I love shrimp. They’re fairly easy and quick to both defrost and cook. So I love keeping a bag of frozen shrimp on hand for a quick meal. Add in an extra bit of flair and you’ve got a simple garlic butter shrimp scampi.

Tender shrimp swimming in a garlic butter sauce with just a hint of white wine and lemon. It’s an Italian-American classic that seems fancy but is shockingly easy to make at home. So, whether you’re a newbie in the kitchen or a seasoned cook, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your meal rotation.

The best part about this easy shrimp scampi recipe? It takes just 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish, making it the perfect dish for busy weeknights. No need for takeout when you can whip up restaurant-quality classic shrimp scampi quicker than it takes to watch an episode of your favorite show. This fresh and flavorful dish comes together in one skillet with a few simple ingredients. Serve it over pasta or rice to soak up all that buttery garlic sauce.

Gather Ingredients for the Simple Shrimp Scampi Recipe

First things first, what is a classic shrimp scampi? It is, of course, a fun historical culinary adventure that gets us here. Scampi is the Italian name for a type of smaller lobster-like crustacean. Scampi aren’t typically found in the ocean near the US and Italian chefs in America likely substituted the next closest thing – shrimp. So it is shrimp that are cooked scampi-style. Which has also evolved a bit over the years. But today we’ll delve into an easy shrimp scampi recipe. Shrimp in a garlic butter and olive oil sauce with some lemon juice, white wine, and parsley.

Ingredients for Classic Shrimp Scampi

First off, we’re going to use two pounds of raw shrimp. Large-sized shrimp work best for this simple shrimp scampi recipe, but you can adjust based on your preference. Next, get your hands on some quality olive oil and butter. You’ll need 1/2 cup of each to help create that luscious, velvety sauce.

Now, for the real star of the show: garlic. Grab ten to twelve cloves of fresh garlic. The more garlic, the better in my opinion. Add some more flavor with red pepper flakes, white wine, and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste, as always.

To finish off our list, stock up on some fresh parsley. The green punch of color totally transforms the presentation of this dish.

Prepare the Shrimp

The shrimp are the main focus of the simple shrimp scampi recipe, even though I like to think that it is really the garlic.

Choosing the right kind of shrimp for your dish is helpful. It will mostly affect the amount of preparation you have to take before starting on the recipe proper.

And it depends on your own preferences. You may want to peel and devein the shrimp yourself. It’s a bit more work, but it does give a certain satisfaction knowing you prepared every bit of your meal. Plus, you can keep the shells for making a good shrimp stock.

On the other hand, if you’re not keen on the extra hassle, pre-peeled shrimp is the way to go. It’s convenient and gets you straight to the cooking part, which is great if you’re short on time.

You can remove the tail or leave it on. Tail-on makes for better presentation and a bit more shrimp flavor in the sauce. Tail-off makes for easier eating.

Just make sure that you get RAW shrimp. We don’t want any pre-cooked shrimp. They just won’t take on enough of the flavor from our sauce and it would be such a waste in this recipe. Plus, shrimp cook fast, so it doesn’t save much time and just gives a worse final dish.

Defrosting, If Necessary

If you’ve bought frozen shrimp, then you’ll have to defrost them first. Frozen shrimp is typically my go-to. Defrosting them isn’t a big deal and I’ll guide you through it.

Here’s my go-to method: Place your shrimp in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and let them defrost for about 20 minutes. You can change the water part way through to speed up the process a bit. Alternatively, you can put your shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them for about 5 to 10 minutes. But this uses up a lot more water, so I tend to do it the first way.

Just make sure it’s cold water. We don’t want to start cooking the shrimp early.

Once they’ve thawed out, pat them dry with some paper towels.

Seasoning the Shrimp

When it comes to seasoning, I like to keep things simple. I suggest a balanced blend of salt and pepper. Just spread the shrimp out into a single layer on a plate or baking sheet. Then generously season them, flip them, and season again.

Don’t be shy and make sure every piece gets some love.

Once you’ve seasoned your shrimp, set them aside until you’re ready to throw them into the pan. If you aren’t moving on to cooking immediately, then put the shrimp in the fridge until you begin.

Beginning with the Scampi Sauce

It’s finally time to kick off the garlic butter shrimp scampi sauce. First, we’ll melt the butter with some olive oil – to get the best of both worlds. Next, we’re gonna toss in some garlic and red pepper flakes to start building that flavor. Lastly, we’ll add a splash of lemon juice and white wine for that tangy kick. This method will give your sauce a full-bodied flavor that’s to die for. And it smells amazing. Now, let’s get cooking!

Melting Butter with Olive Oil

The first step in creating a classic shrimp scampi sauce is to melt butter with olive oil. I know what you’re thinking. Butter and oil together? Trust me, it’s a culinary match made in heaven. It’s all about balance; the olive oil prevents the butter from burning while the butter lends richness to the olive oil’s flavor.

To melt them together, you’ll want to put a generous amount of both in a large skillet over medium heat. As the butter begins to melt, you’ll notice it starting to bubble and foam, mixing beautifully with the olive oil. Stir them together to create a warm, inviting pool of liquid gold.

The aroma of the melting butter and olive oil blend is something truly remarkable. It’s warm, comforting, and makes you feel like you’re in an Italian grandmother’s kitchen. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want that?

Adding Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes

Garlic sauteeing in a pan is one of the best smells in the world. It’s like a big, aromatic hug that screams out – ‘Get ready for some tasty food!’

Garlic will be the main flavor in our sauce. So there’s a lot of it. I can never get enough – just reference my roasted garlic recipe. But it is also not the only flavor we’ll want to add to our sauce.

So let’s introduce some spice with a pinch of red pepper flakes. This adds a subtle kick that makes the dish come to life. Remember, we’re not looking to set anyone’s mouth on fire here. We’re aiming for a gentle warmth that complements the garlic and makes your taste buds tingle. Though if you’re a bit fan of that spicy heat you can add a little extra – or even try adding some hot sauce to the mix.

It’s all about finding that perfect balance. You don’t want the garlic to overpower the other flavors, and you certainly don’t want the red pepper flakes to take over. Follow the recipe and then adjust to fit your own tastes.

Incorporating Lemon Juice and White Wine

Now it’s time to round out the flavor of our sauce. Here’s where we’ll blend in the tangy lemon juice and crisp white wine.

You’ll want to squeeze fresh lemons to get the juice for this recipe. Trust me, it’s worth the effort. The store-bought shelf-stable stuff just can’t match that zesty freshness. Pour it in, and let that zing mingle with the warm butter and oil.

Grab some white wine. I don’t drink so I know nothing about the wine world. I use a cooking wine in my recipes. You can probably do better than that. And based on my research a dry white wine is best… whatever that means. It’s a liquid so I don’t think dry really works as a descriptor.

This combination of the tart lemon and the wine’s acidity creates a beautifully balanced sauce. It’s the perfect complement to our shrimp, enhancing their flavor without overpowering it. And with the sauce ready, we’re good to start adding in the shrimp.

Cooking the Shrimp

Alright, let’s get to the heart of cooking our shrimp. First up, we’ll be sautéing the little guys right in the sauce. It’s a joy to watch them turn pink. (Which happens quickly – you can see in my photo below that the hot sauce has already started turning some of the tails even though it was off the direct heat.) Then, we’ll cook them until they’re perfectly done. Remember to stir regularly.

Sautéing the Shrimp in the Sauce

Here’s the part where the magic truly happens – sautéing the shrimp in that garlicky sauce. It’s what transforms those little shellfish into succulent bites of joy.

