The post Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>If you enjoy watermelon, this is your new summer salad. This simple watermelon salad recipe features classic Mediterranean flavors like tangy crumbled feta and fresh mint. Roughly chopped pistachios, lightly pickled shallots and a drizzle of olive oil make it taste incredible.
The layering method might make this salad look fancy, but it’s easy to make and yields a stunning display. Grab your largest platter for this recipe so the ingredients can be evenly distributed and scooped without stirring. The composition of this salad helps avoid the watery watermelon, messy-looking feta situation that plagues many watermelon salads.
This watermelon salad was inspired by one we tasted in Tampa last summer. I loved the pistachios sprinkled on top. They offered the perfect crunch, and the green color contrasted beautifully with the bright red watermelon.
I’m still obsessed with the vinegar-soaked shallot that I used on this Watermelon Salad with Herbed Yogurt Sauce, and it worked just as well here. The shallots are lightly pickled, so they’re tangy but less pungent, and a drizzle of the leftover vinegar brightens up the whole salad.
Isn’t it lovely? This beautiful salad is sure to be a hit at your summer parties.
To make the best watermelon salad, start with a great watermelon. It’s a bummer to slice into a watermelon and find pale, flavorless fruit. I’m partial to the Sugar Baby heirloom variety that you see in these photos. Sugar Babies are almost solid, dark green on the outside, often nearly seedless, with a wonderfully sweet flavor.
When you choose a watermelon, look for one that is:
For this recipe, you’ll need half a small watermelon (3 pounds, or about 4 cups cubed). Our toddler loves watermelon, so she takes care of the leftovers for us.
If you don’t have a watermelon-obsessed tot in your household, here are some more ways to enjoy watermelon:
This refreshing watermelon salad could inspire a full summertime spread. Try serving it with other warm-weather favorites that won’t heat up the house, like Caprese sandwiches or grilled options like pizza or veggie burgers. For complementary flavors, look for recipes using fresh mint, basil or pesto. Here are a few of my top recommendations:
These refreshing salads make the best of summer produce like ripe berries, tomatoes and cucumber.
Please let me know how your watermelon salad turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
This classic watermelon salad recipe features crumbled feta and fresh mint. Lightly pickled shallots and chopped pistachios make it amazing! Recipe yields 6 to 8 side salads.
Prepare in advance: Since watermelon starts releasing moisture once it comes into contact with salt, your best bet is to arrange the cubed watermelon across a platter and store everything separately until it’s close to serving time. Or, at minimum, wait to sprinkle flaky salt on top until it’s time to serve.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta. You might like some roughly chopped, pitted Kalamatas in its place.
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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]]>The post Kalamata White Bean Dip appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>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.
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.
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 plate—add 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 Salad, Easy Tomato Salad or Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing.
Please let me know how your dip turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
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.
Recipe inspired by Lidia’s, a restaurant in Kansas City owned by Lidia Bastianich.
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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]]>The post Crispy Roasted Chickpeas appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>Want to roast chickpeas that are actually crispy? You’re in the right place. I’ve cracked the code, and I’m here to share it with you. These roasted chickpeas are a delightful snack rich in protein and fiber. They’re also great sprinkled over hummus and salads.
To be honest, I never loved roasted chickpeas until I learned how to make them this way. They were always just ok—warm and lightly crisp on the outside but unchanged on the inside. They didn’t feel worth the effort when chickpeas warmed on the stove are nice already.
These roasted chickpeas are legitimately so gloriously crisp that they are popcorn-level irresistible. In fact, they’re so crisp throughout that you should serve them with a drink to help wash them down.
The trick is in the method. I found some helpful clues in a New York Times recipe by Colu Henry and tweaked the method from there. It took ten tries to ensure we had landed on the very best technique, and I found several fun flavor variations along the way. Here we go!
You’ll find the full recipe below, but here are the factors that yield super crisp chickpeas.
While the chickpea flavor shines best in its basic form, you might have fun adding spices. Here are a few options that I enjoyed:
Try these roasted chickpeas as an unexpected topping to bulk up familiar salads, like Homemade Caesar Salad, Tabbouleh or Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing.
Crisp roasted chickpeas offer an interesting contrast over creamy hummus, as you see here. They’re a fun way to dress up store-bought hummus or try them atop my Green Goddess Hummus for an extra-special snack.
Try making a wrap with my Green Goddess Tahini Dip, fresh greens and pickled onions.
Please let me know how your roasted chickpeas turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
These roasted chickpeas are extra crispy! Learn the trick to perfectly crispy chickpeas in this simple recipe, plus flavor variations. Recipe yields 1 scant cup; double if desired (see the special instructions in the recipe notes).
