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Instant Pot Shredded BBQ Beef

April 19, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 6 Comments

Delicious tender Shredded BBQ Beef made right in your Instant Pot will for sure be on heavy rotation for dinner! The recipe prep is super easy and then it cooks in your electric pressure cooker, making it fall apart tender. Pile it on top of buns and it’s time to eat!

Shredded BBQ Beef Sandwich with fries and a soda

No Instant Pot, No Problem

If you do not have an Instant Pot but really want to make this recipe, pop over to this Shredded BBQ Beef Recipe and you can make it in your oven or crock pot.

Why This Recipe is Amazing

We use Chuck Roast for our BBQ Beef which has such an amazing beef flavor.
Chuck Roast cooks up perfectly in the Instant Pot, becoming fall apart tender in under an hour!
This recipe is triple seasoned, making sure it is FULL of BBQ flavor.
BBQ Beef Sandwiches are great any time of year!
This is a great recipe if you want shredded beef, but don’t want to wait for a smoked brisket, which can take up to 8 hours (or more).

Ingredients

Here are the things you need to make this Instant Pot Shredded BBQ Beef, plus some pro tips on a few ingredients.

Chuck Roast – Look for a fresh chuck roast that is around 3-4 lbs. and is well marbled with nice dark red/maroon color flesh. A “choice” or “select” chuck roast will do fine here. No need pay the price of “prime” for this recipe.

Smoked Paprika – make sure that you use SMOKED Paprika, and not sweet or Hungarian paprika. It has a very distinct flavor that you want to add to your BBQ Seasoning.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Start by patting your chuck roast dry with a couple paper towels. Now cut it into large 3 inch pieces, removing and discarding any large pieces of white fat. Set it aside.

In a small bowl combine all the BBQ seasoning spices and herbs. Give it a good stir. Reserve 2 tablespoon of the seasoning to after cooking. Set aside.

Pro Tip – make sure to break up all the brown sugar pieces before moving on.

chuck roast cut into pieces and seasoned

Pour the water, cider vinegar, and Worcestershire in the Instant Pot. Cut an onion into 8 pieces and place it in the liquid.

Coat the beef pieces with the BBQ Seasoning (remember to reserve the 2 tablespoon for after cooking). Place the beef in the Instant Pot on top of the onions.

Pro Tip – don’t lose any flavor… use the beef pieces to mop up any seasoning that didn’t stick to the beef.

chuck roast, onions, and liquid in the instant pot

Set the pot to cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Do a 10 minute natural release and finish with a quick release.

Remove the beef pieces (and onion if you like) and shred them with two forks. You can discard the liquid in the Instant Pot as it can be a little fatty.

beef shredded and being seasoned with BBQ Seasoning

Sprinkle HALF of the reserved seasoning on your shredded beef. Toss it to coat and then give it a taste and see if you want additional seasoning.

Pour on ½ cup BBQ Sauce and toss to coat. Use your favorite store bougth BBQ sauce or make your own BBQ Sauce.

Time to eat!

Serving

Serve piled on buns or bread and top with your favorite BBQ Sandwich toppings. Here are a few we like:

Creamy Coleslaw
Pickles
Pepperoncini’s
Onion Rings
Dill Pickle Slaw

Storing

Store leftover BBQ Beef in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze your BBQ beef for up to 3 months.

Meal Prep/Freezer

You can also make this Shredded BBQ Beef ahead of time and pop it in the freezer for easy meal prep. I recommend that you wait to add the BBQ Sauce until you reheat.

Make the Shredded Beef completely, leaving off the BBQ Sauce. Cool completely and then place in a freezer safe baggie. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and then heat through in a skillet with a little water or in the microwave. Toss with BBQ Sauce and dig in!

a baking pan with shredded BBQ beef and two forks

Make it Dinner!

Here are some amazing side dish recipes to make this Instant Pot BBQ Beef a complete dinner:

Recipe Tips

Here are some pro tips to make sure your recipe turns out prefect!

Trim any large white fat pieces from your beef.
Make sure there are no chunks of brown sugar in your seasoning.
Coat the beef really well with the seasoning and mop up any that falls off the beef.
Reserve some of the BBQ seasoning to do a second round of seasoning after cooking – so much flavor!!
Find a BBQ sauce that your family loves!

