Sauce Recipes and Spreads - Cookie and Kate https://cookieandkate.com/category/food-recipes/condiments-dips-sauces/ Whole Foods and Vegetarian Recipe Blog Thu, 03 Oct 2024 19:43:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://cookieandkate.com/images/2024/10/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Sauce Recipes and Spreads - Cookie and Kate https://cookieandkate.com/category/food-recipes/condiments-dips-sauces/ 32 32 Pickled Jalapeños https://cookieandkate.com/pickled-jalapenos/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/pickled-jalapenos/#comments Tue, 10 Sep 2024 19:08:30 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=43178 I consider myself a pickle connoisseur, and I dare say that these pickled jalapeños are the best. These pickled jalapeños are fresh and lightly crisp, with the perfect level of heat. They’re so much better than their store-bought counterparts, which have been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long. To make this recipe,…

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pickled jalapenos with taco ingredients

I consider myself a pickle connoisseur, and I dare say that these pickled jalapeños are the best. These pickled jalapeños are fresh and lightly crisp, with the perfect level of heat. They’re so much better than their store-bought counterparts, which have been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long.

To make this recipe, you’ll need fresh jalapeños, vinegar, water, an optional garlic clove, and salt. That’s it—the rest of the magic is due to the method.

how to prepare jalapenos

These pickles will taste fully pickled after a four-hour rest in the refrigerator, so make them earlier in the day or the night before you need them. They retain their lovely flavor for about one month in the refrigerator.

These pickled jalapeños offer the perfect spicy pop to my meals! I hope you love them as much as I do.

sliced jalapenos

How to Make the Best Pickled Jalapeños

This recipe required a research deep dive on jalapeño spice levels and five attempts to get just right. These pickled jalapeños, like my famous dill pickles, are refrigerator pickles. They benefit from room temperature—not hot—brine and a rest in the refrigerator. Thanks to the cool temperature, they better retain their crisp texture, vibrant green color, and fresh flavor. 

Like my other pickle recipes, the brine is made from equal parts vinegar and water. It always tastes just right—bold and puckery but not overwhelmingly pungent. I love the refrigerator pickling method because it spares my kitchen from the stink of hot vinegar!

I wanted to make pickled jalapeños that were spicy but not overwhelmingly so, like store-bought pickled jalapeños. Most other homemade pickled jalapeño pepper recipes, including my original recipe for pickled peppers, call for sweetener to tame the heat.

Store-bought jalapeño pickles are typically unsweetened, however, and I thought surely I could find a way to avoid it. You’ll find all my heat-taming tricks in the section below, and the recipe at the bottom of the post.

Watch How to Make Pickled Jalapeños

pickled jalapenos recipe

Pepper Selection Tips

The ideal jalapeños offer plenty of bold pepper flavor without being so hot that you cry actual tears. Choosing peppers that meet this criteria is not an exact science, but I’ve found some guidelines that will help steer you toward the right peppers for this recipe.

Choose larger jalapenos.

Capsaicin is the compound in chili peppers that yields their signature burning sensation. Capsaicin is the most concentrated in the seeds and membranes of the peppers. Larger peppers have relatively more flesh, so they’re a better bet.

Choose smooth, shiny green jalapenos.

In other words, avoid peppers with white stripes, which could indicate that the pepper is older and encountered more environmental stressors that potentially increased its spice level. Peppers with reddish spots are wild cards—they were on the vine long enough that they are becoming mild in the red spots but may still be spicy elsewhere.

How to Mellow the Spice Level

Even when you choose your peppers carefully, they may taste hotter than you want your pickled jalapeños to be. The pickling process helps a bit and distributes the spice more evenly amongst the peppers that share a jar, but we can do even better.

Remove the seeds and membranes.

To maintain the signature pepper ring shape found in store-bought pickled jalapeños, use a grapefruit spoon or other small spoon to release the membranes where they attach to the inside of the pepper. Gently scoop or tap until the membranes and seeds fall out of the pepper. Then, slice your peppers into thin rounds. 

Soak the sliced jalapenos in cool water for 30 minutes.

This is optional, but I generally find it necessary. Sample a few tiny bites of your peppers first. If they’re much too spicy, soak the sliced jalapenos in a bowl filled with cool water. Soaking removes a bit of the pepper flavor but significantly reduces the heat level, so it’s worth it if it makes your jalapeños more palatable. In my tests, soaking was more effective than rinsing the peppers under running water and maintained more of their flavor.

pickled jalapenos

How to Serve Pickled Jalapeños

Pickled jalapeños offer a welcome punch of spicy pepper flavor to many meals. You can roughly chop them before serving to distribute the spice more evenly.

Try them on Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes like tacos, burritos, black bean bowls and fajita veggie bowls. Enjoy pickled jalapeños on egg-based dishes like Fresh Huevos Rancheros or any combination of scrambled or fried eggs and tortilla chips.

Sprinkle pickled jalapeños over pizzas, like this Barbecue Pineapple, Jalapeño and Feta Pizza or improvised tortilla pizzas.

Use these fresh pickled peppers in any salad recipe that calls for fresh jalapeños, like my Garden-Fresh Corn Salad. They would add a briny punch to my favorite guacamole.

