Chicago Hot Dog Pigs in a Blanket with All the Flavors of a Chicago Dog

Chicago hot dogs already have a devoted following, so I knew I couldn’t just sprinkle celery salt on a pig in a blanket and call it a “recipe.” I also have a weakness for taking one food and turning it into another. I used classic sport peppers to bake alongside the beef franks, while the mustard, relish, onion, and tomato end up in a creamy dipping sauce that brings the rest of the Chicago dog experience along with it.

We were a strict Los Angeles Dodgers family. Baseball was never an occasional thing in our house. It was on all the time during baseball season, and every once in a while the Cubs would show up on television. Whenever they did, I knew my dad would be making Chicago dogs.

I’ve written before about my dad’s connection to the Chicago Cubs. Before World War II interrupted his baseball career, he pitched for the Los Angeles Angels, the Cubs’ top farm team at the time. As a little kid, though, none of that meant much to me. The Cubs would show up on TV, my dad would make Chicago dogs, and I was immediately interested.

And because kids love weirdness, the part I liked most was the relish.

Back then, my dad made his own bright green Chicago-style relish by adding a couple drops of blue food coloring to regular pickle relish. The second it showed up on the table, I was excited. That relish was radioactive, neon green, and looked like it needed a warning label. And I thought it was the greatest thing I’d ever seen.

At the time, Chicago dogs were just another baseball food to me (even though inherently, they were street food), right alongside a Dodger Dog. I never thought much about why they appeared whenever the Cubs were on television. Years later, it finally clicked. The Cubs were part of my dad’s story, so every now and then Chicago found its way into ours.

My Chicago hot dog pigs in a blanket take everything I loved about those homemade game-day hot dogs and turn them into party food. The sport peppers bake right alongside the little beef franks, while the mustard, relish, onion, and tomato become a creamy dip that has all the flavors of a Chicago dog without balancing seven toppings on top of a bun.

I still get excited when I see that bright green relish. Some habits apparently stick around longer than baseball seasons.

What Makes These Different

• Most pigs in a blanket wrap the cocktail frank in dough and serve it with mustard on the side. I borrowed the flavors of a Chicago-style hot dog and reworked them into something that functions as a party appetizer.
• The biggest challenge wasn’t wrapping a hot dog in puff pastry. It was figuring out how to keep the flavors of a Chicago dog without making the pastry soggy. A traditional Chicago dog piles mustard, relish, onion, tomato, sport peppers, and celery salt right on top of the hot dog. That works great in a bun. Puff pastry is a different story.
• Instead of forcing every topping into the pastry, I divided the flavors between the pigs in a blanket and the dip. The beef franks, sport peppers, poppy seeds, and celery salt stay with the pastry, while the mustard, relish, onion, and tomato go into a creamy dipping sauce. Every ingredient still has a place, but the pastry stays crisp.
• I wanted the sport peppers to bake directly alongside the franks rather than scattered on top afterward. That little detail means every bite gets some of the tangy heat that makes a Chicago dog immediately recognizable.

Ingredients

• Puff Pastry – This is what gives these pigs in a blanket their flaky layers and crisp texture. It also stands up to the dipping sauce, which is important because nobody stops at one or five.
• Beef Cocktail Franks – Traditional Chicago-style hot dogs are made with all-beef franks. Using them here keeps the recipe connected to its inspiration and gives the filling a richer flavor.
• Sport Peppers – Sport peppers have the tangy heat that makes a Chicago dog immediately recognizable. If you can’t find them, pepperoncini are the closest substitute.
• Egg and Water – A quick egg wash helps the pastry bake up golden and shiny instead of pale.
• Poppy Seeds – Chicago dogs are traditionally served on poppy seed buns, so a sprinkle on top helps carry that detail into the finished appetizer.
• Celery Salt – Chicago dog fans can spot celery salt immediately. A little goes a long way and helps tie the whole recipe together.
• Mayonnaise – Creates the creamy base of the dipping sauce and brings together the mustard, relish, onion, and tomato.
• Yellow Mustard – Bright, classic yellow mustard keeps the dip firmly rooted in Chicago dog tradition.
• Chicago-Style Sweet Relish – The bright green relish is part of the fun. If you can’t find it, regular sweet pickle relish works perfectly well and still has the flavor. A couple drops of blue food dye will turn it green.
• White Onion – Grated onion blends into the sauce so you get the flavor instead of the occasional giant chunk.
• Sport Pepper Brine – A splash of brine reinforces the pepper flavor.
• Tomato – Fresh tomato gets added right before serving so it stays fresh and doesn’t thin out the dip.

How to Make Chicago Hot Dog Pigs in a Blanket

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (get the pastry ready)
  Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. If the puff pastry starts sticking, give the counter a light dusting of flour. Roll the pastry enough to smooth it out, then cut it into 25 squares. Nobody is bringing out a ruler for this.
• Step Two (wrap everything up)
  Set a cocktail frank diagonally across each square and place a sport pepper right alongside it. Whisk together the egg and water, then brush one corner of each square with the egg wash. Fold the opposite corner over first, then bring the egg-washed corner over the top and press gently to seal. Leave the ends of the franks sticking out. They look better that way and help everyone recognize what they’re grabbing off the platter.
• Step Three (make them look like Chicago dogs)
  Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and scatter over the poppy seeds and celery salt. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden, puffed, and flaky. Let them cool for about 5 minutes on the pan unless you’re interested in finding out how hot sport peppers can get.
• Step Four (stir together the dip)
  While the pigs in a blanket bake, stir together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, relish, grated onion, sport pepper brine, and celery salt. The mixture should taste like somebody convinced a Chicago dog to become a dipping sauce.
• Step Five (finish and serve)
  Spoon the dip into a serving bowl and scatter the diced tomato over the top right before serving. Keeping the tomato on top instead of stirring it in helps the dip stay thick while the tomato stays fresh. Serve everything warm and watch people become very protective of the platter.

Recipe Tips

• Pat the sport peppers dry before assembling. A little moisture isn’t a problem, but soaking wet peppers will keep the pastry from getting as crisp as it should.
• Leave the ends of the franks exposed. It helps everything bake evenly and makes it obvious that these are pigs in a blanket and not tiny mystery pastries.
• Be a little stingy with the celery salt. Between the franks, sport peppers, and dip, there’s already plenty going on.
• Add the tomato to the dip right before serving. Stirring it in too early will thin the dip and take away some of the fresh tomato flavor.
• Make more than you think you’ll need. Twenty-five sounds like a lot until everyone starts grabbing seconds. This recipe scales easily if you’re feeding a crowd.

Storage

• Chicago hot dog pigs in a blanket are at their best the day they’re baked, when the pastry is crisp and flaky. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• For the best texture, reheat them in a 350°F (175°C) oven or air fryer until warmed through and crisp again. The microwave will work, but the pastry won’t be nearly as crisp.
• Store the dip separately and add fresh tomato just before serving.

FAQs

• Can I use crescent dough instead of puff pastry?
  Yes. Crescent dough is fine, but the finished texture will be softer and more bread-like. Puff pastry is where the flaky layers and crisp edges come from.
• What can I use instead of sport peppers?
  Pepperoncini are the closest substitute and have a similar tangy bite. The flavor won’t be exactly the same, but they’ll still be delicious.
• Can I make them ahead of time?
  Yes. Assemble the pigs in a blanket several hours ahead and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. Wait to brush on the egg wash until just before they go into the oven.
• Why is the tomato added to the dip instead of baked into the pastry?
  A traditional Chicago dog has fresh tomato, but tomato and puff pastry aren’t always the best roommates. Adding it to the dip keeps the pastry crisp.
• Do I have to use the bright green Chicago-style relish?
  No. The bright green relish is part of the classic Chicago dog look, but regular sweet pickle relish is fine if the neon green color is not important to you.
• Can I double the recipe?
  Yes. This recipe scales very easily and is one of my favorite appetizers for game days and parties.

From My Kitchen Notes

Existential observations from the margin notes.

• Some things are easier to enjoy when they stop pretending to be complicated. Food and people.
• The best part was never the radioactive relish. That’s a lie. It was absolutely the radioactive relish.
• The relish may be radioactive, but it never scared me away. Some things look alarming at first and turn out to be the best part.
• Sport peppers are tiny and almost impossible to not notice. Everybody should be so lucky.
• The sport peppers go right into the middle instead of ending up safely off to the side where they can’t affect anything.
• Leaving important ingredients out doesn’t make them disappear.
• Proximity isn’t always the problem people think it is. Some foods improve when everything gets a little closer together.
• Puff pastry has always rewarded commitment. Once you start wrapping, you need to finish.
• So many people insist on authenticity. Then there are those of us willing to wrap a cocktail frank in puff pastry and call it a Chicago dog.
• Every family has a tradition that makes perfect sense once somebody explains it. Mine involved blue food coloring and baseball.
• Sometimes the explanation arrives decades after the hot dog.
• Sometimes you don’t realize what things are until they’re already true.
• It’s possible to spend years looking directly at something and only understand it later.
• There is a difference between understanding something and being perceptive enough to recognize it.
• A surprising amount of my life has been repetition slowly revealing its purpose.
• Clarity rarely arrives at the beginning of the story.
• Some things only make sense years later.
• There comes a point where being understood and being willing become two different conversations and decisions.

More Appetizers That Started as Something Else

• Hot Honey Peach Chicken and Waffle Bites – chicken and waffles, party-sized.
• Crispy Rice Crab Rangoon Bites – crab rangoon on crispy rice.
• Tater Tot Poutine – cheese curds, gravy, crispy tots.
• Fried Dill Pickle Dip – pickle dip with buttery topping.
• Jalapeño Popper Dip – creamy, cheesy, jalapeño-loaded dip.

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Chicago Hot Dog Pigs in a Blanket

Chicago hot dog pigs in a blanket turn a fully loaded Chicago dog into a party-friendly appetizer. Sport peppers bake alongside beef cocktail franks in flaky puff pastry while a creamy mustard relish dip brings the rest of the classic Chicago dog toppings to the table.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicago hot dog appetizer, Chicago hot dogs pigs in a blanket, cocktail franks, game day appetizer, pigs in a blanket, puff pastry appetizer, sport peppers

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 25 pigs in a blanket

Calories 115kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking sheet Holds the pigs in a blanket while they bake.
• parchment paper Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
• Pizza Cutter or sharp knife. For cutting puff pastry in even squares.
• mixing bowls For mixing the egg wash and making the mustard relish dip.
• pastry brush Helps evenly apply the egg wash.
• rolling pin To roll out the puff pastry.

Ingredients

Pigs in a Blanket:

• all-purpose flour for dusting, if needed
• 1 sheet (245 g) puff pastry thawed (best if thawed in the fridge overnight)
• 25 beef cocktail franks (there are many brands, Hillshire Farms, Vienna Beef, Nathan's etc)
• 25 small sport peppers or pepperoncini
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp (5 ml) water
• 1 tbsp (9 g) poppy seeds
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) celery salt

Creamy Mustard Relish Dip:

• ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise
• ¼ cup (60 g) yellow mustard
• 3 tbsps (45 g) Chicago-style sweet relish or regular sweet pickle relish
• 1 tbsp (15 g) grated white onion
• 1 tsp (5 ml) sport pepper brine or pepperoncini brine
• ¼ tsp (0.75 g) celery salt
• ¼ cup (40 g) seeded and finely diced tomato

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Dust the work surface lightly with flour if the pastry feels sticky. Roll the puff pastry just enough to even the surface, then cut it into 25 equal squares.
  all-purpose flour , 1 sheet (245 g) puff pastry
• Place one cocktail frank diagonally across the center of each pastry square. Place one sport pepper strip next to the frank.
  25 beef cocktail franks, 25 small sport peppers
• Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl until smooth.
  1 large egg, 1 tsp (5 ml) water
• Brush one corner of each pastry square with the egg wash. Fold the opposite corner over the frank, then fold the egg-washed corner over the top. Leave both ends of the frank exposed and press the overlap gently so it stays closed while baking. Arrange the pigs in a blanket on the prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash, then sprinkle with the poppy seeds and celery salt.
  1 tbsp (9 g) poppy seeds, ½ tsp (1.5 g) celery salt
• Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, golden brown, and crisp. Let the pigs in a blanket cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
• While the pigs in a blanket bake, stir the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, relish, grated onion, sport pepper brine, and celery salt together in a mixing bowl until combined. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl.
  ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise, ¼ cup (60 g) yellow mustard, 3 tbsps (45 g) Chicago-style sweet relish, 1 tbsp (15 g) grated white onion, 1 tsp (5 ml) sport pepper brine, ¼ tsp (0.75 g) celery salt
• Top the dip with the diced tomato right before serving. Do not stir the tomato into the dip so the sauce stays thick and the tomato stays fresh.
  ¼ cup (40 g) seeded and finely diced tomato
• Serve the warm pigs in a blanket with the mustard relish dip on the side for the full Chicago dog experience.

Notes

• Pat the cocktail franks and sport peppers dry before assembling. Excess moisture will soften the puff pastry.
• Leave the tomato on top of the dip rather than stirring it in. This keeps the dip thick and prevents excess moisture from watering it down.
• Pepperoncini can be substituted for sport peppers if needed.
• Crescent dough sheets can be used instead of puff pastry, though the finished texture will be softer and less flaky.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven or air fryer until warmed through and crisp.

 

 

If you’re making these Chicago Hot Dogs Pigs in a Blanket, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 38g | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Have you made these Chicago Hot Dogs Pigs in a Blanket? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

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The post Chicago Hot Dog Pigs in a Blanket appeared first on Noble Pig.

Corn Succotash with Edamame and Bacon

I’ve taken a different approach to traditional corn succotash, which normally relies on lima beans. Instead, I use edamame along with sweet corn, crispy bacon, peppers, onions, and juicy tomatoes. Everything cooks together in bacon drippings, creating a side dish with plenty of texture and enough flavor to pair well with anything coming off the grill.

When I was little, one of my favorite cartoons was Tweety Bird and Sylvester the Cat. This is almost cliché and I’m dating myself here, but if you remember, Sylvester was always running around yelling, “Sufferin’ succotash!” and I remember at some point finally asking my parents what succotash was. Honestly, I thought it meant some kind of catastrophe, not vegetables.

My mom told me it was something made with corn. Well, I loved corn. What kid doesn’t. And eventually I talked about it enough that she finally made it and that’s the day I discovered lima beans.

Let’s just say, the corn was innocent, the lima beans were not.

Until that moment I had never had lima beans, and I remember looking down at my plate wondering what those pale green and almost gray blobs were. They looked weird. They had that strange color lima beans get once they’re cooked. I remember not wanting any part of it.

But because I was consistently held to having impeccable manners, me saying that the lima beans had ruined everything was not considered an acceptable response. I sort of said it anyway, which was always to my detriment.

Needless to say, my first experience with succotash did not go well.

Somewhere between then and decades later, I started thinking about succotash again and realized my problem had never been the corn or the bacon, it was always the lima beans.

Ultimately, I kicked them out.

Instead, I use edamame, which has a firmer texture and more bite than the mushy lima beans. Plus, unlike five-year-old me, most kids today already know what edamame is. They’ve shelled it at restaurant tables, eaten it as a snack, and it’s not some sort of unfamiliar vegetable. It’s a completely normal ingredient to them. In a way, this recipe is for them, maybe especially for them.

The outcome is everything I wanted corn succotash to be when I first heard Sylvester yelling about it all those years ago. Sweet corn, crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and enough color that it doesn’t look like vegetable wallpaper sitting in a bowl. My recipe is where the corn gets to be the best part. And there is no mush in sight.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• The biggest difference is the edamame. Traditional succotash relies on lima beans, but I wanted something with a firmer texture and more bite. Edamame has a firmer texture, a milder flavor, and holds together alongside the corn and bacon without turning soft and mushy.
• I cooked everything in the bacon drippings, because obviously, which gives the veggies a smoky flavor before the bacon even goes back into the skillet. Between the bacon drippings and the butter, the corn and edamame pick up a lot more flavor than they would if they were simply warmed through.
• I also add the tomatoes at the very end. I want them to slightly warm and release some of their juiciness, and still look like tomatoes. If they cook too long, they start breaking down into the vegetables, and I like the contrast they bring to the skillet.
• The splash of apple cider vinegar goes in near the end for the same reason. Corn is sweet, bacon is rich and butter isn’t known for holding back. The vinegar keeps those flavors from becoming too rich and gives the skillet a little contrast.
• And while fresh summer corn is great when it’s in season, I purposefully made this with frozen corn and frozen edamame. They’re convenient, but more importantly they are available year-round. That means you can make a skillet of succotash in the middle of July or put it on the Thanksgiving table without changing a thing.

