This apple salad recipe is one of my favorite fall salad recipes. Its creamy dressing and toasted pecans make it a perfect side dish or holiday salad!

When fall hits, I start craving this crispy green apple salad with fennel. It’s incredibly easy to make and has one of my favorite creamy salad dressings. It’s great throughout the fall and absolutely perfect on the table for Thanksgiving.

I cannot wait for you to try this easy recipe. For more like this, see our arugula fennel salad or farro salad with apples.

Key Ingredients

• Apples: I love tart Granny Smith apples for this salad, but any variety of crunchy apples works well.
• Celery and Fennel: If you aren’t familiar with raw celery and fennel in salads, hear me out. It’s delicious! You’ll quickly peel the celery, which removes any stringy bits, and then slice them thin for the salad. The fennel adds a light licorice (or anise) crunch. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite salads right here!
• Green Onion and Fresh Dill: I love tossing chopped fresh dill and sliced green onions for even more fresh flavor. You can also use chives or mint.
• Nuts: I use pecans in the photos, but pistachios, walnuts, and hazelnuts are great here. Toast them briefly first before you add them to the apples. Candied pecans would be amazing, too!
• Creamy Dressing: This salad dressing is zippy and creamy. I make it with Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, and crème fraîche. Crème fraîche tastes like a creamy, slightly less tangy sour cream. If you don’t have it on hand, mayonnaise, sour cream, and even plain yogurt will work in its place.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Apple Salad

Tip 1: Make the creamy dressing. I genuinely love the salad dressing for this apple salad. It’s easy to make and requires whisking Dijon, cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, and crème fraîche together until creamy. It’s light, creamy, and incredible with the apples.

Tip 2: Prepping the apples, fennel, and celery. To bring this salad together, you’ll slice the apples (I keep the peel on). Then, for the celery, use a vegetable peeler to remove the tougher, stringy outer layers, and finally thinly slice the fennel. When prepping the fennel, remove the core first, then thinly slice from there.

Serving Suggestions

This creamy, crunchy salad is incredible with all your favorite fall or holiday dishes. For a simple weeknight dinner, serve it alongside baked pork chops or chicken milanese (instead of the typical arugula salad). It’s also incredible next to roast chicken or pan-roasted chicken breasts. I’ve even served it with this balsamic pear pizza and loved it!

For the holidays, this works beautifully on the table next to a roast turkey or a roasted turkey breast. It’s also amazing with glazed ham. Really, anytime your meal can stand a little extra freshness and crunch, this is your salad!

More Fall Salad Recipes

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This unbelievably rich and hearty beef stew made with Guinness beer is the ultimate comfort food. It’s also easy and made in one pot. You’ll love the outrageously delicious melt-in-your-mouth tender beef and gravy!

I love cooking with Guinness beer, and this beef stew is one of my favorite ways to use it. Dark beer makes the stew rich and unbelievably flavorful. It’s perfect for slowly simmering the meat until it becomes fall-apart tender.

Believe it or not, beef stew is really simple to make. This version, made with Guinness beer, is no different. You will need just over 2 hours. That’s not 2 hours hovering over a stove, though. The good news is that your hands-on time is about 30 minutes. For more comforting recipes like this stew, try our classic beef stew with red wine, this pot roast made in an Instant Pot, or our favorite braised short ribs.

Key Ingredients

• Beef Chuck Roast and Flour: For the best beef stew, use a well-marbled chuck roast. The marbling (those white veins of fat) is key to getting melt-in-your-mouth tender beef. Cut the chuck roast into cubes and toss them with flour for a nice sear and crust. If you’d like to keep it gluten-free, skip the flour!
• Garlic and Tomato Paste: We build incredible flavor in this stew! It starts with sautéed garlic and tomato paste, which create a rich base for the gravy.
• Guinness Beer: While any beer will work, we love the deep, roasted notes that Guinness adds to the stew. It intensifies the meaty flavor and creates a truly flavorful gravy. Dry red wine or coffee are also excellent substitutes for the beer.
• Stock: I recommend using a good-quality chicken or beef stock. If you have the time, homemade beef stock is fantastic.
• Worcestershire Sauce and Thyme: These are classic for beef stew. If you only have dried thyme, check the tips in the recipe below for how much you will need.
• Veggies: We add onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes towards the end of cooking to keep them from getting mushy. Feel free to add other root vegetables like parsnips or turnips for even more flavor and heartiness.

