Wake up to a delicious Quinoa Breakfast Bowl. This nutritious base can be loaded with your favorite toppings for a delightful blend of flavor and texture, it’s the perfect start to your day!

Take a break from oatmeal with quinoa breakfast bake and quinoa granola for breakfast.

I have tried to make sweet quinoa breakfast bowls before without much success. It is so nice to have something different rather than oatmeal, muffins or eggs for healthy breakfast. Especially, if this warm slow cooker quinoa breakfast bowl is waiting for you on the countertop in the morning!

The idea is to cook breakfast quinoa in a slow cooker and add toppings in a bowl. You could even meal prep and make ready-to-go containers for up to a few days ahead.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Make ahead breakfast: You can turn it on before you go to bed at 10pm and it won’t burn by 6am, I haven’t tested longer. If you have a programmable slow cooker, you can set that one up. Even better!
• It’s so good for you: I can comfortably say it’s one of those healthy breakfast ideas I’ll never get tired of. It’s rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, naturally gluten-free, and tastes good.
• Fills you up: This quinoa porridge was filling, just the way breakfast should be!
• Tastes good: The way I made breakfast quinoa this time was fantastic! I used canned coconut milk which adds a lot of flavor and creaminess.

Ingredients for Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

You’ll need just 5 simple ingredients, including water, to make this easy quinoa breakfast bowl recipe.

• Quinoa: Dry, uncooked quinoa of any color.
• Cold water: You’ll use less water for this crock pot method than you would when cooking most quinoa recipes on the stove. This is because there is no evaporation, and we add more liquid with coconut milk.
• Coconut milk: Adds a creamy, nutty taste. You have to use canned light coconut milk, not from a carton.
• Sweetener: I like the natural sweetness of maple syrup. Honey or any other liquid sweetener will also work.
• Salt: Just a pinch of salt to enhance the natural flavors of the other ingredients.

How to Make Breakfast Quinoa in Slow Cooker

Make slow cooker quinoa breakfast bowl in 4 easy steps and 10 minutes prep time. Get a good night sleep and enjoy a stress free morning!

There is a full recipe card located below.

• Rinse quinoa: Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cold water, drain well.
• Combine ingredients: Add quinoa, water, coconut milk, maple syrup and salt to your slow cooker. Gently stir to mix and cover with lid.
• Cook: Cook for 6-8 hours on Low or 3-4 hours on High.
• Serve: Serve breakfast quinoa bowl hot with a splash of milk and toppings of your choosing.

Tips for Best Results

Preparing quinoa can be tricky, here are my top tips for a perfectly fluffy bowl of quinoa packed with flavor.

• Rinsing quinoa is a must: You gotta give quinoa a good rinse to remove saponins, the coating that makes quinoa bitter. Rinsing makes it taste better and helps fluff it up too.
• Don’t skip canned coconut milk: I have made it simply with almond milk and didn’t give quinoa a rinse. It wasn’t good.
• If you have only full fat coconut milk: Use half of 15 ounces can and 2 cups cold water.
• Use any size slow cooker: Either small slow cooker like I used or a regular size crock pot will work.
• Don’t cook longer than 8 hours: Maybe 9 hours is OK, otherwise I am afraid quinoa will burn.
• Double the recipe: You can double all ingredients but keep the same cook time.

Can I Cook It on the Stove?

Yes. Cook quinoa on the stove but instead of adding water, add all ingredients to a small saucepan and stir.

Bring to a boil, cover with lid, and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add your toppings and enjoy!

Sweet Toppings Ideas

If you like your breakfast sweet like me, you could add:

• Nuts: Walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds. Toasted nuts would add deeper flavor and crunch.
• Milk of choice: I love my breakfast bowls served hot with a splash of milk.
• Fresh fruit: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries; sliced apples, bananas, peaches, or kiwi.
• Dried fruit: Raisins, cranberries, mango, dates, pineapple, shredded coconut or coconut flakes.
• Chocolate: Chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, or Nutella.
• Granola like healthy granola or quinoa granola.
• Honey and maple syrup.
• Vanilla and cinnamon. I love adding apple with this combination.
• A spoonful of jam.
• Swap the extra splash of milk with something creamy like yogurt, peanut butter, or nut butter.

Savory Toppings Ideas

If you would like a more savory breakfast, I recommend adding:

• Vegetables: Sweet potato, roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, sautéed spinach or kale, zucchini.
• Protein: Eggs cooked any way, tofu, bacon, or ground sausage.
• Diced avocado.
• Tomato.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Refrigerate cooked quinoa in an airtight container for up to 5 days, keeping any toppings stored separately.

Freeze: Cooked quinoa can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for 2-3 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheat: Best way is in a microwave, for about 1 minute. You can also add quinoa to a small pot with a splash of milk and simmer on low heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir often and watch carefully not to burn.

FAQs

More Quinoa Recipes to Try

• Quinoa granola bars
• Chicken quinoa bowl
• Instant Pot ground turkey quinoa bowls
• Quinoa egg muffins
• Chocolate quinoa muffins

Print

Slow Cooker Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Wake up to a delicious Quinoa Breakfast Bowl waiting for you on a counter! This nutritious base can be loaded with your favorite toppings!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 326kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Mesh strainer

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa uncooked, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 14 ounces can coconut milk light
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Splash of any milk optional
• Nuts, berries, fruit, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon for toppings, use any

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add rinsed quinoa, water, coconut milk, maple syrup and salt to a slow cooker. Give it a stir and cover with a lid.
• Cook on Low heat for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours.
• Serve hot with a splash of milk and toppings of choice.

Notes

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: You can freeze only cooked quinoa in a container for up to 3 months. To defrost, thaw on a counter for 2-3 hours or in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 163mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g

The post Slow Cooker Quinoa Breakfast Bowl appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

20-minute Instant Pot Jasmine Rice is fragrant, fluffy, and easy to make. It’s the perfect side dish to any meal or double the recipe for easy meal prep!

You’ll also get perfect results with Instant Pot long grain white rice and Instant Pot basmati rice.

I call my pressure cooker the “magic pot” and have tons of delicious healthy Instant Pot recipes, but one of the easiest and most popular in our house is Instant Pot jasmine rice.

It’s fluffier than white long grain rice with a slightly sweet flavor, we love it so much!

We love to serve it with curry dishes like Instant Pot chicken curry or Instant Pot dal, and with this creamy lemon chicken and asparagus or lemon garlic chicken to soak up the sauce.

And don’t get me started how amazing it is with ratatouille!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick: The Instant Pot cooks much faster than stove top or rice cooker.
• Convenient: No more babysitting the pot to reduce heat after boiling, just let it run and rice will cook just right every time!
• No need to buy a rice cooker: Save space in your kitchen! Now that you can make delicious jasmine rice in Instant Pot, you only need one appliance.
• Perfect for meal prep: It’s nice to have a container of cooked rice in the fridge. On busy weeknights I like to make quick Thai chicken curry or yellow chicken curry, lay over a bed of jasmine rice and your 30 minute dinner is ready.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Jasmine Rice

You only need 3 ingredients to make this Instant Pot jasmine rice recipe.

• Jasmine rice: Any brand of jasmine rice will work. I made 1 cup dried rice for a quick side dish, you can make as little as 1 cup or more depending on the size of your pressure cooker.
• Cold water: You’ll need 1 cup of water for 1 cup rice. Make sure it’s cold water, so all rice grains cook evenly.
• Salt: Adding a bit of salt helps bring out the natural flavor of the rice.

How to Cook Jasmine Rice in the Instant Pot

Here’s how to cook jasmine rice in Instant Pot, you’ll love how easy it is!

There is a full recipe card below.

• Rinse rice: Pour dry rice into a fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold water. Jasmine rice tends to be more sticky than other white rice, so rinse longer until water runs clear then drain really well.
• Add rice and water: Add rinsed rice to the Instant Pot then pour cold water over the rice.
• Add salt: Next, sprinkle the salt into the pot and stir, making sure the rice is fully submerged.

• Cook on high pressure: Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High pressure or Manual for 3 minutes.
• Set to natural pressure release: Allow the pressure to come down on its own on Natural Release. The rice will absorb any remaining liquid as it sits so you want to avoid Quick Release. After about 10 minutes turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
• Fluff and serve: Open the lid and fluff your rice with a fork. Serve Instant Pot jasmine rice as you like.

Tips for Best Results

Here are 7 tips to follow when making pressure cooker jasmine rice.

