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Easy Cranberry Ginger Margarita

December 5, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 6 Comments

cranberry ginger margarita in a glass with salt on the rim

This Cranberry Margarita recipe is a delicious tequila cocktail with a winter vibe. It has that delicious salty flavor of the tequila, mixed with the slightly sweet tartness of cranberry juice, and the bite of ginger beer. It is a truly refreshing and not too sweet margarita.

three cranberry ginger margaritas garnished with fresh cranberries and limes

If you love the ginger flavor in this margarita you will also love this Fresh Ginger Margarita or this Mexican Mule Cocktail!

If you are looking for other Holiday cocktails, check out this Apple Cider Margarita, Pomegranate Margarita or this Cranberry Wine Spritzer. If you need a non-alcoholic party drink this Cranberry Punch recipe is a delicious option!

How to Make a Cranberry Margarita with a Ginger Zing

I know there are recipes out there that have you making ginger simple syrup, or peeling fresh ginger. That is great and all, but I don’t think I will be going to those lengths for my margarita.

I want my cocktails to be easy and delicious.

three cranberry ginger margaritas with limes and cranberries scattered on the counter

To make my Cranberry Ginger Margarita, well, gingery, I use Ginger Beer. Easy peasy. I love using it in Moscow Mules and knew I wanted to use it in other cocktails. This was a perfect fit.

What Ginger Beer to Use in a Cranberry Ginger Margarita

Any Ginger Beer will work. However, I have found there is a significant difference in the quality and flavor between Ginger Beer brands. Some are overly sweet, some are spicy, and some don’t have enough flavor depth.

My favorite brands are, in order:

  1. Q Mixers Ginger Beer (pictured below)
  2. Fever Tree Ginger Beer
Cranberry ginger margarita on a saftey grater with cranberries and limes, ginger beer in the background

Q Mixers Ginger Beer is my absolute favorite, hands down! I am able to buy it online on Amazon or at my local Target. It is made with the most perfect combination of ginger, agave, chili peppers, coriander, and cardamom. This ginger beer has a little kick to it and will leave a little spice tingle on your lips. I absolutely love it!

What is a “Part” in My Cocktail Recipe

When you see a cocktail recipe and it calls for a “part”, that is a generic unit of measurement for a cocktail. YOU get to decide what the “part” is. The important of a “part” is the ratio. For example:

Recipe- 1 part tequila, 2 parts juice, 1 part soda

If you choose a part to be 2 ounces, then the recipe would be 2 ounces tequila, 4 ounces juice, and 2 ounce soda

Or if you wanted to make enough for a party, the recipe might look like this- 3 cups tequila, 6 cups juice, 3 cups soda

How to Make A Cranberry Margarita

First, get ready for a super delicious cocktail.

Now, on a flat plate make a mixture of salt and sugar. Here are your ratio options depending on how you like your margaritas garnished:

  • Sweet- all sugar
  • Sweet and Salty- half sugar, half salt
  • Little More Salty- ยพ salt and ยผ sugar
  • Super Salty- all salt

I prefer the “little more salty” option for my Margarita.

Take a cut lime wedge and run it around the rim of your glass. Now dip the glass into the sugar/salt mixture.

Cranberry Ginger Margarita in a glass with a lime and fresh cranberries, tequila and ginger beer in the background

Fill the glass with ice and add 1 part silver tequila, 1 part cranberry juice, and 1 part ginger beer. Garnish with a squeeze fresh lime and fresh cranberries. (To start you can measure 1 part as 2 ounces)

If you want a drink that isn’t quite as strong, make the Cranberry Margarita with 1 part silver tequila, 2 parts cranberry juice, and 2 parts ginger beer.

To Make A Pitcher

For a party, make a pitcher for people to pour their own drinks! Mix:

  • 1.5 cups silver tequila
  • 1.5 cups cranberry cocktail
  • 1.5 cups ginger beer

Delicious Tequila Cocktails

If you love this tequila cocktail definitely give these other two a try as well:

  • Cantarito
  • Ginger Margarita
  • Rosemary Paloma or Traditional Paloma
  • Grapefruit Margaritas (makes a pitcher)
  • Tequila Mule
  • Jalapeno Tequila

I hope you give this Cranberry Margarita a try at your next party, or Saturday night on the couchโ™ฅ


Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’

Cranberry Margarita Recipe

cranberry ginger margarita in a glass with salt on the rim

Easy Cranberry Ginger Margarita

This Cranberry Ginger Margarita is a delicious blend of silver tequila, cranberry juice, and ginger beer. It is easy to make and makes an amazing party cocktail.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Calories: 176kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 1 part Silver Tequila
  • 1 part cranberry juice cocktail
  • 1 part Ginger Beer - I recommend Q Mixers
  • Garnishes- a squeeze of fresh lime juice, sugar & kosher salt (fresh cranberries are optional)

Instructions
 

  • On a flat plate make a mixture of kosher salt and sugar. Make this to your taste:
    All salt, all sugar, half & half, or ยพ salt and ยผ sugar.
  • Use a cut lime wedge and run it around the rim of your glass, now dip the glass rim in the sugar/salt mixture.
    Fill the glass with ice, pour in the tequila, cranberry juice, ginger beer, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Give it a stir.
    Garnish with fresh lime and fresh cranberries.
  • ** For a drink that isn’t quite as strong change the ratio to 1 part tequila, 2 parts cranberry juice, and 2 parts ginger beer.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

A “part” is a unit of measurement for drinks. You get to decide how much a “part” is. A good starting point:
2 ounces = 1 part
FOR A PITCHER:ย 
1.5 cups = 1 part
Ginger Margarita – for a more summery ginger drink try this Fresh Ginger Margarita
ย 
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments
Serving: 1margarita | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 44mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin C: 5mg

Originally Posted December 2018 – Copy Updated December 2020

Pomegranate Margarita

December 3, 2020 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

pomegranate margarita in a tall glass with orange and arils

A Pomegranate Margarita is the ultimate cocktail when you want something a little different from a traditional lime margarita. It is served in a salt & sugar rimmed glass, filled with pomegranate juice, fresh squeezed orange wedges, triple sec orange liqueur, and silver tequila.

A glass of pomegranate margarita with a pomegranate and orange garnish

It is a perfect holiday season cocktail when pomegranates are in season and you can use the fresh arils to garnish the margarita! They also make a great party cocktail.

Fresh Pomegranate

Pomegranates are in season September through November, however you can usually find them in grocery stores through January.

A fresh pomegranate cut in pieces

If you want to have pomegranate arils (seeds) when they are not in season you can freeze the individual seeds and keep them for up to 6 months. Pop them in your drink like they are little fruity ice cubes!

How to Deseed a Pomegranate

Here is how to deseed a pomegranate so the arils stay nice and juicy and don’t pop or bruise:

  1. Cut a small round off the bottom of the pomegranate (this will be opposite the “crown” top). Discard that piece.
  2. Using the tip of the knife cut out a round “chunk” from the crown/top of the pomegranate. Discard that piece.
  3. Now lightly score the flesh of the pomegranate from top to bottom, you are making segments.
  4. Pull each segment apart from each other.
  5. Lightly remove all the seeds/arils from the rind.

If you need more of a visual explanation you can check out this post on how to deseed a pomegranate.

Ingredients

Here is what you need to make this Pomegranate Margarita Recipe:

  • Silver Tequila
  • Triple Sec
  • Fresh Oranges
  • Pomegranate juice (like POM Wonderful)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt & 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • Optional garnish – pomegranate arils
ingredients for a pomegranate margarita

Tequila

For this margarita recipe I recommend using a silver tequila that has a nice traditional “margarita” flavor. However the richer flavor of a reposado or anejo tequila could work here too. They would complement the deep flavor of the pomegranate juice.

