to cool before serving.

Notes

Make these steel cut oats your own by adding your favorite toppings! Try pumpkin seeds, milk/cream, walnuts, or chocolate chips!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4 the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 194Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 5gSugar: 9gProtein: 6g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Instant Pot

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

The Best Homemade Apple Pie Recipe

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If you are looking for the best way to make a Homemade Apple Pie this is your recipe! This pie recipe takes out the busy work of making filling and instead uses a sugar and butter mixture poured over the entire pie so that it bakes to sweet and flavorful perfection!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A slice of homemade apple pie on a plate showing of the apple inside and the lattice top.

Apple Pie from Scratch

Who doesn’t love a good apple pie!?

Baked apples, flaky pie crust, just a hint of cinnamon! Served a lá mode or just on it’s own there is no wonder why it is considered a classic Americana dessert.

My recipe uses a little bit of a different method from most, I have been making it this way for years. It is a slight adaptation of what the internet refers to as Apple Pie by Grandma Ople. This particular recipe has somewhat of a cult following but I found it was lacking in a few ways, like no cinnamon! So sorry Grandma Ople I just had to make your pie better…

What makes this pie different is that instead of making a filling with the apples and then adding it to the pie you will fill the pie with freshly sliced apples add a lattice top, and then proceed to make a filling with butter, sugar, and flavorings, and then pour this filling overtop the entire pie, including the lattice top.

The result it amazing! The inside of the pie is almost caramel like surrounding the soft apples and the top of the pie crust is covered in this delicious coating almost toffee like on top of the flaky pie crust. It is truly an apple pie that no one could resist.

Overhead view of a homemade apple pie on top of a blue towel next to some forks and apples.

Equipment

You really don’t need a lot for this pie. If you are making your own pie crust from scratch it will be a little more involved but if you are using a store bought crust you won’t need a lot besides a standard pie plate, a small saucepan, and standard kitchen tools like measuring cups, knife, ect…

A close up of an apple pie slice on a plate showing off the apples inside.

Ingredients

  • DOUBLE Pie Crust – I suggest making a double batch of my All Butter Pie Crust, it is simple and never fails to make an amazing pie. Obviously feel free to use a store bought crust or your favorite crust recipe as well.
  • Unsalted Butter – Because we are baking and we don’t want a salty pie make sure you use unsalted butter for the filling.
  • All Purpose Flour – Just a little bit, it’s purpose is to be used as a thickening agent for the filling mixture.
  • Apple Cider – So this is one of those ingredients that I believe really elevates this pie. It adds extra flavor that you didn’t even realize was missing. Typically this is water, and if you don’t have apple cider available you can substitute in water.
  • White/Granulated Sugar – This pie uses two types of sugar so you know it is going to be good. By using both granulated sugar and brown sugar you get an even mix between consistency of the filling and flavor.
  • Light Brown Sugar – For the brown sugar I have always used light brown sugar, if need be you may substitute in dark brown sugar.
  • Ground Cinnamon – In the original version of this recipe there was no cinnamon and it made me so sad, it absolutely needs some cinnamon in my opinion and so here it is!
  • Ground Nutmeg – Just a slight pinch of ground nutmeg.
  • Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract is enough addition made by me, I mean it mellows out the pie but while adding in a more elevated flavor profile.
  • Granny Smith Apples – Do you have to use Granny Smith Apples? No but you do need to use baking apples. Should you use Granny Smith apples? Yes, they really have the prefect flavor profile and texture for an apple pie, not overly sweet but also a hard texture lend itself useful for pie. If you wanted to use a different variety you certainly can. If you are looking for an alternative for baking you could try these varieties of apples: Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, Mutu/Crispin, Winesap, or Pink Lady. If you are out apple picking and want to make a pie after just pay attention at the apple orchard they will most likely have listed what the different varieties of apples are good for whether it be baking, applesauce, or eating.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make homemade apple pie with fresh apples.

pro tip

Apples can vary a lot in size. Generally this recipe uses between 6 to 8 for a standard size pie. I recommend especially if the apples you have are large is to have a pie dish next to you as you are processing the apples and fill the empty pie dish up, stop processing the apple once it is full with a slight mound.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425º F.

Peel, core, and slice the apples.

Apple slice on top of a cutting board ready to go into a pie.

Place the bottom crust in the pie plate. Fill with the apples, mounded slightly.

Collage showing the steps of rolling out the pie dough and then placing into a pie crust.

Create a lattice top with the second piece of pie dough. Cut the pie dough into strips about 1/2 to 1 inch in size. To make the lattice take 5-6 strips of the pie dough and place it on the pie. Peel back every other strip of the pie dough and place 1 new strip perpendicular and close to the edge. Place the strips that were pulled back back over top the pie. pull back the opposite strips and place a new perpendicular piece. Lay back those pieces of pie crust. Continue the process until the whole pie is covered with the lattice top.

Collage showing the first steps of making a lattice top for an apple pie showing the dough cut and first strips laid across the top.
Collage showing the steps of making a lattice pie by folding back every other strip and adding a new one across.
Collage showing making the lattice pie crust.
Collage showing the lattice top of an apple pie being made, the lattice top is about halfway done.
Collage showing a lattice pie top being finished and the extra dough being cut of and the edges of the pie being pinched together.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour to form a paste, letting the mixture get bubbly. Add in the cider, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature slightly and add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Let simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Making the filling for the apple pie by adding butter to a saucepan with flour.
Making the filling for the apple pie by adding sugars to butter and boiling.

Very carefully and gently pour the sugar and butter mixture over the crust SLOWLY so that it runs into the pie inbetween the lattice work. Make sure to run slowly so that it does not run off the side of the pie. 

Collage showing the filling mixture being poured overtop the apple pie, into the lattice frame top.
An apple pie right before it is about to go into the oven with the filling mixture poured over the top.

Transfer to the oven and back for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350º F. Continue baking 35 to 45 minutes until the pie is bubbly and the apples are soft. 

Let cool completely before cutting to serve.

A freshly baked homemade apple pie straight out of the oven.

tips, tricks and question?

Remember to let the pie cool all the way before slicing in!

Can I Freeze this Apple Pie?

After baking absolutely this pie can be frozen! I always like to double wrap my pies to help ward off any freezer burn.

Should I cook the apples before putting them in the pie?

Nope not for this recipe!

A close up of an apple pie slice on a plate showing off the apples inside.

If you like this Homemade Apple Pie Recipe you might also like:

what to serve with this

milk steamer drink in a clear mug with cinnamon sprinkled on top

Milk Steamer

Two clear mugs on a wooden cutting board against a black background filled with hot toddy cocktail and garnished with cinnamon sticks and a lemon wedge.

Hot Toddy with Tea

a skinny gingerbread tea latte with foam in a white mug on a table

Gingerbread Tea Latte

Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte

Yield: 8 servings

Homemade Apple Pie

Overhead view of a freshly baked apple pie laying on a blue towel next to some forks and some apples.

Save your fork here is a Homemade Apple Pie Recipe everyone will want a slice of. With a butter-sugar mixture poured over the top this pie has loads of flavor from the crust all the way through the filling!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 DOUBLE pie crust
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 medium Granny Smith apples*

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425º F.
  2. Peel, core, and slice the apples.
  3. Place the bottom crust in the pie plate. Fill with the apples, mounded slightly.
  4. Create a lattice top with the second piece of pie dough. Cut the pie dough into strips about 1/2 to 1 inch in size. To make the lattice take 5-6 strips of the pie dough and place it on the pie. Peel back every other strip of the pie dough and place 1 new strip perpendicular and close to the edge. Place the strips that were pulled back back over top the pie. pull back the opposite strips and place a new perpendicular piece. Lay back those pieces of pie crust. Continue the process until the whole pie is covered with the lattice top.
  5. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour to form a paste, letting the mixture get bubbly. Add in the cider, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature slightly and add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Let simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Very carefully and gently pour the sugar and butter mixture over the crust SLOWLY so that it runs into the pie inbetween the lattice work. Make sure to run slowly so that it does not run off the side of the pie.
  7. Transfer to the oven and back for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350º F. Continue baking 35 to 45 minutes until the pie is bubbly and the apples are soft.
  8. Let cool completely before cutting to serve.

Notes

*Apples can vary a lot in size, i generally use between 6 to 8 for a standard size pie. I recommend especially if the apples you have are large is to have a pie dish next to you as you are processing the apples and fill the empty pie dish up, sstop once it is full with a slight mound.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1/8 the pie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 404Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 97mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 6gSugar: 41gProtein: 2g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Desserts

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Bowties and Broccoli

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Looking for a family favorite meal that is also quick and easy!? This Bowties and Broccoli is it! With 5 simple ingredients this is a one-pot meal that is ready in under 30 minutes!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

White bowl filled with bowtie pasta and broccoli and garnished with parmesan cheese.

Broccoli Bowtie Pasta

I have never before made a dinner where my sons ate so much and so quickly as this bowties & broccoli. To them it is the perfect dinner. I mean the last time I made it my oldest had 3 servings.

And my favorite part is that it is incredibly easy and not to mention quick.

This dinner originated as a meal I always would make when my husband was away on a work trip for a week. After a few days when I tire of doing dishes this is always my go-to because it is a one pot meal that makes for easy clean up.

The fact that my kids also loved it and brought joy to the dinner table makes it a win-win.