• Any electric pressure cooker will work: Any brand name that can cook on high pressure will work for this recipe, any size too.
• Rinse rice thoroughly: Rinsing removes any excess starch, so your rice comes out fluffy instead of mushy and sticky. And make sure to drain well too because any extra water will affect the cook time and results.
• Cook rice immediately after rinsing: Otherwise it starts soaking up the water it was rinsed with and starts “cooking”. Again mushy rice.
• Use cold water: For rinsing and cooking. If you use warm or hot water your rice will be overcooked.
• Stir before pressure cooking: Make sure rice is fully covered in water to ensure full cooking. In most of my Instant Pot recipes, I say not to stir the ingredients, but this recipe is not one of them!
• Add salt before pressure cooking: Always add salt when cooking plain rice. It brings out its natural flavor.
• Use cold broth: You can use cup for cup broth instead of water. I love jasmine rice with water because I love its taste but you can use chicken broth, vegetable broth or beef broth.

Can I Use Rice Button on my Instant Pot?

Yes, if you have Instant Pot Duo with low pressure option. Honestly, my favorite method to cook any white rice in Instant Pot is with the Rice button.

Rice cooked with Rice button is cooked on Low heat for 12 minutes. It comes out super perfect and each grain is separate.

Not all electric pressure cookers have a low pressure option. Like with Instant Pot LUX the Rice setting is set to 10 minutes on high pressure. It works but I don’t love it and you will have to do Quick Release with this method.

I recommend to cook jasmine rice in Instant Pot with high pressure setting only for 3 minutes and 10 minutes of Natural Release.

I do have both Instant Pots and have tested this recipe both ways.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting Tips

• Hard rice: This means not enough water or too much rice. Be sure to measure correctly and skim the top of measuring cups. If your rice comes out hard, add a splash of water, stir, cover and let sit for 3-5 more minutes.
• Burnt rice: If you got Burn notice, it means there was not enough water in the Instant Pot. Maybe you accidentally left on sealing valve on Venting position, haven’t measured ingredients correctly or it might be time to replace silicone ring in the lid.
• Mushy rice: There was either too much water or overcooked because you used warm or hot water.
• Sticky rice: If you skipped rinsing you’ll end up with sticky rice.
• Bland rice: Don’t forget to add the salt, you only need a pinch to enhance the flavor.

How Do I Serve Instant Pot Jasmine Rice?

There are so many ways to serve Instant Pot jasmine rice, here’s just a few of our favorites.

• Simple seasonings: My favorite way! In my world, there is nothing better than cooked white rice with butter! Ghee, coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil add extra flavor too.
• With stir fries: Serve with healthy chicken stir fry, shrimp vegetable stir fry or beef stir fry.
• With chicken: Any chicken cooked any way. Try baked honey garlic chicken, healthy fried chicken, or lemon pepper chicken.
• Add to soups: Add to Thai chicken butternut squash soup instead of quinoa.
• With sauce: Thai sweet chili sauce, peanut sauce or Japanese carrot ginger dressing would be delightful drizzled on top of freshly cooked jasmine rice.
• For breakfast: Replace brown rice with jasmine rice in this brown rice pudding and enjoy it for a week of make ahead breakfasts.

How to Store

Store: You can store jasmine rice in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

I find cold rice tastes hard but when it’s reheated it softens.

I prefer reheating rice in the microwave because it tastes freshly cooked and comes out soft and fluffy. Alternatively, you could simmer while covered with a splash of water.

Freeze: Transfer cooled rice to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.

FAQs

More Instant Pot Rice Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot chicken and rice
• Instant Pot rice and beans
• Instant Pot fried rice
• Instant Pot Jambalaya
• Instant Pot chicken and rice soup
• Instant Pot cabbage rolls

Print

Instant Pot Jasmine Rice

20-minute Instant Pot Jasmine Rice is fragrant, fluffy, and easy to make. It's the perfect side dish or double the recipe for easy meal prep!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Pressure Up & Down Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 19 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups

Calories 228kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Medium mesh sieve

Ingredients

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 cup cold water
• Pinch of salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Rinse rice with cold water in a fine mesh sieve thoroughly until water runs clear. Jasmine rice tends to be more sticky than other white rice, so rinse longer. Drain really well.
• In Instant Pot, add rice, cold water and a pinch of salt. Stir to make sure rice is submerged in water. Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High pressure or Manual for 3 minutes.
• After, do Natural Release by allowing pressure come down on its own for 10 minutes and then turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
• Open the lid, fluff rice with a fork and serve as you like.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze rice in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on a counter for a few hours.
• Using the Rice button: You can use Rice button with Instant Pot Duo or if you have electric pressure cooker that can cook on Low pressure. Cook for 12 minutes on low pressure and release pressure after right away.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g

The post Instant Pot Jasmine Rice appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Make dinner and meal prep easy with Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice. It’s a quick, hands-off way to cook perfectly fluffy rice every time!

We also love Instant Pot jasmine rice and Instant Pot basmati rice.

I make a lot of rice, a lot! And ever since I got my pressure cooker, Instant Pot long grain white rice has been one of my go-to Instant Pot recipes.

It’s a true set it and forget it recipe that’s ready in just 20 minutes and always reliable. So say goodbye to mushy, undercooked, or burnt rice and serve delicious fluffy rice as a side or add to your favorite stir fry, soup or casserole.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quicker than other methods: Instant Pot cooks much faster. Once you’ve made perfectly cooked rice in minutes, you’ll never go back to the stovetop or rice cooker.
• Perfect every time: Cooking long grain rice in Instant Pot takes the guess work out of cooking time, the water to rice ratio is always right, and cooks at the right temperature.
• Convenient: No babysitting the pot. It can run if you weren’t watching it to reduce the heat after boiling.
• Recipe specific for this type of rice: This recipe is tailored to long grain white rice. For brown rice, check out my recipe for how to make Instant Pot brown rice.
• Mess free: Sometimes cooking rice on the stove can be messy if your lid isn’t tight fitting, it can splatter. Happened to me with older pots, but completely mess free with this method!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice

The ingredients for Instant Pot long grain white rice are very simple.

• Long grain white rice: As I mentioned above, this recipe works specifically with long grain white rice.
• Water: Always use cold water rather than hot to ensure even cooking.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is all you need to add a bit of taste to otherwise bland rice.

How to Make Long Grain White Rice in the Instant Pot

Cooking rice in the Instant Pot is super easy, fast, and hands free!

Here’s a quick overview of the steps, there is also a full recipe card below.

• Rinse rice: Just as my grandma taught me, always rinse rice with cold water to remove excess starches. Use a fine mesh strainer, rinse until water runs clear, and drain well.
• Add water and rice: Pour cold water into the Instant Pot, followed by the rice. Add 1 cup white rice to 1 cup water. The water does not evaporate in the pressure cooker like it does on the stove, so remember 1:1 ratio.
• Season rice: Add salt and stir so rice is submerged in water.
• Cook for 3 minutes on high pressure: Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High pressure or Manual for 3 minutes.
• Release pressure with natural pressure release: Avoid Quick Release, you want to allow the rice to sit and absorb any remaining liquid. Natural Release allows the pressure to come down on its own, this takes about 10 minutes then you can turn valve to Venting.
• Fluff with a fork: I always fluff my rice with a fork because stirring cooked rice makes it mushy.

Tips for Best Results

Don’t be stuck with burnt or mushy rice. Here are my top tips for perfectly cooked long grain white rice in Instant Pot.

• Use any pressure cooker: This recipe will work in any electric pressure cooker that can cook on high pressure. Please see notes about cooking rice on Low pressure below.
• Rinse the rice well: Use a mesh sieve for best results, not in a bowl. And drain well after too because that extra water can skew the cook time and final results.
• Use cold water: If you use warm or hot water the cook time will be off.
• Stir rice before cooking: Be sure rice is fully submerged in water to ensure proper cooking. I know in most of my healthy Instant Pot recipes, I recommend not to stir the ingredients, but this recipe is not one of them!
• Add seasonings after: You don’t have to season the rice before cooking except with salt but afterwards you can add butter, ghee, or extra virgin olive oil for extra flavor. Depends on how you want to serve the rice.
• Add salt before pressure cooking: We add salt to the rice to bring out its natural flavors for the most part, not to make rice salty.
• Replace water with broth: Make rice more flavorful with chicken broth, vegetable broth or beef broth. Be sure it is cold.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting Tips

• Rice is too hard: There’s either not enough water or too much rice. Be sure to measure correctly and use both ingredients without the top in the measuring cup. You can always add a splash of water, stir the rice, place lid back on and let it sit for 3-5 more minutes.
• Rice is burnt: If you got Burn notice, either not enough water or the vent has been accidentally left on Venting position for some time before Instant Pot came to pressure. Also it might be the time to replace silicone ring in the lid.
• Rice is too mushy: This means too much water or rice overcooked because you used warm or hot water.
• Rice is too sticky: Sticky rice usually means the rice was not rinsed. Rinsing helps keep the rice grains separated rather than clumped together.
• Rice is too bland: Don’t skip the salt, you have to add even a pinch of salt for taste.