To double the recipe: Use two baking sheets with one can of chickpeas on each. Bake them on the upper third and middle racks. Halfway through baking, shake the pans and swap their positions. You’ll likely need to bake them for the full 25 minutes and let them rest the full 15 minutes in the oven after that.
Optional seasonings: Try stirring in ¼ teaspoon curry powder, or ¼ teaspoon chili powder plus a tiny pinch of cayenne for extra heat, or ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice blend.
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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]]>The post Baked Goat Cheese appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>Friends coming over? Make this baked goat cheese! It’s warm, creamy, tangy but lightly sweetened with honey, and a touch savory.
This irresistible appetizer comes together quickly in a food processor with simple ingredients. We’ll whip the goat cheese with cream cheese, honey, garlic and seasonings. Once baked, this dip is your favorite restaurant-level delicious.
I modeled this recipe after the lovely goat cheese dip at Rye, a restaurant in Kansas City. We visited a couple of times to research the French Blond Cocktail (reportedly Taylor Swift’s favorite!) and I remembered how much I love their goat cheese appetizer.
I asked about the ingredients and came home determined to recreate it. I’ve simplified the ingredients a bit, but this dip is just as nice. I hope you’ll try it!
You’ll find the full recipe below. Here’s a brief preview with additional notes:
In a food processor, combine goat cheese, a lesser amount of cream cheese, honey, garlic, and basic seasonings—salt, pepper and optional red pepper flakes.
The goat cheese and cream cheese will blend just fine even if they’re coming straight from the refrigerator, but the blending process is smoother and quieter if those ingredients have come to room temperature beforehand. This dip is made predominantly with goat cheese (10 ounces), but a small amount of cream cheese (2 ounces) yields a significantly more luscious and creamy dip.
Transfer the dip to a small oven-safe baking dish with a 3- to 4-cup (1 quart) capacity. We used a small cast iron skillet for these photos, which was barely large enough. Pyrex or stoneware baking dishes also work well.
Before baking, drizzle the dip all over with a little more honey. Bake on the upper rack for 13 to 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden.
Give the hot dip at least five minutes to cool before serving. Drizzle it once again with honey, and serve as desired.
This baked goat cheese recipe is an easy, impromptu appetizer. It’s the perfect recipe to make when friends are on their way and your refrigerator is low on fresh produce. It’s also a great starter for almost any special dinner, from traditional to Mediterranean feasts.
Serve your goat cheese with a vehicle for dipping. Try toasted slices of sourdough bread, pita chips or toasted pita wedges. For a gluten-free option, try sturdy crackers or carrots cut on the diagonal.
For a full appetizer spread, serve with fresh berries, crudités like carrot or cucumber, olives or tapenade, or nuts. You could serve this dip with a fresh salad for contrasting textures—try my Easy Tomato Salad or Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado.
Please let me know how your baked goat cheese turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
This creamy, honey-swirled baked goat cheese recipe is easy to make at a moment’s notice! Recipe yields a scant 2 cups, enough for 4 to 6 appetizer servings.
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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]]>The post Green Goddess Tahini Dip appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>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.
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!
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.
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:
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.
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.
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!
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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]]>The post Pomegranate Salsa appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>This fresh pomegranate salsa recipe is bursting with sweet-and-spicy flavor. It’s a fun holiday appetizer or wintertime snack. You can serve it with tortilla chips like any other salsa. Of course, a side of guacamole is always a good idea.
For a special Christmas salsa presentation, try it as shown here, with whipped goat cheese as a creamy base and the salsa arranged in a wreath-like shape on top. This variation goes well with sturdy crostini or crisp toasted pita. The whipped goat cheese component is included in the recipe below, and it’s so easy to whip up.
This year, I’m bringing pomegranate salsa to my friends’ annual Christmas party! Lighter and brighter options are always welcome amongst heavy and sweet holiday fare. Let’s start the pomegranate salsa trend together.
Here in the U.S., pomegranates are typically available from the end of September through January. I hope you have the chance to make this recipe while we can.
Start with the pomegranate—you can buy whole pomegranates (you’ll need about two for this recipe) and remove the arils yourself. This is my preferred method for removing the arils. Or to save time, buy pomegranate arils that have already been removed from the fruit (you’ll need about two cups).
In a bowl, simply combine the pomegranate with finely chopped red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño (omit if you’re sensitive to heat). For the best texture, take your time to finely chop these ingredients.
Finally, add lime juice, lime zest (which really ramps up the lime flavor), and salt. Stir it together, and the salsa is ready to eat.