Oh I guess a win-win-win because they are obviously eating a bunch of broccoli too!

Close up of a large dutch oven filled with green broccoli and bowtie pasta with a wood serving spoon.

Ingredients

  • Bowtie/Farfalle Pasta – While commonly called bowtie pasta it will probably say farfalle pasta on the box. This fun shape is the perfect contender to a kid favorite meal! If you don’t have bowtie pasta available no worries, you can really use any of your favorite pastas in this dish! Good substitutes to farfalle would be conchiglie or commonly know as shells.
  • Broccoli – Broccoli the second star of this dish. About 2 small or medium broccoli heads work great here. If you want to grab a bag of pre-cut florets you can do that too. Either way you will want to florets to all be uniform in size so that they don’t cook at different speeds.
  • Butter – So I tested this recipe with both olive oil and butter and a combo of the two. To me the butter hands down was the family favorite. But of course if you want to sub out the butter for olive oil or do a half and half combo of the two it is definitely possible. Also a note on the butter, I use unsalted butter to ensure the dish doesn’t become too salty, with all the parmesan the dish might get too salty if you use salted butter.
  • Parmesan Cheese – My personal favorite part of this meal… I always like to recommend using freshly grated parmesan from a block, realistically though have shredded or grated parmesan will be delicious in this dish! And don’t forget to save a little extra to sprinkle on top.
  • Lemon – To really bring this dinner to the next level you will want a little sprinkle of fresh lemon juice, not too much just a few small squeezes to toss in to really bring a freshness to the dish.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make bowties and broccoli laid out on a tabletop.

pro tip

If you are looking to reheat this dish I suggest just a little splash of water on top before microwaving it, it will help keep the pasta from drying out.

Instructions

Add water to a large pot (about 8 cups). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling add a pinch of salt and the pasta to the pot.

Cook pasta 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broccoli florets into the pot over the pasta.

Cook everything about ten minutes until pasta is ready and broccoli is tender. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Use a colander to drain the pasta and broccoli. Bring the pot back to the stove and switch to medium heat. Add the butter to the pot, let the butter melt.

Steps for making bowties and broccoli showing the pasta in the water, adding broccoli to the water and a drain pot with butter melting.

Transfer the pasta and broccoli back to the pot and toss in the melted butter. Add the Parmesan to the pot and a splash of pasta water. Toss until everything is coated and almost turned into a sauce keep adding more pasta water if needed.

Take off the heat and splash the pasta in fresh lemon juice and toss. Serve immediately. 

Steps for making bowties and broccoli showing drained pasta and broccoli in a pot, parmesan cheese added the the pot, and everything mixed together.
Overhead view of a dutch oven pit filled with bowties and broccoli pasta dish with a wooden serving spoon.

tips, tricks and questions

Can I use gluten-free pasta or plant-based pasta?

Absolutely. Just double check to make sure the cooking time won’t change. Most classic bowtie pasta cooks in 13-14 minutes. If you are using something a little different you might need to adjust the time a little. For example if your pasta only take 9-10 minutes you will want to add the pasta and the broccoli on top right away.

Feel free to make this your own! Add extra cheese, seasonings, or even more veggies!

Overhead view of dutch oven and bowl filled with bowties and broccoli with grated parmesan cheese.

If you like this Bowties and Broccoli Pasta recipe you might also like:

what to serve with this

a white platter full of simple spinach salad with cheese and walnuts

Simple Spinach Salad

fresh colorful fruit in a glass of orange juice with a paper straw

Orange Juice Mocktail for Kids

Air fryer baby potatoes in a white ceramic serving dish covered in salt and garnished with chopped parsley.

Air Fryer Baby Potatoes

healthy best chocolate hummus in a white bowl sprinkled with chocolate shavings and slices of strawberries

Chocolate Hummus

Yield: Serves 6

Bowties and Broccoli

Close up of bowties and broccoli in a white bowl with a fork.

Quick, easy, and the kids love it Bowties and Broccoli is what is for dinner tonight! Ready to eat in 30 minutes and it only dirties 1 pot!

Prep Time 13 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces bowtie/farfalle pasta
  • 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh

Instructions

    1. Add water to a large pot (about 8 cups). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
    2. Once boiling add a pinch of salt and the pasta to the pot.
    3. Cook pasta 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broccoli florets into the pot over the pasta.
    4. Cook everything about ten minutes until pasta is ready and broccoli is tender. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
    5. Use a colander to drain the pasta and broccoli. Bring the pot back to the stove and bring to medium heat. Add the butter to the pot.
    6. Transfer the pasta and broccoli back to the pot and toss in the melted butter. Add the Parmesan to the pot and a splash of pasta water. Toss until everything is coated and almost turned into a sauce keep adding more pasta water if needed.
    7. Take off the heat and splash the pasta in fresh lemon juice and toss. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1/6 of the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 301Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 413mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 6gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Pasta

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Air Fryer Broccoli

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The best quick and easy side dish is this Air Fryer Broccoli! Ready in under 15 minutes and perfectly cooked and seasoned. You will be making this one on a regular basis!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A white bowl filled with air fryer broccoli garnished with parmesan cheese and lemon wedges.

Broccoli in the Air Fryer

This is a side dish I make so often that I am afraid my family is going to turn into broccoli. I mean you know the saying “You are what you eat”.

I make this dish so often for a number of reasons…

  • It is so EASY
  • talk about QUICK, it is ready in under 15 minutes
  • let’s not forget it is broccoli which means it is NUTRITIOUS

So it is a win!

The ease of using the air fryer for a side dish like this can’t be beat. Plus the flavors are incredible!

Overhead view of air fryer broccoli in a white bowl.

Equipment

Let’s talk air fryers! These days there are so many on the market and they now come in all different shapes and sizes.

I have the Ninja® Air Fryer Max XL and that is what I use for all recipe testing. 

My air fryer has a circular basket and high walls, make it really easy to toss the items. 

If your air fryer is shaped a little different or more like an oven with a tray you will still need to toss the broccoli but a spatula to flip everything might be more useful.

I will also know my air fryer is 5.5 quart so I have no problem holding 8 cups of broccoli if needed, so make sure you scale your recipe if you have a smaller air fryer. (With this recipe you can really scale it to as much or as little as you want, just note to watch the time it might take less or more time.)

White bowl with cooked broccoli garnished with parmesan cheese and a lemon wedge.

Ingredients

  • Broccoli – For the broccoli you will want to make sure you cut the florets into bite size that are all about the same size. By cutting into a lot of different sizes you won’t get your broccoli to cook at an even rate.
  • Olive Oil – We don’t use too much oil for this dish just enough to barely coat the broccoli, since it isn’t much you want to make sure you really toss it well to get it evenly over all of the broccoli.
  • Kosher Salt – If you don’t have kosher salt you can substitute sea salt. If you have neither of those use half of the amount of table salt.
  • Parmesan Cheese – I prefer fresh grating my parmesan and making sure it is finely grated. If the parmesan is finely grated it will be more likely to melt into the broccoli.
  • Lemon – Just a light squeeze of lemon juice will really enhance the dish! If you don’t have a fresh lemon just omit the lemon juice.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make air fryer broccoli laid out on a table top.

pro tip

Grab a bag of pre-cut broccoli florets at the store! Just check real quick to make sure the pieces are all about the same size before using!

Instructions

Preheat your air fryer to 375º F.

Cut broccoli into bite size florets, making sure they are roughly all the same size. Add the broccoli to a large bowl.

Add the oil and salt to the broccoli and toss well to coat. 

Collage showing broccoli being prepped for the sir fryer by adding oil and salt and tossing well.

Add the broccoli to the air fryer basket. Cook 7 to 9 minutes tossing about every 3 minutes, cook longer for a more crispy broccoli. 

Transfer cooked broccoli back to the bowl. Add the parmesan cheese and toss well. Sprinkle fresh lemon juice over the broccoli and toss one more time to disperse the lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Collage showing the side by side of before and after cooking broccoli in the air fryer.
Collage showing the cooked broccoli in a bowl, parmesan getting added, and parmesan tossed with the broccoli.

tips, tricks and questions

How long does broccoli take in the air fryer?

7 to 9 minutes. If you have a large batch or you want it more crispy you may cook longer, about 10 minutes.

Feel free to flavor the broccoli a little more with other spice but do so sparingly, just a pinch of garlic powder can make a big difference.

Close up of air fryer broccoli in a bowl garnished with parmesan cheese.

If you like Air Fryer Broccoli you might also like:

what to serve with this

White casserole dish with baked turkey meatballs in sauce covered with cheese and fresh parsley.

Baked Turkey Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken in a casserole dish covered in homemade sauce and garnished with fresh thyme.

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

A white plate piled high with spaghetti topped with an Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan topped with melted mozzarella and garnished with pieces of fresh basil.

Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

Plate full of a stack of Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders next to a small bowl of honey mustard.

Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders

Yield: serves 4

Air Fryer Broccoli

A white bowl on a blue stripped towel filled with air fryer broccoli and garnished with melon wedges.

