Main Dishes Archives

Category: Main Dishes

12
Apr
2025

Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole (Instant Pot)

categories: Casseroles, Chicken, Instant Pot Recipes, Main Dishes

1 Shares

Use an Instant Pot to make a delicious Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole! Filled with chicken, cheese, rice and broccoli, this meal serves 6.

About a year and a half ago our oldest son moved to Portugal after getting married (his wife is Portuguese). He gifted me with the Instant Pot that he purchased while living in his own apartment here in Oregon. On a trip back home to visit last year, he stayed with us, and I made this cheesy chicken rice casserole for dinner one night.

We all really liked it, and it was fun to show him I had learned how to use my Instant Pot because he’d given it to me without any instructions, recipes or instruction manual! Ha Ha!

Since that time, I’ve made quite a variety of recipes (Butter Chicken, Rice Pudding, Ground Beef Stroganoff and others) using my Instant Pot. These and all of my recipes can be found in the Recipe Index at the top of each blog post.

I adapted this recipe slightly from an original recipe I found on YouTube from “Six Sisters Stuff”. It’s easy to make and is a delicious casserole (with chicken, veggies and rice) that yields about 6 servings! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken

Pat 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks, then set them aside.

Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot, and heat 2 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in it. Once the oil is heated (but not smoking), add the chicken pieces to the Instant Pot.

Stir in chopped onion, curry powder, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Continue to stir as it cooks in the hot oil, so the garlic doesn’t burn, because it will become bitter if burnt.

Cook, stirring often until the chicken is no longer pink and is mostly cooked through. It will finish cooking once pressure-cooked later. Press the CANCEL button to stop sautéing.

Time To Add More Ingredients

Add rice, cream of chicken soup, low-sodium chicken broth, water, and raw broccoli florets to the Instant Pot. The broccoli will break apart a little as it is pressure-canned, so don’t make the pieces too small.

Once all these ingredients have been added, stir the mixture until they are all incorporated and fully combined. Now it’s time to cook it all together in your Instant Pot.

Ready To COOK!

Lock the lid of your Instant Pot in place. Flip the steam release valve to SEALING. Press the MANUAL button and set the timer for 6 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes or so to come to full internal pressure (the pressure button will pop up indicating full pressure), and the cooking program/timer will begin.

When the 6-minute cooking program ends and timer indicates it’s done, flip the steam release valve to VENTING to allow a quick release of the steam inside. Once all the steam pressure has been released the pressure valve will drop back down, indicating it is safe to open the lid.

Carefully unlock and remove the lid of the Instant Pot and give the mixture inside a very quick stir.

Sprinkle a cup of grated cheddar cheese on top of the casserole and stir it in well, until the cheese has melted and is fully mixed in.

Serve The Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole

To serve the cheesy chicken rice casserole, transfer the mixture out of the inner pot and spread it out evenly in a 2-quart baking dish. If desired, add a bit more grated cheddar cheese on top (optional, but GOOD!).

TIP: If adding cheese on top, put the casserole in a microwave; heat 30-45 seconds to fully melt the cheese. You do not have to do this because the heat of the casserole will slightly melt the cheese. However, if you want the cheese fully melted, use your microwave to help it along!

Serve the casserole immediately, and enjoy this delicious, filling one dish meal, full of chicken, rice and broccoli! There’s enough for 6 servings, and leftovers can be reheated in a microwave. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I hope you enjoy Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole because it’s a very satisfying meal that’s simple and budget friendly to make. I am confident your friends and family will enjoy it, too!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More CHICKEN CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of chicken casseroles (not Instant Pot) you might enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from a: “Six Sisters Stuff” Instant Pot video I saw on YouTube

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole (Instant Pot)

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

6 mins

Includes Pressurization time (Instant Pot)

10 mins

Total Time

36 mins

Use an Instant Pot to make a delicious Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole! Filled with chicken, cheese, rice and broccoli, this meal serves 6.

Category: Casserole

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: cheesy chicken rice casserole, Instant pot

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 548 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion peeled, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon curry powder
2 cups long grain white rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup = 1 regular sized can
½ cup water
1½ cups raw broccoli florets
1 cup grated cheddar cheese + more for topping casserole, if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut into bite-sized chunks; set aside.
Press SAUTÉ button on Instant Pot; heat olive oil in inner pot. Once oil is hot, add chicken. Stir in onion, curry powder, salt, pepper and garlic. Continue to stir so garlic doesn't burn. Cook until chicken is no longer pink (mostly cooked) It will finish cooking later. Press CANCEL button to stop sautéing.
Add rice, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, water, and broccoli florets. Stir the mixture until ingredients are fully combined.
Lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Flip the steam release valve to SEALING. Press the MANUAL button; set the timer for 6 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to full pressure (pressure button will pop up indicating full pressure), then cooking program begins. When cooking program ends and timer indicates it's done, flip the steam release valve to VENTING to allow a quick release of the steam inside. When all pressure has been released, pressure button will drop back down, indicating it is safe to open the lid.
Carefully remove Instant Pot lid; give mixture inside a quick stir. Sprinkle 1 cup of grated cheddar on top; stir well, until cheese melts and is mixed in.
Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and spread evenly in dish. OPTIONAL: Add more grated cheese on top. TIP: If adding cheese on top, put casserole in microwave; heat 30-45 seconds to melt cheese. This is not a must, but if you'd prefer the cheese fully melted, use a microwave to help it along! Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole (Instant Pot)

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 548 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 95mg32%

Sodium 1027mg45%

Potassium 707mg20%

Carbohydrates 58g19%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 37g74%

Vitamin A 459IU9%

Vitamin C 23mg28%

Calcium 186mg19%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

01
Apr
2025

Baked Cod and Potatoes

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood

2 Shares

Pin2

Yum

Baked Cod and Potatoes is a simple, delicious dish featuring cod fillets roasted on top of buttery, crispy, well-seasoned potato slices.