To Make A Pitcher

This recipe is for 1 margarita. If you are having a party and want to pre-make these in a larger batch you absolutely can! Here are the measurements:

  • 1 cup tequila
  • ยฝ cup triple sec
  • ยผ cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 ยฝ cups pomegranate juice

Garnish the pitcher with fresh orange rounds and pomegranate arils. Rim the glasses with the sugar/salt mixture ahead of time so they are ready to go! Have a bucket of ice so your guests can fill a glass with ice and pour in the pomegranate margarita from a pitcher.

a photo of the top of a margarita with a sugar and salt rim

More Margarita Recipes

Boy am I glad you found Mom’s Dinner if you like a really good tequila cocktail! You can search through my whole category on Tequila Drinks! Or check out one of these that I specifically picked for this post:

  • Cranberry Margarita
  • Apple Cider Margarita
  • Cucumber Lime Margarita

Pomegranate Margarita Recipe

pomegranate margarita in a tall glass with orange and arils

Pomegranate Margaritas

A delicious margarita recipe made with pomegranate juice, orange, triple sec, and silver tequila. Serve this pomegranate cocktail in a glass rimmed with salt and sugar!
Make one margarita or make a pitcher to share!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 margarita
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 1 oz silver tequila
  • ยฝ oz triple sec
  • a squeeze of a fresh orange wedge
  • 2 oz pomegranate juice - like POM Wonderful

Garnish & Rim

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • orange slices & pomegranate arils

Instructions
 

  • On a flat plate combine the salt and sugar.
    Run an orange wedge around the rim of your glasses.
    Dip each glass in the salt/sugar mixture.
  • Fill each glass with ice.
  • Pour 1 ounce tequila, ยฝ ounce triple sec, squeeze of one orange wedge, and 2-3 ounces of pomegranate juice.
    Stir gently to combine.
  • garnish each glass with an orange slice and a few pomegranate arils.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

POMEGRANATE ARILS:
See “How to Deseed A Pomegranate” above!ย 
TO MAKE A PITCHER:ย 
  • 1 cup tequila
  • ยฝ cup triple sec
  • ยผ cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 ยฝ cups pomegranate juice
Garnish the pitcher with orange rounds and pomegranate arils (seeds)
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments
Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2332mg | Potassium: 121mg | Sugar: 16g

Roasted Rosemary Pork Loin

December 2, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 1 Comment

a sliced pork loin topped with garlic and herbs

Roasted Rosemary Pork Loin is an impressive dinner recipe that is actually very easy to make! Juicy and tender pork loin is crusted in a rosemary and garlic mixture and baked to perfection. Finish by making a little pan gravy and pour it over top each slice and serve it up with some mashed potatoes and roasted veggies.

roasted pork loin topped with a garlic and rosemary mixture

If you love this recipe you can also make Pork Roast in your Instant Pot, but this recipe calls for a pork butt, not a loin.

Pork LOIN, Not Tenderloin

Yes, there is a difference between a pork loin and a pork tenderloin. A pork loin will look much bigger around and will have a fat cap on one side. The pork tenderloins are generally long and much smaller around.

See the photo of a pork loin below:

raw pork loin in a package
Pork LOIN, not tenderloin

The other great thing about a pork loin is that it is super economical! On average you will pay around $2-$3 per pound!

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make this Roasted Rosemary Pork Loin (and a delicious gravy):

  • Pork Loin
  • White Wine
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Olive OIl
  • Garlic
  • Shallot
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Fennel Seeds
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Flour
  • Butter
  • Chicken Stock

Wine

You will want to choose a wine that is not sweet. Something like a chardonnay or pinot grigio will work well.

If you don’t want to use wine you can sub chicken stock instead.

If white wine is not something you normally drink you can buy a small carton of wine that holds around 3 cups. Use one cup and then you can FREEZE THE REST (as long as you plan to use it for cooking and not drinking)!!

Tying Your Roast

It is completely optional to tie your pork loin. If you want it to be perfectly round and have a uniform look then tying is a great solution. However if you don’t care what it looks like and just want it to taste great, you can skip this step.

Here is a video on how to tie a roast (the video shows a pork butt, however it is the same tying technique):

[mv_video doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement=”false” doNotOptimizePlacement=”false” jsonLd=”true” key=”w6x8nn3ictl6lh2dv8op” ratio=”16:9″ thumbnail=”https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/w6x8nn3ictl6lh2dv8op.jpg” title=”How To Tie A Pork Roast” volume=”70″]

Making Roasted Rosemary Pork Loin

This is a pretty simple recipe to make, just a few steps:

  1. Dry the pork loin with paper towels and then rub with dijon mustard on the top and sides.
  2. Make the rosemary garlic mixture and rub/press it onto the pork loin.
  3. Pour 1 cup white wine in the roasting pan with the pork loin.
  4. Cook at 475 for 30 minutes. Lower the temp to 425 and cook for another 30 minutes. (tent with foil if the topping is browning too much). Internal temp should be 145.
  5. Let cool for 15 minutes while making the gravy!
4 steps for making rosemary pork loin

Gravy

In a skillet melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the pan juices from the pork loin. Whisk in a little chicken stock to get the right gravy consistency. Taste for seasonings.

a roasted pork loin with a slice cut

More Pork Recipes

  • sliced pork tenderloin on a plate with herbs
    Marinated Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
  • grilled pork burger with lettuce, onion, tomato on a bun
    Grilled Pork Burgers with Garlic Cream Sauce
  • pork milanese topped with a tomato relish
    Pork Milanese with Tomatoes and Garlic
  • Instant Pot pulled pork in a white bowl
    Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
a sliced pork loin topped with garlic and herbs

Roasted Rosemary Pork Loin

A juicy and tender pork loin that is crusted with a garlic, shallot, fennel and rosemary mixture. Make a pan gravy from the drippings and white wine. Serve this with roasted veggies and mashed potatoes for a great dinner!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Resting: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 471kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb pork loin - fat cap left on (make sure you get pork loin, not pork tenderloin)
  • 1 cup white wine - (chardonnay or pinot grigio) could use chicken stock instead
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 large shallot - minced, may be up to a โ…“ cup!
  • 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped - or thyme
  • 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper

Gravy

  • 3 tablespoon butter
  • ยผ cup all purpose flour
  • liquid from pork loin pan
  • 1 cup chicken stock

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 475ยฐ
  • Grab a roasting pan that will fit your pork loin. Pour in 1 cup white wine.
  • Pat the pork loin dry with paper towels. Place it in a roasting pan, fat side up. Rub the dijon mustard over the top and sides.
    OPTIONAL: After you pan the pork loin with paper towels you can tie it with kitchen twine to make it stand up and appear more round. This is totally optional! Video for Tying A Roast
  • In a small bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, shallot, rosemary, fennel, salt, and pepper.
  • Rub/press the seasoning mixture on the top and sides of the pork loin. It should stick to the mustard.
  • Roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 475ยฐ. Then lower the temp of the oven to 425ยฐ and roast for an additional 30 minutes. If the topping is getting too dark loosely tent some foil over the pork loin.
    The internal temp should be around 145ยฐ. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes, it will continue to cook as it rests.
  • Do not discard the liquid in the pan if you plan on making the gravy below.
  • It you tied your pork roast you can remove the string.

Gravy

  • In a skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk around the pan for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the liquid from the bottom of the pork loin pan. Add as much chicken broth as you need to get the right consistency in your gravy (anywhere from ยฝ-1 cup).

Serving

  • Serve slices of pork loin with a little gravy poured over top. It is excellent served with roasted veggies and mashed potatoes.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments
Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 861mg | Potassium: 959mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 197IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

Instant Pot Coq Au Vin

December 1, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 1 Comment

Coq Au Vin in a bowl

Instant Pot Coq Au Vin!!! Get your knife and fork (and probably a spoon too) ready for an unbelievable Coq Au Vin recipe made in your electric pressure cooker. This simple french dish is so incredibly flavorful and comforting. It might even rival Julia Child’s recipe!

