I Am... How to make a Beefy Burrito
Is a beefy burrito the best burrito out there? I love burritos! All the good things wrapped up neatly into a soft flour tortilla hug, just ready for my mouth. I love burritos so much that Mike even bought me a double sided tortilla blanket. I love all burritos, but beefy burritos have a special place in my heart.
What is a beefy burrito?
It’s exactly as it sounds: an extra beefy burrito! This particular recipe is Taco Bell’s iconic Beefy 5-Layer Burrito: seasoned beef, sour cream, shredded cheddar, nacho cheese, and beans all tucked inside a double tortilla. Essentially, it’s a beef burrito, but with only the good things. Of course, you can customize this as you wish: feel free to add rice, lettuce, and tomatoes. Burritos should be make the way YOU like them.The secret to the BEST beefy burrito
The reason why Taco Bell’s 5 layer beefy burrito is so addictive is the double tortilla with melty cheese. Two soft fluffy flour tortillas and a surprise melty nacho cheese layer is seriously next level.How to make a beefy burrito
- Cook: Start off by browning the beef, making sure to break it up into very tiny pieces. If you have a potato masher, you can mash the beef up while you’re cooking it. Once the beef is ready, add flour, taco spices, tomato paste, and a bit to the pan, stirring well. Let everything simmer and thicken, then set aside.
- Assemble: Lay out 4 tortillas and evenly divide the nacho cheese between them spreading the cheese to the edges. Top the cheesy tortillas with the remaining 4 tortillas gently pressing them together.
- Fill: Now it’s time to fill our double burritos! top each double tortilla with an equal amount of beans, beef, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
- Wrap: Tightly, but gently wrap up the burritos (more of burrito wrapping below).
- Enjoy: Dig in! You can slice them in half, or just go for a crazy bite in the middle a la fake Justin Bieber style. Either way, enjoy the beefiness!
Beefy burrito ingredients
- burrito size flour tortillas - the larger your tortilla, the easier it is to fold neatly into a burrito that doesn’t burst open. If you find the XL 12 inch burrito size tortillas, grab those. If you can’t, regular burrito sized tortillas will work too.
- nacho cheese - gooey nacho cheese is what makes up the layer in-between the two tortillas. If you have a favorite queso recipe, you can make that, or you can buy already made queso at the store. If you’re in a real pinch and you happen to have American cheese at home, that melts down into a good approximation of the melty cheese layer.
- refried beans - refried beans help hold everything together inside your burrito and they add protein, deliciousness, and texture. Make your own or grab a can from the store, either way, make sure they’re warm and spreadable.
- ground beef - the beefy beef in our beef tacos! Lean ground beef is a good choice, you don’t want it too lean otherwise your burrito meat will be too dry. You don’t want it too fat either. We’re going to add a bit of tomato paste and just a touch of flour to the beef too, to give it that signature texture of taco bell’s seasoned beef.
- taco seasoning - you can buy a packet, but it’s super easy to make your own taco seasoning if you have these spices: chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. We like making our own blend because we can control the salt content - a lot of times, the first ingredient on taco packets is salt.
- sour cream - a thick layer of tangy sour cream is just the right counter point to all the savory flavors of a beefy burrito.
- shredded cheddar - shredded cheddar is the last finishing touch in a beefy burrito!
How to wrap a burrito
The best way to wrap a burrito is to make sure your tortilla is warm and soft. You can lightly toast the tortillas in a dry pan (be careful, if you heat them too much they will get toasty and brittle) but we prefer to heat them in the microwave.- Warm the tortilla. Get two paper towels and sprinkle on a bit of water to make them damp, but not soaking. Place the tortillas in between the damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Placement. Make sure the fillings are in the middle of the tortilla, slightly nearer to the side closest to you. Think of a rectangle, where all the fillings stay contained inside a rectangle centered in the middle of the tortilla. The edges should be free of any fillings. You want a good amount of filling, but not too much: an over stuffed burrito will inevitably break.
- Now it’s time to fold. Fold the sides into the middle, over the fillings. Folding in the sides first ensures that nothing will fall out while you’re eating your burrito. After you fold in the sides, take the bottom of the tortilla and fold it over so it’s covering the folded sides and the filling.
- Tuck and roll. After you fold in the bottom, it’s time to tuck and roll. Tuck the bottom fold of the tortilla inwards, underneath the filling, then roll while tucking to secure the goods. Continue to roll until the burrito is seam side down. That’s it, rolled up nice and neat and time to eat!
Tips and tricks to making a good burrito
- Don’t over fill
- Warm your tortillas
- Tuck and roll
What to serve with beefy burritos
Happy burrito rolling! xoxo stephBeefy Burrito Recipe
The iconic Beefy 5-Layer Burrito
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15 preferred)
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 packet taco seasoning (~3tbsp, for best results use recipe below)
- 8 large flour tortillas (10" or 12" preferred)
- 1 cup nacho cheese (warmed, )
- 1 can refried beans (warmed, ~16oz)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Add the beef to a large non-stick pan and cook over medium high heat, breaking up the meat into tiny pieces as it browns. You won’t need any extra oil as browning ground beef renders out enough fat on its own.
After the beef browns and cooks through, add the flour, tomato paste, taco spices, and 1/4 cup water. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from the heat.
While the beef is cooking, be sure to warm up the nacho cheese and refried beans.
Heat up the tortillas by wrapping in slightly damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds. Top half of the tortillas evenly with warmed nacho cheese, spreading to the edges.
Top with the remaining tortillas, gently pressing them together to make a cheesy tortilla sandwich. Evenly fill the tortillas with refried beans, the seasoned beef, sour cream, and shredded cheddar.
Wrap into burritos by folding in the sides, then the bottom of the tortilla, then tucking and rolling. Slice in halves and enjoy while warm!
I Am... Easy Tostada Recipe
Tostada: Crispy fried corn tortillas topped with refried beans, cheese, avocado, tomato, shredded crunchy cabbage, and salsa. It’s like the ultimate giant nacho.
What is a tostada?
A tostada is a toasted tortilla. Tostada literally means toasted. The toasted tortillas turn into crispy, crunchy, giant round chips used as bases for other dishes. Tostadas can also refer to any dish that use tostada shells as a base. Think of them as an open face crispy taco or a crunchy flat taco. Anything that you can put in a taco, you can put on a tostada. Topped tostadas usually start with a base of refried beans (which help the other toppings stay on), meat, vegetables, and salsa. They’re savory, crunchy, flavor-packed goodness.The difference between tostadas and tortillas
The only difference between a tortilla and a tostada is heat. Just like bread toasts to become toast, a tortilla needs heat to become a tostada. Usually tostadas are corn tortillas, but there are flour tostadas as well, they’re just more uncommon. A simple way to think of it is: tortilla = soft | tostada = crunchyTostada ingredients
- Tortillas. All you need to make tostada shells are tortillas. Corn tortillas work best. I like the small street size corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour, you can use those as well.
- Oil. A neutral oil will help puff up and crisp your tortilla into a crunchy tostada shell. Any oil will work, but I like using a neutral oil (like grapeseed or canola) so it doesn’t detract from the tortilla flavor.
Tostada toppings
Toppings is where all the fun is at! Most tostadas start out with the crispy tortilla topped with refried beans, meat, vegetables, cheese, and then salsa.- refried beans - refried beans give your tostada a little bed that helps hold the toppings on. You can use homemade refried beans or store-bought, just be sure to warm them up first so they’re hot and spreadable.
- meat - if you’re vegetarian, you can skip the meat and enjoy a refried bean tostada, but if you’re looking for extra protein, this is where you can get as fancy or as simple as you like. Either fry up your favorite meat with taco seasoning or go for a classic taco filling such as: birria, al pastor, barbacoa, chicken tinga, carnitas, or pork chile verde.
