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  • Easy Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

    Easy Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

    This 5-ingredient homemade teriyaki sauce recipe is so easy and delicious, you’ll never buy store-bought again. Use as a marinade, sauce, or glaze!

    Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

    When I learned how to make teriyaki sauce, the days of buying store-bought sauce were over. I’m kicking myself for using the store-bought stuff for so long!

    It’s the perfect one-stop solution for all your teriyaki recipes, whether you’re making teriyaki chicken, salmon, or using it as a glaze for veggies.

    Key Ingredients

    • Soy Sauce: I use low-sodium soy sauce or low-sodium tamari for the base of this sauce. It might seem salty, but trust me, it’ll blend beautifully with the other sauce ingredients.
    • Sugar: To sweeten the sauce and balance the soy sauce, you need a bit of sugar. I use granulated sugar, which helps make the teriyaki sauce thick and glossy once cooked. Feel free to experiment with brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even honey, but remember that these might make the sauce taste sweeter. If you love honey, you may enjoy this honey teriyaki chicken!
    • Sake: Don’t stress about buying expensive sake for this sauce! Use something you’d enjoy drinking, but it doesn’t need to be top-shelf. If you can’t find sake, mirin (a sweeter rice wine) works really well too. You can swap it in directly, or if you find it too sweet, slightly reduce the sugar in the recipe.
    • Rice Vinegar: This adds a little zing to the sauce. You can usually find it near other vinegars at the grocery store. For substitutes, try white wine vinegar or plain white vinegar. Don’t worry if the sauce seems a bit strong after adding the vinegar, as the flavors will mellow as it cooks.
    • Fresh Ginger: This is optional, but really tasty. I like to grate it finely with a microplane so it melts into the sauce.

    Find the full recipe with measurements below.

    Tips for Making the Best Teriyaki Sauce

    Tip 1: Make the basic sauce. Add your teriyaki sauce ingredients to a saucepan set over medium heat, then heat, swirling the pan around until the sugar dissolves. At this point, you’ll have a delicious sauce that’s perfect for marinades or as a sauce for cooking with veggies or proteins.

    Tip 2: Turn this into a teriyaki glaze. Prepare the sauce as usual, but simmer it for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to achieve a thicker, glossy consistency, ideal for glazes.

    Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients

    Ways to Use This Sauce

    Use as a marinade: This sauce is the perfect one-and-done marinade for a wide range of dishes. In general, the longer you marinate, the better the flavor. However, be mindful of the maximum marinating times to avoid affecting the texture of your food.

    • Meats: Marinate cuts of chicken, beef, and pork for at least 30 minutes for great flavor. For a richer flavor, you can marinate them for up to 4 hours. Tougher cuts of beef, though, can benefit from a longer soak of up to 24 hours to help tenderize them.
    • Seafood: Seafood is more delicate and absorbs flavors very quickly. Marinate salmon, shrimp, or other fish for no longer than 15 to 30 minutes. The ingredients in the sauce can begin to break down the proteins, which can make the seafood mushy if left for too long.
    • Veggies and Tofu: Marinate tofu or your favorite vegetables for at least 30 minutes to a maximum of 4 hours. This allows the sauce to fully penetrate without making the texture too soft. I especially love substituting the soy sauce for teriyaki sauce in this baked tofu recipe.

    Use as a glaze: Thanks to the sugar in our sauce, you can simmer it down to a glossy, thick glaze. Brush it over meats, poultry, tofu, or vegetables during the last few minutes of grilling, or use it to baste chicken, salmon, and pork while baking or broiling (as we do for this maple soy glazed salmon).

    Add to stir-fries: Instead of using a stir-fry sauce, try this teriyaki sauce in your favorite stir-fry recipe. Consider these recipes as a starting point, but replace the sauce in each recipe with this teriyaki sauce: chicken stir-fry, veggie stir-fry, and chicken broccoli stir-fry.

    Make teriyaki burgers: Brush teriyaki sauce over your burgers. We love this juicy burger recipe, turkey burger recipe, and these black bean burgers, which would all be amazing with this sauce.

    Teriyaki Sauce

    Easy Teriyaki Sauce

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    Use our teriyaki sauce for marinating, stir-fries, or simmer it a little longer and make a glaze for chicken, seafood, and meats. Sake creates the best flavor, but if you cannot find it, mirin is a great substitute.

    2 Cups

    You Will Need

    1 cup low-sodium soy sauce (235ml)

    1 cup granulated sugar, see notes for lowering sugar (200g)

    1/2 cup sake Japanese rice wine (120ml)

    1/4 cup rice vinegar (60ml)

    1 heaping tablespoon finely grated ginger, optional

    Directions

      1Combine ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

      2For a thick and shiny sauce, bring the teriyaki sauce to a simmer and cook for an extra 5 to 10 minutes. Cool.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • Storing: Store this sauce in a mason jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks. You can also freeze it for up to three months. If it ever seems too thick, thin it with a tablespoon or so of water.
    • Make a smaller batch: This recipe yields 2 cups of sauce – more than enough to keep in your fridge for weeks! If you prefer a smaller batch, use the following ratio: 1 part soy sauce, 1 part sugar, 1/2 part sake, and 1/4 part rice vinegar.
    • Substitute for sake: We love the delicate flavor of sake for teriyaki sauce, but if you cannot find it, there are some alternatives. Mirin is a sweeter version of sake. You can either swap it for the sake and leave the sugar amount as is or pull back on the amount of sugar slightly to accommodate the extra sweetness (Try 3/4 cup of sugar instead of 1 cup). Dry vermouth or dry sherry can also work as a substitute.
    • Can I reduce the sugar: The 1:1 ratio of sugar to soy sauce makes a nicely balanced sauce similar to great teriyaki restaurants and bottled sauces. It’s delicious, but if you are concerned with the amount of sugar, you can get away with reducing it. Reducing the sugar from 1 cup to 3/4 cup or even 1/2 cup should work. Since the sauce does not need to cook long, you can taste it as you go. Start with 1/2 cup, taste, and then increase the sugar until you are happy with the balance of salt and sweet.
    • Ginger: We use a Microplane rasp grater for the ginger, which helps it “melt” into the sauce. You can finely mince it, but you will be left with bits of ginger in the sauce.
    • Cornstarch: We omit cornstarch in our recipe. Some recipes call for a bit of cornstarch mixed with water added to the saucepan to thicken the sauce. We find that an extra few minutes of simmering thicken the sauce enough for us, but you can include it if preferred.
    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1 tablespoon
    /
    Calories
    32
    /
    Total Fat
    0g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    0g
    /
    Cholesterol
    0mg
    /
    Sodium
    209.7mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    7.4g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    0g
    /
    Total Sugars
    6.7g
    /
    Protein
    0.6g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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  • Best French Onion Soup Recipe We’ve Made

    Best French Onion Soup Recipe We’ve Made

    Our French onion soup recipe has the most delicious broth, sweet caramelized onions, and extra cheesy, garlic-rubbed bread.

