A super simple recipe to make lazy skillet lasagna using ravioli! No need to boil the noodles separately, dirty a bunch of dishes, or make layers. This one-pot lasagna combines and cooks everything in one pot!

Hooray for one skillet lasagna!

It goes like this. Sometimes (read: most times), my love for good comfort food is borderline inappropriate. As soon as the weather is slightly more crisp than the day before, I am getting out the pasta and cheese and saying a final farewell to grilled chicken and salad. So, I ask you to feel all the feelings you get when a warm, cozy dish of lasagna is baking away in your oven. 

The way the house smells like cheese and ground beef cooked in tomato sauce mingling with garlic, Italian seasonings, and hints of fennel seeds. The warmth surrounding a dish of cheesy, melty, saucy, and noodle-y lasagna straight out of the oven. As it hits the table, you bring forth your plate for what you mentally beg to be one massive, bubbly, and cheesy slice. And of course, you have to serve this low-effort lasagna with the best garlic bread in the world and a salad because it’s healthy.

Are you feelin’ me now? 

So the minute I got my skillet lasagna recipe finalized and extra cheese, I was ready to bring it to y’all. Who doesn’t want to cut the prep time by half when it comes to making lasagna? I mean, super easy lasagna all the time? No need for layers, and everything cooks itself in one pot?

This is one pot lasagna reality, my friends.

Ingredients for easy skillet lasagna

• Ground beef: I like to use ground beef for my homemade ravioli lasagna, but you can also use ground turkey or chicken. Some people also like to use Italian sausage out of the casing for a classic lasagna, which would also work here. You could even do a split of ground beef and ground sausage. Depending on the type of meat you use, you may want to drain the excess grease so that the lasagna isn’t too greasy.
• Olive Oil: You’ll need a glug to saute the onions and garlic.
• Onions: We’ll add roughly 1 cup of diced onions once the ground beef has rendered its fat.
• Garlic: We’ll add 5 minced garlic cloves to the recipe. This makes sure that the lasagna is uber-flavorful!
• Seasonings: I like to use oregano instead of Italian seasoning for my lasagna recipe, although either would work here. You’ll also need red pepper flakes, sugar, and crushed fennel seeds. Feel free to omit the fennel if you used sausage with fennel already in the seasonings. It can become overpowering.
• Marinara or spaghetti sauce: I like to use store-bought marinara because it already has all the slow-simmered flavors of a lasagna built in. My favorite is this brand; I buy it in bulk from Costco!
• Crushed Tomatoes: No need to drain; add it right into the sauce!
• Chicken or Beef Broth: Either works for this recipe. Just be sure to use low sodium so that you can adjust the salt that’s needed in the recipe.
• Frozen Ravioli: I like using ricotta cheese ravioli, but any flavor you like will do. I usually opt for the ricotta or spinach variety to get extra veggies!
• Mozzarella Cheese: As always, I do recommend shredding your mozzarella for this recipe. Preshredded mozzarella doesn’t stretch the same way as a block does. If you must use pre-shredded mozzarella, I like the thick-cut variety from this brand. Otherwise, I usually ask the deli attendant to cut me a 1/2-pound block. And I’ll shred it at home on my box grater.
• Parsley and Parmesan Cheese: I like to use parsley for topping, but fresh basil works too. Use grated or shaved parmesan, whatever you have on hand!

How to make ravioli skillet lasagna:

1. Cook the meat first. First, heat a large cast iron skillet or oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook and crumble the ground beef to break up any large chunks. Then drizzle with olive oil if the meat is very lean. If you used a fattier ground beef, you may want to drain the additional grease so the lasagna isn’t too greasy.
2. Saute the aromatics. Add the onions and saute them for for a few minutes or until they are tender and translucent. Then add the garlic and let cook for 30 seconds before you sprinkle the seasonings over the other ingredients. Allow the spices to bloom in the oil, then add the marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth.
3. Simmer the sauce. Bring the marinara sauce to a boil, taste, then adjust with salt if the sauce is lacking severely. You don’t want it to be overly salty at this point because we’ll add the lasagna noodles, mozzarella, and parmesan, which all have sodium. Stir in the ravioli and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and allow the noodles to simmer for a few minutes until the ravioli heats through and the sauce reduces. This is the part where you bake a traditional lasagna. 
4. Finish and serve it up. Add the mozzarella cheese to the top, turn off the stove, cover, and let the cheese melt. You can also pop the skillet under the broiler for a few seconds to allow the cheese to get bubbly and golden the way it would on a traditional lasagna. Top with parsley and parmesan, and serve warm!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken
• Sun-dried Tomato Baked Salmon and Orzo
• Comforting One Pot Lasagna Soup
• All-Purpose Meat Sauce Recipe
• Tomato Mozzarella Baked Chicken

Yield: 6 servings

Lazy Ravioli Skillet Lasagna

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

A super simple recipe to make lazy skillet lasagna using ravioli! No need to boil the noodles separately, dirty a bunch of dishes, or make layers. This one-pot lasagna combines and cooks everything in one pot!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb. lean ground beef (turkey or chicken)
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon EACH: crushed fennel seeds AND red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon EACH: dried oregano AND sugar
• 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara or spaghetti sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 (14.5 ounce) crushed tomatoes
• 1 ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth (or beef)
• 20 ounce frozen ravioli (I like ricotta)
• 1 ½ cup cubed or shredded mozzarella cheese
• Parsley + parmesan for topping

Instructions

1. CRUMBLE: Heat a 4-quart cast iron skillet or oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, cook, and crumble for 5-7 minutes, breaking up large chunks. Drizzle with olive oil if the meat is very lean.
2. SAUTE: add the onions and cook for 7 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, oregano, and sugar. Continue to cook for 60 seconds. Then add the marinara, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth.
3. SIMMER: Bring to a boil, taste, and add a little salt if it needs it. Then, add the ravioli to the skillet and allow the lasagna to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and the ravioli is cooked.
4. FINISH AND SERVE: Add the mozzarella cheese on top, turn off the stove, and cover allow the cheese to melt for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, you can pop the skillet under the broiler and broil for 30-60 seconds until the cheese turns golden. Top with parsley and parmesan, and serve warm.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 514Total Fat: 26gCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gProtein: 39g

The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is just an estimate. To get the most accurate information, please input the ingredients you've used into a nutrition calculator.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals are insanely delicious! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until golden brown and crispy. Drizzle them with hot honey for a deliciously cheesy treat!

The crispy feta cheese filo pastry spirals your guests will go bonkers for!

Imagine this: butter-basted sheets of filo loaded with a combination of crumbled feta cheese and shredded mozzarella made into a perfect swirl. Then we’ll drizzle more melted butter and bake it in a dish until they’re perfectly flakey and golden.

Ugh! These take me right back to Greece! We had these filo pastry wrapped feta parcels as an appetizer in Mykonos a few years back. They were made with sheep’s milk feta and sprinkled with herbs like fresh thyme. And honestly, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love Greek dishes like Spinach Puff Pastry inspired by Spanakopita, Baklava, and of course, Saganaki, but when you want something cheesy and delicious, phyllo-wraped feta is honestly the crispiest thing to enjoy.

Can I also say that these remind me of Turkish Börek? I can’t tell you how much cheese stuffed in phyllo dough we had in Turkey. The taste is incredible!

If you’re sensing a theme here, that I travel to eat food, you would be correct in assuming that!

