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!

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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.

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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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One Pan Sun-dried Tomato Baked Salmon Orzo Recipe that’s ready in around 35 minutes! Cook the orzo in broth, stir in baby spinach, and top with the salmon filets. Bake until the orzo is creamy and the salmon is tender!

It’s a one pot dinner kinda day!

This one not only has a minimum prep time, it also comes complete with sun-dried tomato and baby spinach flavored orzo in one pan! It’s totally giving Tuscan Chicken vibes. But it comes together in one pan with a pasta, veggies, and salmon.

We’ll start by making the salmon marinade in the same dish that you’ll bake the pasta in. Dip the salmon to coat both sides in the garlic and red pepper marinade. Then add the orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, and broth and let it cook in the oven until the orzo is almost done. We’ll top it with the salmon filets and bake a little longer. 

What you’re left with is an easy one pan salmon orzo dinner!

Ingredients for baked salmon orzo recipe:

• Salmon fillets: You’ll want to use 4-5 ounce fillets. Keep in mind that the cooking time will vary based on ounces of each salmon filet. You’ll want to reduce the cooking time for 4 ounces of salmon.
• Sun-dried Tomatoes: We’ll add sun-dried tomato oil to the marinade and then use the tomatoes themselves with the orzo and the pesto to give it tons of delicious flavor. If you don’t have the tomato that come packed in oil, you can swap it with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. But know that you’ll need to flavor the marinade with a few extra seasonings. The tomato oil really packs a flavorful punch!
• Melted Butter: use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of sodium in this recipe.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice helps flavor the marinade and is the acid that this recipe needs.
• Seasonings: You’ll need kosher salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. We’ll use all of these to flavor the marinade.
• Sun-dried tomato pesto: this is an ingredient that is readily available in most grocery stores these days. If you prefer to make your own, I have a recipe here.
• Garlic: we’ll mince a few cloves of garlic and add it to the orzo portion of the dish.
• Orzo pasta: You’ll need dry orzo pasta for this recipe. This is an ingredient that’s easily available in most grocery stores.
• Chicken Broth: I prefer to use low sodium chicken broth for this recipe and then adjust the sodium as needed.
• Parmesan Cheese: Adds umami and saltiness to the recipe. We’ll add the cheese, spinach, and cream once we remove the foil, right before. adding the salmon.
• Baby Spinach: Adds color and nutrients to the dish.
• Heavy Cream: Gives it a subtle hint of creaminess without being too much.
• Garnish: you can garnish this recipe with chopped parsley or chives. Any herbs that add subtle flavor will do!

Instructions for salmon orzo recipe:

• Make the marinade. Start by preheating the oven. While the oven heats through, we’ll combine the sun-dried tomato oil, butter, lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in the dish we plan on using for the orzo bake. Dip the salmon filets, flesh side down in the marinade. Then keep the fillets aside.
• Simmer the orzo. To the remaining marinade, add the pesto, tomatoes, fresh garlic, orzo and the broth. Cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil so that the orzo has a chance to boil and took through in the total time.
• Finish the dish.Remove the dish from the oven, you’ll notice the orzo looks watery, but don’t worry! Stir in the parmesan, spinach and cream. Place the marinated salmon on. top and let the dish cook until the salmon is tender and the orzo is al dente. Remove from the oven and top with parsley or other fresh herbs.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Tomato Basil and Feta Cheese Orzo Salad
• Roasted Garlic Italian Couscous Salad with Olives
• Skillet Chili Crisp Salmon with Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad
• Garlic Butter Baked Salmon in Foil
• Pineapple Salsa Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze

Yield: Serves 4

Sun-dried Tomato Baked Salmon Orzo Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

One Pan Sun-dried Tomato Baked Salmon Orzo Recipe that's ready in around 35 minutes! Cook the orzo in broth, stir in baby spinach, and top with the salmon filets. Bake until the orzo is creamy and the salmon is tender!

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Ingredients

• 4 (4-5 ounce) salmon fillets
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (+ 2tbsp oil)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto (homemade or store-bought)
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 12 ounces dry orzo
• 2 ¾ cup chicken broth (or vegetable)
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 ½ cups baby spinach, chopped
• ¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400ºF. Add the sundried tomato oil, melted butter, lemon juice, kosher salt, garlic powder, and pepper flakes, to a 12x9 baking dish and whisk it together.
2. MARINATE: Dip or brush the salmon filets with the marinade (leaving most of it in the pan.) Set the salmon filets aside for now on a plate.
3. BAKE: To the remaining marinade in the pan, add pesto, sun-dried tomato slices, garlic, orzo and the broth, cover with a tight fitting lid or with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. STIR: Remove the dish from the oven, stir in the parmesan, baby spinach, and heavy cream until combined.
5. TOP: Place the salmon filets over the orzo and veggies, and roast uncovered for another 12-18 minute depending on the thickness of the filet and how well done you like your salmon.
6. SERVE: Serve the salmon filets with the orzo and enjoy!

Notes

• Swaps: feel free to swap the tomato pesto for basil pesto if that's more your thing.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: if yours didn't come packed in oil, you can still use them but you'll need to amp up seasonings for the salmon a bit and swap the oil for olive oil.

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A simple Mediterranean pasta salad loaded with fresh arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, pine nuts, kalamata olives, basil pesto and so much more! A Mediterranean Pasta Salad like you’ve never had before!

My friends, I present to you, L❤️VE in a bowl.

And I’m not just being sappy. That’s actually the name of this salad – or well, the name of the salad that this is inspired by. It’s called Pasta Amore. And baby, it’s true love.

This Italian-inspired pasta salad it unlike any Mediterranean pasta salad you’ve ever had before. Because unlike all those other salads, this one actually has all the flavors of Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean wrapped together in every bite. We’re talking about sun-dried tomatoes, mingling with fresh basil pesto, tangy artichokes, buttery pine nuts, and briny olives. We’ll finish it off with lots of parmesan cheese. One bite and you’ll know why they call this what they call this.

Unlike your typical Mediterranean salad, you know what I’m talking about – the red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onions, and cucumbers all tossed with fusilli or farfalle, this is a refreshing take off the worn-out path of Greek salads masked as Mediterranean Pasta Salads. Yes, I said it. Can you feel the passion?