Toss the shrimp into the pan with the sauce. Try to get them into a single layer, so they all have space to cook evenly. Then let them cook. After a few minutes begin flipping the shrimp so both sides can cook through.

And while they’re cooking, douse the shrimp in the sauce. Make sure every single one is coated in it. Hear that sizzle?

Remember, we’re sautéing, not scorching. Keep the heat at a medium, and keep those shrimp moving in the pan.

Ensuring Perfect Doneness

Ensuring the perfect doneness of the shrimp is crucial in achieving a great dish. Trust me when I say, you don’t want to end up with rubbery or undercooked shrimp; it can ruin the whole experience.

Shrimp cooks incredibly quickly, usually in about four to five minutes for large ones. You’ll want to keep a close eye on it. And it’ll also depend on how crowded your pan is. As it cooks, the shrimp will start to curl and turn pinkish-orange. If all of your shrimp have reached that color, that’s your sign that it’s done.

Be sure to stir and flip the shrimp so all sides of all shrimp are evenly cooked in the sauce.

Remember, the key to perfectly done shrimp is vigilance.

Once the shrimp have cooked through, remove them from the heat and add in the minced parsley. This adds a pop of green color that completely transforms the presentation.

Adjusting Seasoning to Taste

Now that we’ve got our garlic butter shrimp scampi, let’s adjust the seasoning to taste. This step is all about your palate; it’s your chance to show off your culinary artistry in full swing.

Taste the sauce. Yes, go ahead and give it a good taste. What do you think? Does it need a little more salt? Maybe a dash of red pepper flakes? Too acidic? Add some more butter. Doesn’t pop enough on the palate? Add some more lemon juice. The beauty of seasoning is that it’s all up to you.

Remember, you want to enhance the natural flavors of the seafood, not overpower it. So, tread lightly with the additions. A little can go a long way. Take your time, taste often, and adjust as you go.

Serving Suggestions for this Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Rice, Pasta, and Other Bases

The dish itself is complete. But it is typically not served alone. We need something to pair with our easy shrimp scampi recipe to help soak up all of that buttery sauce.

Pasta is most commonly paired with the classic shrimp scampi. Linguine, fettuccine, or even some penne can be a fantastic base. The key is to cook it until it’s al dente, so it has a slight bite to it. You could even go all-out and try your hand at making homemade pasta.

Rice is also one of my favorites. Whether you go for fluffy white or brown rice, it’s the perfect compliment to our seafood star. It absorbs all those wonderful flavors and adds a satisfying, comforting texture to your dish.

And let’s not rule out other options. Cauliflower rice, veggie noodles made with a spiralizer, or quinoa could all be great options.

Side Dishes For Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi

Now that we’ve put the finishing touches on our main dish, we can start thinking about what to serve alongside it.

For our seafood dish, I’d recommend sides that can absorb the sauce or pair well with the flavors. Try a classic Caesar salad or a simple spring mix salad with a tangy vinaigrette. it’s a perfect contrast.

Or, if you’re after something a little heartier, roasted potatoes with rosemary would be a fantastic choice. The potatoes take on a lovely crispy exterior while remaining fluffy inside, and the rosemary adds an aromatic touch that will make your kitchen smell divine.

And of course, you can’t forget about bread. Try making my dutch oven crusty bread to go along with this meal. Or a crusty baguette or some warm garlic bread would be excellent for mopping up any leftover sauce – just be sure not to fill up on it before the main event!

Remember, the side dishes are there to enhance the meal, not overpower it. So choose wisely!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this garlic butter shrimp scampi! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Quick and Easy Shrimp Scampi

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: MainDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

Learn how to make this easy shrimp scampi recipe! This quick 20-minute skillet meal features tender shrimp swimming in an irresistible garlic butter sauce. The perfect classic shrimp scampi recipe for busy weeknights – restaurant quality results with minimal effort.

Ingredients

• 10-12 large cloves of garlic

• 4 tablespoons minced parsley

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail optional)

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup salted butter

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 6 tablespoons white wine

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• Prepared pasta or rice for serving

Directions

• Mince the garlic and the parsley and set them aside
• Make sure the shrimp are defrosted if using frozen shrimp, then season them with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside
• In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally
• Once the butter is fully melted, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and then sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning
• Pour in the white wine and lemon juice and let it simmer while stirring for 2-3 minutes
• Add the shrimp in as close to a single layer as possible and cook for 2-3 minutes until just starting to turn pink
• Flip the shrimp and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are opaque, pink-orange, and fully cooked through
• Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped fresh parsley
• Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more lemon, salt, pepper, or red pepper if desired
• Serve the shrimp immediately over cooked pasta, rice, quinoa, or veggie noodles

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With the arrival of winter weather — including the first snowfall of the season — also comes the arrival of soup season. With how delicious and warming they are, soups match perfectly with the colder temperatures. And what better way to use the garlic from my roasted garlic recipe than in this pureed potato roasted garlic and sage soup?

Now, I’ve slurped my fair share of liquid lunches, but let me tell you, this isn’t just a soup; it’s a creamy embrace in a bowl. You’ve got your potatoes, buttery and comforting, your garlic, roasted to sweet nuttiness, and your sage, with its aromatic depth.

It’s like the three musketeers of flavor decided to have a pool party and you’re invited.

So grab your bowls and a ladle and dive into this witty bowl of culinary genius. Your taste buds can thank me later.

Ingredients for Garlic and Sage Soup

To get started, we’ll need to gather our ingredients. The veggies, the liquids, and the seasonings. These will fully combine together when we blend the soup, but not before we get them cooked.

Veggies

Onion, garlic, and potatoes. These hearty veggies, especially the potatoes, make up the bulk of the non-liquid ingredients used here.

The garlic is roasted beforehand. The onions are sauteed in butter with some of the seasonings. The potatoes are peeled, cubed, and cooked in the soup until soft and blendable. I recommend using a yellow onion and large Yukon gold potatoes. But feel free to substitute other varieties if they’re what you have on hand.

Liquids

It’s a bit hard to make soup without any liquid. Though I’m sure there’s some recipe out there that does, that’s not for us today. And we’ll be doing liquids in two batches – one pre- and some post-blending.

Pre-blending we’ll be using stock. A good stock is a rich, comforting base that elevates everything else. And it isn’t actually that difficult to make your own chicken stock. If you’re going the vegetarian route, though, a vegetable stock will do the trick just as well.

Post-blending is all about adding creaminess. Literally, with some heavy cream and milk. These help add a smooth, luxurious texture that’ll have your taste buds doing the tango. We add these and cook on low heat to keep them from curdling. Just enough to get things cohesive.

Seasonings

Now comes the exciting part – infusing our roasted garlic and sage soup with layers of irresistible flavor.

• Sage: First up is sage, the maestro of this herbal symphony. Its aromatic notes bring a delightful earthiness to the soup. As the sage melds with the creamy base, it creates a harmonious balance that elevates each spoonful.
• Thyme: Enter thyme, another herbal virtuoso that contributes a fragrant undertone to our soup. Its subtle presence adds complexity to the other ingredients for a nuanced flavor profile.
• Bay: Now, let’s introduce bay leaves—the unsung heroes of many savory dishes. These unassuming leaves bring a subtle yet distinct depth to the soup, enhancing its overall taste.
• Salt and Pepper: The basic seasonings that enhance the flavor of almost anything.