Ingredients for Feta Cheese Filo Pastry:

• Feta Cheese: You can crumble a block of feta for this recipe or purchase crumbled feta. If you buy feta packed in brine, I suggest draining it and letting it dry a bit on a paper towel so that the brine doesn’t cause the delicate sheet of phyllo to tear when you fold it.
• Shredded Mozzarella: Combining the two cheeses adds a different flavor profile. I tried the recipe with feta cheese alone and found it wasn’t as delicious as when I added mozzarella into the mix. Feel free to cut back on some feta and mozzarella and introduce a third (or, dare I say, fourth) type of cheese into the mix.
• Phyllo Pastry: you’ll want to work quickly with filo sheets. I like to use a damp towel to cover the sheets of phyllo dough while rolling. This keeps them from drying out and makes folding a bit easier.
• Butter: You can use both unsalted and salted butter for this recipe. The only caveat is that if your cheese has a lot of salt, I suggest using unsalted butter to curb some of the saltiness. If you’re serving this with honey, salted butter yields better results by balancing the sweetness better.
• Sesame Seeds: These are for sprinkling on top before baking. Feel free to omit the sesame seeds or use black sesame seeds here if that’s what you like!
• Honey: It is completely optional. The phyllo-wrapped feta we had in Greece was always served drizzled with honey. But I somewhat enjoyed the Turkish Börek swirls a bit more, and those never had honey! Also, you can use homemade or store-bought hot honey or regular honey for this recipe.

How to make the most delicious Greek feta cheese in phyllo:

1. Start the prep. Start by preheating the oven and melt the first batch of butter in the microwave. We’ll use this for brushing. In a bowl, combine the crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella and mix as best as you can. Spray your baking dish with cooking spray; alternately, you can line it with parchment paper to keep the rolls from sticking.
2. Fill up the rolls. Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry in front of you on a clean work surface. You’ll want to cover the remaining stack of phyllo sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Then brush the single sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Buttering the layers helps them bake up extra crispy. Then fold the sheet over in half. Sprinkle with roughly 2-3 tablespoons worth of the cheese mixture. Start rolling the phyllo over the filling until you reach the other end. 
3. Wrap it up. Then twist one side of the phyllo dough together to create a coil. You’ll want to keep twisting until you have a ‘cinnamon roll-like’ wrap. Place this in the prepared baking pan and continue wrapping the remaining phyllo the same way.
4. Bake until golden. Melt the remaining butter in a small bowl. Drizzle or brush the rolls with this. Then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Cook them in a preheated oven until they’re golden and crispy.
5. Drizzle and serve. Drizzle the rolls with hot honey if you’d like. Doing this while they’re hot out of the oven does cause the rolls to soften slightly, so you may want to drizzle once they are slightly cooled.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Easy Puff Pastry Twists with Za’atar
• Chicken Puff Pastry (Chicken Patties)
• Gruyere, Mushroom, and Caramelized Onion Bites
• My Mom’s Crispy Beef Samosas 
• Most Addicting Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Yield: makes 12-14 rolls

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals are insanely delicious! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until golden brown and crispy. Drizzle them with hot honey for a deliciously cheesy treat!

Print

Ingredients

• 12 ounces crumbled feta
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella
• 1 (16-ounce) box phyllo pastry dough, thawed
• 13 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for topping
• hot honey or regular honey, optional

Instructions

1. PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt 10 tablespoons of butter in the microwave until liquid. In a bowl, combine the crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella cheese.
2. BASTE: Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry in front of you on a clean work surface. Cover the remaining stack of phyllo sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Brush a single sheet with butter. Fold one side of the sheet to create a half sheet.
3. FILL: Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons worth of cheese mixture one inch from the border of the phyllo sheet. Start by rolling the phyllo over the filling and continue to roll until you reach the other end.
4. WRAP: Twist one side of the phyllo dough to create a coil. Gently but firmly twist the phyllo to create a 'cinnamon roll swirl' and wrap the phyllo (see post photos.) Place the wrapped roll in an 8x12 or 9x13 baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and cheese mixture.
5. BAKE: Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same bowl. Evenly drizzle or brush the butter all over the rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 48-56 minutes or until golden and crispy.
6. DRIZZLE: Drizzle the feta spirals with hot honey once they cool slightly, if desired. Serve while they’re still slightly warm!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 371Total Fat: 30gCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gProtein: 10g

The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is just an estimate. To get the most accurate information, please input the ingredients you've used into a nutrition calculator.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

This is the recipe for my family’s favorite sweet potato soufflé! We start by making a simple sweet potato mash. Then we loaded it up with eggs, a hint of cinnamon, and vanilla bean paste. Top it with a layer of brown sugar pecan crumble. It is TO DIE FOR!

This is the sweet potato casserole of your dreams!

It starts with a cinnamon and vanilla-scented sweet potato souffle. Don’t worry; you don’t have to boil or bake the sweet potatoes if you don’t want to – canned sweet potatoes work, too! We’ll push them through a ricer or mash them up and load them with melted butter, half and half, cinnamon, vanilla, and eggs. 

But don’t let me forget to tell you about that jump lump streusel on top! I could honestly eat a basket full of that crunchy brown sugar-coated pecans.

Serious question: does your family serve multiple potato dishes at the Thanksgiving table too? Mine needs a mashed sweet potato, preferably in casserole form. But my asiago and roasted garlic and cheddar mashed potatoes also have a clutch hold on them. Especially if I serve them with my homemade gravy. I’m tempted to make scalloped potatoes or my twice-baked potato casserole one of these years, but I know the disappointment that would ensue if we had a table without mashed potatoes!

I know everyone has their favorite side dishes for Thanksgiving, but I have a feeling this one will become a family favorite for you too! 

Ingredients for a homemade sweet potato souffle:

• Sweet Potatoes: We’ll need almost two pounds of sweet potatoes. I like to use the kind with orange flesh so that the casserole has a vibrant orange hue.
• Butter: We’ll use the butter for both the sweet potato portion as well as the crumble topping. Both unsalted butter and salted will work for this recipe. I typically use salted butter to help balance the sweetness of the sweet potato mixture and crumb topping better.
• Half and Half: the half and half adds richness to the dish.
• Maple Syrup: the maple and brown sugar work together to add a bit of sweetness.
• Brown Sugar: we’ll use the brown sugar for both the casserole portion and the topping.
• Cinnamon: adding a pinch gives sweetness to this dessert-inspired casserole.
• Vanilla: you can use both vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste for this recipe. I personally prefer to use bean paste as the flavor is a bit richer, and the specks of vanilla make the casserole even more enjoyable!
• Kosher salt: cuts some of the sweetness from the ingredients.
• Large Eggs: will go into the souffle portion of the sweet potatoes. The protein in the eggs will help keep the souffle from being watery.
• All Purpose Flour: is used for the crumb topping.
• Pecans: we’ll use these for the pecan streusel topping. They add a nice crunch to the casserole.

