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Southwest Salad

Southwest Salad is a delicious and hearty salad that is loaded with classic southwestern flavors with a Tex-Mex twist. With an assortment of fresh veggies, filling ingredients like chicken, beans, and avocados, and cheddar cheese, all tossed in a healthy homemade Southwest salad dressing, this salad has it all.

The best part? You can throw this simple and classic salad together in under 10 minutes for a quick dinner or a healthy lunch. Serve southwest salad on Taco Tuesday, at a summer potluck, or anytime of the week.

Southwest Salad is a delicious and hearty salad that is loaded with classic southwestern flavors with a Tex-Mex twist, tossed in a homemade salad dressing. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Southwest Salad

Quick and easy to make in 10 minutes. A tossed salad is so easy to make because you just combine all the ingredients together, drizzle on some salad, and toss together. It's so easy that you can get the kids to help. This recipe is perfect if you are making a salad for a crowd, meal-prepping, or just short on time.
It's a nourishing and filling salad. When you make this southwest salad, you don't need to worry about pairing sides or finding other dishes to serve along with it. It stands its ground all on its own, thanks to the chicken, beans, bountiful veggies, and creamy dressing. But you can choose to make it with or without chicken - and it's still just as filling.
Loaded with flavor. In this southwest chicken salad, you'll enjoy the flavorful homemade southwest dressing that is packed with lime juice, cilantro, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. But you'll also get to savor the natural flavors from all of the ingredients.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Southwest Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

romaine lettuce - feel free to substitute with your favorite salad greens, whether you want to use a bag or spring mix greens, kale, or spinach.
grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
corn - you can use fresh corn kernels sliced off the cob, or canned corn (drained and rinsed), or frozen corn that has been thawed and cooked.
avocado
red onion
yellow cheddar - feel free to substitute with your favorite cheese. Some great alternatives are cotija cheese, tex mex cheddar, or white cheddar.
chicken breasts - you can add in some cooked chicken breast for extra protein, but it is completely optional. I used our Oven Baked Chicken Breast in here. Some other great options are Mexican Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Chicken Breast.
southwest salad dressing - we used our homemade Southwest Salad Dressing here that takes just 5 minutes to make in the blender. You can also use store-bought dressing - whatever is more convenient for you. Another dressing options that works well in this salad is Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing.

You can customize this salad and substitute or add in other ingredients that you like. You can try adding Tortilla Strips, bell peppers, or fresh cilantro.

How to Make the Best Southwest Salad

Like most salad recipes, this Southwest Salad is so easy to make. You just combine everything into a large serving bowl and toss to coat - romaine lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado, red onion, yellow cheddar, and sliced chicken (if using).

Then, drizzle southwest salad dressing over the salad and serve or toss to coat. You can make your own southwest dressing in just 5 minutes or use store-bought dressing if it's more convenient.

How to Serve

I like to serve this southwest salad on its own since it's packed with veggies and protein. However, if you're serving a large crowd, this salad also pairs well with southwest and Mexican-inspired dishes such as:

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: To make this salad ahead of time, store the salad, chicken, and dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. I would also recommend leaving the avocado out and adding it when serving (to prevent browning). The chicken will last up to 3 days, and the salad will last 4-5 days, and the dressing will last up to 1 week. When ready to eat, just toss and combine just before serving or packing for a healthy lunch. This will keep your salad looking and tasting fresh.
How to store: When storing leftover southwest salad, it's best to keep your dressing on the side if possible. If you don't, the acidic lime juice will wilt your romaine lettuce faster. Again, I also prefer to keep the avocados separate, so I can add fresh avocado when it's time to eat. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Undressed, this salad will last for 4-5 days in the fridge. With dressing, it will last about 2-3 days.

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Southwest Salad Dressing

Homemade Southwest Salad Dressing is creamy and flavorful with a little spicy kick. This quick and easy yogurt-based dressing is ready in just minutes whether you make it in the blender or stir by hand.

Plus, making salad dressing from scratch is so much better, tastier, and healthier than store-bought. You might never go back to bottles dressing after realizing just how easy it is to make at home.

Why You'll Love this Southwest Salad Dressing

It's quick and easy to make dressing at home. It can be really tempting to reach for a bottle of store-bought dressing because it's so convenient, but you may reconsider if you knew it takes just 5 minutes to make Southwest salad dressing at home. All you do is combine and mix the ingredients together.
It's flavorful and delicious. This homemade southwest dressing is a creamy yogurt-based dressing loaded with classic seasoning with a TexMex twist that packs on the the flavor with the right amount of kick. It's perfect drizzled over Southwest Salad or any salad you like.
It's better than store-bought. It's not surprising that making southwest salas dressing from scratch is cheaper and healthier than using bottled store-bought dressing. It has no preservatives, fillers, or artificial flavors like a lot of the dressings you can find at the store. Just real ingredients here.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Southwest Salad Dressing, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

Greek yogurt - you could substitute with plain yogurt but note that the dressing will have a much thinner consistency. If using plain yogurt, I recommend mixing the dressing by hand to keep it thicker.
lime juice - lime juice adds a traditional tang but you can substitute with lemon juice if you need to.
honey - adds a hint of sweetness. You can add more or less to your preference.
cilantro - you can substitute with ½ teaspoon dried cilantro or Italian seasoning.
seasoning - a flavorful seasoning blend made with a combination of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a mason jar or airtight container for storage.

How to Make the Best Southwest Salad Dressing

In a blender, combine ¾ cup Greek yogurt with the remaining ingredients. Pulse mix until combined and cilantro is well blended.

Transfer the dressing to a medium mixing bowl and add the remaining ¼ cup Greek yogurt. Stir it in with a spoon until combined.

You could also just stir all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. If doing this, make sure to finely chop up the cilantro.

How to Serve

Drizzle homemade Southwest salad dressing with any salad that needs a little kick. Try it with:

But you don't have to just use it on salad. There are other ways to use this homemade dressing in other recipes. Try it as:

A spread in sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. Try it with Classic Hamburgers or Black Bean Burgers.
A dipping sauce in a Veggie Tray.
A sauce to drizzle over meat or veggies such as Oven Baked Chicken Breast, Roasted Vegetables , or Grilled Corn on the Cob.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Since homemade dressings lack preservatives, they are better for you but don't last as long as store-bought. Store southwest dressing an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up one week.
How to change the consistency: Blender dressings tend to be more thin than hand mixed dressings, which is why we reserve some of the yogurt to stir in later to add in thickness. You can also just stir the ingredients together instead of using a blender. Just be sure to finely chop the cilantro. If you prefer a thinner dressing, just add a little water to the dressing.

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Homemade Peach Iced Tea

When it's a hot summer day and it's officially peach season, it's a no brainer that simple Homemade Peach Iced Tea is number one on my cravings list. So refreshing, so peachy, so sweet, and so perfect.

Peach iced tea from scratch is a healthy summer drink loaded with real fruit and vitamins. You can even customize the amount of sweetness based on your preference. The best part? It's loved by everyone who tries it, so make a big batch because this ice cold drink disappears fast (it's freezer-friendly too!)

Homemade peach iced tea is healthy summer drink — refreshing, peachy, sweet, and perfect. It's loaded with real fruit and vitamins and easy to make. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Peach Iced Tea

It's made with real fruit. This homemade peach iced tea is made with fresh peaches so it gets its beautiful color and flavor naturally from real peaches. Unlike most iced teas that you find at the store which typically contain added flavor, dyes, and preservatives.
Loaded with real peach flavor. The hardest part of making iced tea from scratch is not eating spoonfuls of the peach mixture when you are cooking it. It seriously smells like a pot of fuzzy peaches. You will know exactly what I am talking about once you try making this yourself!
A refreshing summer drink. Peach iced tea is the best refreshing drink to serve at at your next summer cookout, barbecue, potluck, or picnic. You may want to make a bigger batch though, because this thirst-quencher disappears fast!
It's healthy and contains anti-oxidants. Homemade iced tea is healthy. Although it does have some sugar, you can totally customize the amount and add less if you want or substitute it with a refined-free sweetner such as honey or maple syrup. Either way, you can be confident knowing that it will still have way less sugar than store-bought iced teas. Plus, with real peaches, you know this drink is loaded with anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy and simple Homemade Peach Iced Tea, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

peaches - use ripe peaches for the best and sweetest result. We're lucky where we live that we can get fresh and juicy locally harvested peaches every summer at the farmer's markets or directly from the farms (we can even grab a bucket and pick our own!). You can even substitute with any fruit that you want to make any flavor of fruit ice tea.
sugar - feel free to customize the sweetness by adding more or less sugar. You can also substitute with other sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup.
water
tea - Feel free to use loose leaf tea or tea bags to brew your tea. You also have the choice between black or green tea.
toppings - you can add in some ice cubes and peach slices when serving (optional).

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a saucepan, blender, and mesh strainer.

How to Make the Best Homemade Peach Iced Tea

Cook peaches. In a medium saucepan, combine peaches, sugar and 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Every 5 minutes, stir and crush the peaches into the mixture.
Puree and strain. Transfer the peach mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the peach puree through a sieve or fine mesh strainer to strain out any clumps. Transfer into a large pitcher and set aside.

Brew tea. Bring the remaining 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, add the tea and brew according to package directions (approximately 4-5 minutes). Once brewed, strain out the tea leaves or remove the tea bags and transfer the tea to the pitcher. Stir to combine and refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes.
Serve. Once cool, give the mixture a quick stir, add ice cubes and peach slices and serve!

How to Store Homemade Iced Tea

How to store: Store fresh homemade iced tea in a sealed pitcher or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
How to freeze: You can also freeze homemade peach iced tea. Transfer the fresh iced tea to an airtight container or pour into ice cube molds. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag for easy storing. You can freeze it for up to 6 months.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Adjust the sweetness: This recipe makes a sweet iced tea. If you like a more of an unsweetened iced tea, you can leave it completely out or add in less.
Make stronger iced tea: For a stronger iced tea, add in an extra ½ to 1 tablespoon of loose leaf tea, or an extra tea bag when you are steeping it in hot water.
Make a different flavor: You can substitute the peaches with any fruit that you want to make to make a different flavor of fruit ice tea.

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Carne Asada Tacos

Carne asada tacos are delicious, juicy, and tender beef steak tacos that everyone will be raving about on Taco Tuesday! Topped simply with onions, cilantro, and cotija cheese, these Mexican street tacos are loaded with flavor.

Plus, you can totally customize them with your favorite taco toppings. Add avocado, tomatoes, or guacamole and enjoy this easy dinner any day of the week this summer.

Carne asada tacos are delicious, juicy, and tender Mexican street tacos loaded with steak bites that everyone will be raving about on Taco Tuesday! | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Carne Asada Tacos

Meaty carne asada filling. Carne asada is a Mexican dish that literally translates to "grilled meat". This well-seasoned marinated steak delivers slightly charred, zesty, tender, and juicy steak - it's seriously the best. That's why fresh carne asada steak bites are the star of the show in these carne asada tacos.
Fresh ingredients. To compliment the carne asada in these beef tacos, you'll need just a few simple and fresh ingredients, including onion and cilantro. These aromatics that add a fresh zest and crunch.
Cotija cheese. Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese similar to feta or parmesan. If you can get some at your local supermarket, you'll definitely want to try it. If you can't, you can substitute your favorite cheese in these steak tacos.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Carne Asada Tacos, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

carne asada - this taco recipe is perfect when you have any leftover carne asada, but also a great reason to throw some flank steaks (or skirt steaks) on the grill. This recipe uses half of our carne asada recipe (or one 1 pound steak).
red onions - or substitute with white onions or even green onions if you prefer.
cotija cheese - or substitute with feta cheese for a similar taste or substitute with another cheese that you like.
cilantro
soft tortillas - feel free to use corn tortillas or flour tortillas.
lime - optional, to squeeze on top.

How to Customize Taco Toppings

You can switch up or add your favorite toppings such as:

avocado
green onions
cabbage or lettuce
tomatoes
sour cream
Cilantro Lime Slaw

Juicy and tender Carne Asada with perfectly charred edges is flavorful, delicious, and so easy to make. Cook this Mexican steak in under 15 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

How to Make the Best Carne Asada Tacos

Heat the tortillas. Heat the tortillas one-by-one in an ungreased cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds per side. You can also heat them directly on a gas burner for a few seconds to get char marks on the edges.
Assemble. Divide the chopped carne asada into each tortilla and top with onions, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Add a squeeze of lime juice, if desired.

How to Serve

Carne Asada Tacos are delicious and filling as is or with a side of Salsa or Guacamole. You can switch up the toppings or pair them with some classic Mexican side dishes such as:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Store the ingredients for your carne asada tacos separately (freshly cooked carne asada will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator). Otherwise, the meat and veggies will make the tortillas soggy. If you must make your carne asada tacos to go for work or school, consider adding a single piece of dry lettuce between your filling and tortilla to prevent the tortillas from becoming soggy.
How to reheat: You can heat carne asada filling in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop. In the oven, wrap the meat in aluminum foil and bake for 5-10 minutes at 375F. On the stove, heat in a covered pan with a splash of water on medium heat.

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Buckwheat Salad

This Buckwheat Salad is quick and easy to make, healthy and delicious, and packed with Mediterranean flavors. Loaded with superfood buckwheat, this salad is healthy, naturally gluten-free, and vegetarian. It's the perfect salad to serve for a nourishing light dinner or meal prep for lunch throughout the week.

Plus, this Mediterranean buckwheat salad is loaded plant-based protein from the buckwheat, fresh vegetables and herbs, and a light olive oil dressing, adding nutrients and antioxidants to this healthy salad.

Mediterranean Buckwheat Salad is quick, easy, and delicious. Loaded with superfood buckwheat, this salad is healthy, naturally gluten-free, and vegetarian. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Buckwheat Salad

It's a healthy and filling meal. This buckwheat salad with feta and tomatoes is my ideal vegetarian or gluten-free meal when I am craving a light yet filling dinner. It also stores well so it's perfect for meal prep for a healthy work lunch. The buckwheat keeps you full, while the veggies bring freshness and flavor - and they both add tons of nutrients.
Buckwheat is easy to make. Buckwheat is a superfood seed that is really easy to prepare, taking about 15-20 minutes to cook. Similar to rice or quinoa, all you do is cook it in a saucepan of water, bring to a boil, and simmer. Then, fluff with a fork.
Loaded with Mediterranean flavors. Mediterranean flavors are all over this buckwheat salad from the fresh ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, lemon, and fresh herbs, to Greek ingredients like feta cheese and olive oil.

What is Buckwheat?

Buckwheat is a highly nutritious seed that is high in protein and fiber. It contains lots of vitamins and minerals and boasts numerous health benefits. Plus, despite it's name, buckwheat is not a grain - it's naturally gluten-free.

Some of the health benefits of superfood buckwheat are:

promotes heart health by lowering the risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
promotes digestion.
supports brain, liver and digestive health and helps prevents digestive disorders.
contains antioxidants (it can help fight cancer and heart disease!).
controls blood sugar and lowers risk of diabetes.

Ingredient Notes

To make this Mediterranean Buckwheat Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

buckwheat - you will also need water to cook the dry buckwheat in.
tomatoes - I recommend grape or cherry tomatoes. You could also use larger tomatoes but you want to avoid ones that are too watery. If you do, put the sliced tomatoes in a colander (tossed with some salt) to drain out some of the excess water prior to tossing them in the salad.
mini cucumbers
red onion
feta cheese - you could substitute with a mild crumbly goat's cheese instead. A grilled halloumi is also really nice with this salad. You can also leave out the cheese completely for a vegan buckwheat salad instead.
herbs - throw in your favorite fresh herb such as parsley, mint, or dill. You can also substitute with ½ tablespoon dry herbs such as dried oregano or Italian seasoning.
olive oil - use a high quality olive oil since this is the bulk of our dressing.
lemon juice
salt and pepper

You can customize this salad with your favorite veggies and ingredients. Try adding some:

bell peppers
kalamata olives
chickpeas

How to Make the Best Buckwheat Salad

Make buckwheat. Rinse the buckwheat and place in a small saucepan. Add water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork. If the water has not all been absorbed, drain the buckwheat in a colander. Set aside and let it cool completely.
Combine salad ingredients. Transfer the cooled buckwheat to a large mixing bowl or serving bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients, and toss to combine.
Serve. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with extra parsley or mint on top (optional).

How to Serve

This Mediterranean Buckwheat Salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. It is a nourishing and filling meal on its own but you can pair it with extra protein if you would like. Some of my favorites are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead instructions: Make the buckwheat and prep the salad ahead of time (leaving out the lemon juice and olive oil). Store the buckwheat and veggies in separate airtight containers (for up to 3 days) and toss together with lemon juice and olive oil just before you are ready to serve.
How to store: Keep leftover buckwheat salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. As time goes on the buckwheat will get soft and soggy, so it's best to eat it sooner rather than later.
How to freeze buckwheat: You can also make a big batch of buckwheat and freeze the extra to throw into salads whenever you want. Allow the buckwheat to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

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20 Easy Cherry Tomato Recipes

Fresh, vibrant, and juicy - tomato season is the best season of all! Whether you pick up a pint of grape tomatoes from the local farmer's market, grow cherry tomatoes on the vine in your own vegetable garden, or even cherry heirloom tomatoes, there are so many ways to use this veggie in tomato recipes all summer long. We are sharing over 20 easy cherry tomato recipes for when you are wondering what to make with cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, including everything from appetizers and salads, to pastas and entrees, and so much more.

Best Cherry Tomato Recipes

Cherry Tomato Salad

This quick and easy Cherry Tomato Salad is made with sweet cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, and feta cheese tossed in a simple vinaigrette.

Caprese Skewers

Caprese Skewers are a quick and fresh appetizer made with bite-sized mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and basil leaves with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Baked Caprese Chicken

Baked caprese chicken is tender, juicy, and delicious, topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and a good drizzle of balsamic glaze. One of my favorite cherry tomato recipes.

Whipped Ricotta Crostini

Whipped ricotta crostini topped with cherry tomatoes is a fancy easy appetizer to make in just minutes or prepare in advance and assemble before serving. A total crowd pleaser.

Tomato Burrata Salad

Tomato Burrata Salad is made with ultra creamy burrata over a bed of marinated tomatoes and onions and a drizzle of fresh basil pesto on top. So fresh!

Vegetable Orzo

This Vegetable Orzo is easy to make with seasonal vegetables that are roasted then topped with warm fluffy orzo, feta cheese, and fresh herbs.