- vegetables - vegetables add crunch and color to tostadas. Try: shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, diced red or green onions, avocados, cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, sliced radishes, lime
- cheese - you can use any cheese: shredded Mexican blend, queso fresco, cotija
- salsa - you can homemade some pico de gallo or your make your favorite salsa recipe. You can also use store bought salsa.
- crema - a little bit of creama or sour cream drizzled on top is a nice tangy touch.
Homemade tostadas shells
Making tostada shells at home is the easiest thing ever and so rewarding. Warm tostada shells are amazing and when you fry up tortillas it gives them a different life and flavor. To make homemade tostada shells, you can either make homemade tortillas, dry them out, and the fry them up OR you can use store bought tortillas and fry them up. Personally, when I make fresh homemade tortillas there are never any left to turn into tostada shells so I always use store bought tortillas to fry into tostada shells.How to fry tostada shells
All you need is oil and corn tortillas.- Heat up a 1/4 inch of neutral oil in a small, heavy bottomed skillet or cast iron pan. You want the oil to reach 350°F. To test if the oil is hot enough, gently dip one edge of a tortilla into the oil. If it starts to bubble, the oil is hot.
- Add tortillas to the hot oil, one at a time, and fry, flipping once, until crisp, slightly puffy, and golden brown, about 1 to 1 and half minutes per side.
- Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels or a wire rack. Repeat until you have as many tostada shells as you need.
How to oven bake tostada shells
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a wire rack and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Lightly spray or brush both sides of your corn tortillas and place them in a single layer on the prepped rack.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake for another 2-3 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. They’ll crisp up even more as they cool.
How to air fry tostada shells
If you ever just want to make one or two tostada shells, the air fryer is amazing.- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F. Brush or spray corn tortillas with oil.
- Place the oiled tortilla in a lightly oiled air fryer basket and put an oven safe ramekin directly on top of the tortilla to weight it down so it doesn’t puff up too much while frying.
- Air fry for 4 minutes at 370°F, or until golden and crispy. Repeat as needed.
Store bought tostada shells
Store bought tostada shells are convenient and totally understandable if you don’t want to fry your own. If you’re going the store bought route, be sure to warm up the tostadas in the oven so they have that fresh from the fryer feel. Heat the oven to 350°F and lay the tostadas out in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 4-5 minutes, or until warmed through and toasty.How to make tostadas
- Make the tostada shell. Crisp up your corn tortilla into a tostada shell.
- Top. Add a layer of warm refried beans, a bit of protein, shredded lettuce or cabbage, diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and cheese.
- Enjoy. Pick it up with your hands and dig in.
Chicken tinga tostadas
Add 6 cloves garlic, 1/2 small can chipotle in adobo, 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, and 1 tsp cumin to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. Heat up 1-2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown 1 medium onion, sliced. Stir in the blended sauce, 1 cup chicken stock, 2 bay leaves, and 4 cups cooked shredded chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered for 10 minutes. Taste and season as needed. Use as per the recipe below. Makes enough chicken for 8-12 tostadas. Read more about chicken tinga here.Barbacoa tostadas
Soak 1 dried guajillo pepper in boiling hot water for 15 minutes. When soft, remove from the water, de-stem, and discard the seeds. Add the pepper to a blender, along with 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp beef stock, and 2 tbsp white vinegar. Blend into a paste and rub all over 1 lb cubed chuck roast. Marinate for 2 hours or overnight. Brown 1/2 cup diced onion in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the marinated meat, a bay leaf, and 2 whole cloves to the pot. Barely cover the meat with beef stock and bring to a simmer over medium high. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender and shreddable. Taste and season as needed. Use as per the recipe below. Makes enough barbacoa for 8-12 tostadas. Read more about barbacoa here.Carnitas tostadas
In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, add 1/2 lb of cubed pork belly, 1/2 tbsp Mexican oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 chopped onion, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and 1/2 cup orange juice. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then turn down to the lowest heat. Cook, stirring, until the pork belly is soft and cooked through, about 1-2 hours. Shred the pork, remove it from the cooking liquid, and crisp over high heat. Taste and season as needed. Use as per the recipe below. Makes enough carnitas for 8-12 tostadas. Read more about carnitas here.What do you eat with tostadas?
Tostadas are usually eaten on their own, like tacos, but if you’re wanting to make a feast, you can also serve:Tostada Recipe
Tostadas are like the ultimate giant nacho.
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup refried beans
- 1/2 cup protein (of choice, per post)
- 1 cup lettuce (shredded)
- 2 tbsp sour cream (optional)
- 1/4 cup tomatoes (diced)
- 2 tbsp onion (diced)
- 2 tbsp queso fresco (or cojita, crumbled)
- 1 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
Warm the refried beans in a small sauce pan over medium heat, while stirring. Loosen with 1-2 tbsp of water if needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Cover, keep warm, and set aside.
Heat up a 1/4 inch of oil in small skillet over medium high heat. When hot and shimmery, add in a corn tortilla and fry for 2 minutes, or until golden and crisp, flipping once. Let drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
Build the tostada: lay out both tostada shells and divide the refried beans on top, using the back of spoon to spread evenly. Top each tostada evenly with the protein, then add on the lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, queso fresco, and cilantro. Enjoy!
Estimated nutrition assumes chicken breast as your protein.
I Am... Orange Sauce
Made with fresh orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic, orange sauce is a combination of sweet, tangy, and addictive. You’ll want to drown or dip EVERYTHING in it. Trust me when I say that orange sauce is life. Its sweet-tanginess pairs perfectly with chicken, beef, pork, fish, and vegetables. Heck, it even tastes good on its own.
What is orange sauce?
Orange sauce is a thick and glossy sauce that is usually used in American Chinese food to sauce bite sized pieces of crispy chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, or vegetables.What does it taste like?
It’s sweet and tangy, glossy and orange. It kind of tastes like sweet and sour sauce but with more of an orange forward flavor. If you’ve had Panda Express orange chicken, you know how delicious this sauce is.What is orange sauce made of?
Orange sauce is make up of a fresh orange and simple pantry ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger powder, and cornstarch.How to make orange sauce
Forget buying bottles of sauce at the store, making this sauce at home is incredibly easy. All you need to do is:- Add orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and ginger power to a small sauce pan. Bring it to a simmer, whisking occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the sugar dissolves.
- While the sugar dissolves, whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and bring everything up to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce heats, bubbles, thickens, and turns glossy.
- That’s it! Remove the pan from the heat and you’re ready to sauce/glaze your favorite protein.
Ingredients
- orange - a fresh orange gives you juice and zest, so it’s what we like to use at home. If you happen to have orange juice in your fridge, you can use that too, just be sure to adjust the amount of sugar since store-bought orange juice tends to be sweetened.
- soy sauce - this is going to give our sauce some saltiness and umami.
- rice vinegar - rice vinegar is what gives orange sauce it’s tanginess. You’ll find rice vinegar in the Asian aisle, it comes both seasoned and unseasoned, you can use either here. We tend to buy unseasoned, which typically comes with a green cap. If you only have white vinegar on hand you can use that too, but your sauce will be more tangy than if you use rice vinegar.
- brown sugar - sugar is going to give our orange sauce sweetness and a shiny glaze. We like brown sugar, but we also use white, go with whatever you have/like!
- garlic powder and ginger powder - I love using garlic powder and ginger power in sauces because they dissolve completely. Garlic powder and ginger powder (when fresh) add so much flavor and intensity without any work. Be sure to get garlic powder NOT garlic salt. Garlic powder simply contains pulverized, dehydrated garlic. Same with powdered ginger – you get the pure flavor of ginger because all it is is dried and powdered.
- cornstarch - cornstarch is a not-so-secret sauce hero. It gives sauces body, thickness, and glossiness. It undergoes a magical scientific transformation called starch gelatinization with liquid and heat. The starch molecules swell, absorb water, and thicken. Cornstarch is essential to making Chinese sauces.