We’re adding richness with our veggie choices! Skip the grape tomatoes and do sun-dried tomatoes, forget the feta cheese entirely, and use marinated artichoke hearts instead of cucumbers, how can you be mad at that?

And the best part? It’s NOT another mayonnaise-based salad. So it’s healthier too! And on top of that, it feeds a crowd! There’s just so much goodness going into this recipe that it’ll easily feed 12-14 people as a small side. If you’re planning on taking this to a book club or a summer barbecue, make extra because they are going to rave about it and then ask you for the recipe.

I serve this cold pasta salad as a side dish with grilled chicken, but you could just add cooked diced chicken into the Mediterranean pasta salad as well to make it even more hearty and filling!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad (28 sec.):

Ingredients for Mediterranean Pasta Salad:

• Pasta: You can use any shape of pasta that you like for this recipe. I’m using penne pasta and I boil them in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Then drain and rinse the pasta under cold water.
• Marinated Artichoke Hearts: These add a delicious tart flavor. They also bulk up the salad. If you can’t find these in a store near you, you can also purchase them online.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: We’ll make full use of this ingredient! Make sure to save some of the oil that the sun-dried tomatoes come packed in, they add a delicious flavor to the basil pesto dressing.
• Kalamata Olives + Capers: These briny ingredients help cut the richness of the pine nuts and make this such a refreshing summer salad.
• Scallions and parsley: These ingredients add freshness. Feel free to use other fresh herbs if you prefer.
• Arugula: I love the pepperiness arugula adds to summer salads. Feel free to use kale in its place if you prefer.
• Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese adds the most delicious flavor to this salad.
• Pine nuts: Add nuttiness and richness to the salad, freely free to replace with cashews for a more economical option.
• Fresh Basil Pesto: I love using my homemade basil pesto for this recipe. It gives the dressing the most unique flavor! Just shake it all up in a jar.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Goes into the basil pesto with lemon juice to thin it out.
• Lemon Juice: This is the acid for the basil pesto dressing.
• Salt and pepper: kosher salt and pepper will go into the dressing for the salad.

How to Make the Best Pasta Salad:

1. Start with the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. I like to let the pasta cool to room temperature before tossing it with the other ingredients.
2. Make the salad. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, scallions, and parsley. Then give everything a good toss.
3. Make the dressing. In a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the pesto, olive oil, tomato oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Shake the container to combine. Taste the dressing to make sure it’s to your liking. You can refrigerate the dressing until you’re ready to serve. You can even make it a day in advance if you prefer. Serve the salad cold though.
4. Toss and serve. When you’re ready to serve, add the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts to the salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the top. Using salad tossers toss the salad until it’s combined. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as the salad needs.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Amazing Macaroni Salad
• Lemon Basil Arugula Pasta Salad
• Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
• Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
• Mediterranean Tuna Orzo Summer Salad

Yield: 8 large servings or 12 small

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

A simple Mediterranean pasta salad loaded with fresh arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, pine nuts, kalamata olives, basil pesto and so much more! It's a copy-cat recipe for Cafe Express's Pasta Amore and let me just say it's actually BETTER!

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Ingredients

salad:

• 12 ounces pasta (any small shape will do, I like penne)
• 1-12 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons of oil)
• ½ cup kalamata olives, chopped
• 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• ¼ cup EACH sliced scallions AND chopped parsley
• 1 cup packed fresh arugula, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts

dressing:

• 3 tablespoons pesto (homemade or store bought)
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of reserved sun-dried tomato oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. SALAD: Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Rinse and drain the pasta and allow it to cool to room temperature. You can speed this up by spreading the pasta out on a baking sheet and refrigerating it for 30 minutes.
2. TOSS: In a large bowl combine the cooled pasta, chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, scallions, and parsley. Toss to combine.
3. MAKE-AHEAD: At this point, you can cover and store the pasta salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve if you want to serve it cold.
4. DRESSING: In a small bowl, mix together the pesto, olive oil, sun-dried tomato oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. The dressing can be covered and refrigerated until you're ready to serve the salad.
5. ASSEMBLY: Right before serving, add the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts into the salad and toss to combine. Dress with the prepared dressing and taste for seasonings. Adjust with additional salt or other ingredients to preference.

Notes

• ADD PROTEIN: Feel free to toss in cooked chicken to make this salad even heartier.
• TRANSPORTING: If you're transporting this salad, to simplify things, you can place the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts on top of the prepared salad and toss when you get there with the dressing.

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Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta is so quick and easy to make! Start by infusing butter and olive oil with garlic and lots of lemon zest. Toss cooked spaghetti with cream and lemon juice until you’ve got the most luscious Pasta Al Limone! Top with lemon zest and grated parmesan cheese!

Can you tell how delicious this creamy lemon garlic pasta is through the screen? 

This pasta al limone takes me right back to the Amalfi coast, and oh, how I wish I could stay there forever! Where they make everything with fresh ingredients, even the pasta!

Twirly forkfuls of creamy lemon garlic pasta – lemon garlic like you’ve never had it before. If you’re thinking this is one of those recipes that has a tangy lemon flavor exploding from every corner, think again. This is all the bright, citrusy notes of fresh lemon zest rolled into a creamy slightly garlicky sauce without the punch of lemon juice. Just like they serve it in Positano! The secret is to use way more lemon zest than juice so though it’s definitely lemony, it won’t make you pucker. 

