Vegetarian Mexican Recipes - Cookie and Kate

7-Layer Dip

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 21:34:37 +0000

Meet the best 7-layer dip I’ve ever had. I’ve sampled my fair share of them, and wow, this recipe is the winner! Every layer is delicious on its own and builds on the last. The end result is creamy and cheese, of course, but it’s also perfectly balanced. Fresh avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, green onion and salsa offer fresh and bright flavors that cut through the cheddar cheese, sour cream and refried beans.

Store-bought ingredients yield great results, so you don’t have to turn on the stove to make this one. Each layer contains a fun little surprise, like a splash of salsa in the refried beans to loosen the texture and a burst of freshness from jalapeño in the sour cream. All seven layers come together quickly, too, so you can enjoy your appetizer after about twenty minutes of assembly.

Bring this 7-layer dip to your next watch party. Football season is in full swing (go Chiefs!), and I’ll make this recipe again this weekend. I’ve enjoyed the leftovers for lunch, so you don’t need a big occasion to make this recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do.

How to Make 7-Layer Dip

Here are the seven layers that comprise this dip recipe. Once they all come together, you’ll see why this is the best seven-layer dip recipe!

1) Refried beans

Mix refried beans (canned or homemade) with a splash of salsa to loosen up the texture and some cumin to boost the flavor. Adding salsa ensures that your tortilla chips can easily scoop the bean layer. (Broken chips in dip are the worst!) If you’re choosing store-bought refried beans, I like Amy’s brand.

2) Guacamole

We’re making simplified guacamole rather than going all out with my best guacamole recipe. Mash two avocados with lime juice, half of a chopped fresh jalapeño, and salt. Easy enough.

3) Sour cream

To take your sour cream’s flavor up a notch, stir in the rest of the chopped jalapeño and season it to taste with salt. Yum. I borrowed this idea from Ali Slagle of The New York Times, and it takes the flavor up a notch.

4) Salsa

Whether you’re using my quick and easy red salsa recipe or store-bought, drain off some excess liquid in a mesh colander over the sink. This step takes just a few seconds and ensures that the salsa layer doesn’t water down your dip.

5) Cheddar cheese

Freshly-grated cheese only, please! Pre-grated cheese is coated with powder to prevent clumping, which dulls the flavor and texture.

6) Pickled jalapeños or black olives

I love the spicy pop that pickled jalapeños add to this recipe. Black olives are standard on seven-layer dip, but why? Pickled jalapeños are more complementary. If you’re sensitive to spice, choose black olives for a similar briny flavor.

7) Green onions & cilantro

Thinly sliced green onions and fresh cilantro finish this layered dip with welcome fresh flavor. They bring this dish to life! If you dislike cilantro, you can skip it, but I love it.

Watch How to Make 7-Layer Dip

Serving Suggestions

Serve this seven-layer dip with tortilla chips on game days and bring it to casual gatherings—your friends will be thrilled! If you make my homemade red salsa for this recipe, which is ready in under 10 minutes, you’ll have some extra to serve alongside the layered dip.

Given this recipe’s Tex-Mex flavors, this dip will be a beautiful accompaniment to other Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes. Here are a few main dishes to serve with it:

For cocktails, try my Skinny Margarita, Ranch Water Cocktail or Paloma Cocktail. For a non-alcoholic option, make Refreshing Hibiscus Mocktails. Cheers!

More Delicious Dips to Make

Here’s a small sampling of the dip recipes available on Cookie and Kate. For a larger spread, choose one of these!

Please let me know how your layered dip turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you and hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

7-Layer Dip

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Diet: Vegetarian

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

Make the ultimate 7-layer dip! This notoriously creamy, cheesy dip tastes fresh and irresistible when you follow these simple steps. Store-bought ingredients yield great results. The recipe yields about 12 servings (about 6 to 7 cups of dip total).

Ingredients

1 can refried beans (15 to 16 ounces) or 2 cups homemade refried beans*
1 ¼ cups mild red salsa, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium ripe avocados
2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1 medium jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
Fine salt, to taste
1 cup sour cream
6 ounces freshly grated Cheddar cheese (about 1 ½ cups)
⅓ cup drained pickled jalapeño peppers, roughly chopped, or 1 small can (2.25 ounces dry weight) drained sliced black olives
⅓ cup thinly sliced green onions (about 2 to 3)
⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Tortilla chips, for serving

