These kimchi rice balls might only be bite sized, but they deliver big bold umami flavors with their spicy, savory, and tangy notes. Delicious chilled or even at room temperature making them the star of any bento lunch box.

As a bonus, we are sharing with you how to make homemade furikake seasoning (rice sprinkles) because we are all about staying on budget and using up the ingredients you have on hand.

Budget Friendly

Are you still recovering from sticker shock from the last grocery trip? Let's double down and make sure that no food goes to waste. You can literally add anything to sticky rice balls - making them the perfect vessel for refrigerator clean out day.

You would be amazed at all the delicious pantry meals you can make with the little bits and bobs of veggies or proteins in your refrigerator and a few staples. If grandma could make something delicious appear like magic, so can we!

Ingredients Jumeok bap

Cooked short grain rice (sushi rice) is called bap or 밥 in Korean. This grain has more starch, making it stickier than long grained rice and thus easier to form balls. Just because it is stickier, please do not confuse this with sweet glutinous type used to make mango sticky rice.

Toasted Sesame Oil is one of the most important ingredients. This simple ingredient is what differentiates Korean Rice Balls from Japanese Rice Balls. We also use sesame oil to prevent the rice from sticking to our hands when we are rolling them.

Kimchi - is made with salted fermented vegetables like napa cabbage and more.  It gives these Korean snacks a delicious umami and funky flavor just like our creamy kimchi pasta. Not to mention, fermented foods are great for your gut biome and act like a probiotic.  

Vegetables - We used some sliced green onions but grated carrot, finely sliced spinach, chopped bean sprouts and more are all delicious in rice balls. Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice bowl) leftovers are a nice addition too. The caveat is that all the vegetables or even mushrooms need to be finely chopped and cooked so that they are pliable and can easily be formed into a compact ball.

Proteins - now this is something you can have fun with.  Try adding in or stuffing a little finely chopped Korean beef bulgogi, scrambled eggs, tuna fish or baked miso salmon into the center of the rice ball. It is all about cleaning out the little leftover bits and bobs in the refrigerator.

Gochujang - is a fermented Korean red chili paste. This optional ingredient gives our fried rice with leftover ham and kimchi Korean rice ball a kick of sweet and heat.

Nori Furikake

Dried Seaweed Seasoning is the Korean version of Japanese furikake. These fun "rice sprinkles" add flavor and texture to plain rice and kids LOVE it.  In addition, it prevents these snacks from sticking to everything they touch. This seasoning usually includes dried roasted seaweed (also known as laver or Gim (김) in Korean) along with some other ingredients like dried vegetables, roasted sesame seeds, salt other flavorings.

You can purchase in the Asian food section of the grocery store or at an Asian food market. Today, we are going to show you how to make your own homemade rice sprinkles.  

How to Make Rice Balls?

• Chop up kimchi, green onions and any vegetables or proteins desired.

• Toss in kimchi and vegetables to a pan or wok and cook until aromatic and the liquids are absorbed.
• Add sesame oil gochujang, leftover short-grained rice, and sesame seeds to the kimchi in the pan and stir until well incorporated and the rice is warm.
• Sprinkle dried Korean Furikake seaweed seasonings on flat plates. Set aside extra sesame oil in a small bowl. Place the lightly warmed cooked kimchi rice near you so you can make Korean rice balls in assembly line fashion.

• Dip your fingers or disposable gloved fingers into the sesame oil and rub your hands together to lubricate and prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can dip your fingers and hands into water.
• Place approximately ¼ cup of rice in your hand and squeeze tight and form into a ball. You can also use a small sheet of plastic wrap to help form it into a tight ball.
• If you want to add a stuffing of bulgogi beef, bibimbap, tuna mayo or any other proteins or vegetables in the middle, first place about 2 tablespoon of warmed kimchi rice in your hand. Next, place a little spoonful of the stuffing and then another tablespoon or so of the kimchi rice on top. Then squeeze and form into a ball.

• Lastly, roll in the seaweed for rice balls or toasted sesame seeds.
• Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Home Furikake Rice Seasoning

Furikake is a dried rice seasoning. Our family refers to them as "rice sprinkles". It turns bland boring white rice into a tasty bite. If you can't find this Asian seasoning at the grocery store, you can use this easy furikake substitute recipe and personalize it to your taste preferences. It's less expensive than store bought and fresher too!

1. Roasted dried seaweed sheets - also known as nori, laver, gim, or김. These can be plain or seasoned.
2. Salt
3. Toasted sesame seeds - we used white sesame seeds, but you can also use black or a combination of both.

How to make Homemade Furikake Seasoning?

Our version of nori furikake is unique because we roast the seaweed sheets directly over the stove top burner to make them extra crunchy and it gives them this delicious toasty flavor. Head on over to our YouTube channel so you can see how we make this 3 ingredient furikake rice seasoning in action.

• Toast the dried roasted seaweed sheet directly over the stove top. Hold on to a corner of the seaweed sheet with a pair of tongs.
• Carefully, brush the sheet quickly back and forth on both sides over a low-medium heated stovetop. You can do this on a gas, electric or any type of stovetop.

• Check out these visual ques in the photo above. Do you see how the seaweed (nori) sheets turned from a dark green to a bright Kelly-green color and have a tie-dyed look? Now, they are perfectly roasted.

• Crumble the toasted seaweed sheets and place them in the food processor or high-powered blender.  Add salt and any other seasoning you wish along with the crushed nori.  Pulse into a sesame sized furikake seasonings.
• Next, add the toasted sesame seeds into the food processor. Pulse a couple of times just until the sesame seeds lightly break, and some are still whole.
• Have fun with additions. Try adding dried bonito flakes, chili flakes, wasabi powder, white pepper, sugar, dried shrimp, dried shiitake mushroom powder or any of your favorite dried seasonings.
• If you do not have roasted seaweed sheets, no worries.  Instead, just add sesame seeds and salt together along with any other dried spices you like.

How to Make Rice Balls Hold Together?

Proper Ingredients

• Use short-grained sushi rice cooked per the package directions. Do not use long grained, brown, or black rice as these have different textures and are not sticky.
• To prevent the rice from sticking to your hands, dip your fingers into sesame oil or water and rub your hands together. Keeping your hands lubricated with water or oil will make it easier to roll.
• If you decide to add other veggies into the mixture, make sure that they are grated or chopped finely and cooked. In addition, the vegetables need to be cooked to remove any extra moisture.  The ratio of cooked vegetables, including the kimchi to rice is 1 and ¼ cups vegetables to 3 cups cooked rice. If you add more, the balls may not hold together.

Technique

• Heat the rice before forming it into balls - just until warm so it is not too hot to handle. If you are using leftover rice, you can warm it in the pan or microwave with the rest of your ingredients.  Cold rice does not stick together as well as warm rice.
• Don't make the rice balls too large! The larger the ball, the more difficult it is to make them stick together. This easy recipe makes approximately eight 2 inch sized Korean treats. Using approximately ¼ cup of the kimchi rice mixture for each ball is just about right.
• After you grab a scoop of rice, squeeze it with both of your hands tightly. Using this firm pressure will help the balls stay in shape. Once you do this a few times, shape them into a round compact ball. Check out the video below as we demonstrate how to do this.
• Use a piece of plastic wrap around the balls and tie it tightly. If you have a hard time making a round shape or getting your balls to hold together, this technique is useful.
• Lastly, refrigerate these kimchi treats for 30 minutes before serving. This helps them hold their shape.

Favorite Fillings

Get creative and add fillings to your Korean rice ball recipe. The only caveat is they need to be finely chopped, seasoned, and stir fried to remove any extra moisture. Some of our favorite fillings are…

1. Bibimbap or bulgogi beef
2. Tuna mayo - this does not need to be stir fried.
3. Sauteed minced shiitake mushrooms
4. Stir fried vegetables.

How to Stuff?

Amp up the flavor with your favorite Asian fillings. This step is not required. However, it is a great way to use up all those bits and bobs of leftovers in your refrigerator. In addition, it's a more substantial lunchtime option.

• It's the same prep procedure as before.  Lubricate your hands with sesame oil or water.
• Place about 2 tablespoons of the kimchi rice in your hand and flatten it out.
• Then, add about 1 teaspoon of your filling of choice.
• Place another 2 tablespoons of kimchi rice on top of the filling.
• Squeeze the rice and filling mixture together and form into a ball.
• Roll into the Korean Furikake rice seasoning.

How to Serve?

This Korean kimchi and rice recipe can be served as a snack or part of a meal.

Bento boxes are a fun way to get the kids to eat school lunches. A bento box is a food safe container with a lid. It has separate sections, so food does not touch. If you're a parent, you know the sky is falling and the world is ending if food is touching. Right? (Smiling)

However, something magical happens when you add bite sized fun to eat foods and colors in a box. If you have ever tried to get your kids to eat their sandwich or meal, you know this struggle is real. However, once we add fresh bite sized vegetables, fruits, maybe some tomagoyaki and a few rice balls - the box comes back empty every time.

Alternatively, serve kimchi rice balls as a part of a main meal with salmon cakes, salad, daikon pickles, miso soup or even beef rollups.   

 Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Easy Bento Box Ideas

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More Delicious Korean Recipes

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Kimchi Korean Rice Balls

Satisfy your inner cravings with these easy kimchi Korean rice balls (jumeok bap, 주먹밥) made with leftover sushi rice, kimchi, vegetables and coated in a homemade seaweed seasoning.

Course Appetizers/ Snacks, lunch

Cuisine Korean

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 rice balls

Calories 106kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• food processor or high speed blender optional - to make homemade Furikake rice seasoning
• tongs or chop sticks optional - to carefully toast the nori seaweed sheets
• pan

Ingredients

Homemade Furikake Rice Seasoning (optional) - Skip if using store bought

• 3 sheets laver (dried seaweed) nori sheets roasted (plain or seasoned)
• ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• sugar optional ingredient to taste if desired (we did not add any)

Korean Rice Balls

• 1 cup kimchi
  chopped and drained
• 2 green onions sliced
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil plus extra on the side to prevent your hands from sticking when rolling balls
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste - depends on the quality of kimchi.
• 1 tablespoon gochujang Korean Red Pepper Paste - or to taste. (Optional as it is spicy)
• 3 cups rice short grained cooked sushi rice
• 2 green onions sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
  toasted
• extra veggies of choice (optional) You can use up to a total of 1 and ¼ of vegetables and kimchi when combined together for a total of 3 cups of cooked rice. Make sure all your veggies are grated or cut finely and stir fried to remove any extra moisture.
• proteins or stuffing's of choice (optional) use up those cooked leftover beef bulgogi, bibimpbap beef, salmon or protein of choice chopped finely.
• Homemade Furikake Rice Seasoning or store bought (Recipe below)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Homemade Furikake Seaweed Rice Seasoning (optional) - skip step if using store bought

• Turn a burner on to a low-medium heat. Hold the end of the seaweed sheet (nori or laver sheet) with a pair of tongs or chopsticks.
• Directly over the burner, briskly run the seaweed sheet back and forth. Do this fast and do not let it burn. The goal is to lightly toast the nori leaves all over on both sides to make them crispy. The color of the seaweed sheet will turn from a dark green to a bright Kelly green and have sort of a tie dyed look.
• Crumble the toasted nori seaweed sheets into the food processor or high powered blender. Add salt and sugar if desired. Pulse to chop until almost the size of a sesame seed. Then, add in toasted sesame seeds. Pulse just a few times so some of the sesame seeds are chopped and some are whole. Place half of the homemade furikake rice seasoning on a flat plate. Reserve the rest in a sealed container for another recipe.

Korean Rice Balls

• Finely chop kimchi, green onions and any extra cooked vegetables. (See recipe notes for additional vegetables and fillings)
• Add kimchi to the pan and stir fry until the moisture is released. (If you are not using a non-stick pan, add the sesame oil in first.) Then add the sesame oil, salt, sugar, optional gochujang paste, cooked short grained sushi rice and toasted sesame seeds. Stir fry until the rice is just warm and the ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside until the rice is warm but cool enough to touch.
• Lubricate your hands with sesame oil or water. Place approximately ¼ cup of WARM kimchi rice in your hand. With both hands, squeeze the ball tight a few times. Then form the rice into a round ball. (Alternatively, you can use a small sheet of plastic wrap to form a tight ball by twisting the end tight.) Repeat this process with the remainder of the rice. This recipe makes approximately 8 balls.
• Next, roll the kimchi rice balls in the homemade furikake seaweed rice seasoning.
• For best results, refrigerate Korean rice balls covered for 30 minutes. Enjoy

Video

Notes

Storage

Kimchi Korean Rice Balls can be stored in a covered container for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. We do not recommend freezing the rice as it changes the texture. 