Broccoli in the Air Fryer makes a perfectly cooked side dish! Garnished with parmesan cheese and a dash of lemon juice, you will be eating this broccoli directly out of the serving bowl before it even gets to your family's plates!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 small heads broccoli
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon

Instructions

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 375º F.
  2. Cut broccoli into bite size florets, making sure they are roughly all the same size. Add the broccoli to a bowl.
  3. Add oil and salt to the broccoli and toss well to coat.
  4. Add the broccoli to the air fryer basket. Cook 7 to 9 minutes tossing about every 3 minutes, cook longer for a more crispy broccoli.
  5. Transfer cooked broccoli back to the bowl. Add the parmesan cheese and toss well. Sprinkle fresh lemon juice over the broccoli and toss one more time to disperse the lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Notes

Free free to flavor the broccoli a little more with other spices but do so sparingly, just a pinch of garlic powder can make a big difference.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4 the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 56Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 212mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Air Fryer

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Simple Guacamole

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This no-fuss simple guacamole recipe is easy and delicious! Perfect with tortilla chips, tacos, nachos, and whatever else you can dream up!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A blue and white bowl filled with simple guacamole and garnished with cilantro and with a tortilla chip.

Homemade Simple Guacamole

Nothing is better a side of guac right?! I think it actually makes everything better!

The best part is as long as you have ripe avocados at home it couldn’t be easier to make!

Guacamole is a simple thing to make, with only a handful of ingredients. In this super simple version I just use minced red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to flavor the avocados.

And of course if you want to throw in other add-ins that isn’t a problem.

I find myself making this guac ALL THE TIME. I mean almost every time I make Black Bean Nachos, Easy Chicken Tacos, or my Slow Cooker Barbacoa.

Plus nothing screams happy hour more than this easy guacamole with my fresh restaurant style salsa, and a margarita!? Match made in heaven!

And the best part no special equipment just a bowl, knife, and fork!

Overhead view of a blue bowl filled with guacamole garnished with cilantro and with a tortilla chip in the bowl.

ingredients

  • Avocados – The obvious avocado in guacamole. The hardest part about making this recipe is waiting for your avocado to be at the perfect ripeness! I like to joke that you can blink and they go from hard to rotten.
  • Red Onion – I think the zip of red onion but you can use a white or yellow onion if that is what you have. You will want the little bit of onion diced pretty small so that it can disperse throughout the dish well enough.
  • Cilantro – A staple of guacamole so hopefully you aren’t one of those who can’t stand the taste. A little does go a long way here.
  • Lime – Fresh squeezed lime juice is the only way for guacamole so skip the bottled stuff! One medium sized lime usually produces about 2 tablespoons of juice.
  • Salt – Kosher Salt or Sea Salt for this guacamole! If you are looking to use table salt you will want to half the amount.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Overhead view of all the ingredients needed to make simple guacamole recipe laid out on a table top.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

pro tip

To speed the process of avocados ripening you can place the avocados in a paper bag along with an apple or banana. This will help speed up the process (although it won’t be instant). If you are looking to slow down the ripening process transfer your avocados to the refrigerator, this will help them not go bad as quickly.

A tortilla chip with a scoop of simple guacamole on the corner of it being help up by a hand.

instructions

Peel and add avocados to a bowl. Use a fork to smash them down to a smooth consistency leaving as many chunks as you prefer.

Squeeze the lime juice overtop the avocados. Add the red onion, cilantro, and salt to the bowl. Mix everything together well. Serve immediately. 

Collage showing avocados in a bowl and then avocados being smashed with a fork.
Collage with a smashed avocado with lime juice and the having the other ingredients added before getting mixed together.
A glass mixing bowl with freshly mixed guacamole and a fork.

tips, tricks and questions

Can this keep in the fridge overnight?

If you are storing any extras place in a container/bowl and use plastic cling wrap to cover it. Have the cling wrap cover the surface of the guacamole so the guacamole isn’t exposed to any extra air, this will help it stay green longer. Will keep about 1 to 2 nights in the fridge.

Feel free to use other add-ins. A little bit of diced tomato, jalapeño, or garlic would be delicious!

What is traditional guacamole made of?

Traditionally guacamole can contain avocados, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeños, lime juice, garlic and salt. So feel free to add anymore of these if you want them.

A blue bowl filled with simple guacamole surrounded by tortilla chips and garnished with cilantro.

If you like this Simple Guacamole Recipe you might also like:

what to serve with this

Close up of a shrimp guacamole bite on a platter showing of the juicy taco shrimp on top of guacamole.

Easy Shrimp Guacamole Bites

a sheet pan full of carnitas nachos topped with cilantro, red onion, guacamole, and more

Loaded Leftover Carnitas Nachos

a large white bowl full of leftover carnitas, quinoa, arugula, and fresh toppings like salsa and sour cream

Carnitas Bowls

Flatlay of a black cast iron skillet on a table top with colorful corn and peppers topped with cheese and avocado.

Easy One-Pot Southwest Quinoa

Yield: 4 servings

Simple Guacamole

Overhead view of a blue bowl filled with guacamole garnished with cilantro and with a tortilla chip in the bowl.

No-fuss easy and simple small batch homemade guacamole. Sometimes less is more! Enjoy this simple guacamole recipe with tortilla chips, tacos, nachos, and more!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 avocados
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced red onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
  • 1 lime, juice
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Peel and add avocados to a bowl. Use a fork to smash them down to a smooth consistency leaving as many chunks as you prefer.
  2. Squeeze the lime juice overtop the avocados. Add the red onion, cilantro, and salt to the bowl. Mix everything together well. Serve immediately.

Notes

An average size lime will produce about 2 tablespoons of juice. Use fresh lime juice over the bottled stuff, there is a huge taste difference!

Feel free to use other add-ins. A little bit of diced tomato or a little bit of seasoning would be delicious!

If you are storing any extras place in a container/bowl and use plastic cling wrap to cover it. Have the cling wrap cover the surface of the guacamole so the guacamole isn't exposed to any extra air, this will help it stay green linger. Will keep about 1 to 2 nights in the fridge.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4 of the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 165Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 86mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 7gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Appetizers

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Bourbon Peach Smash

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Such a perfect summertime cocktail, Bourbon Peach Smash. Using fresh juicy summer peaches which mix oh so well with smooth bourbon, this one is absolutely a crowd pleaser!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A glass full of Bourbon Peach Smash an orange colored cocktail garnished with a peach slice and basil leaves.

Peach Bourbon Smash

During the middle of summer it is usually common place to have a huge bowl of peaches on the counter at all times. My family gobbles the peaches up. But if you leave a fresh piece of fruit in front of me long enough I am going to want to make a cocktail with it.

Thus the Bourbon Peach Smash was born.

Overhead view of two glasses of Bourbon Peach Smash and a peach.

What is a ‘Smash’ Cocktail?

A smash cocktail is a beverage without a true definition. A smash is an opened ended drink that usually varies seasonally. In a smash you will find a smashed/muddled fruit, sugar, and spirit served over ice.

So pretty much a smash is what you make it!

Equipment

When mixing cocktails there are a couple tools that make it a lot easier, BUT even if you don’t have them there are other things in your kitchen that you can use instead:

  • Cocktail Shaker: This piece of equipment is made to do exactly as it is titled, you will mix the drink together in the shaker and then shake it over ice to chill it. If you don’t have one yet you can grab one like this Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker off of Amazon OR you can just use something as simple with a jar with a lid like a mason jar from your kitchen.
  • Muddler: A muddler is tool specifically made for you guessed it, muddling things. Usually its nothing more than a sturdy trowel with a end cap used for breaking down whatever you are muddling. Grab one off of Amazon (like this one) or like I have done many times just use a wooden spoon or end of a rolling pin!
  • Jigger: (AKA double sided shot glass) When making cocktails it is handy to have one of these because it makes it so easy to measure out the ounces, they are super inexpensive and are a handy tool to have around when making drinks, if you don’t have one a regular shot glass can be used! Or even more handy 2 tablespoon equal 1 ounce! (This one on Amazon has great ratings!)
  • Hawthorne Strainer – Hawthorne strainer is the technical term but you will just recognize it as the typical bar strainer that comes in kits. The hawthorne strainer has a handle with a large paddle like end that usually has a few holes, attached to the end part is wire coil that goes around most of the end. Placing this coil into the shaker and then straining will help keep the pulp in the strainer and not in the drink. If you have a fine mesh strainer it will also do just as good of a job to strain out the pulp. If you want to get real fancy and you don’t care for the pulp you can double strain the drink with a hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer.

If you don’t have any of these items yet keep a look out for a full bar set, a lot of stores will sell kits with all of these things included! (Like this popular one on Amazon)

ingredients

  • Peach – A fresh juicy peach! You will need about 1/2 of a peach for the two drinks. Plus you will want a bit more to make slices for garnishing the glass!
  • Basil Leaves – loved the addition of basil in this cocktail, it isn’t overpowering but it also keeps the drink from getting overly sweet tasting. If you don’t have basil or aren’t a big fan you can just leave it out or feel free to substitute with a different herb like fresh mint.
  • Brown Sugar Simple Syrup  – I opted to make a quick brown sugar simple syrup to help give it a bit of molasses-y sweetness that brown sugar has. I think it pairs well with the bourbon especially since so many bourbons have notes of vanilla or brown sugar in them.
  • Lemon – Just a little lemon to help round out the acidity and flavor of the beverage.
  • Bourbon – Bourbon is perfect for this drink because of the spirit’s slight sweetness, it really pairs well with the peaches. When in doubt use your favorite bourbon. I typically will use Maker’s Mark for a smash drink like this!
Ingredients to make a bourbon peach smash including equipment like a bar shaker and strainer.

pro tip

To make the Brown Sugar Simple Syrup. Add equal parts brown sugar and water to a sauce pan (1/4 cup of each is enough to make the recipe). Heat on medium high until just simmering, whisk to make sure all the the sugar got dissoved. Remove from heat and let cool before using.

instructions

Add peach slices to the shaker. Smash the peaches well with a muddle tool to release the juices. Add the basil leaves and muddle gently to release the flavors. 