Antipasto Skewers

Antipasto skewers with tortellini are a quick, easy, and delicious appetizer that can be served for any occasion.

Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad

Quick and easy tomato and mozzarella caprese salad is a fresh, light, and delicious summer salad, made with just cherry tomatoes and a few simple ingredients in 10 minutes.

Pesto Penne Pasta

Quick and easy pesto penne pasta is a simple and light Italian pasta dish made with just five ingredients in under 15 minutes. The easiest dinner.

Beef Taco Salad

Beef taco salad is a simple, filling, and delicious meal loaded with your favorite taco fillings, and a creamy lime dressing. Make it in 20 minutes.

Chicken Garden Salad with Ranch Dressing

Chicken garden salad with ranch dressing is fresh, healthy, hearty, and colorful. It's a filling and wholesome lunch or dinner that is versatile too.

Easy No Knead Tomato Focaccia

Easy no knead tomato focaccia is so flavourful, packed with olive oil, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs. It's crispy and golden outside, fluffy and pillowy inside.

Caprese Frittata

Caprese Frittata is light and fluffy, laced with fresh basil and topped with melted mozzarella cheese and blistered balsamic tomatoes. Ready in 10 minutes!

Chickpea Greek Salad

Chickpea Greek salad is a fresh, healthy, vibrant, and colorful salad, packed with traditional Mediterranean ingredients, superfoods, and nutrients.

Baked Mediterranean Pasta

Baked Mediterranean pasta is simple, flavorful, and vibrant, loaded with fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, and topped with mozzarella cheese.

Veggie Tray

This homemade veggie tray is a quick easy healthy snack or appetizer to make for your next party, with a variety of colorful vegetables and delicious dips.

Shrimp Taco Salad

Shrimp taco salad with cilantro lime dressing is flavourful, delicious, and easy to make. It has all the fixings and of shrimp tacos, but without the mess.

Greek Salad Hummus Flatbread

This bright and colourful Greek salad hummus flatbread is perfect as an appetizer or a healthy lunch or snack.

Mussels Pasta in Tomato Sauce

Mussels pasta in tomato sauce is a simple, light and fresh, seafood pasta dinner that you can make at home in 30 minutes. Easiest weeknight dinner.

Italian Pasta Salad

Italian pasta salad is delicious, wholesome, and easy to make. Make it up to three days ahead for your summer picnics and cookouts.

Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki

This refreshing and light, easy Greek chicken gyros is packed with tender souvlaki chicken, Greek salad, and homemade tzatziki sauce, all wrapped in a pita.

Mascarpone Pesto Pasta

Quick and easy mascarpone pesto pasta is the tastiest creamy pasta dish you’ll ever make in under 15 minutes. It's the best weeknight dinner.

Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad

Simple tomato cucumber avocado salad with a delicious lemon vinaigrette is a light and refreshing salad that comes together in literally 5 minutes.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Bright and colorful caprese pasta salad is the ultimate summer side dish. It's fresh, light, and loaded with vibrant summer flavors. Quick and easy too!

Summer Corn Salad

Take fresh-off-the-grill corn on the cob and turn it into a light, flavourful summer corn salad, topped with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and cheese.

How to Make Ahead and Store

You can make or prepare some of these cherry tomato recipes ahead of time. You can chop and prep the salad ingredients in advance and store them in the refrigerator until ready to toss with dressing. The cooked recipes can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator or possibly in the freezer too. Confirm storing instructions by checking each recipe.

More Recipes with Summer Ingredients

Did You Make Any of These Cherry Tomato Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of cherry tomato recipes, or let me know if there are any recipes you would like to see. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

Nutella Crepes

Homemade Nutella crepes with berries are sweet, delicious, and indulgent. These easy to make light and thin French-style pancakes are filled with Nutella, fresh strawberries and blueberries, and topped with a sprinkle of icing sugar.

The best part? French crepes are quick and easy to make - the batter comes together in just minutes in the blender, and each crepe takes less than 5 minutes to cook. Serve them for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or any time you crave a last-minute treat.

Nutella crepes with berries are sweet and indulgent. These French pancakes are an easy to make blender recipe that will have you craving breakfast all day. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Nutella Crepes

It's an easy blender recipe. These French-style pancakes are light, thin, and oh so buttery. Nutella crepes are an easy to make blender recipe that will have you craving breakfast all day long! The batter is literally mixed together in the blender. It can't get easier than that.
Chocolate and berries are the best combination ever. I paired these Nutella crepes with berries because chocolate + berries = heaven. But if chocolate and berries are not your thing, then maybe chocolate and bananas are? You can easily substitute the berries for any other fruit that you prefer.
They're quick so make them any time you want. These crepes come together in about 30 minutes for all 6, and just 4 minutes to cook each one. They're perfect for a quick breakfast or brunch, a last minute dessert craving, or for special occasions like Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, or Date Night.
Perfect for all Nutella lovers. I am obsessed with anything and everything Nutella. I love to slather this amazing chocolate hazelnut spread is in crepes, on pancakes, or even toast.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious and easy Nutella Crepes, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour
eggs
whole milk
water
butter
salt
berries - choose from your favorite berries or a combination such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries.
Nutella - or any alternate chocolate hazelnut spread or chocolate spread.
confectioners' sugar - optional, to dust on top.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, blender, and non-stick skillet.

How to Make the Best Nutella Crepes

Combine Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and eggs. Add in milk, water, melted butter, and salt, and stir to combine.
Blend. Pour the batter into a blender. Blend for 1 minute until smooth.

Cook. Lightly grease a non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat. Scoop ¼ cup of batter on the pan. Quickly tilt the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly on the surface of the pan. Cook the crepe for 2 minutes, or until it turns to a light golden brown colour.
Flip. Carefully loosen with a spatula and flip over. Cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes, until crepe is golden brown on that side too.

Repeat. Slide the crepe out of the pan and onto a plate. Repeat above steps with remaining batter.
Assemble and serve. For each crepe, spread berries on half of the crepe and drizzle with Nutella on top. Fold the crepe into quarters and drizzle extra Nutella on top. Sprinkle some icing sugar on top, if desired. Serve immediately.

Secrets to Making the Perfect Crepes

There are 2 key steps for making the perfect crepe:

Blend the ingredients. The best way to getting a smooth batter that spreads out thinly into the ideal crepe is to blend the ingredients together in the blender.
Pay close attention when cooking. This probably seems like a no brainer but it is the most important step. Since crepes spread out so thin on the baking pan, you have act quick during the cooking process. You must be quick to pour and spread out (to ensure even cooking), and you must be quick to flip at the perfect time (once each side is a nice light golden brown colour, about 1-2 minutes).

What Kind of Filling is Used for Crepes?

We filled these crepes with Nutella and an assortment of our favorite berries, but there are so many ways that you can customize it with your favorite toppings. Try these combinations for a sweet crepe:

Nutella and fruit - any combination of fruit such as strawberries and banana.
Lemon and sugar - Squeeze some fresh lemon juice and sprinkle of granulated sugar inside.
Cinnamon sugar - Sprinkle cinnamon and granulated sugar inside.
Jam - Fill with any kind of jam. Our favorite is Strawberry Jam.
Peanut butter or almond butter
Honey or maple syrup
Lemon curd

You can also make savory crepes with fillings such as: cured meats, fresh veggies, and cheese.

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: You can make the batter ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How to store: You can easily store the crepes before assembling with fillings. Allow the crepes to cool completely to room temperature. Then, stack and cover tightly in plastic cling wrap and place in an airtight container or wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to freeze: Allow the crepes to cool completely to room temperature. Then, stack them up with a piece of parchment paper in between each crepe. Wrap the stack tightly in plastic cling wrap and place in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Allow the crepes to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How to reheat: To reheat, stack leftover crepes on a plate and microwave them for about 10-20 seconds until warm but not too hot that they will tear. You can also reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.

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Oven Baked Chicken Breast

Oven Baked Chicken Breast is juicy, tender, and delicious. Made with a simple seasoning blend that packs on the flavor, this chicken recipe is also quick and easy with minimal clean up - it should be a staple in every home!

They're incredibly juicy and tender so you can say good-bye to dry chicken! These baked boneless skinless chicken breasts is all you need for a satisfying and healthy dinner that the whole family will love.

This Oven Baked Chicken Breast is juicy, tender, and delicious. It’s quick and easy to make with a simple seasoning blend that packs on the flavor. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love This Oven Baked Chicken Breast

It's a 30-minute dinner (or less!). These oven baked chicken breasts are ready in under 30 minutes - which makes it a quick and easy dinner on nights when you're short on time.
The simple yet powerful spice rub. The seasoning for this oven baked chicken is simple. The simple mixture of olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper gives your baked chicken all the flavor it needs.
An easy way to cook chicken. This recipe gives you all the tips and tricks you need for baking chicken breasts in the oven to ensure you get evenly cooked, tender, and juicy chicken every time.
Perfect for meal prep. These chicken breasts store well for several day making them great to portion out into meal prep containers for lunches throughout the week.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Oven Baked Chicken Breast, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

chicken breasts - this recipe is for boneless and skinless chicken breasts. For bone-in breast, you will need to increase the cook time.
olive oil
garlic powder
paprika
Italian seasoning
salt and pepper

The best thing about this recipe is that you can customize the flavors based on the seasoning you use. For instance, add some Mexican spices for a twist, marinate it in an Asian-style marinate, or add curry spices for an Indian twist.

How to Make the Best Oven Baked Chicken Breast

Season the chicken. In a large mixing bowl or Ziploc bag, combine chicken breasts with oil, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Rub well to coat evenly and set aside until the oven is ready.

Bake. Place the chicken breasts in a casserole dish or large half sheet baking pan. Bake in a 450F preheated oven for 20 minutes until fully cooked through. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
Rest. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and let the chicken rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Serve. Drizzle with lemon juice, if desired. Slice and serve warm.

How to Serve

These baked chicken breasts are delicious served on their own, or paired with some of my favorite sides including:

How to Use Leftovers

Reheat leftovers and enjoy them the same way you did when you first baked this chicken - whether on it's own, with vegetable sides, or served over salad.

You can also shred leftover chicken or chop them up and use in these popular Leftover Chicken Recipes:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Allow the chicken to rest: Allowing your chicken to rest for a few minutes after its cooked is a crucial step if you want to enjoy juicy meat. Your patience will pay off! As the chicken rests, juices that shrunk to the center of the chicken disperse throughout the meat. If you cut into your chicken right away, all those yummy juices will seep out.
How to store: Keep leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
How to reheat: The best way to reheat cooked chicken is in the oven. Wrap the chicken in aluminum foil, adding some juices or water. Then, bake the wrapped chicken in a 375F oven for 10 minutes or until warm. You can also reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

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Black Bean Burgers

Homemade vegetarian black bean burgers are thick, hearty, flavorful, and delicious. They are easy to make and have the best texture ever (no mushy burgers here!). Packed with plant-based protein, these veggie burgers are a healthy alternative to traditional beef hamburgers.

Make vegetarian burgers at home on the stove, in the oven, on the grill, or in the air fryer. And, serve them however you want - as patties on their own, in a burger bun, or over salad.

Homemade vegetarian black bean burgers are thick, hearty, flavorful, and delicious. They are easy to make with the best texture (no mushy burgers here!). | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love These Black Bean Burgers

They're healthy vegetarian burgers. Whether you're on a plant-based diet or simply trying to make healthy lifestyle changes by reducing the amount red meat in your diet, these black bean burgers are a great protein-packed recipe to make this summer.
Loaded with flavor. These black bean burger patties are packed with flavor from some simple but flavorful ingredients like onion, garlic, feta, and a handful of simple seasonings and spices.
Veggie burgers with the best texture. These black bean burgers are thick, hearty, and not mushy. To get the right texture, you'll leave some beans partially whole - and when you take your first bite, you'll understand why this is key!
Serve them how you want. These black bean veggie burgers are so good that you can serve them on their own as patties, plain in a hamburger bun, on top of a salad, or bunless wrapped in lettuce. But of course you can add your favorite toppings for a traditional burger, add cheese for veggie cheeseburgers, or add bacon and avocado for a twist.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Black Bean Burgers, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

black beans - you will need 2 cans of black beans for this recipe. You can also cook 1 cup dry black beans. But you will need to prep ahead of time because dry beans need to soak overnight.
onions and garlic - sautéed in a little vegetable oil.
garlic
breadcrumbs
feta cheese
egg
seasoning - we added simple seasoning but that adds so much flavor: Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

For assembling the burgers

hamburger buns - if you like baking bread at home, you need to try these with our Homemade Hamburger Buns. They are so good and easy to make.
greens - we topped these burgers with simple lettuce. We often top these burgers with Coleslaw or Cilantro Lime Slaw instead.
sauce - ketchup or mayonnaise (or both!). You can also add in any other sauce that you like such as mustard, BBQ sauce, Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing, Tahini Sauce, Caesar Salad Dressing, or Teriyaki Sauce.
veggies - we added tomatoes, but you can add any other toppings that you like such as onions, pickles, or cucumbers.

How to Make the Best Black Bean Burgers

First, make the vegetarian patties.

Sauté aromatics. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until sizzling hot, about 1 minute. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender and nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside on a plate to cool off for 5 minutes.
Combine ingredients. Gently pat dry the rinsed and drained black beans. Set aside 1 cup of the black beans and transfer the rest into a food processor. Add the sautéed onions along with the rest of the ingredients (breadcrumbs, feta cheese, egg, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper) into the food processor. Pulse mix on and off for 1 minute until coarsely chopped. Alternatively, you can mash everything with a fork or potato masher in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.

Make the patty mixture. Transfer the bean mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the reserved cup of black beans. Stir together until evenly distributed. This creates some texture and makes the patties a bit firmer.

Shape into patties. Take ½ cup of the bean mixture at a time and use your hands to shape into 6 large patties.

Next, cook the black bean patties.

To cook, you can pan fry, grill, bake, or air fry the patties.

To pan fry: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat until sizzling, about 2 minutes. Place the patties on the skillet and cook until nicely browned and firm, about 5 minutes per side.
To grill: Preheat the grill on medium-high until hot. Brush some oil onto the grilling grate and place patties on top. Brush some more oil on top of the patties as well. Cook for 3-5 minutes and then carefully flip over and cook on the other side.
To bake: Preheat oven to 375F. Place patties on a large parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and bake for 15 minutes until nicely browned, flipping once halfway.
To air fry: Add patties in batches to the air fryer basket and cook at 375F for 12-15 minutes until nicely browned.

How to Assemble Burgers

Prep the buns. Slice the hamburger buns and toast the slices on the grill, if desired.
Add toppings. On the bottom half of each hamburger bun, add a piece of lettuce and a patty on top. a patty. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons Ketchup or mayo (or both) on top of the patty, and top with a slice of tomato. Place the top half of the bun on top to assemble the hamburger.
Serve. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

Serve these vegetarian black bean burgers alongside some of our favorite summer sides such as:

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: Make and shape the patties in advance and store the uncooked patties in the refrigerator (in an airtight container) for a 2-3 days, and cook them fresh when you're ready to eat.
How to store: Store the burgers, buns, and any toppings separately in airtight containers. The black bean patties will last up to for 4-6 days in the fridge. Buns are best kept at room temperature for a few days. I would also recommend that you wait to heat the buns until you're ready to eat them.
How to freeze: You can also freeze the uncooked patties for up to 3 months. Shape them and then place them on a lined baking sheet to freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Then, wrap them tightly in plastic cling wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag.
How to reheat: Reheat black bean burgers the same way you cooked them - in the oven, air fryer, or on the grill.

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Carne Asada

Juicy and tender Carne Asada with perfectly charred edges is flavorful, delicious, and so easy to make. This Mexican dish is wildly popular thanks to a simple marinade that delivers fresh and bold flavors. The best part? You can cook this steak in under 15 minutes.

Plus, you can cook carne asada on the stove or on the grill for a delicious summer dinner (or any time of the year!). Pair it with your favorite sides or chop them up for tacos!

Why You'll Love Carne Asada

It has all the characteristics of a good steak. Carna asada is a fine steak. In every bite, you'll enjoy a slight char, the savory taste of melted fat, and a kick from the spices in the marinade. Who doesn't love a tender, juicy, flavorful steak?
The delicious and flavorful marinade. A good marinade makes such a big difference in how your steaks come out. For this carne asada marinade, you'll need oil, lime juice, fresh cilantro, and a collection of seasoning and spices.
It's so easy to make. Although you will need to wait a couple of hours for your steak to soak up the delicious marinade, you really only need a few minutes to actually make carne asada. All it takes is making the marinade, letting the beef marinate, and then cooking the Mexican steaks.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Carne Asada, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

flank steaks or skirt steaks - pick steaks that are similar in thickness so that you can ensure even cooking.
avocado oil - feel free to substitute with any vegetable oil such as grapeseed oil or olive oil.
lime juice
cilantro
soy sauce
brown sugar - you can also substitute with granulate sugar or honey.
paprika
ground cumin
garlic powder
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a grill pan or cast-iron skillet. You can also throw these steaks on the barbecue.

How to Make the Best Carne Asada

Make the marinade. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, lime juice, cilantro, soy sauce, sugar, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.
Marinate the steaks. Add steaks to the bowl and use your hands to rub the marinade evenly over them. (I recommend wearing disposable gloves for easy clean-up). Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) in the fridge. You can also marinate the steaks in a large Ziploc bag.

Prep for cooking. When ready to cook, remove the bowl from the fridge and place on the counter for 20-30 minutes to bring the steaks to room temperature. This will help the steak cook evenly. Use a paper towel to pat the steaks dry. Season with a little more salt and pepper.
Grill. Brush some oil over a grill pan or skillet. Heat on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. You should notice the oil shimmer and sizzle when it's hot and ready. Place the steaks on the grill pan and cook until desired doneness, about 6-8 minutes per side.
- For medium doneness - Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140 F on a meat thermometer.
- For medium rare - The target temperature should be 135 F.

Cover. Remove the steaks from the pan and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep them moist.
Rest. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes. Resting after cooking helps the juices redistribute into the meat as the internal temperature for the steaks continue to rise a little while resting.
Serve. Slice and serve warm.

How to Cook Carne Asada on the Grill

You can easily cook these steaks on your barbecue following the same instructions. The cook time might be a couple minutes shorter, about 5-7 minutes per side.

How to Serve

Carne asada can be enjoyed on its own or alongside sides that pair well with steaks, such as:

You can also chop up the steak and enjoy it inside Carne Asada Tacos or burritos.