The Garlic and Sage of it All

Let’s face it, there’s nothing quite like the aroma of roasted garlic wafting through the kitchen. A good soup is like a warm hug – especially in the winter. And when you pair that with sage leaves sizzling in butter, you’re in for a treat. So buckle up, because we’re about to take your senses on a culinary joyride with the dynamic duo of garlic and sage.

Roasted Garlic Flavor

This is where the recipe all started for me. I made a lot of roasted garlic when preparing my roasted garlic recipe. Roasting garlic changes it from pungent to sweet, sharp to mellow. It helps to coax out their deepest, richest essences.

Raw, it’s bold, assertive, and a little bit punchy, but give it some time in the oven and it softens

So, don’t rush this step. Let those cloves roast until they’re golden, caramelized, and tender so you can spread them like butter. Make the roasted garlic before making this recipe. It takes a little bit of time, but not a ton of effort on your own part – most of it is sitting in the oven.

Sage Leaves in Butter

Adding in the buttery sage comes from another recipe on the site – one of the most popular. My brown butter sage sauce inspired this addition. I highly recommend trying out that simple recipe if you haven’t before.

But back to this roasted garlic and sage soup, make sure to use fresh sage leaves.

I envisioned creating a brown butter sage sauce as the base, but it turned out a little different since I also included the onion when sauteeing the sage and it added enough moisture that it didn’t really brown the same way. But still added a ton of flavor.

Prepping the Potatoes

Potatoes are amazing. They’re versatile, they’re forgiving, and if you treat them just right, they can truly shine as the star of the show.

But to get them ready for showtime we’ll be peeling the potatoes. I think that leaving the peel on would lead to a grittier final soup. But if you want to give it a try, just be sure to scrub them well.

After peeling the potatoes, give them a little rinse in water.

Now start dicing the potatoes into about 1/2-inch cubes.

You don’t need to be exact but try to get similarly sized pieces. This will help them cook evenly in the next stage. So that all the pieces will be finished cooking when it comes time to blend. You’ll also be dicing up the onion before we start in on making the soup itself.

Making the Garlic and Sage Soup

With all of the ingredients prepped, it is time to finally start making the soup.

Brown Butter and Sage

Begin by melting the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the sage leaves and onion to begin sauteing. Stir it consistently to make sure it cooks evenly. The onion is cooked when it is mostly translucent – probably 3 to 5 minutes.

Add in the roasted garlic cloves and dried thyme. Stir it around and cook it for another minute or two to let the thyme bloom. Then add in the chopped potatoes, chicken or vegetable stock, and bay leaves.

Simmering

Turn the heat up to medium-high to let the soup warm up, stirring occasionally. Once it begins to bubble, turn the heat down and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

The goal of the simmering is to fully cook the potatoes and to meld and extract all of the flavors. So, keep stirring occasionally as it simmers so that nothing sticks or burns to the bottom of the pot. Then, as it gets close to the 30 minutes, start testing the potatoes with a fork to tell if they’re cooked. The fork should easily pierce the potato without much force or resistance.

Remember to try and test the largest piece you can find.

Blend Until Smooth

With the potatoes cooked, we’re ready to puree this soup to a smooth texture. Turn off the heat.

I recommend using an immersion blender, but a regular blender could be used as well. An immersion blender will make it so we can just blend it up in the pot. The regular blender will likely take batches and require a lot of transferring back and forth. So, not preferred in my book.

Blend on high until smooth. Not just no big chunks, but smooth. If you think it’s close then just sample it with a spoon and see how the texture feels. Mine took a fair bit of time blending and moving around the pot to make sure it was fully smooth. If you really wanted to, you could strain it with a very fine mesh strainer to get it as smooth as possible.

Finishing the Soup

After blending the soup, we’ll be adding in some special ingredients to make sure it’s velvety smooth.

Add Milk and Cream and Warm on Low

Gently pour in the heavy cream and milk. Stir thoroughly to make sure everything is well combined.

Suddenly everything feels a bit more luxurious.

After adding the cream and milk, we’ll warm it up a little to make sure the soup is fully cohesive. But we need to be careful because the cream could curdle if heated too hot too fast. So just heat it on low for about five minutes. It shouldn’t have lost too much heat while blending it off the heat, so this shouldn’t take too long.

Taste and Adjust

Always always always taste your food before thinking it is finished. There’s usually at least something that could be done to change or adjust and make sure it is perfect.

Have a small taste of the soup and think of both the flavor and the texture.

Does it need a little more salt or a little more cream? Maybe it is a little thick – add a little more stock or water. Once you’ve nailed it down, you’re ready to serve it up.

Serving the Soup

Let’s chat about what to pair with our herby concoction. A soup can be a side or a main dish – it all depends on how much of it you serve and what you serve on the side. Remember, it’s not just about flavor; we eat with our eyes too!

What to Serve with Garlic and Sage Soup

Soup and bread are like peas in a pod – a true match made in heaven. Use some bread to dip in the soup or sop up every last drop when you’ve finished the bowl. A crusty loaf of bread. Freshly baked sourdough, with all its tangy glory. Pure bliss.

Take the bread idea a step further and make yourself a grilled cheese to have for dipping. I know they’re typically paired with tomato soup, but trust me they work with other soups as well.

And for those who crave a bit of crunch, a side of roasted veggies wouldn’t go amiss. Think golden-brown parsnips or glazed carrots, their edges caramelized to perfection.

Or try a salad like any of the following:

• Apple Cider Fall Harvest Salad
• Sesame Soy Chopped Salad
• Apple Walnut Spring Mix Salad
• Homemade Caesar Salad

Garnish the Roasted Garlic and Sage Soup

Garnish is mostly for show. But remember that the eyes are how you first take in the food, so it can really affect how we enjoy it. To garnish the soup, ladle it into the bowls that you’ll be serving. Then try any of the following:

A drizzle – Try drizzling a small bit of olive oil or heavy cream on top of the soup. Get fancy and give it a little swirl while you drizzle. Pour them down close to the top of the soup so that there isn’t much force and it stays on the surface. The drizzle helps to break up the monotony of color that soups can sometimes suffer from.

A dollop – Top it off with a little bit of sour cream or a dollop of prepared aioli (just make sure that the flavor pairs well with the potatoes, roasted garlic, and sage). Gently place a spoonful atop the soup for a fun presentation.

A sprinkling – Finally, sprinkle some chopped or whole fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, or bacon on top. Whole herbs will be for show and removed or eaten around. Try it with sage, parsley, or chives. And everything is enhanced with parmesan and bacon so… give that a spin if you want. You could even have garlic and sage soup with croutons on top for a nice crunchy texture.

Now, remember, while it’s easy to get carried away with the garnish, keep it classy. You don’t want to overshadow the star of the show – the soup itself. I hope you enjoy the soup and let it warm your home this winter!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this roasted garlic and sage soup! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Pureed Potato Roasted Garlic and Sage Soup

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Soups, SidesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

Savor the velvety blend of pureed potatoes, aromatic roasted garlic, and earthy sage in this comforting soup recipe that’s perfect for any cozy winter night!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes

• 3 tablespoons salted butter

• 20 sage leaves

• 1 yellow onion

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 10 cloves roasted garlic

• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup milk

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

• Peel and dice the potatoes, and finely chop the onion.
• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, add in the sage and chopped onion, and cook about 5 minutes until the butter takes on a golden hue, and the onion becomes translucent – stir frequently
• Stir in the thyme and roasted garlic, cooking for 2 minutes allowing their fragrances to meld with the sautéed mixture.
• Pour in the chicken stock, potatoes, and bay leaves, turning the heat to medium-high until it begins to bubble
• Cover, turn down the heat, and simmer for approximately 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking
• Turn off the heat when the potatoes are cooked through
• Using a stick blender, blend the soup until smooth – alternatively, pour it into a blender and blend it in batches
• Add cream and milk to soup in the pot and return to very low heat for 5 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally

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I love garlic. I basically think that there can never be too much of it. It is the second most used tag on my site, just behind butter. So I’m always looking for new ways to use this flavorful ingredient. So, why not make an easy roasted garlic recipe?