When the weather is warm, serve it up with a boatload of fresh basil. I promise it’s the perfect, simple pasta dish to make your beau for date night dinner in or Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients for Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta:

• Pasta: You can use any shape of noodles you like for this recipe. I prefer to use something long, like spaghetti, linguine, or spaghettini, though truth be told, almost any shape will work. More ideas are below. Pasta instructions are to cook to al dente and reserve some of that starchy pasta water to make the sauce later! Gluten-free pasta may also work for this recipe, however, I haven’t tested it, so I can’t say with 100% certainty.
• Butter + Olive Oil: You’ll need both of these ingredients as the starter for the lemon garlic butter sauce. We’ll add a cold knob of butter with minced garlic and lemon zest to a pan and slowly let the flavors infuse into the butter on the lowest heat setting as the butter melts.
• Minced garlic: I highly recommend using fresh garlic for this recipe. You can mince the garlic with a knife or press it through a garlic press. I would avoid using the stuff in a jar as it contains other ingredients. When you infuse the butter and extra virgin olive oil, you want to use fresh garlic for the best flavor. Also, feel free to make this as garlicky as you’d like. I typically recommend 5 garlic cloves, so that the garlic flavor doesn’t overpower the lemon in every bite. However, you could push this to 8 cloves if you prefer to go heavier on the garlic!
• Red Pepper Flakes: Adds flavor and the babiest of kicks to the lemon butter sauce.
• Lemons: You’ll need lemons for both the zest and the fresh lemon juice. We’ll peel the lemons in two different ways. First, you’ll want to use a vegetable peeler to make large peels to infuse the butter with. Then, we’ll use our zester for the rest of the lemon zest that will flavor this easy recipe. I’m talking at least a heaping tablespoon at the end, maybe even more!
• Heavy Cream: will go in towards the end to make the sauce creamy. Be sure to use heavy cream (also called heavy whipping cream) or any other kind of cream product with a minimum of 36% dairy fat.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: Helps thicken the cream sauce towards the end.
• Fresh herbs for topping: Fresh parsley or basil make an additional topping if you’re looking to add a fresh ingredient to the dish right at the end.

How to make this lemon pasta recipe

1. Start with the pasta. In a large pot of salted water boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions. We’ll finish cooking the sauce in a large skillet with the sauce, so you don’t want to take the pasta to al dente just yet. When the pasta is done, save a cup of pasta water then, drain the pasta.
2. Start the sauce. When there are 5 minutes left on the pasta, add the knob of butter, olive oil, garlic, and garlic lemon peels to a skillet over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Let the butter melt slowly as the flavors infuse. Take your time here. It should be 5-10 minutes; and if it starts simmering too quickly, lower the heat to low.
3. Make the lemon sauce. When the butter has melted, and the garlic starts to simmer lightly, kick it up to medium heat and add the heavy cream. When the cream starts to bubble, remove the large lemon peels.
4. Making pasta al limone. Add the pasta noodles to the pan and stir to combine. Pour the lemon juice and let it come to a simmer so that the pasta can finish cooking. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time as you stir to give it enough liquid to cook through. Sprinkle with grated parmesan, this will help thicken the sauce a bit. Add the fine lemon zest and a pinch of black pepper. When the sauce thickens slightly, taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve warm with seared chicken, fish, or your protein of choice. If the sauce thickens too much at any point, just add a splash of pasta water and stir it together. Leftovers hand out in an airtight container in the refrigerator just fine! I usually reheat it in the microwave with a little water.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Weeknight Pasta Puttanesca
• Easy Spinach Pesto Pasta
• Calabrian Chili Pasta with Shrimp
• Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
• Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Yield: Serves 3-4

Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta (Pasta al Limone)

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta is so quick and easy to make! Start by infusing butter and olive oil with garlic and lots of lemon zest. Toss cooked spaghetti with cream and lemon juice until you've got the most luscious Pasta Al Limone! Top with lemon zest and grated parmesan cheese!

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces of dry spaghetti (or other shapes)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5-8 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (use more if you prefer it spicier)
• 2 lemons zested (1 peeled with a peeler, the other finely zested)
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, plus more for serving
• Kosher salt + black pepper

Instructions

1. PASTA: Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Salt the water generously, and cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of the package directions. When the pasta is done, set aside 1 cup of pasta water, and drain the pasta.
2. LEMON SAUCE: When the pasta has about 5 minutes remaining, heat the butter and olive oil with minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and the large peels of lemon over medium-low heat. Let the butter melt slowly, this will take up to 5-10 minutes. When the butter has melted, and the garlic starts to simmer, add in the heavy cream and kick the heat up to medium, when the cream starts bubbling, remove the large lemon peels.
3. PASTA AL LIMONE: Add the drained pasta and stir to combine. Pour the lemon juice to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time to make it as creamy as you’d like. Sprinkle with grated parmesan, fine lemon zest, and a dash of black pepper. Stir to combine, taste and adjust salt or pasta water as needed. When the sauce thickens slightly, serve warm with chicken, fish, or shrimp! If the sauce thickens too much at any point, use the pasta water to thin it back out again to your liking.

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These Gochujang Noodles have become a weeknight staple for us! Creamy noodles loaded with gochujang, garlic, soy sauce, smooth tahini paste, and a few other ingredients. Toss everything together in a bowl and serve with your favorite greens and a soft-boiled egg. Dinner in under 30 minutes!

Gochujang noodles are coming in HOT 🔥🔥🔥

And I don’t mean the spice level. These are creamy, cozy, chewy, and so comforting. And nothing beats a 30-minute meal that’s super flavorful.

Korean-inspired gochujang noodles aka spicy noodles have been on repeat over here for weeks. I can’t get them out of my mind because, simply put, they’re a flavor explosion. We’re talking garlic, tahini paste, lots of green onions, some heat from the gochujang, and soy sauce.  We’ll heat up some oil on the stove and then pour this all over to create a creamy sauce that clings to the noodles. Ugh, they’re a dream in a bowl! Top them off with some sesame seeds and serve them with greens and an egg or chicken, fish or beef, whatever you like!

Gochujang noodles are seriously the perfect savory and comforting noodle dish!

Ingredients for homemade gochujang noodles:

• Noodles: I like to use Korean-style wheat noodles or udon noodles for this recipe. The udon noodles make them chewy and bouncy, and it’s delicious that way when you can find them! Feel free to use rice noodles if you’re gluten-free or ramen noodles or even egg noodles if that’s what you have on hand. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the cooking package so you achieve the best results! Spaghetti or spaghettini cooked just past al dente will also work.
• Gochugaru: Is a chili flake often used in Korean cooking. You can find large bags of it at the Asian store or in plastic bottles. I usually buy one of these, and it lasts me forever! I do suggest using this ingredient if possible because the flavor is more authentic that way. However, in a pinch, you could sub with a little chili powder and red pepper flakes.
• Garlic: Fresh pressed garlic helps flavor the noodles. I use 6 small cloves, and it packs a nice garlicky punch!
• Scallions or green onions: Go into the chili oil that we’ll toss the pasta in.
• Gochujang Paste: Gochujang is a chili paste that you can easily find in the international aisle of most grocery stores these days. I use 2 tablespoons of the mild paste, and it’s perfect for our palate that way. Keep in mind these noodles do have a bit of a kick and might not be suitable for small children.
• Cooking oil + sesame oil: You’ll need 2 tbsps of high-heat cooking oil like avocado, vegetable, canola, or corn. You’ll also need a splash of toasted sesame oil.
• Tahini Paste: The sesame paste gives these noodles the most amazing flavor! I love how good these noodles are with the creamy tahini. There’s no need for dairy or cream when you use this ingredient! If you like the thought of adding tahini to your noodles, you may also want to try these creamy noodles made with peanut butter.
• Soy sauce: You’ll need a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce to flavor the silky sauce for the noodles. I usually have low-sodium soy sauce on hand and if that’s you too, feel free to use that! Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt to make up the difference. You can also use gluten-free tamari if you prefer.
• Rice Vinegar: Adds tartness to the chili oil so that it’s even more addicting!
• Sugar: helps balance the salty ingredients with some sweetness.
• Sides for serving: Feel free to top these with spring onions, chopped cilantro, or any other herbs that you like! I usually opt for a big pinch of toasted sesame seeds. You can also serve this with steamed broccoli or other greens. I usually use baby bok choy because it’s one of my favorite veggies. A soft-boiled egg cooked for 51/2-6 minutes also tastes great on this!

How to make gochujang noodles

1. Prepare the noodles. Start by heating a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. While the water is boiling, prepare the sauce. When the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook them according to the directions on the package. This can vary greatly from noodle to noodle, so be sure to follow package instructions. Keep a 1/2 cup of cooking liquid before you drain the noodles.
2. Make the sauce. While the water is boiling, get started on the sauce. In a large bowl, combine the gochugaru, minced garlic, scallions, toasted sesame oil, and gochujang paste. Heat the avocado oil in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Make sure to keep a close eye on the so that it doesn’t start smoking. When the oil is hot, add the oil to the other ingredients in the bowl. Then stir in the tahini paste, sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
3. Toss the noodles.​​​​ Immediately add the noodles to the prepared sauce and toss them to coat evenly. If you need more liquid, add a splash of the cooking liquid and toss.
4. Serve them up. Place the noodles in bowls, top with a soft-boiled egg and steamed or sauteed bok choy, and serve with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, or anything else you like!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Crazy Good Quick Garlic Noodles
• Cantonese Pan-fried Noodles
• Garlicky Pad See Ew
• Sesame Peanut Noodles with Chicken
• Quick Kimchi Fried Rice

Yield: Serves 4

Quick Sesame Gochujang Noodles

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

These Gochujang Noodles have become a weeknight staple for us! Creamy noodles loaded with gochujang, garlic, soy sauce, smooth tahini paste, and a few other ingredients. Toss everything together in a bowl and serve with your favorite greens and a soft-boiled egg. Dinner in under 30 minutes!

Print

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dry noodles (udon, wheat, etc.)
• ½-2 teaspoons Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 4-6 cloves garlic, pressed
• 4 scallions, greens only
• 2 teaspoons EACH: sesame oil AND sugar
• 2 tablespoons Gochujang paste
• 2 tablespoons high-heat oil (such as avocado)
• 1 tablespoon tahini paste
• 2 tablespoons EACH: rice vinegar AND soy sauce
• Soft boiled eggs, for serving
• Steamed baby bok choy, for serving

Instructions

1. NOODLES: Heat a large pot of water to boiling, cook your noodles of choice according to package directions. When the noodles are done, set aside ½ cup of cooking liquid, drain the noodles, set aside but keep warm.
2. SAUCE: Add gochugaru, minced garlic, scallions, sesame oil, and gochujang paste to a bowl. Heat the avocado oil in a small saucepan and pour it over the ingredients. Stir in the tahini, sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. 
3. TOSS: Immediately add the noodles to the prepared sauce and toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, use a couple tablespoons of the cooking liquid from the noodles so the sauce coats the noodles.
4. SERVE: noodles in bowls topped with soft boiled eggs and steamed bok choy.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 278Total Fat: 14gCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gProtein: 8g

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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Orzo Risotto is the perfect side dish with almost any meal! Tender pasta in a creamy garlic parmesan cheese sauce with a splash of truffle oil! Pasta risotto is made the same way you make rice risotto – slowly add a splash of chicken broth and stir it until it absorbs. It’s less than ten ingredients and is ready in around 30 minutes! 

If you’re asking yourself, can you really make risotto with orzo, the answer is yes!

Orzo risotto is the side dish you didn’t know you needed.

It’s extra luxe, made with rice-shaped pasta (which is delicious in soups, by the way) instead of risotto made with traditional arborio rice. Each bite is a party in your mouth. Seriously luxurious with tender orzo pasta, a little knob of butter for sheen, and a splash of cream to make this just a little something special. Most of these ingredients are stashed in your pantry or refrigerator, I’m convinced. 

I like to hit it with a little splash of white truffle oil during the holidays just to make it perfect for serving with seared steak and shrimp, with my whole roasted chicken, lemon garlic braised chicken, or my chicken with garlicky mushroom cream sauce. But the truffle oil is totally optional!

Orzo risotto is the side dish you didn’t know you needed! It’s one for the monthly meal rotation for sure.

Ingredients for this orzo risotto recipe

• Olive Oil: You’ll need a glug of oil to saute the minced shallots, garlic, and dry orzo pasta in the pan.
• Chicken broth: If you’d like to keep this recipe vegetarian-friendly, you can use vegetable broth or stock instead of chicken.
• Shallot: I like to use a shallot for this recipe as it has a milder flavor and works well with the other ingredients. Feel free to swap it with a chopped white or yellow onion if you don’t have a shallot on hand.
• Garlic Cloves: MInce fresh garlic for this recipe if possible. The stuff in the jar doesn’t taste as great!
• Orzo Pasta: Orzo pasta is readily available in most grocery stores. You’ll need 10 oz. for this recipe. See below for subs if you can’t find it in your area.
• Fresh Thyme: Thyme adds a lemony flavor to the risotto. If you don’t have thyme on hand, you can finish the risotto with a pinch of freshly grated lemon zest.
• Seasonings: I use kosher salt, black pepper or white pepper, and mushroom powder to flavor the risotto. Umami seasoning is an ingredient that adds umami to any recipe that you use it in. It’s available at Trader Joe’s but you can also find it in mainstream grocery stores and online here. Typically made with ground-up mushrooms, and often labeled as mushroom powder as well!
• Unsalted Butter: You’ll need a knob of butter to finish the risotto. This just gives it a nice sheen and makes it glossy!
• Heavy Cream: I use 2 tbsp of heavy cream to finish the risotto. The cream helps balance all the other flavors and it pairs beautifully with the white truffle oil.
• Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese is a must! It just adds another layer to the umami from the mushroom powder.
• White Truffle oil: This is an optional ingredient but I like to stir it in right at the end to give it a delicious, earthy flavor.