A big bowl of Coq Au Vin topped with rosemary sprig

Fall apart tender pieces of chicken thighs are enrobed in a red wine stew that is filled with carrots, mushrooms, garlic and herbs. Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta or buttered egg noodles for an AMAZING dinner! This one is worthy of guests or just a Tuesday night with the family.

What is Coq Au Vin

Coq Au Vin is a French dish that is translated as “rooster in wine”. Which just means it is chicken braised in a red wine sauce with mushrooms, carrots and garlic. This dish was especially made popular by Julia Child back in the 60’s when she published Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Here is how you pronounce Coq Au Vin – “Coke-O-Vaw”.

Ingredients

This dish is flavor country ! Here are the ingredients you will need:

  • bacon
  • boneless skinless chicken thighs (see below)
  • whole carrots
  • onion
  • garlic
  • whole cremini mushrooms
  • bay leaf
  • rosemary (or thyme)
  • kosher salt & black pepper
  • tomato paste
  • red wine (see below)
  • chicken stock
  • butter at room temp
  • flour
  • balsamic vinegar
Ingredients laid out for Coq Au Vin

Chicken Thighs

Traditionally Coq Au Vin is made with bone-in, skin-on chicken legs and thighs. However when I make Coq Au Vin in the Instant Pot I choose to make it with boneless skinless chicken thighs for a few reasons:

  1. Chicken skin cooked in liquid gets weird and rubbery!
  2. This is a lot easier to eat boneless.
  3. Ease of buying a package of all boneless skinless chicken thighs.
  4. The skin on chicken can make your stew greasy in the Instant Pot.
  5. The dark meat chicken is fall apart tender after braising!!

Wine

Make sure that you use a wine that you would want to drink. You want to use a hearty wine with bold flavor, not sweet wine. Something like a cabernet, merlot, malbec, or zin.

Serving

For serving Instant Pot Coq Au Vin you will want to have mashed potatoes, garlic butter egg noodles or polenta. Fill a bowl with your base and then spoon the braised chicken, veggies and sauce over top! Garnish with the crispy bacon and parsley.

You can also just eat this as stew, which is delicious too!

Red wine chicken stew over mashed potatoes with rosemary sprig and crusty bread

More Instant Pot Stew Recipes

If you love this recipe than I highly recommend that you check out a sort of beef version of this recipe – Red Wine Beef Stew. Or if you just love cooking with wine then this Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto has your name written all over it!

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I use wine in my Instant Pot?

YES! Wine works just the same as water or broth in the Instant Pot, it is able to build stem/pressure so it works perfectly.

What should I serve with Coq Au Vin?

Coq Au Vin is a hearty stew and can stand on it’s own for sure. Add some warm crusty bread on the side for a great stew. However, it is also excellent served over mashed potatoes. Rice, farro, risotto or egg noodles could be great too.

Related Recipes

  • chicken and dumplings in a white bowl with two spoons
    Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
  • a white bowl of the very best chicken alfredo that is creamy and cheesy, being twirled on a fork
    Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Alfredo
  • a large pot of red wine beef stew ready to serve
    Beef Stew with Red Wine

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
Coq Au Vin in a bowl

Instant Pot Coq Au Vin

Instant Pot Coq Au Vin is a traditional French dish updated for your electric pressure cooker. Chicken thighs are braised in red wine and mixed with carrots, mushrooms and herbs.
Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta or buttered egg noodles for an amazing dinner!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes
Pressure and Natural Release time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 41 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 508.2kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 5 strips center cut bacon – cut into ยฝ inch chunks
  • 2 ยฝ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts - seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary - (or thyme)
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups red wine - not sweet! – something like merlot or cabernet
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 ยฝ cups carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 2 ยฝ cups cremini mushrooms- quartered
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoon butter – room temp
  • 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Serving

  • mashed potatoes, garlic buttered egg noodles or polenta

Instructions
 

  • Warm the instant pot on saute function. When it reads HOT, brown and crisp the bacon. With a slotted spoon remove from the pot and set aside, keeping the grease in the pot.
  • In the remaining bacon grease brown the chicken. This may need to be done in 2-3 batches. Set the browned chicken aside.
  • If you need to add oil to the pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil at this point. Add the onions, garlic and rosemary (or thyme) and saute for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper to mix with the onions and garlic.
  • Keeping the saute function on, pour the wine in to deglaze the pot. Scrape up ALL the browned bits at the bottom of the pot. This will help prevent getting the "burn" notice during cooking.
  • Add the bay leaf, carrots, mushrooms, and browned chicken to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock.
  • Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Do a 5 minute natural release and then finish with a quick release.
  • In a small bowl mash together the softened butter and flour.
    Stir into the stew.
  • Now turn the pot back on to "saute" function for 5 minutes. This will thicken the stew.
  • Stir in 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.
    Remove the bay leaf and discard.
  • Turn the pot off and let the Coq Au Vin settle and cool for about 15 minutes. It will thicken as it sits.

Serving

  • Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta, or garlic buttered egg noodles. You can also just serve as a stew.
    Garnish with the crumbled bacon.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Instant Pot Mashed Potato Recipe
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
This recipe nutrition is calculated using mashed potatoes as a serving base.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 508.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.4g | Protein: 43.1g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8.3g | Cholesterol: 209.1mg | Sodium: 927.2mg | Potassium: 1078.9mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 6.5g | Vitamin A: 9221.9IU | Vitamin C: 6.7mg | Calcium: 64.5mg | Iron: 2.9mg

Cranberry Almond Cake

November 30, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

a slice of cranberry almond cake on a serving spoon

Cranberry Almond Cake is such a delicious cake! It has a dense, yet moist, almond flavored cake base topped with fresh tart cranberries, toasted almonds and a sugar “crust” top that sets this cake apart from others! It will surely become your go-to holiday cake (it is a perfect Cranberry Christmas Cake).

Cranberry Almond Cake in an 8x8 glass baking dish

You can also check out this Lemon Blueberry Cake that is very similar. It is great in the summer or spring.

Ingredients

Check for these ingredients in your kitchen to make this amazing cake recipe.

ingredients for cranberry cake on a table with text labels

Room Temp Eggs

For this recipe you will want to use room temperature eggs. This will help the cake rise faster and ensure that the cake cooks in the time noted on the recipe card.

To bring your eggs to room temperature faster you can place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 5-10 minutes.

Cranberries

Cranberries are in season from October through December. I think that is why they are considered a “holiday” berry, mostly used for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

They are distinct bright red berries that ooze a really tart juice when heated. In recipes they are usually paired with quite a bit of sugar to balance the tartness of their juice.

Freezing

Fresh cranberries freeze amazingly well, so when they are in season buy a couple extra bags and pop them in the freezer. Most recipes that call for fresh cranberries can be interchanged with frozen.

Making Cranberry Almond Cake

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Grab an 8 inch pan (round or square, glass if you have it), prepare it by spraying with baking spray or greasing with oil.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or can use a hand held mixer), on medium/low speed, cream the butter and sugar together until it is light in color and creamy.

While mixing add the vanilla extract and almond extract, then one egg at a time.

Mix for about 2 minutes. It will grow in size and become fluffy and light. This will help with the leavening and tenderness of the cake!

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

cake batter in a stand mixer bowl

Add half the flour mixture to the batter and mix just until combined, then add remaining flour and mix just until combined.

Pro Tip- Do not overmix the batter at this point or you will end up with too much gluten and a really tough cake.

With a wooden spoon or spatula scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish (the batter with be really thick!). Spread it evenly in the pan.

  • spreading cake batter in a glass baking pan
  • cake batter in a glass baking dish

Sprinkle the cranberries over the batter. Then sprinkle on the almonds.

  • fresh cranberries on top of cake batter
  • cranberries and sliced almonds on top of cake batter

Finally sprinkle the sugar over the top.

cake batter in an 8x8 with cranberries, almonds and sugar on top

Baking

Pop in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes.