Can I Use Rice Button on Instant Pot?

Yes, if you have Instant Pot Duo with low pressure option. In fact, it is my preferred method to cook any white rice in Instant Pot. Rice cooked with Rice button is cooked on Low heat for 12 minutes. It comes out even more perfect!

The only problem is that not all Instant Pots have low pressure option. For example, on Instant Pot LUX model Rice button is preset to 12 minutes of cooking on high pressure, which I find is too aggressive on rice. Therefore, I prefer to cook it for 3 minutes on High pressure with 10 minutes of Natural Release in my LUX pressure cooker.

I do have both models and have tested this recipe many ways.

What Can I Cook with Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice?

I’ve had lots of ideas over the years! You can add long grain white rice to any meal you want whether it be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or meal prep.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Add to soups: Skip cooking rice in turkey and rice soup and add it at the end. My grandma always cooked rice separately for soups because she said it keeps the broth clear.
• Mix with homemade chicken broth: If you’re feeling under the weather or would like an easy soup, pour some homemade chicken broth over cooked rice, season with salt and pepper and add fresh herbs like dill or parsley. It’s to die for! We always made it growing up as kids because it was so easy.
• Use as a blank canvas: Make some of my mom’s ratatouille recipe and scoop on top of freshly cooked long grain white rice in the Instant Pot. Unbelievable freshness and flavor!
• For breakfast: Replace brown rice with white rice in this brown rice pudding and enjoy it for a week of make ahead breakfasts. My dad always used white rice.
• In stuffed pepper recipes: Got leftover cooked rice? Make these ground chicken stuffed peppers, Instant Pot stuffed peppers or Mexican stuffed peppers.
• As a side dish: For these Korean ground beef rice bowls.

How to Store

Store: Leftover rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cold rice tastes hard, reheat it and it will soften.

I like to reheat rice in the microwave. It comes out soft and fluffy, like freshly cooked. You can also reheat it in a pot with a splash of water. Simmer slowly while covered.

Freeze: You can freeze rice for up to 3 months. Fully cook, let it cool completely, and transfer to an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

FAQs

More Instant Pot Rice Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot chicken and rice
• Instant Pot rice and beans
• Instant Pot fried rice
• Instant Pot Jambalaya
• Instant Pot chicken and rice soup
• Instant Pot cabbage rolls

Print

Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice

Make dinner and meal prep easy with Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice. It's a quick, hands-off way to cook perfectly fluffy rice every time!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Pressure Up & Down Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 19 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups

Calories 275kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Medium mesh sieve

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 cup cold water
• Pinch of salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Rinse rice with cold water in a fine mesh sieve thoroughly until water runs clear. Drain really well.
• In Instant Pot, add rice, cold water and a pinch of salt. Stir to make sure rice is submerged in water. Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High pressure or Manual for 3 minutes.
• After, do Natural Release by allowing pressure come down on its own for 10 minutes and then turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
• Open the lid, fluff rice with a fork and serve as you like.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze rice in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on a counter for a few hours.
• Using the Rice button: You can use Rice button with Instant Pot Duo or if you have electric pressure cooker that can cook on Low pressure. Cook for 12 minutes on low pressure and release pressure after right away.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 8mg | Fiber: 3g

The post Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti is a true 8-hour healthy slow cooker dinner with your choice of pasta, tomato sauce and spices. Kids will love it!

You can also use your crockpot to cook this slow cooker whole chicken and pasta, slow cooker chicken thighs and slow cooked chicken breast!

Onions, garlic, celery, and carrots with a can of tomato sauce, a few chicken pieces and good old spaghetti. This crockpot chicken spaghetti was mind-blowingly easy and delicious!

It combines my love of pasta with the convenience of slow cooker recipes, nothing beats coming home to the aroma of classic comfort food!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Healthy: A much lighter version of many crockpot chicken spaghetti recipes on the web. We don’t use cream cheese or Velveeta cheese.
• Delicious: Still flavorful with simple spices, veggies, fresh herbs, and a small amount of sharp cheese.
• One pot meal: No searing, sautéing, or boiling necessary, the slow cooker does all the work for you and cuts down on clean up.
• Easy: With just 15 minutes of prep time, this crock pot recipe will make your most busy days a breeze!
• Perfect for busy weeknights: It is one of my favorite pasta recipes for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. It’s a whole meal in one, the kids love it, and it’s great for meal prep.

Ingredients for Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti

Fresh ingredients and pantry staples help create the best crockpot chicken spaghetti recipe.

• Chicken thighs: You’ll need 3 pounds of skinless chicken thighs. We’ll shred the chicken before serving so feel free to use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless chicken thighs.
• Vegetables: Diced carrots, celery, and onion add a perfect medley of flavor and texture.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic enhances the flavor of the sauce.
• Tomato sauce: Plain canned tomato sauce with the addition of simple spices makes the tastiest homemade spaghetti sauce.
• Chicken broth: A liquid is needed to make the sauce more “saucy” and cook the pasta. Use low sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock if you have it.
• Spices: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Spaghetti: You can use regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free spaghetti.
• Fresh herbs: Sprinkling freshly chopped herbs like parsley, dill, or basil at the end really complements the pasta.

How to Make Chicken Spaghetti in Crockpot

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide of how to make chicken spaghetti in slow cooker. I use my 7 quart crock pot and enjoy leftovers throughout the week.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Combine veggies and wet ingredients: Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to your slow cooker and stir.
• Add chicken: Next, place chicken thighs inside spreading them out so they are covered.
• Cook: Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
• Shred chicken: Remove chicken and shred, discarding any bones if necessary. Make sure the slow cooker is set to high heat and add the shredded chicken back in.

• Cook the noodles: Break spaghetti noodles in half and stir them in. Place lid on top and cook for 30 minutes (less for gluten-free spaghetti). Stir again so top noodles are covered with sauce, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until spaghetti is al dente.
• Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese and parsley, stir and enjoy!

Tips for Best Results

Here are 4 simple tips for making the best chicken spaghetti in crock pot.

• If you find spaghetti too starchy: Reduce broth by 2 cups when cooking chicken in crockpot, then cook spaghetti separately and add to the crockpot with chicken. Pasta cooked in sauce can make this dish a bit starchy but we don’t mind, I like one pot convenience.
• Don’t overcook: Spaghetti, especially gluten free spaghetti, will become mushy if overcooked. And if chicken is cooked for too long it will be dry and tough.
• Liquid at the end is fine: If your noodles and chicken are done and there’s still some liquid, that’s OK. The spaghetti will absorb it as it sits.
• Use chicken thighs: Bone-in or boneless chicken thighs are more flavorful. Be sure to remove the skin, otherwise it will be fatty.

Variations

• Add cheese: For an extra cheesy sauce, add 1-2 cups of shredded cheese at the end. I personally like cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese.
• Add cream cheese: If you like a creamier sauce then adding 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese at the end will do the trick.
• Pasta: Use what you have in your pantry whether it be linguine or a short pasta like penne or elbow macaroni.
• Chicken: Again, use what you have! Boneless skinless chicken breasts work well, or save time and add shredded leftover rotisserie chicken (cook for 2 hours).
• Add bell peppers: Dice up a red, orange, or yellow bell pepper and toss it in with the other vegetables for more color and flavor.
• Use Rotel: If you’re a fan of spice, add a can of Rotel with green chilies instead of tomato sauce.
• Marinara sauce: Tomato sauce and marinara sauce can be used mutually. Marinara sauce is thinner, and great for pasta.

What to Serve Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti with?

Healthy pasta recipes are great on their own, and for our busiest days we just dish up and enjoy.

Sometimes it’s nice to have something a little extra, so I whip up a side dish while the noodles cook.

• Simple salad: Easy to make and pairs perfectly with spaghetti. Healthy Caesar salad is a classic choice, our other favorites right now are wilted spinach salad, and simple butter lettuce salad.
• Roasted vegetables: I start roasting vegetables as soon as Fall hits, I love the improved flavor of roasted butternut squash, oven roasted asparagus, or parmesan roasted brussels sprouts.
• Bread: I’ll use any excuse to serve my grandma’s garlic bread. Or to keep it simple, pick up some fresh dinner rolls on your way home.
• Potatoes: Make this a cozier meal with healthy mashed sweet potatoes, or cauliflower mashed potatoes.