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: Follow this recipe as directed and store the raw, marinated carne asada in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days before cooking. However it's best to use it within 24 hours. If you notice your raw meat smells off or looks slimy after a few days, it's gone bad and should be thrown out.
How to store: Keep leftover cooked carne asada in the fridge for 3-4 days in a shallow, airtight container.

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Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob

Oven-roasted corn on the cob is buttery, juicy, crunchy, and perfectly charred on the outside - without a grill. Which means you can enjoy this delicious "grilled" vegetable all year round!

Plus, it's quick and easy to make with a handful of ingredients and minimal prep! So when it's inconvenient to grill or boil your sweet ears of corn, slather on some homemade garlic butter and roast them instead for perfectly cooked corn every single time.

Oven-roasted corn on the cob with homemade garlic butter is buttery, juicy, crunchy, and perfectly charred on the outside — without a grill. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Roasted Corn on the Cob

You can enjoy it all year round. Even if the weather has cooled down and you've officially said good-bye to your barbecue for the season, you don't have say bye to "grilled" corn on the cob. You can enjoy perfectly charred, burnt marks without a grill!
Perfect corn every time. This oven roasted corn is wrapped in aluminum foil to keep the moisture and heat in, keeping the corn tender. It's then unwrapped and broiled for the best charred texture on the outside, while keeping the corn soft and extra juicy.
The homemade garlic butter. Made with literally just butter and garlic, this adds a subtle garlicky flavor and keeps the corn juicy. For extra juiciness, add even more butter on top and let it melt all over. So good!

Ingredient Notes

To make delicious and easy Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

corn on the cob - remove the husks before roasting.
butter - There is nothing like butter melting over freshly cooked corn. But for a healthier option, free free replace it with olive oil instead.
garlic
salt and pepper

You can also add in your favorite toppings. Keep it simple by topping with your favorite herbs. Or turn it into a loaded Mexican Street Corn (Elote) by adding sour cream, mayo, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cilantro, and lime.

"Grilled" Corn on the Cob without a Grill

There are all kinds of ways to make corn on the cob without using your grill or barbecue.

Boil the corn on the stove.
Roast it in the oven.
Cook it in the microwave.

But secret in getting those perfect burnt marks, is oven-roasting first before a little magic in the broiler (the broil setting on your oven).

How to Make the Best Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob

Make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, cream together the butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread the butter mixture over each corn.

Roast the corn. Wrap each corn in aluminum foil and place on a large half sheet baking pan. Roast in a 350F preheated oven for 40 minutes, turning the corn over halfway.
Broil. Take out the corn and open the foil on top to expose it. Turn on the broiler function on the oven and place corn back in. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes.
Serve. Serve with a piece of butter on top. Sprinkle more salt and pepper as desired.

How to Serve Corn

Oven-roasted corn on the cob with garlic butter is the perfect side dish and goes with everything! You can eat it alone for a quick lunch or I pair it with some summer dishes such as:

For more summer cookout recipe ideas, check out our Summer Grill Recipes and BBQ Side Dishes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: You can store roasted corn on the cob in the fridge for 3-5 days. Allow the corn to cool to room temperature and then store them wrapped in aluminum foil or in an airtight contaner. You can eat it cold or hot.
How to reheat: To reheat, heat on the grill or in a 300 F preheated oven for 5-10 minutes until warmed through.

More Corn Recipes

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Cilantro Lime Slaw

Cilantro lime slaw is fresh, light, crunchy, and zesty - making it the perfect pairing for dishes like tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and barbecued meats. This side dish is also quick and easy to make in about 5 minutes!

Plus, this cilantro lime coleslaw is healthy and loaded with fresh vegetables, Greek yogurt, herbs and aromatic seasoning, which add nutrients and antioxidants to the mix.

Cilantro lime slaw is fresh, light, crunchy, and zesty. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s the perfect pairing for tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and barbecued meats. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Cilantro Lime Slaw

It's quick and easy. This cilantro lime slaw is ready in just 5-10 short minutes. You'll love how quickly this side salad comes together, especially since we use a coleslaw salad mix to make things super quick.
The yogurt dressing is healthy and creamy. Most coleslaw recipes use mayonnaise as it's main creamy base, but it's not always the healthiest option. This recipe does use a bit of mayo (which is totally optional) and a heaping cup of plain Greek yogurt. Not only is it lower in fat, it's also packed with essential nutrients and incredibly delicious!
The zesty spice blend. Cilantro and lime aren't the only spices you'll find in this quick and easy 5-minute slaw. You'll also get a kick from cumin and garlic.
It's the perfect pairing for proteins. I love making cilantro lime slaw to put on top of tacos, and it's also the perfect side to burgers, sandwiches, and grilled meats.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Cilantro Lime Slaw, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

coleslaw mix - you can also substitute this with shredded cabbage (green, purple, or a combination of the two).
Greek yogurt - or substitute with sour cream.
mayonnaise - I like the extra creaminess that the mayo add, but you can leave it out. It's completely optional.
cilantro
garlic
lime juice
seasoning - ground cumin, salt, and pepper.

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw Variations

Mix things up by adding in different ingredients into the lime cilantro slaw:

Add in more veggies such as thinly sliced bell peppers, avocados, and red onions.
Add in some spice with jalapeños or chipotle peppers.
Sweeten it up with fresh fruit like mangos or pineapples.

How to Make the Best Cilantro Lime Slaw

Make dressing. In a medium mixing bowl, add yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir well until smooth. You can also combine the dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse mix a couple times until combined (do not overmix or the dressing will be too watery).

Assemble. In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix with the dressing and toss well to coat evenly.
Serve. Serve immediately. Store any leftover slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

How to Serve

Serve cilantro lime slaw as a side salad on its own, or serve it as a topping for burgers, tacos, and sandwiches. It's especially great with:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead instructions: Prep the veggies and dressing ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers. Toss them together just before you are ready to serve.
How to store: Keep leftover cilantro lime slaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. The acid in the slaw mixture will start to break down the cabbage as time goes on, eventually making it soft, soggy, and not as crunchy anymore.

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15 Best Taco Recipes

Need something quick and easy for lunch or dinner that's delicious and loaded with flavor? Tacos immediately comes to mind. They are typically ready to assemble in under 15 minutes (perfect for last minute meals!) and a total crowd-pleaser - loved by the entire family. So if you are wondering "how to make tacos" or looking for inspiration on "different kinds of tacos", you are in the right place.

We are sharing over 15 of the best taco recipes for Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, or anytime you are in a fiesta mood including beef tacos, chicken tacos, fish tacos, shrimp tacos, pork tacos, vegetarian tacos, and more!

Best Taco Recipes

Carne Asada Tacos

Carne asada tacos are delicious, juicy, and tender Mexican street tacos loaded with steak bites that everyone will be raving about on Taco Tuesday!

Crispy Refried Bean Tacos

Fish Tacos with Lime Crema

Flavourful, easy fish tacos with lime crema is made with seasoned white fish, cabbage slaw, and lime sauce. It takes less than 25 minutes to prep and serve.

Chicken Tacos

Chicken tacos are juicy and tender, loaded with flavor, delicious, and so easy to make. They are perfect for Taco Tuesday or a Cinco de Mayo Mexican fiesta.

Ground Beef Tacos

Ground beef tacos are delicious, authentic, and so easy to make. They're savory, spicy, creamy, and fresh. The perfect recipe for a Mexican fiesta.

Cauliflower Tacos

Vegetarian cauliflower tacos are loaded with air-fried or baked cauliflower, a delicious seasoning blend, and creamy lime cilantro slaw inside a tortilla.

Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema Slaw

Quick and easy shrimp tacos with lime crema slaw are ready in less than 30 minutes and are packed with flavourful crispy shrimp and creamy cabbage slaw.

Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos (Carnitas)

Mexican pulled pork tacos with juicy and tender traditional carnitas wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with fresh onions, cilantro, and jalapeños.

Fish Stick Tacos

Fish stick tacos are fun, quick, easy, and delicious. Crispy breaded fish sticks are topped with a homemade mango salsa and a drizzle of lime crema.

Korean Beef Steak Tacos

Fusion-style Korean beef steak tacos are made with tender, flavour-packed slices of beef and topped with caramelized pineapple, kimchi, and spicy mayo.

Vegan Chickpea Tacos

When it comes to vegetarian tacos, these vegan chickpea tacos are some of the best. They are delicious, filling, easy to make, and loved by all.

Shrimp Avocado Tostadas

Shrimp avocado tostadas are a delicious, crunchy, quick and easy Mexican dish you can make in just 15 minutes, loaded with the best combination of toppings.

How to Serve Tacos

Serve tacos with your favorite Mexican Recipes and Mexican Side Dishes. I like to serve some dipping sauce on the side such as:

How to Store Tacos

How to store: If planning to make tacos ahead of time or planning to have leftovers, assemble only what you are going to eat and store the filling, any sauce, and tortillas separately. Then, only assemble the tacos you're ready to eat them. Check the specific recipe for storage details for the filling.
How to reheat: Reheat tortillas over the stove for 30-60 seconds per side. To heat the filling, check specific recipe for details. Typically, you can reheat on the stovetop and sometimes in the oven or air fryer, depending on the recipe.

Did You Make Any of These Taco Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of the best taco recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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Strawberry Sorbet

This 3-ingredient Strawberry Sorbet is the perfect homemade frozen treat to enjoy on a hot summer day. It's refreshing, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free. Plus, it's super easy to make with only 5 minutes of prep and no ice cream maker required! It's well worth the effort (and freezer space!).

So go ahead and satisfy your sweet tooth with this simple and refreshing frozen dessert, and you will be glad that you did. In fact, make extra because this real fruit sorbet will disappear fast!

This 3-ingredient Strawberry Sorbet is a refreshing, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free frozen treat to enjoy on a hot day. Plus, no ice cream maker required! | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Strawberry Sorbet

Loaded with fresh strawberries. I mean who doesn't love vibrant, sweet, and utterly succulent strawberries? They are low in calories and are one of nature's antioxidant powerhouses. And like most fruits, they have tons of nutrients, vitamins and minerals that all contribute to overall health. I love making it during strawberry season after picking fresh strawberries from our local farm. It's seriously the best!
It's a clean and healthy dessert. Since the main ingredient in this strawberry sorbet is strawberries, this fruit sorbet is a mostly healthy, nutritious dessert packed with essential nutrients and antioxidants. It's also vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, and even though it has some sugar, it is still one of the healthiest dessert options out there.
It's so easy to make. After making this strawberry sorbet once, you'll want to keep a batch in the freezer all the time. Why? Because it's seriously so easy to make with just 5 minutes of prep. You simply combine your ingredients in a blender and puree. Then, let your freezer do the rest and in a few hours you can scoop out a bowl of this refreshing dessert.
You might have everything you need already. This strawberry sorbet consists of three simple ingredients along with water: strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar. It's all you need for a sweet and delicious treat on a hot summer day. You might want to double this recipe because there won't be much left once you have had a taste.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy 3-ingredient strawberry sorbet, you will need a blender, and the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

strawberries - you will need fresh strawberries for this sorbet recipe. You can also substitute with frozen. If using frozen, your sorbet will be ready faster.
lemon juice
granulated sugar - sugar is really important because it is what gives the sorbet its creamy texture. Without it, you will have a large frozen popsicle. The pureed mixture will taste quite sweet, but freezing will dull the sweetness. For a refined sugar free option, you can try this with honey (but be mindful that the texture might not be exactly the same).
water
sliced strawberries - optional, for garnish.

For a creamy and milkier sorbet, add in 1 cup yogurt.

How to Make the Best Strawberry Sorbet

Puree. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.

Strain. Strain the strawberry puree mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds and lumps.

Freeze. Transfer the puree into an airtight container or a loaf pan and cover tightly with plastic cling wrap. Freeze for 4 hours.
Whisk. Take the sorbet out of the freezer and whisk it to a slushy consistency.

Freeze again. Cover and return to the freezer and leave to fully set, about 4 more hours.
Serve. Serve immediately. If the sorbet is too hard to scoop (if you stored it too long), then let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften before scooping.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Store strawberry sorbet in an airtight container or covered container in the freezer for up to one month. After that, it will still be safe to eat, but it will start to become overly icy.
Sorbet too hard to scoop? If you find that it is too hard to scoop, then let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping with an ice cream scoop.

More Strawberry Recipes

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Shrimp Fajitas

Shrimp fajitas are healthy, flavorful, and delicious. This one skillet recipe is loaded with juicy tender shrimp, colorful vegetables, and a homemade fajita seasoning blend. The best part? This quick and easy dinner is ready in just 20 minutes (including prep!).

Shrimp fajitas from scratch are a total crowd pleaser. Serve them on busy weeknights (hello Taco Night!) with Tortillas, Cilantro Lime Rice, and/or a drizzle of Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Shrimp fajitas are healthy, flavorful, and delicious. This one skillet recipe is loaded with shrimp and vegetables and is ready in just 20 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Shrimp Fajitas

Quick and easy dinner under 30 minutes. Who doesn't love a meal that comes together (with prep!) in less than 30 minutes? That's why we love shrimp recipes around here!
Homemade fajita seasoning adds so much flavor. The fajita seasoning blend is easy to make with 5 simple spices and takes just a minute or 2 to combine together with the shrimp. But if you want to make things more convenient, feel free to substitute with 2.5 teaspoons of store-bought fajita seasoning.
It's healthy and loaded with protein. This shrimp recipe is healthy, low-carb, and gluten-free (if serving with corn tortillas or rice). Plus, shrimp is high in protein and packed with nutrients.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy and delicious Shrimp Fajitas, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

shrimp - I recommend using large white shrimp but you can feel free to use any type of shrimp that you like. I also kept the tails on when cooking, but I recommend removing the tails if you are planning to serve them with tortillas (for easy eating).
fajita seasoning - we seasoned the shrimp with a homemade fajita seasoning blend of chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and dried oregano.
oil - we used avocado oil, but feel free to use any vegetable oil that you have on hand.
vegetables - I used a variety of different colored bell peppers (feel free to use any color combination that you want), along with onions and garlic. You can also add in other quick-cooking such as green beans, zucchini, or sliced mushrooms.
salt and pepper
lime juice
cilantro
tortillas - optional, if serving with tortillas. Feel free to use corn tortillas or flour tortillas.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and large skillet.

How to Make the Best Shrimp Fajitas

Season the shrimp. In a medium mixing bowl or ziploc bag, add shrimp, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well until evenly coated, and set aside.
Sauté vegetables. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and bell peppers and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Cook shrimp. Add the seasoned shrimp and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir well and cook until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through on both sides, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lime juice and cilantro, and mix well to combine.
Serve. Serve immediately with tortillas or rice, if desired.

How to Serve

Shrimp Fajitas are delicious served on their own with a side of Salsa or Guacamole, or paired with some Mexican sides including:

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: You can season the shrimp and cut the veggies ahead of time. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days (as long as the shrimp is fresh and doesn't expire beforehand). Once ready to cook, cook according to recipe instructions.
How to store: Cooked shrimp is best eaten fresh on the day it's cooked or the day after. You can store leftover shrimp fajitas for about two days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to reheat: To reheat leftover shrimp fajitas, preheat a covered pan with a splash of water on medium-low heat. Add the shrimp and heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes. You can also enjoy leftover shrimp fajitas cold over Shrimp Taco Salad.

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Vanilla Pudding

Homemade vanilla pudding is a rich, decadent, and creamy no bake dessert that you can make easily at home with 7 simple pantry staple ingredients and some patience letting it set.

So say good-bye to boxed pudding mixes or store-bought pudding cups because making vanilla pudding from scratch is better (no artificial flavors or filler ingredients here!) and tastes better too!

Homemade vanilla pudding is a creamy no bake dessert that you can make with 7 simple ingredients. So much better than boxed pudding mixes or pudding cups. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Homemade Vanilla Pudding

It's a creamy, indulgent dessert. This delicious homemade vanilla pudding is made rich by using whole milk and adding egg yolks and butter. You don't want to skip out on any of these ingredients because they're what make this vanilla pudding so decadent!
It's easy to make homemade pudding (and better than store-bought!). To be fair, this vanilla pudding isn't as easy as making pudding from a store-bought pudding mix packet - but it's pretty close! Simply combine the ingredients over the stovetop, then cool before letting the pudding set in the fridge. Plus, with homemade you know exactly what ingredients are going in there.
It's perfect to serve a crowd - both adults and kids. I love making vanilla pudding for celebrations because it's a real crowd-pleaser. Instead of chilling the pudding in a large bowl, I portion it into ceramic ramekins or small dessert glasses. Then, I cover each individual portion and store in the fridge. When it's time to serve, I remove the plastic wrap and top it with whipped cream.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious Vanilla Pudding, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

sugar
cornstarch - this is what thickens up the pudding.
salt
egg yolks
whole milk
butter
vanilla extract
ice cubes - for chilling the pudding in a water bath.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, saucepan, and mixing bowls.

How to Make the Best Vanilla Pudding from Scratch

Combine ingredients and cook. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until well blended. Whisk in the milk and heat over medium heat, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes.
Lower heat. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking until thickened, whisking often, about 1-2 minutes more. Note that pudding will be pourable but will continue to thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

Remove lumps. If you notice any lumps, pass the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve over a large heatproof bowl to remove any lumps. Skip this if you don't notice any lumps.
Chill. Prepare a large bowl with some water and ice to make an ice bath. Place the saucepan directly into the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until the pudding reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until the pudding has chilled through completely, at least 4 hours (up to 2 days).

How to Serve

This homemade vanilla pudding tastes amazing on its own, but that doesn't mean you can't give it a special twist. You can make this pudding recipe even more decadent by adding:

whipped cream and raspberries (or other fruit)
chocolate or caramel sauce
graham cracker crumbs
oreo cookie crumbs
bananas and vanilla wafers (to make Banana Pudding!)

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to prevent lumps: To avoid lumping, ensure that your egg yolks and dry ingredients are blended well before adding any milk. Then, add the milk slowly, making sure to fully incorporate it before adding more milk. This method can help you avoid lumps and skip step four!
How to store pudding: Homemade pudding will last for up to one week days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Try to avoid leaving your pudding out at room temperature for more than 1-2 hours.
How to freeze pudding: You can freeze homemade pudding in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. The consistency will turn into a rich and creamy ice cream. You can enjoy it frozen or allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

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Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is an American-Italian dish that is quick and easy to make in just 15 minutes. Tender shrimp is coated in a delicious and flavorful buttery sauce made with garlic and lemon juice.