Today I would like to share an easy to prepare seafood main dish with you that I found online a while ago. The main ingredients are cod fillets and russet potatoes (along with butter, olive oil and spices). It’s a fairly simple recipe that will serve 3 people.

There are two cooking methods used to make the dish. Potatoes are roasted in the oven; the fish is added on top (same dish), then everything finishes cooking under the broiler in the oven. It’s a really nice tasting meal, and here is how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Potatoes

Wash 2 large russet potatoes (or 3 medium- about 1 pound total), then remove the peels. Once they’re peeled, slice the potatoes into 1/8″ thick rounds (width-wise) using a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer. Place the potato slices in a medium bowl.

Combine 2 Tablespoons of melted butter and 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a separate bowl. Remove 1 Tablespoon of this mixture and set it aside (to drizzle on the fish later).

Pour the remaining 3 Tablespoons of the butter and olive oil mixture over the potatoes and toss them well, until the potato slices have been coated on all sides.

Grease a 9″ square baking dish with non-stick spray, then spread the coated potato slices evenly in the dish, keeping them in a single layer. Season the potatoes generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

Bake The Seasoned Potato Slices

Bake the potato slices at 400°F. for 35-40 minutes until the slices have softened and are light golden brown in color. Flip the potatoes over halfway through the baking time, then re-spread them in the dish and continue baking. TIP: I encourage you to check on the potatoes a couple of times while they bake to ensure they don’t get too crispy.

Remove the pan from the oven once the potatoes are finished cooking. Turn on the BROILER for the oven, and make sure the oven rack is moved to about 6 inches from the heat source for the final step.

Add The Cod Fillets

Now it’s time to add the cod fillets and finish cooking this dish! Place three 1″ thick cod fillets (with or without skin on the bottom) on top of the potato slices, leaving a small amount of space in between each one.

We used cod fillets with skin on (this time), then removed the skin once everything was ready, but this is your choice, however you prefer it. Drizzle or brush the reserved melted butter and olive oil mixture over the top of the fillets. Lightly season the fish with additional salt (if desired), then sprinkle them with fresh thyme leaves.

Time For The Broiler

When the broiler is hot and the oven rack is in place, put the baking dish back in the oven, about 6″ away from the direct heat of the broiler. Broil the fish for 7-10 minutes OR until the fish is cooked through, and the potatoes are crispy and browned.

Ours usually takes the full 10 minutes, but the time may vary depending on the thickness of the fish. Keep an eye on the fish while it broils. If you notice the potatoes begin to get too browned or start to burn slightly, simply move the dish further away from the broiler!

The baked cod and potatoes are done when the potatoes are browned and crispy, and the cod flakes easily with a fork and is cooked all the way through.

Serve The Baked Cod And Potatoes

Remove the baking dish from the oven and serve the baked cod and potatoes immediately. Serve the fish on top of the potatoes or serve the cod with the potatoes on the side.

Sprinkle more fresh thyme leaves on top of the fish before serving (if desired). We enjoy serving the baked cod and potatoes with a salad or a green veggie on the side.

I hope you have the opportunity to try this delicious seafood recipe and trust you will find it enjoyable. It’s a really uncomplicated recipe to make and has good flavors.

Thanks so much for stopping by and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More COD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have many delicious recipes featuring cod you can check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman via New York Times Cooking at: Roasted Cod and Potatoes Recipe

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Baked Cod and Potatoes

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Baked Cod and Potatoes is a simple, delicious dish featuring cod fillets roasted on top of buttery, crispy, well-seasoned potato slices.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: baked cod and potatoes

Servings: 3

Calories Per Serving: 366 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound) or 3 medium
¼ medium yellow onion thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons butter melted
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to generously season potatoes
garlic powder to generously season potatoes
paprika to generously season potatoes
¾ pound cod fillets (3 fillets) approx. 1" thick and 4 oz. each
fresh thyme leaves (chopped) to lightly season fish
additional salt (optional) to lightly season fish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400℉. Grease or spray bottom of a 9" square baking dish.
Wash and peel potatoes. Slice potatoes into 1/8" thick rounds using a knife or mandoline. Place potato slices in a bowl.
Combine melted butter and olive oil in a separate bowl. Remove 1 Tablespoon of mixture; set aside (to drizzle on fish later). Pour remaining butter/oil mixture on potatoes; toss well until potatoes are coated. Spread potatoes in prepared dish, in a single layer. Season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
Bake the potatoes at 400°F. for 35-40 minutes until softened and light golden brown in color. Flip slices over halfway through baking time, then re-spread them in the dish; continue baking. TIP: Check on potatoes 2-3 times while they bake so they don't get too crispy.
Remove potatoes from oven. Turn on the BROILER: move oven rack to 6" below broiler heat source. Place cod fillets on top of potatoes. Drizzle reserved butter/oil mixture over the fish. Lightly sprinkle fish with additional salt (if desired), then sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
Put baking dish under broiler (6" away from heat source). Broil 7-10 minutes OR until fish is cooked through (flakes easily with a fork), and potatoes are crispy/browned. Time may vary depending on thickness of fish. TIP: Keep an eye on everything as it broils. If potatoes begin to burn, move baking dish further away from the broiler!
Remove from oven; serve immediately. Serve fish on top of the potatoes or with potatoes on the side. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Baked Cod and Potatoes

Amount Per Serving (1 1 fillet + potatoes)

Calories 366 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 69mg23%

Sodium 129mg6%

Potassium 1115mg32%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 280IU6%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 42mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

22
Mar
2025

Italian Penne Pasta Casserole

categories: Beef, Casseroles, Italian, Main Dishes, Pork

2 Shares

Pin2

Yum

Make a delicious Italian Penne Pasta Casserole for those you love! It’s filled with ground beef, Italian sausage, sauce and lots of cheese!