More Homemade Jalapeño Condiments

Please let me know how your pickled jalapeños turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

pickled jalapenos in jar

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Pickled Jalapeños

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes (plus 4 hour chill time)
  • Yield: 1 pint
  • Diet: Vegan

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

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Learn how to make the best pickled jalapeños with this recipe! Enjoy pickled jalapeños that are fresh, crisp and spicy—but not too spicy. Recipe yields about 1 pint.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces fresh jalapeños (about 5 large or 1 ¾ cup sliced—choose larger jalapeños for less spicy pickles)
  • ½ cup distilled white vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

  1. First, prepare your peppers: You may want to wear gloves to protect your fingers from feeling burned. Slice off the stem ends of each jalapeño. For less spicy pickles, use a grapefruit spoon or small spoon to release the membranes where they attach to the inside of the pepper. Gently scoop or tap until the membranes and seeds fall out of the pepper, then discard those pieces. Slice the jalapeños into thin rounds with a mandoline or chef’s knife. 
  2. To test the spice level of your jalapeños, sample tiny bites from several peppers. If they’re much too spicy, place the sliced jalapenos into a bowl and fill it with cool water. Let the jalapenos soak for 30 minutes, then drain them well. (You could even sample again at this point and soak for another 30 minutes if they’re still terribly spicy.)
  3. Pour the vinegar, water, garlic (if using), and salt into a medium-sized glass jar. Stir to combine. Add the jalapenos to the jar, securely fasten the lid, and give the jar a gentle shake. It may seem like you don’t have enough liquid, but the jalapenos sink over time. 
  4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours for fully pickled peppers. If you think of it during that time, give the peppers another gentle shimmy to help distribute them into the liquid. Pickled jalapeños will keep for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. 

Notes

Quicker pickles: Warm the vinegar, water and salt in a small saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour it over the peppers, tuck in the smashed garlic (if using), and let the mixture come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. At that point, the peppers should taste pretty well pickled. Refrigerate for later.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Kalamata White Bean Dip https://cookieandkate.com/kalamata-white-bean-dip-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/kalamata-white-bean-dip-recipe/#comments Thu, 20 Jun 2024 19:17:11 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=42470 This Kalamata olive-flavored white bean dip is the recipe you didn’t know you needed. Sure, it’s not the most appetizing-looking appetizer out there, but it’s delicious and easy to make. It’s a nice alternative to hummus and a lovely way to savor Kalamata olive flavor without feeling overwhelmed by the saltiness. This recipe was inspired by…

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Kalamata white bean dip

This Kalamata olive-flavored white bean dip is the recipe you didn’t know you needed. Sure, it’s not the most appetizing-looking appetizer out there, but it’s delicious and easy to make. It’s a nice alternative to hummus and a lovely way to savor Kalamata olive flavor without feeling overwhelmed by the saltiness.

This recipe was inspired by an appetizer we ordered at Lidia’s, a local Kansas City restaurant owned by renowned chef Lidia Bastianich. Some white bean dips are downright unappetizing—they can be gloppy, too salty, or flavorless—but not this one. The Kalamata olives lend welcome richness in both texture and flavor.

Kalamata white bean dip ingredients

To make this recipe, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients—white beans (I used Cannellini, but Great Northern would also work), pitted Kalamata olives (plus a splash of brine), olive oil, salt and pepper, and an optional sprinkle of fresh basil. You’ll find serving suggestions and the full recipe below.

This white bean dip is a great impromptu recipe to whip together when guests are on their way. I’m always scrambling before guests arrive, so I like to have a repertoire of easy recipes that I can pull together in no time. This one is a winner! I hope you’ll bookmark it to make soon.

Kalamata white bean dip in food processor

How to Serve Kalamata White Bean Dip

Make a platter with whatever you have on hand—try crostini or a loaf of crusty bread, pita chips or toasted pita wedges, or crudités like carrots, cucumber and bell pepper.

For a full spread, treat it like a cheese plateadd cheese, nuts and fresh fruit. Add another dip, if you’d like. Here are more Mediterranean-style dips that would be lovely accompaniments:

You could also serve it with a fresh salad, like my Mediterranean Bean SaladEasy Tomato Salad or Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing.

Watch How to Make White Bean Dip

Kalamata white bean dip recipe

Please let me know how your dip turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

white bean dip blended with Kalamata olives

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Kalamata White Bean Dip

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 3/4 cups
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 13 reviews

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Whip up this white bean dip with Kalamata olives! It easy to make with pantry ingredients and tastes delicious. The sprinkle of fresh basil is optional. Recipe yields about 1 ¾ cups of dip.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans
  • 1 tablespoon Kalamata olive brine
  • ⅔ cup pitted Kalamata olives, well-drained
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • Tiny pinch of fine salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper 
  • Optional garnish: A couple of fresh basil leaves, very thinly sliced
  • For serving: Crostini, pita chips, crusty bread, or crudités like carrots, cucumber and bell pepper, for serving

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth. 
  2. Taste and add another pinch of salt if the flavor needs a boost. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of basil, if using. 
  3. Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Notes

Recipe inspired by Lidia’s, a restaurant in Kansas City owned by Lidia Bastianich.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Cashew Butter https://cookieandkate.com/cashew-butter-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/cashew-butter-recipe/#comments Thu, 13 Jun 2024 20:40:30 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=42446 Have you experienced cashew butter? It is sublime and somehow much more delicious than a handful of toasted cashews. A spoonful of homemade cashew butter tastes like a treat. It’s nearly as enticing as cookie dough, as far as I’m concerned—sometimes, I add a few chocolate chips to achieve the full cookie dough effect. This…

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cashew butter on toast

Have you experienced cashew butter? It is sublime and somehow much more delicious than a handful of toasted cashews. A spoonful of homemade cashew butter tastes like a treat. It’s nearly as enticing as cookie dough, as far as I’m concerned—sometimes, I add a few chocolate chips to achieve the full cookie dough effect.

This homemade cashew butter recipe is easy to make in a food processor. The trick is to lightly toast your cashews before blending for the best flavor and texture. Even then, cashew butter has a more neutral flavor than most other nut butter. It’s quite versatile.

cashews before roasting

Homemade cashew butter contains no additives like sunflower oil; it’s made simply with cashews and a dash of salt to enhance the flavor. Since it is so fresh, it offers better flavor than store-bought options.