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Instructions

In a bowl, stir together the refried beans, ¼ cup salsa, and cumin. Spread the mixture across the base of an 8-inch square baking dish.
In another bowl, use a large fork to mash the avocado. Add the lime juice, half of the chopped jalapeño, and ¼ teaspoon salt, then stir until combined. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the beans.
In another bowl, stir together the sour cream and the remaining jalapeño. Season it with a pinch or two of salt, to taste. Spread the sour cream over the beans.
Pour the remaining salsa into a mesh colander over the sink to release the excess moisture. Spread the salsa over the mixture.
Sprinkle the cheese all over, followed by the drained jalapeños, green onions, and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes

*Homemade refried beans: After making the homemade version, you’ll have about ½ cup extra refried beans. Use it all for an extra-beany dip! You can also save it as a protein booster for an upcoming meal or enjoy it on the side with chips.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute vegan sour cream and omit the cheddar cheese.

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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Pickled Jalapeños

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 19:08:30 +0000

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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

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

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Instructions

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.
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.)
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.
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

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Cilantro Lime Dressing

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 13:35:40 +0000

Make this cilantro lime dressing recipe the next time you prepare a Mexican meal. It’s bright, sunny and fresh! This dressing is boldly flavored with fresh lime, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, honey, cumin and Dijon mustard. You can make it creamy or spicy if you wish.

Drizzle this dressing over crisp greens with sliced avocado and toasted pepitas for a perfectly simple side salad. You’ll find a longer list of salad toppings to choose from below.

I improvised this dressing to make a green salad with leftovers from my Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls, and I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with you. It’s almost as versatile as my favorite Lemon Vinaigrette and suits some flavors even better.

This dressing comes together quickly in the food processor and keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week. Sometimes having a vibrant sauce on hand makes all the difference!

How to Serve Cilantro Lime Dressing

Drizzle this cilantro lime dressing over greens to serve alongside Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. This fresh dressing comes together quickly and lightens heavy entrées. Serve it with Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas, Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls or Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers.

This dressing is suitable for any green, from mild lettuces like Bibb lettuce and romaine to hearty greens like kale and arugula.

Here’s a list of salad ingredients that go well with this dressing:

Avocado
Bell pepper, raw or roasted
Black beans
Brown rice and wild rice
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower, grated or roasted
Chickpeas, canned or crispy
Cotija, feta and goat cheese
Corn, especially grilled
Cucumber
Farro
Jalapeños
Lentils
Pepitas and sunflower seeds
Radish
Red onion and green onion
Tomatoes, raw or roasted

Watch How to Make Cilantro Lime Dressing

Flavor Variations

Make it creamy

Add tahini or Greek yogurt. I love the light nuttiness and intrigue that tahini brings. The recipe below includes suggested amounts for each option.

Make it spicy

Add a fresh jalapeño or red pepper flakes. Start small and blend in more to taste.

Skip the cilantro

For the cilantro-averse, yes, you can omit the cilantro! You’ll end up with a lovely lime dressing. It’s especially good with jalapeño for some extra flavor, which will be very similar to the Jalapeño-Lime Dressing in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 53).

Salads Featuring Similar Dressings

These dressings are tailored to each recipe. I hope they offer additional inspiration.

Please let me know how your cilantro lime dressing turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you. You can check out more salad dressings here.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 1/4 cups
Diet: Vegetarian

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

Make this cilantro lime dressing recipe for your next green salad! It’s the perfect burst of freshness to accompany your Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. You can make the dressing creamy or spicy, if you wish! Recipe yields 1 ¼ cups.

Ingredients

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup lime juice (from about 4 to 6 limes)
1 cup loosely packed cilantro (mostly leaves, small stems are ok, from about 1 small bunch)
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Scant ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
Optional, for spice: 1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, and roughly chopped, and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes
Optional, for creamy dressing: 2 tablespoons tahini or ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

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Instructions

In a food processor or small blender, combine all of the ingredients. Process until the mixture is completely smooth with tiny flecks of cilantro.
Taste, and adjust as necessary—if the dressing is overwhelmingly tart, add more honey by the teaspoon. If it tastes a little bitter or needs extra oomph, add another pinch or two of salt. For more spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Blend again.
Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey. For a creamy dressing, choose tahini.

Nutrition

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Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas

Kathryne Taylor — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 17:00:26 +0000

These vegetarian enchiladas are a hearty and satisfying dinner. Make them on a weeknight and you’ll enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day. Or make it on the weekend and invite friends over to make a party out of it! You could make a double batch and freeze the extras—you’ll find freezing instructions below.

You’ll love the fresh filling in these enchiladas, made of sautéed bell pepper, broccoli, onion, spinach, black beans and warming spices. These enchiladas are nicely cheesy, but not overwhelmingly cheesy like many restaurants make them.