Today I want to share a “simple” yet delicious casserole recipe I believe you’re going to enjoy! I created this recipe using simple ingredients and we really like it a lot! I came up with this recipe after experimenting with different uses for penne, those cute little tubes of pasta goodness! YUM!

Our family loves almost anything Italian, so this tasty casserole is one that is easily made and enjoyed without a ton of prep work. That’s a win-win in my book, so let me show you how to make this Italian Penne Pasta Casserole. It yields about 6 servings, and I hope you like it!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Casserole Filling

Place ground beef, Italian sausage, chopped green bell pepper and chopped onion in a large skillet. Cook these ingredients on medium-high heat until the meat is browned and fully cooked through. The peppers and onions should be tender, as well.

TIP: You can use sweet OR spicy Italian sausage (links or bulk) in the casserole, but if you use Italian sausage links, remove the casings before cooking.

Once the meat finishes cooking, remove any grease from the skillet (and discard). Season the meat mixture with Italian seasoning mix and salt and pepper.

Transfer the meat filling to a large bowl, add a favorite marinara sauce (your choice) and shredded mozzarella cheese. Note: You will set aside a small part of the mozzarella cheese to top the casserole before baking!

Stir the filling well, until all the ingredients have been combined. Now the only thing left to add to the casserole filling is eight ounces of cooked penne pasta.

Cook the Penne Pasta

TIP: To save time, consider cooking the pasta WHILE you make the meat filling. It doesn’t take too much effort to cook both at the same time and will significantly reduce your prep time.

Bring a large saucepan of boiling water to a full boil. Add the penne pasta and cook it on medium-high heat according to the package directions (approx. 10 minutes). The pasta may be slightly al dente (or slightly undercooked) at this point but will finish cooking in the oven.

Drain the pasta once it has finished cooking and add the drained pasta to the rest of the filling in the bowl. Stir well, to fully combine and coat the pasta with the meat sauce.

Prepare The Casserole For Baking

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9″ x 9″ baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the casserole filling into the baking dish and spread the mixture out evenly in the pan.

Sprinkle the surface of the casserole with the reserved amount of shredded mozzarella cheese, until evenly distributed. Cover the baking dish lightly with aluminum foil. Now the Italian penne pasta casserole is ready to bake!

Bake And Serve The Italian Penne Pasta Casserole

Bake the casserole at 350°F. for 35-40 minutes, removing the foil covering for the last 10 minutes of baking. Once done, the sauce should be bubbly around the edges and the cheese topping should be golden brown and fully melted.

Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and let the Italian Penne Pasta Casserole rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle each portion with grated Parmesan cheese, then serve and enjoy this delicious meal.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this casserole for your family and/or friends, and trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we do. Any leftovers you may have can be easily re-heated in a microwave for additional meals.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of casserole recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Italian Penne Pasta Casserole

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Make a delicious Italian Penne Pasta Casserole for those you love! It's filled with ground beef, Italian sausage, sauce and lots of cheese!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian, penne pasta, casserole

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 507 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

½ pound ground beef
2 links Italian sausage (casings removed) or ¼ pound bulk Italian sausage
2 Tablespoons chopped yellow onion
2 Tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper (enough to season the meat to taste)
24 ounces marinara sauce (or favorite meatless spaghetti sauce)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese* *DIVIDED USE
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9" x 9" baking dish with non-stick spray.
Place ground beef, Italian sausage, green pepper and onion in a large skillet. TIP: If using Italian sausage links, remove the casing. Cook on medium-high heat until meat is browned/fully cooked. Drain grease from skillet. Season meat with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well.
Transfer meat mixture to large bowl; add marinara sauce and 1½ cups mozzarella. Note: Reserve ½ cup mozzarella to use later! Stir mixture well, until combined.
Bring large pan of water to a full boil. Add pasta; cook on medium-high heat per pkg. directions (approx. 10 minutes). Pasta may be slightly undercooked but will finish cooking in the oven. Drain pasta; add to meat sauce in bowl. Stir well, to coat pasta with meat sauce.
Pour casserole filling into greased baking dish, spreading mixture evenly. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese, sprinkling evenly. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350°F. for 35-40 minutes, removing foil during the last 10 minutes of baking. It's done when the sauce is bubbly around the edges and cheese topping is golden brown and fully melted. Transfer baking dish to a wire rack. Let casserole rest 2-3 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle each portion with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

TIP: To save time, consider cooking the pasta WHILE you make the meat filling. It doesn't take too much effort to cook both at the same time and will significantly reduce your prep time.

Nutrition Facts

Italian Penne Pasta Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 507 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 85mg28%

Sodium 1072mg47%

Potassium 658mg19%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 758IU15%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 230mg23%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

18
Mar
2025

Apple Broccoli Quinoa Salad

categories: Meatless Meals, Salads

3 Shares

Pin3

Yum

Enjoy delicious, healthy Apple Broccoli Quinoa Salad with broccoli, apple, feta cheese, walnuts and quinoa in a honey Dijon salad dressing!

Do you enjoy eating quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah)? I have used it in quite a few recipes here on my blog. If you aren’t familiar with this “superfood”, let me take a second to give you a very brief overview.