Serve this homemade shrimp scampi as an appetizer or for a light dinner over pasta, zucchini noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. This quick shrimp recipe is perfect for busy weeknights but fancy enough for special occasions too.

Shrimp scampi is a delicious American-Italian dish made with tender shrimp and a flavorful buttery sauce that is quick and easy to make in 15 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Shrimp Scampi

It's a quick 30-minute dinner. Shrimp scampi is ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish, which makes it perfect for those busy weeknights when you want something on the dinner table fast.
The buttery scampi sauce. It's all about that buttery, lemony, scampi sauce. The best part? It is so simple to make. All you need it so start with some butter, cook the shrimp, then add stock (or wine) and some lemon juice. Be sure to have your pre-measured ingredients on hand as things move quickly and you don't overcook the shrimp.
It's easy yet impressive. This shrimp scampi recipe is incredibly easy to make, but that doesn't mean your guests will know that. You can serve these on weeknights but it's impressive and fancy enough for a dinner party or on Date Night.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Shrimp Scampi, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

pasta - we used linguine, but any long pasta will work such as angel hair, spaghetti, or fettuccine.
butter
garlic
chicken stock (or white wine)
shrimp - we used large white shrimp but you can use any type of shrimp that you want. I kept the tails on, but feel free to remove them for easy eating. Do this when you are preparing the shrimp (peeling and deveining) before cooking.
salt and pepper
lemon juice
parsley

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large skillet (I used a 10-inch cast-iron skillet), and a large cooking pot for the pasta.

How to Make the Best Shrimp Scampi

Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add linguine and cook until al dente according to package directions, about 10 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the hot pasta water in a bowl. Drain the noodles well and set aside.
Sauté aromatics. heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high until bubbly, about 1 minute. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in chicken stock and bring it to a simmer, about 1 minute.
Add shrimp. Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn pink. Season with salt and pepper.
Add seasoning. Add lemon juice, parsley, and ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Stir well until smooth and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes
Toss in pasta. Add cooked linguine and toss well to coat evenly. Top with chili flakes (if desired) and serve immediately.

How to Serve

You can serve Shrimp Scampi is on its own, but I recommend serving it over pasta, rice, or potatoes. Some of favorite recipes to serve it with are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Tips for cooking shrimp: Overcooked shrimp is tough and unpleasant to eat. The trick to making perfectly cooked shrimp is removing it from the heat once the shrimps turn pink and their tails start to curl inward.
How to store: Shrimp scampi tastes best served fresh. If you have any leftovers, allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
How to reheat: When reheating shrimp scampi, it's important to be mindful to not overcook the shrimp. You can heat this dish in the microwave on medium-low heat for a few minutes or in a pan on the stovetop, also over medium-low heat. In both cases, stir occasionally.

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Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs

Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with spinach, tomato, and feta is the perfect breakfast to make when you are short on time but still want to enjoy a delicious and flavorful meal. Loaded with vibrant and bold Mediterranean ingredients, this scrambled egg recipe makes regular eggs more interesting.

Ready in less than 10 minutes (including prep!) with a few simple ingredients, this quick and easy breakfast will give you energy that will last all morning and will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with spinach, tomato, and feta is loaded with flavor and a quick and easy breakfast to make in under 10 minutes (with prep!). | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs

It's fast and easy to make. After you roll out of bed to get ready for your day, a quick breakfast is essential - especially if you're running late. This Mediterranean scrambled egg recipe is ready in under 10 minutes (with prep!), so it can keep you on track.
Loaded with Mediterranean flavors. A classic omelet is great, but these Mediterranean eggs are better. Fresh tomatoes bring flavor and juiciness, while spinach adds a green kick. Add in the tang of feta cheese, and you've got a well-balanced meal that's as nutritious as it is delicious.
It makes scrambled eggs exciting. Plain scrambled eggs make a great breakfast but adding in vegetables is one of the best things to switch things up. Not only does it boost the nutrition of your breakfast with added vitamins and minerals - it also keeps breakfast interesting!

Ingredient Notes

To make quick and easy Mediterranean scrambled eggs, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

eggs
vegetable oil - for cooking the eggs.
tomato - you will need to remove all the seeds so that the eggs don't get too soggy.
baby spinach
feta cheese - feel free to substitute with goat cheese if you prefer.
salt and pepper

Scrambled Egg Add-Ins

These scrambled eggs are completely customizable too. Keep the Mediterranean flair and add in more ingredients like:

chopped asparagus
kalamata olives
chopped ham, bacon, or sausage
quinoa or riced cauliflower
eggplant or zucchini

How to Make the Best Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs

Sauté vegetables. Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add tomatoes and spinach and sauté until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.
Add eggs. Add eggs and use a spatula to mix together and scramble, about 30 seconds.
Add feta. Add feta cheese, and continue to cook until the egg is cooked to your preference.
Season. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with fresh herbs such as chopped dill or parsley, if desired.

How to Serve

Enjoy this Mediterranean scramble on its own, or pair it with:

You can even make a breakfast wrap by stuffing the Mediterranean scramble inside a tortilla, similar to this Vegan Hummus Wrap, or stuff them into tortillas and fry on the pan for a Mediterranean version of these Breakfast Quesadillas.

Storing Instructions

Mediterranean scrambled eggs are best enjoyed fresh, but they will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave them on medium until warmed through or heat them in a covered pan over the stove.

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Cauliflower Tacos

Vegetarian cauliflower tacos are loaded with air-fried or baked cauliflower, a delicious seasoning blend, and creamy lime cilantro slaw inside a corn tortilla. The best part? They are ready in just 30 minutes.

Loaded with flavor, these vegetarian tacos with cauliflower are so tasty that even meat-eaters will request them on Taco Tuesdays!

Why You'll Love Cauliflower Tacos

They're quick and easy. A meal that is quick to make is always a good meal. These vegetarian tacos are ready in just 30 short minutes, and you know I'm a big fan of 30-minute dinners!
Well-seasoned and flavorful. These cauliflower tacos get their incredible depth of flavor from two key places. The first is a spice blend of cumin, chili, and paprika that we season the cauliflower with. The second is a unique coleslaw that compliments the spiced cauliflower so well.
Tender with a crunch. Whether oven-baked or air-fried, the cauliflower becomes soft and tender on the inside with a slight crisp crunch on the outside. It's so good.
Stuffed with creamy slaw. Although there's nothing wrong with enjoying plain cauliflower tacos, the cilantro lime slaw adds sauciness to make these vegetarian cauliflower tacos even better.

Ingredient Notes

To make these vegetarian Cauliflower Tacos, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

cauliflower - seasoned with avocado oil, garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, ground cumin, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. You can also make breaded cauliflower by following our Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites preparation instructions (and doubling the recipe).
cilantro lime slaw - made with coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage), Greek yogurt (or sour cream), mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. You can also substitute the slaw for Lime Crema Slaw, if desired.
tortillas - feel free to use corn tortillas or flour tortillas.
red onions
fresh cilantro

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and an air fryer (if using).

How to Make the Best Cauliflower Tacos

First, cook the cauliflower.

In a large mixing bowl or Ziploc bag, add cauliflower, oil, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly coated.

Cook the cauliflower in the oven: Preheat oven to 400F. Spread the seasoned cauliflower florets in a single layer in a large half sheet baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20- 25 minutes until tender and the edges become crispy.

Cook the cauliflower the air fryer: Transfer the seasoned cauliflower into the air fryer basket and cook at 375F for 15 minutes until tender and the edges become crispy.

Set aside on a plate until ready to assemble the tacos.

Make the cilantro lime slaw.

In a medium mixing bowl, add yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir well until smooth.

Place coleslaw mix in a large mixing bowl and pour in the dressing. Toss well to combine and coat evenly.

Assemble the tacos.

Heat the tortillas according to the package instructions, or heat in an ungreased cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds per side. You can also heat corn tortillas directly on a gas burner for a few seconds per side to get char marks on the edges. Repeat with all tortillas.

Divide the cilantro lime slaw into each tortilla. Top with cooked cauliflower, red onions, and cilantro. Squeeze in some lime juice, if desired. You can also serve cauliflower tacos with a drizzle of Cilantro Lime Dressing or Lime Crema.

How to Serve

These cauliflower vegetarian tacos make a complete filling meal on their own loaded with veggies. You can also pair them with some other dishes to enjoy a Mexican-inspired feast, such as:

Salsa or Guacamole
Cilantro Lime Rice and beans
Mexican Street Corn (Elote) or Grilled Corn on the Cob
Sheet Pan Nachos
Shrimp Taco Salad

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Store the ingredients for cauliflower tacos separately. Allow the cooked cauliflower to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container, and store for up to 3-4 days. You can store the cilantro lime slaw for up to 2-3 days.
How to reheat: Reheat cauliflower in the oven or air fryer at 350F until warm, about 5 minutes. Then, assemble the cauliflower tacos as directed, or eat them on their own.

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30 Best Potluck Recipes

Wondering what to bring to a potluck? When it comes to potluck food, you need recipes that are easy to make ahead, easy to store, and easy to transport. Whether you're tasked with preparing picnic recipes for a family gathering or a dish for a barbecue with friends or work potluck, we are here to help make things easier for you. We are sharing over 30 of the most popular and best potluck recipes including pasta salads, dips, bite-sized snacks, platters, and more, so that you don't have to search for any further potluck ideas.

Best Potluck Recipes

Italian Pasta Salad

Italian pasta salad is delicious, wholesome, and easy to make. Make it up to three days ahead for your summer picnics and cookouts. You can't get more classic than Italian Salad at a potluck!

Deviled Eggs

Classic deviled eggs are a simple, easy, and healthy appetizer to make when you need something quick for brunch, picnics, barbecues, potlucks, or Easter.

7 Layer Dip

This easy and delicious 7 layer dip is the perfect dip to serve at your next party, made with layers of beans, guacamole, salsa, cheese, and more.

Sticky Honey Garlic Meatballs

Sticky honey garlic meatballs are a delicious and flavourful 30-minute meal to add to your weekly dinner rotation. A total crowd pleaser.

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

Easy pepperoni pizza rolls are crispy on the bottom, tender and chewy inside, packed with pepperoni and cheese, and baked until bubbly.

Veggie Tray

This homemade veggie tray is a quick easy healthy snack or appetizer to make for your next party, with a variety of colorful vegetables and delicious dips.

Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze

Tomato bruschetta with balsamic glaze is an easy Italian appetizer topped with tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil and olive oil. Delicious, fresh and simple.

Antipasto Skewers

Antipasto skewers with tortellini are a quick, easy, and delicious appetizer with the best parts of a traditional antipasto platter but easier to eat.

Olive Tapenade

Olive tapenade is a delicious, flavorful, easy dip that comes together in minutes, made with the perfect combination of sharp, tangy, salty, and savory.

Turkey Pinwheels

Turkey pinwheels are bite-sized finger food perfection and will make back-to-school lunch planning for the kids a total breeze. They are fully customizable and you can wrap them up in a tortilla or in pita bread.

Macaroni Salad

Classic macaroni salad is a creamy and delicious pasta salad that is easy to throw together. It's the perfect side to bring to a summer potluck or BBQ.

Rosemary Cornbread

Sweet and savoury, buttery rosemary cornbread is soft and moist with golden crispy edges, flavourful and delicious, and so easy to make.

Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Fresh, light and healthy Vietnamese salad rolls are packed with vermicelli noodles, shrimp, fresh vegetables and herbs and dipped in homemade peanut sauce.

Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball

Bacon cheddar cheese ball is an easy to make appetizer and delicious showstopper at holiday parties or game day. It's creamy, cheesy, and nutty.

Spring Pesto Pasta with Asparagus

Spring pesto pasta with asparagus and chives is light and made with simple ingredients in under 20 minutes. Serve it hot for dinner or cold as pasta salad.

Egg Salad Sandwich

The best egg salad sandwich is a quick and easy picnic classic loaded with perfect hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, a touch of dijon mustard and green onions.

Mango Salsa

Fresh mango salsa is sweet, tangy, and delicious. It's a quick and easy recipe that you can whip up with just 6 ingredients and in under 10 minutes.

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Quick and easy Mediterranean orzo pasta salad packed with fresh vegetables and herbs is tossed in a Greek lemon vinaigrette. Healthy, light and delicious.

Pigs in a Blanket

Pigs in a blanket from scratch are a delicious and easy appetizer or snack to make for your next party or gathering — juicy, cheesy, flaky, and buttery.

Whipped Feta Crostini

Whipped feta crostini with a herby olive topping is quick and easy snack or appetizer that is ready in less than 20 minutes — or 10 minutes if you’re fast.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Bright and colorful caprese pasta salad is the ultimate summer side dish. It's fresh, light, and loaded with vibrant summer flavors. Quick and easy too!

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits are a simple but delicious and flavorful no yeast bread that is ready for the oven with less than 15 minutes of prep.

Classic Hummus

Whip up classic smooth and creamy hummus dip at home in just 5 minutes, by combining chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in the blender. Serve it with veggies or crackers, or use it in a vegan hummus wrap.

Sweet Chili Turkey Meatballs

Sweet chili turkey meatballs are delicious, tender and juicy, loaded with classic Thai flavors, and quick and easy to make. Savory, sweet, and tangy.

Potato Salad

Easy homemade potato salad is loaded with baby potatoes, eggs, and green onions and tossed in a mayo sauce and is a go-to for summer barbecues and picnics.

Charcuterie Board

This easy charcuterie board is the perfect appetizer to impress with minimal effort— made with cheese, cured meats, crackers, dips, olives, fruit, and nuts.

Fruit Salad

This Summer Fruit Salad is colorful, delicious, and naturally sweet (no processed sugar!). It's easy to make with fresh fruit tossed in a homemade dressing.

Caramelized Onion Dip

Caramelized onion dip is creamy, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. This easy appetizer is perfect for entertaining, on game day, or for a snack.

Greek Salad Hummus Flatbread

This bright and colourful Greek salad hummus flatbread is perfect as an appetizer or a healthy lunch or snack.

Summer Corn Salad

Take fresh-off-the-grill corn on the cob and turn it into a light, flavourful summer corn salad, topped with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and cheese.

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Did You Make Any of These Potluck Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of potluck recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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Coconut Tapioca Pudding

Coconut Tapioca Pudding is a creamy, light, and refreshing Asian dessert to enjoy on a hot summer evening. Loaded with soft and chewy tapioca pearls (or sago) and topped with ripe mango, this tropical Thai coconut pudding is satisfying in flavor and texture.

If you're a fan of bubble tea and boba, this coconut tapioca pudding is a must try dessert! Plus, it's gluten-free and can easily be made vegan too.

Coconut Tapioca Pudding is a creamy, light, and refreshing Thai dessert to enjoy on a hot summer evening. Plus, it’s gluten-free and can be made vegan too. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Coconut Tapioca

The flavors are simple but delicious. This coconut tapioca pudding is made with coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and tapioca pearls. Plus, you can add fresh mango or other fruit on top. Together, these flavors create a slightly sweet and tropical flavor.
The texture of soft boba. You can use your favorite white pearls in this coconut tapioca pudding, whether large tapioca or small sago. Either way, you'll love the texture that the boba adds to this pudding.
A perfect summer dessert. This sweet dessert, whether served at room temperature or cooled, is incredibly light and refreshing. Once you try this coconut tapioca pudding, it might become your new favorite treat on a hot summer day.
It's quick to make. You can enjoy this coconut tapioca pudding just 40 minutes after you've decided to make it. Cooking the boba pearls takes some time, but assembling the pudding together takes seconds.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Coconut Tapioca Pudding, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

white pearls - you can use large white tapioca pearls or mini sago pearls or a combination of both (which is what we did). Note that sago pearls cook faster.
honey - prevents the pearls from sticking together.
coconut milk
sweetened condensed milk
mango - optional topping. You can also use any other tropical fruit on top such as pineapples, peaches, and berries.
fresh mint - optional, to garnish on top.

How to Make Vegan Coconut Tapioca Pudding

To make this tapioca pudding vegan, substitute the condensed milk with coconut cream. You will also want to add a sweetener such as agave, maple syrup, or sugar to make up for the missing sugar.

How to Cook White Tapioca Pearls

For Large Tapioca Pearls:

Cook. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add tapioca pearls and turn the heat down to medium-low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Rest. Turn off the heat and let the pearls rest in the hot water for another 30 minutes.
Rinse. Rinse the pearls under running water to cool and drain well.
Repeat if necessary. If you still see a white dot in each pearl, repeat the previous steps by boiling the pearls for 30 minutes and letting them sit for 30 minutes until all the tapioca pearls become completely transparent.
Drain. Drain well and transfer into a bowl. Stir in honey to prevent them from sticking together.

For Mini Sago Pearls:

Cook. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sago pearls and turn the heat down to medium-low heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan. At this point, you might still see a tiny white dot in each pearl.
Rest. Turn off the heat and let the pearls rest in the hot water until all the tapioca pearls become completely transparent, about 15-20 minutes.
Rinse and drain. Rinse the pearls under running water to cool. Drain well and set aside in a bowl. Stir in honey to prevent the pearls from sticking together.

How to Make the Best Coconut Tapioca Pudding

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk until well combined.

Divide the cooked pearls between 4 serving bowls. Stir in the coconut milk mixture.

Top with diced mango and fresh mint (if using) and serve immediately.

How to Serve

This Coconut Sago Pudding is a delicious Asian dessert to serve on a hot summer day after dinner. Some of my favorite summer dinners to serve this after are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Keep leftover coconut tapioca pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to freeze: You can also freeze tapioca pudding in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to thaw: Allow frozen coconut tapioca pudding to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

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Garlic Butter Shrimp

Garlic butter shrimp is a quick and easy dinner ready in just 10 minutes! It's loaded with flavor - buttery, garlicky, and lemony. Perfect for busy weeknights but also for special occasions.

Like most shrimp recipes, it's so easy to make that you'll want to make it all the time! Serve pan-fried garlic shrimp over pasta, rice, salads, and more.

Garlic butter shrimp is a quick and easy dinner ready in just 10 minutes! It’s loaded with flavor and perfect for busy weeknights and special occasions. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Garlic Butter Shrimp

It's a quick 15 minute dinner. The best part of this meal is that it's so fast to make. Spend 5 minutes prepping your ingredients and 10 minutes cooking it before you can enjoy fresh, perfectly cooked shrimp coated in a garlic butter sauce that is so crave-worthy.
It's easy to make too. Did I mention anyone, especially beginners, can make this recipe? You only need to know is what to look for when cooking shrimp. As soon as they begin to turn pink, keep your eye on the shrimp. Once the tails begin to turn in, they're done! Any longer in the pan, and they could overcook into a rubbery mess. So, be sure to pull your garlic butter shrimp off the heat at the right time.
It's delicious and flavorful. Shrimp has a yummy natural taste, and when you add garlic butter with lemon and herbs to the mix, it makes it even better.
Shrimp is a healthy protein. Shrimp is a seafood that's high in protein and low in calories, carbs, and fat. It's also packed with essential nutrients like selenium, choline, niacin, zinc, and vitamins B6, B12, and E.