This enchilada recipe has become quite popular since I published it nearly eight years ago. I used my spinach artichoke enchiladas as a blueprint and covered them with my go-to homemade enchilada sauce, of course. They’re just fantastic and I hope you’ll give them a try, if you haven’t already.

If you’ve never made enchiladas before, you can do it! You’ll find a detailed recipe, step-by-step photos, and an instructional video below.

How to Make Vegetable Enchiladas

This recipe isn’t the quickest dinner option (enchiladas never are), but it is totally worth the effort. Here’s a basic rundown with some notes and variations.

You’ll start by making my red enchilada sauce, a simple, pantry-friendly recipe using dried spices and vegetable broth. It has an amazing depth of flavor! If you want to change it up, you could use my green enchilada sauce instead, which is made from salsa verde (jarred is fine).

Then, you’ll sauté red onion, bell pepper, broccoli and spinach. Broccoli is an uncommon ingredient in enchiladas, but I love it here. If you’re hesitant and want a more neutral flavor, substitute cauliflower instead. Cumin and a small amount of cinnamon (yes, cinnamon!) ramp up the flavor.

Once the vegetables are done cooking, we’ll transfer them to a bowl and add drained black beans, plus a small amount of cheese and a splash of enchilada sauce for flavoring. Then we’ll assemble the enchiladas, drizzle the remaining sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until golden. If you want extra cheesy enchiladas, you could double the cheese (use a full 8 ounces).

This recipe calls for flour tortillas. I like to use whole wheat for some extra flavor and fiber. Corn tortillas are more traditional, but my mom always used flour tortillas in her enchiladas when we were growing up, so I used flour. If you’d like to use corn tortillas, you certainly can. You’ll need more than 8 of them, likely 12. Gently warm them in the microwave or one at a time on the stovetop before using (otherwise, they might break when rolling).

Watch How to Make Vegetarian Enchiladas

How to Freeze These Enchiladas

You can make these enchiladas as directed and freeze them instead of baking them. I also tried baking and then freezing them, but it was more work with no payoff. To help minimize freezer burn, refrigerate the dish until fully chilled (about four hours), then cover tightly and freeze fully.

Use a freezer-safe dish, like this Pyrex dish. I’ve successfully used Pyrex baking dishes straight from the freezer to the oven. Beware there’s always a slight risk that the dish could break.

Once frozen, they will keep for up to six months in the freezer. Frozen foods technically never go bad when the freezing environment is perfectly consistent, though they generally taste better when consumed sooner.

To bake the frozen enchiladas, first ensure that the exterior of the baking dish is dry by wiping it with a towel—this helps avoid shocking the glass. Bake as directed in the recipe below, then cover the dish snugly with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake until it is fully cooked through and bubbling, probably about 45 minutes total or longer (covering the dish prevents it from becoming too browned). Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

These enchiladas are a well-rounded main dish offering vegetables, greens, whole grains and protein. If you’re hosting friends, perhaps start with guacamole or salsa with chips. For cocktails, try fresh-squeezed margaritas or ranch waters.

Here are some side dishes that would be lovely with these enchiladas:

Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing (or a simplified version of it)
Simple Healthy Slaw

More Veggie-Packed Main Dishes

Craving more hearty vegetarian meals with Mexican flavors? Here are a few of my favorites:

Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Epic Vegetarian Tacos
Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls
Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Black Bean Enchiladas in my cookbook, Love Real Food

Please let me know how these veggie enchiladas turn out for you in the comments! I’m always so eager to hear from you.

Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 651 reviews

Amazing vegetarian enchiladas stuffed with black beans, broccoli, bell pepper and spinach, topped with homemade red sauce. My favorite enchilada recipe! Recipe yields 8 enchiladas, enough for about 4 servings.

Ingredients

2 cups homemade enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 small red onion)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch of broccoli or 1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound), florets removed and sliced into small, bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 to 6 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups, packed)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 whole wheat tortillas (about 8 inches in diameter)
Handful of chopped cilantro, for garnishing