Quinoa has been around for thousands of years, and it originated in the Andes mountains of Chile, Bolivia and Peru with the Inca civilization who considered it a sacred food. It is the SEED of a grain crop grown specifically for those very seeds! Nutritious quinoa has grown increasingly popular in the United States over the past couple decades!

Quinoa is naturally gluten-free, high in fiber and is a very good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. It is incredibly simple to prepare and provides a good protein foundation for this yummy, nutritious apple broccoli quinoa salad. I hope you enjoy it- here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Quinoa

Use a fine mesh strainer to rinse and then drain ½ cup of uncooked quinoa very well. This helps to remove any impurities that may be present.

Bring ¾ cup of water to a full boil (on HIGH) in a medium-sized saucepan. Once the water is at a full boil, add the drained quinoa. Reduce the heat to LOW, and put a lid on the pan, leaving the LID slightly offset to let a bit of steam escape.

Simmer the quinoa for 12-13 minutes on LOW heat OR until all the water has been absorbed. One the quinoa is finished cooking, remove the lid and use a fork to “fluff” up the quinoa in the saucepan. Let the quinoa cool by transferring it out of the hot pan into a bowl, stirring it occasionally as it cools.

Lightly “Toast” The Walnuts

By lightly “toasting” the chopped walnuts, you can add a bit more flavor AND crunchiness to the salad. It is easy to do this by heating a skillet on MEDIUM heat until fairly hot. That’s right! You do NOT put them in a toaster (ha ha!)

Add chopped walnuts and let them “toast”, stirring them often until they are slightly browned and have become aromatic. This only takes a few minutes! Once they’re done, immediately transfer the walnuts from the hot skillet onto a plate or paper towels to completely cool.

Make The Salad Dressing

Now it’s time to make the flavorful salad dressing for the salad. It’s a CINCH! Place the ingredients (olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, honey, sea salt and black pepper) in a small bowl.

Use a whisk to mix these ingredients until they have emulsified and are fully blended. The result should be a smooth, creamy salad dressing with no separation of oil and vinegar.

TIP: If you do not have access to a whisk, you can put the salad dressing ingredients into a small jar with a secure lid. Shake the jar really well until they’re FULLY combined.

Assemble The Salad

When you are ready to assemble the salad, place 3 cups of freshly chopped broccoli (small pieces) into a medium-sized salad bowl. Add one cored, chopped UNPEELED red honey crisp apple (or substitute), then squeeze the juice of a small lemon over the top.

Stir these three ingredients very well until combined. The lemon juice helps the apple pieces to not turn brown as they are exposed to the air!

Add crumbled feta cheese and the cooled, cooked quinoa and toss the apple broccoli quinoa salad until combined.

Give the salad dressing a good stir so it is again combined, then pour it over the salad, and toss again until fully mixed. Take a small taste and add additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve The Apple Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Now the salad is ready to be served and enjoyed! If desired, you can refrigerate the salad for a while if you prefer it well-chilled, but it is delicious either way!

The leftovers will keep well for 3-4 days if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The apples (if covered well with lemon juice when making the salad) should also stay crisp and un-browned!

This healthy salad is delicious, and I enjoy it as a protein-packed quick lunch OR as a side dish served with a main dish at dinner. I hope you have the chance to make it for yourself and/or those you love.

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More QUINOA Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of recipes featuring quinoa, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source (and with thanks to Jenn Laughlin) at https://peasandcrayons.com/broccoli-apple-quinoa-salad/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Apple Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

Total Time

28 mins

Enjoy delicious, healthy Apple Broccoli Quinoa Salad with broccoli, apple, feta cheese, walnuts and quinoa in a honey Dijon salad dressing!

Category: Meatless Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: apple broccoli quinoa salad

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 322 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Salad:

½ cup quinoa (uncooked) rinsed/ drained well
¾ cup water
⅓ cup walnuts chopped/ pan-toasted
3 cups chopped fresh broccoli cut in small pieces
1 medium honey crisp apple (do not peel) cored, chopped in small pieces
1 small lemon
⅓ cup feta cheese crumbles

For Salad Dressing:

2½ Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¾ Tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Use a fine mesh strainer to rinse and fully drain quinoa to remove any impurities.
COOK QUINOA- Bring water to a full boil (on HIGH) in a medium saucepan. Once water is boiling, add quinoa. Reduce heat to LOW; put a lid on pan, leaving LID slightly offset to let some steam escape. Simmer quinoa 12-13 minutes on LOW OR until water has been absorbed. Remove lid- use a fork to "fluff" quinoa in pan. Remove quinoa from hot pan into a bowl, stirring occasionally as it cools.
TOAST WALNUTS- Heat a skillet on MEDIUM. Add chopped walnuts; cook, stirring often until they're slightly browned and aromatic (3-4 minutes). Immediately transfer walnuts out of hot skillet onto a plate or paper towels to cool.
MAKE SALAD DRESSING- Place olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, honey, sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Use a whisk to mix until they have emulsified and are fully blended into a smooth, creamy salad dressing with no separation of oil and vinegar. TIP: If you don't have a whisk, put ingredients in a small jar with a secure lid. Shake jar really well until FULLY combined.
MAKE SALAD- Place chopped broccoli in a medium salad bowl. Add cored, chopped UNPEELED apple, then squeeze juice of small lemon on top. Mix until well-combined (lemon juice helps apple pieces not turn brown when exposed to air). Add feta and cooled quinoa. Toss to combine.
Give salad dressing a good stir, then pour over salad. Toss to combine. Take a bite of salad; add additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve salad immediately OR cover and refrigerate until ready to serve! Leftovers should keep well for 3-4 days if stored in airtight container in refrigerator (apple pieces should remain crisp and un-browned, as well). Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Can substitute other red, sweet crisp apples such as McIntosh, Fuji, Gala, etc. instead of honey crisp apples, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Apple Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 322 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Polyunsaturated Fat 6g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 356mg15%

Potassium 476mg14%

Carbohydrates 32g11%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 502IU10%

Vitamin C 75mg91%

Calcium 127mg13%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

14
Mar
2025

Easy Lentil Minestrone

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Soups

2 Shares

Pin2

Yum

Make a pot of Easy Lentil Minestrone, with veggies, lentils, beans and pasta. This one-pot soup is low-calorie, meatless, tasty and filling!