How to Make Guinness Beef Stew

To make my Guinness beef stew, you are looking at a little hands-on time in the beginning, and then you get to sit back and relax.

For the best, most flavorful beef get a good sear on it before simmering in the gravy. To do this, I pat them dry, roll in some flour, and then sear until browned on all sides in some oil. This step goes quickly since we are only browning the meat, not cooking it all the way through.

Once your meat is ready, you can make the gravy, starting with tomato paste and garlic and then adding the Guinness, beef stock, and remaining stew ingredients.

When your gravy is ready, nestle the beef into it and cook at a low simmer for about an hour. Toss in your veggies and continue cooking until the veggies are tender and the beef falls apart when pierced with a fork.

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I’m excited to share this delicious shrimp carbonara recipe which features perfectly cooked shrimp tossed with spaghetti in a silky sauce.

If you are a pasta traditionalist, look away. If you love seafood pasta and don’t mind bending the rules a bit in the vein of delicious dishes, this recipe is for you! I’ve shared our pasta carbonara before. It’s simple and has the most delightful silky sauce.

We’re obsessed, and after you try it, you will be too! For this recipe, we’re using all the techniques of traditional carbonara and adding shrimp. It’s easier than you might think, which is why this works as a quick weeknight dinner. And, as a bonus, it hits all the marks for a special dinner, like, say, for date night (see more of our date night recipes).

Key Ingredients

• Shrimp: For the best results, I prefer large or jumbo shrimp. They are less likely to overcook and dry out. Look for fresh shrimp that is firm and has a slightly sweet smell. If you have frozen shrimp, thaw and drain them before using. I leave the shrimp whole before tossing it with the pasta, but if you’d prefer to have smaller bites of shrimp throughout, you can cut them into smaller pieces.
• Pork: You want a form of cured, fatty pork like guanciale (most traditional), pancetta, or thick-cut bacon (easiest to find). We will render this in a skillet, which adds flavor to our dish, and since you’ll have some rendered fat, it makes our sauce much creamier after mixing it with the eggs and cheese.
• Pasta: My go-to is spaghetti, but bucatini, which looks like spaghetti with a hole down the middle, is also lovely. If you are up for it, this recipe made with homemade pasta is incredible!
• Room Temperature Eggs: There’s no cream in this recipe. Instead, we combine egg and egg yolk with the rendered pork fat and some starchy pasta water to make the sauce silky and creamy. The eggs heat up but likely don’t hit a temperature that makes them fully cooked (similar to when making homemade tiramisu). We want a creamy, emulsified sauce, not a fully cooked scrambled egg texture. If you are concerned about raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs (they are common at most grocery stores). If you are still worried, add some shrimp to our easy fettuccine alfredo instead, which has no eggs and uses butter and cheese for the sauce. Note: If your eggs are straight from the fridge, you can warm them up quickly by adding them (in their shells) to a bowl of warm water and leaving them for a few minutes.
• Cheese: I use Parmigiano-Reggiano AND Pecorino Romano and love the combination. If you need to choose one, go with Pecorino Romano (used for authentic cacio e pepe). It’s saltier and tangier than Parmigiano-Reggiano, which works incredibly well in carbonara. For the best results, use a fine grater to grate the cheese, and skip the pre-grated parmesan, as it doesn’t melt down as well into a silky carbonara sauce. Some regions of Italy would never think to combine shrimp and cheese, but as I said above, this recipe bends the rules a bit, and honestly, your taste buds will thank you!
• Salt and Black Pepper: For perfectly seasoned pasta, you want to season your pasta water, which will season the pasta itself, and since we use some of that starchy water to bring our sauce together, it will also season the sauce. Fresh black pepper is pretty standard in carbonara, and for good reason. I like a fine grind for the pepper, use a lot of it, and love it!