Add the brown suger simple syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon to the shaker along with a handful of ice. Cover and shake well until the shaker and drink is well chilled.

Fill two glasses with ice. Strain evenly between the two glasses. (Optionally double strain if you want less peach pulp in your beverage.) Garnish with more peach slices and basil leaves.

A bar shaker with slices of peaches and then them being muddled down with basil to make a bourbon peach smash.
Showing the steps to making a Bourbon Peach Smash including adding all the ingredients to the shaker and then shaking with ice.

tips, tricks and questions

How do you muddle without a muddler?

Great question! When I don’t have a muddler around I typically will use a wooden spoon to smash everything, the end of a rolling pin works well too.

Can I Use Peach Flavored Bourbon?

Yep! No reason you can’t! There are a few good options for Peach Bourbon these days.

Can I make this fizzy?

Yes! I little addition of ginger-ale or club soda will bring this drink to another level.

Close up of a whiskey glass with an orange colored Bourbon Peach Smash with a peach slice and basil as a garnish.

If you like this Peach Bourbon Cocktail you might also like:

what to serve with this

Overhead view of a large white platter filled with mixed greens, grilled peaches, tomatoes, mozzarella, and prosciutto making a Grilled Peach and Mozzarella Salad.

Grilled Peach Caprese Salad

Large what bowl filled with Mexican Street Corn Dip and tortilla chips surrounded by more chips, cilantro, and limes.

Mexican Street Corn Dip

A grilled chicken street taco laid out on a table top filled with chicken and topped with salsa, onions, and cilantro.

Easy Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

three different kinds of berries with grilled chicken on top of fresh salad greens with almonds and feta cheese on a large platter

Summer Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken

Yield: 2 drinks

Bourbon Peach Smash

Glass with a Bourbon Peach Smash with a peach slice and fresh basil leaves to garnish the glass.

Perfect for summer! This Peach Bourbon Smash is a crowd pleaser made with only a few simple ingredients including fresh peaches!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 peach, sliced (plus more for garnish)
  • 4 basil leaves
  • 1 ounce brown sugar simple syrup
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 4 ounces bourbon

Instructions

  1. Add peach slices to a bar shaker. Smash the peaches well with a muddle tool to realease the juices. Add the basil leaves and muddle gently to release the flavors.
  2. Add the brown suger simple syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon to the shaker along with a handful of ice. Cover and shake well until the shaker and drink is well chilled.
  3. Fill two glasses with ice. Strain evenly between the two glasses. (Optionally double strain if you want less peach pulp in your beverage.) Garnish with more peach slices and basil leaves.

To make Brown Sugar Simple Syrup:

Add equal parts brown sugar and water to a sauce pan (1/4 cup of each is enough to make the recipe). Heat on medium high until just simmering, whisk to make sure all the the sugar got dissoved. Remove from heat and let cool before using.

Notes

Feel free to make this your own by using whatever herb you like best, good ones to try are mint, rosemary, of thyme!

To give the drink a little more trying topping with club soda or ginger-ale.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1 drink
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 494Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 94gFiber: 1gSugar: 93gProtein: 1g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Air Fryer Croutons

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Turn any bread (especially stale bread) into AMAZING croutons! Once you make Air Fryer Croutons you will never want to go back to any other method. Quick and perfectly crispy they are the perfect addition to any salad!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A white bowl filled with crunchy golden brown Air Fryer Croutons.

Croutons in the Air Fryer

This had honestly been one of my favorite recipes lately, kinda hilarious right!?

These beauties come out of the air fryer and my family hovers, just trying to get a handful of them to munch on before we even have a chance to use them!

I mean though if you think about it you really can’t go wrong with bread and olive oil right?!

These Air Fryer Croutons are so easy you probably won’t ever buy store bought ones again after you learn how to make them!

You really only need bread, oil, salt, and an air fryer. But if you wanted to go with a flavored crouton that is totally possible!

Close up of Air Fryer Croutons in a white bowl.

Equipment

Let’s talk air fryers! These days there are so many on the market and they now come in all different shapes and sizes.

I have the Ninja® Air Fryer Max XL and that is what I use for all recipe testing. 

My air fryer has a circular basket and high walls, make it really easy to toss the items.

If your air fryer is shaped a little different or more like an oven with a tray you will still need to toss them but a spatula to flip everything might be more useful.

I will also know my air fryer is 5.5 quart so I have no problem holding 4-5 cups of bread crumbs, so make sure you scale your recipe if you have a smaller air fryer. (With this recipe you can really scale it to as much or as little as you want, just note to watch the time it might take less or more time.)

Close up of a bed of greens with Air Fryer Croutons on top.

Ingredients

  • Bread – Whatever kind you like! You will want to cut it into about 1 inch pieces
  • Olive Oil – If need be you can sub this for other oils, you could also use butter
  • Salt – And of course salt, I recommend a kosher or sea salt for this recipe

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Croutons on a tabletop.

pro tip

Make these croutons your own by adding flavors! Add 1 teaspoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt to the olive oil, stir together well before adding to the bread. You can also use seasoning mix (Hello Ranch Seasoning would be soooo good!) or even just a dash of garlic powder to season the croutons.

Instructions

Preheat your air fryer to 360º F.

In a mixing bowl mix together the cubed bread with the olive oil until it is well coated. Sprinkle with salt to taste. 

Collage showing the bread cubes being tossed in olive oil.

Transfer the bread to the air fryer. Cook 8 to 9 minutes tossing every 3-4 minutes until crunchy and golden brown. Serve immediately or let cool completely before storing.

Collage with before and after of the bread cubes going into the air fryer and coking out crispy croutons.
A white bowl crunchy Air Fryer Croutons.

tips, tricks and questions

Stale bread works perfect for croutons! Just make sure it hasn’t gotten moldy!

You can use any kind of bread for these! White, Sourdough, Wheat all work!

How do you store air fryer croutons?

To store the croutons keep in an air tight container or zip-top bag at room temperature, do not refrigerate it will cause them to get soggy. Make sure they are also cooled down all the way as well, trying to store still warm croutons will cause them to get soggy in an air tight container.

How long do homemade croutons last?

These Air Fryer Croutons should keep if stored properly on the countertop about 5 days.

Don’t let only salads have all the fun, try topping your favorite soups with these air fryer croutons!

Air fryer croutons in a salad of lettuce.

If you like these Air Fryer Croutons you might also like:

what to serve with this

Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing drizzling off of a spoon into a bowl of dressing.

Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

a white platter full of simple spinach salad with cheese and walnuts

Simple Spinach Salad

Apple Cider Vinaigrette being poured onto an Apple Cranberry Salad with turkey, walnuts, and cheddar cheese

Apple Cranberry Salad

Close up on a bowl filled with butternut squash soup on a table top next to spoons and a blue kitchen towel.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Air Fryer Croutons

Overhead view of Air Fryer Croutons in a white bowl.

Turn any bread (especally stale bread) into AMAZING croutons! Once you make Air Fryer Croutons you will never want to go back to any other method. Quick and perfectly cripsy they are the perfect addition to any salad!

Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cubed bread, about 1 inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

    1. Preheat your air fryer to 360º F.
    2. In a mixing bowl mix together the cubed bread with the olive oil until it is well coated. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
    3. Transfer the bread to the air fryer. Cook 8 to 9 minutes tossing every 3-4 minutes until crunchy and golden brown. Serve immediately or let cool completely before storing.

Notes

To store the croutons keep in an air tight container at room temperature, do not refrigerate it will cause them to get soggy.

This recipe should work with all types of bread, I think it works best with older/stale bread!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4 of the croutons
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 166Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 229mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Air Fryer

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Easy Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

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Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing is a delicious no-mayo & no-egg version of the beloved classic. Classic flavors like anchovies, parmesan cheese, and worcestershire are mixed together in a creamy greek yogurt base!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing drizzling off of a spoon into a bowl of dressing.

Caesar Salad Dressing with Greek Yogurt

Who doesn’t love a good Caesar Salad?? I know my whole family is a huge fan, especially with a little grilled chicken and some crunchy croutons!

What I am not a fan of is that Caesar salad dressing isn’t exactly getting any awards in the nutrition department. Traditionally Caesar salad dressing is made with egg yolks and oil then emulsified to make the creaminess that everyone knows and loves. An alternative method is using mayo to get that creaminess.

So I set forth to make a delicious greek yogurt based version instead!

Using greek yogurt gives it that creamy base while using typical caesar flavors rounds the dressing out.

I also tried to make this as easy as possible so I avoided the food processor (I hate cleaning that thing as much as I love it). By using anchovy paste and finely grated parmesan I figured it didn’t even need to be processed together and a simple whisk does the trick!

Pouring Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing overtop of bed of lettuce and croutons.