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

Yes. If you are starting crockpot chicken spaghetti in the morning, before work, cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. In the evening all you have to do is shred chicken, add spaghetti, parmesan, and herbs, then serve.

To make a few days in advance, chop veggies and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

How to Store

Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: I don’t like freezing spaghetti because pasta doesn’t thaw well. If you want to avoid leftovers, I recommend cutting the recipe in half.

FAQs

More Pasta Recipes to Try

• Easy spaghetti recipe
• One pot spaghetti recipe
• Whole wheat chicken spaghetti
• Tuscan chicken pasta
• Instant Pot chicken pasta
• Instant Pot spaghetti

More Slow Cooker Recipes

• Crockpot chicken and rice
• Slow cooker chicken stew
• Crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe

Print

Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti

Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti is a true 8-hour healthy slow cooker dinner with your choice of pasta, tomato sauce and spices. Kids will love it!

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 558kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken thighs skinless (bone in or boneless)
• 1 large carrot diced
• 2 large celery stalks diced
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 15 ounces can tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 10 ounces spaghetti regular, whole wheat or gluten-free
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1/3 cup parsley, dill or basil finely chopped

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In large crockpot, add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir.
• Add chicken and make sure it's covered with the sauce.
• Cover and cook on High heat for 3-4 hours or on Low heat for 6-8 hours.
• Remove chicken from the crockpot and shred, using 2 forks and discarding the bones, if necessary. Switch slow cooker to High (if it was on Low heat) and add shredded chicken back.
• Break spaghetti noodles in half and give a few stirs to separate the noodles and mix with the sauce and chicken. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes (less amount for gluten free spaghetti, especially brown rice). Then stir to make sure top noodles are covered with liquid, cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until spaghetti is cooked.
• Sprinkle chicken spaghetti with Parmesan cheese and parsley, stir and serve hot.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: I don’t recommend to freeze this dish as pasta doesn’t freeze and thaw well. You can always cut recipe in half to avoid leftovers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.33cups | Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

The post Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Juicy, flavorful and tender Instant Pot Chicken Breast from fresh or frozen. 25 minutes from start to finish, simple ingredients and no searing required. Cooking chicken breast in the Instant Pot is so easy!

Instant Pot Italian chicken breast and Instant Pot BBQ chicken breast are my other go-to on a busy weeknight or a weekend!

This Instant Pot chicken breast is easy, simple and forgiving.

Don’t you always have a pack of chicken breasts in your freezer?! Now you can make juicy chicken breast in Instant Pot from fresh or frozen in just 30 minutes.

I have been making slow cooker chicken breast for years. It’s a great recipe, the only downside is that you have to remove cooked chicken right away to avoid it being dry.

So, this easy Instant Pot chicken breast recipe solves the problem because chicken breast is done in 25 minutes or so. I just love Instant Pot! It makes the best Instant Pot rice and beans without soaking the beans, and Instant Pot lasagna with no need for a springform pan.

If you are not a blessed electric pressure cooker owner just yet, check out my baked chicken breast or chicken breast in air fryer recipes.

Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Chicken Breast

• Quick and easy: All you have to do is rub chicken breasts with spices and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. With pressure build up and bringing it down, you are in for a maximum of 30 minutes cooking time. You don’t even have to saute your meat but you can, if you wish.
• Cook from fresh or frozen: Forgot to thaw your chicken breasts this morning before going to work? No problem. Even frozen chicken breasts in Instant Pot are ready in 30 minutes!
• Tender, juicy and flavorful chicken breast: I can guarantee you will end up with the best chicken breasts you have ever tried! Pressure cooker locks in all the moisture inside the meat resulting in mouthwatering tender chicken breast every time.

Ingredients You Will Need

To make Instant Pot chicken breast you really need only chicken breasts and water. Everything else is up to your taste and what you are planning to serve it with.

If you are adding cooked chicken breast to salads, quesadillas or tostadas, I would not worry about seasonings much. If you are planning to eat it alongside grains and veggies, I would pay attention to spices.

• Chicken breasts: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, fresh or frozen.
• Salt and pepper: Simple seasonings so your chicken is a ‘blank slate’ for recipes.
• Garlic powder: If you wish, but not required.

How to Cook Fresh Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

1. Add water: Add 1 cup cold tap water and place trivet on top. You want to use cold water so warm water doesn’t reduce the cook time. If you don’t have trivet, just place breasts on the bottom of Instant Pot. Some readers like to use chicken stock or chicken broth instead, especially if cooking without trivet.
2. Add chicken breast in Instant Pot: Lay chicken breasts in a single layer, sprinkle with spices and rub onto each other right inside the pot. You can also do so on a separate plate but I find it isn’t necessary.
3. Pressure cook chicken breast: Depending on the model of your Instant Pot, you will have to press either Pressure Cook on High pressure or Manual button. Set timer for 10 minutes – for breasts under 2 inch thickness, 15 minutes – for over 2 inch thick breasts.
4. Release the pressure: Now you want to wait 5 minutes aka do Natural Release for 5 minutes. Then turn the pressure valve to Venting position to release remaining pressure. Your chicken is ready. I find you do not have to rest the meat with chicken breasts cooked in Instant Pot.

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

1. Add water: You always want to start with 1 cup cold thin liquid like water or broth when cooking in Instant Pot. Don’t add warm water because it will skew the cook time and your chicken will come out undercooked.
2. Add chicken: When cooking frozen chicken breasts, it is very important to make sure each breast is separated. If you add a blob of frozen breasts, you will end up with raw meat inside and overcooked chicken outside. Place chicken breasts in Instant Pot in a single layer.
3. Season it: You won’t be able to rub spices or sear frozen chicken, so just sprinkle seasonings on top.
4. Pressure cook: Press Pressure Cook on High (Duo model) or Manual (LUX) for 15-18 minutes. I would say chicken breasts under 2″ thick in the thickest part – cook for 15 minutes. Over 2″ – cook for 18 minutes.

Check out my Instant Pot frozen chicken breast recipe for detailed info. And if you have an air fryer, you can cook frozen chicken breasts in air fryer as well.

How Long to Cook Chicken Breast in Instant Pot?

With all the different sizes and models of this electric pressure cooker, you might be wondering how long to cook chicken breast in the Instant Pot?! And it’s a valid question.

You need to answer only 2 questions:

1. Are you using fresh chicken breasts or frozen chicken breasts?
2. How thick are they?

I have put together these cooking time charts for your quick reference:

Tips for Best Results

• If you don’t have a trivet: It’s OK to place chicken breasts in water and cook without a trivet. I have tried it many times and it makes them even more juicy. I never got a Burn notice.
• Don’t use Poultry button: Poultry setting has preset time that is not customizable to the size of your chicken breasts. Also poultry is a very large concept ranging from chicken tenders to bone-in whole chicken.
• Don’t do Quick Release: If you release pressure right away after cooking, it will make your chicken breast dry. I recommend to wait 5 minutes and then turn valve to Venting.
• Don’t throw away the liquid: It is basically chicken broth and is perfect for making soup recipes.
• Make gravy: If you have seasoned your chicken breast with extra spices and seared it, then you will have flavorful cooking liquid sitting at the bottom of the pot. Make gravy with it. Press Saute button and in a small bowl, make a slurry with 2 tablespoons cold water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Pour it in, whisk and cook until gravy has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Size of Instant Pot you can use: Any size of Instant Pot works for this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe. It comes in 3 quart, 5 quart, 6 quart or 8 quart. Same recipe. Same cooking time. Same water amount. Just make sure chicken breasts fit in a single layer.
• If your Instant Pot is small: If you want to cook large amount of chicken breasts in 3 quart pot, do so in a few batches. Piling up chicken in a few layers will result in undercooked chicken.
• Bone-in and skin-on chicken breasts: Cooking time remains the same. You do not need to cook them longer because 10-15 minutes of cook time along with about 10 minutes of pressure build up time, is enough to cook through thin chicken bones.

What to Serve Instant Pot Chicken Breast with?

There are so many ways to answer the question on what to do with cooked chicken breast! It sure is a welcome addition to a variety of recipes like salads, enchiladas, casseroles and sandwiches.

Here are a few ways to turn it into a meal:

• Instant Pot shredded chicken: Shred meat with 2 forks, refrigerate and use to make chicken salad or healthy white chicken chili.
• Diced chicken breast: Chop it up to add protein to cottage cheese pasta, vegetable soup or borscht.
• Low carb meal: Make my favorite ratatouille recipe to have with chicken for a complete meal.
• With sauce: Combine shredded chicken with healthy barbecue sauce or teriyaki sauce.
• With salad: Serve with Instant Pot potato salad.

How to Store Leftovers

Store: Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Weekly meal prep: Refrigerate whole or cubed chicken breast and use throughout the week for lunches. Sub out your sandwich deli meat or use in salads.

Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container or resealable freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge or on a counter.

More FAQs

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

• Instant Pot chicken and rice that we make every month!
• Instant Pot chicken and potatoes everyone will love, trust me!
• Instant Pot white chicken chili is creamy and made healthier.
• Instant Pot frozen whole chicken – rotisserie style whole chicken.
• Instant Pot whole chicken – any mom’s best friend.
• Butter chicken in the Instant Pot comes out just like the restaurant’s!
• Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos with only 3 ingredients.

Also be sure to check out these 20 healthy freezer meals you can cook from frozen in your Instant Pot. And here you can browse 45 other healthy Instant Pot recipes and our entire category of Instant Pot recipes.

Print

Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Juicy, flavorful and tender Instant Pot Chicken Breast from fresh or frozen. 25 minutes from start to finish, simple ingredients and no searing required.

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 295kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Trivet
• Steam diverter
• Replacement ring

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless chicken breasts fresh or frozen*
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• To the Instant Pot, add water and place trivet inside.
• Lay chicken breasts in a single layer (if using frozen make sure they are separated) and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly with tongs or hands.
• Close the lid and set pressure vent to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 10 minutes (under 2" thickness) for fresh, or 15 minutes (over 2" thick) for fresh and frozen chicken breasts (any size).
• Display will say ON, Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, you will see a bit of steam coming out from a valve, then float valve will rise and countdown will begin.
• After 10-15 minutes your chicken is ready, Instant Pot will beep and display will say OFF. Wait 5 minutes and do Quick Release by turning sealing valve to Venting position.
• Open the lid and your chicken breasts are ready for meal prep, casseroles, salads etc. Shred or cube, and save the stock at the bottom for soup.

Video

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container or resealable freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in a fridge or on a counter.
• *If using frozen chicken breasts make sure they are separated. Think about it before freezing a whole tray, separate them with parchment paper.
• Feel free to use chicken broth instead of water.

Nutrition

Serving: 1breast | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 400mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

The post Instant Pot Chicken Breast appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Cook Beets in the Instant Pot in 30 minutes which is much faster than any other method! This easy-to-follow Instant Pot beets recipe results in easy to peel, fork-tender beets every time!

We also love to make Instant Pot borscht with beets!

Cooking beets in the Instant Pot is a game-changer! I remember my grandma boiling beets for hours on the stove, then cooling them on the balcony for a few more. Beets took a day to cook back then!

Now, enjoy your Instant Pot beets in an hour as a side dish, in desserts, soups, salads, and even as a snack on its own. It doesn’t miss a beet!

My all-time favorite way to eat beets is in borscht – the best, most delicious soup ever!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Less mess: We know beets stain but cooking beets in an Instant Pot contains it.
• Budget friendly: This Instant Pot recipe makes a lot at once, which is great for batch cooking and meal prep.
• Delicious: Their natural sugars are brought out when cooked which makes them one of the sweetest and best-tasting root veggies out there!
• Quick and easy: Beets take a long time to cook on the stovetop. The pressure cooker does this in a fraction of the time.
• Freezer-friendly: Make lots, freeze the rest. It makes things even easier down the road when you have them already cooked!
• Healthy: According to Healthline, beets contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals and are loaded with folate, manganese and copper. They may help to lower the blood pressure and contain little calories.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Beets

All it takes to make this Instant Pot beets recipe is 2 simple ingredients.

• Beets: I use about 2 pounds of medium to large beets. I cut large beets in half to make sure they cook evenly. Wash and trim the root and leafy parts. Don’t throw out the greens, you can use them!
• Water: Added to the bottom of the pot to create steam. Just a cup of cold water will be enough to cook the beets.

Tips for Buying Beets

• Stem: To get the most bang for your buck, look for beets that still have a bright green stem. Not only does it tell you it’s still fresh but you can use that stem as an ingredient in soups, salads, and more.
• Color: When buying red beets (yes, beets come in other colors too), they should be of deep dark red color, have unblemished outer skin and should look robust.
• Root: Beets must still have the large root attached. Not little hairs which are an indication that it is getting old.
• Size: Small beets are sweeter and will typically need less cook time. Medium beets and large beets will take a little longer but in the end, you’ll get more out of it.

How to Cook Beets in Instant Pot

Here is a quick overview how to cook beets in the Instant Pot. Full recipe card is located below. Once the beets are cooked to perfection you can then season and use them as you like!

• Prep beets. Wash and scrub beets well, trim roots and greens, and slice larger beets in half or quarters to match smaller ones.
• Pressure cook beets: To Instant Pot, add 1 cup water, trivet or steamer basket (so it’s easier to remove the beets), close the lid, turn valve to Sealing position and cook beets on high pressure for 20 minutes. Release pressure right away using Quick Release by turning sealing valve to Venting. You can also use Natural Pressure Release.
• Beets are done when a knife inserted in the middle goes in smoothly, like butter.
• Cool off beets under cold running water for a few seconds, drain them and then add a little bit more cold water until safe to handle. The goal is to remove beets from hot Instant Pot to cool off faster.

How Long to Cook Beets in Instant Pot?

How long to cook beets in Instant Pot depends mostly on their size. If you need beets whole or prefer not to cut large beets to match the size of smaller beets, like I do, follow this handy cooking time table for perfectly tender beets in Instant Pot every time:

How to Peel Cooked Beets

The choice to peel the beet is up to you. It’s possible to eat it, but some find it to be much like eating the skin on a russet potato. It’s not great.

Peel beets by holding a paper towel and scrubbing beets with it over the bowl or sink. Peel should slide right off.

The skin should peel off easily, however, they do stain, so be careful. If you’re like me and don’t want to use disposable gloves, peel off using a compostable paper towel.

People sometimes use gloves to avoid getting the red color on their hands, however, I am not a fan of using plastic gloves for environmental reasons. You can compost paper right with the last peels.

Tips for Best Results

• Use a trivet or steamer basket for easy removal of pressure cooker beets from the pot. It will be hot!
• Beets will be very hot to the touch: Be very careful taking them out of the pot. If you are not using a steamer basket for easy lifting, make sure to use tongs to lift them out one by one.
• Beets should be fork tender: Don’t be afraid to close the lid and cook for a few extra minutes if need be.
• Yellow beets: Despite possibly having a harder time getting your hands on some golden beets, if you can, grab them! They’re essentially the same as red beets, however, they are sweeter. Use the same cooking method for both!
• When beets are fresh they are typically sweeter: The earthy flavor comes from beets that are slightly older. It doesn’t mean they can’t be eaten, it’s just good to be aware of the difference in taste when you want to use them in other recipes.
• Organic vs. conventional beets: Whenever you can, it’s a good idea to invest in organic beets. Sometimes they appear on the Dirty Dozen list.
• If you got beet stains: If your hands are slightly red after peeling the beets, rub them with lemon and beet stains should disappear.

Uses for Instant Pot Beets

• Salad: I absolutely adore beet salad with arugula and feta cheese. If you are into Ukrainian cooking, try this traditional vinegret salad.
• Side dish: You can always serve pressure cooker beets as a side dish with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil or toasted sesame oil, a sprinkle of coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper. Or stir in fresh garlic.
• Quickly marinated beets (pictured above): Cook, chop and toss beets in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and grated garlic clove. Beets can be refrigerated like this in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Then toss with a handful of toasted pine nuts and fresh dill. Beets with goat cheese and pine nuts is a variation on this!
• Snack: Make beet hummus and serve with raw veggies and crackers for dipping.
• Beet greens: Once you’re done using up your steamed beets, don’t forget to use those greens! They are slightly bitter along the same lines as kale, chard, or collard greens so you’ll want to sauté them in a bit of oil with a simple salt and pepper seasoning. Add a little minced garlic and red pepper flakes for heat. Squirt a little lemon juice on it and you’ve got a quick and easy super healthy side dish to your side dish!

How to Store

Store: You can refrigerate cooked Instant Pot beets for up to 5 days. Peeled or not peeled, sliced or whole. I like to get the mess out of my way right away and store prepped beets for easy and quick meals.

Make sure you use airtight container, so beets do not dry out. I also recommend to put them in a glass container because they will stain any plastic container.

Freeze: Cooked beets freeze so well. I recommend to cut them up to how you intend to use them after thawing. Then freeze in any resealable container or Ziploc bag (remove as much air as possible) for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.

FAQs

More Recipes with Beets

• Red smoothie
• Vegetarian borscht

More Basic Instant Pot Recipes

• Instant Pot garbanzo beans
• Instant Pot applesauce
• Instant Pot spaghetti squash
• Instant Pot black beans
• Instant Pot corn on the cob
• Instant Pot steamed vegetables

Browse all healthy Instant Pot recipes.