The cranberries will bake into the cake and the edges and top will be golden brown. (if you are using a dark metal baking pan, check the cake at 30 minutes)

Cooling

Let the cake cool for as long as you can before slicing, between 1 – 2 hours. You want the cake to settle before cutting. If you can make it 12-24 hours in advance I highly recommend it!

Cut into 9 squares (3×3) and serve! It’s great as a dessert or a breakfast bread with coffee.

cranberry cake in an 8x8 pan with 3 slices cut out

Storing

Store any leftover cake loosely covered with foil, at room temp. You can keep the cake for about 4 days.

More Cranberry Recipes

If you are looking for some more recipes using fresh or frozen cranberries (and one with dried), here is a great list to look through:

  • cranberry orange muffins topped with a cinnamon crumble, on a black and white napkin, fresh cranberries to the side
    Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • Cranberry Punch in a pitcher
    Cranberry Punch
  • Instant Pot Cranberries in a bowl with fresh cranberries around the side of the bowl
    Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
  • white chocolate toffee in a stack
    Easy White Chocolate Toffee with Cashews
  • roasted brussels sprouts in a black bowl
    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Cranberries
  • cranberry ginger margarita in a glass with salt on the rim
    Easy Cranberry Ginger Margarita

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a slice of cranberry almond cake on a serving spoon

Cranberry Almond Cake

A deliciously dense and moist almond flavored cake, topped with fresh cranberries, almonds and sugar. This is a perfect holiday dessert cake or even breakfast bread!
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 9 slices
Calories: 266kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • 8×8 baking dish
  • Stand mixer or hand mixer

Ingredients

  • ยฝ cup butter - softened at room temp
  • 1 cup sugar - + 2 tablespoon for sprinkling on top
  • ยฝ teaspoon almond extract
  • ยผ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs - at room temp
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 tablespoon sliced almonds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ. Prepare an 8×8 baking dish by spraying with cooking spray or greasing with oil or butter.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand held mixer and mixing bowl) combine the softened butter and 1 cup sugar until combined.
    Add in the almond extract and vanilla, and then one egg at a time. Continue mixing for about 2 minutes. The batter will grow in size and become light in color.
    Pro Tip- Do not skimp on the mixing time, it will help the cake leavening and make it tender!
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
    Mix half the flour mixture into the batter, then add the other half and mix just until combined.
    The batter will be thick!
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth it out so it is evenly distributed in the dish.
  • Sprinkle the cranberries on top, then add the almonds, and finish by sprinkling the sugar evenly over top (all the way to the edges).
  • Bake the cake for about 35 minutes, if using a glass baking dish.
    If you are using a dark metal baking dish then you will want to check the cake at about 30 minutes.
  • You will want to let the cake cool for 1-2 hours. This will allow the cake to settle and the cranberry juice to seep into the cake.
    IF you can, make this cake a day ahead (12-24 hours)!
  • Cut the cake into 9 squares (3×3) and serve! It is excellent with a cup of hot coffee!

Storing

  • Keep this cake loosely covered at room temp for up to 4 days.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

ROOM TEMP EGGS:ย 
To get room temp eggs quickly place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 375IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

Baked Artichoke Chicken Salad

November 27, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 15 Comments

creamy artichoke chicken salad in a baking dish topped with french fried onions

A super creamy and savory chicken salad that is full of artichokes, green onions, crunchy water chestnuts, and topped with those french fried onions we all love. You know the ones…. we all heap them on top of green bean salad at Thanksgiving!? Honestly, you could even use your leftover turkey in this recipe!

Hot Artichoke Chicken Salad topped with french fried onions with a spoon in the side and a blue gray towel under the baking dish

If you like a 3 step easy recipe you should also check out my Creamy Chicken Tacos.

Ingredients

One reason I truly love this Hot Chicken Salad recipe is because it is FULL of all the yummy goodness you didn’t even know you wanted in a Chicken Salad Sandwich!

  • cooked, diced chickenย (I like to use rotisserie or poached chicken) – you could also use cooked turkey
  • green onions
  • water chestnuts
  • artichoke hearts in water
  • garlic clove
  • garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and dried basil
  • plain Greek yogurt, mayo, dijon mustard
  • Parmesan cheese
  • french fried onions
Hot Artichoke Chicken Salad topped with french fried onions in a baking dish with a scoop taken out

Are you ready to get in the kitchen and make this now!!??

Making Artichoke Chicken Salad

This is an easy 3 step recipe: chop, mix, bake.

Chop the cooked chicken, artichokes, water chestnuts and green onions, mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl (except the french fried onions), pop that into a 350 oven for 30 minutes, and then you are ready to eat!

Two Chicken Salad Sandwiches on brioche rolls sitting on a silver grate

Serving

Scoop the hot and delicious Artichoke Chicken Salad onto slider buns, brioche buns, or croissants, with a little baby spinach, and you have the perfect brunch, lunch, or dinner!

Make Ahead Recipe

This is a super easy recipe to prep a day or two ahead from when you need it.

Simply mix all the ingredients together (except the french fried onions) and place it in your baking dish. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Baking dish of Hot Artichoke Chicken Salad topped with french fried onions, sitting on top of a blue grey towel

When you are ready to make the Artichoke Chicken Salad, just pop it in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil, add the french fried onions, and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 300 degrees.

That was easy. Time to eat!

Baked Artichoke Chicken Salad for Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner

This is a super versatile recipe, it is great for entertaining at brunch or lunch, it is an easy-to-make dinner during a busy week, or you can  double the recipe for a crowd or the holidays:

  • Hot Artichoke Chicken Salad Sandwiches
  • Fresh Fruit Salad
  • Kale & Cranberry Salad (I would buy the pre-made or bagged salads at the grocery store or Costco)
  • Sweet Potato Kettle Chips
  • Classic Deviled Eggs
  • Red Wine Winter Sangria or Cranberry Punch

For dinner during a busy week I would keep this menu super simple and pair it with some raw veggies and kettle chips.

More “Salad Sandwiches”

  • Tuna Salad Sandwich on a croissant.
    Really Good Tuna Salad Sandwiches
  • Easy Egg Salad Recipe
  • chicken salad with grapes on a croissant with lettuce and tomato
    Five Star Chicken Salad with Grapes

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creamy artichoke chicken salad in a baking dish topped with french fried onions

Baked Artichoke Chicken Salad

A creamy Artichoke Chicken Salad that is baked to perfection and then topped with crispy french fried onions. This warm chicken salad is full of water chestnuts, green onions, and artichokes. It makes a great sandwich on slider buns, brioche rolls, or croissants.
4.56 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked chicken - diced or shredded (I like to use rotisserie or poached chicken)
  • โ…“ cup green onions - chopped
  • 5 oz sliced water chestnuts - drained and chopped
  • 10-12 oz artichoke hearts in water - drained and chopped
  • 1 plump garlic clove - finely minced
  • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ยผ teaspoon onion powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • ยผ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ยพ cup sour cream - or plain greek yogurt
  • โ…“ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 ยฝ tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup french fried onions

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the French fried onions.
    3 cups cooked chicken, โ…“ cup green onions, 5 oz sliced water chestnuts, 10-12 oz artichoke hearts in water, 1 plump garlic clove, ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder, ยผ teaspoon onion powder, ยฝ teaspoon salt, ยผ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ยพ cup sour cream, โ…“ cup mayonnaise, 1 ยฝ tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • Place in a small baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and sprinkle with the French fried onions, turn the heat down to 300 degrees and bake an additional 5 minutes.
    1 cup french fried onions

Serving

  • Place a couple tablespoons of Hot Artichoke Chicken Salad on a slider bun, brioche bun, or croissant. Top with baby spinach.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

MAKE AHEAD:ย 
Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT THE FRENCH FRIED ONIONS (they will get soggy if you add them now). Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days.ย 
Then when you are ready pop it in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil, add the french fried onions, and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 300 degrees.
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Originally posted October 2018 – Copy updated November 2020

The Best Slow Simmered Beef Ragu

November 25, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

Beef ragu over pappardelle pasta with a dallop of ricotta on top

Beef Ragu is a thick and hearty tomato based sauce that is filled with tender shredded beef, a little red wine, and herbs & spices. It is all slow cooked together over low heat for 2.5 hours until the beef just falls apart. It is perfect served over pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta. This dinner recipe is worthy of company but also makes great meal prep to eat through the week!