Recipe Tips

• Use short-grained sushi rice cooked per the package directions. We used leftover cooked rice.
• Heat the rice before forming it into balls - just until warm so it is not too hot to handle.
• Dip your fingers into sesame oil or water and rub your hands together to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
• If you decide to add other veggies into the rice mixture, make sure that they are grated or chopped finely and cooked. In addition, the vegetables need to be cooked to remove any extra moisture. The ratio of cooked vegetables, including the kimchi to rice is 1 and ¼ cups vegetables to 3 cups cooked rice. If you add more, your kimchi rice balls may not hold together.
• Don't make the rice balls too large! The larger the rice ball, the more difficult it is to make them stick together. This easy recipe makes approximately 8 golf ball Korean treats. Using approximately ¼ cup of the kimchi rice mixture for each ball is just about right.
• After you grab a scoop of rice, squeeze it with both of your hands tightly. Using this firm pressure will help the balls stay in shape.
• Use a piece of plastic wrap around the balls and tie it tightly. 

How to Stuff a Rice Ball

Feel free to use up those leftovers and stuff them into the center of the rice ball. Finely chopped cooked bulgogi beef, bibimbap beef, salmon or other proteins/mushrooms are all delicious. Here is the procedure...

• Lubricate your hands with sesame oil or water.
• Place about 2 tablespoons of the kimchi rice in your hand and flatten it out.
• Then, add about 1 teaspoon of your filling of choice.
• Place another 2 tablespoons of kimchi rice on top of the filling.
• Squeeze the rice and filling mixture together and form into a ball.
• Roll into the Korean Furikake rice seasoning.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ball | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Kimchi Korean Rice Balls appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Black Rice (also known as Forbidden Rice, Emperor's Rice or Purple Rice) is a healthy whole grain to add to salads, hearty soups, and as a side to our Air Fryer Kabocha Squash with Curried Sauce. Using a multi-function pressure cooker with the sauté function, allows you cook everything in one pot and infuse the aromatics into the rice.

Ingredients

• Black Rice - Heads up! You want to look for either long or short grained plain black rice (forbidden) or Thai Jasmine black rice. You do NOT want sticky or glutinous black rice for this pilaf recipe. They are two completely different things. Read the package carefully before purchasing. We used a long grain made in Thailand. Although black sticky rice would be delicious in our Easy Mango Sticky Rice, it has a different texture and a different preparation is required.

• Coconut oil or oil of choice - We chose coconut oil as we were planning on serving our instant pot black rice pilaf with our Thai Pumpkin Curry.  You can exchange with any oil of choice. The purpose of the oil is to coat each rice grain, and this prevents sticking and clumping together. In addition, the sautéing before pressure cooking adds an intense nutty flavor to the recipe.

• Aromatics - onions and garlic

• Chicken or Vegetable broth - adds flavor to this recipe. Please use a vegetable broth to keep it vegan. Choose a low sodium broth so you adjust the seasonings.

Step by Step Overview

• Rinse and drain well

• Sauté onions and garlic in oil.
• Add the drained black rice into the Instant Pot and sauté until aromatic and all the grains are covered in the oil. This seals the rice and helps prevent sticking.

• Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and season to taste.
• Seal Instant pot (pressure cooker) and cook on high pressure cook for 17 minutes.
• Allow natural release for 10 minutes.
• Carefully release the pressure for the Instant Pot.
• Fluff, stir and serve.

Garnishes

After the Instant Pot grain has cooked, be sure to season to taste with salt and pepper. Then add fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro or even chopped chives or green onions. A fun and easy way to add a little extra protein is to add canned cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and little fresh lemon zest like in our recipe for Lemon Pepper Rice.

Where to purchase Forbidden Rice?

You can purchase this nutty grain at specialty stores, Asian food stores and even online. If you have access to Amazon, there are many delicious organic choices available.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

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Instant Pot Black Rice Pilaf

Learn how to make fool proof Instant Pot Black Rice Pilaf in just 30 minutes. Forbidden rice is nutty, naturally sweet and has an addictive chewy texture.

Course Sides

Cuisine American, Chinese, Thai

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 17 minutes minutes

Instant Pot Natural Pressure Release 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 221kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• Instant Pot or Multi-function pressure cooker that can also sauté.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Forbidden black rice
  
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or oil of choice
• 1 small onion peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1 and ¼ cup chicken broth low sodium and gluten-free or vegetable broth to keep vegan
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Rinse forbidden black rice with cool water in a fine mesh colander until it runs clear. Drain well.
• In the meantime, chop onion and garlic. Turn the Instant Pot on and set to sauté function. Add coconut oil or oil of choice to the instant pot. Add the chopped onion and garlic into the oil and sauté until aromatic and translucent,
• Add the rinsed and drained black rice to the Instant pot with the onions and garlic and toss well to coat all the rice in the oil. Sauté just until toasty ~ 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the Instant Pot off.
• Add 1 and ¼ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth and salt and pepper to taste. Seal Instant Pot and set it to high pressure cook for 17 minutes. Once the time is up allow for natural release of pressure for 10 minutes. Then, very carefully release the pressure in the Instant Pot manually.
• Fluff with fork and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Please note that your rice will turn a slight purple hue when cooked and this is completely normal.

This recipe will make about 2 cups of cooked black rice. One serving of Instant Pot Black Rice Pilaf is only ½ cup. I know! We were quite sad about that too as we could have eaten the whole darn thing. 

Leftovers, if you have any, can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on stovetop. 

Please make sure that you purchase plain black rice either short grain, long grain or Thai Jasmine style. Do NOT purchase sticky or glutinous black rice as this is very different and requires a different cooking method. 

Make sure you wash/rinse the grains well until the water runs clear and drain really well. Draining is very important as if you have lots of extra water the consistency of your rice might be mushy instead of chewy tender. Just a quick heads up, the purple color may stain countertops or utensils. To prevent that wash them straight away after use.

The ratio is 1 cup of dry black rice to 1.25 cups of broth. Yes, you can increase the ratio amount of both to feed a larger crowd. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1½ cup serving | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 0.5IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Instant Pot Black Rice Pilaf appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

If you have a hungry crew, you're in luck! This shrimp sausage pasta recipe makes enough for at least 8 VERY hungry adults. Leftovers rock too! We know you're busy so let's bring on the 30 Minute Meals with easy clean up too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Shrimp - peeled and deveined. We like to use large (around 30 to 40 shrimp per pound) shrimp or prawns.

Fresh uncooked Italian sausage - we used a mild Italian sausage so we could control how spicy the dish is.  Are you a "Chili Head"? Use the HOT Italian sausage - It's so good. You can use sausage links but sausage not in the casing is even more convenient. Andouille sausage, chicken sausage or chorizo are all delicious substitutions. If you decide to use pre-cooked sausage links, you can just slice and brown them in the pot.

Dried Pasta (uncooked noodles) - Don't you just love corkscrew or fusilli pasta (rotini)? This shape holds the sauce in all the delicious swirls. However, you can use any shaped noodle you desire or even broken spaghetti like in our vegan One Pot Creamy Kale Pesto recipe.

Cooking time may change slightly depending on what shaped noodle you are using. We have not tested this recipe with gluten-free pasta but that is also an option. If you need to keep this shrimp and sausage pasta recipe gluten-free, choose a good brand of gluten-free pasta that does not break up when cooked with sauce.

Chicken broth - or you can use vegetable or bone broth to cook the pasta - all in one pot.

Dairy-free or Dairy of choice - Just a little splash is all you need. It mellows out the tomatoes and makes the pasta a little saucy. You can make this one pot wonder with or without cream and substitute your dairy alternative of choice. We used almond milk. The purpose of the almond milk is to give the sauce a little creamy richness just like in our Tagliatelle alla Bolognese.

Tomatoes - Canned (tinned) tomatoes are one of our household staples. We always have around so we can throw together a quick chicken tortilla soup or a rustic chicken cacciatore. In addition, we also added garden vine ripe tomatoes at the end to add a pop of freshness.

Seasoning & Aromatics

Onions and Garlic - but of course, right? If you are out of the fresh ingredients, you could use a little onion and garlic powder.

Smoked Paprika (pimentón)- is key to making this shrimp and sausage pasta flavorful. It's both smoky and spicy because it is made from smoked peppers that are dried over oak fires. We're all about using what you have on hand. However, if you have the option of a smoky paprika - choose that one. As you probably already know, there are 3 types of paprika

1. Regular paprika - very mild in flavor
2. 8 different types of Hungarian paprika
3. Spanish Paprika - this one is the one we used and it's a little smoky and mildly spicy.

Even Spanish paprika can differ. There are mild, mildly spicy, and spicy options. A viable substitute for smoked paprika is crushed ancho powder or chipotle powder.

Dried Red Pepper Flakes - add as much or as little as you desire. You can skip it if you prefer your dishes mild.

Spinach - yep, we are sneaky like that! Adding vegetables into the spicy fusilli pasta. The heat from the pasta cooks the spinach right before serving. Is it required? No- but we try to sneak into vegetables into recipes that the kids love.

Step by Step

• Season the shrimp with smoked paprika and salt and pepper.
• Add a little olive oil to a Dutch oven or large pot with lid.
• Sear shrimp on both sides until no longer translucent. Remove from pot.

• Add the onions and garlic and fry until aromatic.
• Remove sausage from casing and add to the pot and fry until golden brown.

• Add the chicken broth, canned tomatoes and almond milk to the pot.

• Add the pasta and cover. Check on the noodles at the 6 minute mark. Stir and access if you need to add more broth. Simmer for a total 12 to 14 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

• Turn off the burner and add fresh tomatoes, cooked shrimp, and fresh spinach.
• Stir and serve.

Equipment

Do you have a large soup kettle or Dutch oven with a lid? That is all you will need for to make a delicious shrimp and sausage pasta. Our Dutch oven was a 5.5-quart size capacity.

Why does one pot pasta get saucy?

Did you know that pasta releases starches when it cooks? If you have ever boiled noodles in a pot before, did you notice how the water gets cloudy? Those are the starches. When you cook your noodles separately, most of those starches are drained into the sink.

However, when you cook a one-pot pasta, all the starches stay in the cooking vessel. This creates a luxurious creamy sauce along with the tomatoes and dairy free or dairy of choice.

What to serve with it?

A tossed garden salad with our Lemon White Balsamic Vinaigrette would pair nicely as a simple side dish. If you decide to serve this shrimp and Italian sausage noodle dish while entertaining, try our Bruschetta as a starter and our individual serving Rich and Creamy Tiramisu for dessert.

Recipe Tips

• Choose a heavy-duty large pot (5.5 quart) with a well-fitting lid or Dutch oven to prepare your smoky paprika pasta.
• Do not overcook the shrimp! Remove the shrimp from the pan straight away after they are cooked. The heat from the pan, even off the heat, will continue to cook the shrimp.
• Removing the Italian sausage links from the casing allows all those delicious flavors and spices to mingle in the corkscrew pasta.
• One you have all your ingredients into the pot bring in up to a boil and then turn your burner down to a simmer.
• Stir your noodles mid-way in the cooking process to access and prevent sticking and check for tenderness of pasta.
• If you have had your burner on too high and most of liquid has disappeared during the halfway point, add ½ cup more chicken broth to the pot. Make sure it is on simmer.
• Each brand or type of noodle may have a slightly different cooking time depending on the thickness of the noodle.
• The sauce will thicken even more after it is done cooking, just like our one pot tortellini. A little brothy sauce is a good thing.
• If there is still too much liquid after the noodles are al dente, just open the lid to your cooking pot. Cook pasta for a minute or 2 or just until it is just saucy. However, we have found that if you just leave the dish sit off the heat for a minute it will thicken up on its own.

Variations

• Make it cheesy by adding in a little parmesan cheese at the end of the cooking process.
• You can also substitute real milk or cream for the almond milk if you do not have a dairy sensitivity.
• Experiment with different shapes of short noodles. We love fusilli pasta (also known as rotini). All the delicious flavors cling to the little curves of the corkscrew.
• If your family likes spicy food, try adding andouille sausage, chorizo, or even hot Italian sausage instead of mild sausage.
• Keep the recipe a little lower fat by using turkey sausage.
• Do you need a low carb or keto diet version? You may want to try our Low Carb Shrimp and Sausage Skillet with load of veggies.
• You can also make it vegan by substituting the Italian sausage and shrimp with mushrooms and a vegetable broth. Then, add herbs and spices like fennel seeds and Italian seasoning.

Storage Recommendations

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Just heat up the leftovers in the microwave or in a pot to enjoy. If the noodles absorbed most of the sauce, you could add a tablespoon of water or so to help loosen it back up.

Alternatively, you can freeze your leftover shrimp and sausage pasta in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Is it a goulash?

This easy one pot recipe was a huge hit with our family. We hope your family loves it too. We placed the Dutch oven pot on a hot pad right on the kitchen table to serve it up family style. The first thing they asked was, "Is this a goulash?" You know it could be called a sausage goulash or Italian or Spanish pasta recipe. However, no matter what you want to call it, we call it delicious.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Are you ready to make a 30 minute easy saucy sausage pasta recipe your whole family will love? Let's get cooking!