Vs duck sauce vs sweet and sour sauce
Are you wondering: is this the same as duck sauce or the same as sweet and sour sauce? The answer is yes and no. All of them are Chinese sauces that are sweet and tangy, but they have clear differences.Orange sauce
Orange sauce is a glaze for tossing with deep fried chicken. Its main flavor is from the oranges. The sauce is an American-Chinese food invention, the most likely inspiration is General Tso’s chicken. Its popularity is due to Panda Express.Duck sauce
Almost the same as orange sauce but used more as a dipping sauce as opposed to a glaze. The main difference is the fruit used. Duck sauce is typically apricot or peaches instead of oranges. Read more about duck sauce here.Sweet and sour sauce
A glaze for proteins made with sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and soy sauce. Usually sweet and sour sauce doesn’t have a fruit component in the sauce. More on sweet and sour sauce here.How to use
Now that you’ve got the sauce, maybe you’re wondering what to use it with? You can totally make a batch, go and grab some nuggies and use it as a dipping sauce OR you can use it as a glaze with these recipes: Happy saucing! xoxo stephOrange Sauce
Orange sauce is a combination of sweet, tangy, and addictive.
- 1 large orange (zest and juice, about 1/2 cup juice)
- 1/4 cup sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Add the orange juice, zest, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic powder, and ginger powder to a small sauce pan.
Whisk over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce starts to bubble.
Whisk the tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp water then whisk it in to the sauce. Bring the sauce up to medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it starts to bubble, thicken, and turn glossy.
Remove from the heat and enjoy immediately on your desired dish.
For super easy orange chicken, grab a bag of frozen nuggets from the store, bake or air fry them and toss them in this sauce. OR, simply cut up boneless, skinless chicken thighs in 1 inch pieces, season with salt and pepper, toss in corn starch, and pan-fry in hot oil until crispy and cooked through. Toss in the sauce and boom: orange chicken.
I Am... Air Fryer Bacon
Air fryer bacon is crispy, hands-off, and fast. You’ll never want to make bacon another way again. Frying bacon is always a chore - you have to be patient enough so that every strip is perfectly crisp, times two because one package of bacon does not fit in a standard frying pan. There have been countless hacks to get around this: microwaved bacon, oven-baked bacon, heck, I’ve even seen bbq bacon. But the easiest, crispiest, best way has got to be in the air fryer.
Why you should cook bacon in the air fryer:
- no mess: it’s self contained with way less splatter than cooking on the stove top, microwaving, or baking in the oven.
- fast: it only takes 8 minutes for crispy bacon compared to preheating the oven and then baking for 20 minutes.
- hands free: you don’t have to baby this bacon, no more standing by the stove, flipping bacon :)
How long to cook bacon in the air fryer
8-10 minutes at 360°F.Thick cut vs regular bacon
Both thick cut and regular bacon crisp up perfectly in the air fryer. Thin cut takes a little bit less time, so pop it in for 8 minutes; thick cut can take up to 10 minutes. As for which bacon is better, that’s up to you!How to cook bacon in the air fryer
- Open your pack of bacon and arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If you have racks, you can arrange the bacon on racks, but it’s also okay if the bacon is a little crowded in the basket.
- Cook at 360°F for 8-10 minutes, checking half way to rearrange if needed. When crispy, remove and let cool slightly on paper towels or a wire rack.
- Empty out any bacon fat to avoid smoke before cooking your next batch.
How to cook an entire package of bacon at once
The best way to cook an entire package of bacon is to use air fryer racks. You can lay out the bacon (it’s okay if it touches as it’ll shrink when it cooks) on the racks. To ensure even crisping, check halfway and rearrange the bacon strips as needed.Tips and tricks
- Cut your bacon in half - if you don’t want your bacon to touch and you want to to cook up extra fast, you can cut the strips in half so they lay flat in the basket.
- Use a rack to cook a whole package of bacon - I like to use air fryer racks so I can cook a whole package of bacon at once. You’ll have to rearrange the bacon a bit halfway through to make sure everything is evenly crisped.
- Empty out the bacon fat - if your air fryer starts smoking too much, the bacon fat in the basket is getting too hot. Make sure you empty it out before cooking subsequent batches of bacon.
- Let it cool - bacon crisps up as it cools, don’t let it get too crispy while cooking (unless you like it that way)!
Twisted Bacon
Regular flat bacon is great but even better is twisted bacon! These bacon-y straws are simultaneously crispy and chewy in the best way, and you can definitely make them in the air fryer. Read more about them here.Perfect pairings
- perfect french toast
- extra fluffy Japanese pancakes
- the ultimate breakfast potatoes
- crispy sunny side up eggs
- or slow scrambled eggs too
Air Fryer Bacon
Fast and perfect every time!
- air fryer
- 12 oz bacon (1 package, thin cut preferred, see notes)
Arrange your bacon strips in the air fryer basket, a little overlap is okay, using racks if you have them to stack multiple levels.
Air fry for 8-10 minutes at 360°F, checking and flipping halfway. Remove the bacon from the basket, and let cool and drain on paper towels or a wire rack. Be sure to empty out any grease in the basket before cooking a second batch, if needed
If using thick cut, add 2 minutes to the cooking time.
I Am... Watermelon Salad with Feta, Cucumbers, and Herbs
Sweet, savory, and completely addictive, watermelon salad with feta is going to be your new picnic go-to bestie. There’s a reason why watermelon feta salad is a classic. It’s refreshing, delicious, and perfect for hot summer days. The combination of sweet cubes of watermelon, salty feta, and tangy lime dressing is perfection. This salad comes together in a flash and it’s one of my favorite things to bring to potlucks and picnics because it’s always a welcome addition. If you haven’t had a savory watermelon salad before, you’re in for a treat. The crisp juiciness of watermelon is the perfect foil/compliment to the creamy tanginess of feta.
What is watermelon feta salad?
Watermelon feta salad a simple combination of cubed watermelon, cubed cucumbers, red onions, and herbs tossed in a lime vinaigrette. Fruit and cheese is a classic pairing and it’s no surprised that sweet watermelon and salty feta are an match made in heaven. The intensely sweet watery crunch of ripe watermelon holds up perfectly to the creamy dense saltiness of feta. Watermelon is originally from Egypt and there, and in many Mediterranean countries, it’s enjoyed with feta as a counterpoint. They don’t quite make a salad though: it’s typically watermelon and cheese together on a plate eaten in consecutive bites, alternating between the two.Tiktok watermelon feta salad
Watermelon feta salad is trending on Tiktok thanks to @cassyeungmoney. Her watermelon feta salad video has gone viral and every uo he is making it. I’m not surprised because it is absolutely a summer classic.Why watermelon and feta
Super refreshing and perfect for hot weather. Pairing sweet juicy fruit with salty cheese is a classic flavor combination: the contrast in flavors between the two play together to make the watermelon taste even more abundantly sweet and the feta even more savory and salty.How to make watermelon salad
- Cut the watermelon into cubes.
- Slice up some red onion.
- Cube up a cucumber.
- Thinly slice fresh mint and basil.
- Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and the zest and juice of 1 lime.
- Toss all the ingredients with the dressing and finish by crumbling in the feta.
- Taste, season with salt and pepper and enjoy the flavors of summer!
Watermelon salad ingredients
- watermelon - sweet, juicy red cubes of watermelon are the star of this summer salad.
- cucumber - crunchy, hearty, and super similar to watermelon in structure, cubes of cucumber add heft and neutral bite to this salad.
- red onion - thinly sliced red onion adds a big of a spicy bite. If you’re not a fan of raw onions, simply soak the slices in ice cold water for 5-10 minutes and drain well. This takes the bite and pungency out and leaves behind just the right amount of onion flavor.
- feta cheese - the salty creaminess of a really good feta is amazing with the sweetness of watermelon. More on feta below.
- mint and basil - fresh mint and basil give this salad a herby, earthy punch.