Store-bought cashew butter can be quite expensive—I often balk at the nearly twenty-dollar jars at Whole Foods. Making it at home can cost half as much. We could get into a philosophical debate about time versus money, or make cashew butter in the same length of time. Let’s make some already.

cashews in food processor

Cashew Butter Tips

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here are some notes and tips before you get started.

Toast your nuts before blending. Warm nuts blend more readily than room-temperature nuts. When I tried making cashew butter with plain raw cashews in my Vitamix, I had trouble blending them and resorted to adding olive oil to make it work. Furthermore, cashew butter made with freshly toasted nuts tastes extra special.

You’re in charge of how “toasty” your cashew butter tastes. My recipe suggests baking them for 10 minutes, which brings out the cashews’ best flavor without tasting overtly roasted. If you would like a greater depth of flavor, you could leave your nuts in for a few extra minutes. Stir them at the 10-minute mark, then keep a close eye one them to ensure that the nuts around the edges don’t burn.

Use a food processor rather than a blender. I love my fancy Vitamix, but I’m on Team Food Processor for nut butter (here’s mine). The food processor takes a few minutes longer but doesn’t require my involvement.

Watch How to Make Cashew Butter

blended cashew butter

How to Serve Cashew Butter

I love a spoonful of cashew butter from time to time. Here are some more ways to enjoy it:

  • Spread cashew butter over toast and add berries (fresh berries, defrosted frozen, or chia berry jam). You could make a lovely appetizer with crostini, plus fresh raspberries and a light drizzle of honey.
  • Add a dab to quick breads, like banana bread or muffins.
  • Try cashew butter on pancakes. Possibly better than maple syrup.
  • For extra protein, blend cashew butter into smoothies, overnight oats, oatmeal, or yogurt.
  • For a treat, spread it across a graham cracker and add a few chocolate chips!

More Nut Butters to Try

Please let me know how your cashew butter turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.

cashew butter recipe

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Cashew Butter

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes (including 10 minute cooling time)
  • Yield: 1 3/4 cups
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

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Make creamy cashew butter at home! It’s easy in your food processor and much more affordable than store-bought. Recipe yields 1 ¾ cups.

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces (just over 3 cups) unroasted shelled cashews
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the cashews across a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake them for 10 minutes, stirring halfway.
  2. Let the cashews cool until they’re just warm (not hot), about 10 minutes.
  3. Transfer the cashews to a food processor. Add the salt. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. You’ll think it’ll never blend, but be patient! The cashews will go from flour-like clumps to a ball against the side of the food processor, and finally, the mixture will turn lusciously creamy. If the mixture gets hot along the way or your machine seems tired, stop and let it cool for a few minutes.
  4. Let the cashew butter cool to room temperature, then transfer the mixture to a mason jar and screw on the lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Notes

Change it up: You can create a mixed nut butter by substituting raw almonds, walnuts or pecans for some of the cashews. Toast them all together on the pan.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Green Goddess Tahini Dip https://cookieandkate.com/green-goddess-tahini-dip-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/green-goddess-tahini-dip-recipe/#comments Thu, 18 Jan 2024 20:24:50 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=41779 Bored by your dinner plans? This green goddess tahini will liven up any basic meal! I’m always so happy to have it in the refrigerator to serve as an appetizer or snack. A dollop or two brings together random leftovers and simple meals made with veggies, greens, whole grains or beans. You can also spread…

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green goddess tahini dip recipe

Bored by your dinner plans? This green goddess tahini will liven up any basic meal! I’m always so happy to have it in the refrigerator to serve as an appetizer or snack.

A dollop or two brings together random leftovers and simple meals made with veggies, greens, whole grains or beans. You can also spread it onto your sandwiches or wraps. Green goddess tahini is here to save the day. You’ll find many more serving suggestions below.

green goddess tahini sauce ingredients

This recipe was inspired by a similar dip that I grabbed at Whole Foods before hosting girls’ night (Falafel King brand). A couple of my friends follow dairy-free diets, so I’m always looking for fun options that satisfy our requirements. As the night went on, we all fell in love with this vegan dip—it’s creamy, rich yet fresh, and satisfying. It’s irresistible.

So, I combined my Best Tahini Sauce (truly the best) with the herbs from my Easy Green Goddess Dressing, and here you have it. You can make this recipe with any combination of cilantro, parsley, basil, dill and/or mint. Add a small handful of fresh tarragon if you can find it for that characteristic green goddess flavor. This dip (or sauce) is lovely in any season. I hope you fall in love with it!

how to make green goddess tahini sauce

How to Make Green Goddess Tahini

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s how it works and why. You’ll want to fill a bowl with ice and water while you wait on step one.

  1. Soak freshly minced garlic and lemon juice for 10 minutes. This step infuses the lemon juice with fresh garlicky flavor, and it’s worth the wait. Otherwise, we’d blend garlic directly into the sauce, but I find that the garlic continues to become more intense as time goes on and eventually tastes harsh. Always use fresh garlic, not pre-minced garlic from a jar.
  2. Strain the garlic out of the lemon juice. This is easy to do with a flexible spatula and a fine sieve.
  3. Combine the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Add the infused lemon juice, tahini, herbs, salt and a little pinch of cumin. For these photos, we used 1/2 cup parsley, 1/4 cup cilantro and 1/4 cup basil for our fresh herbs.
  4. Blend until the mixture is a smooth green and the herbs have broken into tiny flecks.
  5. Add ice-cold water, two tablespoons at a time, while running the food processor. You’ll notice that at first the sauce thickens, but then loosens into a beautifully creamy sauce. Cold water is key when making anything with tahini; it helps yield a pale white (vs. yellow), extra creamy sauce.

Watch How to Make Green Goddess Tahini Sauce

green goddess tahini sauce in food processor

Green Goddess Tahini Serving Suggestions

This recipe can serve as a dip or sauce. Offer it as a creamy vegan appetizer, like you would hummus. In fact, it would be a great addition to a full spread with Mediterranean dips like hummus, baba ganoush, and feta dip.