Garlic is a versatile ingredient that adds flavor to many dishes. But how to roast garlic? Roasting garlic with olive oil is an easy way to get a wonderful taste without much effort. This recipe for roasting garlic bulbs made simple is delicious, so if you want to try something new and exciting, keep reading!

Although the full timing for how long to roast garlic including prep and roasting about 50 minutes, most of that time is just sitting in the oven. The end result will be soft and creamy cloves that you can spread on toast, add to sauces and dressings, or combine with a variety of main or side dishes. Plus, it’s a great way to add an extra boost of flavor to your food. So, if you’re looking for a delicious and easy roasted garlic recipe, this one is a must-try!

Simple Ingredients for Roasted Garlic

Garlic bulbs and olive oil are all the ingredients you really need for a delicious roasted garlic recipe. A few tools – a muffin tin, aluminum foil, and an oven – will help finish the job. Just drizzle the garlic bulbs in a small amount of olive oil. And voila! You’ll have the most flavorful, garlicky roasted garlic you’ve ever tasted.

Garlic Bulbs

You can’t make roasted garlic without garlic bulbs. When selecting the bulbs for roasting, you’ll want to choose the freshest ones you can find. Look for bulbs that are firm and plump with no signs of mold or softness. I also usually try to find the bulbs with the biggest cloves possible. But that just makes peeling them afterward easier. Small garlic cloves are just more annoying to me.

And luckily before roasting, we don’t need to peel the garlic at all. This is truly roasting garlic bulbs made simple.

Roasting the garlic transforms it into something wholly new. It still has the flavor of garlic, but mellowed out when compared to raw garlic. It will be creamy and slightly sweet due to the caramelization that takes effect while roasting. Not quite as sweet as caramelized onions, but a similar effect.

Olive Oil

Roasted garlic with olive oil also requires some olive oil. And not just any old olive oil will do. You want to get yourself an extra-virgin variety. It has a more intense olive oil flavor that can really add to the taste of the garlic when it’s roasted.

When it comes to using olive oil, you don’t want to skimp, but you also don’t need to drown the garlic. You should use enough to really coat the garlic cloves. Too little olive oil can result in dried-out garlic that won’t have that nice, creamy texture.

Preparing the Garlic

We can’t just coat the papery outside of the garlic with olive oil and hope that gives us roasted garlic bulbs. Some preparation is involved in making sure we get that super creamy and flavorful roasted garlic with olive oil. Luckily it doesn’t take long.

Slice the Garlic Bulbs

With the ingredients out for our easy roasted garlic recipe, let’s get started with the prep work. First, we’ll need to slice the top off of the bulbs.

When slicing the bulbs, we’ll try to cut off as little as possible while also exposing the tops of each clove. This allows the olive oil to get in and do its magic while it sits in the oven. Cut between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch down from the top of the garlic bulbs. We won’t be roasting the top part we cut off, so it can be discarded. There’s just not enough garlic there to be worth it.

Arrange Garlic in a Muffin Tin

I’ve elected to use muffin tins as the perfect vessel for roasting garlic bulbs made simple. They’re meant for baking, they can hold a lot of individual bulbs in place, and they make it so you need less foil to cover the garlic. I use this Le Creuset muffin tin because it is amazingly non-stick and I got it at one of their factory-to-table sales.

Simply lay the garlic bulbs cut-side up in the muffin tin. One bulb per muffin cup. This will make it quite easy to cook the garlic with the olive oil.

Now that you’ve got your garlic arranged in a muffin tin, all that’s left to do is top them off before we pop them in the oven. If you don’t have a muffin tin, then you can wrap each individual bulb fully in foil – similar to a baked potato. Then just top with olive oil as in the next section before closing up the foil.

Add the Olive Oil

It’s time to add the olive oil to the mix! Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the garlic cloves, evenly coating them. This will give them a delicious, savory flavor while helping them cook evenly. Roasting garlic in olive oil is the perfect way to get the most of its flavor. This will help the garlic caramelize and turn a gorgeous golden color.

Drizzle one to two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil on top of each garlic bulb. Try your best to drizzle it over every clove so they all have relatively even coverage. Some oil will pool at the bottom of the muffin cup.

Top with Foil

Now we’ll be covering the top of the exposed garlic with foil. This is to help prevent the top from overcooking while in the oven.

You may cover the entire top of the muffin tin with a large sheet of foil. But, to save on foil, I’ll be covering each bulb with its own little square. Just tear or cut off a small piece of foil, place it on top of the garlic bulb, and form it to the top so that there isn’t a bunch of empty air between them.

You are now ready to pop the garlic in the oven and watch it transform into a delicious flavor bomb. Or, probably don’t watch it, because it’ll be in the oven for a while.

How Long to Roast Garlic

With everything prepared for roasting garlic bulbs made simple, we’re ready to get to the actual cooking. Start with an oven preheated to 400°F (205°C). With the oven preheated, it’s time to place the muffin tin with the garlic into the oven. And then it is simply down to how long to roast garlic to get perfect results.

Just pop it in, close the oven door, and let it cook. No need to touch it or intervene until the time is up. Roast the garlic cloves for about 40 minutes. This should be enough time to get them nice and golden and even a little bit charred in some areas. As a bonus, you’ll also have the delightful aroma of garlic, making your kitchen smell amazing.

Check the Garlic for Doneness

After reaching the perfect time for how long to roast garlic, it’s time to open the oven door and take a peek. The garlic should be golden brown and the cloves should be soft to the touch, and if it isn’t, you can give it a few more minutes.

To ensure that the garlic cloves are cooked through, you can use a knife to check. If the knife pierces the garlic easily, that means it’s roasted to perfection.

Just make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

Once you are happy with the doneness, take the muffin tin out of the oven and let the garlic cool down. Now you have some delicious roasted garlic to use!

Using this Easy Roasted Garlic Recipe

Using roasted garlic is one of my favorite ways to add flavor to dishes. It’s a great addition to any meal and will give it a unique flavor. After knowing how long to roast garlic, it now comes down to knowing how to use it best.

Letting the Garlic Cool

Now that your garlic has been roasted to perfection, it’s time to let it cool.

The best way to cool down roasted garlic with olive oil is to simply move it from the muffin tin to a plate or cutting board. If you need to speed up the cooling process, you can pop the plate in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.

Once the garlic has cooled down enough to handle, you can start separating out the cloves so you can use or store them for later.

Separating the Roasted Garlic Cloves

Once it’s cooled enough to handle, you can either squeeze out the cloves, peel back the papery layers to get to the cloves, or use a fork to remove them. The cloves should come out soft and creamy.

The cloves don’t need to come out cleanly to be enjoyed. Trust me, they taste good no matter how mangled they end up looking. I ended up just peeling out each clove to make sure nothing got lost. But be prepared for your hands to get oily in the process.

Adding Roasted Garlic with Olive Oil to Recipes

You may have something in mind for your roasted garlic already, but below are a few other ideas. Adding roasted garlic to dishes is an easy way to instantly upgrade the flavor, and it can be used in all kinds of recipes.