To make the optional whipped goat cheese, bust out the food processor and combine goat cheese, cream cheese, honey, garlic and salt. Process until the mixture is totally smooth and creamy. Spread the mixture across the base of a wide, shallow bowl and arrange the pomegranate salsa around the edges for a wreath-like shape (if you’re making this outside of the holidays, you might just pile it in the center of the dish).
Serve it on its own with tortilla chips, perhaps with a bowl of guacamole on the side. Or, serve it with whipped goat cheese for a creamy base that goes well with crostini or toasted pita. You’ll find the optional whipped goat cheese component within the recipe below.
Wintery Mexican-inspired entrées that would go well with this pomegranate appetizer include Christmas Enchiladas, Tortilla Soup, Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers and Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole.
You could even try pomegranate salsa on tacos. I haven’t tried, but I believe it would be stellar in place of the pineapple salsa in this cheese taco recipe—Halloumi Tacos with Pineapple Salsa & Aji Verde.
For cocktails, try a Ranch Water, Skinny Margarita or Fresh Mezcalita.
Here are just a few more of my favorite pomegranate recipes.
Please let me know how your pomegranate salsa turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
This pomegranate salsa recipe is bursting with sweet-and-spicy flavor. It’s a fun holiday appetizer or special wintertime snack. Serve it on its own with tortilla chips, or with whipped goat cheese for a creamy base that goes well with crostini or toasted pita. Recipe yields 8 appetizer servings.
Serving suggestions: Crostini, toasted pita wedges, sturdy crackers or tortilla chips
Make it dairy free/vegan: Serve the salsa without the goat cheese, or over guacamole instead. If you have dairy free/vegan guests at a party, serve the goat cheese separately from the salsa.
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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]]>The post Pistachio Butter appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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).
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.
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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]]>The post Lemon Vinaigrette appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>Homemade lemon vinaigrette is one of the most versatile salad dressings! Today, I’m sharing my go-to lemon dressing recipe for all of your salad needs. It’s light and lively, and goes with nearly any salad.
Lemon juice shines in this simple recipe using basic, high quality ingredients. No store-bought salad dressing can compete with these vibrant, freshly-squeezed flavors.
To make this lovely dressing, you’ll need just five basic ingredients. Fresh lemons and garlic are key—please no pre-squeezed juice or pre-minced garlic here. You’ll also need extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, and honey or maple syrup. The Dijon mustard rounds out the flavor and helps emulsify the ingredients so they stay blended together.
This dressing yields enough for six generous side salads and keeps in the refrigerator for up to ten days. I’ve enjoyed this dressing for years and know you will, too!
Lemon vinaigrette is one of my go-to dressings throughout the year. This dressing recipe relies entirely on lemon juice for its acidity. Technically, you could call it a citronette since it’s vinegar free, but this oil-based dressing is similar in flavor and mouthfeel to a classic vinaigrette.
Any green is fair game but I tend to use this dressing with more mild lettuces, including Bibb lettuce, spring greens and baby arugula. Lemon vinaigrette goes well with all fresh fruits, and any salad-friendly nut or cheese.
In summary, lemon vinaigrette is quite versatile. Here’s a short list of flavors that go particularly well with this dressing:
The following salads on Cookie and Kate feature lemon vinaigrettes tailored to each recipe.
Please let me know how your lemon salad dressing turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you. If you find yourself on a homemade dressing kick, be sure to check out more salad dressings here.
Homemade lemon vinaigrette is far superior to store-bought salad dressings! Fresh lemon shines in this simple recipe using quality ingredients. Recipe yields ¾ cup.
Recipe adapted from the Liquid Gold salad dressing in my cookbook, Love Real Food.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup, not honey.
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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]]>The post Chimichurri Chickpeas appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>These chimichurri chickpeas are bold, hearty and zippy. This simple dish features tender chickpeas, crumbled feta cheese, and homemade chimichurri sauce. It’s ready in about fifteen minutes.
Chimichurri verde hails from Argentina and is typically served on steak, though I love it in many other preparations. It’s a bright herbed sauce made with fresh parsley, garlic, red onion, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.
While traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, my preparation method uses the food processor as much as possible, so it comes together very quickly.
You could call this recipe is a collision of leftovers or, better yet, a happy coincidence. This summer, we invited friends over to grill and I made my chimichurri sauce to go with our meal. I was thrilled when one of our friends took his first bite and demanded the recipe.
We had a bit of sauce leftover, so I stashed it in the refrigerator near some extra chickpeas. The combination proved fantastic once I added some creamy, tangy feta cheese.