Spread it onto a fresh sandwich or wrap, like this Green Goddess Hummus Sandwich. Or use it to bring together a healthy bowl with veggies, beans and whole grains, like this Farmers’ Market Bowl with Green Goddess Sauce.

Here’s a short list of components that go well with green goddess tahini:

green goddess tahini dip

More Fresh Dips & Sauces

These herbed dips will brighten any meal! I have many more dips, dressing and sauce recipes here.

Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you, and I’m eager to hear how you serve this dip.

green goddess tahini on pita

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Green Goddess Tahini Dip

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup
  • Diet: Vegan

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews

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Serve this green goddess tahini as a dip or drizzle it as a sauce! This delightful vegan dip is a great appetizer with crudités, crackers or pita wedges. Green goddess tahini livens up basic vegetables and makes any meal more exciting. Recipe yields a generous 1 cup.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium-to-large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup tahini
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh herbs (tender stems are fine): use cilantro, parsley, basil, dill and/or mint
  • Optional: Up to 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • Pinch of ground cumin
  • 5 to 6 tablespoons ice-cold water

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic and lemon juice. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes, to give the garlic time to infuse the lemon juice with flavor.
  2. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl of a food processor. Press the garlic solids with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the garlic.
  3. Add the tahini, herbs, salt and cumin to the food processor. Blend until the herbs are tiny green flecks, scraping down the sides and bottom of the food processor as necessary. 
  4. While running the food processor, drizzle in water 2 tablespoons at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the food processor as necessary. After about 5 to 6 tablespoons, you should have a lovely, creamy green sauce. It will thicken further as it cools.
  5. If desired, thin with additional water for a more drizzly sauce, at which point, you may want to adjust as necessary. (If you’d like more tang, add more lemon, or for more overall flavor, add another pinch of salt.) Your tahini sauce is ready to serve! Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. The tahini may thicken with time; whisk in additional cold water to thin as necessary.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my Best Tahini Sauce and Easy Green Goddess Salad Dressing

Serving suggestions: Serve with raw or roasted vegetables, like carrots, bell peppers, celery, cucumber, broccoli or tomato. Try it with toasted pita wedges, pita chips, whole grain crackers, or crostini. These are only a few uses, go wild with it!

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Pistachio Butter https://cookieandkate.com/pistachio-butter-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/pistachio-butter-recipe/#comments Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:22:38 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=41631 Have you ever tasted pistachio butter? This homemade pistachio butter is made with freshly toasted pistachios and tastes like a dream! It’s creamy with amazing pistachio flavor. I first tasted pistachio butter when we visited an Ottolenghi restaurant in London last year. I was so excited and wanted to try everything, so I brought a…

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pistachio butter recipe

Have you ever tasted pistachio butter? This homemade pistachio butter is made with freshly toasted pistachios and tastes like a dream! It’s creamy with amazing pistachio flavor.

I first tasted pistachio butter when we visited an Ottolenghi restaurant in London last year. I was so excited and wanted to try everything, so I brought a collection of shelf-stable treats back home with us. They had tiny jars of sweetened, spiced pistachio butter—I don’t know what they called it, exactly—but it piqued my interest.

toasted pistachios in food processor

This pistachio butter tastes like an absolute treat even without any sweetener. It makes morning toast taste extra special. Imagine your next batch of pancakes with a drizzle of pistachio butter on top!

In fact, this pistachio butter is so special and unique that it’s a great homemade holiday gift for a host, teacher, or friend. Tie a pretty ribbon around a small jar to brighten its humble green appearance.

Below, you’ll find the recipe and an instructional video so you can watch how it comes together. I hope you’ll give pistachio butter a try!

how to make pistachio butter

Pistachio Butter Tips

Buy raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios.

Raw pistachios are simply superior to pre-toasted nuts in quality and flavor, and we will toast them ourselves to ease the blending process. Unsalted pistachios are key because nuts are often over-salted. Pre-shelled pistachios will save you tons of time! I can’t imagine cracking enough pistachios to make a whole batch of pistachio butter.

I used Aurora brand of pistachios from Whole Foods, and I thought the results were delicious and lovely. If you’d like to explore pistachio options, Love and Olive Oil has a thorough rundown on pistachios that yield the greenest pistachio butter with the smoothest texture. I’d say that if your raw pistachios taste nice, they will yield a great-tasting pistachio butter, so don’t stress over it.

Toast the nuts just before blending.

You’ll find instructions in the recipe. Freshly-toasted nuts taste incredible and lend more flavor to the end result. Perhaps more importantly, warm nuts blend more easily than cold nuts.

Use your food processor, not a blender.

I’m on team Food Processor for nut butters. Nut butters are so thick that blenders, even great ones like my Vitamix, require a lot of manual help to get going. It’s easier to throw the nuts in my food processor and let the processor work it out.

Know when to take a break.

Blending nut butter is hard work! If your food processor feels too warm or sounds like it’s struggling during the blending process, stop and let the machine cool down for five minutes or so before proceeding.

Change it up.

I think this pistachio butter is absolute perfection made with freshly-toasted pistachios and a pinch of salt. You can, however, add ground cinnamon and/or maple syrup at the end of blending, to taste.

For crunchy pistachio butter, reserve about 1/2 cup of the toasted pistachios, then blend the rest as directed. Add the reserved pistachios at the end, and process until you reach your desired consistency.

Watch How to Make Pistachio Butter

pistachio butter in jar

Pistachio Butter Serving Suggestions

Serve pistachio butter on toast or pancakes with fresh berries, chia seed jam, or thinly sliced apple or pear. This pistachio butter is so special that you can easily incorporate it into bite-sized appetizers, like crostini topped with pistachio butter and jam or small berries.