Print

How to Cook Beets in Instant Pot

Learn How to Cook Beets in the Instant Pot in 30 minutes which is much faster than any other method! This easy-to-follow recipe results in easy to peel, fork-tender beets every time!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 23 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups

Calories 130kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Steamer basket

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beets or more up to 5 pounds
• 1 cup water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Wash beets and trim off the root, leafy green and top part.
• I used medium to large beets. To make sure they cook evenly, I cut large beets in half or you can follow cooking time table in the recipe notes.
• In Instant Pot, add 1 cup cold water. Place beets into a steamer basket and inside the Instant Pot. If you don't have a basket, add trivet and place beets on top.
• Close the lid, turn pressure valve to Sealing and cook on High Pressure or Manual for 20 minutes.
• Release pressure immediately using Quick Release method by turning valve to Venting and open the lid. Test beets for doneness by poking with the knife. If the knife pierces flesh without much resistance, beets are ready. It should feel like cutting soft butter. If not, close the lid and cook for 10 more minutes.
• Cool off beets under cold running water for a few seconds right in the basket. And then a little bit more until safe to handle. If not using steamer basket, use tongs and remove into a bowl. The goal is to remove beets from hot Instant Pot to cool off faster.
• To peel beets, use paper towel or parchment paper and scrub beets with it. Peel should just slide off.
• Your beets are ready. Enjoy as a side dish and in salads.

Notes

• Store: You can refrigerate cooked beets for up to 5 days. Peeled or not peeled, sliced or whole. Make sure the container is airtight, so beets do not dry out.
• Freeze: Cut them up to how you intend to use them after thawing. Freeze in resealable container or Ziploc bag (remove as much air as possible) for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours or in fridge overnight.
• Cooking times for whole beets: Small (2″ diameter) – 20 minutes, medium (2.5″ diameter) – 25 minutes, large (3″ diameter) – 35 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.66cup | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 240mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 20g

The post Instant Pot Beets appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Healthy Tuna Melt recipe with canned tuna, a bit of cream cheese and no mayo, served on a slice of whole grain bread. Easy 10 minute lunch or dinner!

We love tuna recipes like this healthy tuna salad recipe, chickpea tuna salad and tuna zucchini fritters.

In the past years, I realized every healthy dinner can’t be a restaurant meal. But it still can be made with real food, take this healthy tuna melt recipe. It came out so good, my boys were all over it!

Just toast some whole grain bread, gluten-free bread, or protein bagel, top with canned tuna, cheese and broil until melted. Dinner is served and everyone is happy!

To save on numerous grocery trips, stock your freezer with shredded cheese and variety of breads. Keep a few cans of fish in the pantry. That’s it.

Ingredients You Will Need

To make healthy tuna melt you will need just a few simple ingredients.

• Canned tuna: I used light tuna, which is skipjack tuna packed in water. You can use any tuna like albacore tuna etc.
• Bread: A few slices of your favorite whole grain bread or gluten-free bread. Whole grain English muffin like Ezekiel brand or protein bagel will be great too!
• Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese or marble cheese. You want flavorful cheese blend.
• Cream cheese: I also prefer to add cream cheese instead of mayonnaise, so the taste of fish is not overpowered. Not to mention it is twice less calories.
• Tomato: A classic tuna melt addition.
• Spices: Garlic powder, salt and pepper for a bit of flavor.

How to Make Healthy Tuna Melt

Here’s a quick overview how to make healthy tuna melt. Full recipe card is located below.

• Toast the bread: Pretty straightforward step. Just place a slice of bread in a toaster until it’s golden.
• Make tuna mixture: I na small bowl, combine drained canned tuna, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
• Assemble the melt: Place a slice or two of tomato on a toast, top with tuna mixture in a shape of a small mountain and sprinkle with cheese.
• Broil it: Broil tuna melts on a baking sheet on top shelf of the oven or toaster oven until cheese has melted.

Tips for Best Results and Variations

• Use your favorite bread: I love a slice of sprouted whole grain with not too much sugar or sourdough bread. Use gluten-free bread, whole-wheat bread, rye bread, bagels or English muffins. Just use the one you like for best flavor.
• Add celery or pickles: Chop up some celery or pickles and add to the tuna mixture to make it taste more like tuna salad.
• Use different cheese: Swiss cheese, havarti cheese or gouda cheese would go well with tuna.
• Add sliced cheese: Instead of grated cheese, buy sliced cheddar cheese. Just be sure it is not processed cheese.

What to Serve with Tuna Melt?

We like to serve healthy tuna melt sandwich with sliced fresh vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes or with cucumber bell pepper salad. It makes it a complete meal.

You can also serve it with my super easy healthy tomato soup or sun dried tomato soup.

FAQs

More Healthy Tuna Recipes to Try

• Tuna egg salad
• Mexican tuna salad
• Healthy tuna pasta salad

Add this to your repertoire of healthy lunch ideas or easy dinners!

Print

Healthy Tuna Melt

Healthy Tuna Melt recipe with canned tuna, a bit of cream cheese and no mayo, served on a slice of whole grain bread. Easy 10 minute lunch or dinner!

Course Dinner

Cuisine North American

Diet Low Calorie

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 316kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking sheet

Ingredients

• 6 ounces can tuna packed in water and drained
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch salt
• Pinch ground black pepper
• 1 large tomato sliced
• 2 slices whole grain bread English muffins or bagels
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a small bowl, add tuna, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
• Toast your bread slices and place them on a baking sheet. Top with tomato slices and divide the tuna mixture on top between the 2 toasts. Helps to shape it into small mounds. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Broil tuna melts on High for 2-3 minutes or until cheese has melted.
• Serve immediately with soup, salad or vegetables.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tuna melt | Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 309mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

The post Healthy Tuna Melt appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Healthy 7 Layer Dip loaded with beans, yogurt, guacamole, cheese, and fresh veggies. This 15 minute appetizer is made for sharing and perfect for parties and snacking!

The name says it all. This healthy 7 layer dip recipe is full of your favorite Mexican ingredients, neatly layered together for a colorful, crunchy, and delicious party staple.

Always a crowd favorite and perfect for any occasion, I make this delicious layered dip all the time. Serve it on game day, Cinco de Mayo, or enjoy a fuss-free weeknight healthy dinner with no cooking or baking.

What Is 7-Layer Dip?

Also known as “taco dip” or “Tex-Mex dip”, 7-layer dip is a popular American appetizer. There are endless variations of 7-layer dip recipes out there, you’ve most likely made it or tried it before.

The classic seven layer dip recipe has a base of refried beans topped with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cheese, and fresh veggies. I like to make my dip healthier by replacing the sour cream with taco seasoned Greek yogurt, yum!

Ingredients for Healthy 7 Layer Dip

Seven layers of your favorite Mexican flavors! Here’s what you need to make healthy 7 layer dip.

• Refried beans: This Mexican side dish is high in dietary fiber and makes the perfect base. You can use store-bought, I love Eden Organic refried beans, or make your own refried beans in Instant Pot.
• Greek yogurt: This lightened up version has been a huge hit. Instead of sour cream, mayo, or cream cheese, we use Greek yogurt or plain yogurt. It’s still tangy with an extra boost of protein.
• Taco seasoning: Mixed with the yogurt to really spread out the flavor. I used my homemade taco seasoning mix but you can also buy low sodium packets from the store. Cumin, chili powder, and cayenne work great too.
• Guacamole: For me, nothing beats homemade guacamole made with avocado, lime, garlic, salt, and cilantro. You can also use store-bought to save on time.
• Salsa: Use whatever salsa you have on hand. I usually stick to medium salsa when feeding a crowd but mild and spicy salsas work too. You can also use pico de gallo.
• Shredded cheese: I like to use Tex Mex cheese, Colby Jack cheese or cheddar cheese. You can use a blend or whichever cheese you like.
• Vegetables: Crisp lettuce and tomatoes. You’ll want to finely shred the lettuce and cut the grape tomatoes in half for easier dipping.
• Toppings: Black olives, sliced jalapeno, and fresh cilantro are a colorful addition and finish off this delicious dip.

How to Make Healthy 7-Layer Dip

Here’s a quick overview of how to make healthy 7-layer dip. There’s no baking required, just grab your baking dish and layer it.

There is also a full recipe card below.

• Mix yogurt and seasoning: In a small bowl, mix yogurt and taco seasoning together.
• Add refried beans: In a medium-sized baking dish, I always use my 8×11 baking dish, start layering the dip. Spread the refried beans in the bottom of the dish and use a tablespoon to gently level into a clean single layer.
• Add the Greek yogurt layer: Spread the seasoned yogurt over the beans and gently level into a clean layer.
• Add the guacamole: Next, gently spread the guacamole in a single layer.