More Shredded Beef Recipes

If you have a beautiful chuck roast, here are a couple other recipes you can make:

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Easy Beef Ramen Noodles

April 15, 2021 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

This Beef Ramen Noodle recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and makes an amazing weeknight dinner. Tender pieces of flank steak are cooked with ramen noodles in a savory beef broth filled with delicious Asian flavors, broccoli is added and it is time to eat!

two bowls of beef ramen topped with chili paste and sesame seeds

Listen To The Recipe

You can also listen to a podcast episode that shares this entire recipe for Easy Beef Ramen on the Let’s Make Dinner Podcast! There is an audio player available in the recipe card below.

Instant Pot

If you would rather make this recipe in your Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker, pop over to this recipe for Instant Pot Beef Ramen.

Why This Recipe Works

You will be using quick cooking ramen noodles (yes I’m talking about the ones that are like $0.25)… but not the overly salty packet of seasoning that comes with it.
Flavoring the broth with Sambal, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce makes for an unbelievably flavorful broth for the noodles and beef to cook in!
Flank Steak is the perfect choice for your Beef Ramen because once it is sliced thin it cooks up fast and is super tender.
Frozen broccoli added right at the end keeps it crisp-tender and doesn’t over-cook with the beef and noodles.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients that you need to make this Beef Ramen Recipe, plus some helpful tips on a few ingredients.

Fresh Ginger- To peel fresh ginger I recommend using the edge of a spoon, scraping it along the brown skin until it reveals the yellow fragrant flesh.

images showing step-by-step how to peel ginger

Then simply chop and mince the yellow flesh to add to the recipe.

Flank Steak- this is the perfect beef cut for Beef Ramen Noodles. It is tender and quick cooking when sliced thin.

You will notice the flank steak has a very pronounced “grain” that runs like lines in the beef.

Make sure you cut your slices AGAINST THE GRAIN of the meat. This will ensure your beef is tender! See photos above for a visual guide.

Ramen Noodles

You can buy any brand of “ramen” noodle. Some of the most popular brands are Maruchan or Top Ramen.

They can also be called Instant Noodles or Instant Ramen.

These are the really inexpensive packets of noodles, usually around $0.25 to $0.50 each. They come with a soup/seasoning packet that you will discard in this recipe, so it doesn’t matter what flavor you purchase.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

This recipe comes together very quickly so I recommend that you prep your ingredients before getting started: peel and mince the ginger and garlic, dice the onion, measure out the seasonings and sauces, and slice the beef.

It is called “mise en place” (pronounced meez-on-plahz) when you get your kitchen in order and prep ingredients before cooking.

Start with a pot over medium heat. Add the oil and once it is hot and simmery add the onion, garlic and ginger.

Saute for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften.

pouring beef broth into a pot with onions, garlic and ginger

Pour in the beef broth and add in the Sambal, brown sugar, oyster sauce, low sodium soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Give everything a good stir.

Add the beef slices to the pot.

Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a hard simmer.

Once the broth is simmering add in the ramen noodles.

Pro Tip – crack the ramen bricks in half to fit all 3 in the pot.

breaking ramen noodle bricks into a pot of broth and beef

Simmer the noodles for about 3 minutes.

Add in the frozen broccoli and simmer another 1-2 minutes until it is thawed through and warmed.

frozen broccoli poured on top of ramen noodles and broth

Pull the Beef Ramen off the heat and serve! Garnish with sesame seeds, Sambal, red pepper flakes and/or green onions.

Pro Tip – stir before serving additional servings, this will coat the noodles, beef and broccoli with the delicious broth!

a red pot full of ramen, beef and broccoli

Recipe Tips

Use a spoon to peel your ginger. See photos above.
Make sure you cut your beef slices AGAINST THE GRAIN. See photos above.
Buy any flavor of Ramen Noodles, you won’t be using the flavor packet.
Do not use the soup/season packet that comes with the ramen noodles. You are creating your own flavor with Asian spices and sauces.
Use frozen broccoli instead of fresh so everything cooks together perfectly without over-cooking.

a bowls of ramen noodles with broccoli and beef

Recipe FAQ’s

How do you make Beef Ramen better?

This recipe! That is how you make beef ramen better! Discard the flavor packet of store bought ramen and add your own flavors with Sambal, Sesame oil, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. You can also add flank steak sliced thin.