You could also take any green salad that contains pistachios to gourmet restaurant style by adding a swoosh of pistachio butter under the greens. Try it with my Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Pistachios.

Since this pistachio butter has a nice toasted undertone, it could also go in a savory direction. Please get creative with it and let me know how you like it!

More Nut Butters to Make

You have to try my pecan butter—it’s especially wonderful around the holidays. You’ll also enjoy my toasted coconut butter with optional macadamia nuts, and of course, homemade almond butter.

pistachio butter on toast

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Pistachio Butter

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes (plus 10 minutes cooling time)
  • Yield: 9 to 16 ounces
  • Diet: Vegan

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

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This homemade pistachio butter is made with freshly toasted pistachios and tastes like a dream! Make this creamy pistachio butter for your morning toast, or give it as a gift. For context, use 16 ounces (1 pound) pistachios to yield enough nut butter to fill a standard 16-ounce nut butter jar (about 2 cups).

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 ½ cups (9 to 16 ounces) raw shelled pistachios 
  • Pinch or more of salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the pistachios across a rimmed baking sheet and toast them until nicely fragrant, about 7 to 9 minutes, stirring halfway.
  2. Let the pistachios cool until they’re just warm (not hot), about 10 minutes.
  3. Transfer the pistachios to a food processor. Add a pinch of salt.
  4. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. The pistachios will go from flour-like clumps, to a ball against the side of the food processor, and finally, the mixture will turn creamy and glossy. If the mixture gets hot along the way or your machine seems tired, stop and let it cool for a few minutes before proceeding.
  5. Taste, and blend in another pinch of salt if desired. Let the pistachio butter cool to room temperature, then transfer the mixture to a mason jar and screw on the lid. This nut butter keeps well at room temperature for 1 week or store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Notes

Change it up: Add ground cinnamon (for spice) and/or maple syrup (for sweetness) at the end of blending, to taste.

Make it crunchy: Reserve about ½ cup of the toasted pistachios, then blend the rest as directed. Add the reserved pistachios at the end, and process until you reach your desired consistency.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Chipotle Salsa https://cookieandkate.com/chipotle-salsa-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/chipotle-salsa-recipe/#comments Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:36:22 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=41311 Brighten your day with this chipotle salsa recipe! Make it for an afternoon snack with tortilla chips, or serve it alongside your favorite Mexican recipes. This chipotle salsa is a little smoky, somewhat spicy (or downright spicy, if you wish), and totally irresistible. This salsa is based on my go-to red salsa recipe, with the…

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chipotle salsa recipe

Brighten your day with this chipotle salsa recipe! Make it for an afternoon snack with tortilla chips, or serve it alongside your favorite Mexican recipes. This chipotle salsa is a little smoky, somewhat spicy (or downright spicy, if you wish), and totally irresistible.

This salsa is based on my go-to red salsa recipe, with the addition of smoky chipotle peppers. Chipotle peppers are vine-ripened jalapeños that are smoked and dried, so they offer great depth of flavor. For this recipe, we’ll use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, so they’re ready to blend into the salsa.

chipotle salsa ingredients

This chipotle salsa requires only seven basic ingredients, and the end result tastes so fresh. You’ll need canned tomatoes, onion and garlic, fresh cilantro, jalapeño and chipotle peppers, and fresh lime.

This chipotle salsa is easy to make and comes together in about 10 minutes. Keep reading for a few more tips and the full recipe. I hope you love this one as much as I do.

how to make chipotle salsa

Chipotle Salsa Tips

To save some time, just roughly chop the garlic and onion. We’ll use the food processor to chop them more finely. I love shortcuts that work!

Fire-roasted tomatoes offer greater depth of flavor than regular canned tomatoes, but not all brands taste good. Muir Glen’s fire-roasted tomatoes never disappoint. We’ll drain off a portion of the tomato juices before adding the tomatoes to the food processor, which prevents the salsa from being too watery.

You’ll find canned or jarred chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores. To store leftover peppers, transfer the peppers and some of the adobo sauce to a small freezer bag. Squeeze out the air, seal it fully, and flatten the peppers in the bag. Place the bag flat in the freezer and store for up to 6 months. Whenever you need chipotle peppers, simply tear off what you need.

This salsa is inherently a little spicy, and you can make it extra spicy if you’d like. You could omit the jalapeño altogether to make it closer to mild. Since each pepper varies in its spicy level, start with the lower recommended amount of fresh jalapeño and chipotle pepper, then taste and add more chipotle if desired.

Watch How to Make Chipotle Salsa

chipotle salsa in bowl

What to Serve with Chipotle Salsa

Chipotle salsa with tortilla chips will be a welcome snack with any Mexican-inspired recipe, like my Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas or Easy Black Bean Tacos.

For a full spread of appetizers, serve chipotle salsa with Guacamole, Queso, Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad) or Elote (Mexican Street Corn) if you’re firing up the grill.

More Homemade Salsa Recipes to Try

Here are a few of my top salsa recipes. Find even more salsas here.

Please let me know how your salsa turns out in the comments! I’m always eager to hear from you.

chipotle salsa with tortilla chips

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Chipotle Salsa

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

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This chipotle salsa recipe is fresh and delicious, with extra depth from smoky chipotle peppers. It’s easy to make with mostly pantry ingredients! Recipe yields 2 cups; double the recipe for a big crowd.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (15 ounces) diced fire-roasted tomatoes*
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup roughly chopped white onion (about ½ small onion)
  • ¼ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ medium jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, and roughly chopped
  • 1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, more if needed
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

  1. Drain off about half of the tomato juice from the can (about ⅓ cup) and discard it.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the garlic to chop it more finely. Add the tomatoes and all of the remaining juice from the can. Add the onion, cilantro, jalapeño, 1 chipotle pepper, lime juice, and salt.
  3. Process the mixture until it is mostly smooth and no big chunks of tomato or onion remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Taste, and add another chipotle pepper or 2 if you prefer spicier salsa. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt, if necessary.
  4. Serve the salsa immediately or store it for later. This salsa keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 10 days.