More Delicious Pasta Recipes

Mini Sweet Roasted Pepper Pasta

Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta

Creamy Kimchi Pasta

One Pot Paprika Pork

Camote Bihon (Sweet Potato Noodles)

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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One Pot Shrimp and Sausage Pasta

One Pot Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is a quick and easy weekday meal made with paprika shrimps, Italian sausage, corkscrew pasta, spinach, tomatoes, and a dairy free red sauce.

Course Mains

Cuisine Italian, Spanish

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 469kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• 1 Large Dutch oven or soup pot with lid. (best if at least 5.5 quarts)

Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp large (peeled and deveined)
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika reserve 1 teaspoon for the pasta
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 onion peeled and chopped - small
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1 pound Italian Sausage
  mild or can exchange with hot Italian sausage
• 3.5 cups chicken broth reserve ½ cup for midway of the cooking process. Low sodium.
• ½ cup almond milk or dairy or non-dairy of choice
• 14.5 ounce tomatoes diced (canned/tinned)
• 1 pound pasta fusilli (rotini, corkscrew) or pasta noodle of choice
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes or to your desired heat level

Toppings

• 2 cups spinach
  fresh
• 2 large tomatoes
  fresh chopped
• basil or parsley to garnish (optional)
• parmesan cheese optional - we omitted this as we do not do well with dairy.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (reserve the other teaspoon for the pasta), salt and pepper.
• Add olive oil to a large pot that has a tight fitting lid (at least 5.5 quart). Sear shrimps over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until no longer translucent. Remove shrimp from the pot and set aside.
• Place the onions and garlic into the same pot you cooked the shrimp. Cook for a minute or until aromatic. Squeeze the Italian sausage links out of the casings right into the onion and garlic mixture. Break up the sausage with your spatula and fry for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Add 3 cups of chicken broth (reserve ½ cup for midway of the cooking process), canned tomatoes, almond milk (dairy or non-dairy of choice), and the dry uncooked pasta to the pot.
• Season the sausage pasta in the pot with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, dried crushed red pepper flakes (to your desired spice level) and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 6 minutes.
• At the 6 minute mark, open the lid of the pot and stir the sausage pasta. Is the pasta sticking or is all the liquid almost absorbed - if so, add the remaining ½ cup of chicken broth. If there is still liquid in the pot and the pasta is not sticking, there is no need to add the remaining chicken broth.

  Keep heat on simmer and continue cooking for another 6 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Total cook time of approximately 12 to 14 minutes - depending on the type of pasta used. Turn heat off. If you have an electric cooktop, also remove pot from the burner.
• Add the fresh spinach, chopped FRESH tomatoes and cooked shrimp. Stir just until the spinach wilts.
• Garnish with basil, parsley and or parmesan cheese if desired.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips

• Choose a heavy-duty large pot (5.5 quart) with a well-fitting lid or Dutch oven to prepare your smoky paprika pasta.
• Do not overcook the shrimp! Remove the shrimp from the pan straight away after they are cooked. The heat from the pan, even off the heat, will continue to cook the shrimp.
• Removing the Italian sausage links from the casing allows all those delicious flavors and spices to mingle in the corkscrew pasta.
• One you have all your ingredients into the pot bring in up to a slight boil and then turn your burner down to a simmer.
• Stir your pasta mid-way in the cooking process to access and prevent sticking and check for tenderness of pasta.
• If you have had your burner on too high and most of liquid has disappeared during the halfway point, add ½ cup more chicken broth to the pot. Make sure it is on simmer.
• Each brand or type of pasta may have a slightly different cooking time depending on the thickness of the noodle.
• The sauce will thicken even more after it is done cooking. A little brothy sauce is a good thing.
• If there is still too much liquid after the noodles are al dente, just open the lid to your cooking pot. Cook pasta for a minute or 2 or until the pasta is just saucy. However, we have found that if you just leave the pasta sit off the heat for a minute it will thicken up on its own.

Storage Recommendations

Refrigerate leftover pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Just heat up the leftovers in the microwave or in a pot to enjoy. If the pasta absorbed most of the sauce, you could add a tablespoon of water or so to help loosen it back up.

Alternatively, you can freeze your leftover shrimp and sausage pasta in a freezer save container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 485mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1831IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg

The post One Pot Shrimp and Sausage Pasta appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

We must warn you; this gochujang rice is addictive! Each satisfying bite is packed with kimchi that sweetens when stir fried and has a little kick of spice from the gochujang sauce.  When you use left over rice, like in our recipe for Hong Kong Fried Rice, the little individual grains of rice get a little crispy too. If you like a little drippy fried egg indulgence, you may even need a "personal moment" to enjoy your bowl of Korean egg fried rice!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Are you ready? Just 6 little ingredients to make a delicious lunch, dinner or anytime snack and 2 of the ingredients are optional.

Kimchi

Its an essential Korean ingredient made by fermented vegetables like napa cabbage and daikon with a probiotic and ground Korean chili for a delicious gut friendly addition to your diet. The best part about using kimchi is there is no need to add any aromatics like garlic and onions as it is already packed with flavor and is gluten-free.

After all the holiday indulgencing, getting your gut health back is a high priority. Do you have a huge container like us? Then try our Kimchi Salmon with Rainbow Pickles and Creamy Kimchi Pasta. Once you open a jar of kimchi, it is best to store it in the refrigerator and use within 3 months.

Leftover Rice

Cold rice is the best option and a great way to use up the items in the refrigerator. You can use any type of rice you like such as jasmine, short-grained sushi rice, brown rice, etc. The reason to use cold leftover rice is to prevent the fried rice from getting mushy.

If you use fresh warm rice, stir frying it will just add more moisture and it make it soggy. Leftover rice is firm and more apt to keep the individual grains of rice separate so they can pick up all the flavors of the fried rice.

Gochujang

This is a fermented Korean red Chili paste made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder and salt. This paste is a spicy, savory, and sweet which gives a delicious umami flavor to any gochujang sauce recipes. Bibimbap is not authentic without a good dollop of gochujang sauce mixed in.

If you have an allergen to wheat-based products you will need to investigate alternative brands such as Koko Gochujang or Wegmans gochujang. These two options are both vegan and gluten-free.

In a pinch, you may substitute gochujang with a little miso with Sriracha sauce or Thai chili paste but it does not have the same flavor profile.

Ham

Have you tried our Air Fryer Ham with Cranberry Glaze  recipe? It is fantastic in this gochujang fried rice recipe. A little salty, sweet and mmm… delicious.

Don't have leftover ham, try Spam! However, we highly suggest you stir fry it a little with the kimchi first to give it those little toasty edges. You can also use honey deli ham in a pinch.

To make this recipe vegan, hold the ham. Instead, add in veggies, mushrooms or even a little fried tofu.

Green onions

This fresh ingredient is optional. However, a little pop of green brightens up this Korean crispy rice recipe.

Fried egg

Who can resist a little runny sunny side up egg over fried rice?  So good! It's another optional ingredient. However, once you try it, you will never serve this gochujang pork recipe again without it.

Easy Step by Step Instructions

The most important step is to prep all your ingredients before you heat up your wok or frying pan. Chop up your kimchi, leftover ham and green onion as when you turn on the burner the whole dish will be cooked in about 5 minutes.

• Add oil to pan or wok and add chopped kimchi. Stir fry until all the moisture has absorbed.

• Put a dollop of gochujang sauce in the pan and stir fry until aromatic. You may need to add a little more oil as needed to prevent sticking.

• Add the rice and stir fry until all the grains of rice are coated with gochujang sauce.

• To the fried rice, add the chopped leftover ham and green onions and stir fry until aromatic. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
• If you fancy a fried egg on top, fry up a sunny side up egg.

• Serve up Gochujang fried rice with leftover ham on a plate with or without a fried egg as desired.

Tips for Success

• Always used leftover cold rice. Do not use warm freshly cooked rice or you will end up with soggy gummy rice- not nice!
• Stir fry your kimchi until all the moisture is removed. This prevents your rice from getting soggy.  In addition, it makes the sour spicy kimchi naturally sweet.
• Adjust the amount of gochujang to your preferred spice and heat level.
• Chop your leftover ham in small cubes. It is always nicer to eat stir fries when all the items in the dish are about the same size.
• Mix it up and add any fresh vegetables bits and bobs you have the crisper.
• To make vegan, hold the ham and add mushrooms, fried tofu, or vegetables of choice.
• Traditional gochujang is not gluten-free. If you have celiac or a gluten sensitivity, please try one of the gluten free options like Koko or Wegmans.

How to Serve

Ok, we are not going to lie, we eat it straight from the wok. (smiling) You can certainly eat it plain.

However, if you do not have an egg allergy, you must give the sunny side up egg on top a try. There is something magical about having that runny delicious yolk mix with the savory, spicy and slightly sweet kimchi with rice. Heavenly!

If you were living in Korea, you would be using those gosh darn metal chopsticks to eat this dish and not a fork. Believe if or not, we are very proficient using "wooden" chopsticks. However, if we had to live the rest of our lives eating with only "metal" slippery chopsticks we would be super skinny. Hey, that might be our go to plan for the new year! (smiling) Have you ever tried eating with metal chopsticks?

Did you know this interesting theory? Some say that this tradition of eating with metal chopsticks started a long time ago to make sure that the rulers were not poisoned. Metal chopsticks can easily tarnish when they are exposed to corrosive substances.

No Special Equipment

Feel free to use a wok or a large frying pan for this kimchi fried rice recipe. However, the MOST important thing to remember is DO NOT CROWD THE WOK or PAN.

If you add a lot of ingredients to your wok, you are not stir frying but steaming. That is not the effect you are going for. To achieve the best results, you want to fry the ingredients with lots of room, so they stay dry and crisp. If you plan on doubling this recipe, do it in two separate stir fry sessions.

What to Serve It With?

Gochujang fried rice with leftover ham is a meal all by itself. However, you may want to serve along with these other tasty side dishes or mains.

Sides: When in doubt, more veggies are always a good choice. Try our Garlicky Sesame Stir Fried Green Beans, Stir Fried Romaine Lettuce or 5 Minute Stir Fried Garlic Pea Shoots.

Mains: Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi is extra delicious with a little fried rice and extra kimchi on the side.

Appetizers: Baked Dduk Lavered with Bacon is an oldie but a goodie.

How to store

Do you think you are going to have leftovers? You are an optimist.

If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, please store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Korean kimchi fried rice is delicious in bento boxes and lunches.

We do not suggest freezing your gochujang fried rice with leftover ham. It's a texture thing. If the texture thing does not bother you, you can store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Rice Recipes

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Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham

The BEST Korean comfort food is homemade Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham. This easy Korean fried rice can be on your table in 15 minutes flat with just 6 pantry ingredients

Course Mains, Sides

Cuisine Korean

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 512kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• Wok or large frying pan

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  reserve 1 tablespoon to fry egg
• 1 cup kimchi roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons gochujang paste increase as much as desired to reach your desired heat and spice level.
• 2 cups cooked rice (day old cold leftover rice) We used Jasmine white rice but you can use any type of cooked rice like brown, long grain, sushi, etc. Do NOT use instant rice.
• 1 cup ham chopped (or spam) We really love the combination of our slightly sweet cranberry glazed ham with the spicy kimchi. Honey ham is also delicious.
• salt and pepper
  to taste (white pepper)
• 3 green onions chopped - optional
• 2 whole eggs optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Place oil in wok/pan and heat on medium heat. Add chopped kimchi to the pan and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until all of the moisture is gone. This keeps your rice crispy and makes the kimchi sweeter.
• Next, add a little dollop of gochujang paste and stir fry. If sticking occurs, add a little extra oil. 2 teaspoons makes this recipe mild to medium. If you want it spicy, add more gochujang paste to taste.
• Add in cold leftover rice and stir fry until well incorporated. Next, add the chopped ham, season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add the chopped green onion if desired and stir fry until all the rice is coated. If you like your rice a little crunchy stir fry for a couple of minutes longer.

How to Serve

• You can serve the Korean fried rice as is or serve with a sunny side up egg. The fried egg is optional.
• To make a Korean fried egg, turn your burner on to medium heat. Place a little oil in a heated pan and break open the egg into the pan. Fry the egg sunny side up for about 2.5 minutes or until the white of the egg is set but the yellow yolk is still runny.
• Serve with or without a fried egg on top. Garnish with a few sliced green onions, if desired and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Nutritional information has been calculated with eggs and green onions.

Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.

Tips for Success

• Always used leftover cold rice. Do not use warm freshly cooked rice or you will end up with soggy gummy rice- not nice!
• Stir fry your kimchi until all the moisture is removed. This prevents your rice from getting soggy. In addition, it makes the sour spicy kimchi naturally sweet.
• Adjust the amount of gochujang to your preferred spice and heat level.
• Chop your leftover ham in small cubes. It is always nicer to eat stir fries when all the items in the dish are about the same size. We really enjoy the sweeter cranberry glazed air fryer ham or a honey ham as it is a nice flavor profile with the spicy kimchi.
• Mix it up and add any fresh vegetables bits and bobs you have the crisper.
• To make vegan, hold the ham and add mushrooms, fried tofu, or vegetables of choice.
• Traditional gochujang is not gluten-free. If you have celiac or a gluten sensitivity, please try one of the gluten free options like Koko or Wegmans.
• If you want to make this recipe vegan, hold the ham and eggs.  Instead, add stir fried vegetables, mushrooms or fried tofu. 
• If you need a substitute for gochujang paste you can mix 1 teaspoon of miso paste to 1 tablespoon of sriracha sauce or use Thai chili paste. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Sometimes, life is just too busy, or you don't have enough burners to make it the traditional way. Using a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) makes this creamy pumpkin risotto recipe super easy. How simple? A quick sauté, 6 minutes in the pressure cooker, and you are done.