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Baked Steel Cut Oats with Blueberries

April 14, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 8 Comments

These delicious Steel Cut Baked Oats with Blueberries make an amazing breakfast for Oat lovers! Everything gets combined in a blender and then the blueberries are stirred in. Bake for 25 minutes. They can even be made ahead for a healthy quick breakfast!

baked oats in ramekins topped with blueberries

These are similar to the ones everyone is making on Tik-Tok.

Eggs in a mug are another quick recipe for breakfast lovers on-the-go!

What are Baked Oats

Baked Oats have been around for a long time, but this quick version in a blender has recently become very popular due to the tik-tok videos going viral!

The oat mixture is baked in the oven, usually in individual ramekins and comes out with a texture somewhere between a pancake and a muffin!

Why Make This Recipe

This recipe uses Steel Cut Oats which are a really healthy breakfast choice. They are minimally processed and contain more fiber than traditional rolled oats.
Blueberries are a nice bright flavor added to the earthy oats and the sweet banana.
These baked oats can be made ahead and reheated in the microwave for an easy breakfast.

Ingredients

Here are the things you need to make this Steel Cut Baked Oats recipe, plus some tips on a few ingredients.

BLUEBERRIES– You can use fresh or frozen berries in this recipe.

If you don’t have blueberries, then you can absolutely use raspberries, blackberries or chopped strawberries!

RAMEKINS – For this recipe you need 8 oz. individual ramekins. Make sure you use oven safe ramekins.

BLENDER – You want to make sure you use a powerful blender that can blend the steel cut oats smooth. I use the Ninja Nutri and it works perfectly!

Step by Step Picture Instructions

This recipe is pretty easy. The majority of the “work” is done in the oven.

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Prep the ramekins by spraying them with non stick spray and placing on a rimmed baking sheet.

In a powerful blender add the steel cut oats, banana, eggs, maple syrup, baking powder, salt.

oats, banana, eggs. baking powder and salt in a blender

Blend for about 30 seconds until the mixture looks smooth.

Then, by hand, stir in about ⅔ of the blueberries.

Divide the mixture evenly between the ramekins, filling them about ¾ full.

pouring baked oat batter into ramekins and topping with blueberries

Top with the remaining blueberries.

Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Then dig in!

baked steel cut oats in ramekins topped with blueberries

You can garnish/serve them with additional syrup, blueberry syrup, or cream/milk.

Recipe Tips

Use a really ripe banana. They tend to be sweeter!
If you have it or can get it, use 100% maple syrup. It will have a cleaner maple flavor than the corn syrup version of maple syrup.
Fresh or frozen blueberries will work.
Bake your oats in individual ramekins set on a baking sheet, just in case they bake over.

baked steel cut oats with blueberries drizzled with syrup, fresh fruit to the side

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Baked Steel Cut Oats with Blueberries + Video

Delicious Baked Oats recipe made with Steel Cut oats and blueberries. Makes a great breakfast!

4.58 from 7 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

▢
Four – 8 oz. individual ramekins, oven safe

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Spray your ramekins with non-stick spray. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet just in case your oats bake over! Set aside.
In a powerful blender or food processor add the oats, banana, eggs, maple syrup, baking powder, and salt.
Process for about 30 seconds, until everything is bleded smooth.
By hand lightly stir in about ⅔ of the blueberries.
Divide the batter between the 4 prepared ramekins, filling them about ¾ full. Top with the additional berries.
Pop in the oven for 25 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes and dig in!
Top with additional maple syrup, blueberry syrup, or cream.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

RECIPE TIPS:

Use a really ripe banana. They tend to be sweeter!
If you have it or can get it, use 100% maple syrup. It will have a cleaner maple flavor than the corn syrup version of maple syrup.
Fresh or frozen blueberries will work.
Bake your oats in individual ramekins set on a baking sheet, just in case they bake over.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Holy Guacamole, That’s Good Guac

April 13, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

This is a truly wonderful recipe for Guacamole with all the traditional flavors of lime, cilantro, onion, jalapeno and garlic. It comes together in minutes and is ready to eat, just dig in with some salty tortilla chips! I have included all the tips and tricks you need to make sure your Guacamole is pure perfection.

guacamole in a bowl being scooped with a blue corn tortilla chip

This Guacamole is great with chips, but it also makes an excellent condiment for tacos, burritos or quesadillas!