How to make orzo risotto

1. Start with broth. In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the chicken broth until it reaches a boil; lower the heat to the lowest setting so that it just stays warm.
2. Start the risotto. In a wide 3-quart saute pan or larger, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the shallots in the oil with a pinch of kosher salt for a few minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until the shallots are nice and translucent. You don’t want there to be any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and the orzo and toast it for a few minutes. Then season with the fresh thyme sprigs and the mushroom powder.
3. Make risotto. Add a cup of the warm chicken broth to the orzo and then set a timer for 2 minutes less than the max cooking directions on the orzo package. When most of the liquid simmers off, add another 1/2 cup of stock. Stir continuously so that the orzo releases the starch into the broth and so that the risotto is nice and creamy. Keep adding the stock as needed. Test the orzo when the timer goes off. If it needs more time, add more broth as needed and continue to cook.
4. Finish and serve. Stir in the butter and the heavy cream. Then add the grated parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as desired. We love adding a drizzle of white truffle oil to this right before pulling off the heat. Serve this with your choice of protein – chicken or steak are some great options!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Beef and Barley Soup
• Garlicky Orzo Shrimp Scampi
• Mediterranean Tuna Orzo Summer Salad
• Roasted Garlic Pearl Couscous Salad
• Hearty Minestrone Soup

Yield: Serves 5

Garlic Parmesan Orzo Risotto

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Orzo Risotto is the perfect side dish with almost any meal! Tender pasta in a creamy garlic parmesan cheese sauce with a splash of truffle oil! Pasta risotto is made the same way you make rice risotto – slowly add a splash of chicken broth and stir it until it absorbs. It's less than ten ingredients and is ready in around 30 minutes! 

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Ingredients

• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 ounces dry orzo pasta
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• ½ teaspoon umami seasoning (opt. see notes)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• Kosher salt + white pepper
• 2 teaspoons white truffle oil (optional)

Instructions

1. SIMMER: In a small saucepan, heat the stock over medium heat. When it starts to simmer, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let it hang out there.
2. SAUTE: In a wide, 3-quart saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the shallot in the oil with a pinch of salt for 4-5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and the orzo pasta and continue to cook for another 3 minutes or until the orzo is golden. Add in the fresh thyme sprigs, and season with umami seasoning, if desired.
3. RISOTTO: add 1 cup of warm chicken stock to the orzo and stir to combine. Set a timer for 2 minutes less than the max package directions as soon as you add the stock. When most of the liquid has evaporated from the pan, add ½ cup of stock, stir and continue this process until the timer goes off. Test the orzo at this point and see if it needs to be cooked longer; you can let it go for another 2-3 minutes if necessary. You may not end up using all the stock, it just depends on how much the orzo soaks up.
4. FINISH: Stir in the butter and the heavy cream until it’s all combined. Then add the grated parmesan. Taste and adjust with salt and white pepper as desired. I love to add a drizzle of white truffle oil right before serving!
   

Notes

• Umami Seasoning is also often labeled 'mushroom powder.' This is an optional ingredient, but it does add a ton of rich flavor to the orzo risotto!

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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!

This baked Gruyere Mac and Cheese is topped with a combination of buttery panko, parmesan, and crushed-up French onions. Loaded with three types of cheese and this baked mac and cheese is creamy perfection! The best kind of comfort food for the holiday! 

I could polish off an entire casserole dish of this stuff on my own.

This certainly beats the stovetop mac I ate growing up. Nutty, buttery, crunchy, and creamy gruyere mac and cheese. The cheese sauce recipe has three types of cheeses and this tastes so much like perfection it could make an adult cry. It will most definitely be polished off at the Thanksgiving or Christmas table. 

And let’s think about this intense flavor for a second. Nutty gruyere cheese, shredded fontina, and loads of pepper jack all folded into the white cheese sauce tossed with al dente pasta. We season the cheese sauce with garlic salt and onion powder so not only is it comforting, it packs a flavorful punch. And if you wanted to take the liberty of switching out pepper jack for sharp white cheddar, I would not be mad at that. And then comes the buttery panko bread crumbs laced with french onions. Yes, I’m talking about the stuff that comes in a tub around Thanksgiving. Crush it up in a bag and sprinkle it into your panko mixture with a generous handful of parmesan cheese. 

I promise you, if you like onion-flavored anything, you will thank me for the rest of your life! The onion flavor runs throughout the casserole and into the buttery crust. But don’t worry, it’s not overpowering at all.

It has the max level of onion flavor that would still be considered acceptable to eat in public!

Ingredients for gruyere mac and cheese:

• Elbow Macaroni: We’ll start by boiling the pasta in a large pot of salted water. You’ll want to make sure you underboil the pasta as it will finish cooking in the cheese sauce in the oven.
• Butter: You’ll need a full stick of butter for this recipe. We’ll use it with some flour to make the roux. The rest we’ll melt and toss with the bread crumbs.
• Flour: all purpose flour combined with the melted butter makes the roux that is the starter for the creamy cheese sauce.
• Whole Milk + Half and Half: For me, both of these ingredients give the baked mac and cheese the right amount of creaminess. For my folks that don’t live in the US, half and half is a 50:50 blend of cream and whole milk. So if you didn’t want to use half and half or can’t find it, just replace half of it with whole milk and the other half with cream (for 1/2 cup of each in this case.)
• Seasonings: This is not a bland gruyere mac and cheese, so we’re seasoning this bad boy up. I use onion powder, garlic salt, and white pepper in the cream sauce. White pepper just makes it so that it has all of the pepper flavor, without speckles in your mac and cheese. But black pepper would certainly work if you don’t mind the little specks.
• Cheeses: I’m using Swiss gruyère cheese with fontina and pepper jack. I love the slight kick that the pepper jack gives. Other cheeses that would work well: white cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, Muenster, Asiago, and Gouda.
• Panko bread crumbs: You’ll want to use this kind specifically. The flakey texture helps provide the perfect crunch topping.
• Crispy Fried Onions: These are just shallots dusted with a seasoned flour mixture and fried. They’re what a lot of families use on their green bean casserole. Crush them up in a small bag and mix them with butter, panko, and parmesan. This just gives this whole thing the perfect flavor *chefs kiss* The onions just build on the onion powder we’ve added to the cheese sauce. 
• Parmesan Cheese: grated parmesan cheese just builds on the nuttiness of the gruyere.