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with one rack in the middle of the oven and one in the upper third. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until simmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the broccoli and bell pepper, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until the broccoli is brighter green and just starting to turn golden on the edges.
Add the cumin and cinnamon to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it has reduced in size. Repeat with the remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted.
Transfer the contents of the pan to a medium mixing bowl. Add the drained beans, ¼ cup cheese and a drizzle of enchilada sauce (about 2 tablespoons). Season with ½ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Assemble the enchiladas: Pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce into your prepared pan and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. To assemble your first enchilada, spread ½ cup filling mixture down the middle of a tortilla, then snugly wrap the left side over and then the right, to make a wrap. Place it seam-side down against the edge of your pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas, leaving the tips of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the enchiladas.
Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t golden enough for your liking, carefully transfer the enchiladas to the upper rack of the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, until sufficiently golden and bubbly.
Remove from oven and let the enchiladas rest for 10 minutes (they’re super hot!). Before serving, sprinkle chopped cilantro down the center of the enchiladas. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, covered.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my spinach artichoke enchiladas.
Make it vegan: You could just skip the cheese altogether and still end up with awesome enchiladas. For some extra creaminess, you might top them with sliced avocado or a drizzle of vegan sour cream.
Make it gluten free: Substitute certified gluten-free “flour” tortillas, or use corn tortillas (they’re smaller than my 8″ tortillas, so you might need more than 8 tortillas). If you use corn tortillas, gently warm them together in the microwave or individually on the stove before you try to roll them up, or they might break.

Nutrition

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Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 22:32:03 +0000

These hearty bowls feature roasted fajita veggies and halloumi cheese over beans and cilantro-lime rice. This recipe makes an amazing vegetarian dinner! I’m so excited to share this recipe with you and hope the photos speak for themselves. This vibrant meal is almost too delicious for words to capture.

The bowls are a very abstract take on Mexican fajitas, which typically feature strips of bell pepper and onion cooked with steak, served with tortillas and toppings on the side. These roasted fajita veggies offer similar flavor and texture.

Halloumi cheese hails from Cyprus, an island country in the Mediterranean—far, far away from Mexico! I love halloumi because it offers a salty, creamy, chewy and almost meat-like texture once roasted. I’ve used it in place of bacon to make vegetarian BLTs. Conveniently, the veggies and cheese roast in the oven simultaneously on separate pans.

While you can absolutely serve these components with tortillas, I felt that the flavors shined more over black beans and cilantro-lime rice. The recipe for that component comes from my cookbook, Love Real Food. Try the Grilled Veggie Skewers with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce on page 160 once it’s grilling weather outside!

How to Make Fajita Veggie and Halloumi Bowls

This recipe requires several components, all simple to make. It’s an orchestrated dinner with time in between to work on the next component, and it’s 100 percent worth the effort. You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s how it comes together.

Preheat the oven and bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat for the rice.
Slice the peppers and onion into strips, keeping the chunks of onion intact as best you can. Drizzle them with with olive oil and sprinkle with spices, then bake them on the middle rack for 15 minutes.
Once the pot of water is boiling, pour in the rice. Let it boil for 30 minutes. Then, drain the rice and return it to the pot, covered, to steam while we prepare the rest. (This method yields perfectly cooked brown rice, every time).
Meanwhile, on another baking sheet, drizzle the halloumi with olive oil and sprinkle it with optional chipotle powder (for smoky flavor and some heat).
Once the timer goes off for the peppers, remove them from the oven, stir and redistribute. When you do that, place the pan of halloumi on the top rack.
After 10 minutes, stir and flip the cheese, moving any browning pieces more toward the middle for even cooking. Continue baking the cheese and peppers until they’re golden on the edges, about 5 more minutes.
While the peppers are hot out of the oven, drizzle lime juice on top. To finish the rice, fluff it with a fork, then stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Gently stir in the black beans.
Assemble the bowls and enjoy.

Watch How to Make These Veggie Bowls

Serving Suggestions

This recipe is a well-balanced meal on its own. Depending on your preferred composition, you might end up with some extra beans and rice leftover like I did. The leftovers are great with crispy fried eggs, hot sauce and avocado.

For an appetizer, try tortilla chips with this Creamy Avocado Dip or my quick red salsa (or this chipotle salsa variation for smoky flavor).

For cocktails, you can’t go wrong with my favorite margaritas. Or if you love mezcal, try the Fresh Mezcalitas. For bubbly refreshment, make Ranch Waters or Classic Mojitos.

If you’d like to serve this dish with a green salad, try my Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing, or make a simplified version of it.

More Recipes to Enjoy

If you love this recipe, I highly recommend these Mexican-inspired meals as well:

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

Fajita Veggie and Halloumi Bowls

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 bowls
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 25 reviews

These hearty bowls feature roasted fajita veggies and halloumi cheese over beans and rice. This recipe is an amazing vegetarian dinner! Recipe yields 4 hearty bowls or 6 medium bowls.