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe uses only fresh ingredients.
The majority of this recipe is avocado, no fillers here!
All the pro tips and tricks are included to find ripe avocados OR ripen green avocados are included.
There is a killer homemade Pico de Gallo and Salsa Recipe included to pair with your Guac.
Just add chips and you might eat this whole bowl for dinner!

Ingredients

Here are the items you need to make authentic Guacamole. Plus some tips on a few ingredients.

Avocado – The longer your avocado flesh is exposed to air it will begin to brown. To delay this process you will add lime juice, and the citric acid will slow the browning.

Below I go over how to find a ripe avocado or how to ripen a green avocado. I also detail how to open an avocado.

Onion – I recommend slicing your onion into rounds, then rinsing under cool water for about 30 seconds. Then dicing for your guacamole.

The rinsing process will remove the enzyme that can make raw onions overpower a dish.

Jalapeno– If you are sensitive to the heat of a jalapeno, choose your level of heat by following these guidelines:

Low heat – use only the green flesh
Medium heat – remove the seeds, and only use the green flesh and white ribs/pith.
Most heat – use the entire jalapeno, the green flesh, pith/ribs, and seeds.

Finding Ripe Avocado

To find a perfectly ripe avocado to make your guacamole look for these three things:

dark, almost black skin from stem to end.
slightly soft feel when you give it a VERY light squeeze. Don’t over-squeeze or your will bruise a ripe avocado.
The real tell-all is when you pop out the little stem piece and if the flesh under is green then you have a perfectly ripe avocado. If it is brown it has gone too far, if it is bright lime green & almost yellow it is not ripe enough.

Quick Ripening

Now I know that you cannot always find ripe avocados in the store.

To do a quick ripening place your unripe avocado in a paper bag with some ripe bananas. The fruit emits enough ethylene gas to speed up the ripening process of your avocado.

They should ripen up perfectly in a day or two!

Opening an Avocado

If you have never opened an avocado here is how:

Start by slicing into the dark green/black skin with a sharp knife.

Your knife will go all the way to the pit. Now run your knife all the way around, coming back to where your knife started, creating two halves.

Grab the two halves and give them a twist, opposite each other. You will feel the seed give and you can pull the two halves apart.

To remove the seed give it a tap with the blade side of your knife to attach. Twist the knife counter clockwise and the seed will detach from the avocado flesh.

Now to safely remove the pit from the knife pinch the pit from the back side (non-blade side) and it will fall right off.

I also go over all these steps in the video below!

How to Make Fresh Guacamole

Start by scooping out the ripe flesh from your avocados. Place in a large bowl.

With the back of a fork mash the avocado, leaving a few chunks.

Add in the lime juice, red onion, diced jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, and kosher salt.

Stir everything together.

Dig in with some salty tortilla chips!

a table with margaritas, tortilla chips and guacamole

Storing

Like I mentioned before avocado will brown the longer it is exposed to air. The citric acid of the lime will slow this process, but it will still happen.

To store Guacamole properly cover with plastic wrap and press it directly on the surface, keeping out any air. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

It may still brown a little on the surface, however you can scrape off the very top layer and the layer underneath should be nice and green!

Freezing Guacamole

Yes! You can absolutely freeze your guacamole. Which is a great way to take advantage of avocados when they are cheapest.

Simply prep your Guacamole and place in a freezer safe baggie, making sure to squeeze all the air out of the bag.

Pop in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw place in the fridge for about 24 hours. Then serve it up!

Recipe FAQ’s

Is Guacamole just smashed avocado?

While avocado is the main ingredient in Guacamole, it is not the only ingredient. Traditional Guacamole is a mixture of ripe avocado, jalapeno, lime juice, and cilantro.

How do you make Guacamole better?

Make sure that you are adding enough flavor to the buttery avocado. A recipe should include lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno or serrano peppers, and salt. If your guac doesn’t sing in your mouth add a little more lime juice and salt!