Try using it with the following recipes:

• Mix into Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
• Make Delicious Garlic Bread
• Use it in Soups like Chicken and Lentil Soup, Butternut Squash Soup, or Rosemary Potato Soup
• Add it to bread dough before baking for a new twist
• Use it to Stuff Steak – I had the most delicious roasted garlic stuffed steak from The Ranch at Las Colinas, so now I need to try to make this at home since I don’t live in Texas any more…

Not only can you add roasted garlic cloves to dishes, but you can also spruce up some of your favorite condiments with them. For example, you can add roasted garlic cloves to a homemade mayonnaise or aioli to add a unique flavor. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try adding them to a pesto.

Use it to level up your condiments:

• Make a Roasted Garlic Aioli
• Upgrade your Gravy
• Substitute Roasted Garlic for Regular in Homemade Pesto
• Use it in Hummus
• Make a Compound Butter
• Use it in Salad Dressings and other Sauces

You can also use roasted garlic as a spread. It’s a great condiment for sandwiches, pizza, and even tacos. Just mash it up with a bit of butter or olive oil and salt and you’ve got a tasty spread in no time.

So there you have it – there are plenty of ways to make use of your roasted garlic.

Storing Roasted Garlic

Depending on how much roasted garlic with olive oil you’ve made and plan to use, you will likely have some extra. In fact, I usually try to roast a lot of garlic at once

Luckily the cloves will store well in either the fridge or freezer depending on your own timeframe. Just make sure to use it all up before it goes bad because it would be such a shame to waste any of this roasted gold flavor.

Place in an Airtight Container

Storing the roasted garlic in an airtight container will help it last longer. and you can enjoy roasted garlic in more things. I’ve got a few tips to make sure it’s stored properly.

Use any airtight container – from ziploc bags, to tupperware, to glass mason jars and more. I really love my glass storage containers for leftovers or extras. Use ziploc bags or vacuum-sealed bags when freezing your roasted garlic.

Next, make sure the lid fits or seals snuggly. More air will cause it to spoil quicker. And make sure it’s still tight after every time you use it.

Finally, consider labeling the container – especially if it is going into the freezer. That way, you’ll know exactly what’s inside and when it was stored. It’s never good to pull something out of the freezer and it is an unknown item from who knows how long ago.

Refrigerate or Freeze the Roasted Garlic

Refrigerate or freeze your roasted cloves to keep them around for longer. It’s important to remember that the roasted garlic won’t last forever.

If you’re planning to use it within a few days, put it in an airtight container and refrigerate it. To get the most out of your garlic, it’s best to use it within a week of being refrigerated. But if you’re looking to store it for longer, freezing is the way to go.

Freezing roasted garlic is actually quite simple. All you need to do is place the cloves in a ziploc bag. Make sure to push out as much air as possible and then seal the bag. Label and date the bag, and then place it in the freezer. Frozen roasted garlic will keep up to three months.

When you’re ready to use the frozen garlic, you can thaw it out in the refrigerator for a few hours. Or, if you’re like me, just break off as much as you need, mince it, and toss it in a pan to start off my recipe.

So next time you’re looking for something special, try this recipe for roasting garlic bulbs made simple!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this easy roasted garlic recipe! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

How to Roast Garlic with Olive Oil

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Condiment, IngredientDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

55

minutes

Learn how to make this easy roasted garlic recipe with olive oil for the perfect delightfully creamy mellow garlic flavor.

Ingredients

• Whole garlic bulbs

• 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil per bulb

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C)
• Slice the tops off of the garlic bulbs, about 1/4 to 1/2-inch down
• Place each garlic bulb in the cup of a muffin tin and drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil over each bulb
• Cover each bulb with a square of aluminum foil
• Put the muffin tin into the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes
• Remove the garlic from the oven, let it cool enough to handle, separate the garlic cloves, and use immediately or store in the fridge or freezer for later use

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Fresh herbs and vegetables are always a great addition to any meal, but when you add garlic to the mix, you really can’t go wrong. This delicious snow peas recipe is a perfect side dish for a light and fresh lunch or dinner.

I have long loved sugar snap peas and about two years ago made a recipe for some sugar snap peas with a bit of spice to them. But for some reason, I haven’t really ever gotten into snow peas.

That changes now.

The key to this garlic butter and basil snow peas recipe is having fresh ingredients. If you happen to have a garden and grow the ingredients yourself, then you are in for a truly fresh treat. But you can also find the ingredients at a farmer’s market or grocery store as well.

So, gather everything up and get ready for a simple and delicious side dish.

What Are Snow Peas?

Snow peas are small, crunchy vegetables. With a mild flavor and crunchy texture, what makes snow peas special? Well, it is their thin skin.

Not because they get offended easily, but because their skin doesn’t contain an inedible membrane like most peas. Snow peas have edible pods. So they can be eaten whole without shelling.

Snow pea pods are commonly available in spring and again in fall. However, this can vary widely depending on your local climate. They are a cooler-season crop but (despite their name) don’t actually grow in the snow.

Though the pods are typically eaten fresh, they are also often cooked in stir-fries. Which is kind of how we’re using them in this recipe.

Prep Your Ingredients

Before you begin cooking, it’s important to properly prepare your ingredients to ensure a successful and delicious dish. For this recipe, you’ll need to slice the garlic, chiffonade the basil, wash the snow peas, and remove any damaged pods.

To prep the ingredients for this snow peas recipe, we’ll start with the peas themselves. Wash the snow peas thoroughly. To wash the snow peas, place them in a colander and rinse them under cold water. Then, remove any damaged or discolored pods and discard them.

For a chiffonade, we want thin strips of basil leaves. Begin prepping the basil by washing it. Pat the leaves dry and then stack about 5 leaves together.

Then roll the stack of leaves up tightly. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll crosswise to make thin strips. Look at the example photos above for a simple demonstration.

For the garlic, I decided to go with thin slices for this basil snow peas recipe. I wanted the garlic to have enough of a presence to feel like a full ingredient rather than just a small flavor addition. First, peel off the skin and then slice off the ends of the garlic. Then, using a sharp knife, delicately slice the garlic into thin pieces that almost look like little garlic rounds.

Cook the Snow Peas

With the ingredients all prepped, it’s time to actually start cooking. Which begins with a pan and some butter.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large frying pan and then add in the sliced garlic.

Stir everything around to coat the garlic in the butter.

Let the garlic saute for a few minutes until fragrant. Keep stirring them around occasionally to get a more even cook.

Now add in the washed snow peas. Stir them around to mix them with the garlic and coat them in the butter as well.

Even though we’re cooking the snow peas, we don’t want them to get too soft. They should still retain a nice bite and crunch when we eat them. So timing on the cook is key.

Saute the garlic and snow peas for

We still need a little pop of flavor for this snow peas recipe.

So add in the cut basil, salt, and pepper for the last few minutes of cooking in the pan. This will give it all just enough time to meld together the flavors without overcooking the fresh herbs.

You should end up with a buttery, garlicky  savory side dish of just barely cooked snow peas and basil.

Plate and Garnish the Snow Peas

Everything’s cooked and ready to eat. But we now have to show it off well. Let’s plate and add some finishing touches. Look below for some ideas for plating and garnishing your garlic butter and basil snow peas.

For serving the snow peas, you could arrange them on a serving platter or individual plates. You can stack them neatly or scatter them in an artful way. Or just pour them straight from the frying pan into a serving bowl with a spoon or tongs.