- lime dressing - make a quick lime vinaigrette by whisking together extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar with the juice and zest of one lime. You can taste it and season the dressing with salt and pepper, or you can dress the watermelon, taste, then season. I prefer to dress the salad and season because that gives you a better idea of the dish flavors as a whole.
How to choose a watermelon
Choose a uniform shape, heavy, dark green watermelon with a sunspot – that is a yellow blob on one side. The sunspot lets you know that the watermelon ripened on the vine with enough time to sweeten in the sun. Also take a look at the part of the watermelon where the vine grew out. It should be tiny, because it means that the vine had time to shrivel, meaning it had more time to ripen. Lastly, give it a good thump, it should sound hollow and heavy.What kind of feta cheese for salad
There are a million kinds of feta out there. Typically Greek feta is a classic choice because it’s briny, tangy, and sharp with a good crumbling texture. That being said, you don’t need to go with Greek feta. If you liking a milder feta, go with a cow milk feta. In general, from sharpest to mildest, it goes: sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, cow’s milk. Choose a block of feta in brine that you like the flavor of. Just make sure you cut or crumble it on your own so it’s dense and creamy instead of dried out the way pre-crumbled feta is.What if i don’t like feta?
There are so many kinds of feta out there that I’m sure there’s one for you! That being said, if you are absolutely not a fan, you can go for another salty, brined, white cheese like Cyprus halloumi, Italian ricotta salata (aged ricotta), or Mexican cotija. Generally, a harder brined cheese works better in this salad.Fourth of July watermelon salad
This salad is PERFECT for the Fourth when you add blueberries. You have red watermelon, white feta, and blue blueberries that all come together in a pretty, patriotic dish. Pro tip: skip the herbs and red onion and cut the watermelon into stars for some extra USA vibes. Raspberries and blackberries are a beautiful addition too. For this particular salad, I like to cut the feta into cubes instead of crumbling them so all the colors really pop. Or, if you want a really special salad, you can go for a watermelon burrata blueberry salad.Make ahead watermelon salad
This is the perfect salad to bring to a potluck, picnic, BBQ or cookout. You can prep everything in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to go.- Cube the watermelon, cut the red onion, and cucumber. Combine these ingredients in a large container; it can even be the one you’re bringing the salad in.
- Make the dressing and keep it in a small container on the side.
- Crumble the feta and keep it separately in an air tight container.
- Wash and dry the mint and basil and keep the clean leaves loosely wrapped in a paper towel in a sealable bag in the fridge.
- When it’s time to serve, quickly slice the herbs. Shake up the dressing in the container, then pour it on to the watermelon, cucumber, red onion mix. Add the crumbled feta and the herbs. Mix everything together, give it a good toss, and season with salt and pepper. Boom, watermelon salad done.
Watermelon Salad with Feta
Watermelon salad with feta is going to be your new picnic go-to bestie.
- 1/2 large watermelon (cubed, about 6 cups)
- 1/4 red onion (thinly sliced, about 2/3 cup)
- 1 1/2 cup cucumber (cubed)
- 1/4 cup fresh mint (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup vinegar (red wine vinegar preferred)
- 1 lime (juice and zest only)
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Place the watermelon, cut-side down on a large cutting board and carefully trim off the rind. Cut the watermelon into equal 1 inch slices then turn the slices on their sides. Cut the watermelon slices vertically into 1 inch sticks, then cut the 1 inch sticks horizontally into 1 inch cubes. Transfer the watermelon to a large bowl.
Cube the cucumbers and thinly slice the red onions. Stack the mint leaves on top of each other and roll them up tightly. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the mint rolls into a mint chiffonade. Repeat with the basil.
Add the red onions, cucumbers, mint, basil, and feta to the bowl with the watermelon.
In a liquid measuring cup or a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and the zest and juice of a lime.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss well and enjoy!
I Am... Burger Dog
If you have hot dog buns and ground beef and are wondering why you’ve never seen a hot dog shaped burger patty before, I’m here to answer all of your questions. A burger dog is tasty, cute, and easy to eat because of its superior shape. No more burger toppings falling out the bottom of your burger and no more messy hands. Burger dogs are here to stay!
What is a burger dog?
The name sounds funny, the taste is delicious, and the quirkiness is all part of the fun. Behold, the burger dog! A rectangular hamburger patty grilled and nestled into a crisp and buttery hot dog bun dressed up with all the usual burger suspects. Essentially, it's a burger in a hot dog bun!How to make burger dogs
You make burger dogs the exact same way you make burgers, by shaping them. Get a high quality, ground beef (or ground chuck, ground round, or ground brisket if you’re feeling fancy).- Divide - Evenly divide the ground into 4-6 ounce portions, depending on the size of your hot dog buns.
- Shape - Use your hands to gently shape the ground beef into rectangular patties about 6 inches by 3 inches. Don’t pack them too tightly.
- Season - Generously season both sides of the patties with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Grill - Heat a clean grill to 450°-500°F, hot enough that you can’t hold your hand over the grate for more than 1 second. Place the patties over direct heat and cook to your desired doneness, flipping after a chargrilled crust has formed. Add cheese, if using, then remove from the grill and let rest for 1 minute before enjoying!
Stove top burger dogs
Heat up a large cast iron pan over VERY HIGH heat, hot enough that you can’t hold your hand over the pan for more than 1 second. When smoking, place the burger dog patties onto the surface. Cook, to your desired doneness, flipping as needed when a chargrilled crust has formed. Add cheese, if using, then remove from the pan and let rest for 1 minute before assembling the burger dog.- Rare: 125°F, about 4 minutes
- Medium Rare: 135°F, about 5 minutes
- Medium: 145°F, about 6-7 minutes
- Well done: 160°F, about 8-9 minutes
Burger dog ingredients
- ground beef - a good ground beef is what’s going to make your burger dog sing. Theses patties are pure ground beef, so get the good stuff, more on that below.
- hot dog buns - your favorite hot dog buns will do. Bonus points if you’re having hot dogs already and are making burger dogs to use up extra buns! Our favorite hot dog buns are brioche style or potato rolls. If you’re on the East Coast, you can’t go wrong with Martin’s long potato rolls.
- toppings - here’s where you can get creative and do your own thing. The burger dogs in this post are just like the ones we had at Deer Valley: they have a French onion soup kind of thing going on with caramelized onions, whole grain mustard, and melty gruyere. Classic toppings include: mayo, mustard, ketchup, American cheese, diced onions, and pickles. Feel free to use your favorite burger toppings.
What kind of ground beef for burger dogs?
For juicy burger dogs, go for a ground beef that is at least 80/20, that is 80% meat to 20% fat. Fat is what makes burgers juicy and delicious. Stay away from extra lean ground beef, which will cook up tough and dry. If your grocery shop does it, you can get freshly ground beef instead of the ground beef that comes in a brick. You can even ask them to grind up whole cuts into your desired mix. We especially like 80/20 ground chuck: meat from the shoulder that has the ideal fat-to-meat ratio.What to serve with burger dogs
Everything that’d you’d serve with a burger! Chips, fries, potato salad, and green salad are good places to start.Who invented burger dogs?
After a quick google, it’s apparent that burger dogs have been around for a while. Hot Dog Bills, in San Francisco, has been making them since the early 1950’s. It was a space saving idea: a hot dog shaped burger patty was easier to fit on a small grill. The shorter cooking time was a bonus too.Our burger dog story
Funny story, Mike and I have never heard of burger dogs before and were talking about grilling season one year, as we often do. We were curious, why was it that no one made a hot dog shaped burger? It made so much sense: you could buy a pack of hot dog buns (which notoriously come with the wrong amount of buns to hot dog ratio) and use the extra buns for burger dogs. In our minds, the burger dog patty was a thick sausage-shaped ground beef log. We never did see our idea to conception though because we both independently decided that log shaped burger dogs were probably not the most aesthetically pleasing food. Then, earlier this year we went skiing at Deer Valley in Park City and lo and behold, on the menu was a burger dog! Mike ordered one and the patty was a cute rectangle, which makes SO MUCH SENSE. It was juicy, grilled to perfection smothered in cheese and caramelized onions. So good that we had to make our homemade burger dog dreams come true.Classic burger dog toppings
If you want to make a Hot Dog Bills burger dog, this is what they do:- a buttered toasted hot dog bun
- American cheese
- a squiggle of ketchup
- diced white onions
- and sliced pickles
Burger Dog
Tasty, cute, and easy to eat because of its superior shape.