Ingredients

Bell peppers and onion

3 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow)
1 medium red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon fine salt
10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice

Halloumi

½ pound or more* halloumi cheese
½ tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika (optional, for heat)

Rice, beans, and toppings

1 cup long-grain brown rice or brown basmati rice, rinsed well
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
Topping suggestions: Fresh cilantro, sliced avocado or dollops of guacamole, halved cherry tomatoes, sour cream

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat for the rice.
Slice the peppers and onion into ½-inch wide long strips, keeping the chunks of onion intact as best you can.
Place the peppers and onion on one prepared baking sheet. Drizzle them with the olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper (save the lime juice for later). Toss until all of the ingredients are lightly coated, then arrange them in an even layer across the pan. Rearrange any single onion pieces from the outer edges to the interior of the pan, as they tend to burn otherwise. Bake the peppers and onions on the middle rack for 15 minutes.
Once the pot of water is boiling, pour in the rice. Give the mixture a brief stir and let it boil for 30 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent overflow. Drain the rice, return it to the pot, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes off the heat.
Meanwhile, lightly pat the halloumi dry. Slice the halloumi lengthwise into pieces ¼ to ½ inch thick, then cut or tear the slabs into small, bite-sized pieces about 1-inch long. On the remaining baking sheet, drizzle the halloumi with ½ tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle all over with the optional chipotle powder. Toss until lightly coated, and arrange them in an even layer.
Once the timer goes off for the peppers, remove them from the oven, stir and redistribute. Again move any single onion pieces to the middle, then return the baking sheet to the oven. When you do that, place the pan of halloumi on the top rack.
After 10 minutes, stir and flip the cheese, moving any browning pieces more toward the middle. Return it to the oven for up to 5 more minutes, keeping a close eye on it as the cheese tends to brown quickly toward the end. Continue baking the pepper mixture until the peppers and onions are tender and deeply caramelized. They are typically done around the time that the halloumi is finished.
While the peppers are hot out of the oven, drizzle the lime juice on top and stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
To finish the rice, fluff it with a fork, then stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Add the black beans and gently stir to combine. Cover until you’re ready to serve.
To assemble, divide the rice between four bowls, followed by the pepper mixture and cheese. Finish with any desired toppings, and enjoy warm. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Notes

*Halloumi quantity: The halloumi I buy is typically sold in sealed packages that are roughly ½ pound in weight. If possible, find one that’s on the upper end closer to 0.6 pounds (10-ish ounces) so you have plenty of cheese.

Make it dairy free/vegan: You could omit the halloumi and double the beans for more protein. Or, while it’s definitely not the same thing, you would likely enjoy my baked tofu in place of the halloumi. Add chipotle powder or smoked paprika (see recipe for quantities) for some spice. For a different dairy-free option, replace the cheese with crispy fried eggs.

Nutrition

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Southwestern Kale Power Salad

Kathryne Taylor — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 21:00:53 +0000

This hearty salad features a few of my all-time favorite ingredients. Here we have massaged kale, quinoa, spiced sweet potatoes, and black beans served with a dollop of creamy avocado sauce. I added crumbled feta and toasted pepitas for good measure.

I’d cook with only these ingredients if it weren’t for diversity’s sake. This texture-rich vegetarian salad packs great for lunch. If you like to meal prep for the week, this is an excellent candidate. Given the number of components, this is not the quickest recipe around, but it’s absolutely work the effort.

This recipe has been a reader favorite since it was originally published in 2015 (really, nine years ago?). I developed it during a month-long stay in Austin, Texas with my friend Ali. You could probably say that the Southwestern vibes influenced the recipe.

Today, this salad is getting fresh photos and some slight revisions. Enjoy!

How to Make This Power Salad

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief rundown with notes and video.

Cook the quinoa. The recipe uses my foolproof method of cooking quinoa, which will differ from the instructions on your bag. You can make the quinoa a day in advance, if you’d like.
Cook the sweet potatoes in a skillet. I love roasted sweet potatoes, but these sweet potatoes are cut quite small, so the skillet method is ideal. We’ll add a little bit of water, cover and let them steam until tender, then uncover and cook them until they’re caramelized on the edges.
Massage and dress the kale. Massaging the kale (literally just scrunching it in your hands until it’s darker and softer) removes all the poky edges and improves the flavor. Then we’ll whisk together a simple olive oil and lime dressing, and toss to coat.
Make the avocado sauce. Combine the ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add more lime juice, if you’d like. The sauce should be nicely tart, but not overwhelmingly so.
Toast the pepitas in a skillet. Freshly-toasted pepitas taste amazing and are totally worth the extra few minutes. Keep an eye on the skillet, as it’s easy to turn on the heat and forget until they’re too toasty.
Assemble! Divide the components between bowls as shown, and enjoy.