Ingredients

  • Greek Yogurt – At the base is greek yogurt, more tangy and thick than regular yogurt but also more protein packed. If you aren’t a fan of the tanginess of greek yogurt you can certainly substitute out for a plain yogurt! You can also use whatever fat percentage you wish. I personally like using the full-fat variety because it has the most flavor. The downside to using greek yogurt (especially because each brand has a little bit of a different consistency) is that the dressing might come out thick. You can thin it out by just whisking in a little extra milk or even water to thin it out.
  • Parmesan Cheese – Finely grated is key here! You may use the finely grated store bought variety or what I like to do is use my microplane to grate of my own block, the key is to use whatever is going to give you the best finely grated shredded parm. If these options aren’t available to you, let’s say you already bought a thicker shredded parmesan cheese you can always get out the food processor and process the dressing together to break up that parmesan cheese!
  • Anchovy Paste – The KEY to caesar, if you are thinking about skipping it DON’T! Anchovy is what gives caesar the classic flavor. I love using the paste tube because you can always keep it in the fridge for the next time you want to make it. It is also so convent that it is paste and that you can just stir it in. If you are in a pinch and only have full anchovies available to you, just throw all of the ingredients in the food processor and process together until done.
  • Dijon Mustard – Another classic Caesar flavor additive
  • Worcestershire Sauce – The hardest work to say and spell, or is that just me? Worcestershire sauce is an incredibly complex sauce that includes ingredients such as vinegar, molasses, anchovies, garlic, tamarind extract, chili pepper, sugar, salt, and other undisclosed natural ingredients, which is basically there way of keeping it a secret. So you can image it is hard to substitute. If you need a substitutions there are a few available to help give that umami flavor. The best would be soy sauce, just a splash is needed like probably only half the amount and taste it from there!
  • Olive Oil – I felt like the dressing did taste better with just a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil here, you want an olive oil with a nice flavor.
  • Kosher Salt – Just a little salt here because the Parmesan and Worcestershire does already bring quite a bit of saltiness. If you don’t have kosher salt, I recommend making the sauce without the salt first, tasting, and then seeing if you need just the smallest pinch of table salt.
  • Fresh Ground Black Pepper – It is a personal option that more is better here, and make it freshly ground if possible!

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing laid out on a tabletop.

Instructions

Yes this one really is that simple.

Add all the ingredients to a bowl. Whisk together well until smooth.

Collage showing greek yogurt, parmesan cheese, and Worcestershire sauce to make Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing.
Collage showing the steps of Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing being made by adding ingredients to a bowl.

Keep refrigerated in an air tight container. I like to use a mason jar. This will keep 3 to 5 days if sealed properly in the fridge.

Now because all greek yogurts will differ slightly in thickness you may find that you will want to thin our your dressing! In order to do this you can use milk which is recommend or water (which will slightly water down the flavors as well).

Freshly whisked Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing on a white bowl.

tips, tricks and questions

In order for the parmesan cheese to incorporate it should be finely grated (I like to use my microplane).

What can I use instead of anchovies in Caesar dressing?

If you really don’t want to use anchovies or you don’t have them I recommend increasing the amount of dijon mustard and worcestershire sauce until you find a flavor you like.

Don’t forget you can also use this in a wrap as well of a dip for veggies too!

Bowl with Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing and a spoon.

pro tip

Use this Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing as a marinade! One of my favorite ways to use this dressing (you know besides being actual dressing) is as a marinade. I will marinade chicken breasts in some of it during the day, and then grill it for on top of the Caesar salad I make with the dressing! And let’s just say it makes the chicken amazingly delicious and juicy!

If you like this Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing Recipe you might also like:

A salad with croutons topped with Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing.

what to serve with this

A white bowl filled with crunchy golden brown Air Fryer Croutons.

Air Fryer Croutons

Grilled golden brown spatchcocked chicken sitting on butcher paper and a cutting board next to grilled lemons and parsley.

Grilled Spatchcock Chicken

drinking glass jar filled with a bright pink Strawberry Mojito Mocktail made with lime seltzer and garnished with lime slices and fresh mint leaves

Strawberry Mojito Mocktail

spoonful of lemon whipped greek yogurt in a jar

Lemon Whipped Greek Yogurt

Yield: ~1.5 cups

Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

Close up of Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing in a white bowl topped with freshly ground black pepper.

Ready for a delicous and healthy caesar dressing? This one is it! With a greek yogurt base this dressing ditches the egg and oils for a creamy protien rich base flavored with all of the caesar classics like parmesan, anchovy, and worcestershire sauce.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl. Whisk together well until smooth. Keep refrigerated in an air tight container.

Notes

In order for the parmesan cheese to incorporate it should be finely grated (I like to use my microplane).

Each greek yogurt brand tends to have a different thickness, if you find your dressing too thick you can whisk in some milk until you get the consistency you like (you could use water as well).

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

3 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 53Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Sauces and Spices

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Summertime Grilled Peach Caprese Salad

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The perfect summer salad and way to utilize those fresh and juicy summer peaches, Grilled Peach Caprese Salad! With grilled peaches, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, and balsamic vinaigrette this is an easy and delicious salad perfect to go with a glass of wine on a warm summer’s evening.

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

Overhead view of a large white platter filled with mixed greens, grilled peaches, tomatoes, mozzarella, and prosciutto making a Grilled Peach and Mozzarella Salad.

Grilled Peach and Mozzarella Salad

A little spin on a traditional caprese salad, this salad is served up as a salad with mixed greens and grilled peaches for a delicious summertime meal!

The grilled peaches add a delicious smoky sweetness that you didn’t even know was missing for a caprese salad.

My favorite part about this salad is that is is EASY! Like the peaches only take about 6 minutes to grill and the rest of the salad maybe only 10 minutes to put together!

Close up of a grilled peach on a platter of caprese salad.

ingredients

  • Fresh Peaches – The star of this salad! A trick for the peaches for this recipes is that you want them still fairly hard and not too soft and ripe. I found if the peach was too soft I had a hard time cutting it and it would get too soft on the grill and would get mushy.
  • Spray Oil – You will need just a little for the peaches so they don’t stick to the grill, alternatively you could also brush oil on with a brush. I like using an olive oil pump spray but any nuptial cooking oil will also work great here!
  • Mozzarella Balls – I like to get the fresh mozzarella that are cherry tomato size, you could also go a size smaller and grab the ones that are ‘pearl’ size as well. In a pinch if you don’t have either as an option you can always rip apart a large ball of fresh mozzarella.
  • Cherry Tomatoes – Tomatoes are a classic part of caprese but for this salad we are going cherry tomato size which makes it both easier to prepare and easier to eat!
  • Fresh Basil Leaves – Another part of the classic caprese, in this salad we will chop it up and add it on top. Use as much or as little basil as you like, I love basil so I tend to add quite a bit.
  • Prosciutto – Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham, that adds just enough saltiness to this salad. Feel free to chop it into smaller pieces if that makes it easier to eat!
  • Spring Greens – For the lettuce part of the salad you can definitely choose how much or how little you want to use. I opt for a mix of spring greens although you could just as easier go for any kind of green that looks appealing to you.
  • Balsamic Vinegar – While a traditional caprese will use a balsamic reduction this salad uses balsamic in a quick vinaigrette.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil – You will want a nice tasting olive oil here since the oil won’t be cooked and used in the dressing.
  • Dijon Mustard – Just a touch of dijon for flavor but also it helps to emulsify the vinaigrette so that it stays together as a dressing!
  • Dash of Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper – For flavoring the vinaigrette.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients for making grilled peach caprese salad with mozzarella laid out on a tabletop.

instructions

Start by making the vinaigrette. Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, dash of salt and fresh ground black pepper together in a jar or small bowl. Shake or whisk until mixed. Set aside.

Collage showing the balsamic vinaigrette before and after being stirred together.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. While the grill is preheating cut and pit the peaches so that each peach is in 4 wedges with the pit removed. Use a spray oil (I like olive oil) to lightly oil all the peaches.

Grill the peaches on one of the flesh sides for 3 minutes. Flip to the other flesh side of the peach and grill another 3 minutes on that side. Transfer the peaches to a plate to rest and cool down slightly while you prep the rest of the salad. 

A teal plate filled with freshly grilled peach quarters.

Build the salad while peaches rest. Add the salad greens to a large bowl and toss in a little bit of the vinaigrette until it is lightly coated. Transfer the mixed greens to either a large platter or indiviual plates. 

Add the mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, prosciutto, and peaches on top of the greens. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette to your liking. Serve immediately.

Collage showing the first steps of building a grilled peach caprese salad con a platter with greens, prosciutto, and cherry tomatoes.
Collage showing building a grilled peach caprese salad with mozzarella, grilled peaches, and basil.

tips, tricks and questions

Watch the peaches when grilling, you don’t want to overcook, if you do the outsides will burn and the insides will be mushy.

A slightly underripe peach works best for grilling!

Angled view of a large white platter filled with grilled peach and mozzarella salad.

If you like this Grilled Peach Caprese Salad Recipe you might also like:

what to serve with this

an old fashioned glass filled with a purple blackberry bourbon smash garnished with a large ice cube, blackberries, and basil

Blackberry Bourbon Smash

Grilled golden brown spatchcocked chicken sitting on butcher paper and a cutting board next to grilled lemons and parsley.

Grilled Spatchcock Chicken

A platter of grilled artichokes with a half of an artichoke on top showing off charred grill marks.