Ingredient Notes

To make this quick and easy Garlic Butter Shrimp, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

shrimp - I used large white shrimp but you can feel free to use any type of shrimp that you like. I also kept the tails on, but for easier eating, you can remove them when you are peeling and deveining the shrimp before cooking.
butter
garlic
lemon juice
parsley
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring spoons and a large skillet (I used a 10-inch cast-iron skillet).

How to Make the Best Garlic Butter Shrimp

Sear shrimp. Add butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt until it starts to bubble, about 1-2 minutes. Sear the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until the edges turn golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
Add seasoning. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and parsley. Toss well to mix evenly.
Serve. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

Garlic butter shrimp tastes best when served over pasta or rice. You can also use it to top salads or create a surf n turf meal when served with steak.

Serve garlic shrimp with:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Cooked shrimp is best eaten fresh on the day it's cooked or the day after. Store it for about two days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to reheat: To reheat leftover garlic butter shrimp, preheat a covered pan with a splash of water on medium-low heat. Add the garlic butter shrimp and heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes. You can also enjoy garlic butter shrimp cold over salad.

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Kani Salad

Kani Salad is a common side dish that you can find at Japanese restaurants that can be easily made at home. It's loaded with thin strips of crab, julienned vegetables, and a creamy mayo dressing (which can be made spicy for a Spicy Kani Salad variation).

Made with a simple combination of ingredients, this Japanese crab salad is nonetheless packed with so much flavor and is cheap to make (compared to real crab). Serve it on sushi night or alongside your favorite Asian Takeout dishes.

Kani Salad is loaded with thin strips of crab, julienned vegetables, and a creamy mayo dressing (which can be made spicy for a Spicy Kani Salad). | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Kani Salad

Flavorful crab salad. Kani in Japanese means crab, and in kani salad, you can expect to find imitation crab meat. Imitation crab meat is typically made from white fish and processed in a way to look like crab meat and taste like it too. Plus, you can serve this mild or add extra flavor such as hot sauce to turn it into a spicy kani salad.
Loaded with fresh vegetables. Fresh cucumbers and carrots bring a healthy crunch and vibrant color to this seafood salad. Plus the lemon juice in the dressing helps to soften the veggies just enough to create the perfect texture. It's so good.
Quick and easy to make. Need to throw something together fast? This kani salad recipe has your back. It's ready in just 10 minutes, or less if you are really quick at chopping up ingredients. Once you have prepped all the ingredients, you simply throw them together, toss with the salad dressing, and serve!

Ingredient Notes

To make this Asian Kani Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

imitation crab - although it's not real crab meat, imitation crab meat is delicious and it's affordable.
Persian cucumbers - also known as mini cucumbers.
carrot
corn - I used corn that was thawed from frozen. You can thaw frozen corn quickly by letting it sit in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes before draining. You can also substitute with canned corn but drain and rinse the corn first.
dressing - the creamy dressing is made with mayonnaise, lemon juice, sesame oil, black sesame seeds, salt, and pepper.
sriracha or hot sauce - you can make a spicy kani salad by adding in some hot sauce to the dressing.

Variations

Kani salad is customizable with your favorite fruits or vegetables including avocados, lettuce, or mangos. You could also add in fish roe.

How to Make the Best Kani Salad

Prepare vegetables. Prepare the salad ingredients by shredding the crab sticks using a box grater. Use a knife to julienne the cucumbers and carrots into thin strips, use the grater to shred them. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the corn.
Make dressing. In a medium mixing bowl, make the dressing by stirring together mayonnaise, lemon juice, sesame oil, hot sauce, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Toss to combine. Add the dressing to the salad and toss well to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

I like serving spicy kani salad alongside:

To make your presentation truly memorable, consider serving your kani salad over a whole iceberg lettuce leaf.

Storing Instructions

Keep leftover kani salad in the fridge inside an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can enjoy your kani salad as soon as you make it or store it until you're ready to eat.

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Stuffed Chicken Breasts

These Stuffed Chicken Breasts loaded with mushrooms and spinach are juicy, tender, and flavorful. With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can completely transform a regular chicken dinner to something much more interesting and delicious! It's garlicky, cheesy, and so good.

If you want to impress guests with a recipe that seems complicated but is actually incredibly easy, give this stuffed chicken breast recipe a try! It's perfect for a special occassion like Date Night or a fancy dinner party but easy enough for any night of the week.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts loaded with mushrooms and spinach are juicy, tender, and flavorful. A handful of simple ingredients transforms regular chicken. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The mushroom-spinach stuffing. These stuffed chicken breasts are packed full of sautéed mushrooms and spinach seasoned with garlic, an Italian seasoning blend, and salt and pepper. This simple combination of ingredients yield big flavor and is the perfect companion to fresh chicken breast.
The juicy, tender chicken. The secret to making these stuffed chicken breasts juicy and tender is to sear the chicken breasts on a skillet for a few minutes on each side before popping into the oven to fully cook in the middle. The most important step is to then let it rest - which locks in all the juice inside to ensure the most tender bites of chicken. Don't skip this last step!
It looks and tastes beautiful. Cutting into a stuffed chicken breast is a great experience. It looks amazing, and every bite is well balanced between the chicken and the stuffing. It's a go to recipe when you want to impress.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Stuffed Chicken Breasts, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

chicken breast - this recipe is for boneless and skinless breasts.
brown mushrooms
baby spinach
mozzarella cheese - feel free to substitute with any melty cheese such as provolone or white cheddar.
garlic
seasoning - Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
butter and olive oil - you need butter for sautéing the veggies, and olive oil for searing the chicken.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large oven proof skillet (12-inch cast iron skillet),

How to Make the Best Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Preheat oven to 400F.

Make the stuffing:

Add butter in a large oven-proof skillet (such as a cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat and melt until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until the moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the color turns golden brown. Salt will further extract more water from the mushrooms, giving them a nice brown color.
Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
Transfer the mushroom mixture to a plate and set aside.

Stuff the chicken breasts:

Carefully slice each chicken breast in the middle lengthwise to create a pocket, leaving about ¼ inch from the end (Do not cut all the way through!). Season with salt and pepper evenly on all sides.
Stuff ¼ cup mushroom mixture and ¼ cup cheese into the pocket of each breast.
Seal the edges with toothpicks (about 3-4 toothpicks per chicken breast).

Cook the chicken breasts:

Use a paper towel to wipe the same skillet clean. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat until it sizzles, about 1 minute. Carefully add the stuffed chicken and sear until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked at this point.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated 400F oven and bake for 15 minutes until the melted cheese is bubbly and the chicken is fully cooked through. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes. Serve whole or slice into strips.

How to Serve

Stuffed Chicken Breasts are delicious served on their own, or paired with some of my favorite sides including:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make-ahead instructions: To make this recipe ahead of time, cook the stuffing and stuff the chicken breasts. Then, refrigerate the raw, stuffed breasts for up to 2 days before searing and baking them. Bring the chicken to room temperature before you start to sear (about 20 minutes) for even cooking.
How to store: Store leftover stuffed chicken breasts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to reheat: The best way to reheat stuffed chicken breasts is wrapped in aluminum foil inside a 375F oven. Add a splash of water to the foil, and make sure air can circulate around the chicken. Then, bake for 10-20 minutes until warmed through. Note that larger pieces will need more time.

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Lobster Bisque

Homemade lobster bisque is rich and creamy, loaded with seafood flavor, and so delicious. It's a quick and easy soup recipe generously packed with lobster meat throughout the flavorful broth.

Pair this lobster soup with soft bread, because you'll want to wipe the bowl clean to get every last drop of that delicious broth. This lobster bisque is perfect for a light lunch but fancy enough for dinner.

Homemade lobster bisque is rich and creamy, loaded with seafood flavor, and delicious. Serve this quick and easy soup with soft bread for lunch or dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Lobster Bisque

It's ready in under an hour. If you love making soups, you know that many of them require long simmers. But this lobster bisque is ready in just 40 short minutes!
The lobster soup broth. To make this lobster bisque, you'll start with a traditional mirepoix before adding Italian seasoning and garlic. Then, the body of the broth comes in with fish stock, white wine, and heavy cream. This trio is what makes this lobster bisque so tasty, so don't skip out on any of them.
You can use fresh homemade lobster stock instead of fish stock. If you're using fresh lobster for this lobster bisque (which I highly recommend), you can make a simple homemade lobster stock to use in this lobster bisque using the excess lobster shells. It adds the best flavor to this lobster soup.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious lobster bisque, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butter
onion
carrots
celery
seasoning - Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
garlic
all-purpose flour - helps to thicken the soup.
tomato paste
fish stock or seafood stock - if you boil a fresh lobster to extract the lobster meat, you can also use the shells to make homemade lobster stock instead of store-bought fish stock. Scroll down for the instructions.
white wine - this is optional to add extra flavor.
heavy cream
lobster meat - I used lobster meat from 2 of our Garlic Butter Lobster Tails. You can also use meat from a 1 pound hard shell lobster. If cooking the lobster, remember that, like other shellfish, they begin to spoil quickly when not live. So, it's best to buy fresh lobster and cook right away.
fresh parsley - optional, for garnish.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a 6 quart Dutch oven or large pot, and a blender or immersion blender.

How to Make the Best Lobster Bisque

Sauté aromatics. In a 6-quart Dutch oven or large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until soft and tender, about 5-7 minutes
Add seasoning. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook until thickened into a paste, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and mix until well combined.

Simmer. Add fish stock, wine and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thickened a bit, stirring occasionally.
Puree. Transfer the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot. You can also puree the soup directly in the pot using immersion blender.
Add lobster meat. Stir in the lobster meat and continue to cook over medium heat until the lobster is warmed through and the bisque has thickened to a desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes.
Serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Sprinkle some fresh parsley if desired.

How to Make Homemade Lobster Stock

If you boil a fresh lobster to extract the lobster meat, you can use the shells to make homemade lobster stock instead of store-bought fish stock. First, boil the lobster for about 10 minutes until fully cooked through. Take the lobster out of the pot and remove all the meat from the shells. Return the shells to the pot and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to extract more flavor. Discard the shell, remove from heat, and set aside.

How to Serve

I love to serve Lobster Bisque with some crackers or crunchy bread for dipping. It's also delicious serve with a salad and/or grilled cheese sandwich. Some of my favorite sides to serve with Lobster Bisque are:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Lobster bisque is best served fresh but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
How to freeze: Allow the lobster soup to cool to room temperature before transferring to a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat.
How to reheat: Reheat lobster bisque on medium-low heat in a covered pan on the stove until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.

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25+ Best BBQ Side Dishes

When planning a summer cookout or barbecue, the main dish sometimes takes all the focus, but the BBQ sides are just as important (if not more!). Grilled meat and skewers really shine when paired with salads, veggies, and bread. So if you are wondering "what side dishes to serve with BBQ", then you are in the right place. We are sharing over 25 of the best BBQ side dishes including summer salads, roasted vegetables, potato side dishes, creamy pasta, fluffy bread, and more.

Best BBQ Side Dishes

Classic Coleslaw

Fresh, crisp, classic coleslaw salad is a must-have recipe for a summer barbecue or picnic, or as an easy make-ahead lunch. Make it in less than 10 minutes.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Buttery and salty grilled corn on the cob with beautiful char marks, delicious flavor, and the best texture is the easiest recipe to throw on the grill.

Antipasto Skewers

Antipasto skewers with tortellini are a quick, easy, and delicious appetizer with the best parts of a traditional antipasto platter but easier to eat.

Summer Corn Salad

Take fresh-off-the-grill corn on the cob and turn it into a light, flavourful summer corn salad, topped with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and cheese.

Rosemary Cornbread

Sweet and savoury, buttery rosemary cornbread is soft and moist with golden crispy edges, flavourful and delicious, and so easy to make.

Cheesy Baked Zucchini with Marinara

Cheesy Baked Zucchini with Marinara will save your weeknight dinner routine (and the kids love it too!). It's low carb, vegetarian, gluten-free, and keto.

Macaroni Salad

Classic macaroni salad is a creamy and delicious pasta salad that is easy to throw together. It's the perfect side to bring to a summer potluck or BBQ.

Easy Tzatziki Sauce (Yogurt Cucumber Dip)

Light and fresh, easy tzatziki sauce is a creamy yogurt cucumber dip packed with fresh cucumbers, garlic, dill, lemon juice and olive oil. So easy to make.

Garlic Green Beans

Buttery sautéed garlic green beans is a simple side dish that is quick, easy and delicious. Make these vibrant, crispy and tender green beans in 10 minutes.

Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad is quick and easy, loaded with Mediterranean flavors, and delicious. Serve it at a summer cookout or potluck, or meal prep weekly lunches.

BBQ Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Try this delicious combination of BBQ chicken, scallions, cilantro and gruyere for an explosion of flavour in loaded BBQ chicken stuffed baked potatoes.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican street corn salad adds a twist to a classic street food, loaded with freshly grilled corn, a creamy cheesy dressing, and authentic flavor.

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

Easy pepperoni pizza rolls are crispy on the bottom, tender and chewy inside, packed with pepperoni and cheese, and baked until bubbly.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

This creamy cucumber salad is the easy, refreshing snack and side dish your summer cookouts have been missing. Make it ahead with just 5 minutes prep.

Easy Homemade Biscuits

Flaky, fluffy, buttery, and soft, these easy homemade biscuits come together with only a handful of ingredients you already have at home!

Pigs in a Blanket

Pigs in a blanket from scratch are a delicious and easy appetizer or snack to make for your next party or gathering — juicy, cheesy, flaky, and buttery.

Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese Salad

Quick and easy tomato and mozzarella caprese salad is a fresh, light, and delicious summer salad, made with just a few simple ingredients in 10 minutes.

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Pair baked sweet potato wedges with warm spices and a homemade honey mustard dipping sauce and serve as an appetizer or side on game day or on any occasion!

Homemade Pickles

Homemade pickles are easy to make at home in just 5 minutes with no canning required. Plus, they are ready to eat in just 1 to 2 days!

Potato Salad

Easy homemade potato salad is loaded with baby potatoes, eggs, and green onions and tossed in a mayo sauce and is a go-to for summer barbecues and picnics.

Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño poppers are the perfect appetizer — spicy, crispy, cheesy, and creamy, toasted to golden brown perfection. Plus easy to make ahead and freeze well.

Stovetop Mac and Cheese with White Cheddar

Quick and easy, creamy stovetop mac and cheese with white cheddar is a delicious and comforting one pot 20-minute meal packed with three types of cheese.

Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad

Simple tomato cucumber avocado salad with a delicious lemon vinaigrette is a light and refreshing salad that comes together in literally 5 minutes.

Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

Mexican street corn (elote) is a delicious corn on the cob loaded with a cheesy sauce elevated with cilantro and lime. Creamy, cheesy, spicy, and flavorful.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Flaky Garlic Cheddar Biscuits are a simple but delicious and flavorful no yeast bread that is ready for the oven with less than 15 minutes prep.

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Quick and easy Mediterranean orzo pasta salad packed with fresh vegetables and herbs is tossed in a Greek lemon vinaigrette. Healthy, light and delicious.

Greek Fries

Homemade Greek fries bring a Mediterranean twist on a classic side dish, crispy fries are topped with crumbled feta cheese, fresh parsley, and lime juice.

Summer Fruit Salad

This Summer Fruit Salad is colorful, delicious, and naturally sweet (no processed sugar!). It's easy to make with fresh fruit tossed in a homemade dressing.

Creamy Broccoli Slaw Salad

Creamy broccoli slaw salad is healthy, delicious, and flavourful. It's packed with crunchy vegetables, salty feta, sweet raisins, and a creamy dressing.

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Did You Make Any of These BBQ Side Dishes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of BBQ side dish recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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Matcha Milk Tea

Iced Matcha Milk Tea with boba tapioca pearls is rich, refreshing, and delicious. Made with matcha powder, milk, and a sweetener (if needed), you won't believe how easy it is to make matcha bubble tea at home.

Plus, you can customize it and make it vegan by using non-dairy milk, add in extra sweetness if you need it, or turn it into a cold brew matcha green tea latte by omitting the boba. Homemade matcha tea is so much better and cheaper than store-bought!

Iced Matcha Milk Tea with boba tapioca pearls is rich, refreshing, and delicious. Made with 3 ingredients, matcha bubble tea is easy to make at home. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Matcha Milk Tea

It's healthy. There are a few reasons that this matcha bubble tea is healthy. First, it's loaded loaded with antioxidants from the matcha. Second, you can control the sweetness by adding in exrtra honey or maple syrup if you want or leave it out completely, and you can make it vegan by using non-dairy milk like almond milk or oat milk if you have a dietary preference.
It's quick and easy to make at home. Making iced matcha milk tea is so much easier to make at home that you might think. We are using cooked boba, so this takes about 15 minutes to make - 10 minutes of which you are waiting for the matcha tea to cool down. If you are making the tapioca pearls too, set aside extra time to cook them.
Serve it as bubble tea or a green tea latte. If you don't have boba on hand, you can totally make this recipe without them, cool down the green tea in the refrigerator, and serve it as a cold brew matcha or iced matcha green tea latte.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make delicious, homemade Matcha Milk Tea, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

matcha green tea powder
hot water
tapioca boba pearls - if using dry tapioca pearls , you will need to cook them first. I always use our go to tapioca boba pearls recipe anytime I am making bubble tea.
milk - feel free to use any kind of milk for this recipe, whether that is dairy milk or non-dairy alternatives such as almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
ice cubes - this is optional, if needed.
sweetener - Add in some honey or maple syrup if you feel that you need it. The brown sugar tapioca pearls add sweetness, but if it is not enough add a little more.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a teapot or small mixing bowl. You will also need tall glasses and wide straws for serving. These can also be purchased online or at Asian specialty stores.