A Dutch Oven full of shredded beef ragu

You can also make Beef Ragu in your Electric Pressure Cooker, head over to this recipe for Instant Pot Beef Ragu!

If you are craving a pasta dish but don’t have 2 ยฝ hours to invest in a sauce, check out these easier pasta sauce recipes:

  • Easy Tomato Cream Sauce
  • Pasta with Meat Sauce

What is Ragu

A ragu is a traditional Italian dish made with ground meat, onions, tomato puree, and wine and served over pasta. This recipe is exactly that with the exception of the ground meat. We are using a whole chuck roast that slow cooks and then shreds into tender pieces in this ragu recipe.

Ingredients

This is a pretty straightforward recipe, only calling for easy to find ingredients, a lot of which you probably already have in your kitchen:

Ingredients for beef ragu on a sheet pan
Ingredients Shown Clockwise: chuck roast, crushed tomatoes in heavy puree, balsamic vinegar, sugar, garlic, bay leaf, spices, red wine, tomato paste, olive oil and onion.

Beef

When you are choosing a chuck roast for this recipe make sure to choose a nicely marbled roast that doesn’t have too many large chunks of white fat. A “choice” grade chuck roast is perfectly fine for this recipe, no need to get “prime”.

Wine

Select a red wine that you would like to drink that has a deep rich flavor. Something like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, or Zin. This is not the time for a delicate wine like Pinot Noir or a sweet wine like port.

Tomatoes

Since the canned crushed tomatoes are the main base for this ragu you want to make sure and buy a high quality brand- Cento, Di Napoli or Muir Glen are all great!

Now is not the time to save $0.75 on store brand crushed tomatoes. Save those for your chili!

How to Make Beef Ragu- Step by Step

Just a few steps and a couple hours and you will have a deep and rich Beef Ragu to serve over pasta! Let’s get started:

  1. Prep the Beef
  2. Cut your chuck roast into 3-4 large pieces. Lightly pat dry and season with salt and pepper.

    Grab a large glazed cast iron pot, Dutch oven, or braising pot (something like a Le Creuset or Lodge Dutch Oven is perfect!). Set it over medium heat, add the oil. Brown the chuck roast pieces on two sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    4 large pieces of chuck roast browned in a dutch oven
  3. Sautรฉ the Veggies & Seasonings
  4. Add the onions to the empty pot and sautรฉ for 10-15 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic cloves, fennel seed, dried basil, all spice and red pepper flakes, warm for 2 mins.

    onions sauteed with tomato paste and spices added
  5. Add Liquids & Beef To The Pot
  6. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with the red wine.

    Add in the tomatoes, water sugar, bay leaf, balsamic and water give it a stir. Add the beef back to the pot.

  7. Slow Cook On The Stove Top
  8. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Then turn to low and pop the lid on. Set a timer for 2 hours and 30 minutes.

    Beef simmering in a tomato sauce
  9. Shred The Tender Beef
  10. Remove the beef from the pot and shred it with two forks. Set aside.

    Pro Tip: Do this on a rimmed baking sheet to collect any juices that run out of the beef.

    cooked chuck roast shredded on a pan
  11. Skim Grease and Serve
  12. Skim any grease off the top of the sauce and discard. Turn the heat to medium and simmer the tomato sauce for about 5-10 minutes so it will thicken a little.

    Remove the bay leaf and then add the shredded beef to the pot. Turn the heat off. Taste for additional seasonings.

    Dutch Oven with Beef Ragu and a wooden spoon

Serving

Serve this hearty Beef Ragu over pasta topped with a dollop of whole milk ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of parmesan or Romano cheese!

A side salad like Caesar or this Perfect Side Salad and some warm crusty bread are perfect accompaniments!

Papardelle pasta topped with beef ragu and a dallop of ricotta cheese

Which Pasta To Use with Ragu

Since this is such a hearty Ragu sauce you want to make sure you use a pasta that will stand up to the sauce. And if you are feeling really ambitious you can make your own pasta! But if you are up for store bought, I recommend using:

  • pappardelle
  • tagliatelle
  • mafaldine
  • rigatoni

Make Ahead

This recipe is like a good stew or chili, it gets better with time. So if you can swing it to make it a day or two ahead, I highly recommend it!

Prepare it completely and then let it cool, store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Reheat on the stove top over medium heat.

More Pasta Sauce Recipes To Love

  • a bowl of tomato cream sauce pasta
    Easy Tomato Cream Sauce in 15 Minutes
  • Fresh Basil Pesto in a bowl on a cutting board
    Basil Pesto with Walnuts
  • spaghetti with meat sauce recipe on a black and white napkin
    Spaghetti and Meat Sauce (Quick Dinner Recipe)
  • a mason jar full of homemade marinara sauce
    All-Day Marinara Sauce in Under an Hour

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I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
Beef ragu over pappardelle pasta with a dallop of ricotta on top

Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Recipe

This Beef Ragu is a thick and hearty tomato based sauce that is filled with tender shredded beef, a little red wine, and herbs & spices. It is perfect served over pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
Total Time: 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 412kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Braising Pot or Glazed Cast Iron Pot or Heavy Bottom Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 lb chuck roast - cut into 2-3 pieces large fat pieces trimmed, pat dry, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow or white onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ยฝ teaspoon fennel seed
  • ยฝ teaspoon all spice
  • ยผ tsp red pepper flakes - (lessen to a pinch if you don't want any "heat")
  • 1 cup good red wine - (cabernet, merlot, malbec or zin will work)
  • 28 oz canned (good!!) crushed tomatoes in heavy puree
  • ยฝ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Serving

  • pasta – tagliatelle, pappardelle, mafaldine, or rigatoni
  • whole ricotta cheese - *optional
  • shredded parmesan or romano cheese

Instructions
 

  • In a large heavy bottom pot, like a Le Crueset or Lodge cast iron pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the chunks of beef on two sides. Then set the beef on clean plate.
    2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 lb chuck roast
    4 large pieces of chuck roast browned in a dutch oven
  • Lower heat to medium low, add the onions to the pot and sautรฉ for about 10-15 minutes until they are softened.
    1 large yellow or white onion, diced
  • Add the tomato paste, garlic, dried basil, fennel seeds, all spice and red pepper flakes. Warm through for about 2-3 minutes.
    1 tablespoon tomato paste, 3 garlic cloves, chopped, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ยฝ teaspoon fennel seed, ยฝ teaspoon all spice, ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Deglaze the pot by pouring in the cup of red wine. Scrape up any browned bits for the bottom of the pot.
    1 cup good red wine
  • Add the canned tomatoes, water, sugar, bay leaf and balsamic. Give it a good stir and then add the beef back to the pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
    28 oz canned (good!!) crushed tomatoes in heavy puree, ยฝ cup water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    Beef simmering in a tomato sauce
  • Lower the heat to low and pop the lid on, simmer for 2.5 hours.
  • Remove the beef from the sauce and shred.
    cooked chuck roast shredded on a pan
  • Skim any grease from the top of the sauce, then bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly.
    Remove the bay leaf!
  • Add the shredded beef back to the sauce. Give it a good stir and then remove from the heat.
    Dutch Oven with Beef Ragu and a wooden spoon

Serving

  • Boil the pasta to al dente, drain or just pull out of the cooking water. Toss the noodles in the ragu.
    Serve topped with a dollop of whole milk ricotta and a sprinkle of parmesan or Romano cheese.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Make this in your Instant Pot with this recipe for Instant Pot Beef Ragu!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 324mg | Potassium: 1013mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 5mg

Flavorful Baked Chicken Meatballs

November 24, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 2 Comments

baked chicken meatballs in a pile garnished with parsley and romano cheese

These Baked Chicken Meatballs are tender and moist, filled with the most delicious flavors of garlic, Romano cheese, and herbs. They are baked until golden brown and can be served on top of spaghetti, in a meatball sub, or just to snack on by themselves (they are that good!!). You are going to love this meatball recipe!