While the sauce is Argentinean, this dish’s flavor profile is more recognizably Mediterranean. I love this lively side dish, and I hope you do, too.
These chimichurri chickpeas make a lovely light meal, side dish, and ready-to-go snack. When hunger strikes, I’m always so much better off when I have something tasty to grab from the fridge! This dish also packs well for lunches.
The recipe keeps well for up to five days in the refrigerator. With bean salads like this, I love to change up how I serve them as the days go on. Enjoy it on its own or as a side dish to a meal that could use more substance. Try it with a sandwich, like a grilled cheese, or a light soup, like this Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.
This recipe will leave you with 1/2 cup leftover chimichurri sauce, which is great because chimichurri sauce can turn basic components into an exciting meal. Try it with eggs, roasted vegetables, and whole grains, like farro, brown rice and quinoa. You’ll find more uses here.
Or, if you’re serving a crowd, you can increase the other ingredients and use the full amount of chimichurri sauce. Simply add another can of drained chickpeas and use a heaping cup of crumbled feta.
Here are just a few more chickpea recipes on Cookie and Kate:
Please let me know how your chimichurri chickpeas turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
This hearty chickpea salad recipe features the bold, fresh flavors of chimichurri sauce and crumbled feta cheese. Keep it in the fridge for healthy snacking, packed lunches, and ready-to-go side dishes. Recipe yields about 6 side servings.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta. You might enjoy a dollop of vegan sour cream, or a few chopped Kalamata olives, or a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan on top.
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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]]>The post Tomato & Chickpea Pasta with Goat Cheese appeared first on Cookie and Kate.
]]>This wholesome tomato pasta recipe makes a wonderful weeknight dinner! This feel-good recipe is warm, comforting, and lightly creamy, but not heavy.
It’s bursting with Mediterranean flavors—roasted cherry tomatoes, hearty chickpeas, creamy goat cheese, pops of briny olives, and garlic. Each one benefits from the heat of the oven, and the end result is just fantastic.
I love how this recipe comes together and I think you will, too. Basically, we’ll cook the pasta on the stovetop and roast the remaining ingredients in one baking dish. Stir it all together, add fresh basil, and you’re ready to eat. You’ll have plenty of time in between steps to tidy the kitchen or chat.
This recipe is a variation on last summer’s Baked Feta Dip with Cherry Tomatoes, which was inspired by the viral TikTok roasted cherry tomato and feta pasta and Deb’s version of it.
It’s always fun to see how recipes morph over time, and this one is a real winner. Please give it a try and let me know what you think!
This recipe comes together beautifully! You’ll find the full recipe below, but here are a few tips before you get started.
Choose small cherry tomatoes at the store, if possible. Grape tomatoes will work if that’s what they have. Bigger cherry/grape tomatoes have tougher skin that can be distracting in the final dish.
Be sure to salt your pasta cooking water. The water should taste a little salty, but doesn’t need to taste “like the sea” (if you’re taking that phrase literally, you’d have to use an incredible amount of salt). Use at least 1 teaspoon of salt here, or more. In my experience, if pasta water is insufficiently salted, it’s impossible to get that flavor back by adding salt later. Most of it gets poured out, anyway.
Arrange the garlic cloves (peeled but left whole) in one corner of the dish. That way, they’re easy to find later. They develop irresistible caramelize flavor as they roast, and we’ll simply smash them against the side of the baking dish when we’re done.
Leftovers keep well for up to four days. That’s my standard time frame for all recipes of this nature. Leftovers make a great lunch, warmed in the microwave or even served cold like pasta salad.
This pasta dish is rather hearty and doesn’t need complex accompaniments. The easiest option is my Super Simple Arugula Salad, which goes with just about anything. This Chopped Greek Salad or Vegetarian Italian Chopped Salad would complement these flavors, and you can simplify the additions if you’d like.
Outside of salads, green beans are in season along with tomatoes. Try my Perfect Roasted Green Beans for a simple side that can roast in the oven with the tomato mixture, or my Green Beans Amandine for a special occasion.
All of these fresh pasta recipes make use of ripe summer tomatoes. Make them while you still can!
As always, please let me know how the recipe turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
This easy pasta recipe features cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, goat cheese, olives and basil! It’s bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors. Recipe yields 6 medium servings.
Recipe adapted from my Baked Feta Dip with Cherry Tomatoes.
Make it gluten free: Substitute sturdy short-cut gluten-free pasta noodles.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the goat cheese. Top the finished dip with a dollop of vegan sour cream, if you wish, and/or a heavy sprinkle of vegan Parmesan.
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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