Grilled Artichokes

overhead shot of a cast iron on a table filled with apple crisp topped with ice cream and part of it scooped up with a spoon

Grilled Apple Crisp

Yield: Serves 4

Grilled Peach Caprese Salad

Overhead view of a large white platter with Grilled Peach Caprese Salad garnished with fresh basil leaves.

The perfect summer salad and way to utilize those fresh and juicy summer peaches, Grilled Peach Caprese Salad! With grilled peaches, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, and balsamic vinaigrette this is an easy and delicious slald perfect to go with a glass of wine on a warm summer's evening.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 4 peaches, pitted and quartered
  • Spray oil
  • 8 ounces small mozzarella balls, liquid drained
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1-2 bunches fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped (about 15 leaves)
  • 4 ounces prosciutto
  • 4-6 cups spring greens mix

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • Dash of salt and fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

    1. Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, dash of salt and fresh ground black pepper together in a jar or small bowl. Shake or whisk until mixed. Set aside.
    2. Preheat the grill medium-high. While the grill is preheating cut and pit the peaches so that each peach is in 4 wedges with the pit removed. Use a spray oil (I like olive oil) to lightly oil all the peaches.
    3. Grill the peaches on one of the flesh sides for 3 minutes. Flip to the other flesh side of the peach and grill another 3 minutes on that side. Transfer the peaches to a plate to rest and cool down slightly while you prep the rest of othe salad.
    4. Build the salad while peaches rest. Add the salad greens to a large bowl and toss in the vinaigrette until it is lightly coated. Transfer the mixed greens to either a large platter or indiviual plates.
    5. Add the mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, prosciutto, and peaches on top of the greens. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette to your liking. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 481Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 1265mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 7gSugar: 18gProtein: 27g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Salads

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

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Perfect as a summer side or main dish this Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad is full of delicious add-ins like cucumbers, artichokes, and roasted red peppers! Great to make ahead for a party or potluck!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A white bowl filled with Mediterranean Orzo Salad with a wooden spoon for serving and garnished with fresh parsley.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

This is one of those great pasta salads that is pretty much perfect for any occasion. Potlucks, parties, picnics, beach days, and heck just a great lunch or dinner at home.

This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is filled with goodies like artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, cucumber, olives, and feta!

One of my favorite parts about this one is that a lot of the add-ins come pretty much ready to go in jars. So while there is some chopping of ingredients it is definitely on the conservative side, so the prep doesn’t take forever.

Close up photo of Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad.

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil – Use a good tasting olive oil here since it won’t be cooked, you will want one that taste good raw.
  • Red Wine Vinegar – For the acid in this salad I like the red wine vinegar, you would sub out part of it for lemon juice if you wanted.
  • Dried Oregano – To flavor the dressing, just a little goes a long way here.
  • Kosher Salt – If you are looking to sub the kosher salt for a different kind of salt use sea salt or if you want to use table salt use half of the amount.
  • Ground Black Pepper – Just a touch of freshly ground black pepper here for flavor, use as much or as little as you please.
  • Orzo Pasta – If you live in Australia they call this pasta risoni, but it can be found fairly common in groceries everywhere. My kids often will mistaken it for rice when I am cooking it because that what it is shaped like. I like it in this pasta salad because it has good scoop-ability, but if you would like to sub for a different pasta shape that will work!
  • Jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts – I opt for the marinated artichokes for more flavor but and jarred artichoke hearts will work. I like to give them a quick chop to make them easier to eat.
  • Jar Roasted Red Peppers – Roasted red peppers in jars might come in a few different heat varieties at your store, you will want the mild version. You will find them either chopped or in bigger sections and then you will want to give them a quick chop yourself.
  • English Cucumber – I like to use English cucumbers over the traditional kind in pasta salads because they are less seedy as well as a little less watery so they won’t affect the pasta salad consistency too much.
  • Red Onion – Red onion does well to even out the pasta salad with a bit of a bite, if you are not an onion loving person feel free to reduce the onion as needed.
  • Kalamata Olives – Kalamata olives usually come either sliced or pitted at the grocery, you may use either but you may want to half the pitted olives to make them easier to eat.
  • Fresh Parsley – Fresh parsley definitely adds the finishing touches, I like to use flat parsley here but either will work!
  • Feta Cheese – And last feta cheese for the salty finish!

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad all laid out on a table top.

pro tip

For a lot of the add-ins for this pasta salad it is okay to not use exact amounts. I noticed that almost every brand of jarred roasted red peppers sold a slightly different size, for example 10-ounces vs. 12-ounces vs. 16 ounces. It will be okay to sub out here, just use your judgement when adding things together.

Bowl of Mediterranean Orzo Salad with a wooden spoon.

Instructions

Cook orzo according to the package instructions and drain. Rinse with cold water to cool the pasta.

In a small bowl or jar mix together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt, & pepper to make the dressing.

Showing a jar with the ingredients for the dressing for Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad.

In a large bowl or container add together the cooked orzo, artichokes, roasted red peppers, cucumber, onion, olives, and dressing. Mix together. 

Add in the parsley and feta and stir in. Serve immediately or rest in the fridge to cool. Keeps in the fridge 3 to 4 days.

Collage showing the steps of adding cooked orzo, cucumbers, and onions to a large bowl.
Collage showing the steps of adding olives, roasted bell pepper the pasta salad and then tossing together.
Photos showing the steps of adding crumbled feta and fresh parsley into the pasta salad and then mixing it in.

tips, tricks and questions

What is a good substitute for orzo?

If you can’t find orzo no sweat! You can really sub out any pasta shape here, but if you are looking for something similar you could use Ditalini Pasta which is small in size much like orzo or even use broken up spaghetti!

Make this pasta salad your own, you could also add:

Spinach, green olives, cooked chicken, tuna, chickpeas, and more could all be added!

How long does this last in the fridge?

This pasta salad can last 3 to 5 days in the fridge. I found it kept pretty well and the leftovers could be used for lunches for a few days.

Angled white bowl filled with pasta salad with orzo, veggies, feta, and parsley.

If you like this Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe you might also like:

what to serve with this

A white plate full of grilled greek marinated chicken drumsticks showing off crispy brown skins.

Greek Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

an old fashioned glass filled with a purple blackberry bourbon smash garnished with a large ice cube, blackberries, and basil

Bourbon Blackberry Smash

hands holding an Italian Pressed Picnic Sandwich ready to eat

Italian Pressed Picnic Sandwiches

A stack of 3 whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars on a white plate showing off melty chocolate.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Yield: 8 servings

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Overhead vouw of a large white bowl filled with Mediterranean Orzo Salad with a wooden spoon and fresh parsley garnish.

This Mediterranean inspired pasta salad is made with delicious orzo pasta, cucumber, onions, roasted peppers, olives, and more! Perfect for a picnic or potluck!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 29 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 16 ounces (1 pound) dried orzo pasta
  • 1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1 (10-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 large english cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup sliced & pitted kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

    1. Cook orzo according to the package instructions and drain. Rinse with cold water to cool the pasta.
    2. In a small bowl or jar mix together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt, & pepper to make the dressing.
    3. In a large bowl or container add together the cooked orzo, artichokes, roasted red peppers, cucumber, onion, olives, and dressing. Mix together.
    4. Add in the parsley and feta and stir in. Serve immediately or rest in the fridge to cool. Keeps in the fridge 3 to 4 days.

Notes

For a lot of the add-ins for this pasta salad it is okay to not use exact amounts. I noticed that almost every brand of jarred roasted red peppers sold a slightly different size, for example 10-ounces vs. 12-ounces vs. 16 ounces. It will be okay to sub out here, just use your judgement when adding things together!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1/8 of the dish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 759Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 236mgCarbohydrates: 131gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 24g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: Mediterranean / Category: Side Dishes

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

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Cool down this summer with a Fresh Cherry Margarita! This tart yet refreshing drink is a perfect summer cherry cocktail!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A glass filled with ice and bright red cherry margarita topped with a fresh cherry and lime wedge.

Cherry Margarita

Nothing is better than taking seasonal fresh fruit and adding it to a margarita! So during the middle of summer during cherry season making a fresh cherry margarita is a must!

This margarita definitely keeps it tart yet refreshing!

Plus it is simple to make with only a handful of ingredients.

A glass filled with ice and a fresh cherry margarita garnished with a fresh cherry and a lime wedge.

Equipment

For this cocktail having a cocktail shaker and bar set will work best, most specifically having a Hawthorne Strainer. While hawthorne strainer is the technical term most often it is the typical bar strainer that you will see. The hawthorne strainer has a handle with a large paddle like end that usually has a few holes, attached to the end part is wire coil that goes around most of the end. Placing this coil into the shaker and then straining will help keep all of the cherry pulp in and all of the margarita out. If you have a fine mesh strainer it will also do just as good of a job to strain out the margarita.

You will also need a muddler for this cocktail, if you don’t have one of those a wooden spoon works just great in it’s place!

Ingredients

  • Fresh Cherries – A fresh cherry margarita has to start with fresh cherries right!? Any variety will work here whether you want to use the bright red or black cherries.
  • Cherry Liqueur – There are 2 cherry liqueur’s that are most prominent at stores those are Heering Cherry Liqueur or Luxardo Cherry Liqueur. Either will work!
  • Lime Juice – Use fresh limes! For one margarita you will typically need the juice of 1 medium sized lime.
  • Blanco Tequila – You will want to use a Blanco or Plata (White or Silver) tequila. Tequila is broken out into four categories; Blanco/Plata, Joven Abocado (Gold), Repasado, and Añejo (aged). If you would like to use a tequila from a different category that is perfectly okay. I recommend using your favorite tequila, that will make the drink all that much better. If you don’t have a favorite my favorite ‘everyday’ tequila is Tres Agaves and my favorite ‘special’ tequila is Casamigos. 