No more standing and stirring while adding broth to the risotto a little at a time (of course unless you want to). If you want to get into the Zen of risotto making, try our Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Saffron or Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto.

No pressure cooker, No worries! We have included stove top instruction in the recipe too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Arborio Rice is a short-grained rice named after the area in Italy where it was first cultivated. This special type of rice has more starch than the long grained Jasmine rice we use to cook our Hong Kong Fried Rice or our Vegan Curried Rice. When the Arborio rice cooks, it slowly releases its starch. You end up with a firmer al dente texture but creamier rice.

You can purchase Arborio rice at a regular grocery store, and it is found in the rice isle.

VERY IMPORTANT TIP! Never rinse or wash Arborio rice. Doing so will wash away all the starch content that gives risotto its delicious texture.

We haven't tried substituting any other type of grain in this pumpkin sage risotto. However, a potential substitution may be sushi rice, as it also has a high starch and amylose content.

Pumpkin (or Squash) is the second key ingredient. We used a fresh 'pie pumpkin' like in our Thai Pumpkin Curry.  However, you could also use a butternut squash, kabocha like in our Air Fryer Kabocha Squash with Curried Sauce, acorn or other favorite winter squash of choice. If you want to save time, you can purchase the already peeled and chopped fresh squash. A final alternative is to add chopped defrosted frozen squash or pumpkin.

Fresh is always best. If you don't have fresh pumpkin or squash, you could add plain (no sugar added) pureed canned pumpkin at the end of the cooking process.

An important thing to note is that each pumpkin/squash has a different water content. You may have to add a little more broth or add a little more parmesan to get it to the consistency you desire. We will discuss all about that in the recipe below.

White Wine, like a dry sherry or a nice chardonnay, is perfect to deglaze the instant pot. However, you can exchange with more vegetable broth instead.

Parmigiano-Reggiano - The King of Cheeses! Instant pot pumpkin risotto is extra delicious with freshly grated parmesan. If you want to make your risotto vegan, you can swap out with a little nutritional yeast and leave out the cheese.

Brown Butter Sage and Chestnut Sauce

Do you ever smile or moan when you take a bite of dinner? If not, this is going to be one of those times. This delectable sage infused brown butter sauce with roasted chestnuts is killer good. Seriously, we could eat it just by the spoonful.  It's delicious drizzled over a bowl of creamy pumpkin risotto. There are 3 just ingredients…

1. Butter - Melted and transformed into a delicious brown butter that is sometimes called "beurre noisette" in French.  When the butter is melted and the milk solids solidify at the bottom of the pan, the butter becomes nutty and flavorful.
2. Fresh Sage Leaves - Frying sage leaves in butter will delight your senses with the most amazing aromas of fall. These are used to garnish the dish.
3. Air Fried Roasted Chestnuts - Taking plain Italian pumpkin risotto to the next level.  Toasty and nutty with that little contrast of texture.

Step By Step Risotto

• Place the instant pot on the sauté setting. Add olive oil and aromatics (onions and garlic) to the instant pot, then sauté until aromatic.
• Add in the Arborio rice and sauté until all the rice are coated in olive oil and toasty.

• Toss in the diced pumpkin/squash cubes of choice.
• Stir well.

• Season with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.
• Pour in vegetable broth (or chicken broth if you do not need to keep vegetarian).

• Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes.
• Add in grated parmesan cheese and a little extra broth if needed to get the right texture.

Brown Butter Sauce

Are you getting hungry? The addition of brown butter sage and roasted chestnut sauce takes this recipe over the top. It's so good! Try it drizzled over our Roasted Butternut and Carrot Ginger Soup! This step is optional.

• Try our recipe for Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts. Recipe for baked and boiled chestnuts included. You can peel and store the chestnuts in a sealed container in the refrigerator a couple days in advance.
• Roughly chop chestnuts

• Start by adding butter to a saucepan and melt.
• Add in fresh sage leaves and fry in your butter.  Fry until crispy. Remove and set aside (you will use fried sage leaves as a garnish).

• Gently simmer butter until foamy and the butter's milk solids start to turn golden brown.
• Add in the chopped chestnuts and stir for one minute, then set aside.

Equipment

Do you have a pressure cooker? It is such a handy device. It makes cooking risotto a breeze (we have a 6-quart Duo Instant Pot model).  You can sauté and pressure cook all in one device. Whether you want to make Pressure Cooker Oxtail Stew, side of Instant Pot Black Rice Pilaf, or whip up a quick batch of Instant Pot Lentil Ham Stew, it cuts down on cooking time and makes everything super tender.

Tips for Success

• Do NOT wash Arborio rice before cooking. The starches are what make risotto creamy and delicious.
• Toast the Arborio rice in the pressure cooker (instant pot) with the aromatics and olive oil using the sauté function. Do not burn the rice!  Coat and toast all the rice grains with olive oil.  This process gives the risotto a protective coating that allows the rice to absorb the liquids without getting mushy.
• The Instant Pot takes a while to heat up or come to pressure - about 10 to 15 minutes. If you warm up the broth in the microwave first (just take the chill out), it speeds up the process.
• Don't add the Parmesan cheese until the very end of the cooking process.
• The perfect consistency for risotto is not too loose and not too thick - but a happy medium. If you run a spoon on the bottom of the instant pot, it should leave a line before gently starting to return. The texture should be creamy, but with body to hold its shape. Watch our video in the recipe card below to learn more.
• Make sure to have the extra cups of vegetable broth set aside. Once the pressure cook process is complete, you may need to add more broth. If your risotto is too thin, add in a little more parmesan cheese. The reason for this difference is due to the different types of pumpkins and squash have different moisture levels. Do not add more than you need as the rice will continue to absorb the liquid.
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto should have a slight chew, but the mixture should be creamy.
• As your risotto sits and starts to cool, it gets thicker. It is best to serve right away. 

Frequent Asked Questions

More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto

Our easy Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto is drizzled with a decadent brown butter sage and Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts sauce for the creamiest coziest vegetarian meal ever.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Instant Pot Heat Up Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 31 minutes minutes

Servings 8 bowls

Calories 422kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker/ Instant Pot

Ingredients

Prep for Chestnut Brown Butter Sauce (optional) - Can be made a couple of days in advance

• 15 Air Fried Roasted Chestnuts roasted and peeled (We roasted and peeled our chestnuts the day before and stored in the refrigerator)

Pumpkin Risotto

• 3 and ½ cups pumpkin heaping cups (about 1 pound) of raw, peeled and sliced in 1 inch cubes (we used a pie pumpkin but also super delicious with butternut squash, kabocha, acorn or other desired winter squash)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 cup onion
  peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
  peeled and minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice uncooked (Do NOT rinse!)
• ½ cup dry white wine or dry sherry
• 4.5 cups vegetable stock Not Including an extra 1 to 2 cups just in case you need to thin it out or want to reheat later. We used a low sodium brand. In addition, we microwaved the broth for just a minute or 2 to take the chill out- not hot just luke warm)
• 2 cups vegetable stock These are the extra cups described above. Used to thin the risotto if needed and/or reheat later.
• 1 teaspoons thyme
  dried or 1 tablespoon fresh
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese
  freshly grated (we also like to have a ¼ cup extra to garnish for serving)

Brown Butter Sage Chestnut Sauce (Optional BUT so Good)

• 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons or ½ cup) if you use salted butter, there is no need to season. On the other hand, if you use unsalted butter, please add a little dash of salt to taste.
• 4-6 whole sage leaves fresh
• 15 Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts should already have been previously roasted and peeled (You can do this step a couple of days in advance)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• If you plan on making the delicious Brown Butter Sage and Chestnut Sauce, roast and peel chestnuts first. You can do this up to a couple days in advance. The brown butter sauce is totally optional but really takes this recipe to the next level. If you do not plan on making the sauce, skip to the next step.
• Peel and chop pumpkin or favorite winter squash (like butternut, acorn, kabocha, etc.) into one inch cubes. We had about 3.5 heaping cups or about 1 pound total. Set aside.
• Set your Instant Pot (pressure cooker) to the sauté function. Add in olive oil, onions, garlic and sauté until aromatic and translucent.
• Do NOT wash the rice! Add the raw dry Arborio rice to the aromatics in the instant pot. Stir and toast Arborio rice for 1 to 2 minutes or until all of the rice are well coated with oil.
• Add peeled and cubed pumpkin or squash in the instant pot. Season with salt, pepper and thyme leaves.
• Pour ½ cup of dry white wine or sherry over the rice and pumpkin in the instant pot to deglaze pan. Stir well. Turn off sauté function on instant pot.
• Add in 4.5 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth if you do not need to keep vegetarian) (Optional: If you want to cut down on the time for the Instant pot to heat up, microwave the broth for just a minute or two to take the chill out so that it is lukewarm).
• Seal the instant pot (or pressure cooker) with lid and make sure the nozzle is set to NO VENT. Set the Instant pot on high for 6 minutes. It takes the instant pot about 10 minutes to get up to pressure and heat up.

Make Brown Butter Sage and Chestnut Sauce (optional - but so GOOD!)

• While your pumpkin risotto is cooking, make the chestnut sauce. Place butter in a small sauce pan and slowly melt over medium low heat.
• Add fresh sage leaves to fry until crispy. Only takes 1 to 2 minutes. Remove sage leaves from pan and set aside
• Continue to cook and stir the butter until it gets foamy. The milk solids from the butter will turn golden brown and it will be golden.
• Add chopped roasted chestnuts and stir into brown butter sauce and sauté for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat source and set aside.

Finish the Dish

• When the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) is done cooking, Carefully, use the quick release method to vent out steam. Use oven mittens and point the release nozzle away from your face and others! Do NOT open the lid until the plunger has depressed or you know that the pressure is completely released.
• Add parmesan cheese to the risotto and stir. The pumpkin cubes will start to fall apart and combine with the rice. Assess the texture.

  The perfect consistency for risotto is not too loose and not too thick but a happy medium. If you run a spoon on the bottom of the instant pot, it should leave a line and gently start to return. The texture should be creamy, but with body to hold its shape. Watch our video in the recipe card below to see it in action.

  You may need to add more broth to get the right consistency. If your risotto is too thin, add in a little more parmesan cheese. As your risotto sits and starts to cool, it gets thicker. It is best to serve right away.

  Check seasoning. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
• Place a large scoop of the creamy risotto in each of the serving bowls. Spoon over a tablespoon of the brown butter sage and chestnut sauce or so. Garnish with a little extra grated parmesan cheese and fried sage leaves. Enjoy!

Alternative Stove Top Instructions in the Recipe Notes Below

Video

Notes

Tips for Success

• Do NOT wash Arborio rice before cooking. The starches are what make risotto creamy and delicious.
• Toast the Arborio rice in the pressure cooker (instant pot) with the aromatics and olive oil using the sauté function. Do not burn the rice but instead coat and toast all the rice grains with olive oil. This process gives the risotto a protective coating that allows the rice to absorb the liquids without getting mushy.
• The instant pot (pressure cooker) takes a while to heat up or come to pressure - about 10 to 15 minutes. If you warm up the broth in the microwave first (just take the chill out), it speeds up the process.
• Don't add the Parmesan cheese until the very end of the cooking process.
• The perfect consistency for risotto is not too loose and not too thick but a happy medium. If you run a spoon on the bottom of the instant pot, it should leave a line and gently start to return. The texture should be creamy, but with body to hold its shape. 
• Once the pressure cook process is complete, you may need to add more broth. If your risotto is too thin, add in a little more parmesan cheese. The reason for this difference is due to the different types of pumpkins and squash have different moisture levels. Do not add more than you need as the rice will continue to absorb the liquid.
• Risotto should have a slight chew, but the mixture should be creamy

How to Store

Risotto is best enjoyed hot and right away. However, it can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

How to Reheat 

Risotto can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. You will need to add a little more vegetable broth to get it loosened up.

Can I freeze risotto?

Freezing is not recommended as rice gets hard and the texture is not pleasant. However, try making Risotto balls (Arancini) with the leftovers. Roll risotto in a ball and coat with egg and seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow fry or air fry until toasty golden and delicious. 

Substitutions

A time saving technique is to buy raw, peeled and chopped pumpkin or winter squash from the grocery store already prepared for you. In a pinch, you can substitute with frozen squash or pumpkin that has been thawed. As a last resort, you can add Plain canned/tinned pumpkin (without the pumpkin seasoning) AFTER the risotto is cooked. Fresh always tastes the best but we are all about using what you have on hand. 