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Shrimp Carbonara

Tip 1: Render your pork. While the pasta cooks, add the pork to a skillet with halved garlic cloves, olive oil and black pepper, then cook over medium-low heat. The pork should be sizzling gently, not browning too quickly. Cook until the fat renders and the pork is still slightly chewy in the center (not crunchy/crispy).

Tip 2: Cook your shrimp in the same skillet. Next, toss in your shrimp. I like spreading them out in one layer, letting them cook for about one minute, and then flip them and cook another 30 to 60 seconds until they are tender and ever-so-slightly undercooked. Transfer the shrimp to a plate, and then move on to finishing the carbonara sauce.

Tip 3: Toss on low heat. When the pasta is ready, use tongs to toss it into the skillet with the rendered pork and its fat. Toss well for 2 minutes. The heat should stay low, and you’ll be tossing the pasta the whole time, giving the spaghetti a chance to absorb the flavors from the pork, shrimp juices, and rendered fat. (The shrimp is still on the side on a plate, but since you cooked them in the fat, it imparts a seafood flavor to the skillet).

Tip 4: Turn off the heat. Now, turn off the heat and let the skillet sit for a minute before pouring in a whisked mixture of egg and cheese. Since the skillet sat for a minute, it won’t be so hot that it scrambles the eggs, but it will be hot enough to gently cook the eggs so they turn into that silky smooth sauce.

Tip 5: Don’t stop tossing. During this step, you want to continuously toss the pasta around the skillet since keeping things moving makes sure you create the sauce without scrambling the eggs. You’ll notice it’s a bit thick as you toss, so loosen it with some pasta water (a couple of tablespoons or more as needed).

Tip 6: Serve hot. When you are happy with the sauce, toss in the shrimp and serve immediately so it’s hot, topped with freshly grated cheese and more black pepper. It’s seriously good!

More Simple Pasta Recipes

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This is my all-time favorite chicken tortilla soup recipe. Tender chicken thighs, corn tortillas, and the perfect blend of spices make it unbelievably good.

If you love a hearty, comforting soup, you’re going to love this. Our family has been making it for years, and it always gets rave reviews. Be sure to check out our serving suggestions. The toppings truly make chicken tortilla soup even better. I never skip a big handful of crispy homemade tortilla chips on top.

The real secret is stirring chopped corn tortillas right into the soup. They break down as the broth simmers, adding body and a rich, warm corn flavor that genuinely makes this recipe one of my favorites!

Key Ingredients

• Chicken: Skin-on chicken thighs make the best chicken tortilla soup. If you prefer skinless thighs, chicken breasts, or cooked/rotisserie chicken, I share easy adjustments below.
• Veggies: The soup starts with a flavorful mix of onion, celery, jalapeño, and garlic. Toward the end, you’ll add corn (fresh or frozen) and tomatoes for sweetness, color, and extra texture.
• Spices: I love using ancho chili powder or homemade chili powder for this soup. We also add cumin and a bay leaf.
• Corn Tortillas: These are essential for that classic tortilla soup flavor! You’ll roughly chop corn tortillas and stir them into the soup. As they simmer, they break down, adding flavor and thickening the broth slightly.
• Broth: I prefer chicken stock, especially homemade chicken stock. But feel free to use your favorite store-bought brand or even vegetable broth.
• The Extras: This soup is all about the toppings! Set out a variety of options and let everyone customize their bowls. Some of our family favorites include fresh cilantro, extra lime wedges, crumbled queso fresco or other cheeses, tortilla chips or strips, diced avocados, and a spoonful of guacamole.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Our Favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tip 1: Roast the chicken. For my chicken noodle soup, I simmer the chicken right in the pot, but for this soup, I love roasting skin-on chicken thighs in the oven. Once they’re cooked, shred the meat and stir it into the soup just before serving. Since the thighs are skin-on, I take one extra step: crisp the skin in a skillet and crumble it over the bowls. It adds incredible flavor and the perfect crispy topping.