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a bowl of fresh avocado guacamole with a chip dipping in

Guacamole Recipe + Video

A delicious Guacamole dip made with ripe avocados, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno and onion. Just add tortilla chips and dig in!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 10

Servings: cups

Calories: 660kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

▢ 4 ripe avocados (or 3 large sized)
▢ ¼ cup red or white onion - sliced into rounds, rinsed in cool water, then diced
▢ 1 jalapeno - * see notes about heat levels
▢ ¼ cup cilantro - finely chopped
▢ 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt - (more to taste)
▢ 1 garlic clove - minced

Instructions

Scoop out the ripe avocados into a serving bowl. Mash with the back of a fork, leaving some small chunks.
Add the diced onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, kosher salt and garlic clove.
Stir together until it is well combined.
Since avocado sizes can vary drastically, give your guac a taste and see if you need more salt, lime juice, or garlic.
Serve with Salsa or Pico de Gallo and tortilla chips or as a condiment for tacos, burritos, or quesadillas!

Storing

Cover with plastic wrap and press it directly on the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
The surface may brown in the fridge, scoop off the very top layer and it should be nice and green underneath!

Freezing

You can also freeze guacamole! Place in a freezer safe baggie and squeeze out all the air.
Pop in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight to serve.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Jalapeno Heat – choose your level of heat by following these guides:

Low heat – only use the green flesh.
Medium heat – use the green flesh and the white ribs/pith.
Most heat – use the whole pepper, seeds, green flesh, and white pith.

Ripe Avocado – it will have a nice dark green, almost black skin. It will feel softer than the bright green ones. Remove the stem piece and if it is a nice green underneath it is ripe and ready!

Quick Ripening – to quickly ripen your avocados place in a paper bag with some ripe bananas. They will ripen in a day or two.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Orange Jalapeno Tequila Cooler

April 9, 2021 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

A super crisp and refreshing Tequila Cooler cocktail with just a hint of spice on your lips from the jalapeno. The flavor of the salty, limey silver tequila blends perfectly with the fresh orange and verdant jalapeno, topped off with a few bubbles from the sparkling water. You will LOVE this cocktail on warm spring and summer nights!

Tequila Cooler with Orange and Jalapeno in a glass

If you are worried the jalapeno will be too much for you, pop over to this recipe for Tequila Soda.

Tequila LOVE

If you love Tequila cocktails as much as we do here at Mom’s Dinner, then check out the full category of Tequila Cocktails!

Margaritas, Palomas, Smashes, Infusions, Reposado, Anejo… everything you love about Tequila!

And it is an ever growing list, so sign up for the Mom’s Dinner Newsletter so you never miss a new one.

Ingredients

You only need 5 things to make this Tequila Cooler – ice, silver tequila, orange, jalapeno, soda water.

tequila, soda water, orange, and jalapeno

Tequila- Silver Tequila is the best option for this Cooler. The clean and bright flavor compliments the orange and jalapeno perfectly!

Some brands that I LOVE are Casamigos (my fave), Patron, or Jose Cuervo Traditional.

Jalapeno – The heat of the jalapeno is called capsaicin which is held mainly in the seeds and ribs (white pith). so choose your heat level accordingly:

Low to no heat – Green flesh only.
Medium heat – scoop out seeds but leave the ribs
High heat – leave the ribs and seeds in place.

How to Make A Spicier Cocktail

If you like a little spice in your life you can definitely ramp up the heat in this Tequila Cooler!

Sub out your silver tequila for a Jalapeno Infused Tequila!

top view of a cocktail glass garnished with orange and jalapeno

For MEDIUM heat add the tequila, orange, jalapeno and ice in a cocktail shaker, give it a good shake and then pour into a glass, top with soda water.

For the MOST heat, give the jalapeno a light muddle in the glass before making the drink.

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a cocktail glass with tequila, orange and jalapeno

Orange Jalapeno Tequila Cooler

A crisp and refreshing Tequila Cocktail made with Silver Tequila, soda water, fresh orange and fresh jalapeno slices.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 0

Servings: cooler

Calories: 86kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

Instructions

Fill a 6-8 oz. glass with ice.
Pour in 1 oz. Silver Tequila, squeeze in the juice from the orange slices, drop in the jalapeno slices.
(see notes about adding more spice/heat to your cocktail)
Float in 3 oz. of soda water. Give your cocktail a stir and enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Notes:

JALAPENO/HEAT LEVELS:

Low to no heat – Use only the green flesh and drop it into your cocktail.
Medium heat – Scoop out seeds but leave the ribs. Add the ice, tequila, jalapeno, and orange slices/juice to a cocktail shaker and give it a light shake. Pour into a glass and then add soda water.
High heat – leave the ribs and seeds in place. Lightly muddle the jalapeno in the glass before making the cocktail.