Stove Top Alternative

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, try this pumpkin risotto recipe the old traditional way.

1. Warm up your vegetable broth on the stove top.
2. Pour yourself a glass of wine - very important step!
3. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large deep pan/skillet with lid). Then, add the pumpkin or butternut squash to the pan and sauté for one minute. Add ½ cup of vegetable broth, cover and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender. Remove lid and sauté until liquid evaporates.
4. Add in Arborio rice and toss until all the rice grains are covered in oil.
5. Deglaze the pan with a ½ glass of white wine.
6. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
7. Add one ladle of broth at a time to the risotto.
8. Slowly stir the risotto, meditate, and enjoy your wine, until it is absorbed. Repeat that process until the rice is al dente and creamy.
9. Add in Parmesan cheese and enjoy while hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 783mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5045IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

World's BEST Comfort Food: Hong Kong Fried Rice

Chinese shrimp fried rice has to be one of the world's best comfort food. Carbs, aromatics and vegetables in a bowl is like getting a warm hug from mom just like our recipe for our Golden Spiced Noodle Soup. Most of the day's problems will melt right away.

The fragrant aromatics of garlic, ginger and onion engulf the individual rice grains that are slightly smokey and savory. In addition, the vegetables are crisp, and the egg is finely incorporated into the rice. The succulent cooked shrimp have that crunchy, firm and addictive crisp texture like in our Clean Eating Shrimp Stir Fry recipe. Each and every bite makes you want more.

Cantonese fried rice is filling, flavorful and easy to make. In addition, it is quite budget friendly as you can use up all the bits and bobs of leftover proteins, vegetables, aromatics and rice in one delicious recipe. We don't know about you, but we dislike wasting food when there are so many in the world that go without.

What is the "The Breath of the Wok" (Wok Hei)?

Have you ever heard of the breath of the wok "wok hei"? Wok hei is a term referred to describe the slight smokey flavor and taste that comes alive when food, like fried rice, is stir fried in a wok.  We learned this process quite quickly while being taught by a little old Cantonese lady. She would beat you on your shoulders with her cooking chopsticks if you did not do it properly. Let me tell you those little wooden sticks sting. It forces you to learn REAL fast the tricks of the trade.

You might not be able to achieve complete breath of the wok unless you are in an industrial commercial kitchen with huge seasoned woks, gas fire and intense heat. However, you can certainly make the BEST healthy shrimp fried rice in your neighborhood with these tricks and tips we are going to share with you today.

Cooking Hacks for Making the BEST Cantonese Fried Rice

Rice cooking hacks

• Use leftover cold rice to make fried rice. Cold rice is less likely to stick together.
• If steaming rice to be used in a fried rice recipe, reduce the amount of water. For example, if your recipe for jasmine rice calls for 1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, reduce to 1.25 cups of water. (If you have just leftover rice made the traditional way, that is A-Ok too. We just like to use our fingers to break it up a little bit before adding it to the wok to cook.)
• We cool the rice in a sheet pan so it less likely to stick together. Rice that has been refrigerated at least 2 hours or overnight works best. Feel free to use jasmine rice, short grain sushi rice, brown rice, basmati rice like in our Hawaiian Luau Rice or any leftover you have on hand. However, Uncle Ben's converted parboiled rice is not an option as it will have horrible texture results.

Wok Cooking Hacks

• Are you trying to cram everything into one small pan? It would be better to split up into a couple of different batches. Do not over crowd the pan or wok. It is best to cook in batches and use the largest wok or pan you have. The food must maintain a constant temperature. If you overcrowd the pan, you are going to be steaming and not stir frying. The items in the wok must have space to move and stir fry.
• The wok or pan heat needs to be gradually increased until it is a very high heat, almost to the point of smoking.
• Do not add the oil to the wok (or pan) until it is hot. It is best to add the oil just before you add your ingredients.
• If you add too little oil, your rice will stick to the pan. On the other hand, if you add too much oil, your fried rice with taste deep fried. A well-seasoned wok will help with this.
• Gas stove top vs electric stovetop is preferred as that bit of flame that hits the moisture of the food that mixes with the oil gives this Authentic Chinese Fried Rice its delicious smokey profile.
• Keep that wok moving over high heat. Stir fry quickly so that all the grains of rice have contact with the heat of the pan.

Ingredient Cooking Hacks

• The amount of moisture in your vegetables will make or break your attempts at making homemade shrimp fried rice. Do not choose juicy vegetables like tomatoes to add to your fried rice or it will be wet and gummy. Choose firm crisp vegetables. We chose to add thawed well dried frozen mixed vegetables and quick cooking chopped snow peas for our recipe as they do not require pre-cooking and are very low in moisture.
• If you choose raw firm vegetables like carrots and celery for your Hong Kong Fried Rice, you will need to stir fry these first. Stir fry your vegetables until firm crisp, before adding the rest of your ingredients. These vegetables take longer than everything else to cook.
• When it is time to add the soy sauce, we like to move the rice to the center of the pan and pour the soy sauce around the exterior or the wok or pan. The purpose is to reduce the moisture of the soy sauce quickly. Do not add too much soy sauce as it will make your rice mushy. Use salt and white pepper to finish seasoning to your desired level. Wait, just a few seconds, before stirring to get the temperature of the wok stable. Then, super quickly get that wok moving - FAST. If you have a HUGE commercial sized wok like in a restaurant, there is no need to bring your rice to the center of the wok as there is such a huge cooking surface area.
• Have everything chopped and ready to go before you heat up your wok or pan. Mise en place is big in Chinese cooking. Once that wok gets hot, you will be done cooking in less than 5 minutes.
• Around the Chinese New Year, we love to put a tablespoon of XO Sauce in our fried rice. You can thank us later. If you like XO Sauce, be sure to try our recipe for Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce.

How to Make Egg Fried Rice Cantonese Style?

Do you like big egg chunks or flaky bits of egg? Unlike other fried rice versions from around the world, Hong Kong Fried Rice is known for these delicate flakes of egg, instead of egg chunks or egg slices. For a better visual on how to achieve this, be sure to check out our video in the recipe card below.

• After all the ingredients have been added to your pantry fried rice, it's time to add the egg.
• Make an open well in the middle of the wok or pan by scooping up the rice to the sides of the wok. Add a little extra oil to prevent sticking.
• Pour the beaten egg into the well.
• Stir the beaten egg in the well vigorously.
• In one purposefully movement, pull the rice over the egg with your spatula as this heat cooks the rice.
• Then, in a flash, get that wok moving and toss the rice quickly and effectively. This is the movement that turns the cooked into those delicate egg flakes.
• Practice makes perfect, so cut yourself some slack on the first try.

Yangzhou Rice vs Shrimp Fried Rice

Have you ever had traditional Yangzhou rice (揚州炒飯)? It sometimes called Yangchow fried rice or Yeung Chow fried rice.

The smokey flavor from the wok and delicate sweetness from the BBQ Chinese pork (char siu) is completely addictive. The addition of char siu and NO soy sauce makes this recipe different than our Hong Kong Fried Rice. Grabbing a little BBQ pork from the wet market is so easy to do in Asia and is so delicious.  However, getting your hands-on char siu is not so easy elsewhere in the world. This is the reason we intentionally left if out of our Cantonese fried rice recipe. Generally, Yangzhou rice is seasoned with just salt, white pepper and the essence from the wok.

7 Main Ingredient Components

Woohoo, it's clean out the refrigerator day! We always determine what ingredients we have on hand by doing a little foraging in the refrigerator and pantry. Then, we decide what flavors or aromatics we will be using. Your pantry will determine what kind of fried rice you will be making depending on the things you find during your scavenger hunt. However, these 7 main components are important for any type of fried rice you decide to make.

1. Oil is required to get the delicious crunch on the fried rice and prevent sticking. A light flavored oil is best.
2. Cold leftover Rice. Chilled rice will turn the rice grains firm and get rid of the excess moisture. They will also be much easier to separate.  
3. Aromatics like garlic, ginger and onions. Aromatics work by dispersing the flavors and essence into the oil and then that oil coats the rice.
4. Seasonings such as soy sauce or tamari, if you need it gluten-free, sesame oil, salt and white pepper. If you like your fried rice spicy, be sure to add in a little Homemade Sichuan chili oil.
5. Vegetables - check out your crisper and use up any little bits and bobs of veggies. After all, this rice recipe is about cleaning out the refrigerator. We love adding a little bit of Chinese pickle for that extra spice. However, that is completely optional.
6. Protein - shrimp, egg, char siu, tofu, beef, etc. are all fabulous. Clean out the refrigerator!
7. Garnishes like green onions are very delicious addition.

Order of Operations

The time frame and sequence that you place the ingredients in the wok/pan to cook matters. After you have all of your ingredient's mise en place (chopped up and ready to go and organized), heat up the wok or pan WITHOUT oil. Once your wok or pan is very hot and just before it starts to smoke, add the oil.

Then, add the aromatics and fry quickly just until you can smell the lovely flavors touch your nose. If you love garlicky rice, be sure to try our Kimchi Pantry Fried Rice. Add the shrimp, meats or proteins of choice and fry until golden brown and flavor the dish. Remove meats or seafood and set aside.

Next, add your crunchy vegetables first then your softer items later. Use thawed frozen mixed vegetables and chopped snow peas that are quick to cook. Therefore, we did not need to fry them first. Add your cold rice into your wok and proteins back into pan. Quickly stir fry making sure that you separate all the rice pieces so the aromatic oils and flavorings from the proteins have a chance to mingle with each strand of rice.

Finally, add your seasonings. Pour the soy sauce on the outside rim of the rice and let the sauce completely evaporate before stirring around in the rice. It keeps your rice dry. Taste. Adjust seasoning by adding salt and white pepper to taste. If you wish to add sesame oil add now. Next add your egg, if desired. Finally, add your garnishes.

Hong Kong Fried Rice is about one of the simplest last-minute dishes you can make if you have some basic staples in your home. It's fast, easy, cheap and delicious. Come with us and learn how to make fried rice from today's refrigerator and pantry exploration.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Fried Rice Recipes from Around the World

Shrimp and Chorizo Fried Rice

Curried Harvest Black Forbidden Rice

Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils

Vegan Curried Rice

Vegan Chickpea Lemon Rice

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Hong Kong Fried Rice

HongKong Fried Rice is an easy essential restaurant style Chinese stir fry recipe to make at home with shrimp, egg, vegetables and leftover rice.

Course Mains, Sides

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 516kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• Wok or large frying pan
• spatula or cooking chopsticks

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon oil
  reserve half of oil for addition of rice and cooking of the egg.
• ¼ cup onion
  chopped
• 1 inch ginger
  knob peeled and grated
• 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 5 oz shrimp small/medium peeled, vein and tail removed
• 2 cups rice
  cooked day old cold rice ( we used Thai Jasmine long grain rice but you can use any kind you desire)
• ¼ cup Chinese pickled vegetables optional
• ½ cup mixed vegetables previously frozen but thawed, drained and dried well with paper towels. (carrots, peas, corn, etc.)
• ½ cup snow peas chopped - raw
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari sauce to keep gluten free
• salt
  to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon white pepper or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  
• 1 egg
  optional
• 3 tablespoon green onions chopped as garnish - optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a wok or large pan, turn on burner to medium/high heat and slowly heat to a high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil to wok or pan.
• Add aromatics such as onion, ginger and garlic and fry just until the aroma hits your nose.About 1 minute. Do not burn garlic or otherwise it will have a bitter taste.
• Place prepared shrimp(or other proteins as desired) into the pan. Stir fry shrimp until no longer translucent.If frying meats, cook until just golden brown moving your wok fast. Remove shrimp or other protein products from the pan and set aside.
• If you are cleaning out the refrigerator, add any raw uncooked firm vegetables to the pan first. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until vegetables are aldente. Keep your vegetables moving in the pan. However, we chose to use thawed and dried frozen mixed vegetables and quick cooking chopped snow peas. You do not need to stir fry these first as they are quick cooking. We will be adding these later in the recipe to keep them crisp.  
• Add your rice to the wok or pan and separate so that all rice pieces are coated with the oil and flavorings. Next, only if desired, add in Chinese pickles. (Totally optional but we love that little funky flavor it gives the fried rice. If you wanted to add XO sauce, we would add a tablespoon now.) Keep the contents in the pan moving
• Add thawed previously frozen mixed vegetables that have been dried well and chopped snow peas and stir fry in the rice.
• Move the rice to the center of your wok or pan. Add the soy sauce (tamari) around the exterior edges of the rice and leave it set for a few seconds until it evaporates. Then get that wok moving. Add salt, white pepper and sesame oil to taste. Keep the contents in the pan moving.
• Add the cooked shrimp or proteins back into the wok or pan and toss.
• Move your rice to the sides of the pan to create a well. Add the beaten egg to the well. Let the egg stand sit for just a second. Then, quickly stir the egg well until it starts to pull together. Now comes the fun part. Take your spatula and flip the rice over the egg mixture and really get that wok moving. Your goal is to have little thin strands of egg mixed in with your Hong Kong fried rice.
• Add chopped green onions, give it a quick stir fry and enjoy hot.