Before roasting the chicken in the oven, quickly brown the skin in the bottom of your soup pot. This adds color to the chicken, but also renders some chicken fat, which you can use for cooking the vegetables in the next step.

Tip 2: Cook the veggies in the rendered fat. While the chicken roasts, start the soup base. Because we sear the chicken thighs in the pot first, you’re left with a layer of rich, flavorful chicken fat. Use it. Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, garlic, and spices to that fat, and cook until the onion is soft and sweet. This builds a richer, more savory flavor that makes the whole soup taste better.

Tip 3: Simmer with chopped tortillas. Once the onions are soft, pour in the chicken stock and add the corn, a bay leaf, and a generous handful of chopped corn tortillas. Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, until the tortillas soften and break down into the broth. This is what gives this soup its signature flavor.

Tip 4: Finish the soup. Just before serving, stir in chopped tomatoes, the shredded roasted chicken, and a healthy squeeze of lime juice.

Tip 5: Serve with your favorite toppings. This soup gets better with toppings. I always crisp the chicken skin in a skillet (instructions are below), then crumble it over my soup. It’s so delicious. Then, you can have fun with more toppings. Here are some ideas:

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This gorgeous kale and wild rice salad is loaded with so many delicious ingredients: chicken, avocados, feta, almonds, apples, and more! It’s so good!

Sometimes a really loaded, really pretty, really delicious salad is exactly what my January doldrum heart needs.

And this salad is like a big burst of happiness in a bowl. The flavors! The textures! That delectable dressing. I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and die a happy woman.

Loaded with All the Good Things

Let’s take a quick look at all the yummy ingredients in this salad that starts with a base of kale or power greens.

• brown/wild rice
• grilled or cooked chicken
• craisins
• toasted almonds
• honeycrisp apple
• fresh basil (but if you can’t find it, just add a pinch of dried basil to the dressing)
• avocado
• feta cheese

And as with any good salad, the ingredients could be swapped in and out depending on your taste preferences and/or creativity level.

For instance, I think roasted sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash would be amazing added to this salad. And the grilled chicken could easily be swapped for another protein or left out for a meatless salad.

Balsamic Dressing

The dressing for this salad is fresh, light, and tangy. It includes balsamic vinegar as well as fresh lemon juice.

For the balsamic, you can use regular (dark) balsamic vinegar or white balsamic. I have a delicious mango white balsamic in my pantry, and it is incredible in this dressing.

Red or white wine vinegar will also work. Blend everything together. It’s that easy!

This is a lightly dressed salad, so if you prefer a higher dressing to salad ratio, you might want to double the dressing.

Dress It Up

Sometimes with big main dish salads like this, I prefer serving the dressing on the side in case there are leftovers.

Too many times I’ve faced leftover salad in the fridge that has become decidedly less appealing overnight thanks to the soggy, limp lettuce and other questionable ingredients. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it.

But all of the ingredients in this salad (minus the avocado) hold up very well to the dressing and as leftovers! (If you anticipate leftovers, consider serving the avocado on the side.)

Drizzle the dressing over the top, give a light toss, and dig in!

Recipes From Friends

This recipe comes highly recommended from my cousin-in-law, Tami, who I trust impeccably when it comes to recipes and food.

She sent the recipe to me saying it was one of the best salads of her life and that I needed to make it ASAP. I did. And I can’t disagree. It’s a keeper…and a recipe I will be making over and over.

I kept my greens in larger pieces, but Tami said her friend who made it chopped the kale/greens really finely. And I can see myself opting to do the same in the future when I am a bit more ambitious and not quite as lazy.

There’s no wrong way to enjoy this salad. The wide variety of delicious ingredients and that crazy good dressing make it an absolutely stellar salad!