Another option is to sub out the Silver Tequila for this Jalapeno Infused Tequila!

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Simple Pico de Gallo

April 8, 2021 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

This is a super easy recipe for fresh Pico de Gallo, perfect to be devoured with tortilla chips or added to your tacos or burritos. It comes together in minutes with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and garlic.

pico de gallo with a tortilla chip dipping in

If you are looking for a more traditional style salsa, check out this recipe for Restaurant Style Salsa. Or for a fun twist on salsa, add this Corn Salsa Recipe to your chips and dip.

Why Make This Recipe

This is a perfectly balanced recipe- fresh, tangy, salty, spicy and herbaceous.
It makes a great alternative to traditional or store-bought salsa.
It is the perfect condiment for any Mexican Dinner – tacos, barbacoa burritos, garnish your refried beans or Mexican Rice…!
Perfect summer time recipe when you might have an abundance of ripe garden tomatoes.

What is Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo, also known as salsa fresca or salsa cruda, is pronounced “peeko-duh-gaiyo“, is a traditional Mexican condiment made with fresh tomatoes, salt, cilantro and peppers.

The direct translation in English is “beak of the rooster”… which is a funny name for salsa! But, it is believed that it was originally eaten by pinching two fingers together making a “beak”.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you need to make fresh Pico de Gallo, and some tips on a few important ingredients.

Tomatoes

Since tomato is one of the main ingredients in Pico De Gallo it is important that you use a quality tomato. You will want to use fresh tomatoes, not canned.

Look for a tomato that is bright red in color from stem to tip and has nice firm flesh. A Roma tomato will work well or any vine ripened tomato.

Onions

I recommend using a white or red onion. However, onions can quickly take over a dish when they are served raw as in this Pico De Gallo.

Pro tip: Slice the onion into large rounds, then giving them a rinse under cool water, about 30 seconds to 1 min.

This will wash away the enzyme that makes onions so powerful and will help eliminate you tasting the onion hours later!

Jalapeno

The heat of the jalapeno is held in the capsaicin of the pepper, which is mainly found in the seeds and ribs (or white pith).

To just add the nice pepper flavor and not the heat to your Pico just use the green flesh.

If you like a little heat add the white pith and some seeds.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

If you love to watch cooking shows you can also watch Susie make this Pico De Gallo Recipe in a 30 minute Pin TV Episode!

Start by slicing your tomatoes in half. Give them a very light squeeze (just enough to make the seeds pop out) over a bowl or sink and with a small spoon lightly scoop out some of the seeds and juice.

You do not need to get all the seeds. It should look like the tomatoes below:

Dice the tomatoes into about ¼ inch pieces. Place in a bowl

Add the diced jalapenos, onions, cilantro, garlic, and kosher salt.

diced tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, cilantro, garlic and salt in a bowl

Give everything a good stir to combine.

Serving

Bust out the tortilla chips, it is ready to eat now!

BUT if you can wait 30 minutes, let it sit at room temp. Or if you have longer – 1 hour up to 12 hours – let it marinate in the fridge.

two hands serving a bowl of pico de gallo

You can absolutely eat all the juice that releases from the tomatoes and onions.

However, if you want a drier Pico de Gallo use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomato mixture to a serving bowl, leaving the juice behind to be discarded.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few pro tips before you make this recipe:

Choose quality, ripe tomatoes that have a nice bright red color. Lightly deseed them for a better Pico de Gallo consistency.
Rinse your raw onion slices before dicing and adding to the Pico.
For a lot of heat include the jalapeno ribs (white pith) and seeds. For less heat only use the green flesh.
If you have time, let it marinate on the counter for 30 minutes, or if you have longer, in the fridge for 1 hour to 12 hours for added flavor.
Transfer to a serving dish with a slotted spoon to remove some of the juice that collects from the tomatoes.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is the difference between salsa and Pico de Gallo?

Pico de Gallo is a type of salsa, also known as salsa fresca. It is made with fresh chopped tomatoes and has a chunky consistency. Traditional salsa has a thinner liquid consistency and can be made with fresh or canned tomatoes.

How can you tell if your Pico de Gallo is still good?

Pico de Gallo will be good in the fridge for 2-3 days. After that the tomatoes will start to soften and turn into mush from the acid of the lime juice. The salsa will also start to seem “carbonated” on your tongue or have a “beer smell”, you definitely know it is bad then!