Video

Notes

Rice cooking hacks

• Use leftover cold rice to make fried rice. Cold rice is less likely to stick together.
• If steaming rice to be used in a fried rice recipe, reduce the amount of water. For example, if your recipe for jasmine rice calls for 1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, reduce to 1.25 cups of water. (If you have just leftover rice made the traditional way, that is A-Ok too. We just like to use our fingers to break it up a little bit before adding it to the wok to cook.)
• We cool the rice in a sheet pan so it less likely to stick together. Rice that has been refrigerated at least 2 hours or overnight works best. Feel free to use jasmine rice, short grain sushi rice, brown rice, basmati rice like in our Hawaiian Luau Rice or any leftover you have on hand. However, Uncle Ben's converted parboiled rice is not an option as it will have horrible texture results.

Wok Cooking Hacks

• Do not over crowd the pan or wok. It is best to cook in batches and use the largest wok or pan you have. The food must maintain a constant temperature. If you overcrowd the pan, you are going to be steaming and not stir frying. The items in the wok must have space to move and stir fry.
• The wok or pan heat needs to be gradually increased until it is a very high heat, almost to the point of smoking.
• Do not add the oil to the wok (or pan) until it is hot. It is best to add the oil just before you add your ingredients.
• If you add too little oil, your rice will stick to the pan. On the other hand, if you add too much oil, your fried rice with taste deep fried. A well-seasoned wok will help with this.
• Gas stove top vs electric stovetop is preferred as that bit of flame that hits the moisture of the food that mixes with the oil gives this Authentic Chinese Fried Rice its delicious smokey profile.
• Keep that wok moving over high heat. Stir fry quickly so that all the grains of rice have contact with the heat of the pan.

Ingredient Cooking Hacks

• The amount of moisture in your vegetables will make or break your attempts at making homemade shrimp fried rice. Do not choose juicy vegetables like tomatoes to add to your fried rice or it will be wet and gummy. Choose firm crisp vegetables. We chose to add thawed well dried frozen mixed vegetables and quick cooking chopped snow peas for our recipe as they do not require pre-cooking and are very low in moisture.
• If you choose raw firm vegetables like carrots and celery for your Hong Kong Fried Rice, you will need to stir fry these first. Stir fry your vegetables until firm crisp, before adding the rest of your ingredients. These vegetables take longer than everything else to cook.
• When it is time to add the soy sauce, we like to move the rice to the center of the pan and pour the soy sauce around the exterior or the wok or pan. The purpose is to reduce the moisture of the soy sauce quickly. Do not add too much soy sauce as it will make your rice mushy. Use salt and white pepper to finish seasoning to your desired level. Wait, just a few seconds, before stirring to get the temperature of the wok stable. Then, super quickly get that wok moving - FAST. If you have a HUGE commercial sized wok like in a restaurant, there is no need to bring your rice to the center of the wok as there is such a huge cooking surface area.
• Have everything chopped and ready to go before you heat up your wok or pan. Mise en place is big in Chinese cooking. Once that wok gets hot, you will be done cooking in less than 5 minutes.
• Around the Chinese New Year, we love to put a tablespoon of XO Sauce in our fried rice. You can thank us later. If you like XO Sauce, be sure to try our recipe for Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 260mg | Sodium: 1142mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2786IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Hong Kong Fried Rice [Restaurant Style + VIDEO] appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

OX sauce is a bold condiment that is used frequently in the Guangdong region of China.  The term XO comes from the word extra old cognac. There is absolutely no cognac in the sauce, but it is a symbol of wealth and prestige . Let me tell you they charge enough for this sauce!!!

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Be creative! Use what you have in your crisper and in your pantry and adjust the recipe to your needs.

When you eat noodles in Asia, the more you slurp the noodles the better. This savory, spicy and delicious bite is for you!

More Chinese Stir Fry Recipes

Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce

Spicy Pork and Bamboo Stir Fry

Better Than Take Out Vegetable Lo Mein

Wood Ear Mushroom Vegan Stir Fry

Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles

Orange Sweet Potato Stir Fry

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce

Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce is a less than 20-minute easy Chinese beef stir fry recipe with crunchy vegetables and a spicy XO sauce for the perfect noodle slurping bite.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 281kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• wok or frying pan

Ingredients

Beef Marinade

• ¼ pound beef
  cut against the grain
• 1 tablespoon rice wine Shaoxing wine or a dry sherry
• 3 tablespoon tamari (soy) sauce
  (1 tablespoons for marinade and 1-2 tablespoon for sauce)
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  or to taste
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  

Noodles and Sauce

• 100 grams rice noodles
  dried (we used medium Pad Thai noodles but if you can find the extra wine those are nice too)
• water enough hot water to cover the noodles to soak
• 2 tablespoon canola oil
  1 tablespoon to cook the beef and 1 tablespoon to pan fry the rice noodles.
• 1 small onion
  sliced in moons
• 2 cloves garlic
  minced
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
  
• 2 tablespoon XO Sauce
  spicy or regular
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  

Garnishes and Veggies

• 1 cups bean sprouts
  sprouted mung beans or sliced snow peas
• 2 teaspoon green onions optional - garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a medium bowl add your sliced beef, shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, white pepper and cornstarch and allow to marinade while your rice noodles are soaking.
• Soak your dried rice noodles (medium or extra wide) in a bath of hot water for about 3-5 minutes or just until they start to softened but not completely al dente. (FYI: Noodles will continue to cook when they are fried.) Rinse noodles with cool water, drain and set aside.
• Put 1 tablespoon of oil in your wok (frying pan) and turn on medium-high heat . Once the temperature is at medium heat add the onions and garlic and fry for a minute just until the aroma hits your nose.
• Add your marinated beef to the pan and stir fry for a minute or two or just until turns golden brown. Remove beef and onions to a plate and keep warm and set aside. If you wanted to cook some other veggies then you would add them at this point and stir fry until crisp tender and then remove from your pan. We stir fried sliced snow peas as that is what we had on hand. (Feel free to add any quick cooking thin sliced vegetables at this time and stir fry until crisp tender and then remove from pan.) If you choose to add bean sprouts (sprouted mung beans), wait to add them to the pan until you have added all the sauces at the end of the cooking process.
• Add 1 tablespoon of oil and your presoaked noodles to the seasoned pan turn up the heat to medium high. Move the noodles quickly around in the pan keeping them separated so they do not stick. (feel free to add a little more oil or a little more water just to prevent sticking and to confirm that your noodles are aldente- test a noodle)
• Add your beef mixture and stir fried snow peas or veggies cooked back to the noodles and add XO sauce, Tamari (soy sauce), oyster sauce, and mix until well incorporated. If you want to add in bean sprouts, you would add them to the pan at this time and just toss until warm but crisp.
• Serve Pan Fried Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce with a sprinkle of green onions for garnish and get ready to make second helpings...

Video

Notes

How to Make Best Pan-Fried Noodles

• Don't over crowd your wok or frying pan. If you overcrowd your pan, you are no longer stir frying but that is steaming. Steaming will change the texture of your dish and your goal is to dry fry. Cook in small batches. Sometimes, people will refer to this method as the Hong Kong fried spaghetti recipe.
• Use the Dry Fry technique just like in our Garlic Pork and Dry Fried Green Beans The Dry fry technique is using the heat of the pan and oil to cook the ingredients in the pan. No extra liquids like water or broth are added to cook the recipe.
• Keep an eye on your noodles when you are pre-soaking them. It only takes about 3- 5 minutes in boiled water. Don't let your rice noodles get too soft. Your goal is to have a noodle a firm aldente as the noodles will be fried again in the pan. No one likes mushy noodles.
• We used pad Thai style rice noodles for the Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce dish. However, you could use any noodle you wish in this dish and have in your pantry. We are all about staying budget friendly and using up your inventory. Remember, if you are using other noodles like egg noodles, you will need to cook these to a firm aldente before adding them to this pan-fried noodle recipe.
• If you need to adhere to strict gluten-free guidelines, pass on the XO sauce or make your own from scratch. Use a gluten free oyster sauce and use tamari instead of soya sauce. Need more spice? Add a dash of dried red chili flakes or sriracha sauce.
• Adjust your seasonings to your taste. If you like it spicier add additional XO sauce or red pepper flakes. Want it saltier? Then, add more tamari (soya sauce). If you're used to having that Chinese balance in flavors, you are probably missing the little bit of sugar. We left it out intentionally as this brand of xo sauce has a little sugar in it already.
• If want a lower carb version, just load up on loads of veggies like bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas or baby corn, etc. Skip the rice noodles all together or just add a few to say that you did. Maybe even go for a fried egg on top…
• A helpful hack for cutting your beef ultra-thin is to freeze it for about 45 minutes before slicing it against the grain. 
• Extra beef? Make a  Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce and enjoy!

Be creative! Use what you have in your crisper and in your pantry and adjust the recipe to your needs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl beef noodles | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 1340mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Creamy Parmesan Risotto Cooking Therapy

One bite of this creamy saffron risotto and you are going to be hooked. Arborio rice is creamy, dreamy, cheesy and slow cooked with a little Italian love. The best preventative mental health exercise is pouring a little hot chicken broth and stirring the saffron risotto until it is creamy and delicious.

There is something very calming and Zen-like about watching the rice cook. For just a few minutes, you are living in the moment. One moment of just cooking and stirring the rice without distractions. One hand slowly stirs the risotto and a glass of wine in the other is the perfect way to relax after a stressful day.

What to serve with Saffron Risotto?

Saffron Risotto is a delicious simple carbohydrate. This easy side dish goes perfectly with our One Pan Rosemary Boneless Pork Chops with Roasted Grapes, Garlic Chicken Saltimbocca, Rustic Chicken Cacciatore  and of course, our Pressure Cooker Oxtail Stew. 

Don't you love the cozy feeling you get when you scoop a little creamy parmesan risotto on your fork with a little fall off the bone tender osso buco?  That is one perfect bite. The richness of the sauce and brightness from the citrus gremolata is a perfect pairing for a Sunday supper.  

Have you ever had risotto before? If so, you know that it can be great all by itself as a main with a delicious tossed salad with a light and bright Lemon White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

What is the Difference Between Saffron Risotto and Risotto alla Milanese?

Saffron Risotto is a classic Italian plain risotto made with chicken broth and a little pinch of saffron. Risotto alla Milanese is made with a beef broth, a pinch of saffron and beef bone marrow. Both are delicious but we really enjoy a simple creamy parmesan risotto with saffron as it goes with so many dishes and its kid friendly.

Ingredients

• Butter - The real deal. Grass fed is best.
• Onions - We used a regular yellow onion, but you can also use shallots. Use what you have on hand is always our motto.
• Garlic - But, of course! Garlic is not a traditional ingredient. However, it is a delicious addition you won't want to miss.
• Arborio Rice - is an Italian short-grained rice. This rice has a higher starch content and it makes a great rice for creamy risotto. You can also use Carnaroli, Maratelli, Baldo and Vialone Nano rice for this recipe.  
• Chicken Stock - It is best to use a low sodium chicken broth. When the risotto cooks down, the salt level intensifies. If you have homemade chicken stock, that is perfect for this creamy parmesan risotto. The addition of parmesan cheese will also be salty. Therefore, it is best to have a low sodium chicken broth so you can adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Dry White Wine - Our second-best motto is use whatever your drinking. We just happened to be drinking a delicious chardonnay so a little for the recipe and the rest for the chef works for us. After all, we are working on that our positive mental health, living in the moment, right? (smiling)
• Parmesan Cheese - The king of cheeses is sublime in our creamy parmesan risotto.  It adds that depth of flavor and savory deliciousness that you are craving. If you are vegan, you can skip this addition, but this recipe is just not the same without it. Nutritional yeast will leave this recipe grainy, so it is NOT suggested. However, you can make your own homemade vegan parmesan as well.
• Saffron - It brings that beautiful golden yellow color to the risotto and adds a little sweet floral and earthy taste to this Italian Risotto. The bright red stigmas are harvested from a flower called crocus sativus. Saffron is one of those spices that is a little on the expensive side.  However, you only need a little pinch. That will leave you plenty of extra spice to try in our delicious Slow Roasted Moroccan Spiced Leg of Lamb. If you really love that golden color but do not have any saffron, add a pinch of turmeric powder.

Why Do You Need to Warm the Broth for Risotto?

Heating up your chicken broth ensures that the arborio rice, chicken broth and pan are all the same temperature. The process of heating up the broth ensures that all the grains of rice cooks evenly.

No one likes some crunchy grains of rice, some perfect and some mushy. Most generally speaking, you are looking for a creamy risotto consistency with each and every bite. If you love a good creamy risotto, be sure to try our Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto and our Roasted Chestnut Pumpkin Risotto.

How to Make Saffron Bloom?