    Homemade Classic French onion soup

    French onion soup is easier than you might think to make at home. Trust me. All you need are a few tips and a surprisingly short list of ingredients.

    If there’s one thing to take away from this recipe, it’s how we cook the onions. Stirring them often is the key. Watch our video to see how we do it, or see our photos below! To make this a full meal, serve it with your favorite salad. We love serving it with our balsamic strawberry salad with lettuce and cucumber.

    Key Ingredients

    • Onions: Yellow onions are the best onions for French onion soup. We have made this soup with sweet onions and found it a little too sweet for our tastes. A combination of yellow onions and sweet onions would be interesting. Red onions are spicier than yellow onions and will change the color of your soup. White onions are more mild and sweet, making them a good alternative.
    • Broth: You can use chicken broth or beef broth to make French onion soup. We’ve tried all combinations (including using half chicken and half beef broth) and have loved them all. Beef broth is a bit more savory, while chicken is lighter on its feet. Here’s our recipes for chicken broth and beef stock. If you use store-bought broth, we’ve found chicken broth is a bit more forgiving, while store-bought beef broth usually lacks flavor and tastes salty.
    • Wine: For flavorful, classic French onion soup, use wine. We use dry white wine and sweet vermouth, an aromatic fortified wine. We highly recommend using both, although substitutions are provided below. Also, if you want to make French onion soup without wine, see the tips section in the recipe.
    • Bread: I use toasted slices of French baguette rubbed with a bit of fresh garlic to make them extra delicious before adding them to my soup. It’s the best!
    • Cheese: The best cheese for French onion soup is Gruyère. It melts beautifully and tastes earthy and nutty, which works nicely with the savory soup base. If you cannot find Gruyère, substitute it with parmesan cheese, Swiss cheese, fontina, or mozzarella.

    Find the full recipe with measurements below.

    How to Make Our Favorite French Onion Soup

    Tip 1: Use a food processor or mandoline. To cook onions for French onion soup, you will need to slice a lot of them (by a lot, we need 6 to 7 medium onions for a soup that serves four). I do this by hand. I peel them, cut them in half, and thinly slice them into half moons. To speed things up, you can use the slicing disk of a food processor or mandoline slicer.

    Cooking onions to make french onion soup.

    Tip 2: Soften onions with lid on. Now, you’ll cook the onions in butter (yum) with the lid ON for about 12 minutes. This step softens the onions and helps them to release some liquid.

    Sweating the onions in the pan with butter.

    Tips 3: Caramelizing the onions slowly is key. Cook the onions uncovered over medium heat, stirring often, until they look golden and caramelized. This step takes me somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes. Do you see why we started with so many onions? They cook down a lot!

    Caramelizing onions to make French onion soup.

    Tip 4: Deglaze the pot and add flavor. Get the onions right, and you’re 99% of the way to the best onion soup you’ve ever had. Now we have our onions, it’s time to add the rest of the ingredients. You will deglaze the pot with the wine, and then stir in the broth, fresh thyme, and some salt. You’ll let the soup steep like tea for a few minutes, and it’s ready.

    How to Serve French Onion Soup

    1. Rub toast with fresh garlic: While our soup sits, we can toast bread slices and rub them with fresh garlic. This trick came from Chef Richard, and I honestly don’t know if I could ever enjoy a bowl of French onion soup without garlic-rubbed bread again. It’s so good!
    2. Pre-dunk bread slices: Before filling our soup bowls, briefly dunk the bread slices in the soup. Dunking the bread in the soup before adding it to your bowl allows the bread to absorb some of the soup, so that it doesn’t steal all the broth from your bowl when you eat it. So smart!
    3. Add cheese and broil: Finally, you’ll add the bread and soup to oven-safe bowls and top with cheese. Broil until bubbly, and you are ready to dig in!
    Dunking garlic bread in French onion soup
    Broiling cheese on French onion soup

    More Soup Recipes

    Homemade French Onion Soup

    Best French Onion Soup We’ve Made

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    This is the best homemade French onion soup we’ve ever made, and to be honest, it knocks the socks off most that we’ve had at restaurants, too. Take care to caramelize your onions, as that’s where the rich onion flavor comes from.

    Serves 4

    Watch Us Make the Recipe

    You Will Need

    3 ½ pounds (1590g) yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced (6 to 7 medium)

    4 tablespoons (57g) European-style salted butter, like Kerrygold, plus more for bread

    1/4 cup (2 ounces) sweet vermouth, sherry, or brandy

    1/4 cup (2 ounces) dry white wine or Lillet Blanc; see notes

    4 to 5 cups (950ml to 1180ml) chicken broth or beef stock, see tips

    1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

    1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

    1 French baguette or rustic loaf, sliced into 1/2-inch slices, 12 slices

    2 cloves garlic

    1 cup (114g) grated Gruyere cheese, 4 ounces

    Directions

    • Make Soup

      • 1Melt the butter in a wide pot over medium heat — use a heavy-bottomed or stainless steel pot like a Dutch oven or rondeau.

      2Stir in the onions, and then cover with a lid. Cook, over medium heat, until the onions look translucent, 12 to 15 minutes.

      3Uncover the pot, and continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally and scraping up any stuck browned bits from the bottom and sides. The onions take 45 to 60 minutes to caramelize. Keep a close eye on them. When you notice they begin to brown, stir them more often to keep them from burning.

      4When the onions are golden and smell caramelized, stir in the vermouth and white wine. Cook, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, for about 2 minutes. Continue to the next step when you no longer smell strong alcohol and instead smell sweet onions with the aromas of the vermouth and wine.

      5Stir in the broth, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot with its lid and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and then season with additional salt if needed. While Chef Richard suggests 4 cups of broth, we enjoy a bit more liquid and use 5 cups of broth, instead.

      6Turn off the heat, and allow the soup to steep (covered) while you prepare the bread.

    • To Serve

      • 1Set aside four oven-safe soup bowls (we use cocottes from Le Creuset).

      2Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Butter the bread slices, and then line them up on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

      3Rub the toasted bread with the garlic cloves, and then quickly dunk the bread into the soup. Dunking the bread first helps to prevent the bread from soaking up all the broth in your bowl when serving.