How to make sweet potato souffle recipe:

1. Start with the sweet potatoes. You’ll want to peel and cube the potatoes first. Then, add them to a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the potato chunks. Bring them to a boil and cook them until a fork pierces through them without much fork and they are tender! Drain the potatoes, add them to a large mixing bowl, and let them cool a bit.
2. Do all the prep. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven if you’re baking the casserole immediately.
3. Mash the potatoes. There are several ways to do this. You can use a hand mixer, a potato masher, or rice them through a ricer. I prefer the ricer, but the other methods work as well. 
4. Making the filling. To the mashed potatoes, add the melted butter, half and half, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, eggs, and mix until they are creamy. Spay a casserole dish with cooking spray. Then, transfer the filling to the baking dish. Now, you can wrap the casserole and pop it into the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
5. Top with the pecan streusel topping. In a medium bowl, mix the 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Melt the butter in a small bowl and pour this over the ingredients. I like to use a fork to fluff the topping until the butter and flour cling to the sugar and pecans mixture. Sprinkle this all over the casserole/
6. Bake and serve. Bake the souffle in a 350ºF oven until the casserole is golden brown. Let cool for several minutes before serving.

Other Thanksgiving side dishes:

• Garlic Butter Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Herb Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
• Even Better Jiffy Corn Casserole
• Cheesy Cheddar Broccoli Pasta
• Best Herb Stuffing 

Other sweet potato recipes:

• How to Make Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Topping
• Homemade Sweet Potato Mash
• Autumn Crisp Apple Sweet Potato Salad
• Winter Detox Moroccan Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

Yield: serves 10-12

My Family's Favorite Sweet Potato Souffle

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

This is the recipe for my family's favorite sweet potato soufflé! We start by making a simple sweet potato mash. Then we loaded it up with eggs, a hint of cinnamon, and vanilla bean paste. Top it with a layer of brown sugar pecan crumble. It is TO DIE FOR!

Print

Ingredients

• 4 large (~1 ¾ pounds) sweet potatoes
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• ½ cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs

Topping:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Instructions

1. SWEET POTATOES: Peel and cube the potatoes into 2-inch chunks. Add the diced potatoes to a large pot. Fill with water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches. Add a couple of teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat until the potatoes easily pierce with a knife and are tender; about 18-22 minutes. Drain and let the potatoes cool to room temperature.
2. PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF if you’re baking the soufflé immediately.
3. FILLING: In a large bowl, mash the potatoes with a potato masher, or you can rice them through a ricer. Then add the butter, half and half, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, kosher salt, and eggs.
4. DISH IT OUT: Transfer the prepared soufflé to an 8x12 baking dish and sprayed with cooking spray. You can also cover and refrigerate the soufflé for up to 1 day and then bake the day of.
5. TOP IT OFF: In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Pour the melted butter over the other ingredients and use a fork to fluff them until everything is moistened. Sprinkle this over the casserole.
6. BAKE: Bake the soufflé in a preheated oven for 28-32 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 16gCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gProtein: 4g

The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is just an estimate. To get the most accurate information, please input the ingredients you've used into a nutrition calculator.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

An even better version of the traditional Jiffy Corn Casserole! We’re swapping out one ingredient and making the best corn casserole your family has ever had! It’s got sweetness from the corn, cheesiness, and so much more!

Not another corn casserole recipe!

Oh, but it is. And it’s an even better version of the traditional Jiffy corn casserole because we’re introducing a new player to the game. And this one makes everything 10x better. 

I know what you’re thinking… she’s going to add cheddar cheese to the mix and think she reinvented the wheel. But no, that’s not it! Meet the Jiffy Corn Casserole with a puck of Boursin cheese.

Don’t worry! It’s still loaded with all the corn kernels and creamed corn you love, but we’ll swap out some of the sour cream with a puck of room-temperature Boursin…

And I’m willing to bet your family is going to love it as much as mine.

I’m not kidding. A couple of Thanksgivings ago, I ran short of sour cream. I don’t know how it happened, but it did. And when I looked in the fridge to find something to substitute for this holiday staple, it came down to mayonnaise, Boursin, or Greek yogurt. I opted for Boursin because, well, it’s Boursin. 

And guess what? Best thing that’s ever happened to a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix.

Bake it all up in a casserole dish and just watch how quickly this becomes the new favorite Thanksgiving side dish. I wouldn’t be surprised if you get requests to make this corn souffle for Christmas dinners too!

Ingredients for a Jiffy Corn Casserole Recipe

• Jiffy Mix: This one is pretty self-explanatory! The cornbread mix typically contains ingredients like cornmeal, flour, and baking powder, amongst other ingredients and preservatives. A heads up for my vegetarian friends, be sure to get the box that’s marked vegetarian. Regular jiffy corn mix has some ingredients in it that makes it not vegetarian-friendly!
• Eggs: You’ll need a couple of eggs for this recipe. We’ll add them with all the wet ingredients. They add texture and stability to this savory, yet sweet casserole.
• Melted Butter: I like to use salted butter to help better balance the sweet and saltiness of this casserole. For a sweeter casserole, I do suggest you opt for salt-free or unsalted butter.
• Sour Cream: We’ll still add some to our casserole, but we’ll opt for ⅓ cup instead of the traditional recipe.
• Garlic and Herb cheese: You’ll need one 5.3 ounce puck of garlic and herb cheese. I prefer to use Boursin for this recipe as that’s what I’ve done for the last couple of Thanksgivings. You can swap this for other types of garlic and fine herb cheeses, but be sure that the texture is similar to that of gournay cheese.
• Whole Kernel Corn: I stick to the theme of canned ingredients here because canned corn and creamed corn and both pantry staples for me. You could also defrost sweet corn kernels and use those here instead if you prefer.
• Canned Creamed Corn: Creamed corn is made by combining pieces of whole corn kernels with milky mixture from immature pulped corn kernels scraped off the cob. You can typically find this ingredient next to canned corn in most grocery stores.
• Cooking Spray: You’ll want to use either butter or cooking spray to grease the baking dish with before we pour in the shuffle batter.

Homemade Cornbread Casserole Recipe

1. Prep the dish and the oven. Start by preheating the oven to 350ºF. Spray a square baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside for now.
2. Melt the butter. Grab a large microwave-safe mixing bowl and melt the butter. You want to let the butter cool to room temperature before proceeding. Otherwise, you run the risk of scrambling the eggs. Once the butter is cooled, stir in the Boursin cheese until it melts into the butter.
3. Add all the remaining wet ingredients. Then add the drained corn kernels, creamed corn, sour cream, and eggs and mix until everything is combined.
4. Add the dry cornmeal. Fold in the corn muffin mix and stir until it’s just combined. Don’t overmix this.
5. Bake until golden. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake the casserole until the center springs back, and you have no wet batter when you test the center with a toothpick. Let the casserole cool for several minutes before serving. It’s such an easy. side dish recipe!
6. Storing. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator or freeze them according to the directions below.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Green Bean Casserole
• Homemade Herb Butter Turkey
• Spoon Bread Casserole (aka Corn Pudding)
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Ground Beef Skillet Chili with Cornbread Crust

Yield: serves 8-9

Even Better Jiffy Corn Casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

An even better version of the traditional Jiffy Corn Casserole! We're swapping out one ingredient and making the best corn casserole your family has ever had! It's got sweetness from the corn, cheesiness, and so much more!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• ½ cup salted butter, melted
• 1 (5.2 ounce) garlic and herb cheese puck (such as Boursin)
• ⅓ cup sour cream, room temp
• 1 (15-ounce) can corn kernels, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can creamed corn
• Cooking spray, for the dish

Instructions

1. PREP: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside now.
2. MELT: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Allow the butter to cool to room temperature. Stir in the Boursin until it melts into the butter.
3. WET INGREDIENTS: Add the drained corn kernels, creamed corn, sour cream, and eggs and mix until combined.
4. MIX: Then add the corn muffin mix and stir until just mixed. Don’t over-mix it!
5. BAKE: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center springs back with no wet batter when tested with a toothpick.. Let cool for several minutes before serving.