Ingredients

• Sweet Corn – The foundation of the entire dish. Sweet corn has the sweetness that balances the smoky bacon and tangy vinegar. You can use frozen or fresh.
• Edamame – Adds substance to the recipe, which sounds so dramatic, and turns it into something that feels a little more substantial than a simple vegetable side dish.
• Bacon – The giver, providing both crispy pieces throughout the finished dish and the flavorful drippings used to cook the vegetables.
• Butter – This helps coat the vegetables and brings a richness that works especially well with the corn. The butter does add a lot of flavor to this recipe, especially if you use a better tasting European butter, such as Kerrygold.
• Bell Pepper – Adds color, sweetness, and another layer of chew alongside the corn and edamame.
• Vidalia Onion – Softens into the skillet and adds sweetness that complements the corn without competing with it.
• Garlic – Adds another layer of flavor to the skillet.
• Grape Tomatoes – Adds freshness, color, and little bursts of juicy acidity throughout the dish. I add them at the end so they stay intact.
• Lawry’s Total Seasoning – I don’t use a lot of seasoning blends like this, but for whatever reason it made a difference in how this tasted. It gave the vegetables a well-seasoned flavor that I wasn’t getting with the combinations of spices I tried.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – A small splash at the end keeps the sweet corn, bacon, and butter from becoming too rich.
• Kosher Salt – Helps bring out the natural sweetness of the corn and vegetables. I recommend tasting the finished dish before adding any additional salt.
• Black Pepper – Adds a little warmth. Taste the finished dish before adding more.

How to Make Corn Succotash

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (cook the bacon)
  Add the diced bacon to a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it’s as crispy as you like it. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, but leave the drippings in the skillet. We’re about to put them to work.
• Step Two (cook the peppers and onions)
  Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, just until you can smell it.
• Step Three (add the corn and edamame)
  Add the corn, edamame, butter, and Lawry’s Total Seasoning. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is hot and tender. This is where the corn starts soaking up all that bacon and butter.
• Step Four (finish the succotash)
  Stir in the apple cider vinegar and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 2 more minutes, long enough to warm them through. I like adding them at the end because I want little juicy tomatoes throughout the skillet, not tomato sauce.
• Step Five (add the bacon and serve)
  Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the bacon back in. Serve it warm or room temperature with grilled chicken, burgers, pork chops, steak, or whatever happens to be coming off the grill that night.

Recipe Tips

• Thaw the corn and edamame before cooking if you have time. You’ll get less moisture in the skillet and better flavor development on the vegetables.
• Let the bacon get crisp before removing it from the skillet. It will soften slightly once it’s stirred back into the vegetables.
• Give the peppers and onions a few minutes to soften before adding the remaining ingredients. They should be tender, not crunchy.
• Taste before serving. Bacon, seasoning blends, and even frozen vegetables can vary, so I always do one final taste for salt and pepper at the end.
• This recipe is easy to scale up for cookouts, potlucks, and backyard barbecues. Just use your biggest skillet.

Storage

• Store leftover corn succotash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• The flavors mingle a little more overnight, making leftovers just as good the next day.
• Leftovers can be enjoyed warm, cold, or somewhere in between.
• I don’t usually freeze this one. The veggies tend to lose some of their texture once thawed.

FAQs

• Can I use fresh corn instead of frozen?
  Yes. If sweet corn is in season, cut the kernels from about 6 to 8 ears of corn and use them in place of the frozen corn.
• Can I make corn succotash ahead of time?
  Yes. You can make it a day ahead and refrigerate it until needed. Reheat gently before serving or let it come closer to room temperature.
• Can I make this vegetarian?
  You can. Skip the bacon and sauté the vegetables in butter or olive oil instead. You may want to add a little smoked paprika for some of the smoky flavor the bacon normally provides.
• Can I use a different seasoning blend?
  Yes. Lawry’s Total Seasoning is my favorite for this one, but you can substitute your favorite all-purpose seasoning blend and adjust the salt to taste.
• Can I use lima beans instead of edamame?
  Yes. Traditional succotash is often made with lima beans, so you can substitute them if you prefer. I use edamame because I like the texture better.
• What goes well with corn succotash?
  Just about anything coming off the grill. It’s especially good alongside grilled chicken, steak, pork chops, burgers, sausages, or barbecue.
• Can I serve corn succotash at room temperature?
  Yes. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I like it for barbecues and summer gatherings. Traditionally it’s served warm, but I like it at room temperature.

From My Kitchen Notes

Observations from the margins.

• What the heck does succotash even mean anyway? Don’t tell me and I refuse to look it up. I like holding on to the fact that it’s something unpleasant, like my first experience with succotash was, or corn ruined by lima beans.
• Nothing about the word succotash suggests sweet corn, bacon, juicy tomatoes, or butter. Instead, it sounds like a skin condition, betrayal, detention, or something your doctor finds during a colonoscopy.
• Five-year-old me was sitting there thinking, “Why did you wreck perfectly good corn?”
• Succotash felt like, somebody took perfectly good corn and wrecked it. Because when you’re a kid, there isn’t a nuanced evaluation of legumes happening. There’s just, this is good or this is a crime.
• My experience with lima beans has never just been “I hated lima beans.” The real story is, I hated lima beans and was not allowed to express that fact in a manner consistent with my feelings.
• I grew up in a household of, you will sit there, you will try it, you will appreciate that somebody made it, and you will not make a face. Meanwhile, I was sitting there thinking this dinner is defective.
• People who know me now might assume I’ve always been direct, but I wasn’t. I spent a lot of years filtering myself through expectations, presentation, composure, and worrying about what other people might think. I don’t do that anymore.
• Now my tendency is to make observations without looking for permission. Not rudely or recklessly. Just honestly.
• I’ve learned not to mistake different for wrong.
• Some combinations work because everything is different, not because everything matches.
• The most interesting things in the skillet are usually bringing something completely different to the table.
• Some things belong together without needing to become the same thing. The best partnerships involve contrast.
• Some things don’t become less themselves when they’re part of something bigger.
• A surprising number of good things begin as separate ingredients with no obvious plan.
• The funny thing about belonging is that it usually becomes obvious long before anybody says it out loud.
• I gave succotash another chance. The lima beans did not receive the same courtesy.
• I never decided I was wrong about lima beans. I decided to rebuild succotash from the ground up and remove the problem.
• I secretly hope somewhere a member of the Lima Bean Council just felt a disturbance in the force.
• If succotash was invented today it would probably be called Bacon Corn Skillet and somebody would charge $18 for it.

More Side Dishes That Don’t Feel Like Punishment

• Crispy Smashed Potato Salad – Crispy edges and lemon dressing.
• Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad – Rotisserie chicken and basil.
• Greek Mosaic Salad – Watermelon, feta, cucumber, olives.
• Avocado and Three Bean Salad – Simple ingredients, big flavor.
• Chilled Pineapple Cucumber Salad – Sweet, spicy, and refreshing.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Corn Succotash

Corn Succotash with sweet corn, edamame, bacon, peppers, onions, and tomatoes cooked together in one skillet. This easy side dish pairs perfectly with grilled meats, cookouts, and summer dinners.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword barbecue side dish, corn succotash, corn succotash with bacon, corn succotash with edamame, skillet corn succotash, succotash recipe, summer side dish

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Calories 280kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• large high-sided skillet Gives the vegetables enough room to cook evenly.
• Cutting board For prepping the vegetables and bacon.
• wooden spoon or spatula. For stirring the vegetables.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon diced
• ½ cup (75 g) Vidalia onion
• 1 red or orange bell pepper seeded and diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 (12-oz / 340 g) frozen corn thawed, or 6-8 ears of corn
• 12 oz (340 g) frozen shelled edamame beans thawed
• 3 tbsps (42 g) butter
• 2 tsps (5 g) Lawry's Total Seasoning
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt or to taste
• 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper or to taste
• 1 pint (280 g) grape tomatoes halved

Instructions

• Add the bacon to a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it reaches your desired level of crispness. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
  6 slices bacon
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and bell pepper to the bacon drippings. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
  ½ cup (75 g) Vidalia onion, 1 red or orange bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
• Add the corn, edamame, butter, and Lawry's Total Seasoning. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and heated through.
  2 (12-oz / 340 g) frozen corn, 12 oz (340 g) frozen shelled edamame beans, 3 tbsps (42 g) butter, 2 tsps (5 g) Lawry's Total Seasoning
• Stir in the apple cider vinegar and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes, just until warmed through and still holding their shape.
  2 tbsps (30 ml) apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, 1 pint (280 g) grape tomatoes
• Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the bacon, and serve warm or room temp.
  6 slices bacon

Notes

 

• Edamame replaces the traditional lima beans found in many succotash recipes, giving the dish a firmer texture
• For the best texture, thaw the corn and edamame before cooking. Starting with frozen vegetables can add excess moisture to the skillet and increase the cooking time.
• The tomatoes are added at the end so they stay juicy and hold their shape rather than cooking down into the vegetables.
• This corn succotash pairs well with grilled chicken, pork chops, steak, burgers, barbecue, or smoked meats.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

 

If you’re making this Corn Succotash, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 275g | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1200IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Corn Succotash? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Corn Succotash appeared first on Noble Pig.

No-Bake Strawberry Lemon Icebox Cake With Mascarpone Whipped Cream

This no-bake strawberry lemon icebox cake is going to feel really simple while you’re making it, then surprise you after a night in the fridge. The graham crackers soften into thin cake-like layers, the mascarpone whipped cream finds its way into everything around it, and the lemon curd cuts through everything the way strawberries need. It’s cold, creamy, and a little messy to slice. The kind of dessert you forget how much you like until you take the first bite.

I think my entire obsession with strawberry and lemon together started at Du-par’s at the original Farmers Market on Fairfax in Los Angeles.

My dad and I used to go there for pie, and even if we were taking a whole pie home, we’d still sit down and order slices while we were there because moderation was never really part of the plan.

I always wanted the strawberry pie because it came with pink whipped cream, which felt very important to me at the time. But they also had a lemon cream pie, and one day the two ended up on the same plate. The strawberry filling mixed into the lemon cream, the pink whipped cream got rearranged with it, and suddenly I understood something my child brain couldn’t fully explain yet.

Sweet strawberries need lemon. Not enough to take over the whole dessert, but enough to make the strawberries stand out. I’ve loved the two flavors together ever since.

If you want the more classic version without the lemon curd and mascarpone, my older no-bake strawberry icebox cake is soft, sweeter, and more nostalgic.

This no-bake strawberry lemon icebox cake gets surprisingly close to that first bite at Du-par’s. Cold mascarpone whipped cream, bright lemon curd, soft graham cracker layers, and strawberries that somehow taste more like strawberries once the lemon gets involved.

I think part of why I like icebox cakes so much is that they improve while you ignore them. There’s no last-minute frosting stress or careful assembly right before everyone arrives. You make the layers, shove the whole thing in the fridge overnight, and sometime around the next afternoon it turns into a cake without much help from you. This one especially. The mascarpone gives it more richness than the usual whipped topping versions, while the lemon curd keeps the cold cream and strawberries from tasting too sweet.

What Makes This Different

• A lot of icebox cakes are heavy on pudding mixes or whipped topping, which gives them more of a soft supermarket bakery texture. Mascarpone changes the whole direction, making the filling thicker, colder, and more substantial. After a night in the fridge, the layers feel more like cake instead of soft mousse.
• The lemon curd also stays separate instead of getting mixed into the mascarpone cream. Keeping the lemon in its own layer keeps the flavor more distinct and noticeable against the strawberries and cold cream instead of turning into one vague citrus flavor.
• The graham crackers are where the overnight refrigerator magic happens. They absorb moisture from the mascarpone cream and lemon curd slowly, softening into thin cake-like layers. This is one of those desserts that feels dramatically better the next day than it does right after assembly.
• I also rub the lemon zest directly into the sugar before whipping the filling because it pulls the oils out of the zest first instead of leaving random lemon bits floating around in the cream. Tiny step. Big difference.

Ingredients

• Granulated sugar – Mixed with fresh lemon zest before whipping so the citrus oils spread through the mascarpone cream instead of sitting in uneven little pockets through the cream.
• Fresh lemon zest – Gives the filling lemon flavor before the lemon curd layers arrive.
• Heavy whipping cream – Keeps the mascarpone filling light enough to spread without turning dense.
• Vanilla bean paste – Since nothing gets baked, the vanilla flavor stays really noticeable. Vanilla bean paste gives the filling a fuller flavor than extract alone.
• Mascarpone cheese – Makes the filling thicker, colder, and richer than regular whipped cream by itself. It’s what gives this dessert a soft cake-meets-tiramisu texture after chilling overnight.
• Lemon curd – Adds concentrated lemon flavor without watering down the mascarpone filling.
• Graham crackers – They slowly soften overnight into thin cake-like layers in the fridge.
• Fresh strawberries – Thin slices work better than chunks because they layer more evenly and keep the dessert easier to slice once chilled.

How To Make No-Bake Strawberry Lemon Icebox Cake

• Step One (make the mascarpone cream)
  Line a 9 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving enough hanging over the sides to lift the cake out later. Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until it smells intensely lemony, then add it to a mixer bowl with the mascarpone, heavy cream, and vanilla bean paste. Whip until thick, creamy, and able to hold soft peaks. You want it thick enough to spread without turning stiff.
• Step Two (start the layers)
  Spread a thin layer of mascarpone cream onto the bottom of the pan so the graham crackers don’t slide all over the place. Add a layer of graham crackers, spread one-fourth of the mascarpone cream over the top, then spoon ½ cup of lemon curd across the surface. Don’t stress over perfectly even layers. Icebox cakes are forgiving. Top with another layer of graham crackers.
• Step Three (add the strawberries)
  Spread another layer of mascarpone cream over the graham crackers, then cover the surface with thinly sliced strawberries. Thin slices work better than chunks because they layer more evenly and make the whole thing easier to slice once cold. Top with another layer of graham crackers.
• Step Four (finish and chill)
  Spread another layer of mascarpone cream over the graham crackers, then add the remaining lemon curd. Top with the final layer of graham crackers and spread the remaining mascarpone cream over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours, until the graham crackers soften into soft cake-like layers.
• Step Five (slice and serve)
  Lift the chilled cake out of the pan using the parchment overhang and move it to a serving platter. Top with extra strawberries and lemon zest before slicing. The layers stay cold and creamy while the graham crackers soften just enough to cut like cake.

Recipe Tips

• The mascarpone mixture should hold soft peaks before layering. If it still looks loose, the layers won’t stay as neat once sliced.
• Thin strawberry slices are more important than perfect strawberry slices. Thick pieces make the layers uneven and tend to move around once the cake chills.
• If your graham crackers crack while layering, ignore it and keep going. After a night in the fridge nobody will know where the broken pieces were anyway.
• The cake slices neater after sitting out for about 10 minutes instead of cutting it straight from the fridge.
• An offset spatula makes the mascarpone cream easier to spread without messing up the layers underneath it.

Storage

• By the second day the layers soften even more and slice almost like real cake. I think the day-two slices are better than the first.
• Keep the cake refrigerated and loosely covered for up to 3 or 4 days. The strawberries release a little more juice over time, but the flavor somehow keeps getting better.
• Frozen slices are also surprisingly good. After about 15 minutes on the counter they end up somewhere between icebox cake and semifreddo.

FAQs

• Can I make this no-bake strawberry lemon icebox cake ahead of time?
  Yes, and you need to. Icebox cakes need time in the fridge for the layers to fully come together. Overnight is ideal.
• Can I use whipped topping instead of mascarpone?
  You can, but the texture changes quite a bit. Mascarpone gives the filling a thicker, colder texture that feels more substantial than whipped topping.
• Can I use frozen strawberries?
  Fresh strawberries work best because frozen berries release too much liquid once thawed and will make the layers watery.
• Why didn’t my graham crackers soften?
  Usually either the cake didn’t chill long enough or the mascarpone mixture was whipped too stiff and couldn’t spread enough moisture into the crackers. Give it a full overnight rest before deciding the texture isn’t right.
• Can I use cream cheese instead of mascarpone?
  You can, but cream cheese has a tangier, denser flavor and texture. Mascarpone stays softer and lets the lemon and strawberries stay more noticeable.
• Can I make this in a 9 x 13-inch pan?
  Yes. You can double the recipe for thicker layers or keep the same amount for a thinner, more casual version that feeds more people.

From My Kitchen Notes

Observations from my kitchen. Not recipe tips.

• Some desserts belong to adults, but this one reminds me of what it felt like to press two things together on the same plate just to see what would happen.
• Lemon has become corrective to me. Strawberries alone can go full pageant queen if nobody keeps them in check.
• Some things transform overnight. This applies to desserts and people.
• Graham crackers absorb everything around them until they stop resisting and turn soft. Interpret that however you’d like.
• Cold desserts at midnight are different than cold desserts during the day. Daytime says picnic. Midnight says emotional dependency.
• Pink whipped cream altered my brain chemistry permanently.
• Some people hang out around sweetness their entire lives but only really respond once lemon shows up.
• The desserts people remember are usually the ones with a little tension in them.
• Strawberry and lemon work because one softens while the other refuses to disappear.
• The best desserts usually involve a little contrast and at least one bad idea.
• The lemon keeps this from becoming too sentimental.
• Some flavors immediately know what to do with each other. Others take years.