      4Place oven-safe bowls onto a large baking sheet (to help move them in and out of the oven). Place one slice into the bottom of each oven-safe soup bowl and sprinkle a little Gruyere cheese on top. Ladle soup into the bowls and top with two more slices of bread. Top with remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • Onions: I use yellow onions, but if you try sweet onions (like Vidalia or Walla Walla), we have noticed that they brown more quickly than yellow onions, so be careful to keep close when the onions are caramelizing so that they do not burn.
    • Broth: Use homemade chicken broth or homemade beef stock, or substitute it with store-bought chicken broth. Unfortunately, we do not recommend store-bought beef broth since we’ve yet to find one we enjoy (I find them more salty than flavorful).
    • Alcohol: We use sweet vermouth (Dolin) and Lillet Blanc. You can substitute sweet vermouth with sherry (not sherry cooking wine) or brandy. Lillet Blanc is similar to dry white wine but more aromatic. Your favorite dry white wine is fine.
    • Can you make French onion soup without wine? Yes, leave the alcohol out altogether and season to taste with a splash of sherry vinegar and possibly a dash of fish sauce (odd, but it adds a lot of flavor). When deglazing the pan, use broth. You will lose some complexity in the flavor, but the soup will still be tasty.
    • French onion soup bowls: Any oven-safe soup bowl (sometimes called crocks) will work for this recipe. Handles do help when transferring them in and out of the oven. We used mini round cocotte’s from Le Creuset (8 ounces).
    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1/4 of the recipe
    /
    Calories
    596
    /
    Total Fat
    24.2g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    13.4g
    /
    Cholesterol
    67.4mg
    /
    Sodium
    907.8mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    64.2g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    7.7g
    /
    Total Sugars
    21.8g
    /
    Protein
    22.4g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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  • Easy Oven Baked Trout Recipe

    Easy Oven Baked Trout Recipe

    Learn how to cook moist, flaky trout in the oven. This incredible baked trout recipe is easy and works for rainbow trout but can easily be adapted for larger varieties like steelhead.

    Baked Trout on serving plate

    Baking whole trout in the oven is genius, especially when you do it in foil or parchment paper packets (called fish cooked en papillote or “paper”). With our easy recipe, your trout stays super moist and dinner will be on the table in about 20 minutes. This truly is one of my favorite trout recipes!

    After sharing this easy baked trout recipe with friends, some were nervous about cooking the whole fish (with the skin, tail, and head still attached). So, if your on the same wavelength, I promise it’s easy and delicious!

    Key Ingredients

    • Trout: You can buy trout as whole fish that has been gutted and cleaned (like in our photos) or as fillets. For this recipe, we’re using whole trout. Look for cleaned and butterflied whole trout. By butterflied, I mean that the fish is slit down the middle but still has the halves attached. I’ve used rainbow trout in our photos, but this recipe works well for larger, saltwater varieties like arctic char, steelhead trout, and even salmon. Check my tips in the recipe for adjusting cooking time.
    • Lemon and Fresh Herbs: Since we use butterflied trout, we can sneak a few aromatics into the middle to infuse the fish while it bakes. I love lemon slices and a handful of fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, or dill. Thinly sliced garlic or onion are also lovely.
    • Seasoning: I use olive oil, salt, and pepper to season my trout, but you can always use your favorite seafood seasonings instead. I’ve also made a Cajun spiced trout before and loved it. Try my Cajun seasoning if that sounds like something you’d enjoy.

    Find the full recipe with measurements below.

    How to Cook Whole Trout

    Tip 1: Bake your fish in packets. We love baking our trout in packets. We used foil in the photos, but parchment paper is a also great option. Place your trout down onto the foil, lightly drizzle with oil, and season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper (note, you can use your favorite seafood seasoning instead).

    Tip 2: Stuff your fish with lemon and herbs. We love stuffing the trout with lemon slices and fresh herbs. Sliced onions are tasty, too! Fold the sides of the packet to secure it and bake the trout in the oven until the flesh flakes easily with a fork.

    Stuffing trout with lemon and herbs

    Tip 3: Bake at the right temperature. The cooking time for your trout will vary depending on how large the fish is and the variety of fish you are baking. A small trout, like the one pictured in our photos, takes about 15 minutes in a 400°F oven. You can serve the fish as-is in the packets or remove them and remove the fillets from the bones.

    How to Debone Trout

    Watch our video to see me debone our baked trout. I’ve also shared my tips below for filleting cooked trout, which I find much easier than when the fish is raw. It’s a simple process. I use a spoon and butter knife to do it. Here are the basic steps I follow. I highly recommend watching the video:

    1. Pull away all the fins. Since the fish is cooked, they come away easily.
    2. Press the knife into the soft flesh just before the head and cut up to the bone. Repeat this with the soft flesh just before the tail.
    3. Use the knife to follow the line down the middle of the trout (this follows the spine). Just cut up to the bone.
    4. Following the line you just made down the spine, use a spoon to carefully pull/push the top and bottom fillet away from the bones.
    5. Pull the tail up and away the fish. By doing this the spine and bones will come away with it.
    6. Clean all the fillets of small bones and transfer to a plate for serving.

    Serving Suggestions

    I love serving this with a Caprese salad or a simple green salad tossed in my favorite balsamic vinaigrette or honey mustard dressing. It’s also excellent alongside red potato salad, corn salad, or creamy mashed potatoes.

    For finishing touches, a drizzle of olive oil is lovely over the trout, or try it with homemade tartar sauce or our garlic aioli.

    More Simple Fish Recipes

    Oven Baked Trout

    Easy Oven Baked Trout

    • PREP
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    • TOTAL

    This is the best way to cook trout! I love baking whole trout in packets in the oven (see tips for doing this on the grill). The baked trout turns out succulent and flavorful. While your fish bakes, juices form at the bottom of the packet, which are delicious when spooned over the cooked trout. Other ingredients to consider adding to the middle of the fish are thinly sliced garlic, onion, or greens (like spinach). If you have larger varieties of fish like steelhead trout or even salmon, you can still use our method, but the bake time will be longer.

    2 Servings

    Watch Us Make the Recipe

    You Will Need

    2 small rainbow trout, cleaned and butterflied (opened up with the halves still attached), about 1 pound

    Olive oil

    1 lemon, sliced

    Fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, tarragon, and thyme

    Salt

    Fresh ground black pepper

    Directions

      1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil larger than your fish, or use parchment paper.

      2Place the trout, skin side down, on each piece of foil. Drizzle both sides with olive oil, then season both sides, inside and out, with salt and pepper.

      3Place two parsley (or dill) sprigs and two lemon slices down the middle of each fish.

      4Fold the foil by grabbing at the edges and crimping it together to make a packet.

      5Place the packets of fish onto the baking sheet.