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Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

Creamy, Cheesy Cheddar Broccoli Pasta is the perfect side of the main dish for any meal! It’s cheddar cheese sauce loaded with al dente shells and tender, chopped broccoli florets, and it is glorious!

Call it a side or a main dish.

These cheddar broccoli pasta shells are honestly the perfect side to any meal. Whether you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu or looking for something quick to make for the whole family on a random Tuesday night, broccoli and cheddar shells totally fit the bill.

What I love most about this recipe is that it comes together in one pot! So we’ll boil the pasta, then add the broccoli to the same water. Drain everything and then make the golden brown cheese sauce in the same saucepan before we toss it all together in the most decadent and delicious cheese sauce. 

Would this work with your Thanksgiving turkey? YES. 

Would this work with sauteed garlic butter chicken? YES. 

Would this work with steak and shrimp? YES. 

Could you make a meal out of this with a salad? 100% YES.

It’s honestly the yummiest, most versatile dinner recipe loaded with veggies, creamy cheese sauce, al dente noodles, and all the comfort one wants from a broccoli and cheese dish! It’s mostly pantry staple ingredients and, honestly, even better than Panera’s broccoli cheddar mac and cheese.

Ingredients for cheddar broccoli pasta:

• Pasta: I like to use shells for this recipe, but you could use any pasta shape you like.
• Broccoli florets: I like to grab a bag of florets from the store that I just break down to make them roughly the same size as the shells.
• Butter: We’ll use the butter to make a roux with the flour. 
• Flour: We’ll use less flour so that it doesn’t affect the cheese sauce’s texture but still aids in thickening it.
• Half and Half: This is typically sold in the United States and is a 50:50 ratio of whole milk and heavy whipping cream. You can make your own half and half or use storebought.
• Cream Cheese: this ingredient aids in thickening the sauce further. I prefer to thicken the recipe with more cream cheese than flour because cream cheese doesn’t produce a gloopy sauce mixture.
• Chicken Bouillon: A sprinkle of granulated chicken bouillon adds so much flavor to the cheese mixture. The cheese flavor wouldn’t be as concentrated if we used liquid chicken broth. So I like using the granulated variety or a crumbled bouillon cube.
• Seasonings: This is my favorite blend for broccoli and shells. I use a smidge of ground nutmeg, some white pepper, and mustard powder. These ingredients work beautifully with cheddar cheese and add the best taste to the cheddar broccoli shells.
• Cheese: Feel free to play around with the cheese. I typically use a good medium cheddar, but this recipe would work with sharp cheddar cheese, gruyere, or even a handful of parmesan cheese and Swiss. If you aim to get that beautiful yellow hue, use more cheddar cheese and less of the other ones. Remember that it’s best to use freshly grated cheese for the best melty sauce.

How to make Panera’s broccoli cheddar mac and cheese:

1. Start with the pasta. You want to bring a large pot of water to boil. When boiling, salt the water generously so the pasta has plenty of flavor. Then add the pasta and cook for 30-60 seconds less than package directions. When the timer goes off, add the broccoli and boil in the pasta water. Be sure to save a cup of pasta water so that you can add it to the cheese sauce later as needed. Drain the broccoli and pasta and set aside for later.
2. Make the roux. Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Then add the flour and whisk, and cook the flour until lightly golden and toasty. 
3. Make the sauce. Add half and half to the flour mixture and continue to whisk. Add the cream cheese and whisk it in. It will slowly heat through and melt into the sauce. Season with the bouillon, nutmeg, white pepper, and mustard.
4. Adding in the cheese. When a bubble or two starts appearing on the surface of the sauce, turn off the burner. Slowly stir in the cheese, a little at a time, until it melts completely before adding in the next batch. This allows the cheese to melt, and you get the most luxurious sauce. 
5. Finish and serve. Once all of the cheese has been incorporated. add the pasta and broccoli. Add a small splash of pasta water if the sauce is thick. You can make it a bit soupy if you like it, like SpaghettiOs or a broccoli and cheddar soup. This would also be a good time to add other veggies like peas or steamed and squeezed spinach if you want to make this more veggie-loaded. Taste and adjust with salt as needed. Serve this warm!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Gruyere Mac and Cheese with French Onion Crust
• 5-Ingredient Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
• Garlic Parmesan Orzo Risotto

Yield: Serves 8

Cheesy Cheddar Broccoli Pasta

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Creamy, Cheesy Cheddar Broccoli Pasta is the perfect side of the main dish for any meal! It's cheddar cheese sauce loaded with al dente shells and tender, chopped broccoli florets, and it is glorious!

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Ingredients

• ~2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
• 16 ounces medium pasta shells
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2½ cups half and half (see notes)
• ⅓ cup softened cream cheese
• ½ teaspoon granulated chicken buillion (or ½ bouillon cube, crumbled)
• ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper AND mustard powder
• 16 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese (medium or sharp)

Instructions

1. PASTA: Bring a large pot of water to boil. When boiling, salt the water generously. Add pasta and boil according to package directions, adding the broccoli to the water during the last 1 minute of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain the broccoli/pasta and set aside for now.
2. ROUX: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine, cooking the flour for 1-2 minutes or until it smells buttery and browns just a bit.
3. SAUCE: Slowly stream in the half and half as you whisk the roux. Continue doing so until all of the liquid is added to the roux. Add the cream cheese and continue to whisk until lump-free—season with bullion, nutmeg, white pepper, and mustard powder.
4. CHEESE: Turn off the burner. Add roughly ½ cup of cheese at a time and slowly stir it into the sauce so that it melts. Be patient; this requires quite a bit of stirring.
5. FINISH: Once the cheese is combined, add pasta and broccoli to the cheese sauce and stir. Heat the pot over low heat as you stir. Add a small splash of pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Taste and adjust with salt as needed. Serve warm.

Notes

• Half and Half: Half and half is a product sold in the US, which is a 50:50 combo of whole milk and heavy whipping cream use 1¼ cup of each if you can't find half and half.

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Have you made this recipe?

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Harry Potter’s Butterbeer Cookies are a fun treat to make for Halloween! These cookies are loaded with butterscotch chips and have the most delicious buttery flavor! Perfect to make when you’re having an HP movie night or throwing a Harry Potter party!

Magical!

These cookies are the most delicious combination of butterscotch and nostalgia! 

It should come as no surprise that I’m one big Potterhead. I mean, I did do a whole post on the best tips for Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as a grown adult. I ate pumpkin pasties, drank my weight in pumpkin juice, and ate buckets of fish and chips at Three Broomsticks, but nothing gets me like a butterbeer-flavored treat! Be it a warm butterbeer or an ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s.

These butter beer-inspired cookies are one of the best cookies to come out of my kitchen. They require no refrigeration; you just mix them in a bowl, and then pop them in the oven to bake. And what you’re left with is dollops of delicious cookie dough speckled with butterscotch flavor. 

And hey, I get it if you aren’t a butterscotch chip fan, swap them for white chocolate chips, and I promise you, the flavors will be just as delicious!

Fellow Harry Potter fans, this one’s for you!