- 2 medium onions (sliced)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 lb ground beef (lean preferred)
- 4 slices cheese (of choice, eg: gruyere or provolone)
- 2 tbsp butter (room temp)
- 4 hot dog buns
- whole grain mustard (to taste)
Start by making the caramelized onions. Add 2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed sauté pan over low heat. Stir in the onions, coating them evenly in the oil. Let cook, slowly, over low heat, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the onions are deeply browned and caramelized, about 1 hour.
While the onions are caramelizing, make the burger dog patties. Place the ground beef on a cutting board and use a knife to divide the beef into 4 equal rectangles. Use your hands to shape the rectangles about 6 inches by 3 inches. Season both sides of the patties with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Heat up a large pan (preferably cast iron) over VERY HIGH heat, hot enough that you can’t hold your hand over the pan for more than 1 second. When smoking, place the burger dog patties onto the surface. Turn the heat down to medium-high. Cook, to your desired doneness, flipping as needed when a chargrilled crust has formed.
Add cheese slices, then remove from the pan and let rest for 1 minute before assembling the burger dog.
Lightly toast the bun and add mustard to the top side. Add the cheesy burger dog and top with caramelize onions. Enjoy hot!
Burger dog cooking chart:
Rare: 125°F, about 4 minutes
Medium Rare: 135°F, about 5 minutes
Medium: 145°F, about 6-7 minutes
Well done: 160°F, about 8-9 minutes
I Am... Mexican Rice
Mexican rice is probably one of the best versions of rice in the world.
It's right up there with Hainanese chicken rice, fried rice, and paella. Who doesn’t love Mexican rice? But did you know it’s super easy to make at home and way healthier than buying those bags of premade rice that account for 80% of your daily sodium (seriously, check the nutrition info on those bags). If you ever wanted to amp up taco night, mexican rice, refried beans, and homemade salsa are the low hanging fruit.How to make Mexican rice
There's two basic kinds of rice in the world: fluffy and pre-fried. Mexican rice is the pre-fried kind. To make Mexican rice, you:- Fry your aromatics. For me, this is onions, but you can add garlic, fennel, whatever you like. Onions are essential though.
- Toast your rice and spices. Fry your rice until it becomes aromatic and translucent. Fry your dry spices now too, which is blooms them and enhances their flavors.
- Cook your tomato sauce and oregano. Frying tomato sauce caramelizes it and kills that sometimes sour tomato taste that not everyone loves. The more you dislike tomatoes, the more you should fry it, but don't skip the tomatoes, because they add an essential umami layer of flavor™.
- Add water, cook, and steam the rice. For perfect-almost-all-rices, add 1.25 cups of water for every cups of rice, bring to a boil, cook for 17-20 minutes (depending on how al dente you like your rice) then steam for 10.
- Fluff and serve. As soon as that last 10 minutes is up, fluff up the rice, then serve with your favorite Mexican sides.
Do you really need to fry rice?
Frying the rice is probably the most vital step here to getting that restaurant texture. Let it get really nutty and brown, it’ll improve the final dish.Can you make Mexican rice without tomatoes?
I have a range of tomato sauce here, from 1/2 cup for those who don’t really like tomato sauce to 1 cup for those who do. 1 cup is better. If you really, really, really hate tomatoes, you can remove them, but the rice will not taste or look the same.Mexican oregano vs regular oregano
Mexican oregano is actually a bit different than the usual stuff you find in the spice aisle. It's actually a different plant altogether! Mexican oregano is indigenous to Mexico and has a more woodsy, citrus-lime earthy flavor compared to your typical oregano, which is Mediterranean oregano. You can find Mexican oregano in the Mexican aisle at the grocery store and if you can’t, you can sub regular oregano, but try and find some, it makes a difference. (Unless you already have regular oregano in your pantry, because nothing beats free).What's the best rice to use for Mexican rice?
Mexican rice is best made with long grain rice. We just usually use jasmine, which isn't all that authentic but I find it to be fluffier and moister. You can also use brown rice, which is inauthentic but doesn't taste much different and it's arguably healthier.What to serve with Mexican Rice?
Here are some ideas:- Barbacoa
- The Best Stovetop Carnitas
- Birria Tacos
- Green Chile Enchilada
- Oven Baked Carne Adovada Pork Tacos
- Tacos al Pastor
- Hatch Green Chile Wonton Two Ways
- Hatch Chile Verde Recipe pork stew
- Oven-Baked Hatch Chile Salsa Verde Honey Chicken Thighs
The Best Mexican Rice Recipe
Mexican rice is the perfect side or main for any Mexican or Southwestern recipe you can think of.
- nonstick pan with a lid
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1/2 onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce ((or up to 1 cup))
- 1.25 cup water
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat and add onions. Fry until onions are just translucent, about 3 minutes
Add the rice, garlic, and cumin. Continue frying until rice is golden brown and nutty, about 2-3 minutes
Add tomato sauce and oregano. Stir until rice is evenly coated with tomato sauce.
Add water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
When the water has reached a boil, immediately cover with a lid and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Set a timer for 20 minutes and don't disturb or peek under the lid for any reason.
When the 20 minutes are up, remove from heat, continuing not to touch the lid, and let steam for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, fluff and serve.
I Am... Duck Sauce
Do you always ask for extra duck sauce? Are you as addicted as I am to those little orange packets of sweet and tangy sauce you get with Chinese takeout? Duck sauce is perfect: sweet and sour and the best for for dipping, glazing, or drizzled on rice or noodles.
What is duck sauce?
Even though it’s called duck sauce, ducks are not in duck sauce. Duck sauce is a fruit sauce - usually made with plum, apricot, peaches, or pineapple. It’s seasoned with ginger, sugar, and sometimes a tiny bit of chili for mild heat. Vinegar is what gives the sauce its contrasting signature tang. It’s basically a umami forward sweet and savory jelly. The sweet and sour notes pair well with deep fried things and duck, of course!How to make duck sauce
Making duck sauce at home is super easy: all you do is stir together the ingredients, let them meld, then dip and enjoy. The best part about going homemade is how customizable it is. You can adjust the taste just how you like it. Plus, you can make a giant batch and dip to you heart’s content with no one to judge you.What is duck sauce made of?
Duck sauce ingredients
- apricot jam or jelly - you could make this with fresh fruit: you’d need to cut it up, stew it, then blend it, but the easier thing to do is buy a high quality jar of apricot jam or jelly. Make sure you love the taste of the jam you buy as it will make up the bulk of your sauce.
- rice vinegar - rice vinegar adds tang, lightness, and helps thin out the sauce. Rice vinegar is readily available at grocery stores; look in the Asian aisle. If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can substitute white vinegar but it won’t have quite the same flavor.
- sugar - you might not need sugar, this will depend on the sweetness of your jam and how sweet you want your sauce. I didn’t include sugar in the recipe, but if you need to, adjust the flavor of your sauce by adding in a teaspoon of sugar, tasting, and going from there.
- ginger and garlic - powdered ginger and garlic are the way to go. Using powdered ginger and garlic (which is literally dried and pulverized ginger and garlic) ensures that are are no bits in your sauce, making it smooth just like the stuff in little packets.
- soy sauce - just a touch of soy sauce adds saltiness and umami. Don’t add too much or your duck sauce won’t be that classic orange color.
- pickled Chinese plum - this is completely optional, but if you happen to be at an Asian grocery store and really want that just-can’t-put-your-finger-on-it flavor, a pickled Chinese plum is going to give you all the right notes. They come jarred and people usually use them in sauces, braises, and soups.