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make a fresh cherry margarita.

pro tip

Call me lazy but I found that pitting the cherries didn’t seem to matter since they will be strained out anyways and that the cherries can easily be muddled around the pits. If you wanted to drink the margarita with the cherry pulp in it and not strain it out then you would want to pit the cherries.

Instructions

Add the cherries to a shaker. Gently muddle the cherries to realease their juices. 

Add the lime juice, cherry liqueur, tequila, & a handful of ice. Shake for 10 to 20 seconds until cold.

Strain into an ice filled glass. Top with a cherry and lime wedge.

Collage showing the steps of muddling the cherries and adding the liquids.
Making a fresh cherry margarita in a clear glass shaker.

tips, tricks and questions

Can I make this sweeter and not so tart?

Yes! Feel free to add about 1/2 to 3/4 ounce of simple syrup or agave syrup to the cocktail to give it more sweetness.

Close up of a glass full of fresh cherry margaritas garnished with a fresh cherry and a lime wedge.

If you like this Fresh Cherry Margarita Recipe you might also like:

what to serve with this

Large what bowl filled with Mexican Street Corn Dip and tortilla chips surrounded by more chips, cilantro, and limes.

Mexican Street Corn Dip

fresh restaurant style salsa being scooped out of a white bowl with a tortilla chip

Fresh Restaurant Style Salsa

A grilled chicken street taco laid out on a table top filled with chicken and topped with salsa, onions, and cilantro.

Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

A white serving bowl filled with black bean quinoa salad with orange cilantro dressing and garnished with orange slices and cilantro.

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Orange Cilantro Dressing

Yield: 1 drink

Fresh Cherry Margarita

Glass filled with ice and a bright red cherry margarita topped with a fresh cherry and lime wedge.

Take advantage of all of those fresh summer cherries and make a delicious fresh cherry margarita! With fresh cherries and cherry liqueur this is one delicious cherry packed cocktail!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4-5 Fresh Cherries
  • 3/4 ounce Cherry Liqueur
  • 1 ounce Lime Juice
  • 2 ounces Blanco Tequila
  • ice

Instructions

    1. Add the cherries to a shaker. Gently muddle the cherries to release their juices.
    2. Add the lime juice, cherry liqueur, tequila, & a handful of ice to the shaker. Shake for 10 to 20 seconds until cold.
    3. Strain into an ice filled glass. Top with a cherry and lime wedge.

Notes

Call me lazy but I found that pitting the cherries didn't seem to matter since they will be strained out anyways and that the cherries can easily be muddled around the pits. If you wanted to drink the margarita with the cherry pulp in it and not strain it out then you woud want to pit the cherries.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1 drink
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Red, White, and Blue Margaritas

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Nothing says 4th of July like Red, White, and Blue Margaritas! Technically a Devil’s Margarita this delicious red white and blue cocktail is made to impress all your guests!!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

Close up of a red, white, and blue margarita.

Red, White, & Blue Cocktail for 4th of July

These fabulous margaritas came to me on a dark and cold winter’s evening… obviously I was really dreaming of summertime.

I actually thought of the idea after making a whiskey sour with a red wine float on top. It looked so pretty and made me think about making a devil’s margarita in the near future. A Devil’s Margarita is a classic margarita with a red wine floater on top. (Both of these drinks btw are so delicious)

From there my mind wandered… and it ended up on the possibility of making a floating red, white, and blue margarita but with a wine floater on top.

The next weekend I was already on top of it, sure it was the middle of winter but I was going to be making 4th of July Margaritas and loving them!

So these red, white, and blue margaritas were born.

With a little help from science. I calculated what the different layers would be so that they would layer properly. You will see with the blue layer a little bit of agave syrup is added and with the white layer there is none. This is because sugar is a heavy ingredient and so to keep the layers from mixing too much they had to have a slightly different weight.

And then to top them both off a red wine worked perfect because the tequila is heavier than wine.

So let’s see what we need to make this incredible drink.

A highball glass on a cutting board filled with red, white, and blue layers of a margarita.

Ingredients

  • Ice – Enough for 2 glasses + for the shaker to shake the two different colors of margaritas.
  • Blue Curaçao – This is an orange flavored blue colored liqueur that will make the blue layer the color that it is. There aren’t really any substitutes for Blue Curaçao but you should be able to find it sold by a few different brands.
  • Fresh Limes – Fresh limes are a must, if you are going to go through all the trouble of making a fancy cocktail please please don’t use the bottled stuff, the flavor difference is huge. You will need at least 2 limes, 3 if the limes are small.
  • Blanco Tequila – You will want blanco (also known as silver tequila) for this drink. Your favorite kind will work here.
  • Agave Syrup – When using agave syrup it is the one variety of simple syrup that I tend to buy pre-made over making myself. If you can’t find agave syrup near you no worries you can just use plain simple syrup instead.
  • Cointreau – This is for the white layer. Cointreau is the classic liqueur found in a margarita but you may use other orange flavored liqueurs in its place, triple sec is a popular substitution.
  • Red Wine – Chose your favorite red wine, no need to go find a special kind use what you already drink. I happen to love cabernet so that is what I always end up using.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make red, white, and blue margaritas on a table top.

pro tip

To beat the heat: If it is hot out you will want to make these fast so they don’t start to melt on you. Have both layers of the margarita prepped before shaking and pouring. Maybe you are lucky enough to have 2 shakers you can make them in. If not add the ingredients for the blue into the shaker and have all of the ingredients for the white layer mixed together in a measuring cup or glass so it is easy to pour into the shaker with ice and pour! This way you will be able to pour one layer right after the other.

A highball glass filled with ice and layers of red, white, and blue margarita.

Instructions

Fill 2 highball or pint glasses full of ice. Add a handful of ice to a shaker. To make the first blue layer add 1 ounce blue curaçao, 1 ounce lime juice, 2 ounces tequila, and 1/2 ounce agave syrup. Add the top to the shaker and shake 10 to 20 seconds until the drink is cold. Carefully divide the blue margarita evenly between the two glasses so that it fill up the cup about 1/3 of the way. Rinse out the shaker to remove any access blue margarita.

To make the white layer add a handful of ice to the shaker. Add 1 ounce cointreau, 1 ounce lime juice, and 2 ounces tequila to a shaker. Add the top to the shaker and shake 10 to 20 seconds until the drink is cold. Using the back of a spoon slowly pour half of the white layer over top the back of the spoon over the blue margarita in one glass. Do the same for the second glass. Going slow and evenly over the back of the spoon will help the white layer float on top of the blue layer better. 

For the red layer you will use about 2 ounces for each glass (depending on the glass size). Just like with the white layer use the back of the spoon to slowly pour the wine overtop the white layer in each glass to float it on the top. Once the red layer is in place serve immediately, cheers!

Collage showing the different blue, white, and red layers in the margarita.

tips, tricks and questions

What red wine works best for a Devil’s margarita?

Any red wine will work for this drink, so chose your favorite. I use a cabernet since that is what I usually drink.

The layers in this drink are specifically made by weight/sugar, the heaviest on the bottom with a bit of added sugar and the lightest on top, if you try to deviate or change the order of the recipe you might not get the same results.

Floating a cocktail does take a little bit of practice, so don’t be too let down if it isn’t perfect the first time.

You may substitute plain simple syrup for the agave syrup.

As much as I love a salted rim on a margarita you do NOT want to do that for this version. The salt will make the red wine bitter and not taste good!

Close up of a red, white, and blue margarita on a cutting board.

If you like this Red, White, & Blue Margarita you might also like:

what to serve with this

close up of layered red, white, and blue ice cubes in a large white bowl

Patriotic Red, White, & Blue Ice Cubes

over shoulder shot of a man carrying a large board filled with grilled chicken, buns, and toppings

Grilled Chicken Sandwich Board

overhead shot of a cast iron on a table filled with apple crisp topped with ice cream and part of it scooped up with a spoon

Grilled Apple Crisp

An ice cream scoop full of homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Yield: 2 drinks

Red, White, and Blue Margaritas

A highball glass filled with ice and layers of a red, white, and blue margarita.

Impress everyone with these layered red, white, and blue devil's margaritas! The perfect way to celebrate for 4th of July!

Ingredients

  • Ice for 2 glasses + for the shaker

Blue layer

  • 1 ounce blue curaçao
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 2 ounces blanco tequila
  • 1/2 ounce agave syrup

White layer

  • 1 ounce Cointreau
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 2 ounce blanco tequila

Red layer

  • 4 ounce red wine, divided

Instructions

  1. Fill 2 highball or pint glasses full of ice. Add a handful of ice to a shaker. To make the first blue layer add 1 ounce blue curaçao, 1 ounce lime juice, 2 ounces tequila, and 1/2 ounce agave syrup. Add the top to the shaker and shake 10 to 20 seconds until the drink is cold. Carefully divide the blue margarita evenly between the two glasses so that it fill up the cup about 1/3 of the way. Rinse out the shaker to remove any access blue margarita.
  2. To make the white layer add a handful of ice to the shaker. Add 1 ounce cointreau, 1 ounce lime juice, and 2 ounces tequila to a shaker. Add the top to the shaker and shake 10 to 20 seconds until the drink is cold. Using the back of a spoon slowly pour half of the white layer over top the back of the spoon over the blue margarita in one glass. Do the same for the second glass. Going slow and evenly over the back of the spoon will help the white layer float on top of the blue layer better.
  3. For the red layer you will use about 2 ounces for each glass (depending on the glass size). Just like with the white layer use the back of the spoon to slowly pour the wine overtop the white layer in each glass to float it on the top. Once the red layer is in place serve immediately, cheers!