Today I want to share a delicious “meatless” soup recipe I found online a while ago. It is absolutely scrumptious and full of veggies and good protein from lentils! This soup is more filling than regular vegetable soup, because of the added white beans and pasta!

Recently a dear family member had surgery, and I offered to bring her a meal once she was home recuperating. She is a vegetarian, so I took her a big pot of easy lentil minestrone, along with some cheddar biscuits and brownies. She told me she loved it!

We love this hearty soup too, even though my husband and I are not vegetarians. Easy Lentil Minestrone has amazing flavor and texture from the veggies, lentils, beans and pasta. I only made a couple of changes to the original recipe, to suit our taste.

I’ve been making wonderful homemade minestrone (with beef) for over 45 years using a recipe from a family friend, but this meatless recipe (from another source) is equally delicious. Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Vegetables

Heat extra virgin olive oil on medium-high heat in a heavy-duty sauce pot or a large Dutch oven until very hot (but not smoking). Add chopped onion, carrots and celery to the hot oil. Cook the veggies until they become tender, about 6-7 minutes.

Add minced garlic, salt, Italian seasoning and black pepper to the veggies, and stir well, to combine these ingredients. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Make The Minestrone Soup

Now it’s time to turn those cooked vegetables into a big pot of yummy soup! Pour in vegetable broth, water, and two 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes (including the juice). Stir to combine these ingredients.

Add brown (or green) lentils and two dried bay leaves (found in spice section at store) to the soup pot. Stir well, then bring the soup to a FULL BOIL.

Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to LOW and put a lid on the soup pot. Let the soup simmer on low heat for 25 minutes, without opening the lid or disturbing the soup.

Add Beans And Pasta

After 25 minutes remove the lid from the soup pot and turn the heat back up to MEDIUM. You will notice the soup has reduced slightly in volume, and that is to be expected.

Stir uncooked macaroni noodles and one can of drained Great Northern Beans (or Cannellini Beans) into the soup. Cook the soup (uncovered), stirring often for about 10-11 minutes, or until the pasta is tender to the bite.

TIP: As the pasta cooks it will absorb some of the liquid. You may find it helpful to add additional broth or water to “thin out” the soup slightly, to suit your taste.

Final Step

Remove the soup pot from the heat source and stir in fresh baby spinach leaves (whole or chopped). As you stir, the heat of the soup will “cook” the spinach until it wilts.

Once the spinach has wilted, take a small taste of the soup. If you find it needs additional salt and pepper to suit your taste, stir it in at this point, right before serving.

Serve And Enjoy Easy Lentil Minestrone Soup

Ladle the minestrone into individual bowls and serve immediately while hot. You can add grated Parmesan cheese to each serving, if desired, for even more flavor (optional, but good).

This recipe as written will yield approximately 12, one-cup servings of the soup and is very low-calorie! A one cup serving is perfect for a quick lunch, but for a dinner “main dish” serving, I recommend doubling this amount.

I hope you have the chance to make this delicious soup for those you love! Yes, it has a fairly long list of ingredients but trust me… it’s so worth it! Easy lentil minestrone not only tastes amazing, but it is very filling!

TIP: The original creator of this recipe also shared how to prepare this meal in a slow cooker. I’ve included the directions in the NOTES section of the printable recipe card below. I have not tried this way of preparing the minestrone but included it in case this method is of interest to you.

Thank you for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. There are LOTS of delicious soup recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from: Jenn Laughlin at: Easy One-Pot Lentil Minestrone Soup – Peas and Crayons

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Easy Lentil Minestrone

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Make a pot of Easy Lentil Minestrone, with veggies, lentils, beans and pasta. This one-pot soup is low-calorie, meatless, tasty and filling!

Category: Main Dish, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy lentil minestrone

Servings: 12 (one cup servings)

Calories Per Serving: 193 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion peeled, diced
3 medium carrots peeled, diced
2 stalks celery finely chopped
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¾ teaspoon black pepper
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water +more, as needed
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes including juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup elbow macaroni uncooked
1 cup brown lentils or green lentils
15 ounces canned Great Northern Beans drained (or substitute cannellini beans)
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves whole or chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat olive oil on medium-high in a heavy-duty sauce pot or large Dutch oven until hot (not smoking). Add onion, carrots, celery; cook until tender (6-7 minutes), stirring often.
Add garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, pepper; stir well. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly so garlic doesn't burn. Pour in veggie broth, water, and diced tomatoes (including juice). Stir to combine.
Add lentils and bay leaves. Stir, then bring soup to a FULL BOIL. Reduce heat to LOW; put a lid on soup pot. Simmer for 25 minutes, without disturbing.
Remove lid from soup pot; increase heat to MEDIUM. Soup will have slightly reduced in volume. Add uncooked macaroni and drained beans. Stir well. Cook (uncovered) for 10-11 minutes or until pasta is tender. TIP: As pasta cooks it will absorb some liquid. Add more broth or water to "thin" soup slightly, as desired.
Remove soup from heat; stir in spinach. The hot soup will "cook/wilt" the spinach. Once spinach has wilted, taste soup; add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Ladle hot soup into bowls; serve immediately. Top with grated Parmesan (optional), if desired.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Jenn Laughlin (original author) shared how to use a slow cooker for this recipe:

Place all ingredients (except macaroni, beans, spinach) in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 9-10 hours OR Cook on HIGH 5-6 hours. Stir in pasta, beans. Cover again; cook till pasta is al dente (10+ minutes). Stir in spinach. Season w/ additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Lentil Minestrone

Amount Per Serving (1 (one cup))

Calories 193 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 0.5g3%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Sodium 708mg31%

Potassium 562mg16%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 3347IU67%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 78mg8%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

11
Mar
2025

Homemade Egg Noodles

categories: Pasta, Side Dishes

2 Shares

Pin2

Yum

It’s easy to make a small batch of homemade egg noodles (3 ingredients) for a side dish (hot, buttered) or to add to homemade soup.