Watch How to Make Southwestern Kale Power Salad

More Sweet Potato and Kale Recipes

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

Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 large salads
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 144 reviews

Healthy kale and quinoa power salad with spicy sweet potato, black beans and creamy avocado sauce. If your lime are particularly big, scale back. This gluten-free, vegetarian (easily vegan) salad packs well for lunch, too! Recipe yields 4 generous salads or 6 medium.

Ingredients

Quinoa and kale

1 cup quinoa
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped into very small, bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium lime, juiced
½ teaspoon fine salt

Sweet potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), sliced into small, ¼-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon fine salt

Avocado sauce

2 ripe avocados, sliced into long strips
¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 medium jalapeño, deseeded, membranes removed and roughly chopped
1 handful cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon ground coriander, optional
¼ teaspoon fine salt, to taste

Everything else

1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
⅓ cup crumbled feta
¼ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)

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Instructions

To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
To cook the sweet potatoes: In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then add the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a scant ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low to avoid burning the contents. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is easily pierced through with a fork, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Uncover the pan, raise the heat back to medium and cook until the excess moisture has evaporated and the sweet potatoes are caramelizing on the edges, about 3 to 7 minutes (add another little splash of olive oil if the potatoes start sticking to the pan). Set aside to cool.
To prepare the kale: Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the chopped kale with salt and use your hands to “massage” it, which improves the flavor. Just grab handfuls of kale in your hands and scrunch it up in your palms. Repeat until the kale is darker green in color and more fragrant. Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat.
To make the avocado sauce: Combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well, add more lime juice if desired, and season with salt, to taste.
To toast the pepitas: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are turning lightly golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Once the quinoa has cooled down a bit, pour it into the bowl of kale and toss to combine. Divide the kale and quinoa mixture into four large salad bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, black beans, a big dollop of avocado sauce, and a sprinkle of feta and pepitas.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta.

Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for a few days. To keep the avocado sauce fresh, store it separately in a small bowl, with plastic wrap pressed against the top surface to prevent oxidation.

Change it up: Butternut squash or carrots would be good substitutions for the sweet potatoes.

Edits January 11, 2024: Adjusted avocado sauce by omitting 2 tablespoons olive oil (unnecessary), decreasing the salt for the sweet potatoes from 1 ½ teaspoons to ½ teaspoon, and specifying the amounts of lime juice and salt.

Nutrition

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Pomegranate Salsa

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 20:31:44 +0000

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.

How to Make Pomegranate Salsa

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).

How to Serve Pomegranate Salsa

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.

More Pomegranate Recipes to Enjoy

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.

Pomegranate Salsa

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 11 reviews

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.

Ingredients

Salsa

2 cups pomegranate arils (about 2 pomegranate’s worth)
⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (use a smaller jalapeño for less heat, or leave in some seeds for more heat)
½ teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
⅛ teaspoon fine salt

Optional whipped goat cheese

4 to 5 ounces goat cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon honey
1 small-to-medium garlic clove
⅛ teaspoon fine salt

Serving suggestions: Crostini, toasted pita wedges, sturdy crackers or tortilla chips

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Instructions

To prepare the salsa, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and gently stir until combined. Taste, and add a little more salt if desired.
To prepare the optional whipped goat cheese, combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is absolutely smooth and creamy, which could take a couple of minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
To serve, use the salsa as-is, or spread the whipped goat cheese into the base of a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon all of the salsa around the perimeter of the bowl. Serve promptly. Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days (the whipped goat cheese will need to warm back to room temperature to spread easily).

Notes

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.

Nutrition

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Ranch Water Cocktail

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 21:16:30 +0000

Have you tried a ranch water cocktail? If not, let me introduce you! Essentially a tall tequila soda with extra lime, the ranch water is more than the sum of its parts. If you use a great tequila and Topo Chico, it tastes quite special.

The ranch water is like a bubbly, light and totally unsweetened margarita. If even “skinny” margaritas are sometimes too sweet for you, try a ranch water instead. It’s super refreshing and perfect on a hot day. When I’m at a bar without an exciting wine list, the ranch water is my go-to drink order regardless of the season.

Ranch waters hail from Texas, with Ranch 616 in Austin claiming to be “home to the original ranch water.” I honestly can’t recall when I first tried a ranch water—maybe it was during my month in Austin in 2015, or sometime in between. My brother lives in West Texas and I was delighted to discover ranch waters at his wedding reception a few years ago.