      6Bake, checking one packet after 10 minutes. Depending on the size of your fish, it will take 15 to 25 minutes. When ready to come out of the oven, the flesh will be opaque and flake easily with a fork.

      7Place each packet on a plate. Carefully open the foil packets, taking care not to let the steam burn you.

      8Slide the fish away from the packet and onto the plate, pouring the juices over it. Serve with more fresh herbs and lemon slices.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • Parchment paper: If you do not have heavy-duty foil, use two sheets of regular foil to make each packet.
    • How to make grilled trout: Follow the directions in the recipe above to make each packet. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the packets over indirect heat. Grill for 10 minutes, check one packet for doneness, and then continue to cook until it is cooked through.
    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Calories
    285
    /
    Protein
    32 g
    /
    Carbohydrate
    1 g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    0 g
    /
    Total Sugars
    0 g
    /
    Total Fat
    16 g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    4 g
    /
    Cholesterol
    87 g


    AUTHOR:

    Adam Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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  • Easy Tomato Broth Recipe

    Easy Tomato Broth Recipe

    We love this homemade tomato broth made from fresh tomatoes, bell pepper, and smoked paprika. It’s flavorful and a little smoky, making it perfect for using as a base for vegetable dishes. Use this tomato broth for soups, stews, and rice dishes like risotto.

    Homemade Tomato Broth

    We have a few broths and stocks on Inspired Taste. I especially love this vegetable broth recipe with carrots, onions, and mushrooms. It’s rich and satisfying. This tomato stock is the answer when I want something lighter and more summery.

    Our tomato broth recipe combines fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, and spices. It’s vegetarian, takes about 30 minutes to make, and is easy!

    How to Make Tomato Broth

    To make tomato broth, throw quartered tomatoes and chopped bell pepper into a pot. Add salt, smoked paprika, thyme, a bay leaf, and water. Bring to a simmer, and then cook, covered for 30 minutes (it smells great!).

    Making tomato broth with fresh tomatoes

    Throw away the thyme stems and bay leaf, then blend the broth until smooth. Pour it through a mesh strainer to remove any bits of tomato skin, and you are done!

    Blending tomato broth

    We use this broth for soup — like this tomato soup — and especially love it when making our summery vegetable risotto.

    Homemade Tomato Broth

    Easy Tomato Broth

    • PREP
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    • TOTAL

    We love this tomato broth made from fresh tomatoes, bell pepper, and smoked paprika. It’s flavorful and a little smoky, perfect for using as a base for lighter vegetable dishes. We especially love this broth when making our summer vegetable risotto.

    Makes 6 cups

    You Will Need

    8 ounces tomatoes, quartered, 2 medium

    1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

    4 cloves garlic, smashed

    1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt

    1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

    4 thyme sprigs

    1 bay leaf

    6 cups water

    Directions

      1Add quartered tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, salt, smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and 6 cups of water to a medium saucepan. Cover with a lid, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, adjusting the heat so that it does not bubble over.

      2Remove the thyme and bay leaf. Puree the broth using an immersion or regular blender, then strain. Measure the broth and add enough water to bring the liquid up to 6 cups. Store in in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freeze for up to 3 months.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.

    If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1 cup
    /
    Calories
    18
    /
    Saturated Fat
    0.2g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    0g
    /
    Cholesterol
    0mg
    /
    Sodium
    594.2mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    3.8g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    1.1g
    /
    Total Sugars
    2.1g
    /
    Protein
    0.7g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us



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  • Easy Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

    Easy Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

    author byline

    My easy homemade refrigerator bread and butter pickles recipe has the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess!

    Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles

    I grew up with bread and butter pickles and love them! They are a type of pickled cucumber with the most delicious sweet and tangy flavor. These are seriously so good!

    I make them with vinegar, salt, sugar, and the perfect blend of pickling spices. The result is a sweet, tangy, crisp, and colorful pickle! For more easy pickle recipes, see our homemade dill pickles, delicious pickled beets, quick pickled carrots, or these easy pickled red onions.

    Key Ingredients

    • Cucumbers: I recommend using Kirby cucumbers, Boston pickling cucumbers, or other pickling-specific varieties. They stay crisp in the brine and make delicious pickles. If these aren’t available, smaller Persian cucumbers are a good alternative.
    • Vinegar: Look for distilled vinegar labeled with “5% acidity” on the bottle.
    • Salt and Sugar: For bread and butter pickles, I use pickling salt or sea salt, and granulated sugar for sweetness.
    • Spices: I’m a big fan of store-bought pickling spice, and my go-to is McCormick’s blend (you’ll spot it in almost any grocery store). It has cinnamon, allspice, mustard seed, coriander, bay leaves, ginger, clove, red pepper, black pepper, cardamom, and mace. Then, I add some extra peppercorns and ground turmeric, adding color and flavor.

    Find the full recipe with measurements below.

    Sliced cucumbers with hot brine to make bread and butter pickles

    How to Make the Best Bread and Butter Pickles

    It’s all about having a balanced brine. The magic behind these pickles lies in their simple brine. Just like my pickled beets or these easy dill pickles, these bread and butter pickles are refrigerator pickles and only require two simple steps:

    1. Slice the cucumbers into coins and place them into a jar.
    2. Cover the cucumbers in the jar with my sweet and tangy vinegar brine.

    Let them cool. Let them cool to room temperature, refrigerate the jar, and enjoy your delicious bread and butter pickles!

    Bread and Butter Pickles

    Easy Bread and Butter Pickles

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    Simple homemade refrigerator bread and butter pickles made using vinegar, salt, sugar, and the perfect blend of pickling spices. These pickles have the most delightful balance of sweetness and tanginess!

    For a more classic flavor, try our dill pickles!

    1-quart (1 liter) jar

    You Will Need

    1 pound (454g) pickling cucumbers, like Kirby, sliced into coins, 3 to 4 cucumbers

    1 ½ cups (355ml) vinegar (5% acidity)

    3/4 cup (150g) sugar

    1 tablespoon pickling spice, see notes

    1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

    1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

    1 ½ tablespoons (23g) pickling salt or sea salt, recommend using weight, see notes

    Directions

      1Combine the vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, turmeric, peppercorns, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let the mixture come to a simmer and continue cooking until the sugar and salt completely dissolve.

      2Pack the sliced cucumbers into a 1-quart (1 liter) jar.

      3Carefully pour the hot pickle brine over the cucumbers. Leave about 1/8-inch of space between the top of the brine and the lid of the jar.

      4Allow the jar to cool down to room temperature. Then, securely tighten the lid with your fingers and place it in the refrigerator.

      5Let the pickles sit undisturbed overnight before enjoying them. For the first night, position the jar upside down in a bowl and flip it right-side-up the next day.