Ingredients for Harry Potter’s Butterbeer Cookies:

• All-purpose flour: The flour is the base of the recipe.
• Leavening agents: You’ll need both baking powder and baking soda for this recipe. We’ll add these dry ingredients to the flour before adding them to the wet ingredients.
• Kosher salt + flakey sea salt: You’ll need kosher salt for the batter and some flakey sea salt (such as this one) to sprinkle on top once the cookies are done baking. The butterscotch flavor becomes more pronounced with the salt, so don’t be afraid to use it in this recipe.
• Ground Cinnamon: helps flavor the cookies without being too overpowering. You won’t even know it’s there, but it helps bring out some warmth in the cookies.
• Salted butter: typically, salted butter is my favorite ingredient to use in baked goods. I use this for my favorite chocolate chip cookies and recommend it for many other baked goods as well. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, you can use it for this recipe, but I do suggest upping the amount of kosher salt to 1 teaspoon.
• Light brown sugar + Granulated sugar: We’ll use both of these sugars and mix them with the softened butter. The sugars provide moisture in baked goods so that cookies, cakes, muffins, and brownies don’t dry out too quickly.
• Butter extract + vanilla extract: The butter extract is optional, but I find that it really amps up the flavor of these butterscotch cookies. To be entirely honest, I’m not a huge butterscotch pudding mix or butterscotch chip fan, so for me, the cookies provide plenty of that butterscotch cookie flavor without needing the chips!
• Eggs:
• Butterscotch chips: You know how I mentioned there are people who don’t like butterscotch chips? I would be one of those people! You could even use white chocolate chips or omit the chips entirely and add a bit more pecans! We had a divided household on this one! Hubby loved the chips, while I wasn’t a huge fan!
• Chopped Pecans: These add the best nutty flavor! If you’re dealing with allergies, feel free to swap the pecans for white chocolate chips. They do make the cookies a bit sweeter but also provide a more Harry Potter butterbeer cookie flavor!

How to make Harry Potter’s Butterbeer Cookies:

1. Start the prep. Preheat the oven. and make sure to line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This ensures the cookies won’t stick to the pan. If you have a silicone baking mat, that works too.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and cinnamon. If you have larger clumps in your baking soda, I do suggest sifting it to ensure the batter mixes evenly.
3. Cream the wet ingredients. Add your semi-melted butter to a bowl. When I say semi-melted, I mean some of it should be liquid, while some of it is super soft and starting to melt. Add both the white sugar and the brown sugar and beat these ingredients together in a medium bowl with a hand mixer set to medium speed or in the bowl of a stand mixer until it starts to lighten in color. Then add the butter extract, 2 tsp vanilla, egg yolk, and the whole egg to the mixture. 
4. Let’s make cookie dough. Mix again before you fold in the dry ingredients. I like to stop when the dry ingredients are halfway combined, then add the chips and the pecans and continue folding. This ensures you don’t overwork the cookie dough, and the little bit of flour helps disperse the add-ins better.
5. Scoop it out. Using a cookie scoop, make cookie dough balls that are about 2 tablespoons worth of cookie dough. You can speckle the center of the cookie with a few more butterscotch chips or pecans to make them more picture-perfect when they come out of the oven, but this is purely optional.
6. Bake the cookies. Bake the cookies until they are golden around the edges but still slightly underdone in the center. Don’t worry, the hot sheet pan will help bake the cookies all the way through. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with some flakey sea salt. Let them cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack. These are the perfect butterbeer cookies! Each bite has some crunchy pecans and melted butterscotch chips! They just melt in your mouth!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• How to Make a Halloween Snackboard
• Puff Pastry Wrapped Mummy Brie
• Loaded Chewy Chocolate Chip M&M Cookie Cake
• How to Host a Hot Chocolate Bar Party
• Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf

Yield: ~12-14 cookies

Harry Potter's Butterbeer Cookies (aka Butterscotch Cookies)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Harry Potter’s Butterbeer Cookies are a fun treat to make for Halloween! These cookies are loaded with butterscotch chips and have the most delicious buttery flavor! Perfect to make when you’re having an HP movie night or throwing a Harry Potter party!

Print

Ingredients

• 1⅓ cup all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup salted butter, semi-melted
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter extract (optional)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup butterscotch chips
• ⅓ cup chopped pecans (or white chocolate chips)
• Flakey sea salt for topping

Instructions

1. PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
   2.
2. DRY INGREDIENTS: in a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda/powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
3. WET INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, add melted butter and brown/ granulated sugar and mix with an electric mixer (or in a stand mixer) for 4 minutes or until the butter is whipped and fluffy. Add the butter extract, vanilla, and egg + yolk and mix until smooth.
4. MIX: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula, and mix until halfway combined. Add the chips and pecans and continue mixing until no flour pockets remain.
5. SCOOP: out two tablespoons worth of cookie dough using a cookie scoop and place it roughly 1½ inches apart on the cookie sheet.
6. BAKE: the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center looks slightly underdone! Don’t worry, they’ll cook through as they cool.
7. SPRINKLE: with flakey salt and let cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

• Measuring the flour: The best method to measure the flour for this recipe is by using a spoon to fluff the flour. Once fluffed, use a tablespoon to fill the 1 cup measuring cup until overflowing. Use a knife to level it out without applying too much pressure. Repeat with the 1/3 cup the same way.

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• 
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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 13gCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gProtein: 3g

The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is just an estimate. To get the most accurate information, please input the ingredients you've used into a nutrition calculator.

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This copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe is sure to be a hit! Load up as much as you’d like on top of an ice-cold glass of cold brew coffee. Made with just a few ingredients and so much cheaper than going through the Starbucks drive-thru every morning!

‘Oh, look.. another glorious morning!’

If you can name what movie that line is from, you are my people and you’ve come to the right place!

But really, what a glorious morning it would be if you could top up your favorite fall drink with homemade pumpkin cream cold foam and be out the door without having to swing by the drive-thru to grab your $8 cup of joe in the morning. It’s life-changing.

I can promise you this: my pumpkin cold foam recipe is probably going to cost you less than the number of fingers on both hands and it’s going to make so many more batches too. We’ll use simple ingredients like heavy cream, half and half, and of course, a dash of pumpkin spice and some real pumpkin puree. Top your cold brew, homemade pumpkin spice lattes, or even pour over coffee with this. 

I have a couple of different ideas for the sweetener portion of the recipe. I think my salted caramel lovers might even like my version a bit better than Starbucks’. It tastes like a salted pumpkin pie cloud! 

I know, I know, that’s a bold claim but I’m serious! I’ve got your homemade iced coffee solution right here!

Ingredients for pumpkin cream cold brew:

• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream can be used interchangeably for this recipe. Heavy cream just has a higher fat percentage than heavy whipping cream. Not a big deal for this particular recipe.
• Half and Half: in the States, this is a produce that we get here. I know that in places like Canada, the UK, and the rest of the world, this is either labeled differently or a product that might not even be available. Essentially, it is a 1:1 ratio of whole milk to cream. Since the recipe calls for a quarter cup or 4 tablespoons, you would use 2 tablespoons of whole milk and 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream in place.
• Sweetener of choice: you can use maple syrup, simple syrup, or my favorite – salted caramel syrup! This adds sweetness to the pumpkin cold foam recipe. If you aren’t a fan of salted caramel you can use vanilla extract or even vanilla syrup here to give it a lighter flavor.
• Pumpkin pie spice: the pie spice contains ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice. These ingredients add warmth to the recipe and work beautifully with the natural sweetness of pumpkin puree.  You’ll need anywhere from ½-¾  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice depending on how spicy you like things!
• Pumpkin puree: You’ll need real pumpkin puree for this recipe. Be sure not to use pumpkin pie filling as that is what you use to make pumpkin pies. We need the real pumpkin to give it that real pumpkin flavor!
• Kosher salt: Helps elevate the sweetness and all the pie spices used in this recipe.
• Cold brew: You’ll also need your favorite cold brew coffee to serve this pumpkin cold foam recipe with.
• Handheld milk frother: I know, this isn’t really an ingredient but if you have one of these or have been considering purchasing a milk frother, this is a great one that doesn’t cost much! These make it so much easier to froth or whisk the pumpkin cream cold foam. If you don’t have one and don’t see yourself purchasing one, check out the FAQs below for other options!