One Year Ago: Amazing Instant Pot Lemon Curd 
Two Years Ago: Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Three Years Ago: Asian-Style Meatballs with Sweet Chili Sauce
Four Years Ago: Tender Greek Pork {Instant Pot or Slow Cooker} 
Five Years Ago: Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Six Years Ago: Whole Grain Cinnamon Applesauce Bread 
Seven Years Ago: 60-Second Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie
Eight Years Ago: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Nine Years Ago: Baked Tilapia with Ginger and Cilantro 
Ten Years Ago: Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake 

Kale and Wild Rice Salad

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Salad:

• ¾ cup uncooked wild rice blend (see note)
• 6 ounces (about 5 lightly packed cups) coarsely or finely chopped kale/baby spinach or a power greens mix (see note)
• 2 to 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (see note)
• 1 medium honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
• ½ to 1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted (see note)
• ½ to 1 cup craisins or golden raisins
• ½ to 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ to 1 cup chopped fresh basil (optional – if not in season, add a pinch of dried basil to the dressing)
• 1 to 2 medium avocados, diced

Dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic (see note) or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
• Pinch of black pepper
• ¼ to ½ cup fresh cilantro

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• Cook the rice according to package directions. Drain (if needed) and set aside to cool to room temperature.

• For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and well-combined. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.

• Assemble the salad by placing the greens in the bottom of a large serving bowl or on a platter. Top with rice, chicken, apples, almonds, craisins, feta, basil (if using), and avocados.

• Drizzle dressing over salad and toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately.

Dressing: this is a lightly dressed salad, so if you like a lot of dressing to salad ratio, consider doubling the recipe. 
Rice: this is the wild rice blend I like to use (if you have a Winco close, you can find it in the bulk bins). You can also use tri-color quinoa for a rice alternative.
Kale/Greens: for the greens, you can use all chopped kale or all chopped spinach, although I prefer using a power greens mix that has spinach, kale and other baby greens. The greens can be coarsely or finely chopped.
Chicken: a rotisserie chicken or other cooked chicken will work well for this salad. I’ve also made it by seasoning chicken tenders with salt, pepper and garlic and cooking them on the grill (you could also use an air fryer, skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, or an oven set to broil). 
Almonds: toasting the almonds adds delicious flavor and crunch – I use this easy microwave method to toast the nuts.
Balsamic Vinegar: this salad dressing is delicious with regular (dark) balsamic vinegar; it’s also delicious with white balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar. 

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Method: Stovetop

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 225mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g

Recipe Source: by way of my cousin-in-law, Tami (and her friend who served it to her!)

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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This tangy, herby, lemony pickled shrimp recipe is so good you’ll want to make a double batch!

I love these pickled shrimp as a light dinner and for entertaining (they always go quickly). Serve them with crackers, crusty bread and butter, or make a sandwich. They’re even great added to salads and light pasta dishes (like this orzo pasta salad).

I didn’t know how much I loved Southern-style pickled shrimp until our friend Richard introduced us to them. Now, I can’t get enough. Once you try this easy recipe, you’ll be hooked, too. They are seriously good! For another Southern-inspired shrimp recipe, see our easy shrimp and grits!

Key Ingredients

• Shrimp: For the best results, I recommend large or jumbo shrimp. They’re less likely to overcook and dry out. Look for fresh shrimp that feels firm and has a slightly sweet smell. If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw and drain them before cooking them.
• Lemon: I use lemon juice for the pickling liquid and a whole lemon for the shrimp cooking liquid.
• Cajun or Creole Seasoning: This adds a ton of flavor to both the cooking liquid and the pickling liquid. I love my homemade Cajun seasoning, but feel free to use what you have. I also like to add a bay leaf to the cooking liquid.
• Onion: This might be my favorite part! I love pickled onions, and since we add lots of sliced onion to the pickling brine, you end up with perfect shrimp and pickled onions. I usually use sweet onions, but yellow or red onions work too.
• Apple Cider Vinegar and Oil: These are the base of your pickling liquid. Apple cider vinegar keeps things tangy, and the oil adds richness and helps the pickling liquid turn into more of a dressing.
• Herbs: I love stirring fresh parsley and dill into the shrimp before serving for a bright, fresh flavor.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Pickled Shrimp

Tip 1: Cook your shrimp first. Just like when making shrimp ceviche, I quickly cook my shrimp before they go into the pickling liquid. This way, we can season them perfectly before they soak up all that tangy brine. A quick poach is all you need for the shrimp.