Did you know it is really easy to make homemade egg noodles using only a few ingredients? Yes… it’s true. Today I want to show you how to make egg noodles from scratch in the comfort of your own kitchen.

The recipe I am sharing is for a small batch of homemade noodles (4 servings), which is the perfect amount for us. We can enjoy this amount as a side dish (hot, buttered and lightly seasoned) to accompany some of our meals. This small batch of noodles is also the perfect amount to add to a big pot of homemade soup!

I know it is very convenient to buy egg noodles at the grocery store, but I really LOVE knowing how to make them from scratch, too! Here’s how to make homemade egg noodles.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Dough for The Egg Noodles

In a large bowl or on a flat work surface, combine all-purpose flour and salt. Make a large mound out of the mixture, shore up the sides and then create a deep “well” in the center.

Add two large eggs into the “well”. Use a fork to slowly mix the eggs into the flour mixture, adding flour a little bit at a time until the eggs are fully mixed in.

Continue mixing until the dough comes together into a slightly firm, shaggy mound of dough. Place some flour on your hands and knead the dough until it comes together in a large ball. Add a little more flour, if necessary, to bind it together.

TIP: Don’t overmix the dough or it can cause the dough to become tough, which will make it harder to roll out.

Let The Dough Rest, Then Roll Out

Divide the dough in half into two equal sized balls. Let the dough balls rest (uncovered) for about 10 minutes. Lightly flour a flat work surface or cutting board.

Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out one ball of dough at a time. Try to roll the dough very thin (approximately ¼” thick), for best results.

Slice The Dough Into Thin Strips

Once the dough is rolled out, use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to slice the dough into strips, about ½” – ¾” wide. At this point, the fresh noodles can be cooked immediately.

If you want to freeze some of the noodles for another use, lightly dust the noodles with flour. Lay the noodles on cookie sheets in a single layer, then flash freeze them. Once frozen, place them (loosely packed) in an airtight freezer container or in large freezer bags and store in a freezer.

You can also choose to dry the egg noodles (completely) on wire racks (or pasta racks) for storage. The noodles must be completely dry all the way through before storing them.

NOTE: Personally speaking, I have had the best results cooking the noodles FRESH or FLASH FREEZING them for future use.

Cook The Noodles

To cook the homemade egg noodles, bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil. Add the fresh noodles and allow them to cook for 3-6 minutes (or more). See note below.

When done, the egg noodles should be tender to the bite but not too soft or mushy! Taste a bite then cook longer, if necessary. NOTE: The thickness of the noodles you’ve made will determine the length of time they will need to fully cook.

TIP: If you are cooking frozen egg noodles, simply add them (still frozen) to the boiling water. You do not need to thaw them out at all!

Serve And Enjoy Homemade Egg Noodles

When the noodles are finished cooking, if we are having them as a side dish, I drain them, put them in a serving bowl, and immediately add butter. The hot noodles will melt the butter, and then I add dried parsley then season with salt and garlic powder, to taste. Serve immediately while hot!

If you will be adding them to a soup, add the noodles toward the end of the cooking time (so they don’t overcook) and cook them until they become tender to the bite.

We enjoy these homemade egg noodles served with a variety of main dishes. This time we served them along with classic turkey croquettes and added some roasted Brussel sprouts on the side.

I hope you have the opportunity to try this simple recipe for homemade egg noodles, and trust you’ll enjoy making them from scratch like I do!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes! Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of fantastic side dish recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Homemade Egg Noodles

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

25 mins

It's easy to make a small batch of homemade egg noodles (3 ingredients) for a side dish (hot, buttered) or to add to homemade soup.

Category: Pasta, Side Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: homemade egg noodles

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 150 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl or on a flat work surface, combine flour and salt. Make a large mound out of the mixture, shore up the sides and create a deep "well" in the center. Add eggs to the "well". Use a fork to slowly mix eggs into flour mixture, adding flour in a little at a time until ingredients create a slightly firm, shaggy mound of dough.
Place some flour on your hands; knead dough until it comes together in a large ball. Add more flour, if necessary, to bind it together. TIP: Don't overmix dough or it can become tough, which makes it harder to roll out.
Divide dough in half into two equal-sized balls. Let dough rest (uncovered) for 10 minutes. Lightly flour work surface or cutting board. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out 1 ball of dough at a time. Roll dough very thin (approx. ¼" thick), for best results. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
Once dough is rolled out, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice dough into strips, ½" - ¾" wide. At this point, fresh noodles can be cooked immediately.
To cook noodles, bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil. Add fresh noodles; cook 3-6 minutes (or more). When done, noodles should be tender to the bite but not too soft or mushy! Taste a bite then cook longer, if necessary. NOTE: The thickness of the noodles will determine length of time they need to fully cook. TIP: If cooking frozen egg noodles, add them (still frozen) to the boiling water. You do not need to thaw them out at all!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If serving as a side dish, combine cooked, drained, hot egg noodles with butter and seasonings of choice (garlic powder, dried parsley, salt and pepper, etc.) to suit your taste. If adding noodles to soup, add to simmering soup toward the end of the cooking time (for time indicated) so noodles don't overcook.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Egg Noodles

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 150 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 93mg31%

Sodium 327mg14%

Potassium 68mg2%

Carbohydrates 24g8%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 0.2g0%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 135IU3%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards.