How to make Starbucks pumpkin cream cold brew:

1. Add it all together. In a 2-cup measuring cup or a tall mason jar, combine the heavy cream, half and half, your sweetener of choice, pumpkin purée, pie spice, and kosher salt. 
2. Make it frothy. Then use a handheld frother, a frothing jug, or even a blender, and blend the ingredients. Keep in mind if you use an electric frothing jug, you want to make sure to do this on the cold setting. You want the foam to be thick and super aerated.
3. Make cold brew and serve. Once the cold foam is thick and aerated, you can stop. Add ice and homemade or store-bought cold brew to your favorite glass. Finally, top with a few tablespoons of pumpkin cold foam. Taste and adjust with more pumpkin cold foam as desired. Honestly, it only takes a few mins! Serve and enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• The BEST Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf
• Copycat Starbucks Espresso Brownies
• Chai Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
• Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Yield: Serves 4-6

Cold Brew with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

This copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe is sure to be a hit! Load up as much as you'd like on top of an ice-cold glass of cold brew coffee. Made with just a few ingredients and so much cheaper than going through the Starbucks drive-thru every morning!

Print

Ingredients

• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or my favorite salted caramel syrup
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• ½ - ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch of kosher salt
• prepared cold brew, for serving

Instructions

1. COMBINE: In a 2-cup measuring cup or a tall mason jar, combine the heavy cream, half and half, maple syrup (or salted caramel) pumpkin purée, pie spice, and kosher salt.
2. FROTH: Using a handheld frother or in a frothing jug, combine the ingredients. Keep in mind if you use an electric frothing jug, you want to make sure to do this on the cold setting. Once the cold foam is thick and aerated, you can stop.
3. SERVE: Add ice and cold brew to your favorite glass. Top with a few tablespoons of pumpkin cold foam. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• Sweeteners: You can use sweetened condensed milk, vanilla syrup, salted caramel syrup, or even simple syrup if you'd like. I find that honey does get a bit grainy, especially when the milk products are cold (which they need to be to aerate better!) so I don't suggest using that!
• Storage: Make sure to keep leftover pumpkin cream cold in an airtight container topped with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge. You don't want to leave it open as it will absorb all the refrigerator smells!

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Mexican Shrimp Cocktail stuffed into avocados with tons of veggies in a spicy sauce. Serve Mexican Shrimp Cocktail with tortilla chips or stuff into avocados – sure to become a summer dinner favorite! Just 7 grams of net carbs in this dinner recipe!

STUFFED AVOCADOS.

Say what?! Mexican shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados are everything. Hands-down the best warm weather no-cook dinner.

Those buttery, delicious avocados are cut in half and filled with a simple combination of shrimp, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and a tomato-based spicy, tangy sauce. Okay, so you could also call this Mexican-style shrimp ceviche, only I’m terrified when shrimp cooks in lime or lemon juice, so like a chicken, I always use cooked shrimp to begin with.

To be completely honest with you, this was supposed to be a recipe for shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados. You know, the kind of American shrimp cocktail that consists of just shrimp and cocktail sauce. The idea quickly expanded into Mexican shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados where vegetables play a decent enough role. Not only do these avocado boats look prettier with all that veggie color, but they also make for a beautiful appetizer at a party. And I’ll also add that they contain just 7 grams of net carbs and a whopping 14 grams of fiber.

Talk about nice and filling!

What’s the difference between ceviche and shrimp cocktail?

Mexican shrimp cocktail typically starts with cooked shrimp and is a combination of a sweet, spicy, and tangy tomato-based sauce with lots of chopped vegetables. Ceviche usually starts with raw shrimp or fish and isn’t as hearty as a shrimp cocktail.

Ingredients for coctel de camarones:

• Shrimp: You can cook your own shrimp at home or purchase them precooked, it’s entirely up to you. If I’m cooking them at home, I like to peel and devein the shrimp. Then I’ll heat a pot of water to boiling, add in some lemon juice, and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt, and poach them for no longer than 45-60 seconds depending on the side. Remove the shrimp to an ice water bath and let them chill out. Chop them into bite-sized pieces.
• Tomatoes: I typically use Roma tomatoes here, but it’s totally up to you! Dice them into the same size as the shrimp. Substitutions for Roma tomatoes would be cherry or grape tomatoes. Tomato juice mixes with the cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and horseradish and makes the most flavorful mix!
• Cucumbers: Crunchy cucumbers add freshness to the mix.
• Red Onions: Add a bit of a bite that works beautifully with sweet shrimp.
• Jalapenos: You can also use serrano peppers for this recipe. Make sure to remove the seeds and ribs if you’re worried about the heat level!
• Cilantro: Adds freshness to the dish. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, you can leave it out if you’d like.
• Cocktail Sauce: Cocktail sauce adds a bit of that horseradish-y kick. Feel free to use a splash of clamato juice instead of the cocktail sauce if that’s more your thing. Ketchup will make a decent substitute and has similar ingredients. Especially if you up the cayenne and the hot sauce by just a tad bit. I do find the horseradish also helps provide that flavor profile we all love about shrimp cocktail, so definitely add that too!
• Hot Sauce: You can use Valentina, Tapatio, Cholula, or any other hot sauce you typically have at home. Use a couple of dashes or more if you prefer a spicier shrimp cocktail!
• Lime juice: Ceviche and Mexican shrimp cocktail needs that hit of acid to balance out the heat and the sweetness of the shrimp.
• Cayenne pepper or horseradish:  These ingredients add a kick! The cayenne pepper can be limited if you’re worried about the spice level.
• Salt and Pepper: These are pretty self-explanatory!
• Avocados: You can dice up the avocados and then add them to the shrimp cocktail if you’re serving this with tortilla chips or saltine crackers. For parties, I’d serve them in avocado halves as an appetizer or a light summer dinner!

Making my Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe:

1. Cook the shrimp. Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add in a squeeze of lemon (you can toss in the peel too afterwards) and a generous sprinkle of salt. Slowly lower the shrimp into the water and let them cook through for 45-60 seconds or until they’re opaque and curled into a ‘c’ shape. Drain and add them to an ice water bath and let them cool completely. Then, chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces.
2. Mix the Mexican shrimp cocktail. In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and cilantro. Then in a small bowl combine cocktail sauce, jalapeno, hot sauce, lime juice, cayenne, horseradish, salt, and black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients come together. Pour the cocktail mixture over the other ingredients and stir to combine. Then cover and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail for a minimum of 30 minutes so that the flavors all come together.
3. Serve it up in avocados. If you’re serving these in avocados, cut them in half and remove the seed. You can scoop out a bit of the avocado so that you can fill it up more if you prefer. I typically just dice and add the scooped avocado to the cocktail mixture. And finally, serve with tortilla chips on the side!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Mexican Shrimp Salad
• Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Smashed Avocados
• Garlicky Hawaiian Shrimp Scampi
• Crispy Baja Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Mayo
• Mediterranean Shrimp Orzo Salad
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Recipe originally shared July 2017, updated August 2023.