      6The pickles will last in the fridge for up to one month.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • Picking spice blend: There are quite a few brands that sell pickling spice blend, we use  McCormick “Mixed Pickling Spice”
    • Are these shelf stable? These pickles have been specifically designed for refrigeration storage. They are meant to be kept in the fridge at all times. However, if you’re experienced in canning, you could potentially adapt them for long-term shelf stability. This would involve using sanitized jars, new lids, and a pressure canner.
    • Different salts can be used for pickling. Pickling salt is best, but you can also use Morton’s kosher salt or sea salt. Avoid table salt due to additives. If using Diamond Crystal salt, you may need to adjust quantity as it’s larger than pickling salt. We recommend measuring by weight for pickles. If you are measuring by volume (like tablespoons), you will need about 50% more Diamond Crystal salt.
    • Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. It is difficult to calculate how much salt and sugar are in the pickles, so we have included all of the brine in the calculations (which is why salt and sugar is higher).

    If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1/10 of the jar
    /
    Calories
    74
    /
    Total Fat
    0.1g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    0g
    /
    Cholesterol
    0mg
    /
    Sodium
    560mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    17.3g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    0.5g
    /
    Total Sugars
    15.8g
    /
    Protein
    0.4g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

    Previous Post: Perfect Mojito
    Next Post: Easy Tuna Salad



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  • Easy Chicken Ragu Recipe

    Easy Chicken Ragu Recipe

    author byline

    My family’s easy and budget-friendly chicken ragu is super simple to make and ready in under 30 minutes! This ground chicken spaghetti recipe is perfect for busy days!

    Ragu made with Ground Chicken over Spaghetti

    You could call this my shortcut ragu. I use store-bought sauce but add a few smart ingredients to make it taste more homemade. I also use ground chicken for this recipe, which keeps the cooking time low.

    I make this recipe once a month (the whole family loves it). For more easy dinner recipes with ground chicken, see these incredible chicken lettuce wraps or this easy white chicken chili!

    Key Ingredients

    • Pasta: I love serving this ragu with spaghetti, but feel free to use your favorite pasta.
    • Ground Chicken: I use ground chicken in this recipe, but you can substitute ground turkey, lean ground beef, or ground lamb.
    • Pasta Sauce: You can use your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce (I like Rao’s). Or try this homemade marinara or this red pasta sauce.
    • Wine: This is optional, but it adds a lot of extra flavor. Use a dry red or dry white wine. If you don’t have wine on hand, don’t worry! You can substitute it with chicken broth or veggie broth.
    • Aromatics: To make this ragu taste more homemade, I cook the chicken with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and fresh (or dried) chopped rosemary. I make a similar sauce for this easy weeknight spaghetti, but that recipe has a from-scratch sauce with basil instead of rosemary.

    How to Make Chicken Ragu

    To prepare the sauce, I cook the onions, carrots, and celery until tender and sweet. I then stir in the rosemary and garlic, letting their flavors become fragrant. Once the vegetables are ready, I add the ground chicken and cook it until it’s no longer pink.

    How to Make Chicken Ragu: Adding the Sauce

    I deglaze with wine (or broth) and stir in the pasta sauce. I let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Then, it’s ready to serve over spaghetti. Easy!

    Chicken Ragu over Spaghetti

    Easy Chicken Ragu

    • PREP
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    • TOTAL

    This delicious chicken ragu can be made in less than 30 minutes and is perfect served over spaghetti. While our recipe calls for ground chicken, you can substitute ground beef, turkey, pork, or fresh sausage. If you prefer not to include wine, you can easily substitute it with chicken, vegetable, or turkey broth.

    Makes 4 servings

    You Will Need

    8 ounces dry pasta, such as spaghetti or linguini

    1 pound (450g) ground chicken

    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

    1/2 medium onion, chopped

    2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

    1 medium stalk celery, chopped

    1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

    1 clove garlic, finely minced

    1/4 cup (60ml) dry red or white wine

    3 cups (709ml) marinara sauce or use 1 (26oz) jar of store-bought sauce

    Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

    Directions

      1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta.

      2In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large skillet with high sides. Add onions, carrots, and celery, and cook until the onions become soft and smell sweet, about 5 minutes.

      3Stir in the garlic and rosemary, then add the ground chicken. Cook the chicken until it is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

      4While cooking, use a wooden spoon to break the chicken into small pieces in the pan.

      5Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Then, pour in the wine (or broth) and cook for 1 minute.

      6Add the marinara sauce to the skillet and cook until it reduces slightly, around 10 minutes.

      7Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the cooked pasta.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1/4 of the recipe
    /
    Calories
    555
    /
    Total Fat
    20.3g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    3.3g
    /
    Cholesterol
    96.3mg
    /
    Sodium
    861mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    59.9g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    6.3g
    /
    Total Sugars
    9.8g
    /
    Protein
    30.5g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

    Previous Post: Chorizo and Eggs
    Next Post: Slow Cooker Chicken Meatballs

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  • Chorizo and Eggs Recipe

    Chorizo and Eggs Recipe

    This easy chorizo and eggs recipe is incredibly flavorful thanks to the chorizo and you can make it in under 20 minutes.

    Chorizo and Eggs

    Fresh chorizo is one of our favorite ingredients. It’s ultra-flavorful, spicy, and perfect with eggs. Our family loves this recipe for breakfast and dinner! So quick, easy, and flavorful!

    Most often, we pile these eggs onto warm tortillas for an amazing breakfast taco! We love using our recipes for homemade corn tortillas or flour tortillas.

    Key Ingredients

    • Chorizo: For this breakfast skillet, choose fresh Mexican chorizo. You can buy it in casings or as bulk sausage. If you can’t find fresh chorizo, use spicy Italian sausage or this homemade breakfast sausage instead. (Cured chorizo from Spain is different and not suitable for this recipe.)
    • Eggs: I scramble my eggs for this recipe. To see more tips about scrambling eggs, see my scrambled eggs recipe.
    • Onion: I love a little crunch and cook the chorizo with sliced onion. White, yellow, or sweet onions work great. You can add other veggies, too, like bell peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes.

    Find the full recipe with measurements below.

    How to Make Chorizo and Eggs

    Tip 1: Cook the chorizo sausage. Remove the fresh chorizo from its casings and crumble it into a hot pan. Cook over medium heat until the fat renders and the sausage is browned and slightly crisp. As it cooks, use a wooden spoon to break it into small crumbles. Add sliced onions and sauté until soft, sweet, and golden.

    Tip 2: Adjust the fat before adding eggs. When the sausage is cooked, take a quick look at the pan. A little chorizo fat adds incredible flavor, but too much can make your eggs greasy. If there’s more than a thin coating, spoon out the excess before continuing.