Notes

*Tomato notes: I like Muir Glen brand fire-roasted tomatoes for reliably great flavor. You can use regular diced tomatoes, but your salsa won’t have the same depth of flavor.

Can I can this salsa? This recipe has not been validated for canning safety. Please do not can this salsa. I recommend this recipe instead.

Leftover chipotle peppers? Transfer the peppers and some of the adobo sauce to a small freezer bag. Squeeze out the air, seal it fully, and flatten the peppers in the bag. Place the bag flat in the freezer. Whenever you need chipotle peppers, tear off what you need!

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Homemade Balsamic Glaze (Balsamic Reduction) https://cookieandkate.com/balsamic-glaze-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/balsamic-glaze-recipe/#comments Tue, 13 Jun 2023 19:59:20 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=40181 Did you know that you can turn basic balsamic vinegar into pure magic? Balsamic glaze is condensed balsamic vinegar that yields a beautiful dark, glossy drizzle with a bold, complex flavor. It’s also know as balsamic reduction… or as I like to say, balsamic magic. It has a dark, almost honey-like sweetness and complexity, with…

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balsamic glaze recipe

Did you know that you can turn basic balsamic vinegar into pure magic? Balsamic glaze is condensed balsamic vinegar that yields a beautiful dark, glossy drizzle with a bold, complex flavor. It’s also know as balsamic reduction… or as I like to say, balsamic magic.

It has a dark, almost honey-like sweetness and complexity, with a hint of residual tartness. By reducing the balsamic vinegar, you decrease the sourness and make the sugars even more pronounced. The flavor is difficult to describe because it is uniquely its own.

Balsamic glaze is marvelous drizzled over ripe summer produce, like perfect red tomatoes, peaches or melon. Add some olive oil, flaky salt, and basil for a beautiful summer salad. I also love it over greens, roasted vegetables and homemade pizzas. You’ll find even more uses below, but the possibilities are up to your own creativity.

regular balsamic vinegar

Now, if you’re already buying true aged balsamic vinegar that’s thick and syrupy, there’s no need to make balsamic glaze. It’s already there. My favorite affordable, thick balsamic vinegar is this one by Napa Valley Naturals (affiliate link/look for the bottle with “25 stars” on it).

If you have a bottle of basic runny balsamic vinegar—the kind that I grew up with—you can turn it into balsamic glaze in under 20 minutes. It keeps well in the pantry nearly indefinitely, so it’s a worthwhile little project. You’ll be glad to have it!

how to make balsamic glaze

How to Make Balsamic Glaze

Balsamic glaze is quite simple to make at home. You’ll find an instructional video, tips and recipe below, but basically, you’ll gently simmer runny balsamic vinegar until it has reduced by about half.

Watch How to Make Balsamic Glaze

homemade balsamic reduction

Balsamic Glaze Tips

  • Start with a decent runny balsamic vinegar. It needn’t cost a lot, but watch out for any strange additives in the ingredients list, like caramel coloring. I used Whole Foods 365 brand.
  • Use a small, heavy-bottomed pot. If your pot is too large, your vinegar can evaporate too quickly and scorch.
  • Run your exhaust fan. This recipe will make your kitchen smell like vinegar, and running your exhaust fan and cracking a window will help reduce the smell.
  • Reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. As the volume of liquid decreases, continue dialing down the heat.
  • Stir often and keep an eye on the stove. It’s very easy to get distracted while making this glaze. Keep an eye on it so the vinegar doesn’t bubble over the pot or scorch over high heat.

tomato bruschetta with balsamic drizzle

Uses for Balsamic Glaze

Balsamic glaze is versatile. Balsamic glaze is wonderful drizzled over roasted vegetables, pizzas and flatbreads, and appetizers like the Tomato Basil Bruschetta shown above.

It also makes a stellar salad dressing. Start with a light drizzle of balsamic glaze, followed by a drizzle of good olive oil, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. This setup is great on fresh greens, as shown on this Super Simple Arugula Salad, as well as tomato, peach or watermelon salads. Try adding a drizzle on this Caprese Salad!

More recipes featuring balsamic reduction on Cookie and Kate:

Please let me know how your balsamic reduction turns out in the comments. I’m eager to hear how you use it.

homemade balsamic reduction in jar

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Balsamic Glaze (Balsamic Reduction)

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 1 minute
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Total Time: 13 minutes
  • Yield: 1/2 cup
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews

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Make your own balsamic glaze, also known as balsamic reduction, with this simple recipe! It’s easy to make with regular balsamic vinegar. Use a minimum of 1 cup vinegar for this recipe—it will yield half as much balsamic glaze (if you start with 1 cup vinegar, this recipe will yield ½ cup balsamic glaze).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (or more) runny balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Bring the vinegar to a boil in a small, thick bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until the vinegar is reduced by half, about 10 to 15 minutes (or considerably longer if starting with more than 1 cup vinegar).  You will likely need to dial down the heat over time.
  3. Allow the reduction to cool. Drizzle as desired! Transfer leftover glaze to an air-tight jar and store in the pantry for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Easy Honey Butter https://cookieandkate.com/honey-butter-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/honey-butter-recipe/#comments Sat, 16 Apr 2022 20:06:41 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=39466 Do you have room for some honey butter on your holiday table? Let’s make some! Honey butter is creamy and utterly irresistible. It’s sweet and a little bit salty, which always sends me back for more. It looks dazzling on the table, and it makes everyone’s eyes light up. In fact, honey butter is so…

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easy honey butter recipe

Do you have room for some honey butter on your holiday table? Let’s make some! Honey butter is creamy and utterly irresistible. It’s sweet and a little bit salty, which always sends me back for more. It looks dazzling on the table, and it makes everyone’s eyes light up.