How to Make the Best Matcha Milk Tea

Make the matcha tea. In a small bowl or tea pot, add matcha green tea powder and pour ¼ cup freshly boiled water over top. Stir well until smooth and frothy, about 1 minute. Set it aside to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. You can also chill it longer in the refrigerator if you want.
Assemble the matcha bubble tea. Divide the cooked tapioca pearls between 2 tall glasses. Then, pour in half the milk into each glass and half the matcha tea. Stir together, add ice cubes, and serve with wide straws. You can add in extra sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup if needed.

How to Cook Boba (Tapioca Pearls)

Boba is really easy to make at home. All you do is cook the tapioca pearls in boiling water for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then, turn the heat off and let the pearls sit in the hot water for another 20-25 minutes. Drain the pearls through a fine mesh sieve and return to the saucepan.

Then, make the brown sugar syrup by adding it to the saucepan with a little water. Stir well and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to thicken a bit, about 4-5 minutes. When the pearls are fully cooked through, they should be soft and chewy.

Check out the complete Tapioca Pearls (Boba) recipe with tips.

Three ways to make bubble tea at home is a lot easier than you think! Made with real ingredients, this recipe is delicious, refreshing, and healthy. | aheadofthyme.com

Storing Instructions

How to store matcha milk tea: Matcha milk tea is best enjoyed fresh, but it will last in the fridge for about 4 hours if it's already mixed with the tapioca pearls. You can enjoy it after a day but the boba pearls will lose its texture and get hard. In this case, you can remove the boba with a slotted spoon and enjoy the rest of the drink. Otherwise, it can last for 1-2 days in the fridge if not mixed with the pearls.
How to store cooked tapioca pearls. If you have extra boba pearls, store them in an airtight container at room temperature, and cover and fully coat them in the brown sugar syrup to prevent them from sticking together. You need to consume them within 4 hours or they will start to get mushy. You can also store them in the fridge for a couple of hours, but if you store them too long in there, they will start to harden.

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Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad is quick and easy to make, loaded with Mediterranean flavors, and totally delicious. It's the perfect salad to serve at a summer cookout or potluck, or for meal prepping your weekly lunches.

This colorful side dish is loaded with pasta and fresh vegetables, all tossed in a creamy Greek salad dressing with fresh dill or parsley from the garden.

Greek Pasta Salad is quick and easy, loaded with Mediterranean flavors, and delicious. Serve it at a summer cookout or potluck, or meal prep weekly lunches. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Greek Pasta Salad

Loaded with Mediterranean flavors. Greek flavors are abundant in this salad. In this salad, your favorite pasta will share the stage with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onions, kalamata olives, and feta cheese.
A colorful side dish. All those delicious ingredients do more than make this Greek pasta salad taste great they it also make it look beautiful! If you're feeding picky children or taking this to an event, then you know presentation matters.
Quick and easy. When you make this Greek pasta salad, you will spend most of the time chopping the ingredients. All it takes to make this is boil the pasta, chop up the veggies, and toss everything together. So easy.
Great for meal prep. If you love to meal prep, this Mediterranean pasta salad is for you. Prepare it at the beginning of the week for a few days of easy lunches with no effort. In fact, leftovers might even taste better the next day.
You'll want to have seconds. This recipe uses a ½ pound of pasta, but you can easily double this recipe and use a whole box instead. Plus, your family will be happy to hear that they need to finish off the leftovers.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Greek Pasta Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

pasta - use any small shaped pasta. I like using rotini or fusili because of how it holds on to the delicious creamy Greek dressing in every crevice.
grape tomatoes - or substitute with cherry tomatos or roma tomatoes chopped into 1-inch pieces.
mini cucumbers
bell pepper - I used a green pepper, but you can use any color or combination of bell peppers that you want.
red onion
kalamata olives
feta cheese
fresh dill - fresh dill adds in a classic Greek flavor, but you can feel free to substitute with fresh parsley instead if you don't have any dill.
salad dressing - we made creamy Greek dressing in minutes using our homemade Greek Salad Dressing and Plain Yogurt. You can also just use Greek Salad Dressing for a non-creamy option.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a medium cooking pot, and mixing bowls.

How to Make the Best Greek Pasta Salad

Cook pasta. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and rinse pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool the pasta down.
Combine ingredients. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl or serving bowl. If not assembling the salad immediately, add some olive oil and toss together to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Otherwise, add remaining ingredients.

Make dressing. In a small mixing bowl, combine Greek salad dressing and yogurt and stir until smooth. Pour the dressing on top, and toss to combine.

Serve. You can serve the pasta salad immediately, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This will allow all the flavours to infuse into each other more. When ready to serve, give the salad a good toss and add a little more dressing, if desired.

How to Serve

This Greek Pasta Salad tastes best served cold or at room temperature. Serve this side salad with a protein like grilled chicken or fish or a summer main like burgers paired with grilled vegetables.

Some of my favorite recipes to serve this with at a summer cookout or potluck are:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Keep leftover Greek pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tip for leftovers: When you store this pasta salad, it's normal for the dressing and other veggie juices to sink to the bottom. To even out the flavor, give your salad a good toss inside a water-tight container before serving leftovers.

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Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits are a simple but delicious and flavorful no yeast bread that is ready for the oven with less than 15 minutes of prep. They are flaky, cheesy, and garlicky. Plus, quick and easy to make with a handful of refrigerator and pantry staples that you likely already have at home.

Serve these flaky homemade biscuits for breakfast, as a quick snack on-the-go, in your kid's school lunch box, or as a side with dinner.

Flaky Garlic Cheddar Biscuits are a simple but delicious and flavorful no yeast bread that is ready for the oven with less than 15 minutes prep. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Fresh homemade biscuits in 30 minutes. These garlic cheddar biscuits are ready to eat fresh out of the oven in just 30 short minutes. I love how quickly these biscuits come together because they make the perfect last-minute recipe when I'm craving fresh, warm, cheesy biscuits.
Garlic and cheddar cheese add so much flavor. Whether you're enjoying your biscuits with gravy, butter, or something else, they'll be even better when you add garlic and cheddar cheese to the mix. No matter the occasion, these garlic cheddar biscuits can replace traditional biscuits - and no one will complain about it!
You get bits of cheese in every bite. Since these garlic cheddar biscuits incorporate shredded cheddar into the dough, the cheesy flavor is evenly spread across each biscuit. That means every bite tastes just as good as the last one.
Serve them warm or cool. Once baked, it's probably best to let these biscuits cool for a few minutes before diving in, but if you are like me... good luck! I can never resist a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven biscuit.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Garlic Cheddar Biscuits, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour
garlic powder
salt
granulated sugar - just a pinch to balance out the flavors. You could totally leave this out if you prefer.
baking powder
butter - the butter needs to be very cold. You could even freeze it for 10 minutes or so and then dice it up to make it easier to cut and work with.
sharp cheddar cheese - since these biscuits are loaded with cheese, make sure to use a high-quality hard cheese that will make these biscuits shine. Feel free to use sharp yellow cheddar or sharp white cheddar.
milk - the milk also needs to be very cold. Keep it refrigerated right until you are ready to use it. You can also substitute the milk with half and half or buttermilk.
garlic butter topping - made with melted butter, garlic powder, and dried oregano (or substitute with Italian seasoning instead). You could even add in a little Parmesan cheese if you prefer.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, pastry cutter (or fork), and half sheet baking pan.

How to Make the Best Garlic Butter Biscuits

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the butter is the size of small peas. Stir in cheddar cheese.
Add milk. Slowly pour in the cold milk and mix until just combined. Once the batter forms into a soft dough, use your hands to fold in the dry pieces that haven't been incorporated. Be careful not to overmix. Note that the dough will be slightly sticky.

Shape biscuits. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it into a ¾-inch thick disk. Flour a biscuit cutter (or the rim of a round glass) and cut out rounds of dough. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper and place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Once you have rolled out the dough and cut out biscuits, you can use a smaller biscuit cutter to make the best use of the scraps. The small ones are good for snacking on. The good thing is that the small biscuits cook for the same amount of time as the large biscuits, so you can just throw them all on the same baking sheet.
Add garlic butter. In a small mixing bowl, combine melted butter, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Use a silicone brush to brush the tops of the biscuits with half the butter mixture.

Bake. Bake the biscuits in a 425F preheated oven for 13 to 16 minutes, or until tops are just golden brown. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining butter mixture. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool slightly and serve.

The Secret Behind Flaky Biscuits

What is the secret behind super flaky, delicate biscuits?

Make sure you don't over mix the dough.
Use really, really cold ingredients.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Do not overmix: If you overmix your biscuits, you'll end up with flat, chewy, and tough biscuits. If you want light, fluffy, decadent biscuits, then be cautious when mixing. Keep in mind that chunks of butter in your dough are okay - they'll work their magic in the oven.
How to store: Keep leftover biscuits at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. You can also store in the refrigerator for up to one week, but note that it will dry them out.
How to reheat: There's nothing wrong with eating a room temperature biscuit, but a leftover garlic cheddar biscuit tastes really good warm. To reheat, toast it in a 375F oven for 5-10 minutes, or in the air fryer for 5 minutes.

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Mexican Caesar Salad

This Mexican Caesar Salad is loaded with classic Mexican ingredients and toppings. It's fresh, light, delicious, and flavorful - this Caesar salad might even taste better than the original!

Serve this Mexican-style Caesar for a filling lunch, as a side salad with dinner on Taco Night or Cinco de Mayo, or anytime that you are craving homemade Mexican food.

This Mexican Caesar Salad is loaded with Mexican ingredients. It's fresh, light, delicious, flavorful — and might even taste better than the original! | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Mexican Caesar Salad

It's loaded with plant-based protein. A classic Caesar salad is delicious, but it's usually not enough to make a whole meal out of it unless you throw in some protein. But with this Mexican Caesar salad, you can upgrade your salad from a side dish to a main dish, thanks to the added protein, fiber, and nutrients from beans, corn, avocado, and more.
You can make it in five minutes. You know I am all about 30-minute dinners, so it's no surprise that I'm in love with this 5-minute recipe. This recipe is so quick and easy to make because all you need to do is prep the ingredients and then toss them all together. It's also a great meal prep recipe that you can throw together and toss with dressing when you are ready to eat.
Mexican-style flavors in a Caesar salad. Caesar dressing brings so much amazing flavor to a salad. You can serve this Mexican salad with classic Caesar salad dressing or mix in a Mexican seasoning blend for added flavor.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Mexican Caesar Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

romaine lettuce
corn - I cooked frozen corn in boiling water for a few minutes. You can also use slice off freshly cooked kernels from Grilled Corn on the Cob or Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob.
black beans - you can use black beans cooked from dried beans, or use canned beans.
avocado
tortilla strips - Feel free to use store-bought tortilla chips or strips or make your own tortilla strips at home. They are really easy to make in a couple of minutes of prep.
cilantro
cojita cheese
lime wedges - optional, to squeeze in some lime juice when serving.
Caesar dressing - you can make homemade Caesar salad dressing in just minutes, or use store-bought - what is more convenient! Optionally, you can mix in ¼ teaspoon of a Mexican seasoning into the Caesar salad dressing.

This recipe is also completely customizable. Feel free to add in other vegetables that you have on hand such as cucumbers, shredded, red onions, and/or tomatoes.

How to Make the Best Mexican Caesar Salad

In a large serving bowl, add romaine lettuce, corn, black beans, avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro, and cojita cheese.

Pour the Caesar dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Optionally, you can mix in ¼ teaspoon of a Mexican seasoning blend into the Caesar salad dressing before pouring it in the salad. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste, if needed, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

How to Serve

This Mexican Caesar salad makes a great filling meal, but you can also add in some other ingredients if you desired, such as:

protein like Mexican Chicken, or Mexican Shrimp.
fresh veggies like carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower.
roasted veggies like asparagus or brussels sprouts.

You can also serve this Mexican salad along with other Mexican dishes. I like to pair it with:

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: To make ahead, store the salad and dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The caesar salad and dressing will each last up to 1 week. Then, toss and combine just before serving or packing for lunch. This will keep your Mexican caesar salad looking and tasting fresh.
How to store: If you have any leftovers, store this Mexican salad in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Store it in an airtight container or in a bowl wrapped tightly with plastic cling wrap. Note that the tortilla chips will get soggier the longer it is stored, and the more the romaine lettuce will become wilted.

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Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Roasted red pepper and tomato soup is silky smooth, incredibly flavorful and delicious, and easy to make. Made with red peppers and tomatoes, this vegan soup is healthy and nutritious too.

This vegetable soup is also really easy to make ahead and freezes really well making it perfect for meal prep lunches and dinners for days or months to come.

Roasted red pepper and tomato soup is silky smooth, incredibly flavorful and delicious, and easy to make. This vegan soup is healthy and nutritious too. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Roasting the vegetables first adds so much flavor to the soup. Tomato soup is classic comfort food that is full of flavor, but add in some red bell peppers and the result is so good. These two vegetables were meant to be paired. But the real secret in getting this pairing of incredible flavours to shine is to roast the vegetables first. When you roast them it creates a more incredible depth of flavor that is more intense and delicious.
It's healthy and nutritious. Along with intense flavours comes amazing health benefits. It's loaded with red peppers which contain more vitamin C than the daily requirement, are a powerful antioxidant, help prevent anemia (due to their folate and vitamin B6 content), and can activate metabolic rate which means it can help you burn more calories.
It's freezer-friendly and great for meal prep. This roasted red pepper soup freezes really well! I personally double or triple the batch and freeze the rest for another day. I highly recommend you do the same this summer especially when bell peppers and tomato are fresh in season.
You can customize it with other veggies. Soup is an ideal go-to meal because you can create a soup based on whatever you have in your fridge. Seriously, throw in any vegetables that you have. Try carrots, celery, or cauliflower.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

red bell peppers
tomatoes
onion
garlic
olive oil
vegetable broth - you can substitute this with chicken broth if not keeping the soup vegetarian.
tomato paste
seasoning - olive oil, salt, black pepper, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning (or substitute with dried oregano), paprika, and cayenne pepper (optional for a little kick).

For a creamy version, add in ½ cup of milk or heavy cream.

How to Make the Beat Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Roast the vegetables. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place red peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a large half sheet baking pan. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes and bell peppers with the cut-side up. Bake for 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Make the soup. In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable broth on medium heat. Add the roasted vegetables, tomato paste, parsley, paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Stir to combine. Simmer for ten minutes.

Puree the soup. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender, purée the soup and transfer back into the pot. Or puree the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender. Cook on low heat for another 5 minutes. If you want a thicker consistency, cook for a few minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley on top, if desired.

How to Serve

This Roasted Red Pepper Soup is delicious served on its own with some bread or crackers for dipping, or paired with a salad and a grilled cheese sandwich. Some of my favorite items to pair this soup with are:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Keep leftover roasted red pepper and tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to freeze: You can freeze red pepper tomato soup for up to 3 months. When freezing, leave a bit of extra space in the container(s) for the soup to expand.
How to reheat: If reheating from frozen, it's best to thaw the vegetable soup overnight in the fridge before reheating. Otherwise, reheat on the stove over low heat in a covered pan until warm.

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Peanut Noodles

Peanut noodles are creamy, nutty, and delicious. This quick and easy homemade takeout recipe is loaded with flavor with just a handful of ingredients and is ready in just 15 minutes! Plus, it's vegan and loaded with veggies but can be customized with extra protein if you are not on a strict vegetarian or plant-based diet.

These peanut butter noodles are the best to whip up on busy weeknights when you just don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner. Plus, they are great to meal prep for lunch the next day too.

Peanut noodles are creamy, nutty, and delicious. This quick and easy, vegan homemade takeout recipe is loaded with flavor and is ready in 15 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Peanut Noodles

It's quick and easy to make in under 15 minutes. These peanut butter noodles are perfect for busy weeknights or a quick lunch. All you need to do is make the noodles, make the peanut butter sauce, and toss everything together. So so easy! super complex going on here. You just make pasta, make a sauce, and mix everything together!
The homemade peanut sauce. What really makes this recipe special is the peanut sauce. It's so easy to make in just a minute or two with peanut butter and a few classic Asian ingredients. It is a slightly sweet, salty, tangy, and well-seasoned sauce. The peanut butter adds earthy, nutty notes to the sauce that pair perfectly with the noodles and veggies.
A healthy and nutritious plant-based meal. Whether you follow a strict vegan diet or are just incorporating more plant-based meals into your meal plan, these noodles with peanut butter sauce are a great way to add some healthy recipes to your weekly dinner meal plan. It is loaded with veggies and packed with nutrients.

Ingredient Notes

To make these quick and easy Peanut Noodles, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

dry wheat noodles - you can also substitute with any kind of noodle that you like or even with spaghetti noodles.
red cabbage
carrots
cilantro
crushed peanuts - optional, for garnish.
peanut butter sauce - it's really easy to make homemade peanut butter sauce in about one minute by combining the following ingredients together: soy sauce (or substitute with hoisin sauce), sesame oil, rice vinegar (or substitute with balsamic vinegar), hot water, garlic, and ginger.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you can customize the ingredients to suit your liking. Add in some protein like chicken, shrimp, or tofu. You can also add in other veggies such as grated cucumber, bell peppers, or roasted broccoli.

How to Make the Best Peanut Noodles

Cook noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat. Add noodles and a little bit of salt and cook according to package directions, about 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally to help separate the noodles. Once cooked, drain the noodles well and set aside.
Make peanut butter sauce. While cooking the noodles, combine the peanut butter sauce ingredients in a medium mixing bowl including peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, hot water, garlic, and ginger. Mix well until smooth, about 1 minute. If it is too thick for you, add in a little more hot water to thin it out. You can also mix the sauce mixture in a saucepan and heat it over low heat for 1 minute to help the ingredients blend into each other more easily, especially the peanut butter. Set aside.

Assemble the noodles. Add the cooked noodles, shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and peanut butter sauce in a large mixing bowl. Toss well to combine and serve immediately.

How to Serve

Serve Peanut Noodles on their own as a delicious vegetarian lunch or dinner. You can also add in some protein like grilled chicken or tofu, and pair it with some sides such as:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Peanut noodles are best served fresh. Once the noodles start getting cold, they can start to stick together. If you happen to have leftovers, allow the peanut butter noodles to cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to reheat: Reheat peanut noodles over the stove either in a steamer basket over boiling water or in a small pan. Heat over medium heat until warmed through, stirring frequently. If reheating in the pan, you may need add a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick or sticky. You can also reheat these noodles in the microwave, stirring occasionally.

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Banana Pudding

Banana pudding parfaits are creamy, delicious, and sweet. With layers of creamy vanilla pudding, freshly sliced bananas, and wafer cookies, this no bake treat will remind you of the banana pudding your grandmother used to make.