04
Mar
2025

Honey Dijon Chicken

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes

2 Shares

Pin2

Yum

Make easy Honey Dijon Chicken for two, featuring pan-seared chicken breasts, coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and honey mustard sauce.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy chicken dish, may I suggest checking out this one for Honey Dijon Chicken? Boneless skinless chicken breasts are coated in honey mustard sauce, then coated with seasoned breadcrumbs. The chicken breasts are then pan-seared for about 4 minutes per side until they are done!

The recipe comes from simple honey mustard sauce I’ve made in the past, and from a simply spiced breadcrumb topping I have also used in the past. I’ve cooked the chicken in oil before but found I liked the browning and added flavor a small amount of butter provides instead.

This main dish (that serves two) can be made in under 20 minutes, which is awesome! The chicken has great flavor and is juicy on the inside and browned and crunchy on the outside.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken Breasts

Lay one chicken breast on a piece of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Cover it with a second piece of plastic wrap and then use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken. The plastic wrap helps keep the chicken from splattering.

Continue to pound the chicken until it has flattened to a thickness of about ¼”. Transfer the chicken breast to paper towels, pat dry, and repeat this process with the other chicken breast. Discard the plastic wrap when finished.

Lightly season the chicken breasts (on both sides) with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Divide the spices evenly between both chicken breasts and make sure to season both sides lightly. Set the chicken aside while you prepare the breadcrumb topping.

Make The Seasoned Breadcrumb Topping

Place dried breadcrumbs, dried parsley and ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard on a large dinner plate and stir well. Continue mixing these ingredients together until the Dijon has been dispersed throughout the breadcrumbs and the ingredients are well-combined.

NOTE: Use a large plate (or cutting board) for this because you will spread out the breadcrumbs and lay the chicken breasts on this topping later, to completely cover the chicken.

Prepare The Honey Mustard Sauce

Measure honey and Dijon mustard into a small bowl and stir them well, until they’re fully combined. Set the honey mustard sauce aside. See how easy it is to make the honey mustard sauce?

Now we will cover the chicken breasts with the sauce and the seasoned breadcrumb mixture, then cook the honey Dijon chicken. We’re almost done!

Coat And Cover The Seasoned Chicken Breasts

Brush the honey mustard sauce on BOTH sides of the chicken breasts using a pastry brush. It’s easier to do only one chicken breast at a time!

Once the sauce is on both sides of the chicken, dredge it through the seasoned bread crumb topping (on the plate) until both sides are covered. Use your hands to lightly press the seasoned breadcrumbs into the sauce/chicken, so they adhere.

Transfer the coated, covered chicken breast to a platter and repeat this process with remaining chicken breasts. Once they are fully covered, it’s time to cook the chicken!

Cook The Chicken Breasts

Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a large skillet on medium heat. After the butter melts and the skillet is HOT, carefully add the seasoned chicken breasts to the skillet. They should sizzle when they hit the hot skillet.

Let the chicken cook (undisturbed) for 4 minutes, then carefully turn the pieces to the other side. The side that was facing down (now on top) should be brown and crispy. Cook the other side of the honey Dijon chicken breasts another 3-4 minutes, or until they are fully cooked through.

Serve The Honey Dijon Chicken

Transfer the chicken breasts out of the skillet and onto individual plates once they’re finished cooking. We served the honey Dijon chicken with home-grown, canned green beans and roasted butternut squash on the side.

The chicken is juicy inside and has great flavor from its simple honey mustard sauce and crispy crumb coating! We really enjoy this simple dish and I’m confident you will too!

I hope you have the opportunity to make honey Dijon chicken for yourself and/or those you love. I really am confident you’ll enjoy this simple recipe!

This is an easy recipe to “keep in your recipe tool bag”, because it’s made without a lot of fuss! Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of fantastic chicken recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Honey Dijon Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

18 mins

Make easy Honey Dijon Chicken for two, featuring pan-seared chicken breasts, coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and honey mustard sauce.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: honey Dijon chicken

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 389 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Chicken:

2 4-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to ¼" thickness
¼ teaspoon salt evenly divided between chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon black pepper evenly divided between chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon garlic powder evenly divided between chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon butter melted (used to cook chicken)

For Breadcrumb Topping:

½ cup dried breadcrumbs (plain)
1 teaspoon dried chopped parsley
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

For Honey Mustard Sauce:

3 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Lay 1 chicken breast on plastic wrap on a cutting board. Cover with 2nd piece of plastic wrap (to prevent splatters). Use flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken until it's flattened to ¼" thickness. Transfer chicken to paper towels; pat dry. Repeat with remaining chicken breast. Discard plastic wrap when finished.
Lightly season chicken (on both sides) with salt, pepper and garlic powder, dividing spices evenly between the chicken breasts.
Season Breadcrumbs: Place breadcrumbs, parsley and ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard on a large dinner plate; stir until Dijon is blended, and ingredients are well-combined. Set aside. NOTE: A large plate is recommended because you will spread out the breadcrumbs and lay the chicken on them later, to cover.
Make sauce: Put honey and 1 Tablespoon Dijon in a small bowl; stir to combine. Use pastry brush to apply sauce to BOTH sides of chicken (1 piece at a time). Lay chicken on the bread crumb topping. Dredge until both sides are covered. Press breadcrumbs into the sauce to adhere. Transfer chicken to a platter; repeat with remaining chicken.
Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. When skillet is HOT (but not smoking), carefully add chicken breasts. Let chicken cook undisturbed for 4 minutes; carefully turn chicken to the other side. The top should be browned and crispy. Continue to cook the other side of the chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until fully cooked through. When done, remove chicken from skillet; serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Honey Dijon Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 chicken breast)