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Simple Pico De Gallo

A fresh and easy recipe for Pico de Gallo with perfectly balanced flavors. Just add tortilla chips or top your tacos or burritos with this amazing tomato condiment!

If you love to watch cooking shows you can also watch Susie make this Pico De Gallo Recipe in a 30 minute Pin TV Episode!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 0

Optional Marinating Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: cups

Calories: 68kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups ripe, fresh tomatoes (about 1 lb.) - lightly deseeded and diced
▢ ½ cup white or red onion - sliced, lightly rinsed under cool water, then diced
▢ 1 garlic clove - minced
▢ 1 ½ tablespoon jalapeno, diced - *see notes for help with heat/spice levels
▢ ¼ cup fresh cilantro - chopped
▢ 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Serving

▢ tortilla chips

Instructions

Slice the tomatoes in half and then give them a very light squeeze, just popping the seeds out, but not enough to bruise the tomato.
Lightly scrape the seeds out with a small spoon. Discard the seeds and juice.
Dice the remaining tomato flesh into ¼ inch dice. Place in a bowl.
Slice the onion and then rinse under cool water for 30 seconds – 1 minute, then dice. Add to the tomatoes
PRO TIP- rinsing the onion will help the onions not take over the flavor of the Pico.
Add in the chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, diced jalapeno, minced garlic and kosher salt.
Give everything a good stir.

Serving

It is ready to eat, just grab some tortilla chips.
If you have time you can let it marinate at room temp for 30 minutes.
If you have longer, let in marinate in the fridge for 1 hour up to 12 hours.
The longer it sits the more juice will release from the tomatoes and onions.
You can transfer the Pico de Gallo to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid behind to discard.

Storing

The Pico de Gallo will be good in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
After that the lime juice will soften the tomatoes too much and will become mushy.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Jalapeno: You can choose how much heat you add! Most of the spice/heat of a jalapeno is found in the seeds and ribs (white pith).

No Heat – omit the jalapeno
Low Heat – use only the green parts of the jalapeno
Medium Heat – use the green and ribs (white pith) parts of the jalapeno
Most Heat – use more than one jalapeno and use the entire pepper, except the stem.

Tomatoes: find a ripe tomato that is bright red and has a nice firm flesh. A roma or vine ripened tomato works nicely in this recipe.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Vegetable Pad Thai

April 6, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

Vegetable Pad Thai is amazing mix of rice noodles and ALL the veggies, coated in a tangy and nutty Thai sauce. It may seem like there is a large list of ingredients, but they come together pretty quickly, making this Pad Thai an amazing dinner for a weeknight or weekend! It’s the perfect replacement for expensive take-out.

Vegetable Pad Thai in a white bowl with limes and chop sticks

Another great Asian noodle recipe we love around here is this Instant Pot Beef Ramen recipe… it’s SUPER fast and easy!

Why This Recipe Works

The sauce is made with just the right combo of ingredients, leaving it a little spicy, herbaceous, nutty, and tangy.
There are a lot of ingredients, but once they come together this is quite an easy recipe.
Cooking the rice noodles separately ensures that everything cooks perfectly and nothing is over-cooked.

What is Pad Thai

Pad Thai is rice noodle dish that is commonly served as street food or in restaurants around Thailand. It can also be called Phad Thai.

It is traditionally made of rice noodles, chicken/beef/tofu, assorted vegetables, peanuts, scrambled egg, and bean sprouts all tossed in a sauce made with tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and other ingredients.

Here we are making a Veggie Pad Thai, however we have left the tofu out of this version and are letting the veggies shine!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you need to make Vegetable Pad Thai at home, plus some tips on a few ingredients like Tamarind Past and Fish Sauce.

Ingredients and Garnish

Pad Thai Sauce

Tamarind Paste – Also called Tamarind Concentrate, this is a dark syrupy paste made from the tamarind fruit. It is used in cuisine around the world, and specifically in African, Asian, and Indian foods.

Tamarind Paste smells very sweet, almost like dates or raisins, but has a very, very tangy flavor like intense limes or lemons.

You can find Tamarind Paste at Whole Foods in the Asian foods section. If there is not a Whole Foods nearby, call your local grocery store or order online at Amazon – Tamarind Paste.

Fish Sauce – You can find fish sauce in or near the Asian food section at your grocery store. It is made with fermented anchovies or fish and it does have a very strong flavor!