Plus, this layered dessert is ready in just minutes if using store-bought pudding or pudding mix, or plan ahead and make it with indulgent homemade vanilla pudding. Serve this banana pudding as individually parfaits for easy serving, or assemble it in a larger dish to feed a crowd.

No bake banana pudding parfaits are creamy, delicious, and sweet, with layers of homemade vanilla pudding, freshly sliced bananas, and wafer cookies. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Banana Pudding Parfaits

It's vanilla pudding taken to the next level. Now, I'm someone who loves vanilla pudding (or any kind of pudding) on its own. But even I can't deny that a well-balanced dessert is even better! Fresh bananas and crunchy vanilla wafers balance out the homemade pudding by adding flavors and textures that complement each other so well.
Pudding parfaits look amazing. If you need an Instagram-worthy dessert, look no further. These banana pudding parfaits look as beautiful as they taste - especially when crafted in a clear glass containers so that you can see all the different layers before you dig in with a spoon to enjoy.
You can serve it to a crowd. Banana pudding parfaits are great when you want to serve individual desserts to your guests, but you can totally assemble it in a single larger bowl for self-serving at a potluck or Memorial Day party.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious Banana Pudding, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

vanilla pudding - you can use store-bought vanilla pudding or use pudding mix to make 2 cups of pudding. We made homemade pudding with the following ingredients:
- granulated sugar
- cornstarch
- salt
- egg yolks
- whole milk
- butter
- vanilla extract
bananas
vanilla wafers - use mini wafer cookies such as Nilla wafers, or substitute with shortbread cookies.
whipped cream - optional, for topping.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, saucepan (if making the vanilla pudding from scratch), and mini dessert cups.

Ingredients in banana pudding. | aheadofthyme.com

How to Make the Best Banana Pudding

Prepare the vanilla pudding.

If you are using store-bought pudding then you don't need to prepare the pudding and you can make these banana pudding parfaits in minutes. If you are making vanilla pudding using a box mix, follow the instructions on the box.

To make homemade vanilla pudding:

Combine ingredients and cook. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until well blended. Whisk in the milk and heat over medium heat, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking until thickened, whisking often, about 1-2 minutes more. Note that pudding will be pourable but will continue to thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

Vanilla pudding ingredients mixed together in a saucepan before heating. | aheadofthyme.com

Vanilla pudding ingredients mixed together in a saucepan and cooked until thick. | aheadofthyme.com

Remove lumps. If you notice any lumps, pass the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve over a large heatproof bowl to remove any lumps. Skip this if you don't notice any lumps.
Chill. Prepare a large bowl with some water and ice to make an ice bath. Place the saucepan directly into the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until the pudding reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until the pudding has chilled through completely, at least 4 hours (up to 2 days).

A bowl of warm homemade vanilla pudding next to a water bath for chilling. | aheadofthyme.com

A bowl of homemade vanilla pudding. | aheadofthyme.com

How to Assemble Banana Pudding Parfaits

Pudding. Add a large dollop of pudding into the bottom of each parfait cup.
Cookies. Top with a layer of wafer cookie pieces
Banana. Add a layer of sliced bananas.
Repeat. Repeat these layers until you reach close to the top, ending with a final layer of pudding.
Toppings. Finish each pudding with whipped cream and some crushed or crumbled wafer cookies.

Layer of vanilla pudding in banana pudding parfait. | aheadofthyme.com

Layer of vanilla wafter cookies in banana pudding parfait. | aheadofthyme.com

Pudding Parfait Variations

This banana pudding parfait recipe is amazing - and it's versatile. You can customize this pudding parfaits with any combination of fruit and cookie you like! Consider trying:

strawberries and oreos
peaches and pie crust crumbles
cherries and chocolate chip cookies

Storing Instructions

How to store: Store banana pudding in the fridge, covered in plastic wrap, or inside an airtight container. You can even assemble them directly in a Tupperware container. Although the pudding will keep for up to one week, the bananas shorten their life span to just 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the cookies will soften over time as well.
Make ahead tips: You can make the vanilla pudding ahead of time. Homemade vanilla pudding will keep for up to one week in an airtight container in the fridge. Then, just assemble the banana pudding parfaits when you are ready to serve.

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Lobster Rolls

New England Lobster Rolls are a classic sandwich loaded with fresh lobster meat, crunchy celery, creamy mayonnaise, and tangy lemon. The best part? They take just 10 minutes to prepare, so you can enjoy them all summer long.

Serve them with a side of chips or veggies at a Memorial Day party, Summer Cookout, or any day you are feeling like something light and fresh this season.

New England Lobster Rolls are a classic sandwich loaded with fresh lobster meat. Make them in just 10 minutes and serve them all summer long. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Lobster Rolls

They're quick and easy. Although lobster rolls might seem like a fancy lunch, you don't need to spend a whole lot of time or energy making them. These lobster rolls are ready to enjoy in 10 minutes, and you only need eight ingredients!
Loaded with delicious lobster. Lobster is a beloved protein because of its unique sweet taste, and in this New England lobster roll recipe, that taste shines through. You'll love the distinct sweet and salty essence of good lobster that you just can't get from crab or scallops.
Lobster rolls are perfect for a crowd. Whether you're hosting a special event or serving your family, lobster rolls are the perfect food to impress a crowd. With these lobster sandwiches, you can show that you have refined taste and spend more time with your guests than in the kitchen!

The Difference Between Maine and Connecticut Lobster Rolls

Maine style lobster rolls - this is the variation that we have made where we fill the buns with a lobster salad made with mayo. The lobster meat is also typically cold.
Connecticut style lobster rolls - this is the original or classic lobster roll where the buns are filled with lobster and butter. The lobster meat is also typically warm.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Lobster Rolls, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

cooked lobster meat - I used lobster meat from 3 small lobster tails that I prepared using our Garlic Butter Lobster Tails recipe.
mayonnaise
celery - celery adds the perfect crunch to these seafood sandwiches.
lemon juice
fresh parsley
salt and pepper
green onions - or substitute with chives.
hot dog buns - hot dog buns are classic for these sandwiches but you can really use any bread that you want.
butter - optional, if choosing to toast the buns.

How to Make the Best Lobster Rolls

Make the lobster salad. In a medium mixing bowl, add lobster meat, mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined.

Toast the hot dog buns. Carefully open the hot dog buns without tearing them apart, and spread some butter on the inside. Place the hot dog buns face down (on the buttered side) on a hot skillet and toast over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
Assemble the lobster rolls. Divide the lobster mixture between the toasted hot dog buns and sprinkle some green onions on top. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

Serve these lobster rolls on their own, or create a well-balanced meal with the perfect side. Some of my favorites to serve with these sandwiches are:

Storing Instructions

How to store lobster rolls: You should never leave lobster out at room temperature for more than 2 hours - so keep any extra filling in the fridge. Store the lobster salad filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, but it's best enjoyed sooner rather than later. Also try not to assemble your rolls until it's time to eat because they'll quickly become soggy.

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Garlic Butter Lobster Tails

Garlic Butter Lobster Tails are juicy, tender, and flavorful. This quick and easy seafood dinner is ready in less than 20 minutes (including prep!).

Serve these restaurant-quality baked lobster tails to celebrate a special occasion or whenever you are feeling a little fancy. Serve them with Roasted Vegetables or Mashed Potatoes.

Why You'll Love Garlic Butter Lobster Tails

They're oven-baked. Baked in the oven for a little over 10 minutes, these garlic butter lobster tails are quick to make and taste delicious when served hot and fresh.
It's a fancy but simple dinner. Lobster doesn't have to be a meal reserved for eating out. Baked lobster tails are quick and easy to make, so you can enjoy them for Date Night from the comfort of your own home.
You only need 6 ingredients. You only need six ingredients and about 20 minutes (with prep) to make delicious lobster tails with lemon garlic butter.
The homemade garlic butter. Although the star of the show are the roasted lobster tails, the garlic butter is what loads them up with flavor. With lemon juice, fresh garlic, and fresh parsley, your mouth will water even before you brush it over your lobster.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Garlic Butter Lobster Tails, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

lobster tails
butter
lemon juice
parsley
garlic
paprika - optional
salt

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, quarter sheet baking pan, small mixing bowl, and a silicone brush.

How to Make the Best Garlic Butter Lobster Tails

First, prepare the lobster tails.

Using scissors, cut a slit in the lobster shells along the center to the tail, leaving the tail base uncut.
Open up the shell slightly and run your fingers throughout the inside the shell to detach the lobster meat from the shell. Grab the meat with your fingers and lift it up through the split shell, squeezing the shell back together and letting the meat rest on top of the shell.
Make a shallow cut along the center so that the lobster meat can easily soak up the delicious lemon garlic butter.

Rinse the lobster tails under cold water and use a paper towel to gently pat them dry. Place the lobster tails on a quarter sheet baking pan. Optionally, add some lemon slices on the baking sheet.

Make the lemon garlic butter sauce.

In a small mixing bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice, minced garlic, parsley, paprika (optional), and salt. Stir well and brush generously on the lobster meat.

Bake the lobster.

Bake the lobster in a 425F preheated oven for 12 minutes until the lobster is firm and opaque and its internal temperature reaches 140F as read on a meat thermometer.

Optionally, broil the lobster tails on high for an additional 1-2 minutes to get extra charring on the lobster.

Serve immediately and drizzle with more lemon juice if desired.

How to Serve

Serve these delicious Garlic Butter Lobster Tails as part of a fancy Surf and Turf meal with steak, or pair it with some vegetable sides. Some of my favorite sides to pair with seafood like this is:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use fresh meat: Lobster tails are best cooked and eaten when as fresh as possible.
How to store: If you need to store your cooked lobster tails, keep them in the fridge in an airtight container. With the shell, they will last for two days. If you shuck the meat, it may last for three days.
How to reheat: Lobster tastes best when reheated in a preheated 350F oven. Simply place the cold lobster in an oven-safe dish along with some butter, some stock, or even water. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil before placing it in the preheated oven. Cook for 10 minutes until lobster reached an internal temperature of 140F as read on a meat thermometer. You can also reheat in a microwave.

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Pineapple Fried Rice

Pineapple fried rice is a quick and easy meal that is ready in just 20 minutes. It's savory, sweet, and flavorful. Sautéed vegetables, fresh fruit, fluffy white rice, and fluffy eggs all come together in this delicious weeknight family dinner with a Thai twist.

Plus, tropical fried rice stores and reheats well so it's perfect for meal prep for lunches throughout the week. This one pan meal is versatile too so you can throw in any leftover veggies or rice that you have in the fridge.

Pineapple fried rice is a quick and easy meal that is ready in just 20 minutes. It's a savory, sweet, delicious, and flavorful weeknight family dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Pineapple Fried Rice

A quick and easy 20-minute dinner. Fried rice is one of the easiest dinners that you can make. This one pan dinner is ready in just 20 minutes! You literally throw everything into a skillet and stir together. Plus, tropical fried rice is nutritious, wholesome, and complete with fruits, veggies, carbs, and proteins for a satisfying and energizing meal.
Loaded with flavor. I can say tons of wonderful things about fried rice, and this fried rice is special because it's pineapple fried rice. Warm pineapple nestled in well-seasoned fried rice with sautéed veggies add a sweet yet acidic flavor to this fried rice and is one of the best things you'll ever taste, especially if you like pineapples.
It's customizable. Fried rice with pineapple is my favorite meal when I have leftovers I need to cook up. Add in any veggies you have on hand and leftover proteins like grilled chicken to transform plain leftover rice into delicious pineapple fried rice.

Ingredient Notes

To make this quick and easy Pineapple Fried Rice, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

coconut oil
white rice - freshly cooked is best, but you can use leftover rice. You will just need to add some water to soften the rice.
pineapple - feel free to use canned or fresh pineapples. If you are using fresh pineapples, you can save the shell so that you can serve the pineapple fried rice in it.
vegetables - we used carrots, red bell pepper, green peas, sweet corn, and green onions.
eggs
roasted cashews
oyster sauce - or substitute with soy sauce for a similar salty kick and flavor.
sesame oil
salt and pepper
roasted white sesame seeds - optional, for garnish.

Pineapple Fried Rice Variations

Fried rice is my favorite meal when I have food in the fridge that I need to use up. Almost any leftover veggies and/or protein will work great in this pineapple fried rice. Consider adding in:

soy sauce for a salty kick
red pepper flakes or fresh chilis for spice
sautéed onions
broccoli, asparagus, or brussels sprouts
grilled chicken, salmon, or steak

How to Make the Best Pineapple Fried Rice

Sauté vegetables. Heat coconut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat for one minute. Add carrots and bell pepper and sauté until tender, about 1-2 minutes.
Cook eggs. Push the vegetables to one side to make space for the eggs. Add beaten eggs with a teaspoon of the sliced green onions into empty side of the pan. Stir the eggs on that side of the pan until scrambled and cooked through, about 1 minute.

Add peas and corn. Add the peas and corn to the pan. Continuously stir everything together for a minute to cook and evenly incorporate together.
Add rice. Add the rice and continuously stir until well combined and warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. If you are using leftover rice, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of water to soften the rice.
Add pineapple. Add pineapple and cashews and mix until evenly distributed, about 1 minute.
Season. Add oyster sauce and sesame oil and stir continuously until well mixed. Stir in green onions and season with salt and pepper to taste (if needed). I didn't add any salt and pepper since the oyster sauce provides a lot of flavor.
Serve. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve warm.

Storing Instructions

How to store: Let the Thai pineapple fried rice cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator. It will last for 3-5 days in the fridge.
How to reheat: The best way to reheat pineapple fried rice is on a skillet on the stovetop. Preheat the skillet to medium-high heat and add the fried rice. Stir frequently until the rice and veggies are warmed through, a few minutes.

How to Serve

To serve this Pineapple Fried Rice in a pineapple bowl, use fresh pineapple in the recipe and save the pineapple shell. Then, just scoop the fried rice into it and serve. This rice is delicious and filling served on its own, or serve it as a side dish with some of my favorite Asian mains such as:

Tips for Making Fried Rice

Continuously stir. You will need to continuously stir throughout the cooking process to ensure even distribution of heat across the dish and even cooking. Fried rice is about uniformity. The rice is supposed to be evenly cooked and all the pieces should have the exact same flavour and texture. I often use 2 spatulas for cooking this dish.
Cook eggs until tender. Cook the eggs on medium-high heat until cooked through, yet tender. You don't want the eggs to get to a very dry stage early on. You want them to be springy and bright in colour.
Cook fried rice over high heat. Cook fried rice over high heat to achieve the best mix of texture and flavours. Asian fried rice is supposed to be cooked quickly, so cooking over high heat speeds up the cooking process.

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Strawberry Milk Tea

Refreshing and sweet strawberry milk tea with boba tapioca pearls is a lot easier to make at home than you think! Loaded with fresh strawberries, fresh boba, milk, and tea of your choice, this strawberry bubble tea might just be better than the bubble tea you get your local tea shop.

It is made with real fruit (no artificial flavors or colors here), and is cheaper than buying at the store. So you can save money and a trip to the shop when you make fresh homemade strawberry boba tea.

Refreshing strawberry milk tea with boba tapioca pearls is easy to make at home. Loaded with fresh fruit, homemade bubble tea is better than storebought. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Strawberry Milk Tea

Sweet homemade strawberry milk. There's nothing better than a cup of strawberry milk - except this strawberry milk tea with boba. Although this recipe is deceptively simple, it's amazingly delicious!
Fresh, ripe strawberries. You won't find strawberry syrup in this strawberry bubble tea. Instead, we're using fresh strawberries for an authentic flavor that can't be beaten!
Soft, chewy boba. Boba is essential when making this strawberry milk tea. Making these tapioca balls is easy, and once it's ready, you'll have fresh, soft, chewy, sweet boba! But you could totally serve this milk tea without it if you prefer.
All that goodness in just five minutes. Once you have cooked the boba and chilled the tea, it takes five short minutes to make fresh homemade strawberry milk tea. So, skip that trip to the bubble tea shop and stay at home instead!

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make delicious, homemade Strawberry Milk Tea, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

strawberries - The fresh strawberries make this bubble tea shine, but you can use frozen berries in a pinch.
tea - I recommend use black or jasmine tea for the best flavor.
milk - feel free to use your favorite milk for this recipe, whether that is dairy milk, almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
tapioca pearls - you can find tapioca pearls (also called boba) at any local Asian grocery store or you can purchase them online.
brown sugar - brown sugar is stirred into the cooked pearls with water and heated to create that sweet syrupy flavour. You can also substitute it with honey and just stirring it into the cooked pearls.
ice

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large cooking pot, and a blender.

For serving, you will need glasses and wide straws to be able to accommodate the pearls. These also can also be purchased online or at your local Asian grocery store.

Substitutions

You can also try substituting the strawberries for your favorite fruit to switch up the bubble tea flavor, including mango, peach, lychee, passion fruit, or taro.

How to Make the Strawberry Milk Tea

Make tea.

Transfer the boiling water to a cup or shallow bowl and add the tea bag. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag and allow the tea to cool to room temperature. Transfer the tea to the fridge to chill completely.

Make the tapioca pearls (boba).

Cook the boba. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add tapioca pearls and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Let it sit. Turn off the heat and let the tapioca pearls sit in the hot water for another 20-25 minutes.
Add brown sugar syrup. Drain the pearls through a fine mesh sieve and return to the saucepan. Add in brown sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Stir well and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to thicken a bit, about 4-5 minutes. When the pearls are fully cooked through, they should be soft and chewy.

Make the strawberry milk tea.

Make the strawberry milk tea. In a large blender, combine strawberries, milk, chilled tea, and ice in a blender until smooth. Add in some honey if you want added sweetness (note that the brown sugar tapioca pearls will add sweetness).

Assemble the bubble tea. Divide the cooked tapioca pearls into two tall glasses. Pour the strawberry milk tea over top. Give the drinks a quick stir and serve with wide straws.

How to Store

How to store strawberry milk tea: Strawberry bubble tea is best enjoyed fresh, but it will last in the fridge for about 4 hours. You can enjoy it after a day but the boba pearls will lose its texture and get hard. In this case, you can remove the boba with a slotted spoon and enjoy the rest of the drink.
How to store cooked tapioca pearls. If you have extra boba, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and fully coat them in the brown sugar syrup so that they don't stick to each other. But again, you need to consume them within 4 hours, as they will start to get mushy. Do not store in the refrigerator otherwise they will harden.