Try adding some extra garnish to add some fresh flair to the dish. If you have any leftover basil or other herbs, chop them finely and sprinkle them over the snow peas. This will add some color and freshness to the dish.

Or mix it up and add a little citrus. For a tangy and bright flavor, you can grate some lemon or lime zest over the snow peas. This will also add some texture and contrast to the dish. Or just serve the snow peas with some lemon wedges on the side. Squeezing the lemon juice over the snow peas will add some zing and balance to the dish.

With these plating and garnishing tips, your garlic butter and basil snow peas will not only taste delicious but also look stunning on the plate. Enjoy!

What to Serve with This Snow Pea Recipe

Though this snow pea recipe is delicious, it isn’t a main dish. So we’ll need something else to pair with this.

The great thing is that this side complements a wide variety of meals. Feel free to try and match this side dish with whatever meal you plan on having for dinner.

But the following are some good options if you are looking for some meal ideas to go with this snow pea recipe:

• Orange Maple Soy Glazed Salmon
• Family Three-Cheese Lasagna
• Easy Ramen Omelet
• Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

No matter what you choose to serve with these snow peas, they are sure to add a touch of freshness and flavor to any meal. Enjoy!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out garlic butter and basil snow peas! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Garlic Butter and Basil Snow Peas

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Sides, AppetizersDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

A simple, tasty recipe to make with fresh snow peas. This quick, easy, delicious side dish will make you feel like you’re eating spring in a dish.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic

• 10 medium basil leaves

• 3 cups snow peas

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

• Wash the snow peas and basil leaves, remove any damaged pea pods, and then pat everything dry
• Chiffonade the basil by stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them tightly together, and then thinly slicing across the roll to create long, thin strips of basil
• Remove the skin from the garlic cloves, chop off the root end, and then finely slice the garlic
• Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat
• Add the sliced garlic to the pan and cook in the melted butter for about 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally
• Pour the snow peas into the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender-crisp
• Stir the basil, salt, and pepper into the snow peas and garlic, and stir while cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until the basil is wilted
• Remove from the heat and serve

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Aioli is a smashing together of the words garlic and oil in Catalan, Provençal and Italian. Though traditionally only garlic is added for flavor, in some cases the mixture can also contain other ingredients. And in our case today, we’ll make a simple, basic, and yet still delicious smoked paprika aioli.

This is my go-to quick dip recipe to throw together in a pinch when I want a condiment to go with the meal I am making. It’s fast, easy, and simple in a way that lets you adjust everything to your own tastes.

This recipe is quite similar to my spicy chipotle crema. This one, however, is not spicy at all. It does still have some of the same smoky pepper notes that really bring some flavor to the table.

So, let’s get into what aioli is and how we’ll simplify things for ourselves to make this a quick condiment.

What Is Aioli?

Aioli is an emulsion of olive oil, garlic, salt, and usually egg that is essentially very similar to mayonnaise. An emulsion is just a fancy way of saying that one liquid is suspended in another. It first originates in the Mediterranean region and there are a whole lot of variations of this condiment.

This creamy emulsion of garlic and oil is used as a sauce or for dipping. It’s also great to use as a spread on sandwiches. A true traditional aioli would only have garlic. So some people say that most things we call aioli are just flavored mayonnaise. Which I guess is kinda true, but aioli sounds fancier and has kind of been taken over to mean something new now.

It is really all about the flavor, though. Consequently, I have no reservations about keeping ‘true’ to traditional aioli and will be adding other ingredients with wanton abandon. I know, I’m a rebel.

So, you can make aioli from scratch using olive oil and egg yolk to make a homemade base with which you can flavor things. But it can be a bit tricky to get the emulsion just right. And when I am whipping together a quick dipping sauce, I don’t want to be worried about getting things just right so it doesn’t break.

But I cheat by using store-bought mayo to make my aioli dip. It’s just too convenient in most cases.

And the best part? You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen creating it!

Ingredients for Smoked Paprika Aioli

All you need are some basic ingredients: mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, and kosher salt. You’ll also need to have some smoked paprika on hand – the star of this show.

First, let me tell you what makes smoked paprika so special. If you’ve never used it before, you’re in for a real treat.

You can buy smoked paprika at most grocery stores, but some don’t carry it or only have it in very small containers. If you like the flavor of smoked paprika, I suggest buying a larger container of it. My recommendation is this McCormick Culinary Smoked Paprika that I have purchased twice now already since discovering it a year or so ago.

From blackened seasoning to tortilla soup to roasted chicken and more, I use smoked paprika a whole lot to add flavor to dishes. And no, I don’t have a smoked paprika problem. I can stop any time I want.

For the smoked paprika aioli, we’re going to use premade mayonnaise. However, you can make your own mayonnaise if you’d prefer. It’s not a super long process, but it can be complicated to get the emulsion just right. I have done it a few times before, and I think eventually I will add it as a recipe here on the site.

But for now, I use premade mayo. It’s too convenient.

Then make sure you use some fresh-squeezed lime juice and fresh garlic cloves to get the best possible results out of this aioli recipe.

Steps to Make Smoked Paprika Aioli

Making smoked paprika aioli isn’t difficult at all. This is one of the best parts of the recipe – there’s not really that much to it.

Start by measuring out all of the ingredients into the bowl or container of a food processor or small blender. I typically love to use a small container of my NutriBullet because it is easy to make and store within that same jar. Smaller is better because, unless you are multiplying this recipe a few times, it doesn’t take up much space. A smaller container will help it blend together better.

Now pulse everything together until it becomes smooth. Don’t just let it sit and run too long because it will start to heat things up as it blends. If things are getting stuck or not blending 100%, you may want to shake or stir together the ingredients and then try pulsing again.

If you don’t have access to a food processor, you can simply whisk the ingredients together. But for the garlic, try grating it with a zester. It will turn the garlic into kind of a paste that will whisk together much better than even minced garlic.

And that’s it, it’s ready to serve!

Ways to Use Smoked Paprika Aioli

The smoked paprika aioli is a very versatile condiment. It is great on anything fried or baked. And, if you want to get really fancy, you can substitute it for regular aioli for dipping fries into.

In addition to being tasty, aioli is very versatile. It works well as a dip, spread, and dressing. If you have smoked paprika on hand, it also makes for a great topping or dip for chips.

There are tons of ways to use your aioli. Try any of the following ideas:

• Dipping sauce for fish, seafood, and fries
• As a sandwich spread
• Topping for burgers
• As a dip for chips and crackers
• Topping for roasted vegetables
• Added sauce for tacos
• As a salad dressing

The most common use case for smoked paprika aioli is as a dipping sauce for fries or as a sandwich spread instead of mayo. Basically, think of places where you might use mayonnaise and could want a different pop of flavor instead and try substituting aioli.

Tips to Store Aioli After Making It

If you manage to have any leftover aioli, I’d be a little surprised. But maybe you made a large batch and wanted some leftovers for later use. In that case, you’ll have to store it so that it will keep well.

Here are my three main tips for storing your aioli:

• Keep it in the fridge (and don’t keep it out of the fridge for very long)
• Store it in an airtight container
• Cover the surface with plastic wrap before closing the container

When storing it in the fridge, it can stay fresh for up to two weeks.

Plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the aioli will help prevent the surface from drying out. It also limits the contact it will have with oxygen, which is usually the enemy of keeping things from going bad.

However, aioli can have a tendency to separate – especially if you have made the mayonnaise from scratch. If this happens after storing it, just whisk or blend it up again and it should be back to normal.