Notes

Any red wine will work for this drink, so chose your favorite. I use a cabernet since that is what I usually drink.

The layers in this drink are specifically made by weight/sugar, the heaviest on the bottom with a bit of added sugar and the lightest on top, if you try to deviate or change the order of the recipe you might not get the same results.

Floating a cocktail does take a little bit of practice, so don't be too let down if it isn't perfect the first time.

You may substitute plain simple syrup for the agave syrup.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1 drink
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 0g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

And make sure you are following me on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all the latest recipes!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

by Leave a Comment

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars made with Whole Wheat and flavored with brown butter. Conveniently made in bar form these Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are perfect for bringing to parties, potlucks, and more!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

A stack of 3 whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars on a white plate showing off melty chocolate.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies…in Bar Form

This recipe came as a marriage between a chocolate chip cookie recipe and a cookie bar recipe that I absolutely both love.

I loved the chocolate chip cookie recipe but the baking took forever because usually 3 batches had to be rolled out and baked every time I made them. Not to mention you needed all that space for the cookies to cool on a wire rack.

I loved the cookie bar recipe but it was lacking in complex flavors. AKA it needed some brown butter in my opinion. Plus cookie bars are great for a crowd, so easy to bring to a gathering of friends or a potluck!

So thus these amazing (if I do say so) Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars were born.

Overhead view of a while baking dish with cut whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars wit one positioned so the insides can be seen.

Equipment

You won’t need anything too out of the ordinary for these (so no stand mixers). You will need a 9×13 baking dish, bowls, a skillet, and typical kitchen utensils like measuring cups, whisks, and rubber spatulas.

Ingredients

  • whole wheat flour – At the base of these cookies is whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour gives these cookie bars a nuttiness flavor that adds some complexity to the dessert. I prefer to use King Arthur’s Whole Wheat Flour. Because whole wheat flour absorbs liquid differently from all-purpose flour I recommend not trying to substitute it out for a different kind of flour.
  • kosher salt – Using kosher salt is my little secret to great recipes. Kosher salt has a different structure than other types of salts making it easier for it to dissolve into the food. If you need to use a different kind of salt that is okay you can use fine sea salt but use 3/4 teaspoon instead of the full amount.
  • baking soda– Baking soda to leaven in this recipe.
  • light brown sugar – Light brown sugar is what I opted for over dark brown sugar because I didn’t want the sugar overpowering the flavors of the brown butter and flour. Make sure you use a packed cup!
  • granulated sugar – Also granulated sugar to keep the structure of the cookie bars.
  • unsalted butter – make sure you use unsalted butter otherwise you risk the cookie bars being too salty. It is a good general rule to always use unsalted butter when baking.
  • eggs – two large eggs
  • vanilla extract – to make sure the vanilla flavor really comes out you will use 2 teaspoons of extract.
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips – To ensure the cookie bars aren’t too sweet opt for semi-sweet chocolate chips over a sweeter milk chocolate variety. I would even say if you are serving this to a crowd of adults who like a darker chocolate a bittersweet or dark chocolate kind would be so good here.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Ingredients needed to make whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars laid out on a table top.

Instructions

Begin by preheating the oven to 350º F. Line a 9×13 dish with parchment paper. 

Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Collage showing the steps of adding the whole wheat flour to a bowl with the other dry ingredients.

Place a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. A light color skillet like a stainless steel will work best for this because of the light color you can see the butter brown better, if using a darker colored skillet just make sure you really keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

Add and heat up the butter stirring occasionally until the butter begins to brown, little brown specks will appear, at this point keep stirring the butter so the bits won’t burn. Keep stirring the browning butter until the flecks reach a deep golden brown. From the time the butter has melted to when it is at a good brown butter stage can take about 7 to 8 minutes. Watch out because once the butter reaches the right temperature the browning process happens fast. It is normal for the butter to crackle and foam slightly during this process. Take off the heat and very carefully transfer to a heat safe bowl.

A stainless steel skillet with browned butter.

Add both the granulated and brown sugars to the hot butter and mix together well, it will still be a little clumpy.

Collage showing the steps of adding the brown butter and sugars in a bowl and mixing them together.

Add the vanilla and eggs to the mixture. With a whisk mix together continuously for 1 minute. Let the butter sugar mixture rest for 3 minutes. Whisk again for 1 minute. Rest 3 minutes. Whisk one last time for 1 minute. The mixture should be smooth and should have lightened slightly in color.

Collage showing the steps of mixing the sugar, butter, and eggs together with the whisk until it is smooth.

With a rubber spatula fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir together until just mixed and flour streaks are gone but careful not to overmix. This should take about 1 minute.

Add and stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer the dough to the lined 9×13 dish. Press the dough out evenly in the pan.

Collage showing the steps of making while wheat chocolate chip cookie bars by adding the flour and chocolate chips.
Collage showing adding the dough to the baking dish and before and after the cookie bars go in the oven.

Transfer to the oven and bake 21-25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. 

A white baking dish with sliced whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars and a knife.

pro tip

For a softer more gooey cookie bar take them out at the earlier end of the cook time so around 21 minutes. For a more lighter and crunchier cookie bar towards the end on the cooking time, around 25 minutes. I like to take them out usually between 22 and 23 minutes.

A close up of a stack of whole wheat chocolate chip cookies showing off the insides full of melty chocolate.

tips, tricks and questions

If time permits you can chill the dough! Chilling will increase the flavor of the cookies, the cookies are basically ‘marinating’ together, but this is total optional.

This recipe is made specifically for whole wheat flour, subsititutions may not work well. I recommend using King Arthur Flour’s Whole Wheat Flour.

Can I add nuts?

Absolutely. If you like walnuts in your cookies you can definitely add them to these cookie bars. If you do that though I would advise to only use 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and then use 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with ice cream, you could even serve the bars while they are a little warm with some ice cream right on top!

A small white plate with 3 whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars stacked up.

If you like these Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars you might also like:

what to serve with this

An ice cream scoop full of homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

A glass filled with ice and salted maple cold brew coffee sitting on a table top next to another drink and a vase of pink flowers.

Salted Maple Cold Brew

milk being poured into a glass of homemade cold brew coffee making milk and coffee swirls in the glass

Homemade Cold Brew Coffee

overhead shot of a cast iron on a table filled with apple crisp topped with ice cream and part of it scooped up with a spoon

Grilled Apple Crisp

Yield: 24 servings

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Close up of a stack of whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars on a white plate with melty chocolate.

The most perfect dessert to bring along to anything, Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. These bars are full of complex flavors from the whole wheat, browned butter, and salt surpassing any other cookie bar out there. I mean why individually roll out and cookie cookies when you can have cookie bars as good as these!?

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 12-ounce bag)

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a 9x13 dish with parchment paper.
    2. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
    3. Place a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Add and heat the butter stirring occasionally until the butter begins to brown, little brown specks will appear, at this point keep stirring the butter so the bits won’t burn. Keep stirring the browning butter until the flecks reach a deep golden brown. Take off the heat and very carefully transfer to a heat safe bowl. From the time the butter has melted to when it is at a good brown butter stage can take about 7 to 8 minutes.
    4. Add both the granulated and brown sugars to the hot butter and mix together.
    5. Add the vanilla and eggs to the mixture. With a whisk mix together continuously for 1 minute. Let the butter sugar mixture rest for 3 minutes. Whisk again for 1 minute. Rest 3 minutes. Whisk one last time for 1 minute. The mixture should be smooth and should have lightened slightly in color.
    6. With a rubber spatula fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir together until just mixed and flour streaks are gone but careful not to overmix. This should take about 1 minute.
    7. Add and stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer the dough to the lined 9x13 dish. Press the dough out evenly in the pan.
    8. Transfer to the oven and bake 21-25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Notes

A light color skillet like a stainless steel will work best for this because of the light color you can see the butter brown better, if using a darker colored skillet just make sure you really keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

For a softer more gooey cookie bar take them out at the earlier end of the cook time so around 21 minutes, for a more lighter and crunchier cookie bar towards the end on the cooking time, around 25 minutes. I like to take them out usually inbetween 22 and 23 minutes.

If time permits you can chill the dough! Chilling will increase the flavor of the cookies, the cookies are basically 'marinating' together, but this is total optional.

If you don't have kosher salt you may use 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt in it's place.

This recipe is made specifically for whole wheat flour, subsititutions may not work well. I recommend using King Arthur Flour's Whole Wheat Flour.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1 bar
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 171Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 145mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 21gProtein: 3g

Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with me tag @the_schmidty_wife! Can't wait to see what you made!

© Lauren Schmidt
Cuisine: American / Category: Desserts

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