How to make gruyere mac and cheese:

1. Prep everything first. Start by preheating the oven, spraying a casserole dish with cooking spray, and bringing a large pot of salted water to boiling. You’ll also want to combine 1 cup of each gruyere, fontina, and pepper jack in a bowl. This will go into the cheese sauce. We’ll sprinkle the remaining cup of gruyere on top of the mac and cheese before the panko goes on.
2. Boil the pasta. When the water is boiling, add the pasta. Cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the package instructions. When the pasta is done, set aside 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta in a sieve and keep warm.
3. Make the cheese sauce. Add a few tablespoons of butter to a large saucepan. When the butter melts, whisk in the flour and continue to cook it so that it doesn’t taste raw. Then slowly pour in the whole milk as you whisk. Once the milk is added, add the half and half. Season the cream sauce with garlic salt, onion powder, and white pepper. Let it cook and thicken for a few minutes. You want the cream mixture to easily coat the back of a spoon. Then lower the heat or pull the saucepan off the heat entirely if you’re scared. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese into the sauce at a time until it melts. Then add the next. Repeat this until all the cheese has been added. Stir in the pasta and add 3/4 cup of pasta water. Until it forms a sauce thin enough to coat the pasta. This will act as cooking liquid for the pasta so that it finishes in the oven.
4. Bake until bubbly. Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into your prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cup of shredded gruyere. In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in the panko and fried onions. Then add the parmesan and sprinkle this all over the gruyere cheese layer of the mac and cheese. Bake the casserole until golden and bubbly, about 20-30 minutes. If the crust starts browning too quickly, just tent it loosely with foil so that it stays golden brown. Serve warm and watch the crowd go wild!

If you like this recipe, you might also like these other cheese recipes:

• 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Caramelized Onion Dip
• Roasted Garlic Asiago Mashed Potatoes
• Buttermilk Cheddar Bay Biscuits
• Bubbly Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

Yield: Serves 8

Gruyere Mac and Cheese with French Onion Crust

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

This baked Gruyere Mac and Cheese is topped with a combination of buttery panko, parmesan, and crushed-up French onions. Loaded with three types of cheese and this baked mac and cheese is creamy perfection! The best kind of comfort food for the holiday! 

Print

Ingredients

• 16 ounces dried elbow pasta (macaroni)
• 8 tablespoons salted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1½ cup whole milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
• 1 cup EACH: shredded fontina AND pepper jack cheese
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup crushed up crispy fried onions (such as French’s)
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Combine 1 cup of Gruyère, fontina, and pepper jack cheese in a bowl and set aside for now.
2. BOIL: Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 3 minutes shy of al dente (timing should be on the packaging.) Set aside 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta in a sieve and set aside.
3. SAUCE: Melt 3 tbsp butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the whole milk as you whisk, then add the half and half. Continue to whisk until the sauce is no longer lumpy season with garlic salt, onion powder, and white pepper. Let cook until it starts to bubble and slightly thicken; about 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat to low or remove the saucepan from the heat. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese and whisk until combined. Then add the next cup and continue to whisk. Repeat until all the cheese has been added to the sauce. Stir in the pasta. And add ¾ cup of pasta water. If the sauce looks a little dry after stirring, add the remaining ¼ cup of pasta water. I usually use the whole cup.
4. BAKE: Pour the macaroni and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cup of shredded Gruyère. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 5 tbsp of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the panko and crispy fried onions. Then add the parmesan. Sprinkle this all over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 20-30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if the top starts browning too quickly. Serve warm from the oven.

Notes

• Cheese: You can swap the pepper jack for Monterey, gouda, muenster, asiago, or any other kind of white melting cheese you like!

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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!

Learn how to make THE BEST quick garlic noodles. Loaded with tons of green onions, finely minced garlic, and sauteed in a knob of butter. There are a few unusual ingredients here, but trust me, these are the best garlic noodles you’ll ever have! Ready in around 15 minutes!

Here it is! Here it is!

The recipe that I’ve had on my mind for as long as I’ve been breathing — quick garlic noodles!

A noodle dish with chewy noodles sauteed in a knob of butter with fresh minced garlic, and tons of fresh green onions. We’ve got oyster sauce and a generous splash of fish sauce too.

Okay, I know; the internet is full of garlic noodles. But believe me, this one is different. It has a couple of unusual ingredients. Not usual like I’m sending you on a wild goose chase for a hard-to-find ingredient you’ve never heard of. Unusual in the sense that you don’t typically see it paired often with oyster sauce and fish sauce. But you know what; I’ll never make garlic noodles without them now. Not that I needed any more reassurances, but when I walk into the kitchen to find hubby licking the tongs clean as he goes slightly wide-eyed from being caught in the act, I’m pretty sure I’ve made the garlickiest garlic noodles around town.

And after having some of the best garlic noodles on Maui, in San Francisco, and pretty much anywhere else I can find them on the menu, I’m proud to say this is one crazy good batch of garlic noodles. And what makes these even better? They take in the ballpark of 15 minutes to make and use mostly pantry and refrigerator staple ingredients. You can use ramen noodles, spaghetti, or chuka soba noodles like I’m using. Top with sauteed shrimp, crab, lobster, and crispy tofu with a squeeze of sriracha if you please.

Quick Garlic Noodles Video:

Ingredients for homemade garlic noodles recipe:

The ingredient list on my quick garlic noodles is short. Ten simple ingredients.