A pile of baked chicken meatballs with spaghetti

These chicken meatballs make a super family friendly dinner! Kids and adults absolutely love them. Serve them to your pickiest eaters.

Listen to the Audio Recipe!

You can LISTEN to an audio version of the full recipe, skip down to the recipe card below! It is a full episode on the podcast Let’s Make Dinner, all the tips and tricks are included to make your Chicken Meatballs perfect.

These are the most flavorful chicken meatballs I have ever made. I have used them in pasta sauce with spaghetti and have also used them for meatball subs - both were delicious. They are so good you can just eat them plain

five stars – tas

The Trick to Keeping Ground Chicken Moist

To secret to keeping your ground chicken meatballs moist and tender is using a panade.

Traditionally a panade is a mixture of stale bread and liquid which helps ground meat retain its moisture, no matter how long it is cooked (within reason!).

In this meatball recipe you combine the ground chicken with a panade mixture of panko bread crumbs and milk. It retains the moisture while the chicken cooks all the way through.

Ingredients

Since ground chicken can be a blank canvas it is important to add plenty of flavorful ingredients to your meatball mixture:

Panko Bread Crumbs are one of the secrets to keeping your ground chicken juicy. This courser bread crumb mixes perfectly with milk and turns into a panade. Make sure you find “panko” bread crumbs in the grocery store.

Italian Seasoning is a great way to get a lot of flavor from one spice. It is commonly a mix of dried basil, oregano, parsley, thyme and rosemary.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil will not only help keep your chicken meatballs tender, it will also impart a nice flavor. Make sure to use the “extra virgin” olive oil and not just plain olive oil.

Ingredients to make Baked Chicken Meatballs

Romano Cheese is a super flavorful hard Italian cheese that grates and melts perfectly. You can also purchase parmesan to use in place of the Romano.

Fresh Parsley not only adds a nice fresh flavor to your chicken meatballs, it adds a few green speckles, like a garnish. You can absolutely swap out fresh chopped spinach here for a punch of nutrition.

Ground Chicken when you purchase ground chicken make sure to not purchase the extra lean all breast ground chicken. It will be too lean and may dry out.

How to Make and Bake

Preheat the oven to 400. Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper, spray the paper with the non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the panko bread crumbs, milk, salt, pepper, parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, shallots and garlic.

In another small bowl whisk together the egg and extra virgin olive oil. Pour it into the bread crumb mixture.

ground chicken meatball mixture

Add the grated Romano cheese and ground chicken to the bread/egg mixture. With clean hands or a fork, very lightly combine everything, do not overmix or you will have tough meatballs.

With a light touch roll 18-20 meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tops of the meatballs with the baking spray.

a tray of rolled chicken meatballs that are raw

Pop in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Make sure they are golden on the outside and cooked through with a 160-165 degree internal temp.

If you like a little more of a golden finish you can pop them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.

a baking pan full of baked chicken meatballs

Serving Chicken Meatballs

These Baked Chicken Meatballs are perfect to top spaghetti with marinara, they also would be amazing inside a meatball sub.

If you want to stick to something healthier you could serve them atop spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles (zoodles).

a stack of meatballs with one broken open on the top

However they are delicious enough to serve on there own too, maybe with a side of creamy Instant Pot Risotto and roasted broccoli.

Freezing

You can absolutely freeze your chicken meatballs. I recommend baking them completely and then freezing.

Let the baked meatballs cool, then pop them in the freezer on a baking sheet. Once they are frozen, about 2 hours, you can place them in a freezer safe baggie. Keep for up to 3 months.

Reheating & Using Leftovers

Reheat your frozen meatball from FROZEN, do not thaw first. Pop the frozen meatballs in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

More Meatballs To Try…

If you love these chicken meatballs, here are a couple more meatball recipes to check out:

  • Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs
  • Ham Balls
  • Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs
  • Easy Meatball Subs

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baked chicken meatballs in a pile garnished with parsley and romano cheese

Flavorful Baked Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Truly the best baked chicken meatballs made with ground chicken. They are tender and moist and filled with flavor. Great on top of spaghetti, inside a meatball sub or served all by themselves!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 20 meatballs
Calories: 67kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Large rimmed baking sheet
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground chicken - do not buy the extra lean all breast meat, it is too dry!
  • ยฝ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ยผ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ยฝ cup Romano cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large egg
  • cooking spray

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400ยฐ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silpat, spray with cooking spray.
    cooking spray
  • In a large bowl combine the bread crumbs, milk, salt, pepper, parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, shallots and garlic.
    ยฝ cup panko bread crumbs, ยผ cup milk, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ยฝ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • In another bowl whisk together the egg and extra virgin olive oil. Pour it into the bread crumb mixture.
    2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 large egg
  • Add the cheese and ground chicken to the bread/egg mixture. Lightly combine, do not overmix or you will have tough meatballs.
    ยฝ cup Romano cheese, grated, 1 lb ground chicken
  • Form the chicken mixture into 20 meatballs, placing them on the prepared baking sheet. They will be a little smaller than a golf ball.
    Spray the tops of each meatball with the baking spray.
  • Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes until they are cooked through (165ยฐ internal temp).
    For a golden top place them under the broiler for 3-4 minutes.

Serving

  • These meatballs can be served on top of spaghetti with marinara sauce or in a meatball sub!
    Or they are yummy enough to eat by themselves with a little dipping sauce!

Recipe Tips and Notes:

MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE
You can absolutely make these chicken meatballs and then freeze them for later. Bake completely, cool, then pop in the freezer on a baking sheet. Once they are frozen, about 1-2 hours place them in a freezer safe baggie for up to 3 months.
To reheat pop the FROZEN meatballs (do not thaw) in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
ย 
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Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 63IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Homemade Peppermint Bark Oreos

November 23, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

peppermint bark oreos in a pile with a bite taken out of two cookies

Homemade Peppermint Bark Oreos are a great Holiday treat. Chocolate creme sandwich cookies (Oreos) are coated in a peppermint flavored melted white chocolate and then topped with crushed candy canes. This is an easy holiday cookie recipe that the kids can even help make!

white chocolate covered oreos with crushed candy canes on top sitting on a glass cake plate

Another wonderful peppermint cookie recipe are these Copycat Girl Scout Thin Mints! It just requires 3 ingredients and is soooo easy and tasty! This Peppermint Brownie Brittle is also dynamite!

Ingredients

You only need 4 simple ingredients to make these Peppermint Bark Oreos:

  • 1 package of chocolate creme sandwich cookies (Oreos)
  • white chocolate melting wafers
  • peppermint extract
  • candy canes
4 ingredients laid out to make peppermint bark oreos

Melting the Chocolate

You have two options to melt your chocolate wafers

  1. Microwave – put the wafers in a microwave safe bowl and pop in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and then continue in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until they are completely melted.
  2. Double Boiler- grab a pot with a heat safe bowl that will fit in the top without falling in. Fill the pot about โ…“ of the way with water (making sure the water doesn’t touch the top bowl). Put the pot over medium heat. Stir the wafers in the bowl until they are melted.