    Tip 3: Make soft, creamy scrambled eggs. Lower the heat to medium-low before adding your eggs. If the pan is too hot, wait a minute or two. Then, gently scramble the eggs, stirring them around the pan until they’re just set and creamy. Here are more tips for how to scramble eggs.

    Serving Suggestions

    I usually serve chorizo and eggs family-style with warm tortillas. If you’re up for it, try homemade flour tortillas or corn tortillas.

    I also love offering a few toppings, like chopped cilantro, cojita cheese, avocado slices, or homemade guacamole, and salsa (pico de gallo, Mexican salsa verde, or this roasted tomato salsa are my favorites). And, don’t forget some lime wedges for the side, I love squeezing them over the eggs.

    More Breakfast Recipes

    Chorizo and Eggs

    Chorizo and Eggs

    • PREP
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    Chorizo and eggs are a fantastic combination and work perfectly for this easy breakfast skillet. Chorizo is a flavorful, spice-packed pork sausage. It comes in two forms: fresh and cured. For this breakfast skillet, use fresh chorizo.

    Makes 4 servings

    You Will Need

    6 ounces fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed

    1/2 cup sliced onion

    6 large eggs

    Pinch salt

    Handful cilantro leaves

    Cotija cheese or Queso fresco for serving

    Lime wedges, for serving

    Tortillas, warmed for serving, try homemade corn tortillas

    Directions

      1Cook sausage: Heat a wide non-stick skillet over medium-low. Add the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.

      2Add onions: Stir in the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes more.

      3Whisk eggs: Meanwhile, crack eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and whisk until well blended.

      4Scramble the eggs: Take the pan off the heat for a minute so it cools slightly. Check how much fat has been rendered from the sausage. If it is more than a tablespoon, remove some from the pan.

      5Place the pan back over medium-low heat. Pour in the eggs and immediately use a silicone spatula to swirl in small circles around the pan, without stopping, until the eggs look slightly thickened and small curds begin to form, about 30 seconds. Change from making circles to making long sweeps across the pan until you see larger, creamy curds, about 20 seconds (see us do this in our scrambled eggs video).

      6When the eggs are softly set and slightly runny in places, remove the pan from the heat and leave for a few seconds to finish cooking.

      7To serve: Give a final stir and serve with the tortillas, a few lime wedges, cilantro leaves, and cheese scattered on top.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • If you cannot find chorizo, try Italian sausage as a substitute.
    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include tortillas.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1/4 of the skillet
    /
    Calories
    336
    /
    Total Fat
    24.5g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    7.3g
    /
    Cholesterol
    354mg
    /
    Sodium
    725.9mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    2.1g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    0.4g
    /
    Total Sugars
    1g
    /
    Protein
    25g


    AUTHOR:

    Adam Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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  • Easy Homemade Croutons Recipe

    Easy Homemade Croutons Recipe

    Homemade croutons are so much tastier than store-bought! They’re perfectly crunchy, and you can customize them with your favorite herbs and spices. A batch of these easy croutons can be ready in 15 to 20 minutes using your favorite herbs and spice blends.

    Homemade Croutons

    I love adding croutons to my salads, but don’t really enjoy store-bought options. That’s why I’m in love with these easy homemade croutons! They’re the perfect topping for salads or soups, like Caesar salad or this easy tomato soup.

    You can make a double batch and have them for another day or use them to top your favorite pasta dishes or casseroles. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

    Key Ingredients

    • Bread: Use a quality bread. I love using bread from my local bakery. Day-old bread crisps up quicker, but fresh bread will still work.
    • Olive Oil: Use a tasty olive oil or substitute for melted butter.
    • Herbs: When the croutons are crisp and you’ve removed them from the oven, throw in your favorite dried herb blend or toss with chopped fresh herbs (see the notes section of the recipe for suggestions). If you love garlic, take a look at our garlic croutons!

    Find the full recipe with measurements below.

    How to Make Croutons

    To make croutons from scratch, simply tear or slice bread into small chunks and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and, if you’d like to add them, some herbs. Bake the seasoned bread in the oven until crisp. They usually take somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on how large they are and how fresh the bread is.

    How to Make Croutons: Cubed bread tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs.

    Ways to Use Homemade Croutons

    You may think that croutons are only for scattering onto salads, but that’s just the start. I love adding them to homemade soups and stews. This tomato soup and this creamy vegetable soup are my favorite.

    Knowing how to make your own croutons is useful around the holidays, especially if you are tasked with making stuffing! In this mushroom stuffing recipe, we start by crisping the bread into croutons before mixing with the remaining ingredients.

    Then, of course, there is the obvious option of adding homemade, perfectly crispy croutons to salads (see our favorite Caesar salad to see it in action).

    Homemade Croutons

    Easy Homemade Croutons

    • PREP
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    • TOTAL

    Making your own homemade croutons is so easy! They can be made in minutes and made with your favorite herbs and spice blends. Both dried and fresh herbs can be used in this recipe. See the notes section below for our tips.

    Makes 4 cups

    Watch Us Make the Recipe

    You Will Need

    4 cups torn or cubed day old bread, about 1-inch pieces

    3 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

    Salt and fresh ground black pepper

    1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon dried herbs or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh fine herbs, see notes

    Directions

      1Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

      2Toss the bread with olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl.

      3Add dried herbs, if using, and toss well. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

      4Bake, stirring once, until crisp and lightly golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes.

      5If using fresh herbs, chop them small and toss them with the croutons after baking while they are still warm.

      6Cool and then store in an airtight bag for 2 to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • We typically reach for dried herb blends like Italian seasoning, chili powder (see our homemade chili powder), Za’atar, and Mediterranean/Greek blends. For fresh herbs, try finer herbs like chopped fresh oregano, dill, basil, tarragon, chives, parsley and cilantro. If using woodier herbs like rosemary or thyme, you can toss them in before baking as if they were dried herbs.
    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    About 1/4 cup
    /
    Calories
    93
    /
    Total Fat
    3.1g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    0.5g
    /
    Cholesterol
    0mg
    /
    Sodium
    231.1mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    13.6g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    0.7g
    /
    Total Sugars
    0.8g
    /
    Protein
    2.9g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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  • The Best Gazpacho Recipe

    The Best Gazpacho Recipe

    This is hands down my favorite gazpacho recipe! The secret is lightly roasting the tomatoes with onions and garlic, which adds incredible flavor!

    Tomato Gazpacho

    Gazpacho, a chilled soup (sometimes called a salad in Spanish cookbooks) from Andalusia, Spain, is traditionally made with tomatoes, garlic, onion, and cucumber, and often thickened with bread. While authentic gazpacho recipes rely on raw ingredients, our version takes a slightly different approach.