Three minutes in the seasoned water is the sweet spot for plump, juicy shrimp. Once the shrimp are cooked, they go straight into the chilled pickling liquid! Let them hang out in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or longer if you want).

Tip 2: Use our pickling liquid. The pickling liquid itself is extraordinarily flavorful, made with lemon juice, spices, onion, and herbs. You’ll combine everything in a bowl with ice water to get it nice and cold, then pop it in the fridge while your shrimp cook.

Tip 3: Serving suggestions. When you’re ready to serve, the options are endless! I love them with crackers, buttered toast, or tossed into a salad. And don’t forget about those onions from the brine. They pickle, too, and are seriously delicious!

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Our homemade chili powder recipe uses dried chili peppers and the perfect spice blend to make an intensely flavorful seasoning that’s better than store-bought.

After finding so many of the store-bought options flavorless, we decided to learn how to make chili powder, and I am so happy that we did.

I use this homemade chili powder for many recipes on Inspired Taste, including our homemade beef chili, vegetarian chili, this easy enchilada sauce, and my favorite fajitas. I also use it as a base for this homemade taco seasoning.

Key Ingredients

Chiles: For the best blend, start with dried chiles. You can buy them at larger supermarkets, Mexican markets, or online (they are inexpensive and last a while in your pantry). I use three types of peppers in my blend:

1. Ancho chile peppers, which are mildly spiced but taste rich, sweet, and fruity.
2. Guajillo peppers, which are more smoky and moderately hot.
3. New Mexico chile peppers, which smell sweet, clean, and pack a little heat.

Spices: To round the flavor of our homemade blend, we stir in ground cumin, oregano, and garlic powder. Then, to add a bit more smokiness and color, I love adding smoked paprika.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Chili Powder

Tip 1: Preparing dried chiles. It’s easy! There are three simple steps:

1. Cut the stem and remove the seeds. The seeds can be bitter, so get rid of them. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the stem away and then shake or scrape the seeds from the inside of each pepper. If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves to prevent the oils from getting on your hands. Also, be careful not to touch your eyes while working with peppers (ouch!)
2. Cut each cleaned pepper into small pieces, then add them to a dry skillet over medium heat and toast until fragrant. This is my favorite part, the kitchen smells incredible!
3. Finally, grind them. Add the toasted chile peppers to your blender and blend until finely ground. Wait to open the lid, though. Let the dust settle for about a minute after blending. You don’t want a cloud of ground chiles in your face.

Tip 2: Add spices. Now, it’s time to add spices to make the chili powder taste even more amazing. We add garlic powder, ground cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Add everything to a spice jar, shake it up, and store it in a dark pantry for up to six months.

More Recipes with Dried Chiles

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I’m planting my flag and declaring this the ultimate 7 layer dip recipe. Arguably the best party appetizer you can serve.

What makes this recipe so delicious is the homemade black bean puree, which we make from scratch. By cooking our own beans, we pack in so much flavor from fresh garlic, onion, and spices. It’s an easy step that makes all the difference in the world. Once you try seven layer dip made with this puree, I know you’ll never go back.

This is truly the ultimate 7 layer bean dip recipe. Every layer has been carefully considered and seasoned to perfection. For more of our favorite dip recipes like this one, be sure to check out our cheesy bean dip, homemade guacamole, and my favorite black bean dip. Get the tortilla chips ready!