Variation

If white chocolate isn’t your jam and you can absolutely swap out dark chocolate melting wafers for the white chocolate!

homemade white chocolate covered candy cane oreos laid out in a pile

Edible Gift

If you love to give edible gifts during the Holidays these are PERFECT!! They are also great for a cookie exchange. Here is a fun FREE PRINTABLE GIFT TAG to attach to your cookie present!

free red and white gift tag printable for Christams Hug Cookies

Pinterest TV Episode

You can watch these Peppermint Bark Oreos being made on an episode ofย Pin TV, it's an hour long episode of no-bake holiday treats.

I also make Microwave Fudge,ย Peanut Clusters, andย Christmas Cornflake Wreaths!


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Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
peppermint bark oreos in a pile with a bite taken out of two cookies

Homemade Peppermint Bark Oreos

Homemade Peppermint Bark Oreos are a great Holiday treat. Chocolate creme cookie sandwiches (Oreos) are coated in a peppermint flavored melted white chocolate and then topped with crushed candy canes.
These cookies make a great edible gift – don't forget the free printable gift tag, linked below!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Setting Chocolate in Fridge: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 35 cookies
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 14.3 oz package of chocolate creme sandwich cookies - (Oreos or similar cookie)
  • (2) 10 oz bags white chocolate melting wafers - (we prefer Ghirardelli melting wafers)
  • 2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 3-4 candy canes, crushed

Instructions
 

  • Grab a rimmed baking sheet that will fit in your fridge. Line it with parchment paper or a reusable silpat.
    Crush the candy canes and set aside.
    3-4 candy canes, crushed
  • Melt the white chocolate wafers and peppermint extract using one of two methods:
    A. Double boiler method – heat safe bowl filled with white chocolate wafers and peppermint extract over simmering water.
    B. Microwave – in a microwave safe bowl heat the melting wafers and peppermint extract for 60 seconds. Stir. Then heat for 30 second increments, stirring between, until melted.
    (2) 10 oz bags white chocolate melting wafers, 2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • Using a fork dip the Oreos in the melted peppermint white chocolate and flip around until coated. Lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and lightly shake back and forth to smooth the chocolate and get rid of excess.
    Lay on the parchment lined baking sheet.
    14.3 oz package of chocolate creme sandwich cookies
  • Sprinkle the top of the chocolate covered Oreos with the crushed candy canes. Make sure you sprinkle the candy canes on while the chocolate is still wet so it sticks.
    (kids can totally help with this step!!)
  • Pop the baking sheet of Oreos in the fridge for 15-20 minutes for the chocolate to set.

Storing

  • You can store the Homemade Peppermint Bark Oreos in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge for up to a week.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Variation
Use dark chocolate melting wafers in place of the white chocolate!
Free Printable Gift Tag
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Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

November 19, 2020 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

Instant Pot Cranberries in a bowl with fresh cranberries around the side of the bowl

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce is full of whole fresh fresh cranberries, sweet crushed pineapple, orange zest, brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon. This is the perfect sweet and tart Thanksgiving (or Christmas) side dish. It balances all the rich flavors of a Holiday dinner!

Cranberry sauce in a white bowl with fresh cranberries and oranges around

Making cranberry sauce in your electric pressure cooker is perfect when all your appliances are occupied by other dishes.

You can also choose to make Traditional Cranberry Sauce on your stove top, or this Canned Cranberry Sauce (easy shortcut ingredient!), or this Cranberry Relish (no cooking required!).

Thanksgiving Side Dish

Cranberry Sauce is a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner side dish in the United States. It is also served at Christmas time in the UK, US and Canada.

It is made with the cranberry and usually a lot of sugar to balance the unbelievable tartness!

Other Uses For Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce also pairs well with pork, chicken, turkey and duck. You can serve it as a sauce on a turkey sandwich. It would also be amazing on top of a block of softened cream cheese served with Ritz crackers.

Ingredients

You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce:

  1. Fresh Cranberries
  2. Crushed Pineapple in Juice
  3. Brown Sugar
  4. Orange Zest
  5. Cinnamon

Fresh Cranberries

This recipe calls for fresh cranberries which are considered a superfood and can be found in the grocery store, in the produce section, from October to December. They freeze really well for up to a year.

A bowl of cranberry sauce and an electric pressure cooker in the background

This recipe for Orange Cranberry Muffins also calls for fresh cranberries, so grab a few bags while you are at the store!

How To Make Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Start with your Instant Pot on saute and add all the ingredients. Let the sugar melt and the pineapple release some juice.

Turn off the saute and pop the lid on. Seal the pressure valve. Set to cook for 4 minutes on high pressure.

An instant pot with cranberry sauce inside

Do a 10 minute natural release, then do a quick release for the rest of the pressure.

Give it a stir, let it cool and serve!

Make Ahead

This cranberry sauce recipe can absolutely be made ahead, up to a week! Just keep it in the fridge in an airtight container.

More Cranberry Recipes

  • bowl of cranberry relish with a spoon and raw cranberries in the background
    Tart & Sweet Apple Cranberry Relish
  • A plate of turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing with cranberry sauce poured over the turkey
    Best Canned Cranberry Sauce Recipe
  • homemade cranberry sauce in a bowl
    Super Simple Cranberry Sauce

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
Instant Pot Cranberries in a bowl with fresh cranberries around the side of the bowl

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce Recipe

An amazing Cranberry Sauce recipe that is made in the Instant Pot! Full of sweet crushed pineapple, whole fresh cranberries, orange zest, and a dash of cinnamon. This is the perfect sweet and tart Holiday side dish.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes
Pressure and vent time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 people
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup canned crushed pineapple in 100% juice
  • ยฝ cup brown sugar - , packed
  • 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest - (about 1 large orange)
  • ยผ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Add all the ingredients to the pot and saute to melt the sugar and release a little pineapple juice, about 3 minutes.
    12 oz fresh cranberries, 1 cup canned crushed pineapple in 100% juice, ยฝ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest, ยผ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pop the lid on and turn the pressure vent to seal. Set to cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
  • Let the pot count back up for a 10 minute natural pressure release. Then finish release the pressure with a quick release.
  • Give the cranberry sauce a good stir.
    Cool and serve or refrigerate for up to a week. If you need to keep it longer than that you can freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Sweeter Cranberry Sauce: If you don’t want to have any cranberry tang, increase the brown sugar to ยพ cup.
ย 
Make Ahead:ย  This recipe can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to a week!
ย 
More Cranberry Recipes: Traditional Cranberry Sauce, Canned Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Relish
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Sweet & Salty Christmas Hug Cookies

November 19, 2020 by Susie Weinrich 1 Comment

christmas hug cookies on a black slate background with holiday M&M's scattered

Christmas Hug Cookies are delicious little one or two bite treats made with 3 simple ingredients – Hershey hugs, pretzels, and M&M’s! This is such an easy Holiday cookie that the kids can definitely get involved. It is the perfect sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy treat.

christmas hug cookies on a black slate background with holiday M&M's scattered

They make a great sweet for a Holiday cookie swap.

If you love this easy dessert recipe you will also love these Pretzel Turtles, another easy 3 ingredient recipe.

Ingredients

You only need 3 ingredients for this recipe:

  • Pretzels – grab any salty pretzel shape that you like. During the holidays you can even find snowflake shaped pretzels in some stores!
  • Hershey Hugs – the hugs are white chocolate and dark chocolate stripped kisses.
  • M&M’s – I like to grab the red and green holiday bags for this recipe.
a bowl of pretzels, Hershey hugs, and M&M's all labeled

You can snack on all the leftover ingredients. If you have a lot of pretzels you could make these yummy peanut butter pretzel chocolate chips cookies!

How to Make Christmas Hug Cookies

Star by preheating your oven to 200 degrees and prepping a baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silpat.

Lay the pretzels out so they are now overlapping.

Pop a Hershey Hug on top of each pretzel.

three images showing how to make Christmas Hug Cookies - pretzels, topped with hershey hugs, M&M's pressed into the top

Bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes, just until the hugs are shiny and soft, but NOT melting.

Grab the pan out of the oven and press an M&M in the top of each chocolate.