More Strawberry Recipes

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Skillet Lasagna

This Skillet Lasagna has all the same ingredients and flavors as a traditional meat lasagna but with minimal prep. It's a simple one pan meal that is ready in just 40 minutes - and there are hardly any dishes to wash after dinner!

If you love lasagna but hate the tedious process of building a perfectly layered lasagna, then this skillet lasagna is the quick and easy version (or "lazy lasagna") that you need in your life.

This one pan Skillet Lasagna has all the same ingredients and flavors as a traditional meat lasagna but with minimal prep and is ready in just 40 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Skillet Lasagna

It's a one-pan lasagna. Traditional lasagna has you brown your ground beef in one pan, cook your pasta in a separate pot, and then assemble the lasagna in another baking dish. But with this skillet lasagna, you'll cook your noodle in the same skillet your brown your beef - and that whole thing goes in the oven to broil when it's time to make gooey melted mozzarella.
It's so easy to make. This skillet lasagna recipe is so easy that it really only has three steps. Cook the ground beef, onion, and seasonings in the pan. Then, add the noodles and sauce and simmer. Finally, add the cheeses and broil. That's it!
It has all the same flavors as a traditional lasagna. With this skillet lasagna, you don't have to miss out on any part of the classic lasagna experience. You'll enjoy the ricotta, mozzarella, red sauce, and seasoned beef, and it will taste even better when you think about just how easy it was to make!
It's ready in 40 minutes. Not only is this recipe simple - it's fast. Get ready to enjoy this ground beef lasagna in just 40 minutes.
Clean-up is a breeze. As with all one pot recipes, you'll love how few dishes this lazy lasagna makes. I know I do!

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Skillet Lasagna, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

ground beef
onion
garlic
Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
lasagna noodles - this one pot lasagna recipe is just that. We use uncooked lasagna noodles and allow it cook directly in the marinara sauce.
marinara sauce - we used our easy homemade Marinara Sauce in this recipe, but feel free to use store-bought sauce for convenience.
cheese - we use classic lasagna cheeses like ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.
fresh parsley - optional, for garnish on top.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet).

How to Make the Best Skillet Lasagna

Cook ground beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat add ground beef. Stir well and break up the beef into small pieces and cook until evenly browned but not fully browned yet, about 5 minutes.
Add seasoning. Add in onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook until the meat is evenly browned and is no longer pink. The onion should also start to soften.
Add marinara and lasagna noodles. Add half of the marinara sauce, a layer of broken uncooked lasagna noodles, and the remaining marinara sauce on top.

Skillet Lasagna | aheadofthyme.com — Cook ground beef with seasoning.

Simmer. Bring to a boil and then cover and turn the heat down to medium. Allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the noodles are tender. You may need to occasionally add in some water if you find the sauce is getting dry. You may also want to occasionally stir the noodles into the meat sauce.

Add cheese. Add a few dollops of ricotta cheese on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with mozzarella cheese.
Broil. Turn the broiler on high and broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden. Serve with fresh chopped parsley on top.

How to Serve

This Skillet Lasagna is delicious served on its own, or paired with some of my favorite sides including:

Storing Instructions

How to store: After the skillet and lasagna cool completely, transfer any leftover lasagna to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not store your lasagna in a cast-iron skillet.
How to reheat: The best way to reheat it is in a covered oven-safe dish for 10-20 minutes in a preheated 375F oven. You can also reheat in the microwave.

More Lasagna Recipes

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25 Best Strawberry Recipes

I love making all the fresh fruit recipes when they are in season - and strawberry season might just be the best one of all. Today, I am sharing over 25 best and popular strawberry recipes for when you are wondering what to make with strawberries, including everything from breakfast french toast, lunch salads, and desserts like pies, cakes, and ice cream. So, whether you are picking fresh strawberries at the local farms, purchasing a carton of fresh berries from the farmer's market, or even using a bag of frozen strawberries, I have a strawberry recipe for you.

Best Strawberry Recipes

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Fresh strawberry pie is a delicious, summer dessert loaded with juicy strawberries and homemade strawberry glaze with no jello, in a flakey pie crust. The best summer dessert idea.

Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

Homemade Strawberries and Cream Popsicles are healthy and easy to make using just four ingredients including fresh fruit.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcakes are made with real strawberries in both the tender cake batter and the creamy strawberry buttercream frosting. A picture-perfect treat!

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Homemade strawberry frozen yogurt is a delicious, refreshing, healthy dessert made with 4 simple ingredients, no refined sugar, and in less than 5 minutes.

Strawberry Cobbler

Strawberry Cobbler made with sweet, gooey strawberries and light, fluffy cakey batter is an easy summer dessert to make from scratch with 10 minutes prep.

Strawberry Shortcake

Classic Strawberry Shortcake is a small, layered cake featuring fluffy crumbly biscuits, a fresh strawberry filling, and homemade whipped cream.

Strawberry Muffins

Strawberry Muffins are tender, fluffy, and delicious! They are golden-brown and crisp outside while moist and cake-like inside and loaded with strawberries.

Strawberry Compote

Strawberry Compote transforms strawberries into jammy, syrupy, sweet preserves that you can use in so many different ways. Make with 3 simple ingredients!

Strawberry Lemonade

Homemade strawberry lemonade is refreshing, flavorful, and easy to make. This sparkling summer drink is loaded with fresh strawberries and lemon.

Strawberry Crumb Bars

Strawberry Crumb Bars are sweet, savory, and tart homemade bars made with a layer of jammy strawberries sandwiched between two crumbly pastry layers.

Strawberry Bread

Strawberry bread is fluffy, soft, and moist, packed with farm-fresh strawberries. Simple, sweet, and delicious, perfect for a summer brunch.

Strawberry Galette

Easier than pie, this strawberry galette with a buttery flaky crust and a sweet and tart strawberry filling is a beautiful treat to serve this berry season.

Strawberry Popsicles

Homemade strawberry popsicles are healthy, refreshing, and sweet. Made with just 4 ingredients, they're packed with fresh strawberries and no refined sugar.

Strawberry Avocado Salad

Loaded with fresh ingredients, strawberry avocado salad with poppy seed dressing is the ultimate summer salad — light, vibrant, fresh, sweet, and tangy.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate covered strawberries are fancy, decadent, bite-sized treats that are loved by all. They are so simple and easy to make at home.

3-Ingredient Strawberry Sorbet

This 3-ingredient Strawberry Sorbet is a refreshing, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free frozen treat to enjoy on a hot day. Plus, no ice cream maker required!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Quick and easy strawberry banana smoothie is the perfect breakfast on the go or refreshing snack. It's fruity, delicious, and packed with nutrients.

Small Batch Strawberry Jam

Quick and easy, homemade small batch strawberry jam is so simple to make in one pot with just 3 ingredients and no pectin. It's bright, sweet and crave-worthy.

Strawberry Milk Tea

Refreshing strawberry milk tea with boba tapioca pearls is easy to make at home. Loaded with fresh fruit, homemade bubble tea is better than storebought.

Baked Jelly Donuts with Strawberry Jam

These melt-in-your-mouth, homemade baked jelly donuts, coated in sugar and filled with sweet strawberry jam, are so soft, fluffy, spongy and airy.

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

This Summer Fruit Salad is colorful, delicious, and naturally sweet (no processed sugar!). It's easy to make with fresh fruit tossed in a homemade dressing.

Quick and Easy Homemade Strawberry Sauce

Easy to make, 3-ingredient homemade strawberry sauce is the perfect topping for all your dessert dishes. Pour this over pancakes, waffles, crepes, cheesecakes and more!

Fresh Fruit Tart

This Fresh Fruit Tart is made with a homemade sugar cookie crust, filled with a sweet vanilla custard and topped with fresh seasonal fruit.

Super Berry Smoothie Bowl

This Berry Smoothie Bowl is the best way to start the day. It’s quick and easy to make, healthy, and packed with nutrients. Customize it with toppings!

Easy Nutella Crepes with Berries

Nutella crepes with berries are sweet and indulgent. These French pancakes are an easy to make blender recipe that will have you craving breakfast all day.

Triple Berry French Toast

Triple berry french toast with warm slices of bread, creamy egg mixture, an overload of berries, and maple syrup drizzled on top is breakfast goals.

Crepe Cake

This no bake Crepe Cake is soft, decadent, and easy to make, with over 20 thin layers of crepes nestled between a berry mascarpone whipped cream filling.

How to Make Ahead and Store

You can make or prepare some of these strawberry recipes ahead of time. You can store the desserts and baked goods at room temperature for 1-2 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Confirm storing instructions by checking each recipe.

To reheat any of these recipes and serve them warm, reheat in a 300F preheated oven or air fryer for 5-15 minutes until fully warmed through. I would check on it every 5 minutes until ready. If heating from frozen, let it thaw first and then reheat.

Did You Make Any of These Strawberry Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of strawberry recipes, or let me know if there are any recipes you would like to see. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

Mango Sago

Mango sago is a popular Asian dessert that's perfect on a hot summer day. This creamy, fruity, cold tapioca pudding dessert is easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients.

Plus, homemade mango sago is made with real fruit - it's better, healthier, and cheaper than buying it at a dessert shop!

Mango sago is a popular Asian dessert that’s creamy, fruity, cold tapioca pudding dessert is easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients. | aheadofthyme.com

What is Mango Sago?

Mango sago is a popular dessert pudding found all over Asia - in China, Singapore, Malaysia, Guangdong, and Taiwan. But, with many local Asian dessert shops popping up everywhere, it's becoming more common in North America too. It's made with a few simple ingredients including sago (which are mini white tapioca pearls), ripe mangoes, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk. It is also common to add some pomelo pulp.

Why You'll Love Mango Sago

The experience of enjoying mango sago. Mango sago is sweet, fruity, creamy, and served cold. On a warm day, mango sago is a delicious relief. You can drink mango sago out of a cup with a straw or enjoy it in a bowl with a spoon. Either way, it's a stellar and uplifting dessert experience.
Fresh mango and sago. Mango sago doesn't contain artificial flavors or sweeteners. Instead, it's made with fresh mangos, which bring all-natural fiber, sugar, and flavor. When cooked, the sago becomes transparent and jelly-like. Together, these two make the perfect pair.
It's easy to make and cheaper than buying it. Buying mango sago at your local bubble tea store is an option, but it's more affordable to make it yourself.
It's easy to make at home. Making mango sago at home is a lot easier than you think. It takes some time to cook the mini tapioca pearls but really that takes just a few minutes of actual prep.
It's healthier than store-bought. Making homemade bubble tea is so much healthier than store-bought, especially when we are talking about the fruity milk teas. With this homemade recipe, we are using real fruit, unlike the store-bought drinks which use fruit syrup to achieve that flavor.
It's cheaper than store-bought. Bubble tea these days are expensive! It is much cheaper to make your own than to pay someone to mix a couple ingredients together.

Ingredient Notes

To make this refreshing Mango Sago Tapioca Pudding, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

mini white tapioca pearls - For this recipe, you will need mini tapioca pearls (also known as sago). Sago pearls are made from palm tree starches, unlike traditional tapioca pearls which are made from cassava starch. They differ in texture, taste, and size, but you can use traditional boba in this recipe in a pinch.
yellow mangoes - Use ripe mangos for the best sweetness. I used ripe Ataulfo mangos.
coconut milk - You can use either full fate or light coconut milk. But note that the coconut milk you use in the mango sago will impact its flavor and consistency. Full fat coconut milk will give it a silkier, richer, thicker feeling, while light coconut milk will make a thinner, less rich mango sago.
sweetened condensed milk
mint leaves - optional, for garnish.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a blender, and a medium cooking pot.

How to Make the Best Mango Sago

First, cook the tapioca pearls.

Boil. In a medium saucepan, add 6 cups of water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add tapioca pearls and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The pearls will turn translucent, but at this point, you might still see a tiny white dot in each pearl.
Let sit. Turn off the heat and let the pearls rest in the hot water until all the tapioca pearls become completely transparent, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain. Rinse the pearls under running water to cool off and drain in a fine mesh sieve or colander. Set aside.

Prepare the mango sago.

Prepare the mango. Slice each mango in half away from the pit and use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh. Set aside ¼ cup flesh (about half a mango) and dice into cubes to use as a topping.
Blend ingredients. Add mango, coconut milk, and condensed milk in a blender. If you like your sago cold, add 3-4 ice cubes in the blender. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.

How to Serve Mango Sago

Divide the mango mixture into bowls, stir in tapioca pearls, and top with cubed mango. You can also add some pomelo pulp on top.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Mango sago is best served fresh. Keep any leftover mango sago refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Make it vegan: To make vegan mango sago, omit the sweetened condensed milk and add sugar to taste instead.

More Refreshing Dessert Recipes

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Caesar Salad

This classic Caesar Salad is fresh, delicious, and flavorful. With crisp romaine lettuce, shaved Parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons, all tossed in a creamy homemade Caesar dressing, this salad is ready to serve in just minutes.

A side salad like this Caesar is a must-have recipe in your back pocket. You can serve it along any dinner recipe - any time of the year. But it's especially great in the summer as a side at family barbecues or picnics, as an easy make ahead lunch to pack for work, or as a shareable salad to take to a potluck.

Classic Caesar Salad is fresh, crisp, delicious, and flavorful. With three simple ingredients tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing, it's ready in minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Caesar Salad

It's easy to make in just minutes. Salads like this romaine lettuce salad are the best because they are seriously so easy. All you do is prep the ingredients and toss them together. Plus, you can use store-bought salad dressing for convenience, or make your own in a few minutes by whisking together the required ingredients.
Made with a few ingredients. All you need to make a Caesar salad is romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and dressing. You could also add in some bacon bits to add a little extra flavor into the mix.
The homemade Caesar salad dressing. If you decide to make the salad dressing at home, you are in for a treat. It's loaded with that classic caesar flavor - salty, earthy, and umami. Plus, since it's homemade, it has no preservatives so you'll be able to taste it's freshness in every bite.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy homemade Caesar Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

romaine lettuce
parmesan cheese - Use freshly grated or shaved Parmesan. For shaved Parmesan, use a potato peeler to get those thin slices.
croutons - You can also try this salad with Rice Croutons.
Caesar salad dressing - I used our homemade Caesar dressing but feel free to use store-bought dressing if that is more convenient. For the homemade dressing, you will need: mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper.

Caesar Salad Toppings

Some other ingredients that you can add to a Caesar salad are bacon bits, roasted chickpeas, or make it unique with veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers.

How to Make the Best Caesar Salad

Making homemade Caesar salad is one of the easiest salads there is to make. Simply, combine the romaine lettuce, parmesan, and croutons in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with caesar salad dressing and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

How to Make Homemade Caesar Dressing

I love making this salad with my homemade caesar dressing. You will need to simply combine the salad dressing ingredients together in a mixing bowl including mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper. Use a whisk to mix everything together.

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing is rich, creamy, and flavorful. It's a quick simple dressing made in minutes with a classic salty, earthy, and umami taste. | aheadofthyme.com

How to Serve

Serve this Caesar salad as a light lunch or add some protein such as Chicken Breast or Shrimp Skewers to make it a more filling meal. Caesar salad is also a great side salad to serve with your favorite dinner mains such as:

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: If you want to make caesar salad ahead of time, I recommend combining everything except for the croutons. The croutons will quickly become soggy. Otherwise, everything else will store well in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For best results, store the dressing separately too if you can.
How to store: Store any leftover tossed salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is best if eating within a day or two because the longer you store it, the more wilted the romaine lettuce will get.

More Salad Recipes

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Strawberry Lemonade

Homemade strawberry lemonade is refreshing, flavorful, and easy to make. This summer drink is loaded with fresh strawberries and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It's a favorite amongst kids and adults alike.

This healthy fresh lemonade is loaded with vitamins and you can even customize the sweetness to your liking. Plus, you can change it into sparkling strawberry lemonade if you prefer. It's freezer-friendly too so make a big batch!

Homemade strawberry lemonade is refreshing, flavorful, and easy to make. This sparkling summer drink is loaded with fresh strawberries and lemon. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Strawberry Lemonade

Made with real fruit. This homemade strawberry lemonade is made with fresh strawberries and freshly squeezed lemons. It get its beautiful color naturally from strawberries, unlike the store-bought version which typically contains added dyes.
The perfect summer drink. Sparkling strawberry lemonade is the perfect, refreshing drink to serve at your next summer cookout, barbecue, picnic, or potluck.
It's healthy. Homemade lemonade is healthy. Although it has a little sugar, you can add less if you want - regardless it will still be a lot less sugar than what you find in store-bought lemonade. Plus, when you have lemons and strawberries, you know that this sparkling strawberry lemonade is packed with Vitamin C.
Loaded with health benefits. Lemons are kind of a superfood packed with vitamins and minerals. They help with digestion, prevents kidney stones, prevents cancer, and can reduce blood pressure. Strawberries also contain lots of vitamins and minerals. They are high in folate, great for digestion, high in antioxidants, boosts your immune system, and helps reduce cholesterol.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this easy and delicious homemade sparkling strawberry lemonade, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

strawberries - or you can substitute with any fruit that you want to make a fruit lemonade.
lemons - for freshly squeezed lemon juice, and extra lemon wedges for serving (optional).
sugar - feel free to customize the sweetness by adding more or less sugar. You can also substitute with other sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup.
water - we used a combination of water and sparkling water for sparkling strawberry lemonade. For a regular lemonade, use still water instead of sparkling.
ice - optional, for serving.

Ingredients in strawberry lemonade. | aheadofthyme.com

How to Make the Best Strawberry Lemonade

Dissolve sugar. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Let the mixture cool completely.

Dissolved sugar in water and lemon juice. | aheadofthyme.com

Puree strawberries. In a blender, puree 1 and ½ cups strawberries until smooth. Remove and strain through a fine mesh sieve if desired, or leave it as is for a chunkier drink.

Strawberry puree in a blender. | aheadofthyme.com

Pressing strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve. | aheadofthyme.com

Whisk together. Transfer the strawberry puree, sugar mixture, and sparkling water to a large pitcher and whisk together until combined.

Chill. Transfer the lemonade to the refrigerator until completely cool.
Serve. Slice the remaining strawberries and stir into lemonade. Add lemon wedges and ice and serve.

How to Store Fresh Lemonade

How to store: Store fresh lemonade in a sealed pitcher or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 weeks.
How to freeze: You can also freeze sparkling strawberry lemonade.
Transfer the fresh lemonade to an airtight container or pour into ice cube molds. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag for easy storing. You can freeze it for up to 6 months.