• Pour on the salsa: Next comes the salsa. Pour in the salsa and spread it over the guacamole.
• Add cheese and lettuce: Sprinkle with cheese and shredded lettuce.
• Add toppings: To finish the dip add tomatoes, olives, cilantro and jalapenos.
• Serve: Enjoy immediately with tortilla chips, or veggies for dipping or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips for Best Results and Variations

Here are my top tips that guarantee rave reviews for this party favorite. I’ve also included some fun variations for you to try.

• Make it dairy-free: Super easy to make dairy-free by swapping your favorite dairy-free plain yogurt and dairy-free cheese. If you don’t have those, you can omit the yogurt and cheese, the taste will be different but you can mix the taco seasoning in with the refried beans.
• Use thick yogurt: The yogurt is most runny layer. You know how Greek yogurt, after sitting in the fridge for a few days, separates?! For this reason, I recommend not mixing or stirring the yogurt before scooping, instead just use thick part.
• Add another layer: No need to stop at seven layers, get creative! Make it heartier with a layer of drained black beans or pinto beans. Cook up some ground beef, I’d season it with a bit of taco seasoning, let it cool and add it between the beans and yogurt. Or use up leftover shredded chicken. For additional toppings you can sprinkle some green onions or bell peppers on top.
• Other cheese: Queso fresco or cotija cheese are popular choices. 
• Refried beans substitute: Make this dip even healthier by mashing up some drained black beans with taco seasoning, cilantro and jalapeno to taste.
• If you don’t like spicy dips: Not everyone likes spice, and that’s OK. Omit jalapenos on top or deseed it first and then chop.

What to Serve with 7-Layer Dip?

We love entertaining and snacking! Traditional 7-layer dip is the perfect addition to any appie spread and always the first to disappear.

Our favorite dippers are crispy tortilla chips, celery sticks, carrots sticks, and cucumber. You can also serve crackers and pita chips.

If you’re creating an appetizer spread I love serving this 7 layer taco dip alongside cream cheese stuffed mini peppers, healthy spinach dip, and cottage cheese dip.

While this dip is amazing for game day and parties, we’ve been known to polish off the entire dish ourselves. It’s pretty much a healthy taco salad, and so addictive.

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

7 layer dip is best served fresh the day you make it because of the fresh ingredients. I will always assemble it right before serving or a few hours ahead of time.

If you would like to meal prep the night before I recommend layering the beans and yogurt, cover, and refrigerate. Then finish the dip with the remaining layers when you’re ready to serve.

How to Store

Store: Tightly cover leftovers, place in the fridge, and enjoy within 1-2 days. Actually, day 2 and 3 it’s not bad, I found even the guacamole didn’t brown and lettuce didn’t wilt.

Guacamole and vegetables do not thaw well, so do not freeze.

FAQs

More Dip Recipes to Try

• Healthy spinach artichoke dip
• Healthy spinach dip
• Healthy cheese ball
• Garlic olive oil bread dip
• Garlic hummus
• Sweet potato hummus
• Healthy French onion dip
• Cottage cheese dip

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Healthy 7 Layer Dip

Healthy 7 Layer Dip loaded with beans, yogurt, guacamole, cheese, and fresh veggies. This 15 minute appetizer is made for sharing!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 345kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking dish

Ingredients

• 15 ounces can refried beans I use Eden organic
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning low sodium
• 1 1/2 cups guacamole homemade or store-bought
• 1 cup salsa mild, medium or hot
• 1 1/2 cups Tex Mex, Colby Jack or cheddar cheese shredded
• 1/3 cup black olives pitted & sliced
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce finely shredded
• 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in halves
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno sliced

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a small bowl, add yogurt and taco seasoning. Stir to combine.
• Grab 8×11 baking dish or any medium-sized baking dish and start layering the dip. First spread refried beans, then yogurt mixture followed by guacamole, gently leveling with a tablespoon into a clean single layer.
• Then spread salsa on top. Sprinkle with cheese and shredded lettuce.
• Finish the dip with olives, cilantro and jalapenos.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips, celery and carrots sticks, any veggies for dipping and healthier chips.

Notes

Store: It’s best to enjoy the dip within 1-2 days. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 408mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 10g

The post Healthy 7 Layer Dip appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes tossed with simple spices, garlic, and oil. Then baked until chicken is juicy with crispy skin and onions are roasted. Delicious one pan dinner!

We also love these oven baked chicken thighs and sheet pan chicken and veggies.

These roasted chicken thighs and potatoes is my mom’s recipe. She didn’t cook often (grandma did) but this was her absolute staple for a healthy dinner. Crispy potatoes, roasted onion and garlic combined with juicy dark meat and crispy chicken skin, it will become your family’s favorite!

I’m obsessed with any chicken and potatoes combo because I am Ukrainian. Like Instant Pot chicken and potatoes and one pan chicken and potatoes are just other variations of this recipe. My kids rave about this chicken dish for days!

I often double the recipe, bake one right away and refrigerate another one to bake the next day. It is called “make ahead”.

Ingredients for Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

• Chicken: It’s best to use bone-in chicken thighs with skin on. It will be the juiciest baked chicken and potatoes you ever tried!
• Potatoes: Best potatoes to roast are yellow potatoes, red potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes or baby potatoes.
• Onion, carrots and garlic: There is something about soft sweet carrot and roasted onion. And even maybe burnt slivers of garlic. Use the largest onion ever. There will be a fight for the caramelized roasted onion, trust me.
• Seasonings: You can use any dried herbs you like or have on hand for extra flavor. My family used only salt, pepper and fresh garlic. My rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of salt, plus 1 tablespoon of dried herbs, plus 1 teaspoon cumin. You can skip cumin or use ground coriander instead.

How to Make Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

Here is a quick overview how we make roasted chicken thighs and potatoes using only one dish. Everything is combined and baked in same baking dish!

• Prep: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and get a large 9 x 13 baking dish with deep walls.
• Combine everything: To the dish, add chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Drizzle with oil and then sprinkle with ground cumin, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Using your hands or large spoon, toss well to coat.
• Bake: Roast chicken and potatoes uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, and chicken juices run clear or instant read thermometer inserted in the center close to the bone registers 165 F.

Tips for Best Results

• Stretch the chicken skin: After seasoning unbaked chicken thighs and potatoes, stretch the skin to cover the meat to prevent it from drying out.
• Do not use russet potatoes: They do not taste as good when roasted and make the best healthy mashed potatoes.
• Choose deep dish: You can use any large 9 x 13 inches or even bigger baking dish with deep walls. Oven-proof glass or ceramic baking dish is great. You want to be able to mix ingredients with your hands without chicken and potatoes “flying” around your kitchen.
• Do not place chicken on top of the potatoes: Arrange potatoes and carrots around the chicken thighs so they cook evenly. If you place chicken on top of the vegetables, they won’t cook at same rate and won’t crisp up.

What Do I Serve It with?

Since this is one pan meal with protein, carbs and even some vegetables, we usually serve it with some light and simple salad. I particularly like to serve it with vinegar centered salads like butter lettuce salad and vinegar based coleslaw. If you prefer more traditional salad, try this simple spring mix salad.

Sliced cucumbers and tomatoes with healthy veggie dip or cottage cheese dip would pair nicely as well.

I don’t recommend to roast other vegetables at same time in the oven as it may create extra steam preventing chicken and potatoes from crisping up. If you have an air fryer, you can make air fryer broccoli or air fryer brussels sprouts as a simple side dish.

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

You can make ahead this chicken thighs recipe. In fact, I do it all the time. I prep 2 recipes at same time. Then I bake one tonight and refrigerate second one assembled and covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then bake tomorrow.

Because you coat potatoes in oil and spices, they will not turn brown.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Roasted potatoes, carrots and onions will lose their crispness over time but it’s normal.

Reheat: You can reheat chicken thighs and potatoes in a non-stick skillet to bring some of the crispness back and without much oil thanks to the coating.

FAQs

More Chicken Thighs Recipes to Try

• How to grill chicken thighs
• Crockpot chicken thighs
• Oven baked boneless chicken thighs
• Chimichurri chicken
• Chicken stew

You might also enjoy this list of 65 healthy chicken recipes.