If the pan is cool enough pop it in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes to help the chocolate set.

Serve up your Christmas Hug Cookies! They go fast!

Make Ahead

You can make these about a week ahead during the busy holidays! Just keep them in the fridge in an airtight container until you are ready to eat them or give them as a treat.

Free Gift Printable

If you are giving these as an edible gift print this cute free gift tag to attach:

free red and white gift tag printable for Christams Hug Cookies

I recommend printing it on a card stock or firmer paper so you can cut them out and have them stand nicely on the package. Also, print in color : )

More Christmas Treats

  • saltine cracker toffee in a bowl
    Saltine Toffee (Christmas Crack!)
  • a Buckeye Ball with a bite taken out, showing the center
    Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls
  • a pile of brownie brittle pieces and a glass of milk
    Chocolate Brownie Brittle
  • peppermint bark oreos in a pile with a bite taken out of two cookies
    Homemade Peppermint Bark Oreos

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
christmas hug cookies on a black slate background with holiday M&M's scattered

Christmas Hug Cookie

A Christmas Hug is a delicious little one or two bite "cookie" made with 3 simple ingredients – Hershey hugs, pretzels, and M&M's! This is such an easy Holiday treat that the kids can definitely get involved. It is the perfect sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy cookie.
5 from 2 votes
Print Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes
Total Time: 14 minutes minutes
Servings: 35 Cookies
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 30 Pretzels - mini classic pretzel shape, or mini squares, snowflakes if you can find them!
  • 30 Hershey Hugs
  • 30 M&M's - holiday colors!

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200ยฐ and line a baking sheet with parchment or reusable silpat.
  • Lay the pretzels out on the baking sheet so they are not overlapping.
  • Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey Hug.
  • Bake for 3-4 minutes. They should just be shiny and soft, not melted.
  • Press 1 M&M into the top of each Hershey Hug.
  • Pop the whole tray into the fridge for about 15-20 mins to let the chocolate set.
  • Enjoy this sweet holiday treat! They go fast!

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Make Ahead
These can definitely be made a week ahead. Prepare completely and then pop in the fridge in an airtight container.ย 
Free Printable Gift Tag
Use this FREE PRINTABLE GIFT TAG if you are giving these as an edible gift!
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Check this recipe out on my Google Web Stories too!!

Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes

November 18, 2020 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter and cinnamon sprinkled on top

Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes are a great side dish that are the perfect alternative to traditional Mashed Potatoes. Cooking them in your electric pressure cooker is a foolproof way to get perfectly cooked creamy and soft sweet potatoes!

a large bowl of mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon

In this recipe you mix the sweet potatoes with a little brown sugar, butter, milk, garlic, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon. It is the perfect combo of sweet and savory, and that added hint of vinegar really rounds out all the flavors.

If you do not have an Instant Pot, follow this recipe for Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes, it is similar in flavor!

Holiday Favorite

This sweet potato recipe is perfect for the Holidays, especially on your Thanksgiving menu!

When your appliances are all occupied by other dishes and your stove is crammed full of turkey and stuffing it is the perfect time to pull out your Instant Pot.

Ingredients

You will need some usual suspects for this recipe like butter and cinnamon, but this recipe also calls for some new ingredients like balsamic vinegar!

  • 3 lbs sweet potatoes
  • water
  • salt
  • fresh garlic cloves
  • brown sugar
  • butter
  • milk
  • cinnamon

Making Mashed Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot

Start by peeling and trimming the ends of your sweet potatoes. Cube them into 1 ยฝ inch chunks.

Pop the prepared sweet potatoes into your Instant Pot, pour in ยพ cup water and sprinkle in the salt.

three easy steps to make instant pot mashed sweet potatoes - step by step photos

Lock the lid in place and turn the pressure valve to seal. Set to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Do a quick release of the pressure at the end.

No need to drain the water, just add in the milk, butter, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon. You can mash everything together with a potato masher or a hand held mixer. Both will yield really creamy and smooth mashed sweet potatoes!

Freezing

You can make this dish ahead and freeze it for later, or freeze the leftovers for another dinner!

Line a baking sheet (that will fit in the freezer) with parchment or a reusable silpat. With a ยผ measure cup, scoop out mounds of sweet potatoes onto the baking sheet. Pop in the freezer and freeze, about 1 hour.

pucks of mashed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with parchment, for the freezer

Then pop the pucks in a freezer safe baggie for up to 3 months.

Reheating

To reheat the frozen mashed sweet potatoes pour them into a nonstick skillet over medium/low heat. Add in a couple tablespoons of water. Let them simmer and steam, while stirring, until they are thawed and warmed through. Add more water as needed as they simmer. Taste for seasoning before serving.

Amount to Make

I usually plan on about ยฝ lb per person, just like traditional mashed potatoes. Then, if you have leftovers you can freeze them!

Troubleshooting

Hopefully this side dish turns out PERFECTLY, but if anything goes wrong along the way, here are a few ideas to save the day:

  • Too sweet? Add acid in the form of a dash or two of balsamic vinegar.
  • Mash got too salty? You will want to add a little more milk or cream.
  • Too tangy? If the balsamic was too much for you, just add a little more brown sugar to counteract the acid.
  • Too thick? Add more butter and milk (yum!).
  • Too thin? If your sweet potatoes got a little too watery you can VERY CAREFULLY turn the pot onto low saute (get to low saute by pressing the “saute” button a couple times, you will see it scroll through the saute function on the display screen). Stir often and don’t leave the pot… let some of liquid steam off. If any of the potatoes burn the bottom do not stir it up into the potatoes, just stir more shallow. In a big pinch you can stir in a couple dry potato flakes to thicken.
bowl of creamy mashed sweet potatoes

Other Sweet Potato Recipes

If you love a sweet potato recipe definitely check out this one for BBQ Chicken in Parchment with Sweet Potatoes and Peppers or this recipe for Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili.

Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe

mashed sweet potatoes topped with butter and cinnamon sprinkled on top

Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes are a great side dish and the perfect colorful alternative to traditional mashed potatoes. This recipe combines sweet, savory and a little hint of balsamic vinegar to round out the flavors!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
Pressure and Vent Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs whole sweet potatoes, peeled, washed and cut into 1 ยฝ inch chunks
  • ยพ cup water
  • ยพ teaspoon salt
  • 2 plump garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoon butter - plus 1 additional tablespoon for garnish if desired.
  • ยผ cup milk
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • ยผ teaspoon cinnamon - plus a pinch for garnish if desired.

Instructions
 

  • Peel and cut your sweet potatoes into 1 ยฝ inch chunks.
  • Add the sweet potatoes, water, salt, and garlic cloves to the Instant Pot.
  • Pop the lid on and close the vent to seal. Set to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  • Do a quick release of the pressure.
  • No need to drain the water from the potatoes, just add in the brown sugar, butter, milk, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon.
    Using a potato masher or hand held mixer, mash the potatoes until they are creamy and smooth.
  • Serve the mashed sweet potatoes up with a little extra butter on top and a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or parsley.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

FREEZING
You can make these ahead and freeze them for later (or freeze your leftovers). Once they have cooled, dollop ยผ cup scoops onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (make sure the baking sheet will fit in the freezer). Freeze for about an hour and then pop the pucks in a freezer safe baggie for up to 3 months.
To reheat the frozen mashed sweet potatoes place the pucks into a nonstick skillet over medium/low heat. Add in a couple tablespoons of water. Let them simmer and steam, while stirring, until they are thawed and warmed through. Taste for seasoning.
ย 
TROUBLESHOOTING
If you have any issues with your sweet potatoes (too salty, too sweet, etc…) see the troubleshooting section above.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Meet The Author:

Susie Weinrich is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Her thoroughly tested recipes and step-by-step guides give readers confidence in the kitchen.

YOU will feel like a huge success at dinner time with any of the simple recipes on Mom's Dinner! Read More

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