In fact, honey butter is so easy to make that you can whip it up for a special dinner any time of year. Start with softened butter and it’s ready in five minutes or less.

honey butter ingredients

This recipe tastes extra-special thanks to a little sprinkle of cinnamon. Finish it with a little drizzle of honey and a light sprinkle of salt for bonus points in flavor and visual appeal.

I’m telling you, if you’re looking for a last-minute holiday meal menu item, definitely bring honey butter. It’s not a cop-out contribution; it’s a revelation!

how to make honey butter

Honey Butter Tips

Honey butter is super simple to make. You’ll find the recipe below, but here are some quick tips before you get started.

Softened butter is key

Start with softened butter and your honey butter will be ready in 5 minutes! Softened butter is key to your honey butter’s success because hard butter won’t blend and melted butter won’t whip. Leave a stick of butter on the counter to warm up to room temperature for a half hour or longer.

How to soften butter in a hurry

If you need your cold butter softened now, take advantage of your microwave—place a stick of butter, still in its wrapper, on a plate. Microwave for 10 seconds, turn it over, microwave another 10 seconds. Repeat if necessary, turning each time, just until your thumb leaves an impression on the butter. Then it’s ready! (I wouldn’t suggest this method for a baked good, but honey butter is forgiving enough.)

If you have salted butter…

This recipe is designed for unsalted butter. If you have salted butter, no problem, just don’t whip additional salt into the butter. Finishing the honey butter with a light sprinkle of salt is still a good idea.

Watch How to Make Honey Butter

honey butter close-up

Honey Butter Serving Suggestions

Honey butter makes these treats taste extra special:

You can also serve sweet roasted vegetables with a dollop of honey butter, like acorn squash, carrots and sweet potatoes.

homemade honey butter

More Honey Butter-Flavored Goodness

If you love honey butter like I do (and who doesn’t, really?), try these recipes on Cookie and Kate:

honey butter recipe

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Honey Butter

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 3/4 cup
  • Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 19 reviews

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This honey butter is so easy to whip together! A final drizzle of honey and sprinkle of salt make it utterly irresistible. Recipe yields about ¾ cup—double it for a crowd.

Ingredients

  • One stick of unsalted butter (4 ounces or 8 tablespoons), softened
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine salt 
  • For garnish: Drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or kosher salt

Instructions

  1. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (or other small, shatter-proof mixing bowl with tall sides), combine the softened butter, honey, cinnamon and salt. 
  2. Using a hand mixer, whip the ingredients together until the butter is light and fluffy. 
  3. Transfer the mixture to a small serving bowl. Lightly drizzle honey on top, followed by a little sprinkle of flaky salt or kosher salt. 
  4. Serve promptly, or refrigerate for later (let the mixture come back to room temperature before serving). Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.

Notes

Change it up: The cinnamon is technically optional but quite nice. You might enjoy other warming spices, like pumpkin spice blend, a dash of nutmeg or even some freshly ground black pepper. Maple syrup will work in place of the honey.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Easy Green Enchilada Sauce https://cookieandkate.com/easy-green-enchilada-sauce/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/easy-green-enchilada-sauce/#comments Wed, 15 Dec 2021 21:44:09 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=39283 Fellow enchilada enthusiasts, I’m so pleased to introduce this green enchilada sauce. This recipe is inspired by the green chili sauces I’ve enjoyed on recent trips to New Mexico. While the real-deal sauces often feature elusive New Mexican chili peppers, this flavorful sauce is easy to make with basic grocery store ingredients. It’s a pretty…

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green enchilada sauce recipe

Fellow enchilada enthusiasts, I’m so pleased to introduce this green enchilada sauce. This recipe is inspired by the green chili sauces I’ve enjoyed on recent trips to New Mexico. While the real-deal sauces often feature elusive New Mexican chili peppers, this flavorful sauce is easy to make with basic grocery store ingredients. It’s a pretty ideal alternative.

Try this green enchilada sauce in place of red enchilada sauce the next time you make your favorite enchilada recipe.

green enchilada sauce ingredients

To make this recipe, I experimented with combinations of readily available chili peppers, tomatillos, broth, and flour with disappointing results. Finally, I found a great shortcut that yields the best flavor, thanks to a tip from Rick Bayless. This green enchilada sauce recipe takes advantage of store-bought salsa verde! And yet, the end result tastes much nicer than store-bought enchilada sauce.

This green enchilada sauce requires only three basic ingredients—salsa verde, sour cream and cilantro. I love how simple it is to make, especially since enchiladas are always a project. This recipe is gluten free, too, if that is a consideration for you. Let’s make some.

green enchilada sauce, before and after cooking

Green Enchilada Sauce Ingredients

You will need only three simple ingredients to make this lively green enchilada sauce. Here they are:

1) Salsa verde

Salsa verde, which is green salsa made from tomatillos, forms the backbone of this green enchilada sauce. Since salsa verde is bursting with flavor already, this sauce doesn’t need many additions.

You could make your own salsa verde for the freshest results, but since easy is the name of the game today, I suggest using store-bought. Choose a mild or medium option so your sauce doesn’t overpower the dish. For these photos, I used Whole Foods 365 brand of salsa verde, which is on the spicier side of medium.

2) Fresh cilantro

Adding a handful of cilantro to the blender ensures that your salsa mixture tastes fresh and vibrant. Since it’s all blended together, there’s no need to chop the cilantro before using.

3) Sour cream

After cooking down the salsa mixture, we’ll stir in some sour cream (or heavy cream or crème fraîche). The dairy rounds out the flavors and make this sauce lightly creamy. I love the subtle tanginess provided by sour cream or crème fraîche, but heavy cream works as well.