Pre-made ranch water cocktails in cans are becoming more popular, but you can’t beat a homemade ranch water made with good tequila, bubbly Topo Chico and fresh lime. They’re so easy to make. Find my recipe below!

Ranch Water Ingredients

The ranch water cocktail is made with three simple ingredients, plus an optional, tiny little pinch of salt. Serve it over tons of ice in a highball glass. Here’s what you’ll need to make one:

1) Tequila Blanco

Tequila blanco is standard in ranch waters, and it’s my personal preference as well. Tequila blanco is also known as tequila plata, or white or silver tequila in English. Since it’s bottled soon after it’s distilled, it offers the purest tequila flavor and is generally colorless. If you have a reposado or añejo (aged) tequila that you love, by all means, try it.

For ranch waters, I recommend Casamigas, Espalon and Milagro. They’re my top picks for all tequila cocktails. Since this cocktail is so simple, the tequila’s flavor really shines through. Always choose a 100 percent agave tequila so you know exactly what you’re buying. Cheaper tequila mixtos contain a mix of alcohols and additives that can contribute to hangovers.

Some online recipes call for an outrageous three ounces of tequila per drink, which is even stronger than a martini. The ranch water should be an easy sipper, which is why my recipe calls for a standard drink pour of 1 1/2 ounces.

2) Topo Chico or Sparkling Water

Topo Chico, with its plentiful tiny bubbles, is perfect for ranch waters. Mineragua is another Mexican sparkling water that is just as good. Otherwise, you can use any unflavored sparkling water or club soda.

I feel compelled to mention that Topo Chico got into trouble a couple of years ago when Consumer Reports found that it was high in PFAS, otherwise known as “forever chemicals.” The next year, they reported that the brand cut levels by more than half. By email, they told me their “more recent sampling of the Topo Chico product was below EPA’s method detection limit of 2.0 PPT.” I’d personally prefer it to be at zero.

Mineragua claims to be formulated without PFAS, though I’m not 100 percent sure that means it’s completely free of them. If you want perfectly pure sparkling water, choose Mountain Valley, which claims zero PFAS (here’s their own test results). Their water is a little more minerally in flavor and the bubbles aren’t as plentiful, but I think it would be good in a ranch water.

3) Fresh Lime

Fresh-squeezed lime, and lots of it, is the only way to go! No stale store-bought lime juice, please. The lime cuts the taste of the alcohol and tastes reminiscent of a margarita. My recipe calls for a little more lime juice than others do, because I think the more lime, the better. Try it my way first and then you can always scale back a little for future drinks.

This recipe calls for 1 ounce lime juice, which is approximately the juice from one small-to-medium lime. Limes vary significantly in their juice output, so measure it in a jigger if you want to be exact. Otherwise, add another splash of club soda if you end up with too much.

Juicing tips: To get the most lime juice from your lime, roll it firmly under your hand against the countertop before slicing. Room temperature citrus yields more than refrigerated, though they keep significantly longer in the refrigerator. I love to use this citrus juicer to get every last drop, and I squeeze the juice directly into this measuring jigger (affiliate links).

4) Teeny Tiny Pinch of Salt

The salt is optional, but really boosts the overall flavor of the cocktail. Try your drink without it and then with it to taste the difference.

Watch How to Make Ranch Water Cocktails

Ranch Water Variations

The classic ranch water is hard to beat, but here are a few ways you can change it up.

Line the rim of the glass with lime juice and then salt or Tajín, a Mexican spice blend of chili, lime and sea salt.
Lightly muddle a few slices of cucumber (refreshing) and/or jalapeño (spicy) in the bottom of the glass before adding ice.
Add a splash of grapefruit juice or soda before filling the rest of the glass with sparkling water.

Ranch Water Serving Suggestions

This light and refreshing cocktail pairs well with your favorite Tex-Mex and Mexican recipes. For happy hour, serve guacamole or queso and salsa with tortilla chips. For dinner, do tacos or enchiladas!

More Bubbly Cocktails to Make

Like the ranch water, these simple homemade cocktails are sparkling and ice-cold.

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

Ranch Water Cocktail

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Yield: 1 drink
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 9 reviews

Make the ultimate ranch water cocktail at home with this recipe! You’ll need good tequila, fresh lime, and Topo Chico or sparkling water.