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Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes tossed with simple spices, garlic and oil. Then baked until chicken is juicy with crispy skin and onions are roasted.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 424kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking dish

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken thighs bone in and skin on
• 6 large yellow or red potatoes cut into 1.5" cubes
• 4 carrots peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 large onion cut into large chunks
• 3 large garlic cloves sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tsp cumin or coriander ground
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 3 bay leaves

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and prepare large 9 x 13 baking dish with walls.
• To the dish, add chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with cumin or coriander, dried herbs, salt and pepper, and mix well, using your hands.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes uncovered or until potatoes are fork tender and chicken juices run clear when poked.
• Remove from the oven and dig in!

Notes

• Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Veggies will lose their crispness though.
• Reheat: You can reheat meat and potatoes in ceramic non-stick skillet, to bring some of the crispness back and without much oil thanks to the coating.
• Meal prep and make ahead tip – double the recipe: Bake one tonight and refrigerate 2nd one assembled and covered, then bake tomorrow. I do it all the time.
• Seasonings: You can use any dried herbs you like or have on hand. You can skip cumin.

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 410mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g

The post Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Grilled Romaine Lettuce is brushed with a salty and savory sauce made with 5 simple ingredients. It is tender yet crisp, full of smoky flavor and will surprise even the biggest sceptics! Serve alongside a grilled protein or on an appetizer tray, and add depth of flavor to any salad.

I know what you’re thinking – “Grilled lettuce, why on earth would you want to do that?!”. Lettuce is meant for salads and to make lettuce wraps, not for grilling, crazy woman.

Well, I would have agreed with you too, up until the point I made grilled romaine lettuce for the first time. Learning how to grill romaine lettuce is not only ridiculously simple, but the results will knock your socks off!

I genuinely thought of grilled romaine hearts as one of those $15-20 dishes best left to pretentious restaurants.

Well, we’ve all been misled, I’m telling you! These grilled romaine hearts are now actually requested by my friends and family!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s so delicious: When the lettuce is grilled, the natural sugars within it caramelize, and the grill adds extra depths of smoky flavor. The result is something you’d barely even recognize as lettuce. It’s smoky, slightly sweet, savory, and tender but still crunchy!
• With secret sauce: My simple sauce contains a secret ingredient that boosts the flavor to insane levels.
• So easy: Grilled romaine lettuce recipe requires just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes.
• Versatile: This lettuce recipe is super versatile – serve it up as an appetizer, salad, or side dish.
• Crowd pleasing: If there’s any dish that will encourage you and your kids to eat more salad, it’s this grilled romaine!

Ingredients for Grilled Romaine Lettuce

• Romaine lettuce: You can use the whole heads of romaine lettuce or just the hearts. It depends mostly on their size. 
• Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil. You can use another high-heat oil like avocado oil. 
• Garlic: Fresh grated garlic elevates this dish so much!
• Anchovy paste: The special “secret ingredient”. You can use anchovy paste or minced anchovies. I prefer to use paste that comes in a tube since it lasts forever in the fridge. If you’re not a fan of anchovies, omit it or substitute it for something like steak seasoning, all-purpose seasoning or fresh lemon juice. 
• Salt: Just a little to help season the romaine lettuce.

How to Grill Romaine Lettuce

Here is a photo overview how to grill romaine lettuce. Full recipe card is located below. All you have to do is brush lettuce halves with sauce and grill on both sides.

• Slice the romaine: Cut the romaine lettuce in half lengthwise. Discard any broken or brown leaves. You can also remove the top 1-2 inches of the lettuce where the leaves are most likely to wilt. Make sure not to remove the core as it holds all the leaves together, which is important!
• Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, salt, and anchovy paste. 
• Brush the lettuce: Preheat grill to medium-high heat and oil grill grates with oiled paper towel. Then brush both sides of each romaine heart lightly with the sauce.
• Grill the lettuce: Place the romaine wedges on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly charred, pressing on it slightly with tongs. Then flip and grill for a further 2-3 minutes. Then transfer to a platter.

• Dress the lettuce: Brush both sides of the grilled romaine hearts once more, this time being liberal, so all the layers soak up the delicious flavor. Then serve warm or cold!

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tips on how to grill romaine lettuce that will convert even lettuce haters into lettuce lovers.

• Brush lightly before grilling: For the grilling stage, you don’t need too much sauce. Just brush it lightly and try not to get too much of the anchovies on the brush. Also, oversaturating the lettuce with the oil mixture can cause fire flare-ups on your grill. 
• Oiling the lettuce: While you don’t want to fully saturate the lettuce before grilling, it’s a good idea to make sure the entire lettuce is brushed with a little oil. This will prevent the leaves from sticking to the grill and protect them from burning too much.
• Don’t overheat the lettuce: If the grill is too hot, then you’ll end up with limp lettuce. Perfect results should be slightly charred grilled romaine hearts with just slightly wilted leaves, especially at the top.
• Don’t touch the lettuce while it grills: That’s how you’ll get clean grill marks. You can even lightly press on the lettuce for more pronounced grill marks.

Variations

• Lemon: Add a squeeze of lemon to the sauce for added bright flavor. Especially, if you omit anchovies this is a good add-in.
• Fresh herbs: Add a bit of chopped fresh oregano, rosemary, or thyme. Especially if you choose not to use anchovy paste. In fact, you can whip up a simple herb vinaigrette for this grilled lettuce and it will taste delicious!
• Balsamic and olive oil: You could swap out the olive oil and anchovy sauce for our olive oil bread dip with balsamic vinegar. Bonus: serve the olive oil dip you don’t use with some crusty bread!
• Drizzle with chimichurri sauce.
• For heat: You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. Alternatively, swap out some of the olive oil for chili oil instead.
• Cheese: This entire recipe is for lettuce, so even if you’re watching your weight, you can feel fairly guilt-free in sprinkling the grilled romaine with a little grated Parmesan cheese. You can also add crumbly cheese like feta cheese or blue cheese on top.
• Prosciutto: This is a version a friend told me about that I have yet to try. You can wrap the lettuce in a bit of prosciutto before grilling, and it will help infuse the grilled lettuce with tons of flavor.
• Sesame oil: Instead of olive oil, try it with toasted sesame oil for extra flavor.

What to Serve with Grilled Romaine Lettuce?

Whether you plan on serving this dish as an appetizer, side dish, or salad, there are several ways to serve it, including:

• As a grilled romaine salad: Sprinkle the grilled lettuce with Parmesan cheese, top with chopped nuts or croutons, and add a little of any creamy salad dressing like healthy ranch or healthy caesar dressing.
• Replace regular lettuce in a salad: Use in place of non grilled lettuce in this lettuce salad recipe or butter lettuce salad for a smoky salad summertime favorite!
• With grilled meat: With grilled chicken breast or carne asada steak as a side dish.
• With seafood: Other grill favorites like grilled salmon and grilled shrimp skewers will pair nicely with it.
• With pasta: Serve alongside pasta dishes and pasta salads like this healthy pasta salad or caprese pasta.
• With burgers: Like these grilled chicken burgers and spinach feta turkey burgers.

How to Store

Store: Grilled romaine lettuce tastes best fresh. However, you can chill any leftovers covered in the refrigerator and enjoy them the next day chilled as a simple side salad.

Make ahead: It is only recommended to make the anchovy marinade in advance – make your paste up to 24 hours in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to grill and use with your romaine.

FAQs

More Yummy Grilled Recipes to Try

• Balsamic grilled vegetables
• BBQ chicken salad
• Grilled chicken salad
• Grilled cedar plank salmon

Browse all my favorite healthy grill recipes!

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Grilled Romaine Lettuce

Grilled Romaine Lettuce is brushed with salty savory sauce made with 5 simple ingredients. It is tender, crisp and full of smoky flavor!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3 servings

Calories 134kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Ingredients

• 3 romaine lettuce hearts
• 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tsp anchovy paste
• 1 garlic clove grated
• 1/4 tsp salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cut romaine lettuce in half lengthwise.
• In a small bowl, add olive oil, anchovy paste, garlic and salt; stir with brush to combine. Brush each side of romaine heart lightly (just for grilling, so try not to get much anchovies on the brush) and place on a platter.
• Preheat grill to medium-high heat (500 degrees F) and brush with oil. Place romaine hearts on a grill and grill for 2-3 minutes or until charred a bit, pressing onto it with tongs. Flip, grill for another 2-3 minutes and transfer onto the same platter.
• Brush each side, especially the cut side with lots of layers to soak up the sauce, with magic sauce and serve warm or cold. Grilled romaine lettuce basically replaces salad and helps you eat more vegetables.

Notes

• Use full heads of romaine or the hearts. Really depends on a size.
• Skip anchovy paste if not a fan or use minced anchovies.
• Can be made on a stovetop grill pan.

Nutrition

Serving: 2halves | Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 270mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

The post Grilled Romaine Lettuce appeared first on iFoodReal.com.