Yield: 10-12 stuffed avocado halves

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (+ Stuffed Avocados)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail stuffed into avocados with tons of veggies in a spicy sauce. Serve Mexican Shrimp Cocktail with tortilla chips or stuff into avocados – sure to become a summer dinner favorite! Just 7 grams of net carbs in this dinner recipe!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 pound cooked shrimp, chopped
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (I remove the seeds)
• ½ cup diced cucumbers
• ½ cup diced red onions
• 1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced (see notes)
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons shrimp cocktail sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tapatio or Cholula)
• 2-3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1-2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, optional
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon EACH: kosher salt AND sugar
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 5-6 avocados

Instructions

1. COMBINE: In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, and add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, jalapeno, and cilantro.
2. MIX: In a small bowl combine cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lime juice, cayenne, 1 tsp horseradish, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients come together. Taste and adjust with more horseradish, sugar, or hot sauce as desired. Pour the cocktail sauce mixture over the chopped ingredients. If you aren’t serving the cocktail in avocados, you can dice 1 avocado and add it to the shrimp cocktail if you’d like. Stir to combine.
3. COOL: Cover and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail for a minimum of 15 minutes and ideally, 30 minutes if time allows. This allows all the flavors to come together.
4. SERVE: Serve the shrimp cocktail in a bowl with lots of tortilla chips on the side. Or you can serve in avocados. Cut them in half and remove the seed. You can scoop out a bit of the avocado flesh so that you can fill it up more if you prefer. Fill the avocados and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

• To make this spicier you can up the number of jalapenos to two or three.
• Like your cocktail saucier? You can up the amount of cocktail sauce you use! I typically like to use ⅓ cup cocktail sauce when I'm serving these with tortilla chips. I use less when I'm serving these in avocados!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4th with 1 avocado
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 264Total Fat: 10gCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gProtein: 28g

The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is just an estimate. To get the most accurate information, please input the ingredients you've used into a nutrition calculator.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

Summer in a bowl! This sweet Peach Goat Cheese Salad is the perfect light summer lunch or dinner recipe. Loaded with sweet peaches, crisp cucumbers, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted almonds with your favorite salad greens. Toss it with balsamic dressing for a refreshing summer meal!

Flavor overload!

That’s how I like my summer salad recipes. And this peach salad is one for the books!

Inspired by Sweet Green, I found myself ordering this peach goat cheese salad over and over again. Until I stopped and said, I can make this at home! It tastes like summer in a bowl with sweet ripe peaches, crispy cucumbers, herbs like mint and fresh basil, and tons of crunchy almonds. To make it a bit heavier on protein, I love serving it up with grilled chicken or even salmon. 

If you’re thinking how can I get even more flavor into this salad – the answer is grilled peaches! Toss them on the grill until they get those delicious grill marks, then chop them or add slices to the salad. The balsamic vinaigrette pairs beautifully with the peaches and mint. 

It’s such a refined summer salad and it’s downright delicious when peaches are in season!

Ingredients for Peach Goat Cheese Salad:

• Peaches: Sweet peaches are what truly make this salad. Feel free to add apricots in with the peaches if you want to give the salad a bit more dimension. You could even serve it up on a serving platter to really show off the stone fruit. Peaches are low in calories and high in fiber which makes them a great choice for salads!
• Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are my favorite summertime snack! The clean flavor pairs beautifully with the floral notes of stone fruit. Feel free to use hothouse cucumbers or any other variety you typically like. Cucumbers are naturally low in carbohydrates so they are light and refreshing in this summer salad!
• Fresh herbs: I love how mint and basil taste with fresh peaches! I sometimes make a small bowl of sliced peaches with fresh mint and a small drizzle of white balsamic for dessert. The vinegar helps release the juices from the peach and it all just works so well together!
• Roasted almonds: Roasted almonds work well with the other ingredients. Feel free to use sunflower seeds or other nuts if that’s what you have on hand.
• Goat Cheese: I love using goat cheese because the flavor pairs beautifully with the peaches. Feel free to swap this for feta cheese if you like, though it does add a bit more tang to the salad.
• Other additions: sliced tomatoes or charred corn are both summer staples for us and for a variation on this salad, I love adding them in for another layer of flavor. Sliced red onions would also add a new layer of flavor to this salad.
• Mixed greens: feel free to use kale, a spring mix, baby spinach, or arugula salad leaves. The base of the salad is entirely up to you!
• The Dressing: For the dressing, you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper. Simply add the ingredients to a jar and give them a good shake until the dressing emulsifies. You can also swap the honey or maple syrup if you prefer.

How to Make a Summer Peach Salad Recipe

1. Start with the dressing. I like to use white balsamic vinegar for this recipe but you could use regular balsamic as well. Add it to a clean jar with a tightfitting lid along with olive oil, dijon, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper. The prep time on this recipe is super minimal!
2. Massage if the base is kale. Add the kale or your desired salad greens to a bowl. If you’re using kale like I do, you might want to massage the kale with the dressing to help make it more digestible. This is optional but I like to massage the kale to really give it a bit more flavor.
3. Serve it up. Combine the salad base (if it’s something other than kale) in your bowl. Then, top with sliced peaches, cucumbers, fresh herbs, roasted almonds, and any other add-ins you like. Add the dressing on top and toss to combine. Finish the salad with goat cheese and serve it up! Feel free to drizzle with more dressing as desired.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Summer Chicken Cobb Salad with Charred Corn
• Pear and Walnut Salad with Gorgonzola
• Quick Summer Tuna Pasta Salad
• Summer Watermelon Feta Salad
• Refreshing Cucumber Melon Salad
• Grilled Peaches with Cookie Crumble

Yield: Serves 4

Sweet Peach Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Balsamic Dressing:

• ¾ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (see notes)
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1-2 tablespoon honey (to taste)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Peach Goat Cheese Salad:

• 2 large peaches, sliced
• 1 cup sliced cucumbers
• ½ cup fresh herbs (I like basil and mint)
• 6-8 cups mixed greens (I use kale or spring mix)
• ⅓ cup chopped roasted almonds (salt-free)
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

1. DRESSING: Using 1 tablespoon of honey, combine the ingredients for the dressing in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Taste and adjust with more seasonings or the second tablespoon of honey as desired.
2. PREP: Prep the ingredients by slicing the peaches and cucumbers, and cleaning and chopping the herbs.
3. KALE: If using kale, I suggest cleaning and chopping the kale. Toss half of the dressing with the kale in a bowl. Massage the kale and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before topping.
4. SALAD: Arrange the kale or spring mix (arugula or baby spinach works too) on a platter. Top with the sliced peaches, cucumber slices, fresh herbs, roasted almonds, and goat cheese crumbles. Dress with more dressing as desired and serve.

Notes

• Balsamic: I like to use white balsamic vinegar for this recipe, but either will work!
• Dressing: You most likely won't end up using all the dressing. For us, this makes enough to dress two batches of this salad. We keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks!

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

Pickle-Brined Crispy Chicken Sandwiches are a Southern classic! These fried chicken sandwiches start with extra crispy chicken between soft brioche buns loaded with sweet and tangy homemade Chick-fil-A sauce, and extra pickles! Simple and so delicious!