If fish is not your jam or you are making this recipe for vegetarian/vegan purposes you can sub vegetable or chicken broth for the fish sauce.

You can also pop over to this recipe for Vegan Fish Sauce!

Rice Noodles – made with rice flour and water, these are the noodle traditionally used in Pad Thai.

I like to use the Thai Kitchen brand of rice noodle.

Vegetables

In this recipe we are using broccoli, red peppers, and bean sprouts. However, feel free to use whatever combo of vegetable you like or have.

Some other veggie options could be:

carrot sticks
bok choy
bamboo shoots
sugar snap peas or snow peas
edamame
savoy cabbage

Step by Step Picture Instructions

If you love watching cooking shows you can pop over to this 30 minute Pinterest TV episode and watch Susie make this Veggie Pad Thai!

Start by combining all the Pad Thai sauce ingredients and mixing/whisking them together: vegetable broth (or chicken broth), tamarind paste, fish sauce (or broth if you are subbing), soy sauce, brown sugar, creamy peanut butter, garlic, fresh minced ginger and red pepper flakes.

Set the sauce aside.

Pro Tip – I like to do this in a large liquid measuring cup for easy pouring later in the recipe.

Pad Thai sauce in a liquid measuring cup

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles per package instructions. Rinse the noodles in cool water and toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Pro Tip – make sure you rinse your noodles with cold water after they cook. This will stop them from turning to mush!

Meanwhile in a large non stick skillet (or wok) heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil over high heat. Add the broccoli florets, red peppers, minced garlic clove, salt and ¼ cup water.

broccoli and red peppers pushed to one side of a non stick skillet

Sauté while stirring the veggies for about 2.5-3 minutes until the broccoli is crisp-tender and bright green.

Push all the veggies to the side of the skillet/wok. Pour in the beaten egg and scramble in the pan until it is set – about 1 minute.

broccoli and red pepper to one side and cooking egg in the other side of the pan

Go ahead and push the eggs to the side with the veggies.

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in the hot pan. Add the cooked rice noodles, bean sprouts, green onions.

Now pour the sauce over everything.

a skillet full of veggies and rice noodles

pouring Pad Thai sauce over veggies and noodles

Toss everything together and simmer/cook for about 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for a couple minutes.

Serving

Serve your Vegetable Pad Thai warm/hot garnished with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts and lime wedges.

You can also offer a side of Sambal or red pepper flakes for people that like a lot of spice/heat!

a bowl of Pad Thai with peanuts, limes and soy sauce to the side

Recipe Tips

After cooking your rice noodles make sure you rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking. You want an al dente noodle, not mush!
Cut your veggies roughly the same size. This will create a better mouth feel / eating experience. It will also have better visual appeal.
Don’t skip the garnish! The crunchy peanuts add great texture and the tang of the lime and freshness of the cilantro add the perfect brightness.
To add more heat serve this dish with a side of Sambal or toss more red pepper flakes into the sauce.

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35 Recipes with Leftover Ham (that don’t suck!)

April 5, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 20 Comments

After a huge feast during the holiday season, it’s common to have some leftover ham or even a ham bone. The last thing you want to do is let it go to waste! These 35 tasty leftover ham recipes are the perfect way to make the most of your extra ham.

a large holiday ham on a plate with oranges and greenery

Ham is a common centerpiece on dining tables during holidays such as Easter and Christmas. Since these are huge feasts with a ton of yummy side dishes, it is very likely that you will have quite a bit of ham leftover.

Fortunately it can be repurposed for other meals the following day, or even months if you freeze the leftover ham.

spiral cut smoked ham with glaze cooked in a baking dish

Cooking A Spiral Cut Ham

Everything you need to know to cook a Spiral Cut Smoked Ham, from cooking and glazing to cutting and serving.

Get the recipe

These are curated leftover ham recipes that don’t suck!!! You can choose any of these and know that you will have a great recipe for your leftover ham.

Here are 35 of my favorite recipes to use up your leftover ham.

Breakfast and Brunch Recipes for Leftover Ham

1. Leftover Ham and Cheese Waffles

a stack of savory waffles with an over easy egg on top

Savory Waffles with Ham and Cheese

A fluffy and savory waffle made with ham, cheese and green onions in the mix! A great way to have a unique waffle.

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