More Refrigerator Desserts for Hot Weather

• Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake – cold blueberry cheesecake-style layers.
• Lemon Tiramisu – lemon curd and soaked ladyfingers.
• No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars – creamy layers and strawberry topping.
• Hawaiian Dream Dessert Cups – pineapple, coconut, chilled pudding layers.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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No-Bake Strawberry Lemon Icebox Cake

No-Bake Strawberry Lemon Icebox Cake layers mascarpone whipped cream, lemon curd, fresh strawberries, and graham crackers into a cold make-ahead dessert that softens overnight into cake-like layers.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberry graham cracker dessert, cold strawberry dessert, layered refrigerator dessert, lemon icebox cake, make-ahead dessert, mascarpone dessert, no-bake strawberry icebox cake, no-bake strawberry lemon icebox cake, no-bake summer dessert, strawberry icebox cake, strawberry lemon dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Chilling 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9

Calories 575kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking dish 9x9 (23x23 cm). Deep enough for multiple layers.
• parchment paper Helps lift the cake out easily.
• Stand Mixer or hand mixer. For whipping the mascarpone cream.
• offset spatula Makes spreading the layers easier.
• mixing bowls For making the mascarpone whipped cream.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsps (12 g) lemon zest from 1 large or 2 small lemons
• 1 pint (2 cups / 16 oz / 473 ml) heavy whipping cream cold
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 16 oz (454 g) mascarpone cheese cold
• 1 box (14.4 oz / 408 g) graham crackers
• 1 cup (260 g) lemon curd
• 16 oz (454 g) fresh strawberries hulled and thinly sliced

Instructions

• Line a 9 x 9-inch (23 x 23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides to help lift the cake out later.
• Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips for about 1 minute until fragrant.
  ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 tsps (12 g) lemon zest
• Add the cold heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, mascarpone cheese, and lemon sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until the mascarpone loosens and the mixture begins to thicken. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until thick, creamy, and able to hold soft peaks.
  1 pint (2 cups / 16 oz / 473 ml) heavy whipping cream, 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla bean paste, 16 oz (454 g) mascarpone cheese
• Spread a very thin layer of mascarpone cream onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange a single layer of graham crackers over the cream, breaking pieces as needed to cover the bottom of the pan without overlapping.
  1 box (14.4 oz / 408 g) graham crackers
• Spread one-fourth of the mascarpone cream evenly over the graham crackers. Spoon ½ cup (130 g) lemon curd over the cream and gently spread into an even layer. Top with another layer of graham crackers.
  1 cup (260 g) lemon curd
• Spread another one-fourth of the mascarpone cream over the graham crackers. Arrange a layer of thinly sliced strawberries evenly over the cream. Top with another layer of graham crackers.
  16 oz (454 g) fresh strawberries
• Spread another one-fourth of the mascarpone cream over the graham crackers. Add the remaining ½ cup (130 g) lemon curd and spread into an even layer. Top with another layer of graham crackers.
• Spread the remaining mascarpone cream evenly over the top. Cover the pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until the graham crackers soften into cake-like layers.
• Use the parchment overhang to lift the chilled cake out of the pan and transfer it to a serving platter. Top with extra sliced strawberries and lemon zest before slicing.
• Slice into 9 pieces and serve cold.

Notes

• Rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar helps distribute the citrus flavor more evenly through the mascarpone cream.
• Thin strawberry slices create cleaner layers and make the cake easier to slice once chilled.
• A slightly under-whipped mascarpone mixture can loosen too much overnight, so the cream should be thick enough to hold soft peaks before layering.
• If the graham crackers crack while layering, don’t worry about it. They soften overnight and won’t be noticeable once sliced.
• The cake slices more cleanly after sitting at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. The graham crackers continue softening as the cake sits, creating an even more cake-like texture by day two.
• Freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let them sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving.

 

 

If you’re making this No Bake Strawberry Lemon Icebox Cake, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 242g | Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 1450IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this No Bake Strawberry Lemon Icebox Cake? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post No-Bake Strawberry Lemon Icebox Cake appeared first on Noble Pig.

Fresh Homemade Pico De Gallo with a Better Tomato Prep

Pico de gallo is one of those things you don’t assume needs a recipe until you eat one that turns watery five minutes after hitting the table. Mine stays chunky instead of becoming tomato soup because I seed the tomatoes first and let the lime juice, onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, and salt sit together for a little while before serving. The flavors work their way through everything without turning the tomatoes into a puddle of juice at the bottom of the bowl.

When I was little, probably six or seven, my dad planted an unusual amount of giant beefsteak tomatoes along the sunny fence line on one side of our house in Southern California. By late summer there were more tomatoes than anyone knew what to do with. They ended up in salads, and I’m pretty sure this is when I got hooked on dill pickle and tomato sandwiches, and eventually pico de gallo, because having that many tomatoes in SoCal was basically a gateway to salsa.

But my strongest tomato memory is tomato hornworms.

If you’ve never seen one before, congratulations on your peaceful life. They are enormous green caterpillars that blend perfectly into tomato plants until suddenly you notice one the size of a bratwurst hanging underneath a leaf while casually destroying an entire branch. Every single day there were more of them. We’d inspect the plants, remove what seemed like all of them, then go back out the next evening and find a gazillion more hiding perfectly in plain sight like these tiny agricultural criminals. Because that’s what they were.

Every night I would wait for my dad to get home from work because together we would go hunt hornworms before dinner, while he picked tomatoes for the salad. I refused to look for them alone because they terrified me, but with my dad there it somehow became a treasure hunt. He’d bring a mason jar full of soapy water and we’d search through the tomato plants, dropping each one into the sudsy water for an instant demise.

And these things got massive if you missed them for even a day or two because they were feeding on the leaves, branches, and tomatoes.

I also knew exactly what happened when you squeezed one because they’d release this horrifying bright green goo from all the tomato leaves they’d been eating. It was completely disgusting, which is a very important detail for what happened next.

One night after a very successful hornworm hunt, my dad decided to make pico de gallo. I remember staring into the bowl asking what the green pieces were.

My dad was a huge jokester and without missing a beat, he told me he chopped up the hornworms because we had so many of them. Why waste them.

This was hilarious to him.

Meanwhile I was already eating the pico when he said it, so I immediately imagined biting into giant juicy caterpillars filled with warm green slime. I had an instant breakdown, complete with screaming, crying, spitting pico de gallo across the table while my dad laughed so hard he could barely breathe. The “hornworms” were jalapeños.

This was very 1970s parenting.

And somehow now, decades later, pico de gallo still reminds me of standing outside beside tomato plants with my dad looking for giant camouflage worms like we were handling our own suburban agricultural emergency.

Good pico de gallo should stick to the chip with some level of dignity. It needs lots of lime, onion, cilantro, jalapeño and tomatoes that still taste like tomatoes instead of watery grocery store salsa that tastes like confetti and rolls off the chip before it reaches your mouth.

Now I make this pico de gallo year-round because it goes with everything. It’s good piled onto tacos, scooped up with salty tortilla chips, spooned over grilled chicken, and especially eaten straight out of the bowl. The seeded tomatoes are what keep it from turning watery overnight, which means the leftovers still taste good the next day instead of becoming tomato juice.

What Makes This Pico De Gallo Different

• Most watery pico de gallo problems start with the tomatoes. The second lime juice and salt hit the bowl, the tomatoes start releasing liquid, which is why pico can go from fresh and chunky to watery tomato soup surprisingly fast. Seeding the tomatoes first keeps the texture much firmer and helps everything hold together longer instead of becoming liquid salsa after sitting for ten minutes.
• And here’s the thing about jalapeños, most of the heat lives in the ribs, not necessarily the seeds. I know people diligently remove the seeds while leaving a lot of the ribs behind, then wonder why the pico is still so spicy. Removing the ribs gives you a milder pico without completely losing the fresh jalapeño flavor. And don’t forget to wear gloves while you do this.
• I also always add garlic, which I’m aware is not standard, but without it the whole bowl can taste oddly dull to me, even with good tomatoes and fresh lime juice. I find the garlic helps the onion, cilantro, jalapeño, tomatoes, and lime taste more connected instead of like separate ingredients awkwardly sharing the same bowl.
• And pico tastes better once it sits for a little bit. Right after mixing, everything tastes separate, like yes, we’re in this bowl together, but we’re not talking. Give it 15–30 minutes in the fridge and the onion will soften slightly, the lime makes its way into the tomatoes, and everything starts tasting like pico de gallo instead of chopped veggies having an argument.

Ingredients

• Tomatoes – Firm ripe tomatoes hold together much better once the lime juice and salt are added. Seeding them first keeps the pico chunky instead of watery.
• White onion – This is where the restaurant-style pico flavor comes from. Red onion is fine if you want it, but it changes the entire personality of the bowl. The difference between white and red onion is like getting a salute instead of a handshake.
• Jalapeño – Most of the heat comes from the ribs, which is why removing them gives you a milder pico without completely losing the fresh jalapeño flavor. Leave them in completely if you like the burn.
• Garlic – A small amount gives the bowl that little something without turning it into garlic salsa.
• Fresh lime juice – Lime juice is necessary, but it also starts pulling extra liquid from the tomatoes pretty fast, which is exactly why seeding the tomatoes becomes important if you want the pico to stay chunky longer.
• Cilantro – Keeps the pico tasting fresh instead of dull.
• Sea salt – Under-salted pico loses flavor fast, but too much salt also pulls extra liquid from the tomatoes while everything sits. There’s a balance.

How To Make Homemade Pico De Gallo

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (deal with the tomatoes first)
  Finely dice the white onion and jalapeño, mince the garlic, chop the cilantro, and dice the tomatoes. Scoop out and discard the tomato seeds and excess tomato liquid first because this is how you avoid watery pico later. If you want more heat, leave some of the jalapeño ribs intact. If you enjoy suffering, leave all of them.
• Step Two (throw everything into a bowl)
  Add the onion, jalapeño, garlic, tomatoes, and cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the fresh lime juice, sprinkle over the sea salt, and gently toss everything together until the tomatoes are coated and the whole bowl starts smelling fresh.
• Step Three (leave it alone for a minute)
  Taste the pico and adjust the salt if needed. Then let it sit in the refrigerator for about 15–30 minutes before serving because pico tastes better once everything hangs out for a minute. The lime juice softens the onion while the garlic moves through the tomatoes.
• Step Four (bring tortilla chips immediately)
  Serve with anything you love, but especially tortilla chips.

Recipe Tips

• Try to dice everything roughly the same size so you get tomato, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño together in each bite instead of random mouthfuls that mostly taste like onion.
• Letting the pico sit for 15–30 minutes before serving makes a huge difference because the lime juice, salt, garlic, and onion finally stop tasting separate.
• The tomatoes will naturally keep releasing liquid while the pico sits, so give everything a quick stir before serving.
• If the pico has been refrigerated overnight, using a slotted spoon helps keep things chunkier while serving.
• Under-salted pico is its own kind of disappointment.

Storage

• Store the pico de gallo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I prefer glass because plastic containers tend to absorb the onion smell.
• The tomatoes will keep releasing liquid as the pico sits, so give everything a quick stir before serving.
• Pico tastes best before the tomatoes completely fall under the control of the lime and salt.

FAQs

• Why does pico de gallo get watery?
  Tomatoes naturally start breaking down once the lime juice and salt are introduced. Removing the seeds and excess tomato gel first helps the pico hold its texture longer.
• Do jalapeño seeds make pico spicy?
  Not as much as you would think. The seeds do not produce capsaicin and are fairly mild. They only taste spicy because they sit pressed against the hot ribs and absorb some of the oil. The heat comes from the ribs where the capsaicin is produced and stored.
• What tomatoes work best for pico de gallo?
  Firm ripe tomatoes work best because they stay together better after mixing with lime juice and salt.
• Can pico de gallo be made ahead?
  Yes, although it tastes freshest the first day. Give it a quick stir before serving since the tomatoes naturally soften as it sits.
• Is pico de gallo the same as salsa?
  Not really. Pico de gallo stays more textured because the ingredients are diced instead of blended smooth.
• Why do restaurants seed tomatoes for pico de gallo?
  Because seeded tomatoes hold together better once the lime juice and salt are added.

From My Kitchen Notes

Some observations from my kitchen.

• There were probably easier ways to build character than convincing your child she just ate the face of a hornworm in homemade pico de gallo, but the 1970s operated under different parental management.
• I will still inspect tomato plants like something devastating might be hiding underneath the leaves.
• Some people camouflage themselves, just like tomato hornworms.
• I learned very early that fear becomes much easier to approach when somebody walks into it with you.
• I still think tomato hornworms are one of the most upsetting garden creatures on earth.
• It’s the fake leaf camouflage, the giant segmented body, the little horn, the weird gripping feet and the way you suddenly notice one after staring directly at the plant for five minutes. It’s sinister behavior from a green, goo-producing worm.
• Because pico is chunky, my childhood imagination easily believed there were visible caterpillar pieces in it.
• The idea of being terrified of something, but also loving the ritual around facing the horrifying tomato monsters together tells me something about being human. Scared alone, brave together.
• There’s a very specific kind of trust involved in eating something somebody else chopped for you.
• Some people would rather create an elaborate joke than say one vulnerable thing directly.
• It’s kind of disturbing how something can blend perfectly into the environment while actively destroying the entire plant.
• The phrase “I made this for you” carries an unreasonable amount of power.
• Silent agricultural assassins that somehow regenerate no matter how many you remove.
• It’s fascinating how the childhood brain immediately believes internalizing chopped parasites is a real possibility and not just your dad generating comedy.
• The phrase “we got them all yesterday” never once held up in terms of finding tomato worms.
• I think some things become part of your internal landscape before you consciously realize they live there.
• There are moments that rearrange you so gently nobody else notices when it happens.
• I remain unconvinced that hornworms operate under normal biological rules. They are freaks.
• Some relationships begin the exact same way hornworms appear. One day there’s nothing there and the next day something enormous is attached to your entire life.
• People underestimate how revealing shared food can become.
• I’ve seen enough human behavior at this point to know consistency and inconsistency usually means something.
• Sometimes the thing destroying your peace is also the thing making you walk outside every evening hoping to see it again.
• I still wash tomatoes like someone who once believed she accidentally ate the faces of chopped-up caterpillars. I’m okay now.

More Things To Pile Pico Onto

• Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls – grilled chicken, charred corn, creamy lime sauce.
• Easy Fried Tortilla Chips – crisp, golden, and made for salsa.
• Chipotle Beef Tostadas – crunchy tostadas loaded with smoky beef.
• Slow Cooker Shredded Taco Chicken – juicy shredded chicken for tacos, bowls, and nachos.
• Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos – loaded nachos with creamy lime drizzle.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Homemade Pico de Gallo

This homemade pico de gallo uses seeded ripe tomatoes, fresh lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño for a chunky salsa that stays fresh instead of turning watery. Perfect with tortilla chips, tacos, grilled meats, burrito bowls, or scrambled eggs.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword fresh pico de gallo, homemade pico de gallo, pico de gallo recipe, salsa fresca

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Chill 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 (1/4 cup each)

Calories 18kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Cutting board For prepping the vegetables.
• mixing bowls For combining the pico de gallo.
• Citrus Juicer Makes juicing the limes easier.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 g) finely diced white onion
• 1 large (20 g) jalapeño finely diced, seeds and ribs removed for milder pico
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb (454 g) ripe red tomatoes diced and seeded
• ½ cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp (3 g) sea salt plus more to taste

Instructions

• Add the diced white onion, jalapeño, garlic, tomatoes, and cilantro to a large mixing bowl.
  1 cup (150 g) finely diced white onion, 1 large (20 g) jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic, 1 lb (454 g) ripe red tomatoes, ½ cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro
• Pour in the fresh lime juice and sprinkle with sea salt. Gently toss until evenly combined and the tomatoes are fully coated.
  ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice, ½ tsp (3 g) sea salt
• Taste and adjust with additional salt if needed. For the best flavor and texture, refrigerate the pico de gallo for 15–30 minutes before serving so the lime juice, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and salt have time to combine wih the tomatoes without making the salsa watery.
• Serve immediately with tortilla chips, tacos, burrito bowls, grilled meats, or scrambled eggs.

Notes

• Use ripe but firm tomatoes for the best texture. Softer tomatoes release excess liquid more quickly and can make the pico watery.
• Removing the tomato seeds helps the pico de gallo stay chunky instead of becoming soupy as it sits.
• Most of the jalapeño heat comes from the ribs rather than the seeds. Remove the ribs for a milder pico or leave them in for more heat.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving since the tomatoes will naturally release liquid over time.

 

 

If you’re making this Homemade Pico de Gallo, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 60g | Calories: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 391IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 9mg

Have you made this Homemade Pico de Gallo? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

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Cocoa Rubbed Steak With Dark Stout Pan Sauce Gets A Dark Crust

Cocoa rubbed steak with dark stout pan sauce is something that has evolved in my kitchen after a lot of pub-style dinners out. Most places go the coffee-rubbed route, but I kept wanting something a little darker and more roasted with that same bitter edge you get from stout or wine tannins. After a lot of trial and error, I found that cocoa powder gives the steak a dark lacquered crust with earthy flavor while the chocolate stout cooks down with garlic, thyme, and the browned bits in the pan into a sauce that tastes layered, savory, and made for sliced steak.