If there’s anything on this planet that is ‘worth the calories’, it’s a homemade spicy chicken sandwich.

We start by brining chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs in a buttermilk pickle juice combo overnight. This allows the flavor to really get all the way into each bite. And then we’ll dredge them in seasoned flour and fry them up until they’re extra crispy.

I know, the internet is filled with chicken sandwich recipes. And if you’re not in the mood to make one, fast food chains like Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and KFC are typically right around the corner. But trust me when I say this, homemade is so much better. The hot and spicy honey mustard sauce gives this such an amazing flavor. Paired with a steamed potato bun, crisp lettuce, dill pickles, the taste is phenomenal!  This isn’t your average grab-and-go Chick-fil-A crispy chicken sandwich either! It’s one that’s treated with lots of love and care and enjoyed on hot summer evenings on the patio with friends or family.

As I said, it’s actually worth every. single. calorie.

What’s a crispy chicken sandwich?

A tender piece of boneless, skinless chicken that’s dredged in a flour mixture that often contains a variety of seasonings and spices. The flour coating adheres to the chicken, which is often brined in buttermilk or other liquids, creating a crumbly crust. When you fry the chicken, the coating becomes crispy and crunchy! Then, you pop this into a soft bun and top it with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients to make a super crispy chicken sandwich:

• Chicken: you have a few different options here, you could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or even boneless skinless chicken thighs. This recipe uses 1 pound of chicken (or two hefty chicken breasts) that were cut down the middle and pounded using a meat mallet into an even thickness. This allows the chicken breasts to fry up evenly in the oil so that each bit is perfect.
• buttermilk: because of its low pH, buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken without toughening it. I usually have buttermilk cubes in the freezer – I freeze leftovers in cubes so I have some when I need them. Or I use ⅓ cup of buttermilk powder with ¾ cup of water for this recipe, instead of the amount written on the package. I find it tastes much better this way!
• pickle juice: used as a brining liquid that helps tenderize and flavor the chicken. I typically use the juice of dill pickles, but you can use whatever you like here. We’ll add the chicken to a shallow dish and them let it soak in the pickle and buttermilk brine so that it gets nice and tender!
• sugar: sugar is used both in the brining mixture as well as the crunchy coating to create a well-balanced flavor
• all-purpose flour: is the base for our dredging mixture. I use a 50:50 mix of AP flour and cornstarch to add a better crunch to the chicken. What you won’t find in my recipe is panko or breadcrumbs! I find that these ingredients absorb a lot of oil during frying and make the sandwich a bit greasy!
• cornstarch: used 50:50 along with the flour to make the chicken breasts extra crispy.
• seasonings: we use a combination of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to create an ultra-flavorful flour coating and brining liquid. If you aren’t a fan of spice, swap the cayenne for paprika.
• oil for frying: You want to use high-heat oil for frying, such as peanut oil. Using oil that has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor is essential. If you didn’t want to use peanut oil, you could also use avocado, canola or vegetable oil.

How to make a crispy chicken sandwich:

1. Brine the chicken: Combine the ingredients for the pickle brine in a glass measuring cup. Add the chicken to a glass dish and pour the brining mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 18 hours in advance.
2. Dredge the chicken: Combine the flour, cornstarch, and seasonings in another pie dish and whisk until evenly combined. Remove the chicken from the brining liquid, but don’t discard it! Add a tablespoon of the brining liquid to the flour and whisk to combine. The crumbly texture will add extra crunch to the chicken! Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and place on a clean surface.
3. Let it hang out: Allow the chicken to sit for at least 10 minutes so that the flour mixture absorbs all the liquid. This will create a more crispy chicken sandwich!
4. Fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet and allow for it to heat up to 350ºF. You can check the temperature by clipping a thermometer to the side of the skillet so you can monitor it or frequently testing with a digital thermometer. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the skillet in batches and allow for it to fry for roughly 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a wire rack and allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes, you can fry the second batch while you wait, so you aren’t wasting time. Then, add the chicken back to the skillet and fry a second time until the chicken is crispy and cooked through to 165ºF.
5. Assemble the sandwich: Add a layer of mayo or homemade sauce (recipe below) to toasted buns, with sliced cheese, thinly sliced onions, romaine lettuce, and pickles! Or you could go the slaw route (which is how the Southerners do it!)

Toppings to use for your chicken sandwich:

• homemade coleslaw (a Southern classic!)
• pickles (you could even use fried pickles instead (!!!)
• homemade sweet and tangy sauce (recipe below)
• thinly sliced sweet onions
• romaine lettuce
• sliced cheese
• beefsteak tomato slices

Homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce:

It’s a simple sauce that tastes just like Chick Fil A sauce! I slather it on my sandwich and even use it to dunk my fries in!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons bbq sauce
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• ½-1 tablespoon sriracha (omit for less heat)

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Crispy Chicken Salad with Sriracha Honey BBQ Dressing
• Vietnamese Chicken Sandwich
• Best Homemade Sloppy Joes
• Chicken Gyros with French Fries
• Greek Gyros with Tzatziki

Original Recipe Shared June 2020, updated August 2023.

Yield: serves 4

Pickle-Brined Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Pickle-Brined Crispy Chicken Sandwiches are a Southern classic! These fried chicken sandwiches start with extra crispy chicken between soft brioche buns loaded with sweet and tangy homemade Chick-fil-A sauce, and extra pickles! Simple and so delicious!

Print

Ingredients

Brining:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 pieces (or 4 thighs)
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• ⅓ cup pickle juice
• 1 teaspoon EACH: kosher salt, sugar, AND garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Breading:

• ½ cup EACH: all-purpose flour AND cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder AND kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon EACH: black pepper, cayenne pepper AND onion powder

Serving:

• oil, for frying
• Buns, pickles, lettuce, cheese, sauce (in notes) and/or coleslaw

Instructions

1. BRINE: Combine the ingredients for the brine in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken and make sure it’s all covered in the marinade. Cover with wrap or a lid and refrigerator for 1-18 hours.
2. SET IT UP: Remove chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before frying. Combine the breading ingredients in a shallow dish and whisk. Add 1 tablespoon of the brining liquid, this helps create a crumbly crust.
3. BREADING: Remove chicken from brine, dripping off the excess before dredging it in the flour mixture. Press down to ensure the coating adheres. Gently lift the chicken pieces and shake to dust off excess. Place on a baking sheet and allow the coatings to dry, this creates a crispier chicken! Repeat with the remaining chicken.
4. FRY: Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat with 3-4 inches of oil to 350ºF. Gently lower the chicken into the oil in batches and fry. For 5-7 minutes, flipping around the halfway mark to cook the chicken all the way through. Remove to a baking sheet with a wire rack and immediately sprinkle with some kosher salt.
5. ASSEMBLE: Toast buns if desired top with prepared chicken, coleslaw, pickles, lettuce and or sauce (in notes.)

Notes

• Marinade: keep in mind that most of the flavor comes from the marinade. The longer the chicken sits in it, the more flavorful it will be. Plan ahead on this one if you can!
• To make the sauce: whisk together 2 tbsps honey, 2 tbsps bbq sauce, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, and ½-1 tbsp sriracha sauce in a small bowl and until smooth.
• feel free to omit the cayenne pepper from the breading and brining mixture if you prefer to keep this on the mild side!

August 2023 – Recipe updated with minor edits and easier to follow directions.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!