    We developed this with Chef Richard and discovered that lightly roasting the tomatoes, onions, and garlic enhances the tomato flavor and softens the bite of the raw aromatics. The result is a seriously delicious, refreshing gazpacho that still feels true to its roots.

    Key Ingredients

    • Tomatoes: For the best gazpacho, I use ripe, juicy tomatoes. Summertime is ideal for finding them, but if you’re craving gazpacho out of season, don’t worry! While fresh garden-grown tomatoes usually have way more flavor, since this recipe roasts the tomatoes before blending, store-bought tomatoes work fine.
    • Bell Pepper: I add one roasted red bell pepper to the blender. You can buy jarred roasted peppers or roast your own (I’ve included instructions in the recipe).
    • Onion and Garlic: Roasting the tomatoes with olive oil, onion, and garlic mellows their flavors, making the soup extra delicious.
    • Croutons: Authentic Spanish gazpacho often includes bread blended into the soup for creaminess and thickness. Rustic bread works well, but try my garlic croutons for extra flavor! They’re made with garlic, shallot, and herbs and are also amazing on top of the soup for a nice crunch.
    • Sherry Vinegar: This aged vinegar is traditionally used in Spanish gazpacho (called Vinagre de Jerez in Spain). I love it as an all-purpose vinegar for salad dressings, too.
    • Cucumber: Another classic gazpacho ingredient, I peel and use seedless cucumbers. If your cucumber has seeds, remove them before blending.

    Find the full recipe with measurements below.

    How to Make My Favorite Gazpacho

    Tip 1: Prepare the tomatoes. While it’s not 100% necessary, when I make gazpacho, I peel and remove the cores of my tomatoes. After making this recipe a few times, I’ve found that it improves the soup’s texture (especially if you don’t have a high-powered blender).

    To peel them easily, score a shallow “X” on the bottom of each tomato, boil for 30 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath. The skins will slip right off.

    Peeling tomatoes for gazpacho

    Tip 2: Lightly roast the vegetables. Roast the tomatoes, garlic, and onion for about 20 minutes to deepen their flavors and mellow any sharp edges. Sometimes, raw gazpacho is slightly overpowering, so roasting tones things down a bit. While the oven’s on, roast a red bell pepper next to the tomatoes, as it softens and peels easily once cooled.

    Lightly roasted tomatoes, onion and garlic

    Tip 3: Blend until smooth (or not!). Add the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and pepper to your blender. Then, toss a peeled cucumber and a few croutons, which have been soaked briefly in water and vinegar to soften. Season with salt and pepper, then blend until smooth, or leave it slightly chunky if you prefer more texture.

    Gazpacho ingredients in a blender

    Tip 4: Chill before serving. Gazpacho tastes best after it chills for a few hours (or overnight) to let the flavors bloom. I make it the day before and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. To serve, add it to a bowl or glass (yep, you can drink it, too). Then, top with some chopped cucumber, tomato, and more croutons.

    More Tomato Soup Recipes

    A bowl of Gazpacho

    The Best Gazpacho

    • PREP
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    • TOTAL

    This tomato gazpacho recipe is unbelievably delicious! We peel our tomatoes. It’s easy and develops a much better texture (especially if you don’t have a high-powered blender). It’s not 100% necessary, but after making quite a few batches of this soup, we’ve noticed that those made with peeled tomatoes have a much more pleasant texture.

    We use this recipe for garlic croutons. If you do not want to make your own, you can substitute store-bought croutons or cubed rustic bread.

    Makes 6 cups

    You Will Need

    2 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, 6 to 7 medium tomatoes (1130g)

    1 red bell pepper

    6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

    Quarter of a large onion, sliced

    3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

    ½ cup garlic croutons, use garlic croutons recipe, or substitute cubed rustic bread

    ¼ cup water (60ml)

    1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar

    1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

    Salt and fresh ground black pepper

    Directions

      1Prep: Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Set aside a wide baking dish as well as a small baking sheet.

      2Roast the bell pepper: Rub the pepper with a bit of olive oil, then place it on the small baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the skin looks wrinkly and you see dark spots. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, remove the stem and seeds, and discard them.

      3Prep the tomatoes (optional, but recommended): While the pepper roasts, fill a large bowl with ice water to make an ice bath. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut a shallow “X” into the bottom of each tomato, then carefully submerge them in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer to the ice bath to cool. Once cooled, peel away the skins.

      4Core and roast tomatoes: Remove the tomato cores and slice each tomato in half. Place them into the large baking dish (it’s okay if they touch). Scatter the smashed garlic cloves and sliced onion around the tomatoes. Drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt, and finish with a few twists of black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.

      5Soak the croutons: In a small bowl, combine the croutons with water and vinegar. Set aside until the croutons absorb all the liquid and look soggy.

      6Blend: Transfer the roasted tomato mixture (including onions, garlic, and juices) to a blender. Add the roasted pepper, soaked croutons, cucumber, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Blend on high until smooth or to your preferred texture. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.

      7Chill before serving: Gazpacho tastes best when chilled. If you can, refrigerate for a few hours, if not overnight, to let the flavors bloom. Serve cold, drizzled with olive oil and topped with chopped cucumber, tomato, and more croutons.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • Storing: Homemade gazpacho keeps up to 4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (the texture may thin a bit, so consider re-blending it briefly before serving).
    • Gluten-free / bread-free: Croutons and bread add a silkiness and thickness to the soup, but you can leave them out and still make excellent gazpacho.
    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Serving Size
    1/4 of the recipe (1 1/2 cups)
    /
    Calories
    218
    /
    Total Fat
    11.6g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    1.7g
    /
    Cholesterol
    0mg
    /
    Sodium
    560.6mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    26.7g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    5.2g
    /
    Total Sugars
    10.9g
    /
    Protein
    5.5g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

    Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste

    We are Adam and Joanne Gallagher, the creators of Inspired Taste. Established in 2009, Inspired Taste grew from a childhood dream into one of the internet’s most trusted recipe sites with hundreds of reliable recipes, step-by-step videos, and expert tips.More About Us

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  • Perfect Lobster Rolls Recipe

    Perfect Lobster Rolls Recipe

    These are the best homemade lobster rolls we’ve ever had! Our recipe combines perfectly cooked lobster with the most incredible warm butter and mayonnaise dressing. These are almost too good!

    Best Homemade Lobster Rolls

    Lobster rolls come with a lot of opinions. Mayo, butter, celery, hot, warm, the bun, it goes on. In Maine, you’ll see chilled lobster dressed in mayonnaise, while in Connecticut, it’s common to see the lobster tossed in warm melted butter.