• Butter and Oil: You’ll want a combination of the two. The oil helps raise the temperature of the butter so that it doesn’t burn.
• Fresh Garlic: we’ll saute the garlic in the butter so that the flavor infuses throughout this noodle recipe.
• Scallions: We’ll saute these with the garlic to infuse the butter and you can certainly add more on top as a garnish if you’d like.
• Fish Sauce: adds a ton of umami flavor to the noodles as well as salt. If you follow a vegan diet, I suggest making vegan fish sauce using the various recipes on the internet. If all else fails, you can add a splash of soy sauce instead.
• Oyster sauce: adds a salty element to the noodles. For my vegan friends, you can use oyster mushroom sauce instead. 
• Granulated sugar: adds sweetness and helps balances the salty elements of the dish. Feel free to use brown sugar if you’d like.
• Parmesan Cheese: Your eyes don’t deceive you! I did indeed right parmesan! So this ingredient works beautifully with the oyster sauce and the fish sauce to give this dish an umami flavor bomb! If you’re vegan you can use a vegan parm alternative, although I do expect that the flavor will be somewhat different.
• Prepared noodles: You’ll want to use 8 ounces of dried noodles for this recipe and prepare them according to package instructions in a saucepan. For the noodles, I used Chuka soba noodles that my local grocery store carries. You can use just about any kind you like! Egg noodles, Hong Kong-style noodles, or even spaghetti or angel hair pasta will do. This is a fusion recipe; there’s no wrong answer here!
• Fried Garlic: It can be a tricky ingredient to find in a regular grocery store, so you can certainly omit it from the recipe or make your own! But know that the fried garlic bits on top are what truly make this recipe irresistible. If you’ve got easy access to an Asian supermarket, you can find this easily! Just know that a lot of the brands fry their garlic in palm oil. If you also feel strongly about avoiding palm oil, I suggest checking the ingredient list before you buy. I was lucky enough to find a brand that didn’t, locally. But here’s a brand that fries them in soybean oil in case you’re interested.

How to make the best garlic noodles on the planet:

1. Boil the noodles: Set a large pot of water to boil. When the pasta water reaches a boil, cook them according to the package directions. As the pasta cooks, you can start the infusion of the butter. Drain the pasta and set it aside until you’re ready to toss it. 
2. Infuse the butter. The key to making good garlic noodles is to make sure you do this step right. Which is allowing the minced garlic and scallions to really infuse all of their flavors into the oil and butter.  Start with a cold large skillet, add the butter, oil, garlic, and scallions and slowly let the pan heat up. This will take you about 5-7 minutes, but trust me, this is the part you don’t want to rush. The total time is still in the ballpark of under 30 minutes, and I promise it’s worth the wait!
3. Make garlic noodles. While the garlic is simmering, combine the fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Once the garlic is done, you’ll want to kick it up to medium-high heat and add the sauces. Give it 30 seconds to simmer and then add the cooked noodles and toss it all in the sauce. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce as you’d like. If you’re just starting off, I suggest doing a tablespoon of each of the fish sauce and the oyster sauce. You can always add more but you can’t take it away! Top with fried garlic right before serving. And don’t anticipate any leftovers!

What’s to love about this recipe:

• They take about 15 minutes, give or take.
• You’ve probably got almost all the ingredients in your pantry or refrigerator.
• You can serve this with just any kind of protein! Hubby made a spicy Thai Chicken last week, and we swapped the quinoa for garlic noodles. But really, we’ve had this with Miso Ginger Salmon too, and you just can’t go wrong here. I love Hawaiian Shrimp Scampi with this too!
• You can skip the protein and go the vegetable route. Sauteed broccolini or seared bok choy in sesame oil *chefs kiss*
• Perfect for when you’re a single lady (or dude) like I am on some weeknights, and all you want is a bowl of comfort food and you want it FAST.

Quick garlic noodles serve four but if you ask my husband, he’ll tell you there’s just enough for one. Honestly, plan on making more than you think you’ll need.

It’s so dang hard to stop yourself from eating the whole pan!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

• Cantonese-Style Pan-Fried Noodles
• Sesame Ginger Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry
• Gochujang Noodles
• Sesame Peanut Noodles with Chicken
• Hibachi Fried Rice

Original recipe shared Feb 2018, updated with new images, and post Oct 2022.

Yield: serves 2-4

Crazy Good Quick Garlic Noodles

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Learn how to make THE BEST quick garlic noodles. There are a few unusual ingredients here, but trust me, these are the best garlic noodles you'll ever have!

Print

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6-8 fresh garlic cloves, minced (we always use 8)
• 2 scallions, greens only (thinly sliced)
• 1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1-2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces noodles (see notes)
• fried garlic, for topping

Instructions

1. Infuse the Butter: Heat a large pot with water and allow it to come to boil, cook the noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside. While the water is boiling, grab a large, non-stick skillet and place it on medium-low heat. Add the butter, oil olive, garlic, and scallions. Let the butter infuse with the garlic for 5-7 minutes, stirring often. The garlic should barely sizzle here, you don't want it to brown.
2. Garlic Noodles: While the garlic is going, grab a small bowl and mix together the fish sauce, oyster sauce, and the sugar. When the garlic is cooked, kick the heat up to medium-high, stir in the prepared sauce; let cook for 30 seconds. Add the prepared noodles and toss with parmesan cheese (yes, parm!) Let the noodles cook for a minute so they soak up all that flavor. Top with fried garlic and serve immediately! That flavor is like NOTHING you'll ever have.

Notes

• Please note: after a few responses from readers, I've adjusted the amount of fish sauce + oyster sauce to read '1-2 tablespoons.' I use 2 of each and didn't find it had a fishy flavor but a few people mentioned that it was a bit pungent for their taste. I suggest starting with 1 tablespoon of each and adjusting as desired!
• You can use a lot of different kinds of noodles here. I used Chuka soba noodles, but egg noodles, Hong Kong noodles, spaghetti, or even angel hair pasta will work here.
• You can serve this with just about anything you like!
• This recipe can easily be doubled if you want leftovers, and really with all that garlic, who wouldn't?

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Delicious Honey Harissa Chicken Bowls loaded with roasted corn, fluffy rice, crisp cucumbers, buttery avocados, pickled onions, and a creamy feta sauce. The chicken is marinated in harissa paste, and smoky paprika then sautéed and drizzled with honey!