Key Ingredients

• Black Bean Puree: So this is the star of our recipe. You’ll start with dry black beans and cook them with lots of garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, chicken broth (or veggie broth), and salt. You can use a pot and stove or an Instant Pot. Instructions for both methods are provided in the recipe. They are very similar to our homemade refried beans, but require a few less steps. Don’t let the from scratch beans scare you off. They really do make the best 7 layer bean dip. That said, I’ve shared tips for using canned below the recipe.
• Avocado Mash: Pretty similar to our favorite guacamole, we mash ripe avocados with a bit of lime juice, salt, and cilantro. Simple and so good in this dip!
• Spiced Sour Cream: We mix the sour cream with a bit of chili powder, cumin, and salt. This not only adds flavor but also creates a barrier to keep the avocado from browning.
• Salsa: Use what you love! Just be sure to choose a thicker salsa and strain it in a fine mesh strainer to remove any excess liquid. This keeps the dip from becoming watery. If you’re up for homemade, I love this easy salsa or this roasted tomato salsa.
• Cheese: Instead of the shredded cheeses you often see, we use briny, crumbly queso fresco or cotija cheese. It adds a more interesting flavor to the dip.
• Green Onion and Black Olives: We finish the dip with these two classic toppings. Green onion adds a fresh bite, and the black olives are a great final touch. If you’re not a fan of olives, feel free to skip them!

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

Tips for Making the Best 7 Layer Dip

This dip is hard to resist (really, I caught Adam sneaking into the fridge more times than I can remember to steal a bite!). It combines seven glorious layers of all my favorite things. Here’s my best tips for making it:

Tip 1: Don’t skip the homemade beans. If you were to do a taste test of canned refried beans and compare it to our homemade black bean puree, there would be no contest. The flavor of our homemade beans is what makes this dip so good. The good news is that you can cook them in an Instant Pot for about an hour or on the stove for 1 ½ hours. Either way, they’re pretty hands-off, and you can make them up to four days ahead of time.

Tip 2: Drain your salsa. This is the number one thing you can do to prevent a soggy dip. A watery salsa will make your dip a mess, so be sure to drain it in a fine mesh strainer before adding it as a layer.

Tip 3: Serve it in a clear dish. This dip looks as good as it tastes! Serving it in a glass dish, like a 9×13-inch Pyrex, is a great way to showcase all the colorful layers.

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My baked spaghetti recipe is easy and made with ground beef, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a hidden layer of creamy pesto sauce. Pure comfort!

This easy baked spaghetti has everything we love about baked pasta. It has noodles, a hearty meat sauce, and lots of cheese. For more spaghetti recipes I love, see our weeknight spaghetti recipe or this veggie spaghetti!

My favorite part of this baked spaghetti is the creamy pesto layer in the middle. It’s ridiculously simple to make and makes this pasta dish so incredibly delicious!

Key Ingredients

• Spaghetti: I use plain spaghetti for this recipe, but other pasta shapes work great. Use what you have! I cook the pasta briefly before tossing it with the sauce and baking. Use the boxed directions as a guide, but cook the pasta for 2 to 3 minutes less. It will continue to cook in the oven.
• Ground Beef: I usually use ground beef here, but ground sausage, chicken, and turkey are excellent. You can even leave the meat out and add a few extra veggies (see this vegetable spaghetti for suggestions).
• Marinara Sauce: I use homemade marinara when I have it, but store-bought sauce works nicely in this recipe.
• Sour Cream and Pesto: This is my favorite part of this baked spaghetti. I stir pesto into sour cream to create a creamy pesto sauce. Then, I add it as a creamy layer into the middle of the baked spaghetti. So good! Store-bought pesto is fine, but if you can, make homemade pesto (I love it!).
• Cheese: Mozzarella is perfect, but any melty, mild cheese works.

How to Make Baked Spaghetti

When I’m not in the mood to assemble a lasagna, I make this baked spaghetti. The flavors are similar, but it’s much easier.

For the sauce, I cook onions and ground beef, add the marinara sauce, and then toss with partially cooked spaghetti (by undercooking the pasta, it won’t become mushy after baking in the oven).

You can add the spaghetti and meat sauce to a baking dish and top it with cheese, but to make it taste even better, add a creamy pesto layer to the middle.

It’s super simple. I mix sour cream with basil pesto. Then, I add about half of my spaghetti to the baking dish, spread a layer of creamy pesto, and layer the remaining spaghetti on top. I do the same when making our baked ziti with spinach, and I love it!

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