Ingredients

1 ½ ounces silver (blanco) tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
Teeny tiny pinch of fine salt
Sparkling water, preferably Topo Chico or Mineragua

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Instructions

Fill a tall glass to the brim with ice. Pour in the tequila and lime juice. Add a tiny sprinkle of salt to bring out the flavors.
Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water. Gently stir once with a spoon to mix. Add a lime wedge and serve at once.

Notes

Suggested tequila: I like Casamigas, Espalon and Milagro. Blanco tequila is standard in ranch waters and it’s my personal preference as well.

Measuring tips: 1 ½ ounces is 3 tablespoons and 1 ounce is 2 tablespoons. You’ll need about 1 medium lime per drink.

Nutrition

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Chipotle Salsa

Kathryne Taylor — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:36:22 +0000

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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Instructions

Drain off about half of the tomato juice from the can (about ⅓ cup) and discard it.
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.
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.
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 post Chipotle Salsa appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Christmas Enchiladas

Kathryne Taylor — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 22:24:10 +0000

These red and green enchiladas are inspired by my trips to Santa Fe, New Mexico! I love visiting Santa Fe for my fill of saucy burritos, enchiladas and breakfast dishes. Whenever the server asks if I want red sauce, green sauce or both, the answer is always both. They call it Christmas-style or divorciadas (divorced).

Coming to you just in time for Christmas or Christmas Eve dinner, these enchiladas are a festive and delicious main dish. They’re stuffed with vibrant vegetables, spinach, black beans, and enough cheese to qualify as a holiday meal.

I’ve been keeping this recipe on reserve for the holidays, and I just now realized that I poured the enchilada sauce in the wrong fashion. In Santa Fe, they split the sauce down the middle of the enchiladas, so each enchilada features both red and green sauce. Although, my way may be a little easier to distribute (and you can always just eat two enchiladas to get one of each)!

Do as you wish—the ingredients and quantities will remain the same. You’ll find side dish suggestions to round out your meal below. Wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season!

Watch How to Make Christmas Enchiladas

Christmas Enchilada Sauce Notes

For this recipe, you’ll need to make both red sauce and green sauce. Both recipes are quite simple.

You can make double the enchiladas to use up both sauces (perfect if you’re serving a crowd) or simply freeze half of each for a future batch of Christmas enchiladas. Another option? Keep both in the fridge and drizzle them over improvised dishes like quesadillas and eggy breakfasts.

Enchilada Serving Suggestions

Round out your meal with any of the following side dishes:

The Best Guacamole or Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Easy Refried Beans
Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad): Make this with frozen corn.
Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing
Roasted Cauliflower (Four Ways!): Look for the Mexican flavor variation.

More Enchiladas to Try

You’ll love these vegetarian enchilada recipes on Cookie and Kate:

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

Christmas Enchiladas

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 10 enchiladas
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 38 reviews

This enchilada recipe features both red and green sauce! These vegetarian enchiladas are stuffed with fresh veggies, black beans and cheese. Recipe yields 10 enchiladas.

Ingredients

½ batch (1 cup) red enchilada sauce
½ batch (1 cup) green enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 2” long thin strips
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 2” long thin strips
¾ teaspoon fine salt, divided
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
5 ounces baby spinach
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 ounces (1 packed cup) Monterey Jack cheese or pepper jack cheese (for extra kick)
10 corn tortillas
Garnishes: Chopped red onion or radish or green onion, cilantro leaves and crumbled Cotija or feta cheese

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
In a medium Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion and pepper are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Continue cooking for 6 to 9 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms start to caramelize and stick to the base of the pan.
Add the spinach in big handfuls, stirring after each. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the black beans, followed by the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper as desired. Set the mixture aside to rest for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, spread the tortillas across a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake just until they are warm and pliable, about two minutes. Stack the tortillas and wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep them warm.
To assemble the enchiladas, pour ⅓ cup of each sauce into the base of the prepared baking dish (half on one side, half on the other). Gently spread each sauce over each half of the baking dish.
Working with one tortilla at a time, spread about ⅓ cup filling down the center of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling, then place them snugly side-by-side in the baking dish with the seams down. Spread the remaining ⅔ cup red sauce over one-half of the tortillas (to match the red sauce in the base of the dish), and the remaining green sauce over the other half.
Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 to 22 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the top of the enchiladas are turning a bit more matte than glossy. Garnish as desired, and serve.

Notes

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free ingredients and follow the gluten-free variation for the red enchilada sauce.

Sauce quantity: You will use just ½ batch of each sauce. You could make double the enchiladas to use up all the sauce, or freeze the leftover sauces separately for a future batch of Christmas enchiladas.

Nutrition

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