Use this recipe to make quick and easy garlic and smoked paprika aioli. This will definitely become a family favorite for any occasion. So, get blending and make your own homemade smoked paprika aioli today!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this smoked paprika aioli! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Perfect Garlicky Smoked Paprika Aioli

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SauceDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Total time

5

minutes

Aioli with the power of garlic, lime, and smoked paprika to use as a spread or dip with its creamy, smoky flavor

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

• Add all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor
• Slowly pulse everything together until fully blended
• Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve

Notes

• To make it without a food processor or blender, grate the garlic with a zester and whisk all ingredients together

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The post The Perfect Garlicky Smoked Paprika Aioli appeared first on Do You Roux?.

Rice is one of the simplest building blocks for recipes. It is almost infinitely adaptable to whatever your dish needs. From homemade risotto to sweet rice pudding, it can be a main dish, side dish, or dessert. And so, it is the perfect base for the mouthwatering mix of flavors that make up this rice cooker Mexican rice recipe.

Mexican cuisine is famous for being savory, spicy, and full of flavor. It has a huge selection of foods ranging from tacos, quesadillas, and tortas to enchiladas and burritos. But, one of its many commonalities is that nearly every dish is accompanied by a side of rice and beans.

They just pair so well with everything, that there’s no reason not to have them as a tasty side dish.

However, I don’t want to just settle for plain rice on the side.

So, it is time to mix it up. Combine the rice with lots of powerful seasoning ingredients to make the flavors pop. Then cook it in a mix of water and chicken stock to let it simmer in even more flavor. It is all about building cohesive flavors for a unique final side dish.

Here is how I make my favorite rice recipe every time – and it’s a breeze!

What is Mexican Rice?

Mexican rice is a popular dish in northern and central Mexico and the southwest United States.

Put simply, Mexican rice is seasoned, cooked rice. To season the rice, it is first toasted in vegetable oil. Then garlic and onion or shallot are added to the mix.

Then it is cooked with tomato paste, tomato bouillon, chicken broth, water, and chili powder. It is usually served with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream. It is usually served as a side to other dishes, such as tacos, burritos, or enchiladas.

You can try mixing it up by adding in minced cilantro, beans, lime juice, or anything else that seems like it would fit within the mix of flavors.

It can also be referred to by the names Spanish rice (though it definitely doesn’t come from Spain), arroz rojo (red rice), or arroz Mexicano.

Why I Use a Rice Cooker

Learning how to cook rice is an important kitchen skill. But when you are making a meal and handling multiple things at once, sometimes it is easier to pop things into a rice cooker and let it handle most of the cooking and timing for you.

Making this rice cooker Mexican rice does not mean that you just dump everything into the rice cooker and then forget about it until dinner time. It still needs some time and attention. Especially with this preparation of rice cooker Mexican rice, since we will be adding in more than just rice and water.

I love cooking with a rice cooker.

Besides prepping everything beforehand, I find that it can take some effort after the rice cooker has finished cooking. I usually will lift up the lid, try to fluff and turn all of the rice over and check the moisture level. Sometimes it needs a little extra water, sometimes I need to leave the lid open so it can steam off extra liquid.

You can kind of set it and forget it, but make sure to check it out and fluff it up before serving.

I have used this Aroma Housewares rice cooker for at least 5 years.

Preparing the Rice Ingredients

The first step to making Mexican rice is to rinse the rice until the water is clear. Then mince the garlic and shallot and measure out all of the other ingredients to have your mise en place. With everything ready to go, it’s time to toast the rice.

If you can toast the rice directly in the rice cooker, then I would recommend going that route. I kind of was able to trick the rice cooker into letting me sautee the rice, garlic, and shallot together in the vegetable oil. If you can’t, then just toast it in a saucepan first and then transfer everything into the rice cooker to cook the rice.

I also decided to add the tomato bouillon, tomato paste, and chili powder to the mixture and sauteeing for a bit before adding the liquids.

Then add the water and chicken stock, give it a good stir, and set the rice cooker to cook.

What to Serve with Mexican Rice

Unless you are making fried rice or risotto, rice is usually not served by itself. It is typically accompanied by some other food or protein to help turn it into a full meal.

And so, try this rice recipe out as a side for any Mexican or Tex-Mex dish. I find that it goes well with all of the following recipes:

• Fried Baja Shrimp Burrito
• Ground Beef Taco Meat
• Taco Bell Copycat Quesarito

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this rice cooker Mexican rice! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Rice Cooker Mexican Rice

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SidesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

This is a very easy and flavorful rice recipe for the rice cooker. This quick, simple, and mostly hands-off side dish will be great for your next meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 cups rice, washed

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 small shallot, minced

• 4 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons tomato bouillon

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 2 cups chicken stock

• 2 cups water

Directions

• Add the oil to either a hot rice cooker or saucepan, then add the rice and toast it for 3 to 4 minutes
• Add the garlic and shallot to the rice and continue to sautee until the shallot is partially translucent, about 5 minutes
• Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir them together until well combined, if you were using a saucepan then pour everything into the rice cooker
• With everything combined in the rice cooker, start the cooker according to its directions
• When the rice cooker has finished, fluff the rice and serve it

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The post The Perfect Rice Cooker Mexican Rice Recipe appeared first on Do You Roux?.

When most people think of pickling, they think about cucumbers. But I don’t happen to like regular pickles. So, pickled red onions are a far more common kitchen staple for me. Learn how to pickle red onions to use them as a condiment, side dish, or salad dressing ingredient.

If you are planning to have a backyard barbecue this summer, or you just love the taste of a red onion pickled in vinegar, you are going to love this step-by-step guide. You will learn everything you need to know about how to pickle a red onion.

After enjoying pickled onions a few times when eating out, I kind of thought that making them would be difficult and not worth the effort. They seemed, for some reason, like a fancier condiment that is only really attainable for restaurants.

Wrong.

Quick pickled red onions are surprisingly simple to make and take only a few minutes of active cooking time, with a little period of hands-off resting. And then it’s off to the races to cover whatever dish you desire with pickled red onions.

Pickling Basics

Pickling is used to preserve and extend food’s shelf life by either fermenting food in brine or covering it with vinegar. This process is most commonly associated with cucumbers – which we simply call pickles. But this can vary.

There are endless ways to pickle, and there’s a wide variety of foods and tastes you can achieve with the process. You’ll find it’s an easy and versatile kitchen skill to learn.

In this case, we are going to focus on how to pickle red onions. And first, it’s important to understand the general process of pickling.

For this recipe, we’ll be pickling in a vinegar solution. This is a quick-pickle or refrigerator pickling method. We won’t be brining or canning or sealing. So it is not complicated and you don’t have to worry about messing the process up.

Though the process is simpler, it doesn’t preserve things for quite as long as a full pickling method. So, the jar or container of pickled red onions must be kept in the fridge. It can usually be stored for about three weeks. After that time, they will start to lose their texture.

Pickling red onions is an easy and simple process.

Peel and slice the onion. Add the sliced onion into a jar. Add in anything else with which you’d like to flavor the onions. Heat up the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt just to a boil. Pour the pickling solution over the onions. Then let it rest and do its magic.

Equipment & Tools to Pickle Red Onions

The only special equipment you’ll need is a sealable container.

You can use a mason jar, which is a traditional pickling tool, but you can also use any other sealable jar, container, or glass.

Use any kind of vinegar you like, but I settled on a mix of apple cider vinegar because it has a nice, tart flavor that is great with red onions.

You can use any kind of salt you like, but I recommend kosher salt.