This is the kind of dinner you make when you need to say something emotionally consequential to someone. Or maybe when you just want everybody at the table too distracted by the steak to ask too many questions. Your choice.

I grew up eating a lot of steak. My dad was a weekend grill guy, and steak was always made over charcoal. If he wasn’t making it at home, we were out somewhere ordering it. We were a very carnivorous family, which probably explains several things psychologically, though I’m not entirely sure which ones.

Years later, in my own explorations, I found myself drawn to dark little pub places long before the term gastropub became mainstream. The cooks were always doing a lot with meat, coffee rubs, porter reductions, and all those darker bitter flavors that somehow make beef taste even more like itself. I always liked that style of cooking. And even though I can be very much a steak purist, I still think there’s a place for a good pan sauce to break up the steak-and-butter-only mindset once in a while.

My interest in cocoa with steak isn’t completely random. It comes more from my own curiosity around flavor and bitterness. Cocoa and wine share some of the same sensory qualities, especially when it comes to bitterness, tannin perception, dryness, and even some of that roasted depth. Once cocoa comes in contact with a fatty steak, it starts acting similarly to how tannic red wine will cut through rich meat.

I feel like coffee rubs usually take smoky bitterness forward. But cocoa bitterness comes across way softer, earthier, and more rounded instead, especially once it mixes with fat and browns in a hot skillet. Then everything starts tasting fuller once the pan sauce comes together. I think cocoa syncs more naturally with red meat than espresso ever will.

So this version became mine over the years. Cocoa-rubbed steak with a dark stout pan sauce that feels slightly unreasonable spooned over roasted potatoes. I make this year-round because some dinners stop being seasonal and this one has become another meal that is part of my operating system.

The thing I like most about this recipe is that the cocoa never tastes like chocolate once it sears onto the steak. It works more like a dark roasted bitterness in the crust, especially with the stout reduction and all the browned bits left in the skillet. The stout cooks down into something concentrated and savory, the cocoa keeps the crust dark without turning sweet, and the flavor ends up somewhere between a really good pub steak and something you’d order at a place with low lighting and a bartender who knows too much about your life.

What Makes This Different

• The cocoa rub is what changes this from a regular cast iron steak into something darker and a little more complicated. The cocoa doesn’t taste sweet or chocolatey once it sears into the crust. It works more like a roasted bitterness against the fat of the New York strip, especially once the browned bits in the skillet start mixing into the stout reduction.
• The brown sugar in the rub helps the crust caramelize faster and gives the steak that dark lacquered exterior without needing a long cook time. Cocoa does darken quickly in a hot skillet, so there’s a difference between a properly dark crust and taking it too far. You want the heat high enough to create color fast while still keeping the center medium rare.
• As the stout reduces with the garlic, thyme, beef broth, and pan drippings, it loses a lot of the edge and becomes more savory. Stouts do vary. Some are bitter or more roasted, which is why I usually taste the sauce near the end before deciding whether it needs another pinch of salt.
• I also specifically like using a New York strip instead of a ribeye. The strip steak has enough fat to handle the dark crust and reduced sauce, but it still slices neatly and stays together once you cut into it. Since the steak gets sliced before serving, that is important.
• Using a cast iron skillet means you’ll have enough direct heat to develop the crust quickly, while also making all the browned bits that become the base of the sauce afterward. That’s where the sauce picks up most of its flavor.

Ingredients

• New York strip steak – Has enough fat to stay flavorful while still keeping the firmer texture that works especially well with the dark cocoa crust and reduced stout sauce.
• Kosher salt – Seasons the steak and helps the crust develop in the skillet.
• Black pepper – Gives the crust a little bite without competing with the cocoa and stout.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Works more like a roasted spice than chocolate once it sears onto the steak. It deepens the crust and adds bitterness that balances the richness of the meat and sauce.
• Brown sugar – Helps the crust caramelize quickly and gives the exterior a dark lacquered look without making the steak taste sweet.
• Garlic powder – Brings savory depth directly into the rub so the flavor stays in the crust instead of only living in the sauce.
• Chili powder – Adds warmth and earthiness that works especially well with the cocoa and stout reduction.
• Cayenne pepper – Gives the rub a little heat.
• Avocado oil – Handles the high skillet heat well without smoking too quickly while the crust develops.
• Butter – Softens the bitterness in the sauce slightly.
• Fresh garlic – Adds savory depth as the stout reduces in the skillet.
• Chocolate stout beer – Reduces down into a darker roasted pan sauce that works especially well with the cocoa crust.
• Beef broth – Keeps the stout reduction balanced and savory instead of overly bitter.
• Red wine vinegar – Cuts through the richness of the sauce.
• Fresh thyme – Adds a woodsy flavor that fits naturally with the roasted flavors in the sauce.
• Cornstarch – Thickens the sauce just enough so it coats the steak.
• Cold water – Helps dissolve the cornstarch smoothly before it gets added into the hot sauce.

How To Make Cocoa Rubbed Steak With Dark Stout Pan Sauce

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (season the steak)
  Pat the steak very dry before you start. The cocoa rub sticks better to a dry surface and gives you the kind of crust this recipe is made around once it goes into the cast iron skillet.. Mix the cocoa powder, brown sugar, chili spices, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together, then press the rub all over the steak. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes so the seasoning has time to stick and the steak loses some of its chill.
• Step Two (make the crust)
  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until fully hot before adding the oil. Once the steak goes in, leave it alone long enough for the crust to form. The cocoa and brown sugar darken quickly, so the outside should look very brown and almost blackened in a few spots without smelling burnt. Flip and cook the second side until the steak reaches about 125°F (52°C) for medium rare, then transfer it to a cutting board to rest under foil.
• Step Three (make the stout pan sauce)
  Lower the heat and melt the butter right into the browned bits left in the skillet. Add the garlic and stir constantly for about 30 seconds since it cooks fast in the hot pan. Pour in the stout, beef broth, vinegar, and thyme, then scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let the sauce simmer until darker, slightly reduced, and more savory.
• Step Four (finish and serve)
  Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook just until the sauce lightly thickens. Slice the steak thinly against the grain and spoon the warm sauce over the top right before serving. The sliced steak catches more of the sauce this way, which matters with a darker reduced sauce like this.

Recipe Tips

• Pat the steak really dry before adding the cocoa rub. Moisture is the fastest way to sabotage a good crust.
• Don’t freak out when the crust darkens fast. The cocoa and brown sugar both develop fast in cast iron, so the steak will look almost blackened in spots without smelling burnt.
• Let the skillet get fully hot before the steak goes in. A not-hot-enough skillet gives you gray steak energy and this recipe absolutely does not want that.
• Use an instant-read thermometer if you tend to second-guess steak doneness. The crust gets dark enough that visual cues become slightly less trustworthy.
• Different stouts vary quite a bit, so the final salt balance sometimes needs adjusting.
• The sauce needs vinegar at the end or the darker flavors can start feeling like too much. Don’t skip it.
• Reduce the sauce long enough before adding the cornstarch slurry. That’s where the sauce picks up most of its flavor.
• Slice the steak against the grain. Especially with strip steak, that’s what keeps the slices tender instead of chewy.
• This is one of those dinners where crust matters more than perfection. A properly browned skillet steak with a good pan sauce will always beat a timid one.
• If the sauce gets thicker than you want, loosen it with a splash of beef broth before serving.

Storage

• Store leftover steak and sauce separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• The sauce thickens quite a bit once chilled because of the reduction and cornstarch, so I usually loosen it with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
• Reheat the steak gently in a skillet over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave. High heat tends to make strip steak chewy pretty quickly.
• The cocoa crust stays surprisingly good the next day, especially sliced thin and reheated with a little sauce spooned over the top. It’s great in a sandwich too.
• If you know you’re making this ahead of time, slightly undercook the steak the first time around so it doesn’t overcook during reheating.

FAQs

• Does the cocoa make the steak taste like chocolate?
  No. Once it sears in the skillet, the cocoa tastes much darker and more roasted than sweet. It acts more like roasted bitterness than dessert chocolate once it sears onto the steak.
• Why use cocoa powder in a steak rub?
  The cocoa balances the richness of the steak and sauce. It gives the exterior a more roasted flavor that works especially well with stout reductions and cast iron searing.
• What kind of stout works best?
  I prefer a darker chocolate stout or porter-style beer with roasted flavor instead of anything overly sweet. The beer becomes more concentrated as it reduces, so balance matters.
• Can I use ribeye instead of strip steak?
  You can, but ribeye has more internal fat and can feel heavier with the stout sauce. I like New York strip because it keeps a firmer texture once sliced.
• How do I know the crust isn’t burnt?
  The crust should look very dark but smell roasted and savory, not bitter. Cocoa darkens faster than a standard steak rub, so smell matters just as much as color.
• Can I grill this instead of cooking it in a skillet?
  You can, but the pan sauce depends on the browned bits left in the skillet after searing. Cast iron gives you both the crust and the base for the stout reduction.
• Why add brown sugar to the rub if this isn’t supposed to taste sweet?
  The brown sugar helps the crust caramelize and balances the bitterness from the cocoa and stout without making the steak sugary.
• What should I serve with this?
  My salt and vinegar smashed potatoes, mashed potatoes, crusty Dutch oven bread, or anything capable of absorbing excessive amounts of stout sauce without judgment.

From My Kitchen Notes

A few observations about appetite and human behavior.

• Some dinners are casual. Others feel like everybody at the table already knows something important is about to happen.
• There’s a specific kind of confidence that comes from knowing how dark you can let a crust get before it crosses the line into ruined.
• Good pan sauces usually start with browned bits everybody else would’ve rinsed down the sink. You’re not going to do that.
• Certain restaurants permanently alter your understanding of lighting, steak, and eye contact.
• Some conversations improve dramatically once somebody places the bread basket on the table.
• Bitterness is useful in small amounts. In stout, cocoa powder, red wine, and occasionally people.
• There are meals specifically designed for lingering at the table longer than necessary. This is one of them.
• A good cast iron skillet remembers everything you’ve ever done to it. That feels metaphorical somehow.
• The best pub food always tastes emotionally complicated. And I like that.
• Some people only know how to say important things indirectly across a table.
• There’s a point in reducing a pan sauce where patience suddenly turns into reward.
• A properly rested steak and a well-timed confession have more in common than people realize.
• Certain flavor combinations only work because bitterness keeps the richness from getting out of control.
• Some forms of attraction feel less like fireworks and more like recognition under low lighting.
• A lot of adulthood is realizing appetite and honesty are closely related.
• Dark sauces, low lighting, and red wine have probably created entire generations of people if I’m being honest.

More Low Light Dinners

• Gochujang Steak Bites – sticky, spicy skillet steak.
• Oven-Braised Short Ribs – slow-cooked and deeply savory.
• Slow-Braised Beef Ragù with Pappardelle – heavy pot energy in pasta form.
• Baked Rigatoni – bubbling cheese and red sauce.
• Cottage Pie with Gruyère Mashed Potatoes – crisp edges and rich beef.

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Cocoa Rubbed Steak with Dark Stout Pan Sauce

This cocoa rubbed steak with dark stout pan sauce starts with a savory cocoa spice rub that forms a dark crust in a hot cast iron skillet. The stout cooks down with garlic, thyme, beef broth, and the browned bits left in the pan into a sauce with roasted, earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with sliced steak.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cast iron steak, cocoa crusted steak, cocoa rubbed steak, dark stout pan sauce, New York strip steak recipe, skillet steak recipe, steak with pan sauce, stout steak sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Resting 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 48 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 610kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• cast iron skillet 12" (30 cm) Helps make the dark crust properly.
• Meat Thermometer Keeps the steak from overcooking.
• tongs For flipping the steak without piercing it.
• whisk For blending the slurry smoothly.

Ingredients

Steak:

• 1 (12-16 oz / 340-455 g) New York strip steak or ribeye (1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm) thick)
• 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
• ½ tsp (1 g) coarse ground black pepper
• 2 tsps (5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsps (8 g) light brown sugar
• 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (2 g) chili powder
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) avocado oil or peanut oil

Dark Stout Pan Sauce:

• 2 tbsps (28 g) butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup (240 ml) chocolate stout beer
• ½ cup (120 ml) beef broth
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch
• 1 tsp (5 ml) cold water

Instructions

• Pat the New York strip steak very dry with paper towels, especially around the edges. In a small bowl, stir together the kosher salt, black pepper, cocoa powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper until evenly combined. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the steak, pressing it firmly into the surface so it adheres well. Let the steak rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking so the seasoning has time to adhere and the chill comes off the meat.
  1 (12-16 oz / 340-455 g) New York strip steak, 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, ½ tsp (1 g) coarse ground black pepper, 2 tsps (5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tsps (8 g) light brown sugar, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2 g) chili powder, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper
• Place a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and let it get fully hot before adding the oil. Add the avocado oil, then carefully place the steak into the skillet. Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side until a very dark crust forms. The cocoa and brown sugar darken quickly, so the steak should look deeply browned without smelling burnt.
  2 tbsps (30 ml) avocado oil
• Flip the steak and continue cooking for another 3 to 5 minutes for medium rare, adjusting slightly depending on thickness. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the steak and pull it from the skillet a couple of degrees before it hits 125°F (52°C). Transfer the steak to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil while the sauce cooks. The temperature should continue rising about 5 to 10 degrees as it rests.
• Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium. Add the butter directly to the browned bits and residual oil left in the pan. Once melted, stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it softens without burning.
  2 tbsps (28 g) butter, 2 cloves garlic
• Pour in the chocolate stout and scrape the bottom of the skillet well to loosen all the browned bits. Stir in the beef broth, red wine vinegar, and thyme sprigs. Let the sauce simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced and darker in color with a more roasted, concentrated flavor. Different stouts vary in bitterness, so taste the sauce once reduced and add a small pinch of salt if needed.
  1 cup (240 ml) chocolate stout beer, ½ cup (120 ml) beef broth, 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar, 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly thickened and shiny enough to coat a spoon.
  1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch, 1 tsp (5 ml) cold water
• Slice the steak thinly against the grain and spoon the warm stout pan sauce over the top before serving.

Notes

• The crust should look very dark once seared. Cocoa powder and brown sugar naturally deepen in color quickly in a hot skillet, which gives the steak its roasted flavor and signature appearance without tasting burnt.
• Chocolate stout gives the sauce a darker roasted flavor, but a regular stout can still be used if needed.
• Store leftover steak and sauce separately when possible so the crust keeps more of its texture.

 

 

If you’re making this Cocoa Rubbed Steak, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 390g | Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 980mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 4mg

Have you made this Cocoa Rubbed Steak? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Cocoa Rubbed Steak with Dark Stout Pan Sauce appeared first on Noble Pig.

Strawberry Pancakes That Moms Do Not Want To Be Served In Bed

Fresh strawberries cook directly into these buttermilk pancakes, creating little jammy pockets throughout the stack while the berry edges caramelize against the hot griddle. The pancakes stay thick and soft underneath, with enough tang from the buttermilk to keep the sweet strawberry flavor from becoming too much. Then the warm strawberry sauce goes over the top and everything turns into the kind of weekend breakfast that barely fits on the plate and belongs at a table.

Moms do not want breakfast in bed.

I know this has somehow become the official Mother’s Day fantasy, but most moms raising little kids do not want to wake up to panic sounds coming from the kitchen, crashing pans, syrup spills, someone stress-cooking eggs, tiny footsteps approaching the bedroom carrying an unstable tray of orange juice, a vase with a cut flower from the yard and then having to emotionally be grateful while dealing with crumbs in the sheets. We don’t want it.

And this is in no way anti-kid or anti-motherhood. I’m deeply pro-mother because I want to acknowledge that as mothers, we are full humans underneath the role.

When our kids are little, motherhood is the most physically immersive experience out there. It’s noisy, touchy, needy, constant interruption, logistics, somebody needing a snack while you’re already holding three other things, talking to you through the bathroom door, little bodies climbing directly onto your body the second you sit down. We are needed from the moment our eyes open until everybody finally goes to sleep, and even then, you’re still on duty all night long.

A mom’s guilt around wanting silence, autonomy, uninterrupted time, adult conversation, a clean house, nobody touching you for a few hours, is enormous. There’s this expectation that the highest form of motherhood is wanting to spend every possible second with your children, especially on Mother’s Day, when honestly a lot of mothers in the thick of raising little kids would love nothing more than someone saying, I’ve got everything taken care of. Go enjoy yourself for the day or even just the morning or afternoon. We’ll see you tonight.