Is it a traditional Chinese sauce?
Duck sauce can be found at Chinese restaurants, but if you have an idea of an authentic Chinese sauce, plum sauce is probably what you’re thinking of. Plum sauce, popular in Cantonese cuisine, is sweet and sour and served with duck. It’s the same orange hue and as the name implies, contains plums. Plums cook down into a jammy-like sauce with sugar, vinegar, and spices.Is duck sauce the same as sweet and sour sauce?
It's not quite the same as sweet and sour sauce, but the flavors are pretty similar. I would say that duck sauce is more for dipping and sweet and sour sauce is used more for coating and glazing, as in sweet and sour pork or sweet and sour chicken. The ingredients differ slightly too. Traditional Cantonese sweet and sour sauce contains sugar, vinegar, preserved plums, and hawthorn candy. Nowadays in North America, the common ingredients are sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch to thicken.Uses
You can eat it with pretty much anything, but some good bets are:- chicken (especially air fryer chicken!)
- deep fried egg rolls
- panko shrimp
- crispy chicken wings
- tofu nuggets
Duck Sauce Recipe
Making duck sauce at home is super easy
- 1/4 cup apricot jam (or jelly)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 pickled Chinese plum (pit removed, optional)
Stir together the apricot jam, rice vinegar, soy sauce, powdered ginger, and garlic. Use a fork to squish the plum into the sauce, if using. Mix well, taste, and adjust with rice vinegar (and sugar, if needed) to balance the sweet-tart contrast. Enjoy!
The sauce will keep, in a clean, airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
I Am... Korean Marinated Eggs / Mayak Eggs
Sweet and savory jammy soy sauce Korean mayak marinated eggs are incredibly delicious. They’re fun and easy to make and taste amazing over a bowl of piping hot rice.
What are marinated eggs?
Mayak eggs or mayak gyeran are Korean marinated eggs. Literally translated mayak gyeran means “drug egg.” They’re one of the most addictive Korean banchan out there, hence the name. These eggs are garlicky, savory, jammy, and absolutely delicious. The yolks are soft and perfect for yolk porn over a bowl of hot rice. The sweet, savory, spicy marinade is incredibly addictive. Honestly, these eggs and a bowl of rice is the perfect comfort meal.What do marinated eggs taste like?
They’re sweet and savory and a bit spicy if you add in a chili pepper. If you’ve ever had a marinated ramen egg, they taste a little bit like that but with even more flavor. The yolks are jammy and full of creamy flavor and the whites are infused with an umami-forward soy-honey garlic mixture with a bit of nuttiness from the toasted sesame seeds.Marinated egg ingredients
- eggs - you can use as many or as few eggs as you like, as long as the eggs submerge completely in the marinade. soy sauce - this is what gives the eggs a salty, umami flavor. Use a soy sauce that you love the flavor of and always, always use a natural brewed soy sauce.
- honey - using honey instead of sugar makes it easy to mix into the soy sauce and it adds a slight malty honey flavor instead of straight sugar. Many mayak eggs use rice syrup so if you have that on hand, you can use that as a substitute.
- green onions, garlic, toasted sesame seeds - these are the aromatics that add layers of flavor. Garlic, of course adds a hit of mild spicy garlicky flavor, the green onions add a hint of freshness, and the toasted sesame seeds add a lovely layer of nuttiness.
- sliced chili - if you love spice (or even if you like a little spice!) I recommend adding sliced chili peppers into your marinade. There are so many chilis out there with varying degrees of spiciness, so you can use the pepper that most suits you. If you want a milder spice, go for sliced jalapeños and if you want spicier eggs, go for thinly sliced red bird’s eye peppers.
How to make marinated eggs
- Prep the marinade. Simply mix together soy sauce, honey, sliced green onions, garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced chili peppers. The only thing you need to think about in regards to the marinade is do you have enough to fully cover your eggs. This depends on what size/shape the container you marinate your eggs in. You may need to double the marinade recipe depending on container size.
- Boil your eggs. You want a boiled egg between soft and medium boiled for this recipe. As the eggs marinate in the fridge, the yolks become a brilliant, gooey, flavorful jammy center.
- Marinate. Once your eggs are ready, it’s time to marinate them in the marinade for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight) so all the flavors soak in.
- Enjoy. Once your eggs have soaked up all the flavor, it’s time to enjoy!
How to make jammy eggs
- Remove your eggs from the fridge. Let them come to room temp for a bit while you’re bringing your pot of water up to a boil. This helps them cook more evenly since they won’t be as cold as straight from the fridge. When you shock a cold egg from the fridge into boiling water it has a tendency to crack due to the rapid change in temperature.
- Bring a pot of water up to a boil. Choose a pot that’s large enough for your eggs, but not too big. You want enough water in the pot to easily cover the eggs when they’re lowered in. Bring the water to a hard boil over high heat. If you like, you can add a pinch of salt and a tsp of white vinegar into the water – this helps the shells slip off the eggs more easily.
- Lower your eggs into the water. When the water is at a rolling boil, lower the heat and gently add your eggs in using a slotted spoon.
- Simmer. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and maintain a happy bubbling simmer for 7-8 minutes (less if your eggs have been sitting at room temperature for over an hour).
- Put the eggs in an ice bath. While your eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and very cold water. When the eggs are ready, immediately use a slotted spoon and scoop them from the pot into the ice bath to let them chill for 5-10 minutes or until they are cold to the touch.
- Peel. Gently tap the eggs at the wide egg of the egg, then flip and tap the narrow end. Very gently roll the egg on the counter top. Start peeling at the wide base and make sure to peel the membrane away from the egg. When the eggs are ready to go, it’s time to marinate.
Mayak egg marinade
It’s super simple to make mayak egg marinade. All you do is mix together soy sauce, honey, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced chilis.How long do you need to marinate eggs
Once your eggs and marinade are ready, all you need to do is add the eggs to the marinade and marinate for a minimum of 4 hours and up to overnight. The longer the eggs marinate, the more flavor they soak up. You can keep the eggs, covered in the marinade, in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.Meal prep mayak eggs
Meal prepped mayak eggs are amazing. You can make a huge batch for the week and have eggs and rice easily for every meal. You can also serve the eggs with noodles or just as a quick protein snack.How long do marinated eggs last in the fridge?
You can keep your marinated eggs in the fridge for about 4-5 days, making them ideal for meal prepping on Sunday night so you have marinated eggs throughout the week.What can I do with the leftover marinade?
You can definitely make another batch of eggs, but they won’t have the same amount of flavor and because the fresh ingredients (the garlic, green onions, chilis) are older, the eggs and marinade won’t keep as long as the first batch. Instead, you can spoon the marinade onto rice, along with your eggs, or use it in stir-fries to flavor meats or noodles.What to serve with mayak eggs
- They taste amazing on their own and also on top of rice with a bit of roasted seaweed.
- They’re a great addition to a salmon rice bowl
- With spicy chili garlic noodles
- With super savory scallion oil noodles
Marinated Eggs
Sweet and savory jammy soy sauce Korean mayak marinated eggs
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 1/4 cup honey (or rice syrup)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 green onions (sliced)
- 1 Thai bird’s eye chili (sliced, or pepper of choice)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Take the eggs out of the fridge and leave them on the countertop. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. If desired, add a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the water to make the eggs easier to peel. Prepare and set aside a large bowl with ice and cold water for when the eggs finish cooking.
While the water is coming to a boil, make the marinade. In a container with a lid, mix together 1/2 cup water with the soy sauce, honey/rice syrup, garlic, green onions, chili, and toasted sesame seeds. Set aside.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium-high and gently add the eggs in with a slotted spoon. Maintain a simmer for 7-8 minutes, depending on yolk preference.
When the time is up, remove the eggs from the water and immerse in an ice bath to cool.