There is no need to allow extra time for your saffron to bloom in this Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Saffron recipe. Dried saffron has plenty of time to open up when steeping in the simmering chicken broth and during the cooking process. Blooming saffron is a process to extract out the flavor and color from the saffron stigmas. Blooming sometimes requires grinding, frying or steeping like tea before adding to a recipe.

How to Make Saffron Risotto

• Do NOT wash arborio rice. This strips away all the starches that make this risotto extra creamy.
• In a medium pot, add your low sodium chicken broth or homemade and heat to a simmer.
• Add a pinch of saffron to the chicken broth and the broth will turn bright yellow in a few minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add onions and salt until slightly translucent. We actually like to take them a little bit further until they just start to think about browning.
• Add the arborio rice and garlic and toast for about 1 minute in the pan with the onions. The purpose is to add a nutty flavor to the risotto.
• Deglaze the pan with the dry white wine or wine you happen to be drinking.
• Then one little ladle at a time, add a little of the saffron spiced chicken broth to the arborio rice. Making sure your heat is on a low simmer or a medium bubble.
• Do not over stir your risotto. You only want to stir it often enough to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. If you over stir, it can ruin the consistency.
• Allow the rice to cook down the liquid until you can make a path with your spatula or wooden spoon. If you can make a path with your spatula in the pan, it is time to add another scoop of warmed saffron chicken broth. (See photo above for example) Repeat this process several more times. After 15 minutes, check taste a little bit of the rice for consistency. If the risotto is still crunchy, add a few more rounds of chicken broth and stirring until it reaches your creamy consistency. The consistency should be slightly loose and creamy.
• Remove the Italian risotto from the heat source. Add in a dollop of butter and grated parmesan cheese and stir well.
• Enjoy!

How to Store Saffron Risotto?

Risotto is best enjoyed straight away. However, it can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days, but it will stiffen and thicken up because of all the starches. You can reheat risotto in the microwave or on the stove top, but you will need to add just need to add a little heated chicken broth to revive it.

What to Do with Leftover Risotto?

Our favorite way to enjoy leftover risotto is to make arancini balls or risotto fritter balls. Essentially, roll up your leftover risotto in a ball, dip into a beaten egg, seasoned breadcrumbs and fry them up. Sometimes, mom used to put in a little wedge of mozzarella cheese in the center for a delicious surprise. These risotto balls are super delicious with a little marinara sauce.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Rice Recipes

• Vegan Chickpea Lemon Rice
• Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils
• Curried Harvest Black Forbidden Rice
• Chorizo and Shrimp Fried Rice
• Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Saffron

Creamy parmesan risotto with saffron is an easy traditionalItalian comfort food side dish that pairs perfectly with our Pressure Cooker OxtailStew. 

Course Mains, Sides

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 23 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 357kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 5 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 1 pinch saffron threads dried whole
• 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
• 1 large onion peeled and chopped
• salt to taste
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1½ cups arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine dry
• 2 tablespoon butter
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese grated and a little extra for garnish

Instructions

• Do NOT wash arborio rice. This strips away all the starches that make creamy parmesan risotto.
• In a medium pot, add your low sodium chicken broth (homemade is best) and heat to a simmer. Then turn down to a low heat just to keep hot.
• Add a pinch of saffron to the chicken broth. The broth will turn bright yellow in a few minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add onions and cook for about 2 minutes or until slightly translucent.
• Add the arborio rice, garlic and salt and toast for about 1 minute in the pan with the onions. The purpose or toasting the rice is to add a nutty flavor to the risotto. Do not brown the rice.
• Deglaze the pan with the dry white wine or wine you happen to be drinking.
• Then one little ladle at a time, add a little of the saffron chicken broth to the arborio rice. Making sure your heat for the risotto rice is on a low simmer (medium bubble).
• Do not over stir your risotto. You only want to stir it often enough to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. If you over stir, it can ruin the consistency.
• Allow the rice to cook down the liquid until you can make a path with your spatula or wooden spoon. If you can make a path with your spatula in the pan, it is time to add another scoop of warmed saffron chicken broth. Repeat this process several more times. After 15 minutes, check taste a little bit of the rice for consistency. If the risotto is still crunchy, add a few more rounds of chicken broth and stirring until it reaches your creamy consistency. The consistency should be slightly loose and creamy.
• Remove the Italian risotto from the heat source. Add in a dollop of butter and grated parmesan cheese and stir well. Salt and pepper to taste as desired.
• Garnish with a little extra grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Notes

Risotto is best enjoyed straight away. However, it can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days, but it will stiffen and thicken up because of all the starches. You can reheat risotto in the microwave or on the stove top, but you will need to add need to add a little heated chicken broth to revive it. Do not freeze risotto as it gets hard and inedible. 

Feel free to use beef broth, vegetable broth or even seafood broth, depending on what you are serving with your Creamy Parmesan Risotto.

Heating up your chicken broth ensures that the arborio rice, chicken broth and pan are all the same temperature. Heating the broth to a simmer is super important. This process ensures that all the grains of rice cooks evenly. No one likes some crunchy grains of rice, some perfect and some mushy. Most generally speaking, you are looking for a creamy risotto consistency with each and every bite.

There is no need to allow extra time for your saffron to bloom in this Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Saffron recipe. Dried saffron has plenty of time to open up when steeping in the simmering chicken broth and during the cooking process.

If you do not have saffron, you can substitute a little dusting of dried ground turmeric spice to achieve that gorgeous yellow hue.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 955mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Creamy Parmesan Risotto With Saffron appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

12 Fabulous Reasons to Love Our Quinoa Harvest Salad

We bet you can't stop at just one bite. Imagine this powerful bite landing on your taste buds:

Roasted butternut squash quinoa salad has the crunch of the roasted pepitas, sweetness of the gala apples and dried cranberries, nuttiness of the quinoa, fresh spinach, warming spices and a pop of fresh lemon from the dressing. We bet this one bite will have you craving for more.

Feed Your Body What it is Craving

Have you ever found the perfect recipe for what your inner body craves? I am not talking about chocolate or a glass of wine, although that would be quite nice. I am referring to nourishing your inner body and soul with what it "really" needs. This delicious warm quinoa salad with roasted vegetables has lots of spices to warm your heart, strengthen your inner soul and to keep your qi flowing smoothly.

Nourish your Body with Spleen Qi Warming Foods

During the change of seasons and if your body is out of balance, it is more prone to health issues. According to NIH, they suggest strengthening your Spleen Qi by eliminating hard-to-digest foods like raw or cold foods while simultaneously eating more foods that tonify the Spleen like warming vegetables, proteins, spices and grains.

Butternut squash, quinoa, cinnamon and turmeric are all warming foods according to Eastern Medicine. In our article, Introducing the Five Energies of Foods, you can learn about cold, hot, warm, cool and neutral properties of food. 

Why your Spleen Qi Dislikes Cold Foods

According to Eastern Medicine, if you eat lots of raw or cold foods, your spleen cannot work as effectively to get that nourishment out of the food and into a product that can nourish your body. If your body is already compromised, it has to spend extra energy warming up the food that you just ate to get nourishment from it. Now, you are in a vicious cycle.

Break this cycle by eating easy to digest warm foods like soups, stews and warm grains, warm curried autumn salads, vegetables and read our Feed Your Spleen; Nourish Your Body article. Our easy Quinoa Harvest Salad is the perfect spleen qi loving salad.

Fall Quinoa Salad Ingredients

• Quinoa - We used red quinoa.  However, you can also use white, black or mixed.  If desired, you can also exchange quinoa with brown rice.
• Butternut squash - naturally sweet and delicious when roasted. Feel free to substitute with kabocha, acorn or even pumpkin.
• Apples - Gala apples were used for this recipe. The goal is to just lightly roast. You want them still slightly crisp but sweeter from the roasting process. Other firmer apples like granny smith, fuji or honey crisp also work well in our quinoa harvest salad.
• Fresh chopped spinach - we add this to the hot quinoa, butternut squash and apples and it slightly wilts for the perfect warm salad. Feel free to use other greens like kale, swiss chard or other greens of choice.
• Dried cranberries - These are so good in the recipe and bring a sweet and sour addition to this warmed harvest festive salad.
• Easy roasted pepitas (AKA pumpkin seeds) - roasting the pumpkin seeds in the oven and salting lightly add that delicious crunch to this salad. Feel free to add any toasted nuts or seeds as desired. Pecans, almonds and sunflower seeds are all delicious.
• Warming spices - cinnamon, cumin and turmeric bring a whole new dimension of flavor to this fall harvest quinoa salad.
• Lemon juice - in the dressingbrightens this recipe right up. We also suggest you place just a little on the apples after slicing and right before baking so they do not oxidize.
• EVOO - extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

How to Cook Quinoa

Did you know that quinoa is actually a seed, even though it is sometimes referred to as an ancient grain? It is naturally gluten-free. There are many different types of quinoa such as white, red and black. We choose to use red quinoa for our quinoa harvest salad as that is what was on sale. (smiling)

One very important thing to note is that quinoa has a natural coating of saponin. This a chemical that helps repel microbes while the seed of quinoa is in its growing stage and it must be washed off BEFORE cooking or it can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Step 1 - wash the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer really well until it runs clear. We use agitation and rub the seeds between our fingers under the water for at least 5 minutes. Quinoa seeds are really small. We use a rice strainer for this, and it works quite well. (There is nothing more frustrating than using a regular strainer and then having to manually pluck out the grains of quinoa out with a knife.) Been there- Done That!

Step 2 - read your package directions as these are golden rule. We used Simple Truth Organic Red Quinoa and cooked according to the package directions. The water to grain ratio is 2 cups water to 1 cup dried quinoa.

Step 3 - Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.  This quinoa recipe yielded 3 cups of cooked quinoa. When the quinoa is cooked perfectly, it will be tender, and you can see these tiny spirals separating and curling around the quinoa seeds.

How to Chop a Butternut Squash Safely?

This butternut squash and apple salad only uses one half of a butternut squash. If you are looking for other delicious recipes to use the other half, be sure to try our Roasted Butternut and Carrot Ginger Soup, Butternut Squash Vegetarian Lasagna and Spicy Rosemary Butternut Squash.

Guess what? It is best to keep all 10 fingers!  If the thought of chopping up a butternut squash causes anxiety, you can buy pre-cut butternut squash at the market or use frozen chopped butternut squash for this recipe instead.

How to Make Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

What to Serve with Quinoa Salad?

This is a fantastic Thanksgiving side dish. Be sure to try with our Roasted Turmeric Spiced Turkey Breast.

We always like something naturally sweet with our pork. How about you? Be sure to try our quinoa salad along with our Rosemary Herbed Pork Chops with Shallot Wine Sauce.

We enjoy our Quinoa Harvest Salad for easy make ahead lunches and as a healthy alternative breakfast option too.

More Delicious Warm Salad Recipes

Best Vegan Warm Swiss Chard Lentil Salad

Sautéed Greens and Breakfast Salad

Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad

Authentic Thai Fish Salad

Stir Fried Romaine Lettuce

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Quinoa Harvest Salad

Quinoa Harvest Salad with roasted butternut squash and apples tossed in red quinoa, spinach, dried cranberries, easy roasted pepitas with a spiced warming autumn dressing.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 188kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked quinoa cooked per instructions (can use red, white, black or mixed)
• 4 tablespoon olive oil (divided - 2 tablespoons for roasting butternut squash and apples and 2 tablespoons for making the dressing)
• 1.5 cups butternut squash chopped into cubes (½ butternut squash)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric dried ground (divided - ½ teaspoon for roasting butternut squash and apples and ½ teaspoon for making the dressing)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon dried ground (divided - ½ teaspoon for roasting butternut squash and apples and ½ teaspoon for making the dressing)
• 1 teaspoon cumin dried ground (divided - ½ teaspoon for roasting butternut squash and apples and ½ teaspoon for making the dressing)
• 2 large apples chopped (gala, fuji, granny smith or any firm apple works well)
• 1.5 cups spinach chopped
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup easy roasted pepitas
• 3 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
• Peel and chop butternut squash and apples. Keep butternut and apples separate as you will add these items separately at different times in the baking process. Drizzle a little of the lemon juice on the apples to prevent oxidations.
• Toss butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½teaspoon of turmeric, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Place prepared butternut squash on a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Place in oven. Set timer for 15 minutes.
• Prepare 1 cup of quinoa per package instructions. Make sure you wash your quinoa super well and until the water runs clear BEFORE cooking.Very important step! Set aside and keep warm. Will yield approximately 3 cups of cooked quinoa. If you have already cooked quinoa, reheat in the microwave before adding to the salad.
• Next, add the chopped apples in with the butternut squash. Toss and layer flat and continue baking for about 5 - 8 minutes more or until the butternut squash is fork tender. Remove from oven.
• In the meantime, make your spiced autumn salad dressing. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of turmeric, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
• Prepare the easy roasted pepitas. You can do this in the oven or take 2 minutes and toast them in a pan on the stove top. Salt to taste. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, add the cooked warm quinoa, roasted warm butternut squash and apples, chopped spinach, dried cranberries and prepared spiced autumn salad dressing and toss. If serving immediately, toss in the roasted pepitas. If making in advance, hold the easy roasted pepitas until serving so they stay nice and crunchy.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storage

• Quinoa Harvest Salad can be made in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months.