We’ve had Honey Harissa Chicken Bowls on repeat over here for the better part of a month!

And I’m telling you, once you give these a try, you’ll be adding them to the weekly rotation too. It’s something about the combination of Harissa (a North African pepper paste) and honey that makes the chicken so flavorful. And how do you take something like that and make it a full meal without having to make sides? By adding it to a bowl with veggies, sauces, and a base. You can turn this into a salad or a rice bowl. 

Chicken breasts or chicken thighs marinated in a quick, fuss-free harissa marinade seared in a hot pan until it’s golden-brown. Drizzle it with that honey, and it’s a little spicy and a little sweet. I love pairing the CAVA-inspired chicken with a homemade crazy feta sauce, roasted corn, Persian cucumbers, and quick pickled red onions. You can serve this chicken as a salad over lettuce or with fluffy basmati rice.

Trust me; the fam is going to love this one!

Ingredients for Honey Harissa Chicken Bowls:

• Chicken: You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs for this recipe.
• Olive oil: The olive oil is a critical ingredient. We’ll combine it with harissa paste, lemon juice, and dry spices to create the marinade.
• Harissa Paste: is a chili paste or condiment from Tunisia that is now sold in lots of mainstream grocery stores. TJ’s carries one that works well for this recipe. You can also find it online here.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is the acid used in the honey harissa chicken marinade.
• Seasonings: These are all easy-to-find ingredients like dried thyme, garlic powder, ground cumin, onion powder, and cayenne. Feel free to omit the cayenne if you’re worried about the heat level. Harissa already has a kick to it as well!
• Honey: Is drizzled in once the chicken is cooked. This helps tone down the heat in the chicken. 
• Mixed Greens: I use this in my bowl with a combination of rice. However, you can omit the greens if you want to serve this as just a rice bowl!
• Rice: Fluffy basmati rice is the perfect base for these bowls. You can prepare the rice a couple of days ahead of time as well to cut down on prep time.
• Toppings: I love adding prepared hummus, roasted corn, Persian cucumbers, diced avocados, pickled onions, and my homemade feta sauce to this recipe. You can use as many or as few of these ingredients as you’d like for your bowl. The feta sauce is made with garlic cloves, Greek yogurt, crumbled feta, kosher salt, mint, and lemon juice. It’s almost like a feta and mint raita if you’re familiar with the Indian condiment! The mint really helps cool down the heat from the harissa and adds the most delicate flavor.

How to Make Harissa Honey Chicken:

1. Marinate the chicken. Start by adding the oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons harissa, and seasonings to a bowl. Cube the chicken to make this super quick to assemble. If you plan on grilling the chicken, you can leave the pieces whole, grill, and then chop the chicken up! If you plan on grilling the chicken, I do suggest letting it marinate for at least a couple of hours. If you’re sauteing the chicken, the 30-minute marination is plenty to make this yummy! The other benefit of sauteeing the chicken in a bowl is then you end up with chicken that’s nicely coated in a delicious honey harissa sauce!
2. Sear the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook the chicken, stirring as needed to brown all sides evenly. When the chicken is done, drizzle the 2 tablespoons of honey while it’s still in the pan. Remove it to a plate. If you’ve got a smaller pan, I do suggest sauteeing the chicken in batches so that it sears and doesn’t steam! Feel free to garnish the chicken with a pinch of parsley for a little added color!
3. Assemble your bowl! There are really no instructions for this! Just pile it all up! Start with your base. I like to add a 50:50 combo of greens or lean vegetables along with cooked rice as the bottom layer. I typically use plain white rice, but you could also use cilantro lime rice if you want even more flavor. Then I top it with roasted corn. Feel free to use canned or defrosted corn – I usually just grill some up over an open flame as the chicken cooks. You’ll also want a dollop of hummus – dips are amazing in bowls. Pickled onions, diced avocados, and Persian cucumbers add great texture and color. And finally, drizzle the feta sauce all over your bowl! You can serve this with pita chips on the side for some added crunch!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:`

• Halal Chicken Rice Bowls
• Crispy Chicken Banh Mi Bowls
• Korean BBQ Bowls with Garlic Rice
• Steak Fajita Bowls
• 20 Minute Chicken Teriyaki

Yield: serves 4

Honey Harissa Chicken Bowls with Feta Mint Sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Delicious Honey Harissa Chicken Bowls loaded with roasted corn, fluffy rice, crisp cucumbers, buttery avocados, pickled onions, and a creamy feta sauce. The chicken is marinated in harissa paste, and smoky paprika then sautéed and drizzled with honey!

Print

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 1 pound boneless chicken breast/thighs, cubed into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons EACH: olive oil AND lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons harissa sauce (see notes)
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme AND garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon EACH: ground cumin AND onion powder
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, optional
• 2 tablespoons honey

Bowls:

• 4 cups mixed baby greens
• 2 cups prepared basmati rice
• 2 cups roasted corn
• 4 Persian cucumbers, diced
• 1 large avocado, sliced
• Pickled onions, for topping
• Prepared hummus, optional
• Prepared feta sauce, see notes

Instructions

1. MARINATE: Combine the oil, lemon juice, harissa, smoked paprika, thyme, garlic, cumin, onion, and cayenne in a bowl. When mixed, add the chicken and mix until evenly coated. Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or covered in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Prepare the rice while the chicken marinates.
2. COOK: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook it through for about 4-6 minutes, flipping as needed to brown all sides. When the chicken is almost done, drizzle with honey and cook for 1 minute before removing from heat.
3. ASSEMBLE BOWLS: Add the greens, rice, roasted corn, hummus, Persian cucumbers, avocados, pickled onions, and prepared chicken to each bowl. Drizzle with the feta sauce (recipe in notes) and serve.

Notes

• Harissa Paste: Taste the harissa paste before using it in the marinade to make sure it isn't too spicy! The one I have linked is mild, but if you get the one from Trader Joe's, that one definitely has a kick to it, and I don't recommend using 2 tbsp unless you enjoy a heavy amount of heat!
• Feta sauce: add 1 garlic clove, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper, ½ cup Greek Yogurt (or labne), 2 ounces feta, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with more lemon or salt as desired.

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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!