When the eggs are cool to touch, peel and immerse the eggs into the marinade. Marinate for minimum 4 hours or overnight.
Remove the eggs from the marinade and serve over rice, enjoy!
I Am... How to Make Birria Ramen
When birria ramen popped up on my radar, I knew it was going to be an instant favorite and it did not disappoint. It’s no secret that Mike and I are noodle folk. We live that noodle life – traveling to try noodles, perfecting noodle recipes, and basically noodling everyday. If there are noodles involved, I’m there.
What is birria?
Let’s step back a bit and talk about birria, which is a Mexican stew. It’s kind of a celebratory dish, the kind that is traditional at weddings, holidays, and celebrations. It’s usually served as a stew with corn tortillas for dipping, but lately birria tacos have been exploding on the taco scene and they are EVERYWHERE. I am obsessed. I think I’ve watched ten thousand videos of birria taco trucks making birria tacos. It’s mesmerizing: they dip corn tortillas into the ruby red oil from the stew, top it off with birria meat and fry everything up until it’s crispy and serve it with a little cup of consomé. The best is when they make quesabirria: a extra gooey melted cheese version. We don’t have a birria taco truck in our neighborhood, but it’s okay because we’ve been making birria tacos at home! Mike has an awesome recipe so if you don’t want to miss out on the birria taco train, please check it out. Anyway, the other kind of birria that has been on my drool list is birria ramen. I keep seeing LA taco trucks marrying the two and to me it seems like the perfect combination. So, birria ramen... let’s taco about that!What is birria ramen?
Birria ramen is a mash up of birria and ramen. Birria is a savory, slightly spicy, sweet, sour, and super savory Mexican (traditionally lamb) beef stew. Chunks of beef are marinated in dried chiles, chipotles in adobo, vinegar, herbs, and spices and slow cooked into a tender, fall apart, juicy beef stew. Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup with a rich, deep flavorful broth full of umami, chewy noodles, and toppings. For this birria ramen, the birria consomé (that’s the soup that you get when you make birria) stands in for the ramen broth, to which we’ll add noodles, chunks of meat, shredded cabbage, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, a birria ramen egg, and a squeeze of lime.Ingredients for birria ramen
- Birria stew. This is the base of your ramen: both the soup and the meat component. Most ramen stocks are made from bone broth but in this case we’re going to use the super flavorful consomé that you get when you cook birria. Most cuts of beef will work in the stew but I recommend going for shank because it has as bone in it, which will add extra flavor to the broth. Read more about birria stew here.
- Ramen noodles. You can go all out and make your own ramen noodles or you can go the easy route and buy fresh ramen noodles. Making your own noodles is always better but often way too much work, even for us, so we usually go with fresh/frozen. More on that below.
- Toppings. It’s always fun when a bowl of ramen has complementing and contrasting flavors and textures. This birria ramen has shredded cabbage for crunch, pickled onions for a tart sharp bite, chopped cilantro for a fresh herbaceousness, sliced jalapeños for spice, a wedge of lime for brightness, and a birria ramen egg, because what even is ramen without a ramen egg. Oh, and a crispy birria taco, just because!
The best noodles to use for homemade ramen
Fresh ramen noodles would be my top choice for birria ramen. We recommend Sun Noodles (pictured below) – you can get them at most Asian supermarkets in the frozen section. You can also use dried instant ramen noodles. I like the thick and chewy texture of Nongshim Shin Ramyun (not the cup ones).How to make birria ramen
- Make the birria. Marinate the beef (overnight if you have the time, but for 2 hours minimum) and then make the stew in the Instant Pot on high pressure. The Instant Pot does a great job of cooking your meat and locking in flavors in a super short time. Of course you can make this on the stove or a slow cooker as well. When the birria is done, remove the meat and shred it. You can strain the stock too, but if you don’t want to, at least make sure you take out the bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon. When the meat and consomé are done, it’s time to cook your noodles.
- Cook the ramen noodles. Cook your ramen noodles in a giant pot of boiling water. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling, hard boil. You want a big pot so when you add your noodles, it doesn’t drop the temperature of the water. If your pot is too small, it’ll take time for your water to come back to a boil, which means your noodles will be cooking for longer than the intended time they suggest on the package. Soggy noodles are a travesty. You want chewy, toothsome noodles with a bit of bite. Drain well.
- Assemble the bowl. Ladle pipping hot consomé into deep bowls (ones that can hold at least 3 cups of liquid). Add the drained ramen and loosen a bit with chopsticks. Top with a generous amount of beef, a birria ramen egg, shredded cabbage, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and a wedge of lime.
Tips and Tricks
- Marinate. If you have the time, marinate the beef overnight - it’ll make for a more flavorful ramen.
- Make ahead. You can make this completely ahead of time, prepping the stew and all of the toppings. When it’s time to eat, all you need to do is heat stuff up. It’s (almost) instant gratification! Plus, if you make the birria the day before, you can strain and chill the consomé. When you put the consomé in the fridge (store the beef separately), the fat will rise to the top and solidify so you can easily remove it and add it back in. You definitely want to add some of the oil back in, it’s flavor!
- Make sure you have bowls. Ramen is meant to be served in deep bowls - bowls deep enough to hold your soup and your noodles - a regular shallow soup bowl isn’t going to cut it. If you don’t have dedicated ramen bowls, use the largest, deepest bowls you have, ones that can hold at least 3 cups of liquid.
- Make tacos. Make a taco (or five) and serve them up with the birria ramen for dipping. The contrast between the crispy, crunchy taco with the ramen is amazing.
Birria Ramen Recipe
This mash up of birria tacos and ramen is just too good to be missed!
- instant pot
Birria Stew
- 2 lbs beef shank, brisket, chuck roast, or mix (see notes)
- 3 dried guajillo peppers (see notes)
- 7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo (1 small can)
- 1/4 cup vinegar (rice vinegar preferred)
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes (1 small can)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican preferred)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 qt chicken stock (or beef stock, sodium free/unsalted preferred)
To make the ramen
- 4 portions ramen noodles
- 4 large eggs (optional)
- 1/2 red onion (sliced)
- cabbage (shredded)
- lime wedges
- jalapeños (sliced)
- fresh cilantro (chopped)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then remove from heat. Soak your dried guajillo peppers for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cube your beef and season all sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Add chipotles in adobo, vinegar, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, and cumin to the blender. When the peppers are done soaking, hold them by the tip over the sink and use scissors to cut the stem off and allow the seeds to fall out, then add to blender. Blend the marinade into a smooth paste. Marinate the meats for a minimum of two hours or up to overnight.
Set your Instant Pot on saute high or use a skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 tbsp oil, then saute the onions until golden and translucent (6-8 minutes).
Add the meats, marinade, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves to the pot. Cover with chicken broth, then set to high pressure for 45 minutes. If using a slow cooker or stovetop, set to low heat for 4-6 hours. When the instant pot is finished, allow a natural release, then remove the meat. Shred, set aside, and discard the bones (if any). Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Keep the consomé on warm and cook your noodles in rapidly boiling water, according to the package. Drain well.
Ladle 2 cups of piping hot broth into deep bowls. Add the noodles and top with birria meat, shredded cabbage, onions, chopped cilantro, jalapeños, and birria ramen egg if desired.
Good ramen requires fat to cling flavor to the noodles. To get the required amount of fat, if you choose to use mainly chuck, you'll probably want to throw a small bit of a fattier cut into the mix as well.
If desired, chill the stock overnight and remove the fat (it will solidify) so you can add the fat back in according to how much oil you want in the soup (at least 1 tbsp per bowl).
You'll probably end up with extra meat. If you'd like to make some birria tacos as a side dish or garnish, see our birria taco recipe for instructions.
If you would like to make the optional birria ramen eggs: boil the eggs for 6 minutes and 40 seconds over medium high heat. Immediately immerse in ice cold water and let chill until you can peel them. Place the peeled eggs in the birria stock to marinate.