A quality mandoline slicer can help you achieve the most consistent results for even slices. But you can use a knife or mandolin, whichever you are most comfortable with.

A funnel may also be helpful in the kitchen for this recipe. Depending on the size of the opening for your selected container, a funnel can help get the vinegar mixture where it needs to go.

Steps to Pickle Red Onions

Here are the steps to take when learning how to pickle red onions:

1. Peel and slice the red onion
2. Add the onion slices to a mason jar, optionally add any other herbs, spices, or flavorings to the jar
3. Heat the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to just a boil
4. Add the vinegar, salt, and spices
5. Add the lid and shake the jar vigorously to mix the ingredients together
6. Let the jar sit out for at least 30 minutes until the onion is tender
7. Use or store the onions in the fridge

Just follow these simple steps to get your own tangy results.

Optional Ingredients

You can add additional spices or flavorings to your pickled red onions. For this recipe, I’ve decided to include garlic in with the onions when pickling. It helps add flavor, and you can enjoy the pickled garlic as a nice little surprise to your dish as well.

But garlic isn’t the only flavor option.

If you want to make pickled red onions that are more sour, you can add a few tablespoons of lemon or other citrus juice to the jar before pouring in your vinegar.

If you’re pickling a red onion for the first time, you may want to stick to my recipe. But if this isn’t your first rodeo, then you can try something a little different. Feel free to experiment and make this recipe your own.

Here are a few of my favorite extra pickling ingredients. Take any of the following, slice or chop them, and then add them to the jar on top of the onion before pouring the vinegar in:

• Dill
• Garlic
• Jalapeños
• Ginger
• Chives
• Thyme
• Basil
• Chili flakes or powder
• Whole black peppercorns

Use either my basic recipe or a mix with any of the above additions and you’ve just taken the right step to becoming a pickle master.

How To Use Pickled Red Onions

The purpose of these pickled red onions is to add a punch of tart, salty, vinegar flavor to any dish. But if you need some suggestions, then look to any of the following for a good start to a meal:

• Try them in your favorite Mexican food: Like a Fully Loaded Breakfast Burrito, Ground Beef Tacos, or one of the most popular recipes on the site, the Fried Baja Shrimp Burrito

• Use them in a salad: Try my Sesame Soy Chopped Salad or Gorgonzola Pear Salad with Breaded Chicken

• Add them to a burger or fried chicken sandwich

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try pickling some red onions. Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

How To Pickle Red Onions: An Easy Step-By-Step Guide

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: CondimentDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Resting Time

30

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Learn how to pickle red onions to add a tart pop of flavor to your favorite dishes

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 cup water

• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Directions

• Peel and slice the onion and garlic into thin slices
• Place the sliced onion and garlic into a glass mason jar or another sealable container
• Stir together the water, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan
• Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil
• Once it begins to boil, remove it from the heat and pour it over the onions and garlic in the container
• Seal the container, shake it well, and let it sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes until the onions are tender and pink
• Use immediately or refrigerate the pickled red onions for up to 3 weeks

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The post How To Pickle Red Onions: An Easy Step-By-Step Guide appeared first on Do You Roux?.

Jerk seasoning spice blends can kick up both the heat and the flavor of almost any dish.

If you’re looking for a spicy, earthy, and savory seasoning recipe, then look no further than this ultimate jerk seasoning recipe.

The first time I tried using jerk seasoning was for a Psych party we threw for my wife’s birthday one year. On the show, Shawn and Gus are big fans of jerk chicken – you know that’s right! And since we were having a ton of Psych-related foods on the menu (including a whole lot of pineapple), I dabbled for the first time in making jerk chicken.

This is a very versatile seasoning, similar to the blackened seasoning that I posted a few months ago. There are a lot of similar spices, but jerk seasoning includes a lot more earthy flavors from cloves, allspice, and cinnamon.

This is one of my favorite ways to season meat, poultry, and seafood. I’ve used it in several of my recipes and have shared my method with several friends who have also enjoyed the results. There is no better way to say – I want to give you an awesome recipe to spice up your next cookout and get the whole family excited about jerk seasoning.

Choose the Right Spices

The right spices are essential to the perfect meal.

Without them, there isn’t usually a whole lot of flavor. Spice also helps to set the mood of the meal. And with this recipe, you can instantly add the specific flavors of Jamaican jerk to almost any dish.

For jerk seasoning, the mix needs to include allspice and some kind of pepper. All of the other flavors are added in to help round out and balance the flavor profile. In typical Jamaican jerk, Scotch bonnet peppers are typically used. But that one is a little spicy for most since it is closely related to the more commonly known habanero.

Also, Scotch bonnet powder is not widely available – though in the world of the internet you can find it online. Since we need a dried and powdered pepper to include in this seasoning mix, I have made a few substitutions. I use a mix of ground cayenne, paprika, and chipotle to include some of both the fruitiness and heat that peppers bring.

Try to include fresher spices in your mix. If you do not frequently use up all of your herbs and spices, then they may become stale and lose much of their signature flavor.

Set the Heat Levels in Homemade Jerk Seasoning

Some like it hot.

But others don’t. And you likely know which category you land in. Or the category others that live in your house enjoy most. I tend to like a bit more heat than the rest of those I live with.

And that is one of the best reasons to make your own homemade jerk seasoning mix. You can easily adjust the recipe below to include more or less of the spicy heat in the seasoning mix that is provided by ground peppers.

Smoked paprika is typically very sweet even though it is ground peppers. So you shouldn’t need to change out any of this pepper to make it less spicy. Though you can also find some specialty spicier versions of smoked paprika if you want to turn the heat up. Be sure to use smoked paprika though, for that extra punch of smoky flavor.

Cayenne pepper is what adds the majority of the heat to the spice mix. So this is the easiest one to adjust up or down depending on your own preferences. If you are thinking about changing the spice level, remember that you can always add more cayenne but it would be much more difficult to balance out having too much.

Chipotle pepper adds a bit of heat along with a ton of smoky flavor. I love, love, love the flavor of chipotle powder in almost everything. So I would not suggest removing any of this from the recipe. See my recipes chocolate chipotle chili con carne, chipotle hot honey, and spicy chipotle crema for evidence of this love.

How to Use Jerk Seasoning in Recipes

Use this seasoning to make jerk chicken, jerk ribs, jerk shrimp, and so much more.

Jerk cooking is typically done by rubbing the seasoning onto the meat along with a bit of oil. Traditional methods typically used smoking fire pits to cook everything and today a grill would most replicate that experience. But that shouldn’t make you feel limited to only cooking that way.

I’ve also used the crockpot to make some jerk chicken thighs

It’s like adding a little heat and savoriness for a tasty change. You can also simply use it in place of other hot spices like cayenne pepper or chili powder for a more complex flavor.

I really like making my own seasoning mixes, labeling them, and keeping them on hand for quick access to a bunch of spices that complement each other well. Plus, a well-stocked kitchen will likely have most of these herbs and spices on hand already.

So why not make yourself a mix? Get all the recipe details below and make this jerk seasoning right now!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this jerk seasoning mix! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

The Ultimate Jerk Seasoning

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Sauces and CondimentsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

20

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Total time

5

minutes

Here’s the ultimate jerk seasoning recipe that’ll kick your spice game up a notch. Add smoky, sweet, savory, and spicy flavors to your food.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

• 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

• Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl thoroughly until well combined
• Store it in an airtight container or shaker and use it to rub and season food

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The post The Ultimate Jerk Seasoning Recipe appeared first on Do You Roux?.