Maybe this is controversial, but I also think when there are multiple generations of mothers in a family, the women still actively raising little kids should get the easiest version of the day. Not because grandmothers aren’t important, obviously, but because the mothers currently in the trenches of school lunches, sleep deprivation, sports schedules, disruption and constant emotional labor are the ones in most need of support and celebration. Even if it’s just for a morning or preferably a whole day.

I don’t think Mother’s Day should end with the mom of three small children loading everybody into the car, managing nap schedules, hauling diaper bags, and still coordinating a whole extended-family gathering somewhere else. Honor the grandmothers, absolutely. Bring or send flowers, call, celebrate them, but without expecting the women still raising little kids to plan the logistics of the day too. I believe the women still deep in active motherhood should be the ones the day is created around.

And honestly, if my boys ever have children, this is exactly how I’d want it. I’ve already had my years of French toast sticky hands, so many sleepless nights, school pickups, tiny shoes and toys everywhere, and hearing “mom” shouted through a closed bathroom door. Let the women currently living inside that season have the easier day. Let them sleep in and then go to brunch with friends. Let somebody else fully handle breakfast and the cleanup the kitchen afterward. I would happily enjoy Mother’s Day without needing the entire day to orbit around me.

And the funny thing is, it changes later. Once the kids are older and you’re no longer physically responsible for every part of their existence, suddenly brunch with the family sounds nice, and time together is easier. It feels chosen instead of relentless. But when you’re deep in the little-kid years, sometimes the greatest luxury on earth is simply nobody needing anything from you for a few consecutive hours. It feels life-changing.

By the time these hit the table, the strawberry sauce is running down the sides, somebody’s already stealing extra berries from the serving plate, and the coffee is somehow still hot. This is the kind of breakfast that slows the whole morning down a little. Big strawberry-loaded pancake stacks, extra sauce spooned over the top, everybody sitting at a real table like civilized people instead of balancing scrambled eggs over white bedding while a child mumbles “DON’T DROP IT.”

Honestly, this is my ideal version of a Mother’s Day breakfast. Still sweet and thoughtful, but with less stress, served at a table with significantly better pancakes.

What Makes These Pancakes Different

• Fresh strawberries are folded directly into the batter instead of scattered over the top afterward, so as the pancakes cook, the berries soften into little jammy pockets throughout each stack. Some of the strawberry juice hits the hot griddle and caramelizes around the edges, which gives the pancakes the golden strawberry bits that taste like the best part of strawberry shortcake meeting diner pancakes.
• The batter stays thick enough to hold the strawberries in place while cooking instead of letting them sink straight to the bottom or leak too much liquid into the pancakes. Letting the batter rest before cooking also helps keep the strawberries suspended throughout the batter while giving the pancakes that thick soft-center texture.
• Medium heat is more important than everyone thinks with fruit pancakes. Strawberries release moisture while cooking, so lower heat gives the centers time to cook through while still letting the outsides brown properly. Trying to rush strawberry pancakes over high heat is how you end up with dark outsides and undercooked centers.
• The buttermilk keeps the pancakes soft and rich while adding enough tang to balance all the strawberry flavor running through the batter and the warm strawberry sauce spooned over the top. The sauce gets layered over the pancakes while still warm, sinking into the stack a little while extra strawberries stay piled over the top with an unnecessary amount of fruit in the best possible way.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – Gives the pancakes enough support to stay thick and soft even with all the strawberries folded into the batter.
• Granulated sugar – Enough sweetness to support the berries without turning the pancakes into cake.
• Baking powder and baking soda – The combination keeps the pancakes lifted and soft even with all the fresh strawberries folded into the batter.
• Salt – Necessary.
• Buttermilk – Tangy diner-style flavor while keeping the texture soft enough to soak up the warm strawberry sauce.
• Eggs – Hold the batter together while helping the pancakes stay rich and soft underneath all the strawberries.
• Vanilla extract – Softens the tang from the buttermilk and somehow makes the strawberries taste even more like themselves.
• Unsalted butter – Adds richness and helps the pancake edges brown properly on the griddle.
• Fresh strawberries – Small chopped pieces soften directly into the pancakes and create jammy strawberry pockets throughout the stack.
• Oil – Keeps the griddle evenly coated so the pancakes brown properly while the strawberry juices caramelize around the edges.
• Homemade strawberry sauce – Poured warm over the pancakes so it sinks into the stack instead of just sitting on top like syrup.
• Extra strawberries – Not required technically, but the fresh berries over the warm pancakes and sauce make it feel like a weekend breakfast instead of a rushed Tuesday morning meal.

How to Make Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (mix the batter)
  Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until smooth, then pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir gently just until most of the flour disappears because overmixing is how pancakes go from thick and soft to weirdly rubbery. Once the melted butter goes in, fold in the chopped strawberries. The batter should stay thick enough to hold the berries throughout the pancakes instead of letting them immediately sink into oblivion.
• Step Two (let the batter sit for a few minutes)
  Let the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cooking. This gives the flour time to hydrate and helps the pancakes cook up thick and soft while keeping the strawberries suspended throughout the batter instead of sliding around the bowl like tiny strawberry escape attempts.
• Step Three (cook them lower and slower)
  Heat a lightly oiled skillet or griddle over medium heat. Strawberry pancakes need slightly more patience because the berries release moisture while they cook. Scoop the batter onto the hot surface, leaving space between each pancake. They should stay thick on the griddle instead of spreading thin like diner crepes trying to be pancakes.
• Step Four (flip once the tops start bubbling)
  Once bubbles begin forming across the tops and the edges look lightly set, flip carefully and cook the second side until golden brown. Some of the strawberry juice will hit the hot griddle and caramelize around the edges, which is where those little jammy strawberry bits start happening.
• Step Five (commit to the pancake stack)
  Pile the pancakes onto plates while they’re still warm and spoon the strawberry sauce over the top so it runs down into the stack a little. Scatter extra strawberries over everything and serve immediately while the pancakes are still soft and the sauce is warm. This is the kind of breakfast that somehow turns one pancake into four and stretches coffee into a two-hour brunch.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure to chop the strawberries fairly small. Large strawberry pieces release too much moisture into the pancakes and make flipping harder, while smaller pieces soften directly into the batter and create little strawberry pockets throughout the pancakes.
• You’ll want to keep the batter on the thick side. Fruit pancakes need a thicker batter than plain pancakes because the berries add moisture while cooking. If the batter starts looking thin or runny, the pancakes spread too much and the centers take forever to cook through.
• Letting the batter rest before cooking is really important. Five to ten minutes gives the flour time to hydrate and helps the pancakes hold their height while the centers stay soft.
• Cook over medium heat, not high. The natural sugars in the strawberries caramelize quickly on the griddle, so lower heat gives the centers time to cook before the outsides get too dark.
• Wipe and lightly re-oil the skillet between batches if needed. Strawberry juices caramelize on the griddle as the pancakes cook, which tastes incredible right up until it burns underneath the next round of pancakes.
• Fresh strawberries work best for this recipe. Frozen strawberries release too much liquid as they thaw and can make the batter watery unless they’re chopped very small and added still partially frozen.
• Don’t press the pancakes down while cooking. You’ll squeeze the strawberry juices out into the skillet instead of keeping them inside the pancakes where they belong.
• If the pancakes start browning too fast before the centers cook through, lower the heat slightly and give them another minute. Fresh strawberries and thick batter need slightly slower cooking than plain pancakes.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Freezing

• These pancakes keep well in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
• For reheating, a skillet works best if you want to bring back some of the golden griddle edges. The microwave works too, although you’ll lose some of those golden griddle edges that make fresh pancakes taste better.
• If you want to make them ahead, keep the pancakes and strawberry sauce separate until serving. Warm the sauce before spooning it over the pancakes so it sinks down into the pancakes a little instead of sitting cold over the top.
• You can freeze the pancakes, although the strawberries soften a little more after thawing. Let the pancakes cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer before stacking them with parchment paper between each one. Reheat straight from frozen in a skillet, toaster oven, or low oven until the centers are hot and the edges start crisping slightly again.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen strawberries?
  You can, but I wouldn’t. Fresh strawberries work much better in pancake batter. Frozen strawberries release extra moisture as they thaw, which can make the batter watery and harder to cook through properly. If you use frozen berries, keep them partially frozen and chop them fairly small before folding them into the batter.
• Why are my strawberry pancakes gummy in the middle?
  Usually this means the heat is too high. Strawberries release moisture while cooking, so the pancakes need a little more time than plain pancakes to cook through properly. Medium heat gives the centers time to cook through before the outsides darken too quickly.
• Why does the batter get thicker as it sits?
  That’s normal. The flour continues absorbing liquid while the batter rests, especially in a thick buttermilk batter like this one. If it thickens too much while sitting between batches, stir in a small splash of buttermilk to loosen it slightly.
• Can I make the batter ahead of time?
  Not fully. Pancake batter starts losing some of its lift once the baking soda and baking powder are activated. You can mix the dry ingredients ahead and keep the wet ingredients separate, then combine everything right before cooking.
• Why are my pancakes browning unevenly?
  Usually it’s either the heat running too high or strawberry juices building up on the skillet between batches. Wiping the griddle lightly and adding a small amount of fresh oil between rounds helps keep the pancakes browning more evenly.
• Can I substitute for buttermilk?
  Yes. You can make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for about 5 minutes. The flavor stays closest with real buttermilk though, especially here, where the tang helps balance all the strawberries and warm sauce.
• Can I use strawberry puree in the batter?
  I wouldn’t. Strawberry puree adds too much liquid and changes the texture pretty quickly. Chopped strawberries hold up better in the batter and create little strawberry pockets throughout the pancakes instead.

From My Kitchen Notes

Field notes collected somewhere between breakfast and survival instincts.

• There should be a Mother’s Day package where somebody else handles every single decision for twelve consecutive hours, with meal planning relief, no logistics or answering questions. Give us silence and carbs.
• Some believe breakfast in bed is an act of luxury while as moms we are mostly focused on preventing syrup from entering the mattress permanently. It’s not relaxing.
• I fully understand there are women reading this thinking breakfast in bed is the highest expression of maternal love and honestly I hope you receive the fluffiest pancakes and safest possible orange juice transportation experience this weekend. I can only hope your family respects the engineering limitations of matresses and hot liquids. You are stronger than I am.
• Motherhood is the only job where people will watch you physically carrying six things at once and still ask where something is.
• There are combinations that sound excessive on paper and somehow still work perfectly once they’re together.
• The first hot cup of coffee after your kids finally sleep past 7 a.m. changes you as a person.
• Nobody tells you how much of motherhood is just being perceived continuously for twenty straight years.
• Certain things only work because they’ve had years to absorb into everything around them.
• The most romantic phrase on earth to a mom is: “I already cleaned the kitchen.”
• The older I get, the more I think luxury is less about expensive things and more about uninterrupted thought.
• The most important parts of anything are usually happening underneath the surface.
• I’ll repeat this: the mother currently inside the most physically demanding years of caregiving needs the most support and consideration on Mother’s Day. Don’t steal this from her.
• A shocking percentage of motherhood is just trying to sit down before somebody needs something again.
• The things holding everything together are not always the most visible parts.
• The real Mother’s Day gift is nobody saying “where’s my…” for at least six consecutive hours.
• Somewhere between childbirth and middle age, mom’s collectively develop the ability to hear a child opening a refrigerator from three floors away.
• If you’ve ever hidden in a bathroom for five uninterrupted minutes, this pancake recipe is for you.
• Some things get folded in slowly enough that you stop noticing when they became part of the recipe. And your life.
• There are flavors that don’t fully make themselves known until everything has had time to rest.
• Sometimes the background elements are holding more than people realize.
• Some things change the entire atmosphere without taking up much space.
• A lot can happen over low heat.
• Certain things become part of the recipe long before anyone consciously notices them.
• Some things don’t disappear after they cool down.
• When my second son had colic, I still don’t know how I survived that period of my life. The only thing that reliably put him to sleep was a dishwasher that needed replacing because it sounded like a commercial airplane preparing for takeoff. I ran that thing constantly with his stroller parked in front of it. One day the water meter reader guy was checking the neighborhood meters and got to my house where my water usage was catastrophically inflated compared to everyone else’s. He came frantically knocking on the door telling me he was sure a pipe burst somewhere on the property. I stood there exhausted holding a baby and explained that no, I was repeatedly running the dishwasher all day long because the noise put him to sleep. He looked at me like I had lost my mind, which honestly was not entirely inaccurate by that point. He said, “Do you know how expensive this is going to be?” I told him I didn’t care. That I hadn’t entered REM sleep in approximately seventeen business days and politely shut the door. Like, sir, I cannot make you feel better about this.
• As moms in the early years, we will do irrational things for fifteen uninterrupted minutes of quiet, one nap, a hot cup of coffee and a shower nobody interrupts.
• Every mom has a story that basically translates to: “I temporarily lost my mind, but everybody survived.” You should ask your mom what hers is, because I’m sure she has one. She would appreciate your acknowledgment.
• Also, let’s acknowledge the length of the spinal harpoon (epidural needle) and the endurance it took to receive it while in full blown labor.
• Happy Mother’s Day to us all.

More Weekend Breakfasts Worth Sitting Down For

• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce – ricotta pancakes with warm blueberries.
• Chocolate Pancakes – cocoa pancakes with warm ganache.
• Berry Pecan French Toast Casserole – croissants layered with berries, pecans.
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Danishes – strawberry filling inside buttery pastry.
• Honey Lavender Scones – soft scones with lavender glaze.

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Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Fresh strawberries cook directly into these thick buttermilk pancakes, creating jammy berry pockets and caramelized strawberry edges throughout the stack. Warm homemade strawberry sauce spooned over the top turns them into the kind of oversized weekend breakfast that barely needs syrup.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword fresh strawberry pancakes, homemade strawberry pancakes, pancakes with fresh strawberries, Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 pancakes

Calories 171kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons For accurate pancake texture and consistency.
• mixing bowls For keeping the wet and dry ingredients separate before combining.
• whisk Helps mix the batter without overworking it.
• Griddle or nonstick skillet. A wide cooking surface helps the pancakes brown evenly.

Ingredients

Buttermilk Pancakes:

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsps (8 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
• ½ tsp (3 g) table salt
• 1¾ cups (420 ml) buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsps (10 ml) vanilla extract
• 3 tbsps (42 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1 cup fresh strawberries chopped small
• ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil or vegetable or coconut oil, divided
• homemade strawberry sauce (optional)
• extra chopped strawberries for garnish

Instructions

• Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.
  2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 tsps (8 g) baking powder, 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda, ½ tsp (3 g) table salt
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  1¾ cups (420 ml) buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 2 tsps (10 ml) vanilla extract
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently just until most of the flour disappears. The batter should still look slightly lumpy. Overmixing can make the pancakes heavy instead of thick and soft.
• Whisk in the melted butter until incorporated.
  3 tbsps (42 g) unsalted butter
• Fold in the chopped strawberries with a spatula or a few gentle turns of the whisk. Small strawberry pieces spread more evenly through the batter and create jammy strawberry pockets throughout the pancakes as they cook.
  1 cup fresh strawberries
• Let the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cooking. This gives the flour time to hydrate and helps the pancakes cook up thicker while keeping the strawberries suspended throughout the batter instead of sinking.
• Heat a lightly oiled (don't use all the oil at once) skillet or griddle over medium heat. The surface should be hot enough that a small drop of batter gently sizzles when added.
  ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil
• Scoop about 2 tablespoons (30ml) batter per pancake onto the hot griddle, leaving space between each one. The batter should stay fairly thick on the griddle instead of spreading thin.
• Cook until bubbles begin forming across the surface and the edges look lightly set. The strawberries will begin softening directly into the pancakes while the centers continue cooking.
• Flip carefully and cook the second side until golden brown and cooked through. Some of the strawberry juices will caramelize where they hit the hot griddle, creating deeper strawberry flavor and little jammy edges throughout the pancakes.
• Continue cooking in batches, lightly oiling the griddle between rounds as needed.
• Serve warm with homemade strawberry sauce spooned over the top and extra fresh strawberries for garnish.
  homemade strawberry sauce, extra chopped strawberries for garnish

Notes

• Fresh strawberries hold together better than frozen strawberries and create more defined strawberry pockets throughout the pancakes.
• Keep the heat at medium so the centers finish cooking before the outside becomes too dark. The strawberries add extra moisture to the batter and need slightly gentler cooking than plain pancakes.
• If your strawberries are especially juicy and loosen the batter too much, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons (8 to 16g) flour. The batter should stay thick enough to hold the strawberries evenly throughout the pancakes.
• The pancakes reheat well in a skillet, toaster oven, or microwave for quick breakfasts later in the week.

 

 

If you’re making these Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 90g | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Have you made these Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes appeared first on Noble Pig.

This Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad Feels Very 1992

Sun-dried tomato chicken pasta salad usually goes one of two ways. Either it gets buried under a thick mayo dressing, or the sun-dried tomatoes feel tossed in at the last minute. I’ve always kept the dressing lighter and used the oil from the tomato jar itself along with Parmesan, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, basil, and rotisserie chicken so the sun-dried tomato flavor ends up throughout the whole salad instead of only in the tomatoes.