Of the three, sour cream requires one tiny extra step. Sour cream can curdle when it comes into contact with a hot mixture. To avoid curdling, simply temper the sour cream by stirring some of the warm salsa mixture into the sour cream. Then it’s ready to use.

If you are following a dairy-free or vegan diet, I believe you could use my vegan sour cream to make this recipe work for you.

Watch How to Make Easy Green Enchilada Sauce

how to make green enchilada sauce

Uses for Green Enchilada Sauce

It goes without saying that this green sauce is perfect for enchiladas. Since it is essentially warm, smooth, creamy salsa verde, it has other uses as well! I love to serve it as a warm salsa with tortilla chips or quesadillas. Drizzle it over your nachos, burritos, scrambled or fried eggs.

Green enchilada sauce goes particularly well with recipes featuring sweet potato or butternut squash, red bell pepper, spinach, black beans or cilantro. These enchilada recipes are perfect candidates for this green sauce:

green enchilada sauce in skillet

Please let me know how your enchilada sauce turns out in the comments! I really love hearing from you.

green sauce on enchiladas

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Easy Green Enchilada Sauce

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 8 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1/3 cups
  • Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 6 reviews

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This green enchilada sauce is so easy to make with three simple ingredients! It will take your enchiladas to the next level. Recipe yields about 2 ⅓ cups.

Ingredients

  • 24 ounces (3 cups) mild to medium salsa verde, either jarred or homemade
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves (some tender stems are ok)
  • ¼ cup sour cream, heavy cream or crème fraîche

Instructions

  1. In a blender, combine the salsa verde and cilantro. Blend until smooth. 
  2. Transfer the mixture to a large skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Continue simmering, stirring often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is reduced by about one-third.
  3. If you’re using sour cream, temper it by mixing about equal parts warm salsa with the sour cream, then stir it into the sauce. ( Or, if you’re using heavy cream or crème fraîche, you can stir it directly into the warm sauce). Use the enchilada sauce immediately, or let it cool to room temperature then refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless.

Make it dairy free/vegan: I haven’t tried to be sure, but I believe that my vegan sour cream would work well in place of conventional sour cream.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Homemade Ranch Dressing https://cookieandkate.com/ranch-dressing-recipe/?adt_ei=*|EMAIL|* https://cookieandkate.com/ranch-dressing-recipe/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2021 13:30:19 +0000 https://cookieandkate.com/?p=38962 I love ranch dressing. There, I said it. As a kid, I adored Hidden Valley, but as an adult, I only get excited about made-from-scratch, real-deal ranch dressing. This recipe is exactly that. Earlier this year, as I navigated my first trimester, I found myself craving my favorite comfort foods. Naturally, I made my own…

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ranch dressing recipe

I love ranch dressing. There, I said it. As a kid, I adored Hidden Valley, but as an adult, I only get excited about made-from-scratch, real-deal ranch dressing. This recipe is exactly that.

Earlier this year, as I navigated my first trimester, I found myself craving my favorite comfort foods. Naturally, I made my own ranch dressing and happily drizzled it over my salads, and my pizzas, and even my quesadillas (why not?).

ranch dressing ingredients

This ranch dressing recipe is the end result of my experimentation. It features fresh herbs, real buttermilk, and a creamy sour cream base. It tastes gourmet, and it’s certainly not too heavy. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Watch How to Make Ranch Dressing

how to make ranch dressing

Ranch Dressing Ingredients

This dressing is super fresh and made entirely from scratch. Here’s what you’ll need:

Sour Cream

Sour cream forms the base of this ranch dressing. It’s creamy, tangy and delicious.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk offers some additional tang and thins out the sour cream and mayonnaise to yield a drizzly texture. You’ll see that the recipe offers a range for the buttermilk, so you can make this dressing thicker or thinner as desired.

For the best flavor in dressings, I recommend using real buttermilk rather than DIY buttermilk substitute, which is better suited for baked goods. In a pinch, though, you can get by with milk instead. You’ll likely want to use the full amount of lemon juice to make up for the buttermilk’s sour flavor.

Mayonnaise

This ranch dressing needs just a little bit of mayonnaise to achieve the perfect rich and creamy texture.

Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs make this classic dressing taste gourmet! Dried spices just don’t compare. Use a combination of fresh parsley, cilantro or dill (ideally, use a combination of the two) and chives.

Garlic and Lemon Juice

One clove of garlic sends this dressing over the top. It’s just right. Add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice to ramp up the tang.

Salt and Pepper

Salt enhances the other flavors. Please be generous with the freshly ground black pepper. It’s another key element in classic ranch dressing flavor.

homemade ranch dressing recipe

More Homemade Salad Dressings to Try

Here are just a few more salad dressings on Cookie and Kate:

Please let me know how you like this ranch dressing in the comments! I love hearing from you.

ranch dressing on salad

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Homemade Ranch Dressing

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 53 reviews

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Make ranch dressing from scratch with this simple recipe! This creamy ranch dressing recipe calls for fresh herbs and tastes amazing. Recipe yields about 1 cup dressing.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ to ½ cup buttermilk, depending on your desired consistency
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or dill, or a combination of the two
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, ¼ cup buttermilk, mayonnaise, fresh herbs, garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt, and about 5 twists of black pepper. Whisk to combine. 
  2. Taste, and add up to ¼ cup more buttermilk if you desire a thinner, more drizzly consistency. Add up to 1 teaspoon more lemon juice if you would like more zing, and/or more pepper to kick it up a notch. 
  3. This dressing tastes great immediately and even better after a 10-minute rest. Use as desired, and store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for 5 to 7 days.

Notes

Change it up: Like spicy ranch? Add sriracha, to taste, or a finely chopped seeded jalapeño.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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