How to Chop and Cube a Butternut Squash Safely

• Using your sharpest knife, cut your butternut squash in half, lengthwise. We used a clever. Did you know that a dull knife is twice is likely to cause injury than a sharp knife? Only use your hands-on top of the knife. Keep your hands off the actual squash. Sometimes, it is helpful to put the edge of the knife into the squash. Then, bang the squash down on to the cutting board to cut all the way through.
• Use a spoon and scoop and discard the seeds.
• We use a peeler to peel the butternut squash.
• Place the flat cut side of the butternut squash on the board. Cut the squash into slices and then into long slices. Finally, cut into cubes. Please check out our video in the recipe card for a demonstration.
• If the thought of chopping up a fresh butternut squash is too much for you, you can purchase butternut squash already pre-chopped in the fresh section of your grocery or use frozen butternut cubes for this recipe.

How to Cook Quinoa

One very important thing to note is that quinoa has a natural coating of saponin. This a chemical that helps repel microbes while the seed of quinoa is in its growing stage and it must be washed off BEFORE cooking or it can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Step 1 – wash the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer really well until it runs clear. We use agitation and rub the seeds between our fingers under the water for at least 5 minutes. Quinoa seeds are really small. We use a rice strainer for this, and it works quite well. (There is nothing more frustrating than using a regular strainer and then having to manually pluck out the grains of quinoa out with a knife.) Been there- Done That!

Step 2 – read your package directions as these are golden rule. We used Simple Truth Organic Red Quinoa and cooked according to the package directions. The water to grain ratio is 2 cups water to 1 cup dried quinoa.

Step 3 – Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.  This quinoa recipe yielded 3 cups of cooked quinoa. When the quinoa is cooked perfectly, it will be tender, and you can see these tiny spirals separating and curling around the quinoa seeds.

Recipe Exchanges and Substitutions

If you do not like quinoa, this recipe is also delicious with brown rice.

We used easy roasted pepitas (AKA pumpkin seeds) for this fall harvest quinoa salad. However, feel free to use pecans, almonds or sunflower seeds.

Butternut squash is delicious but can exchange with acorn squash, kabocha squash or even pumpkin.

If you do not have dried cranberries, this recipe is also delicious with raisins.

Spinach can be replaced with kale or other greens of choice.

We used gala apples for this recipe but can use any firm apple such as fuji, granny smith or apple of choice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2678IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Quinoa Harvest Salad appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Can You Guess What the SECRET Dressing Ingredient Is?

We bet if you look in your spice cabinet right now, you have it. This special ingredient makes regular Thanksgiving dressing go from ho hum boring to Oh my goodness, please give me seconds or maybe thirds. Are you ready?

Drum roll please…

Fresh Ground Black Pepper and LOTS of it!

When I say a lot of freshly ground pepper, I mean a really BIG punch! This old fashion meat stuffing (dressing) has 3 full teaspoons of pepper in it. You heard me right "3 teaspoons of black pepper".

Of course, you don't have to put the full 3 teaspoons of pepper in it if you don't want to. However, then is would not be Grandpa's Secret Stuffing, it would be just plain old boring run of the mill ground beef dressing. What sets this stuffing apart from many others is that it comes with a big pack of flavor from the aromatics and a big punch from the freshly ground pepper.

10 Reasons to Love Our French Canadian Meat Dressing Recipe

1. This meat stuffing gets a little crispy on the outside and is tender and delicious on the inside, especially when prepared in muffin tins. (AKA MEAT MUFFINS - Perfect individual servings for any holiday dinner gathering)
2. Recipe can be prepared in advance of guest's arrival or even baked in advance and then reheated. It keeps it's texture and flavor.
3. Can be served as stuffing inside a turkey or outside as a side of dressing.
4. Dressing can be baked in a single baking dish for easy transport or in muffin tins to allow for more crispy bits on the ends. The little browned crispy bits are our favorite part of this simple oven baked dressing.
5. The BEST darn dressing ever! Tried and true family recipe that has been passed on from generation to generation.
6. Hearty enough to be served as a main dish with a side salad and vegetable.
7. Gluten free, dairy free and egg free. However, you can use plain regular bread if no issues with gluten.
8. Easy on the wallet (budget friendly) with just a handful of easy to find ingredients.
9. Super flavorful with a big punch of freshly ground pepper to warm you up.
10. Perfect side dish along with our Spicy Rosemary Butternut Squash, Balsamic Roasted Fennel and Carrots and our Autumn Kale Salad for Thanksgiving dinner or any autumn meal.

Why Do We Call This Grandpa's Secret Stuffing?

We call it "Grandpa's" stuffing as all the grandkids, just love this recipe - and grandpa was the only one who made this each holiday. My father (a descendant of immigrants from Quebec) had never shared this recipe and it had never been written down until 2011 [when we first posted this recipe]. However, over a cup of coffee and some persuasion he started to share his secret stuffing recipe with me. This French-Canadian meat dressing recipe was passed on to him by watching his mother and grandmother in the kitchen. If you love traditional French-Canadian recipes, be sure to try Grandma's Chicken and Sliders.

We are certain grandpa (dad) is smiling down at us from heaven.  He would be proud to share a little of his French-Canadian family tradition on to the world. His rich family history and stories will always be dear to our hearts.

Grandpa's stuffing has been a celebrated family tradition in our family for many years. Thanksgiving would simply not be Thanksgiving, unless there was Grandpa's ground beef Thanksgiving stuffing was on the dinner table.

What's the Difference Between Turkey Dressing and Stuffing?

According to Food and Wine, the main difference is in the method that they are cooked.

Stuffing is usually made with bread and assortment of ingredients and aromatics that is actually stuffed into the cavity of the turkey and then baked inside the turkey.

Dressing is a side dish. It is also made with bread and other ingredients that is baked in a separate dish outside the turkey or other poultry cavity.

The best part of this French-Canadian meat dressing recipe is that it can be made as a traditional old fashion meat stuffing for inside the bird or as a side dish as a dressing. This dressing is also fantastic as a side dish for our Savory Herb Roasted Whole Chicken or stuffed inside a duck or pheasant.

Don't Forget the Giblets!

Where are all of our French-Canadian friends? You already know that this ground beef Thanksgiving dressing or stuffing usually is made with the chopped up fried turkey giblets along with the ground beef. Turkey giblets are those parts is parts bag that is usually found inside the cavity of the bird when you get it from the store. The giblet package usually has the heart, liver, gizzard and neck of the bird. Waste not want not is the motto of our ancestors.

Will you be making this dressing recipe for children? If so, hold the giblets. As the years went by and more and more grandchildren filled grandpa's home, he left out these little ingredients to make the kids happy.

Recipe Exchanges and Substitutions

1. We like to use lean beef with 90% to 92% lean beef and 8% to 10% fat as we do not like all that extra fat. In addition, if it is lean, you can save a step of draining the beef after it is cooked. A little fat left in is a good thing as it makes it moist and gives it the crispy edges that everyone craves.
2. Feel free to use regular bread instead of gluten-free, if no gluten intolerances. It's a great way to use up that day-old bread.

Meat Stuffing Ingredients

• Ground beef (90-92%. Lean and 8-10% fat). You may also choose to cook up the turkey giblets. They are quite good. However, if you have small children, you may want to skip the giblets.
• Aromatics - celery, onion and garlic. Well, of course garlic!!!
• Freshly ground black pepper and lots of it! If you are making this for small children, you may want to scale back a little on the black pepper, so it is not too spicy for them. Season along the way. Be sure to check out our video below and watch us season throughout the cooking process.
• Olive oil
• Chicken broth
• Bread- gluten free or regular. We used white but use whatever you have on hand.

How to Make Homemade Turkey Dressing?

Here is an overview:

(See recipe card below for full instructions)

Sauté the aromatics until translucent and then add the ground beef and cook until brown. Season with salt and ground pepper. Lots of pepper!

Soak bread in chicken broth and then squeeze out excess and break into pieces. Mix the cooked meat mixture and bread mixture and place in a greased casserole pan or muffin tins. We love using the muffin tins as it gives you more crispy edges to our French Canadian Meat Dressing Recipe.

Drizzle with a little olive oil to help with the browning and bake between 40 - 50 minutes depending on the mode of cooking process.

If you want to make stuffing do all the steps above, except instead of placing the stuffing in a separate dish to bake, place in the cavity of the turkey or bird of choice and bake. The baking time for a stuffed bird, will depend on weight of the turkey. 

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

Roasted Turmeric Spiced Turkey

Spicy Rosemary Butternut Squash

Autumn Kale Salad

Roasted Butternut and Carrot Ginger Soup

Grandma's Apple Pie

Gluten-Free Herbs de Provence

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French Canadian Meat Dressing Recipe

French Canadian Meat Dressing Recipe is Grandpa’s SECRET Thanksgiving turkey stuffing made with ground beef, gluten-free bread, aromatics, lots of fresh ground pepper.

Course Sides

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Calories 227kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• Muffin Tin or Casserole Dish

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
  (reserve 1 tablespoon for drizzling on top before baking)
• 1 onion chopped
  
• 3 stalks celery
  chopped
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  
• 1.5 pounds ground beef
  we like to use 90 - 92% lean and 8-10% fat
• 3 teaspoon pepper
  
• 2 cups chicken broth
  gluten free
• 10 slices bread
  gluten free (or regular bread if no gluten allergies)
• salt to taste

Garnishes

• parsley to garnish (optional)
• carrot julienned slices to garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 176 degrees Celsius)
• Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in sauce pan and add chopped onions, celery and garlic until slightly translucent- add a little salt and pepper. (Reserve the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil right before baking)
• Add ground beef and add some more salt and pepper and cook until beef is browned. Take off burner and set aside to cool.
• In the meantime in a separate bowl place about 2 cups of chicken broth. Place the slices of bread into the chicken broth and squeeze water out. Place squeezed out bread into a clean bowl and pull apart bread into small pieces.
• Add cooled ground beef mixture to bread.  Salt and add the rest of the pepper and mix.
• Grease an oven proof muffin tin or casserole dish and place stuffing mixture inside. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top. Bake UNCOVERED in the oven!

  If you like crispy edges, place your dressing in a greased muffin pan and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and slightly crispy.

  If you prefer to bake your dressing in a casserole dish, bake in the oven for about 50 - 60 minutes or until the top is slightly golden brown.

  You can also stuff a turkey (or other poultry of choice) with our prepared French Canadian Meat Dressing Recipe. Just prepare your poultry and stuff the dressing in the inner cavity. Bake according to the required time needed for the weight of the turkey, goose, duck, chicken or pheasant.
• If desired, garnish with parsley and little julienned carrot slices before serving.
• Serve hot and bring on the holiday cheer!

Video

Notes

Do not cover the dressing while it is baking, or it will prevent the dressing from getting the little crispy browned edges that we all love.

Dressing can be made 24 hours in advance and then baked just before your guests arrive. Leftovers can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months.

We really love those crispy edges to the dressing so we like using cupcake or muffin tins to bake the dressing. In addition, these little MEAT MUFFINS, are super cute to serve as a side dish for any holiday or fall or winter gathering. 

If desired, feel free to chop up the turkey giblets and fry up with the ground beef. For all of our French-Canadian friends out there, you know this ground beef Thanksgiving dressing or stuffing usually is made with the chopped up fried turkey giblets along with the ground beef. Turkey giblets are those parts is parts bag that is usually found inside the cavity of the bird when you get it from the store. The giblet package usually has the heart, liver, gizzard and neck of the bird. Waste not want not is the motto of our ancestors. However, if you have kids like we do, we skipped adding these to the dressing recipe. 

Recipe Exchanges and Substitutions

• We like to use lean beef with 90% to 92% lean beef and 8% to 10% fat as we do not like all that extra fat. In addition, if it is lean, you can save a step of draining the beef after it is cooked. A little fat left in is a good thing as it makes it moist and gives it the crispy edges that everyone craves.
• Feel free to use regular bread instead of gluten-free, if no gluten intolerances. It’s a great way to use up that day-old bread.
• This dressing recipe is very black pepper forward. Reduce amount as needed for your spice and heat level. 
• If you want to make this recipe vegan, exchange the ground beef with chopped mushrooms and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Chanterelle mushrooms are so delicious. 

Do you have to cook the stuffing before putting into the turkey?

The ground beef, giblets, vegetables and aromatics should all be fully cooked before stuffing the cavity of the turkey or other poultry. This is to prevent any illness. A stuffed turkey takes longer to cook than an unstuffed turkey. A stuffed turkey takes too much time to cook the internal stuffing to the temperature required for safe consumption. If you baked your turkey long enough to cook the stuffing to the proper safe temperature if would be dry.  No one likes dry turkey. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 277mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

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