I’m sitting in my apartment, rocking back on two legs in a chair with a jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and a fork, completely fangirling over the intense tomato flavor like I was experiencing some kind of taste revelation. The second these jars started showing up in grocery stores in the late 80s and early 90s, the entire country collectively fell in love with this tomato + oil + garlic combination in a sort of Italian-adjacent fantasy and instantly lost perspective. Including me.

And honestly, it made no sense.

It’s not like sun-dried tomatoes were some shocking new discovery to me. I’d already seen tomatoes drying outside in Southern Italy years before, laid out in the hot summer sun so people would have them all winter long. The giant gardens taking over backyards everywhere you looked with tomatoes completely running their lives. None of this should have felt groundbreaking to me and yet somehow, I jumped on the bandwagon and became fully unreasonable anyway.

I started putting them into eggs, pasta, salads, sandwiches, and probably a few things that really had no business involving tomatoes at all. I’m drizzling the oil onto toast, into dressings, over leftovers, anything nearby. I was acting like tomatoes had just been invented, along with everyone else. Honestly, the obsession eventually turned into things like my sun-dried tomato pesto pasta too.

And somewhere in the middle of my sun-dried tomato obsession, I started making a version of this pasta salad and bringing it to work for lunch. This became a thing because somebody kept stealing it out of the office refrigerator. Every time I brought it, gone. Then one morning I made the same pasta salad except I’d run out of sun-dried tomatoes, so I left them out. The container disappeared from the refrigerator like usual, except later that afternoon it mysteriously reappeared untouched, which still makes me laugh because apparently the office lunch thief also had standards. And even though I can’t prove it, I hink it’s because the sun-dried tomatoes were not there. I still think of this person as my first accidental recipe tester.

So, this pasta salad has technically been causing incidents since the early 90s.

Over the years, I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time correcting every annoying thing that usually ruins this category of food, because somewhere along the line this category of pasta salad started turning into these overloaded bowls with chewy tomatoes, thick dressing, and too many ingredients trying to get attention at the same time. I’ve made sure this one keeps the concentrated tomato flavor that made us all obsessed in the first place, while spreading it through the dressing using the oil from the jar so the salad tastes bright and fresh straight out of the fridge instead of like a dusty deli-counter regret from the 90s.

What Makes This Different

• Most sun-dried tomato pasta salads eventually fall into one of two categories: either they’re drowning in thick dressing and distractions, or they taste like somebody emptied an entire jar of tomatoes into cold pasta and hoped for the best. I have avoided both.
• The biggest difference is that the dressing uses some of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar itself because that’s where most of the flavor is sitting anyway. A lot of recipes will stop at chopping up the tomatoes and tossing them in, but using the oil blends the concentrated tomato flavor through the entire salad instead of trapping it inside chewy tomato bites.
• I wanted the dressing lighter than a typical deli-counter pasta salad that can turn dense and dull the second it hits the refrigerator. The lemon juice and red wine vinegar keep everything lively while the Parmesan gives it enough richness. The whole thing is still thriving the next day instead of tasting like it gave up overnight under plastic wrap.
• There’s enough happening to make every bite interesting, but not so much that it turns into an antipasto salad. The rotisserie chicken, basil, roasted red peppers, red onion, and Parmesan all serve a purpose instead of competing with each other.

Ingredients

• Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes – You want the kind packed in oil, not the dry chewy ones in a bag. The oil becomes part of the dressing, which is a big part of why this pasta salad tastes the way it does.
• Rotini pasta – All those little spirals grab onto the dressing instead of letting it slide to the bottom of the bowl.
• Rotisserie chicken – This keeps it firmly in easy lunch territory without requiring you to roast chicken just to make pasta salad.
• Roasted red peppers – They soften the intensity of the sun-dried tomatoes so it doesn’t taste like somebody yelling “TUSCAN” directly into your face.
• Red onion – Thin slices only. Big chunks of raw onion in cold pasta salad take over and then that’s all anybody remembers.
• Fresh basil – This is what keeps it from tasting like it came from a refrigerated deli tub beside the macaroni salad.
• Mayonnaise – Enough to hold everything together without turning the dressing thick and gloppy.
• Parmesan cheese – Gives the dressing some depth and saltiness.
• Oil from the tomato jar – Don’t skip this part. It’s the moment. The tomatoes themselves are not doing it all.
• Lemon juice – Cold pasta needs acid or it starts tasting dull straight out of the refrigerator.
• Red wine vinegar – Balances the concentrated tomato flavor.
• Dijon mustard – Adds another layer of flavor.
• Garlic – One clove is enough.
• Italian seasoning – Adds background flavor without turning it into something that tastes like faux trattoria wallpaper.
• Black pepper – Adds some edge so it doesn’t head into creamy picnic salad territory.

How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (cook the pasta and let it cool)
  Boil the rotini in heavily salted water until just al dente. You still want a little bite left in the pasta because cold pasta firms up more once it goes into the refrigerator. Drain it, rinse under cold water, then let it hang out in the colander for a few minutes so the extra water drains off well because watery pasta will wreck your dressing later.
• Step Two (prep everything else)
  Chop the rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces, then chop the sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers. Slice the red onion thin and roughly chop the basil. I like keeping everything fairly even-sized so you get a little bit of everything in each scoop instead of one giant onion chunk taking over the whole scoop.
• Step Three (make the dressing)
  Whisk together the mayo, Parmesan, oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper until smooth. The oil from the tomato jar is doing a lot flavor-wise, so don’t skip it unless you enjoy a bland pasta salad.
• Step Four (mix it together)
  Add the cooled pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, red onion, and basil to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over everything and fold it together until evenly coated. You want the pasta to look dressed.
• Step Five (chill before serving)
  Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cold pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, which is why pasta salad usually tastes better after some time in the refrigerator.
• Step Six (give it one last toss)
  Right before serving, stir it again. If the pasta absorbed too much dressing while chilling, add a squeeze of lemon juice or a small spoonful of sun-dried tomato oil to loosen everything back up. Cold pasta salads almost always need a little revival before they hit the table, and ignoring that is how you end up with dry pasta salad at a baby shower.

Recipe Tips

• Let the pasta drain longer than you think it needs to after rinsing. Water hiding inside the rotini will thin the dressing and end up tasting watery fast.
• Slice the red onion thin. Cold pasta salads give raw onion a lot of time to make a presence. Thick chunks get much stronger overnight.
• If you’re making this ahead, hold back a small spoonful of dressing until right before serving to freshen the texture before serving.
• Don’t overdo the sun-dried tomatoes just because you’re attached to them.
• The basil is more important than it seems. The fresh flavor is everything.
• Rotisserie chicken is what makes this easy and it’s already seasoned so it doesn’t disappear beside the concentrated tomato flavor.
• If the pasta salad tastes dull after chilling, it usually doesn’t need more salt. It needs acid. A squeeze of lemon will do it.
• Keep the dressing lighter than you think you should at first. Cold pasta thickens everything once refrigerated, and what looks slightly loose at room temperature usually thickens up once chilled.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• This pasta salad keeps well in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days, although it’s at its best during the first couple of days while the basil still tastes fresh and the dressing still feels fresh on the pasta. After sitting overnight, the rotini absorbs some of the dressing, which is normal, so don’t be surprised when it looks different straight from the fridge.
• If you’re making this ahead for a party or cookout, you can also hold back a small amount of dressing and stir it in right before serving. That keeps the pasta salad from turning dry and refrigerator-weary by the time people get to it.
• We’re not freezing this. We’re not freezing mayonnaise, basil, and cold pasta and then acting like anybody involved is going to enjoy the outcome later. Some things in life are meant to be made fresh and eaten cold straight from the refrigerator.

FAQs

• Can I make sun-dried tomato chicken pasta salad ahead of time?
  Yes, and it’s better after it sits for a little while because the dressing has time to absorb into the pasta. If you’re making it a full day ahead, hold back a small spoonful of dressing to stir in before serving so the pasta salad doesn’t feel dry by serving time.
• Do I have to rinse the pasta?
  For hot pasta dishes, usually no. For cold pasta salad, yes. Rinsing stops the cooking so the pasta doesn’t turn soft later, and it cools everything down so the dressing stays balanced instead of sliding off the hot pasta.
• Can I use another pasta shape?
  Yes, but stick with shapes that grab onto dressing well. Rotini catches the dressing and tiny bits of tomato, Parmesan, and basil instead of letting everything slide around separately at the bottom of the bowl.
• Can I use grilled chicken instead of rotisserie chicken?
  Definitely. Rotisserie chicken just keeps the whole thing easy and gives you a little extra seasoning and richness without additional work. Grilled chicken works too if you already have some leftover, but make sure it’s seasoned properly.
• Can I make this without mayonnaise?
  You can, but it changes the pasta salad quite a bit. The mayo gives the dressing enough creaminess to carry the sun-dried tomato flavor without making it oily.
• Can I add more ingredients to this?
  You can, but this is one of those recipes where holding back helps. Too many add-ins and suddenly everything starts competing with each other. If I wanted to add anything it would be canned artichoke hearts that were packed in oil.

From My Kitchen Notes

Notes from somewhere between memory and dinner.

• There’s a point where obsession stops being about the ingredient itself and starts becoming about the version of yourself that existed while you were eating it.
• I think we all underestimate how much food becomes attached to entire periods of life without realizing it at the time. One bite and I’m suddenly back in an apartment with bad blinds, a secondhand chair, and three dollars worth of confidence.
• There’s something strangely intimate about eating the same thing over and over when nobody else is around to witness it.
• I don’t think the 90s were better. I think we were all less reachable.
• I feel like the foods we become irrationally attached to are usually the ones we ate while trying to build a life.
• Sun-dried tomatoes still taste like independence to me. Tiny apartment, with the city outside the window, while trying to become a person.
• There’s a point in adulthood where you think once your life finally comes together, you’ll stop eating things straight out of jars in your kitchen. That has not been my experience.
• Memory is interesting. It preserves emotional texture better than facts. I couldn’t tell you what chair I was sitting in, but I can still feel the oil on my fingers.
• I don’t think people miss old food trends as much as they miss who they were while those foods were happening.
• I wasn’t in my house elegantly sampling imported Mediterranean ingredients. I was sitting in my apartment spiraling over sun-dried tomatoes like the rest of America. It was a specific human obsession.
• I think a lot of adulthood is realizing nobody was ever coming to stop you from living however you wanted, including badly.
• Nineties sun-dried tomato obsession made us all feel like we had just got off a plane from Tuscany and that makes me laugh now.
• I used to think becoming an adult meant eventually feeling certain. Now I think it mostly means becoming familiar with uncertainty.
• The 90s weren’t perfect but there was less comparison, surveillance, optimization, constant exposure to other people’s success and awareness of what everyone else was doing every second. You could become obsessed with sun-dried tomatoes, decorate your apartment badly, date the wrong person, wander around bookstores, disappear for a weekend, have weird little phases. All existing inside your life instead of inside a giant public mirror.
• Now we are all constantly absorbing luxury lifestyles, beauty standards, success, productivity culture, relationship content, self-improvement language, wealth signaling, exotic travel, bodies, houses all day long. And it’s a lot. And we don’t know how to stop.
• In the 90s (70s and 80s too) we had more tolerance for boredom, uncertainty, gradualness and not knowing what was next. Now everything feels accelerated, measured, compared, monetized and visible in a way that makes everyone else’s life feel like it’s moving faster than yours. Even when that’s not true.
• Sometimes I think memory feels so emotionally alive to me because there used to be more psychological privacy. I don’t think people realize how much of their personality is accumulated atmosphere.
• Some people become part of your life the same way certain ingredients become part of a recipe. At some point you stop noticing when they got there because now the whole thing tastes wrong without them.
• Some things don’t disappear during silence. They steep.

More Pasta Salads, Less Potluck Panic

• Italian Pasta Salad – pesto, prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula.
• Antipasto Pasta Salad – deli board energy.
• Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad – creamy, cold, picnic-style.
• Caprese Pasta Salad – basil, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes.

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Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad

This Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad combines rotini, rotisserie chicken, basil, Parmesan, roasted red peppers, and red onion in a lighter pasta salad dressing with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. It’s an easy make-ahead pasta salad for lunches, potlucks, cookouts, and warm-weather dinners.

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken pasta salad, cold chicken pasta salad, pasta salad with chicken, summer pasta salad, sun-dried tomato chicken pasta salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chilling 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Calories 520kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• large pot For boiling the pasta.
• Colander Helps drain and cool the pasta completely.
• mixing bowls (large and medium). Tossing the pasta salas and whisking the dressing.
• Chef's knife For chopping the chicken and vegetables.
• whisk Helps fully combine the dressing ingredients.

Ingredients

Pasta Salad:

• 1 lb (454 g) rotini pasta
• 2 cups (280 g) chopped rotisserie chicken
• ½ cup (85 g) drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil ½
• ¼ cup (40 g) drained and chopped roasted red peppers
• ½ cup (80 g) thinly sliced red onion
• ½ cup (12 g) chopped fresh basil

Dressing:

• ¾ cup (168 g) mayonnaise
• ¼ cup (22 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tbsps (45 ml / 40 g) oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic grated
• ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
• 1 tsp (1 g) Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) finely ground black pepper

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook until just al dente according to the package directions. Drain well, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta completely. Let the pasta sit in the colander for several minutes so excess water can drain off before mixing the salad. Excess moisture will thin the dressing.
  1 lb (454 g) rotini pasta
• While the pasta cools, chop the rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers, thinly slice the red onion, and roughly chop the basil.
  2 cups (280 g) chopped rotisserie chicken, ½ cup (85 g) drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, ¼ cup (40 g) drained and chopped roasted red peppers, ½ cup (80 g) thinly sliced red onion, ½ cup (12 g) chopped fresh basil
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, kosher salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper until smooth and fully combined. Using the oil from the jar gives the dressing a more concentrated tomato flavor throughout the salad instead of only in the tomato pieces themselves.
  ¾ cup (168 g) mayonnaise, ¼ cup (22 g) grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tbsps (45 ml / 40 g) oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar, 1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (1 g) Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) finely ground black pepper
• Add the cooled pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, red onion, and basil to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and fold everything together until the pasta is evenly coated and the ingredients are well distributed.
• Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. Chilling gives the pasta time to absorb some of the dressing and helps the flavors come together.
• Stir the pasta salad again before serving. If the pasta has absorbed too much dressing after chilling, add a small spoonful of water or a squeeze of lemon juice to loosen the texture and refresh the dressing.

Notes

• Drain the roasted red peppers very well before chopping so excess moisture does not water down the dressing.
• The oil from the sun-dried tomato jar adds more flavor than plain olive oil and ties the dressing to the rest of the salad.
• Rotisserie chicken keeps the recipe quick while adding savory flavor without extra cooking.
• Short pasta shapes with ridges like rotini, fusilli, or penne hold the dressing especially well.
• This pasta salad tastes best within the first 2 days while the basil and dressing are at their freshest.

 

 

If you’re making this Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 290g | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Salad appeared first on Noble Pig.

Mezcal Margarita Recipe That Doesn’t Take The Smoke Too Far

This mezcal margarita recipe keeps the smoke from taking over the drink. Too much mezcal and the lime and sweetness disappear. That’s where it starts to go off. I use Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and agave so everything stays in line and still tastes like a margarita.

I didn’t come to mezcal from cocktails. I came to it indirectly through wine school, sitting in distillation classes where things kept returning to the same idea I already loved about wine, that where something is grown and how it’s handled makes a difference.

Believe it or not, mezcal is very wine-coded. When you’re making wine during harvest season, the last thing you want to drink is wine. You can’t stomach another glass of wine. The whole valley smells like fermentation and you’re covered in grape juice all day. You want something else. For most, beer does the job, but when I wanted something a little more interesting, mezcal made an appearance on many occasions.

Mezcal has terroir in the same way wine does. I don’t mean it tastes like wine. It changes depending on the agave, the soil, the climate, and the person making it. That’s not how most people think about mezcal at all.

From many conversations I’ve had, mezcal is often misunderstood, that it’s tequila that wandered off and picked up a smoky habit somewhere along the way, and that’s about as far as the thinking goes. That it’s just tequila made in a different town. It’s not that simple.

Tequila is locked into one type of agave, blue, with a very specific way of processing it. Mezcal has a much wider net and uses dozens of agave varieties from different regions. Then you get into how they cook it, which is where everything changes.

Instead of steaming the agave hearts, like they do to make tequila, they’re buried with hot rocks and roasted. That’s where the smoky flavor comes from. It’s not an accident, it’s the result of how it’s made. If I were using food as a comparison, it’s the same way roasted potatoes develop flavor (mezcal) compared to boiled potatoes (tequila), which are much more neutral.

And that’s what you’re working with when you put it in a margarita.

That’s the part people don’t hear. They try it once, don’t love it, and write it off. Or they end up with a margarita that feels off because someone grabbed whatever bottle had the right word on it and poured it in without thinking about what it would do.