Since noodles vary wildly in nutrition based on if they are deep fried (as in instant noodles) or fresh, estimated nutrition does not include noodles.
I Am... 10 Taco Recipes for You If You Love Birria Tacos
Um, why are tacos the BEST THING EVER. I am here for it. Give me all the tacos, all the time. I think if I could live in a world with only Taco Tuesdays, I would...Here are 10 recipes for your Taco Tuesday feasts. Because we all know that we need an excuse to party on Tuesday!
Classic Taco Recipes
Birria Tacos
These birria tacos are so hot right now and it’s not hard to understand why: they’re crispy, gloriously meat and juicy, and they come with a dipping sauce. Birria forever! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="31388"]Al Pastor Quesatacos
Everyone’s favorite: al pastor! Those twirling mesmerizing spits of layered pork topped off with a whole pineapple make me heart eye emoji. If you don’t have a taco truck right outside your place, make these! Smoky sweet al pastor pork, melty cheese, and sweet grilled pineapples are a perfect Taco Tuesday for sure. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32722"]Stovetop Carnitas
You don’t need lard to make carnitas! Use pork belly and pork shoulder together so the pork belly fat renders out and it becomes self-saucing. Super easy, barely an inconvenience! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="31445"]Slow Cooker 3 Ingredient Carnitas
Of course, if you happen to have some pork fat hanging around, you can go the classic route and use just three ingredients to make this classic carnitas: you won’t believe how flavorful it is. Perfect for tacos! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32727"]Barbacoa Tacos
Barbacoa is a Mexican beef dish that’s slow cooked til juicy, soft and tender, then coated in a savory red chile sauce that has just a tiny hint of spice and a huge hit of flavor. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="33286"]Chicken Tinga
Tinga is a Mexican dish made with chicken, called tinga de pollo in Spanish. It’s made with shredded chicken and onions simmered in a tomato and chipotle in adobo sauce. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="34129"]Less Famous Taco Recipes
Carne Adovada
If you know adovada, then you know why you shouldn’t sleep on this oven baked adovada recipe. Dark, smoky, soft, and succulent. Usually adovada is served in enchiladas and burritos, as a main with rice and tortillas on the side, but something magic happens when you assemble them as taco with all the toppings.[wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32736"]Vietnamese Fish Tacos with Carrots and Daikon
These tacos are Vietnamese chả cá thăng long/turmeric fish with dill wrapped up in a tortilla hug. If you love fish tacos you’ll love these! Loads of fresh mint and dill with juicy tomatoes and quick pickled carrots and daikon. Seriously delicious.[wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32743"]Let’s not forget some sides:
Hatch Salsa Verde
Is it even Taco Tuesday without salsa? I say no. This salsa verde is literally the best thing ever because it’s made with Hatch chiles. Smoky, just the right amount of spice, and so addictive. It only has 4 ingredients, so no excuses. Unless you can’t find Hatch chiles. In that case you can use a mix of Anaheim’s and green Thai chili :) [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32764"]Mexican Rice
Is it weird to serve rice with tacos?! I don’t know and really, I love rice, even in my tacos so they become a sort of mini burrito situation but without the rolling, so I’m going to include this rice recipe here just so you to can experience the joy of a street-size taco with rice! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="29108"]Pineapple Guacamole
The photos from this guacamole are SO old but we still make pineapple guacamole on the regular. I know there’s a whole internet debate on whether or not pineapples belong on pizza, and I’m here to say, pineapples definitely belong in guacamole! [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32753"]Freshly Fried Tortilla Chips
I know, I know, it’s super easy to go buy a bag of tortilla chips at the store. But trust me, warm tortilla chips fresh out of the fryer are GLORIOUS. Please do it. [wprm-recipe-roundup-item id="32748"] Happy Taco Tuesday! xoxo steph PS - If you have someone doing keto in your house, don’t let them miss out on Taco Tuesday! Make them these keto-friendly carnitas tacos with egg tortilla shells and they will love you forever :) Read More →
I Am... Ricotta Toast
Move over avocado toast, ricotta toast is here to stay. It’s creamy, full of protein, and the best base for customizing. Ricotta toast is the perfect way to start your day, as a light lunch, or snack. I love that you can put anything onto it and I love how luxurious yet light it is. I’m a huge fan of toast and ricotta toast, especially whipped ricotta toast is my absolute favorite.
What is ricotta toast?
It’s as simple as the name: it’s ricotta on toast. I’m not too sure where it came from, it’s just about as simple as butter on toast, but so much more luxurious and better. If it’s your first time having ricotta toast, I recommend a really good slice of bread, toasted until it’s golden with a couple of deeply caramelized spots, topped off with creamy whipped ricotta, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper. The mild creaminess of the whipped ricotta just about melts into the toast and is deliciously light yet luxurious against the crunch of toast. The beauty of ricotta toast is that you can top it with anything, sweet or savory.What is the best bread for toast?
I love all bread but for ricotta toast I recommend a hearty loaf like sourdough. You want something with structure and crunch. There are so many amazing sourdough bakeries out there right now and if you have the time and inclination, you can even make your own - it’s magic! Good sourdough isn’t sour, it’s perfectly balanced, complex, and the best base for topping. If you don’t have access to really good sourdough and don’t want to make your own, try whipped ricotta toast on slices of a crusty country loaf, a hearty whole wheat bread, or even bagels. Whipped ricotta also tastes amazing on pancakes or waffles.What is ricotta?
Ricotta is an cheese, originally made in Italy but now available worldwide. It’s a soft, creamy cheese with small curds that are mild and slightly sweet. It’s fluffy, fresh, and creamy. You’ll find it in tubs in the refrigerated section and it tastes amazing with pasta, as a base for dips, on pizza, and in desserts.How to make whipped ricotta
To make whipped ricotta, start with whole milk ricotta and add it to a food processor (we have this one and it's lasted us years). Blend until the ricotta is creamy, fluffy, and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. You can season it with salt and pepper right away but I like to leave it plain so I have the option of using it as a base for both sweet and savory toasts. Whipped ricotta will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.Ricotta toast variations
1. Classic ricotta toast
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic (if desired) and finish with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.2. Honey and thyme ricotta toast
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then drizzle with a generous amount of honey and finish with fresh thyme. Pro tip, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt takes this over the top!3. Avocado ricotta toast
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, top with slices of avocado, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, flaky salt, pepper, and herbs, if desired.4. Crispy pesto egg
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough. Heat up 2 tablespoons of pesto in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add a cracked egg to the pesto and cook the egg to your desired doneness. Scoop the fried egg and pesto over the ricotta toast. Read more about pesto egg here.5. Tomatoes and basil
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then top with sliced or quartered tomatoes, basil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (and balsamic if desired), flaky salt and black pepper.6. Jam and whipped ricotta
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then top with your favorite jam.7. Prosciutto and peaches
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then arrange thin slices of prosciutto and juicy peaches on top. Finish with extra virgin olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper.8. Cacio e pepe and ricotta
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then top with a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.9. Carbonara ricotta
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then top with crispy pancetta (or bacon), a poached egg, and a generous amount for freshly grated parmesan.10. Berries and ricotta
Spread a generous amount of whipped ricotta on toasted sourdough, then top with fresh berries, a drizzle of honey, and some fresh mint or thyme.What to serve with ricotta toast
- The best bacon ever, twisted bacon
- Crispy fried eggs for an extra boost of protein
- Super addictive hot Chinese chili oil
- Garlicky pan seared mushrooms
Ricotta Toast
Move over avocado toast, ricotta toast is here to stay.
- Toaster
- 1 cup ricotta (full fat preferred)
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- toppings (optional as desired, see post)
Place the ricotta in a food processor and process until very smooth, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the bowl.
Toast your slices of sourdough until golden and let cool slightly before topping with a generous amount of whipped ricotta.
From there, add toppings as you see fit and enjoy!
Estimated nutrition does not include toppings.
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