    These homemade lobster rolls are amazing and made with warm melted butter AND creamy mayonnaise. You might also enjoy our easy shrimp salad or these Maryland crab cakes.

    Key Ingredients

    • Lobster: We start with live lobsters and cook them ourselves. For the best lobster roll, you should cook your own lobsters too! I’ve shared Richard’s method below to guide you through it. If you already have cooked lobster meat, you’ll just need to toss it into the butter and mayo sauce.
    • Butter: We toss our perfectly cooked lobster meat into a warm bath of melted butter (yum!).
    • Mayonnaise: To finish the sauce, we add a little bit of mayo to the warm butter. It makes it a bit creamier (it’s so incredibly good!). When I have it on hand, I use homemade mayo.
    • Fresh Herbs: We love the lobster flavor to come through, so we only add a little bit of fresh herbs. I usually stir in a couple of teaspoons of fresh chopped chives and dill.

    How to Make Lobster Rolls

    We highly recommend starting with live lobsters to make the best lobster rolls at home. This way, you have complete control over the cooking process, ensuring the lobster meat is perfectly cooked. If you prefer to skip handling live lobsters, our lobster roll recipe below specifies the amount of cooked lobster meat needed.

    While killing a lobster may seem daunting, it’s a necessary step. Our method is quick and effective. Place the lobster on a cutting board and find the faint cross on its shell where the head and body connect. Quickly and firmly insert a large, sharp knife into this cross, pushing down through the head and between the eyes. This severs the spinal cord, causing instant death. (The legs may still twitch, but this is a natural reflex.)

    Lobster tails and claws ready to cook for lobster rolls

    Remove the tails and claws from the body. You can save the bodies for another time for dishes like lobster stock, bisque, or mac and cheese. I freeze them.

    Cooked lobster

    Boil the tails and larger claws for 5 minutes and the smaller claws for 4 minutes. Allow the cooked lobster pieces to cool completely.

    Removing the Meat from Tails: Use kitchen shears to cut down the top of the tail, then pull back the sides to crack the shell. Gently pull out the tail meat.

    Removing meat from lobster tails

    Removing the Meat from Claws: Twist off the knuckles, then use a knife or mallet to crack the claw shells.

    Removing claw meat from lobsters

    For smaller legs or pieces, carefully remove the meat, using tweezers or chopsticks if necessary.

    Pulling lobster knuckle meat out of the shells

    Now that you have perfectly cooked lobster meat, you can create mouthwatering homemade lobster rolls!

    When you’ve removed all the meat from the shells, toss it into a bath of melted butter (yum). Stop yourself from eating all of the lobster in the butter, and allow it to sit for a few minutes until it’s warmed through. Then, toss the butter-basted lobster meat with some mayonnaise, herbs, and pepper. Then spoon onto lightly toasted rolls and enjoy.

    Lobster in a bath of melted butter ready for lobster rolls

    What to Serve with Lobster Rolls

    I love serving lobster rolls on a soft bun with a summer side like our creamy potato salad, this herb potato salad, or my creamy pasta salad. A handful of potato chips is a good idea, too. For more ideas, try homemade coleslaw or my favorite broccoli slaw.

    Homemade Lobster Rolls with butter and mayo

    Perfect Lobster Rolls

    • PREP
    • COOK
    • TOTAL

    I’m not exaggerating when I say that these homemade lobster rolls with perfectly cooked lobster tossed in a butter and mayo dressing are the best we’ve had. For the most mouthwatering texture, start with live lobsters. Our method for cooking the lobster guarantees perfectly cooked lobster. If you are uncomfortable killing live lobsters, buy whole steamed lobsters or lobster meat.

    For this recipe, we separate the claws and tail from the bodies. We won’t use the lobster bodies in this recipe, but you can save them in the freezer for another day (they make incredibly delicious lobster mac and cheese–coming soon).

    Makes 4 rolls

    You Will Need

    4 whole lobsters, 1 ½ pounds each, or 20 ounces cooked lobster meat

    2 tablespoons salt

    6 ounces salted butter

    1/4 cup mayonnaise, see homemade mayo

    1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

    1 teaspoon finely chopped chives

    3 to 4 twists fresh ground pepper

    4 hoagie or sausage rolls

    Directions

    • Prepare Lobsters for Cooking

      • 1If your lobsters are live, pick up a lobster by holding it right behind the head, and lay the lobster on a cutting board. To protect your hand, use a clean dish towel to hold the lobster in place.

      2Find the faint cross on the shell (carapace) where the lobster’s head attaches to the body. With a large sharp knife, firmly insert the tip into this cross and push it down through the head, between the eyes. This action severs the spinal cord, instantly killing the lobster. The legs might twitch a little afterward, but the lobster is dead.

      3Remove the claws and tails. Separate the lobster parts by size: tails in one pile, large claws in another, and finally, all the small claws together in a third pile.

      4Discard or save the lobster bodies for another recipe. The bodies can be placed into a freezer-safe container and stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

    • Cook Lobster

      • 1Bring a large pot of water to a boil with two tablespoons of salt.

      2Cook the tails for five minutes, transfer them to a plate to cool. Next, cook the large claws for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate to cool, and finish by cooking the small claws for four minutes.

      3Remove the lobster meat from the shells when the tails and claws are cool enough to handle. For the tails, use kitchen shears to cut down the top of the tails, pull to open, cracking the back slightly, and then pull out the meat. For the claws, use a knife or mallet to crack open the claws and then remove the meat. Use tweezers or chopsticks to remove smaller bits of meat from legs and knuckles.

    • Make Rolls

      • 1Lightly toast four rolls.

      2Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low, then place all of the lobster meat into the warm butter.

      3After five minutes of sitting in the warm butter, spoon the buttery lobster meat into a bowl along with a few spoonfuls of the butter. The remaining butter can be saved in the fridge for other recipes (it’s lovely tossed with pasta).

      4Gently mix in the mayonnaise, dill, chives, and pepper. Divide the lobster between lightly toasted rolls and enjoy.

    Adam and Joanne’s Tips

    • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Fat and calories are likely too high since these calculations include all of the butter in the ingredients list. Not all of this butter is actually used in the rolls.

    Nutrition Per Serving
    Calories
    652
    /
    Total Fat
    47.8g
    /
    Saturated Fat
    24.1g
    /
    Cholesterol
    304mg
    /
    Sodium
    1267.5mg
    /
    Carbohydrate
    23.4g
    /
    Dietary Fiber
    1.3g
    /
    Total Sugars
    3.3g
    /
    Protein
    31.9g


    AUTHOR:

    Joanne Gallagher

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