If you pick up a reposado or an añejo mezcal, you’re bringing in oak and caramel flavors that have their place, but it’s not what most people want when you’re expecting a refreshing margarita.

For a margarita, I go straight for a joven (young) mezcal. It’s on the bottle. You have to look for it. That keeps everything lighter so the lime and the orange can come through, and then it’s about keeping it in check. Cointreau takes care of that. It smooths things out in a way lower-quality orange liqueurs don’t. I’m looking at you, triple sec, and the smokiness isn’t in your face, it’s sits there as part of the drink.

So this mezcal margarita takes all of that into account. You still get the hint of smoke, but you can taste the lime, the orange, the drink itself, and it stays refreshing instead of turning into something that hits you over the head.

If you’ve written mezcal off at some point, this is where I’d give it another try.

What Makes This One Different

• Mezcal can take over if you’re not paying attention. This recipe keeps it from happening.
• Look for a joven mezcal. It will be on the label. If it’s dark and oaky, you already know where this drink is headed. Most likely down the drain.
• Cointreau is the ingredient I will die on a hill for. It’s the bridge. Take it.
• Fresh lime. This isn’t the place for shortcuts.
• Agave nectar is the natural pairing for mezcal and fits right into this drink.
• A salted rim is optional, but it changes it more than you’d expect. Skip the Tajin rim for this one.

Ingredients

• Mezcal (joven) – This is where everything starts. Look for a joven. It’ll say it on the bottle. It’s lighter and keeps the drink fresh. If you pick something aged, you’ll notice it right away. It takes the drink somewhere else.
• Cointreau – This is the difference between something that feels put together and something that doesn’t. A lot of bars use triple sec, and that’s when you get that slightly clashing flavor you can’t quite place.
• Fresh lime juice – This does more than you think. It keeps the drink from tasting dull. Once you’ve had it with fresh lime, you’ll notice when it’s not there.
• Agave – It blends in with mezcal, so the sweetness doesn’t stand out on its own. If you use something else, it’s fine, but it won’t be the same.
• Sea salt (for the rim) – Optional, but it changes the first sip. A light rim is enough.

How to Make This Mezcal Margarita

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (salt the glass and add ice)
  Run a lime wedge around the rim and dip it into salt. Just a light touch, not a thick crust. Fill the glass with ice.
• Step Two (add the ingredients)
  Pour in the mezcal, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and agave. There’s nothing complicated about this.
• Step Three (stir)
  Give it a good stir until it’s cold. Not forever, just enough.
• Step Four (taste and finish)
  Take a sip and see where it is. A little more lime or agave can change it fast. Add a lime wheel and drink it while it’s right, before the ice waters it down.

Recipe Tips

• Keep the salt light. It’s there for contrast, not a mouthful.
• I stir this one. Shaking beats it up and waters it down faster than I want. A quick stir gets it cold and keeps it where I want.
• Taste it before you call it done. A little more lime or agave can change it fast.
• If the mezcal feels like a lot, cut it with a splash of silver tequila instead of chasing it with more sweet.
• Use decent ice. It buys you a few more minutes before it starts to water down.
• Make it and drink it. This isn’t one you let sit around. At least I don’t.

Make-Ahead and Batch

• If I’m making this ahead, I mix everything except the ice and keep it in the fridge. It holds fine for a few hours. When you’re ready, give it a quick stir, pour it over fresh ice, and finish it.
• For a batch, scale it up and keep the ratios the same. I usually do 2 cups mezcal, 1 cup Cointreau, and 1 cup fresh lime juice, then add a few tablespoons of agave and taste. It’s easier to add more than fix it later.
• Keep it cold and don’t add ice until you’re pouring, otherwise it starts to drift.
• I’ll usually stash it in a jar or pitcher with a lid so it doesn’t lose anything in the fridge.

FAQs

• Can I use tequila instead of mezcal?
  You can, but then you’re back to a regular margarita. At that point, you might as well make my three-ingredient agave margarita. Mezcal is what adds the smoky layer. If you’re not sure about it, split it with tequila and go from there.
• Can I use triple sec instead of Cointreau?
  You can. I wouldn’t.
• Can I use honey or simple syrup instead of agave?
  Sure, but it comes out different. Agave nectar blends right in with the mezcal since it comes from the same place, so nothing sticks out. Honey is thicker and has its own taste, so you’ll notice it more. Simple syrup is sugar and water, so it’s sweeter and can throw things off if you add too much.
• Do I have to salt the rim?
  No. Try it both ways. You’ll know pretty quickly which you like better.
• What’s the best mezcal to use?
  For this margarita you want a young (joven) mezcal. Aged (reposado or añejo) mezcal is best for sipping or stirred into cocktails that complement the wood, caramel, and smoky notes, like an old fashioned, a mezcal negroni, or a simple mezcal Manhattan. Those aged mezcals pair well with amaros and sweet vermouth. A joven mezcal keeps this drink refreshing.
• Is a mezcal margarita stronger than a regular margarita?
  Not really. It can feel that way because of the smoke, but the alcohol is about the same.

From My Kitchen Notes

Just a few observational musings.

• There’s a version of something that feels right immediately, and another one that only makes sense once you’ve had it done properly. Those are two very different experiences, and people mix them up all the time.
• I don’t think everything is supposed to be easy to like on the first try. Some things take a second look, or a different setting, or just the right combination to click.
• There’s a point where something strong can take over completely, and most people miss it. They keep going because more feels like the right move, and suddenly that’s all that’s left. Knowing where to stop is harder than people think.
• No one making wine, is drinking wine while they do it. People always find that interesting. But it’s the truth. It’s the last thing you want to end the night with.
• I don’t think the goal is to smooth everything out. I think it’s deciding what you’re willing to leave in.
• There’s a difference between something that wants your attention and something that already has it. One forces, the other doesn’t have to.
• If you’ve ever had something and immediately written it off, there’s a decent chance it wasn’t the thing itself, it was how it presented itself at the time.
• Some combinations don’t necessarily need help. Others only work out if you step in at exactly the right moment and then get out of the way.
• I pay more attention to what something does after the first sip than the first impression. That’s where it tells you what it really is.
• You can feel when something is about to go too far, and you either ignore it or you don’t. That choice shows up later.
• There’s a difference between being strong and something being out of balance. People confuse those two all the time.
• Some ingredients are better when they’re left alone. Others only make sense once you give them something to work against.
• I like knowing what something could do at full force, even if I’m not going to use it that way.
• There are times when the best thing you can do is not add anything else.
• There are ingredients that do exactly what you expect them to do, and then there are the ones that make you notice.
• Control isn’t about holding everything down. It’s knowing what happens if you don’t.
• Some things don’t need to prove anything. You can tell all you need to know by their presence.

More Margaritas To Sip

• Blood Orange Coconut Margarita – bright citrus with creamy coconut.
• Spicy Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita – fresh watermelon with a jalapeño kick.
• Dill Pickle Margarita – savory, crisp, and completely different.
• Blueberry Margarita – muddled berries with a citrus edge.
• Hot Honey Peach Margarita – sweet heat with fresh peach.
• Icy Hibiscus Margarita – floral, tart, and refreshing.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Mezcal Margarita

A mezcal margarita that keeps the smoke in check. Made with Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and agave, this version stays controlled and easy to drink without letting the mezcal take over.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword margarita with Cointreau, Mezcal Margarita, mezcal margarita recipe, smoky margarita, stirred margarita

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 1 drink

Calories 200kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• rocks glass For serving and making the drink.
• long cocktail spoon For stirring.
• jigger For accurate measurements.

Ingredients

• lime wedge
• sea salt for salt rim (optional)
• ice
• 2 oz (60 ml) mezcal (joven)
• 1 oz (30 ml) Cointreau
• 1 oz (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ - 1 tsp (2.5 -5 ml) agave nectar to taste
• lime wheels for garnish

Instructions

• Run a lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass and dip lightly in sea salt, if using.
  lime wedge, sea salt
• Fill the glass with ice.
  ice
• Add the mezcal, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and agave.
  2 oz (60 ml) mezcal (joven), 1 oz (30 ml) Cointreau, 1 oz (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice, ½ - 1 tsp (2.5 -5 ml) agave nectar
• Stir until chilled and combined without over-diluting.
• Taste and adjust the agave or lime if needed.
• Garnish with a lime wheel and serve immediately.
  lime wheels for garnish

Notes

• Use a joven (young) mezcal for a more refreshing result. Aged mezcals can take over the drink quickly.
• If the smoke feels too strong, reduce the mezcal slightly or combine it with a small amount of silver tequila.
• Stirring keeps the drink cold while maintaining the intended flavor. Shaking introduces more dilution.
• For batching, combine the ingredients without ice and refrigerate. Stir before serving and pour over fresh ice.

 

 

If you’re making this Mezcal Margarita, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 180g | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 90mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Have you made this Mezcal Margarita? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Mezcal Margarita Recipe appeared first on Noble Pig.

Warm German Potato Salad with Bacon and Mustard Dressing

German potato salad with bacon and a mustard dressing is the one I enjoy making now. I like that it’s warm, has a vinegar base, with bacon worked through it, and uses both whole grain and Dijon so the dressing has more to it than the really thin ones.

When I was a kid, I didn’t like potato salad at home, the cold, American version. It was the hard-boiled eggs and celery that turned me off. I thought it was the eggs that ruined it. I hated biting into something that wasn’t a potato. I felt the same way about a Jell-O salad where someone would put mayo or sour cream over the top. But you thought it was whipped cream until you bit into it. Yuck. Same crime, different dish.

During a summer trip, I remember being in Austria with a plate of Wiener schnitzel served with potato salad that didn’t look anything like the American version. I remember pushing my fork around in it and asking, “Where are the eggs?”

My dad looked back at me. “What eggs?”

“The eggs. In the potato salad.”

“There aren’t any.”

So, I tried it, and it was warm, a little tangy, no eggs, no celery, and I ate it and liked it.

On that same trip, we ended up in Germany, and out came bratwurst with potato salad that looked completely different on the side. I took a bite and that one was warm, had lots of bacon in it and more flavor, and I thought, this is the best potato salad I’ve ever had. The. Best.

That’s when I said it.

“You’re making potato salad wrong.”

My mom looked at me. “Excuse me?”

“It’s not supposed to have eggs or celery. It’s supposed to be like this. Better.”

That did not go well at all, especially because I didn’t back off. Good manners were everything in that world then and clearly, I was being rude. Yes, I was a kid, said something completely out of line, but I still stand by it because the potato salad was better.

So, over the years I’ve fiddled with it and this is how I make German potato salad now, with bacon, onions, and a mustard dressing made with both whole grain and Dijon so it coats the potatoes and has more to it than just vinegar and bacon sitting on the surface.

What Makes This Different

• Most German potato salads keep the dressing minimal, usually vinegar, bacon, and sometimes a little mustard. I took mine a little further because I wanted the bacon and mustard to drive.
• I use both whole grain and Dijon, and they’re not doing the same thing. The whole grain adds texture throughout, and the Dijon smooths it out so it doesn’t feel like straight vinegar and bacon on the potatoes.
• The bacon and onions are cooked together first, then added while everything is still warm so they blend into the salad instead of feeling separate.
• I add the dressing while the potatoes are still warm, which makes a difference. They take it in without getting saturated.
• It still tastes like a German style potato salad, but the dressing has more going on than what you usually get.

Ingredients

• Red potatoes – Stay together after boiling and continue to stay intact when everything gets tossed together.
• Bacon – Adds salt and richness, and you’re using the fat from it, so it finds its way through the entire dish.
• Bacon grease – Used to cook the onions and take that flavor into the dressing.
• Yellow onion – Cooked in the bacon fat until softened so it blends in instead of standing out raw.
• Apple cider vinegar – The main acid in the dressing, not as harsh as white vinegar.
• Granulated sugar – Balances the vinegar without making it sweet.
• Whole grain mustard – Adds texture throughout the dressing.
• Dijon mustard – Smooths the dressing out so it holds the dressing together.
• Kosher salt + coarse black pepper – Season both the potatoes and the dressing.
• Parsley – Added at the end to cut through the richness.
• Chives (optional) – Adds a little extra onion flavor at the finish.

How to Make German Potato Salad with Bacon and Two Mustards

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (cook the potatoes)
  Start with your potatoes. Add them to a big pot, cover with cold water by an inch or two, and salt it well. Like, don’t be shy with the salt. Bring it up to a boil and let it go for about 9 to 12 minutes. You want them tender, but still holding together. Drain them, get them into a bowl, and let them sit for a bit. You don’t want them cold, but not steaming either. That’s when they take the dressing the best.
• Step Two (cook the bacon and onions)
  While that’s going, cook your bacon until it’s crisp. Set it aside, and leave a couple tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. Add your minced onion and cook it for a few minutes until it softens. You don’t need to brown it, just take that raw edge off so it blends in.
• Step Three (make the dressing)
  In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, both mustards, salt, and pepper. The two mustards do different things. The whole grain gives you texture, and the Dijon smooths everything out so it feels like one dressing instead of separate parts.
• Step Four (bring it together)
  Add the bacon, onions, and parsley to the warm potatoes. Pour the dressing over and toss it gently. Enough to coat everything without breaking the potatoes apart.
• Step Five (serve it your way)
  You can serve it warm right here, or cover it and chill it for a few hours if you want it cold.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure not to overcook the potatoes. If they start falling apart in the water, they’ll fall apart in the bowl.
• Salt the water really well. It’s the only time you season the potatoes from the inside, not just on the outside.
• Let them sit briefly after draining. If they’re too hot, they’ll break when you toss them. If they’re too cold, the dressing won’t do much.
• Cook the onions in the bacon grease until they’re soft. That’s all you’re after. You don’t need color, just get rid of that raw edge.
• Toss everything gently once the dressing goes in. You want coated potatoes, not mashed potatoes.

Storage

• Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• You can have it cold straight from the fridge, or let it sit out for a bit to take the chill off. If you want it warm again, heat it gently so the potatoes don’t break apart. If I had to choose, I’d eat this warm.
• This isn’t something I freeze. Ever.

FAQs

• Can I make this ahead of time?
  Even though I do prefer it warm, you can make it ahead of time. It comes down to preference, and you won’t know how you like it until you try it warm, room temp, and cold. It’s different for everyone.
• Do I have to use both mustards?
  You don’t have to, but I’ve found that’s the key difference in my recipe. They do different things, and using both gives a better result than picking one.
• Can I use a different type of potato?
  You can, but stick with something waxy like Yukon Gold. They’ll hold together better than russets.
• Why add the dressing while the potatoes are still warm?
  They take it in better that way. If they’re cold, it sits on the outside and doesn’t do much.
• Can I reduce the sugar?
  Yes. It’s there to balance the vinegar, not make it sweet, so adjust it to your taste.

From My Kitchen Notes

A few observations.

• In case you’re wondering, I like the American version of potato salad now, and I especially love hard-boiled eggs and have no problem with celery. But the sour cream and mayo thing on top of Jell-O is still absolute jail time.
• I don’t need every variety of something to do the same job.
• There’s a difference between something being good and something belonging here.
• Warm potato salad doesn’t need to be rescued.
• Two mustards aren’t extra. Not everything that looks like more is unnecessary.
• I knew what I liked early. My delivery improved. My opinion didn’t.
• Some things absorb what you give them. Others sit there no matter what you do.
• There’s always that first bite where you know if you’re going to stay with it or not.
• Texture changes everything whether people notice it or not.
• Some things don’t need to be explained. You know it before you can explain it.
• I can tell what’s staying together and what’s not.
• There’s a moment where you realize you’re not going to adjust your taste to make something easier for everyone else, and it doesn’t come with a speech.
• I don’t confuse liking something with choosing it.
• I’ve watched myself keep the same preference while everything around it changed, which is a strange kind of consistency.
• Some decisions don’t look like decisions from the outside. They just repeat.
• I don’t soften a strong preference to make it more acceptable. I find a better use for it.

More Cookout Sides

• Tennessee-Style Mustard Coleslaw – classic slaw with mustard kick.
• Old-Fashioned Cauliflower Salad – simple with a different dressing.
• Bacon Broccoli Salad – crunchy, creamy, with bacon.
• Deviled Egg Pasta Salad – creamy, tangy, filling side.
• Spicy Horseradish Macaroni Salad – horseradish, herbs, pickled vegetables.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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German Potato Salad with Bacon and Two Mustards

German potato salad made with crispy bacon, tender red potatoes, and a vinegar-based dressing built with both whole grain and Dijon mustard for added texture and a smoother base.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine German

Keyword bacon potato salad, German potato salad, mustard potato salad, no mayo potato salad, vinegar potato salad, warm potato salad

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 8

Calories 320kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• large pot For boiling the potatoes.
• skillet To cook bacon and soften onions in the rendered fat.
• mixing bowls (large and small). For tossing and the dressing.
• whisk To fully combine the dressing.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (900 g) red potatoes cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
• cold water enough to cover potatoes by 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm)
• 1½ tbsps kosher salt (for boiling water)
• ½ lb (225 g) bacon cooked and crumbled
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) bacon grease
• 1 cup (150 g) yellow onion minced
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsps (38 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 g) whole grain mustard
• 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
• 2 tsps (6 g) kosher salt
• ¾ tsp (2 g) coarse ground black pepper
• ½ tbsp (2 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
• fresh chives optional for garnish

Instructions

• Add the cubed red potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water by 1–2 inches (2.5-5 cm). Season the water generously with kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce slightly to maintain a even boil. Cook for 9–12 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced but still hold together. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Let the potatoes cool for about 15–20 minutes so they are no longer steaming hot but still warm enough to take on the dressing.
  2 lbs (900 g) red potatoes, cold water, 1½ tbsps kosher salt
• While the potatoes cook and cool, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the bacon grease in the pan. Add the minced yellow onion to the warm bacon grease and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Remove from heat.
  ½ lb (225 g) bacon, 2 tbsps (30 ml) bacon grease, 1 cup (150 g) yellow onion
• In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, sugar, whole grain mustard, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and coarse black pepper until smooth and fully combined. Using both mustards provides texture from the whole grain and a smoother base from the Dijon, allowing the dressing to come together more completely than a vinegar-only mixture.
  ⅓ cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsps (38 g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp (15 g) whole grain mustard, 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard, 2 tsps (6 g) kosher salt, ¾ tsp (2 g) coarse ground black pepper
• Add the cooked bacon, softened onions, and chopped parsley to the bowl of warm potatoes. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss until the potatoes are evenly coated, taking care not to break them apart. Top with fresh chives if you like.
  ½ tbsp (2 g) finely chopped fresh parsley, fresh chives
• Serve warm, or cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving cold.

Notes

• Potatoes should be tender but still intact before tossing. Overcooking will cause them to break apart.
• Dressing the potatoes while still warm helps them absorb the flavor more evenly.
• Whole grain and Dijon mustard serve different roles in the dressing and are recommended together for best results.
• Adjust sugar slightly to taste if you prefer a more or less balanced vinegar profile.
• If using table salt instead of kosher salt, reduce the amount by half.

 

 

If you’re making this German Potato Salad, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 250g | Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 780mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this German Potato Salad? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post German Potato Salad with Bacon and Two Mustards appeared first on Noble Pig.

Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake, Set Up Differently From the Start

This is my lemon blueberry sour cream Bundt cake, and I didn’t go into this trying to make something light or delicate. I wanted the cake to stay soft all the way through, not just in the center or dry out around the edges. I also wanted the lemon and blueberry flavor to carry through. So I went the oil and sour cream route instead of butter, with a lemon pudding mix in the batter to really lock that flavor in. Most lemon blueberry cakes fold the berries into the batter and hope for the best. I layered them in instead so they stay throughout the cake instead of dropping to the bottom. It’s a different setup from the start.

And the idea of not forcing something, but setting it up right and letting it follow through, is what reminded me of this weird dream I had the other night.

It was about a singer, which is already off the rails for me because I don’t think about celebrities, or follow them. I couldn’t care less about what they’re up to or what they have to say. But I have mentioned here before that I particularly like some of Khalid’s music, not all of it, and not for the reasons most people would. It’s more about how I experience it. What I really notice is how his voice doesn’t come in on top of everything, and arrives after the fact, like it’s following the beat instead of leading, like he’s stepping into it. Using headphones with the lyrics playing makes it easier to pick out.

There are a lot of his songs where I can hear it clearly, like Backseat, Owe to You, Don’t Pretend, Stay, Motion, Free Spirit, OTW, Better, Outta My Head, Bad Luck,where he doesn’t really grab onto the notes. He does this thing I can only describe as sliding into them, not sitting right on them, but behind them enough that it feels like it’s trailing without being late. There’s no real spike anywhere. His voice stays controlled and low the whole time. That’s the part I hear. It’s technical, even though it doesn’t sound like it. I’ve always wondered if that’s natural for him or if he’s doing it on purpose.

I had a piano teacher I absolutely hated, Elaine, and I never took to playing the way she wanted me to, but what she did teach me was how to listen, like really pay attention to what’s happening mechanically instead of hearing a song once and moving on. This was the only place her and I connected. To this day, when I come across music that piques my interest, I’ll go back, sit with it, and pick it apart. What I hear in thesee Khalid songs is how he stretches the words, and where he doesn’t, almost like he’s under-singing. It has a floating, suspended feeling, or maybe just a very laid-back delivery. I like it. It draws me in.

At the same time, completely separate from that, I’ve been baking a lot of cake lately. I haven’t been working on one recipe, more like testing different cakes over and over, enough that I feel the timing instead of thinking about it. After a while you just know when to stop mixing because the gluten’s about to tighten up or when to leave it alone because if I keep messing with it, I’m going to lose the texture. It’s the same kind of patterns, just in a different form.

So in this dream I’m suddenly walking down a flight of stairs with Khalid and I’m explaining his voice back to him, like I’m fully breaking it down, talking about stretching out his voice and timing and why it sounds the way it does, and how he doesn’t hit the note directly, but melts into it. He stops and looks at me and goes, how do you possibly know all that, and I said because I’ve been studying it, which even in the dream sounded insane.

And then we sit down at a restaurant table and he says we should order dessert, specifically cake, and I remember thinking, of course, because that’s all I’ve been baking lately anyway. The cake comes and I suggest a possible podcast together called “Cake with Cathy & Khalid” and he agrees he would be all in on that because no one has ever talked to him about his music that way before.

There was no real point or resolution to any of it.

But when I woke up, it didn’t feel random. When I thought about it more, it’s the same idea running through both things. His voice doesn’t force or rush through the music. It’s controlled, blended, not dominant. He lets it happen and joins it. It’s atmospheric, almost hypnotic in its own way. He can’t keep working it past the point where it’s already there without messing it up.

This lemon blueberry sour cream Bundt cake also works like that. I’ve set it up from the beginning so there’s no need to fix it later. The lemon is already in the batter, and the texture stays consistent. The blueberries are where they’re supposed to be because you put them there on purpose.

What Makes This One Different

• I used sour cream and oil instead of butter, which changes how the cake comes out from the start. It stays soft even after a few days.
• The lemon is worked into the batter with the pudding mix, so the flavor is already there before it goes into the oven, without relying on the glaze.
• I layered the blueberries in instead of folding them, so they don’t all drop to the bottom or disappear into the batter. They’re spread throughout the cake.
• The Bundt shape is intentional so the batter bakes evenly instead of leaving you with a dry outer ring and a softer center.
• A small amount of almond extract is my favorite with lemon and blueberry. It’s worth keeping in.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – Holds the blueberries where you put them.
• Lemon pudding mix – This is where most of the lemon comes from. It’s in the batter, not added later, and it helps the cake bake evenly in a bundt pan.
• Baking powder – Helps the cake rise so it doesn’t feel dense, especially with the sour cream in there.
• Kosher salt – Necessary.
• Blueberries – Layered into the batter instead of folded so they don’t all sink or disappear. You get them throughout.
• Eggs + extra yolk – Keeps the texture consistent throughout the cake.
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens and keeps the cake soft after baking.
• Brown sugar – Adds a little depth and helps the cake stay soft after it cools.
• Vegetable oil – Bakes more evenly than butter and helps keep the edges from drying out.
• Sour cream – Keeps the cake soft all the way through and after it sits.
• Almond extract – A small amount, but it makes a difference.
• Lemon zest and juice – Takes the lemon flavor through the cake and glaze.
• Confectioners’ sugar – Gives you a smooth glaze.
• Heavy cream – Keeps the glaze soft so it drapes over the cake instead of hardening.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (prep the pan and oven)
  Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease the Bundt pan really well, getting into every ridge. Don’t miss a spot or it won’t come out clean later. I set mine on a baking sheet so I’m not dealing with anything spilling in the oven.
• Step Two (mix the dry ingredients)
  Whisk together the flour, lemon pudding mix, baking powder, and salt until it all looks even. The pudding mix needs to be fully worked in so you don’t get pockets of it later.
• Step Three (make the batter)
  Beat the eggs, extra yolk, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until it smooths out and thickens a bit, then mix in the oil, sour cream, almond extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until it comes together. Don’t keep going once the flour is in or the batter will start to change.
• Step Four (layer the blueberries)
  Spoon some batter into the pan, scatter in some blueberries, then repeat with more batter and more berries, finishing with the rest of the batter on top. This keeps them from dropping to the bottom or disappearing.
• Step Five (bake)
  Bake for about 60 minutes, until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. The center takes its time in a Bundt, so let it finish instead of pulling it early and hoping for the best.
• Step Six (cool and glaze)
  Let the cake cool completely in the pan before turning it out. If you rush it, it won’t come out the way you want. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, and lemon zest until smooth, then drizzle it over the cake so it drapes over the ridges instead of soaking in.

Recipe Tips

• Grease the Bundt pan well and get into every ridge, because if you miss spots this batter will find them and hold on.
• Make sure the blueberries are dry before layering, because extra moisture will make them slide and you’ll lose the placement.
• When you start adding the flour, stop mixing as soon as it comes together, because if you keep going the batter will tighten up and you’ll feel it change.
• Don’t hurry the layering, because this is what keeps the blueberries from ending up at the bottom.
• Give the cake the full time it needs and check it in the center, not just near the edges, because a Bundt will look done on the outside before the middle is ready.
• Let it cool completely in the pan before turning it out, because it can break or stick if you go too early.
• If you want to be extra cautious, you can toss the blueberries lightly in flour before layering, but you usually won’t need to.
• If you want glossy blueberries sitting on top, roll them in a small amount of corn syrup before decorating.
• Glaze it once it’s fully cooled so it sits on top and drapes over the ridges instead of disappearing into a warm surface.
• If you’re unsure it’s done, look for a few moist crumbs on the skewer, not wet batter.

Storage and Make-Ahead

• Keep the cake at room temperature, covered, and it stays soft for a couple of days.
• If you put it in the fridge it will firm up a bit, which isn’t wrong, just a different texture, so let it sit out before serving if you go that route.
• You can freeze it without the glaze, wrapped well, and it comes back well once it’s thawed.
• You can make the cake a day in advance and glaze it later, since the texture holds and the flavor stays the same.
• The glaze can be made ahead and kept in the fridge, then stirred or loosened slightly before using so it pours easily.

FAQs

• Can I skip the lemon pudding mix?
  You can, but it won’t be the same cake. That’s where a lot of the lemon flavor comes from, and it also helps it bake evenly in a Bundt pan. If you leave it out, the flavor will be dull and the texture is different.
• Can I use frozen blueberries?
  Yes, just use them straight from the freezer and don’t thaw them first or they’ll bleed into the batter. They’re a little softer than fresh, but still work when you layer them in.
• Do I have to layer the blueberries or can I just fold them in?
  You can fold them in, but they will drop and collect at the bottom. Layering them takes a minute longer, but it keeps them where you want them so you get berries throughout the cake.
• Why use sour cream instead of butter?
  It keeps the cake soft all the way through and after it sits. Butter-based cakes can dry out around the edges, especially in a Bundt, and this one avoids that. It’s the same reason I use it in my sour cream blueberry muffins and my sour cream biscuits, it changes the texture without making it heavy.
• Can I leave out the almond extract?
  You can, but it’s there for a reason. It doesn’t stand out on its own, but it works with the lemon and blueberry so the flavor feels more complete.

From My Kitchen Notes

• There’s a point in a song where the voice stops running after the beat and lets it pass, and if you don’t catch that moment, in a way you miss the whole thing. It’s the same thing when making a cake. If you’re still trying to fix it after it’s already there, you might be the problem.
• I’m well aware most people don’t experience or listen to music the way I do. I’m still okay talking about it, though.
• Elaine would have hated all of this. I let that out about her in my crispy chicken thighs over pearl couscous recipe. She only wanted musical precision, with perfect starts and very defined notes. She would turn her nose up at the drifting and sliding in Khalid’s music.
• There’s a difference between being on the beat and being set against it. One feels correct, while the other feels like something is about to happen.
• Bundt pans are the least forgiving thing. Every edge holds a record of what you did or didn’t do.
• I don’t like all of Khalid’s music because when it’s more direct, pushed or “on top” of the beat, I stop responding to it. It took me a while to figure that out. In other words, I don’t like him, I like what his voice does when he’s not trying.
• I’m not chasing the artist, I’m tracking a pattern, and he just happens to hit it in a few places.
• There’s always a moment where you decide whether you trust what you’re doing or you go back in and start messing with it. Most people choose wrong.
• Sound travels differently depending on what it’s sitting in. Flavor does too.
• The exact thing that makes something work is almost never the part people talk about.
• You don’t need a full explanation. You need to trust yourself.
• You can hear when someone holds back on purpose. That’s not the same as not knowing what to do.
• Timing is not the same as speed. You either recognize the moment or you don’t.
• There’s a difference between being quiet and being controlled. One is absence and the other is a decision. You can hear it. You can taste it.
• Bundt cakes are about commitment. Once it’s in the pan, that’s the shape. There’s no adjusting it later.
• Some people are waiting for a signal that already happened.
• You don’t need to understand everything technically to know where it’s going.
• I don’t need something to be perfect, I need it to be consistent in a way I can recognize the second time I see it.
• There’s a difference between knowing the steps and knowing when the steps don’t matter anymore.
• Some things only come together when you stop trying to make them match what you expected.
• I don’t pay attention to people, I pay attention to what repeats.
• Do you know how hard it is to find someone to have a conversation with about this type of nonsense…the aligned pattern of certain songs and cake baking. Almost impossible.
• Because I know I’m going to get the email, “compare it to a song that doesn’t do this so I can understand.” Ok, Harry Styles, “Adore You,” which I used to think was a sort of adjacent control as Khalid’s music, but after really listening to it, Harry’s on the beat, not behind it. Harry is singing it to you, performing it for you. Khalid stays in it and you fall into it without any kind of formal delivery.
• There’s a reason certain things stay with you even when you try to move on. You either catch it in time or you don’t.

More Lemon Blueberry Recipes

• Blueberry Lemon Cake – sheet cake, blueberry glaze.
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes – blueberry sauce.
• Lemon Blueberry Crumble Bars – oat streusel, lemon filling.
• Lemon Blueberry Cake Mix Cookies – white chocolate, lemon glaze.
• Lemon Cornmeal Cake – blueberry sauce, lemon glaze.

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Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake is a soft, evenly baked cake with lemon flavor built right into the batter, layered blueberries throughout, and a simple glaze that tops it off.

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberry bundy cake, easy bundt cake, lemon blueberry bundt cake, lemon pudding cake, sour cream bundt cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 420kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Bundt pan (10-12 cup capacity). For the classic shape and even baking
• Baking Pan Fluted Shape (optional) Only if you want the decorative shape.
• mixing bowls For separating wet and dry ingredients.
• Stand Mixer or hand mixer. To fully combine the batter.
• whisk To evenly mix dry ingredients.
• rubber spatula To fold and scrape the batter.
• baking sheet Placed under the pan to catch any drippings.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 box (3.4 oz / 96 g) instant lemon pudding mix dry
• 1½ tsps (6 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (3 g) kosher salt
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk room temperature (separate egg while cold)
• 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
• ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (240 g) sour cream room temperature
• 1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract
• zest of one lemon
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup (150 g) fresh blueberries

Glaze:

• 2 cups (240 g) confectioners' sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsps (45 ml) heavy cream
• zest of one lemon

Garnish:

• lemon slices (optional)
• fresh blueberries (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and thoroughly grease a 10–12 cup (2.4 to 2.8 L) Bundt pan, making sure to coat all crevices. Place the pan on a baking sheet and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, dry lemon pudding mix, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
  2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 box (3.4 oz / 96 g) instant lemon pudding mix, 1½ tsps (6 g) baking powder, 1 tsp (3 g) kosher salt
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer until smooth and slightly thickened.
  3 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
• Add the vegetable oil, sour cream, almond extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and mix until fully combined.
  ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, 1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract, zest of one lemon, 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix once the flour is added.
• Spoon a layer of batter into the prepared bundt pan, scatter some of the blueberries over the batter, then add more batter. Repeat with another layer of blueberries and finish with the remaining batter.
  1 cup (150 g) fresh blueberries
• Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before carefully inverting it onto a serving plate.
• To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable, then drizzle over the cooled cake.
  2 cups (240 g) confectioners' sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, 3 tbsps (45 ml) heavy cream, zest of one lemon
• Garnish with lemon slices and blueberries right before serving if you like.
  lemon slices, fresh blueberries

Notes

• Thoroughly greasing the bundt pan is key to releasing the cake, especially with a detailed pan.
• Layering the blueberries instead of folding them in helps keep them evenly distributed throughout the cake.
• The lemon pudding mix adds flavor and helps the cake bake evenly without drying out around the edges.
• Let the cake cool completely before glazing so the glaze sets instead of melting into the surface.

 

 

If you’re making these Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 130g | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Lemon Blueberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

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