Calories 389 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 88mg29%

Sodium 763mg33%

Potassium 513mg15%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 28g31%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 217IU4%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 66mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

24
Feb
2025

Maple Orange Pork Tenderloin

categories: Main Dishes, Pork

7 Shares

Pin7

Yum

Maple Orange Pork Tenderloin is a delicious main dish! Pork tenderloins are pan-seared, coated in maple/orange glaze, then baked and served!

Today I want to share a delicious recipe for maple orange pork tenderloin I found in one of my favorite cookbooks a few years ago. If you enjoy pork tenderloin then I highly recommend trying this recipe! I slightly tweaked it to suit our taste. This recipe (as written) will yield 2 small pork tenderloins, which can serve up to 8 people!

If you’re at a place in life where family members joining you around the table has decreased (like ours with our grown sons), this is still a good recipe to make. I like to make it, then freeze one of the tenderloins to enjoy for another meal. That makes it really convenient for me to only cook once but end up with two meals! Hooray!

The recipe is pretty simple and straightforward. You will need to pan-sear the pork until nicely browned, coat it in a delicious glaze and bake it until finished. Not too bad, right? Here’s how to make maple orange pork tenderloin.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Tenderloin(s) For Cooking

Before starting, remember to preheat your oven to 325°F. so it will be ready to go once you’re ready, because it doesn’t take too long to prep the pork and glaze!

Pat the pork tenderloin(s) dry using paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Trim off any large pieces of fat that may be present. Season the pork tenderloins on all sides with salt and black pepper, dividing the amount equally between the two tenderloins.

Pan-Sear The Pork

Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil on Medium-High heat in a large (10″) oven-proof skillet. Let the oil get really hot (a couple minutes), but ONLY until it barely begins to smoke. It needs to be very hot to quickly brown the tenderloins.

I brown the tenderloins one at a time (for maximum space in the skillet), but if you want, you can brown both of them at the same time. Once the oil is very hot, place pork tenderloin(s) into the skillet. Let it cook without moving it for 2-3 minutes, then rotate the meat ¼ turn. Cook the tenderloin for about 2 minutes per side, then rotate until all sides are nicely browned.

Transfer the pork tenderloin(s) out of the skillet onto a plate, baking sheet or platter, and keep them warm while you make the maple orange glaze. NOTE: At this point, the pork will only be seared/well-browned on the outside but will finish cooking in the oven.

Make The Maple And Orange Glaze

You will need real maple syrup, molasses (oops-not in photo), fresh orange juice and zest, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne pepper to make the maple and orange glaze. Stir to combine these glaze ingredients in a small bowl until they are fully incorporated.

NOTE: The salt, pepper and vegetable oil shown below are not used in the glaze but are used to season and pan-sear the pork tenderloins.

Glaze The Browned Pork Tenderloins

Pour the glaze mixture into the same skillet you browned the tenderloin in. Heat it on Medium for about 1 minute, being sure to scrape up all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet (flavor!) Once that is done, turn off the heat under the skillet.

Transfer the pork tenderloin(s) back into the glaze filled skillet. Using tongs, turn the tenderloin(s) to cover all sides with the maple orange glaze. Once the tenderloins are covered with glaze, let the meat rest for 3-4 minutes, before you place the skillet into the oven.

Time To Bake

Bake the maple orange pork tenderloin in a preheated 325°F. oven for approximately 30-35 minutes OR until the internal temperature of the pork registers 140-145°F. I usually check the internal temperature after 30 minutes of baking, and it is usually at or “almost” at temperature.

Remove the skillet from the oven, then spoon the remaining glaze in the skillet back over the pork. Cover the skillet with foil to keep the tenderloin(s) warm, then let the meat rest 8-10 minutes. Remember that the meat will continue to rise in temperature as it rests, and ultimately it should be at an internal temperature of 150°F. for serving.

Slice And Serve Maple Orange Pork Tenderloin

Transfer the meat to a cutting board, then cut the maple orange pork tenderloin into approximately 1″ slices and serve. As you place the slices onto each plate, spoon a bit of the remaining maple glaze from the skillet onto the slices.

NOTE: We typically serve 3 slices per person, but the size of those slices is completely up to you. If it is just a couple of us eating, we only slice one tenderloin. If you are not serving a large crowd, you can easily save the remaining tenderloin in the freezer for another meal.

To freeze, place the remaining tenderloin (if you have one left over) in an airtight freezer container. Spoon any remaining glaze over the top, then store in the freezer. Thaw and reheat, to use again for another meal.

I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe for maple orange pork tenderloin. The recipe is pretty simple to prepare, and the sauce adds a lot of great flavor to the meat! I think you’re going to enjoy it.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More PORK Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious recipes featuring PORK to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from: “The Complete America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook”, page 212, published in 2018 by America’s Test Kitchen

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Maple Orange Pork Tenderloin

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

Maple Orange Pork Tenderloin is a delicious main dish! Pork tenderloins are pan-seared, coated in maple/orange glaze, then baked and served!

Category: Main Dish, Pork

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: maple orange pork tenderloin

Servings: 8 (using 2 tenderloins)

Calories Per Serving: 233 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Tenderloin(s):

2½ pounds pork tenderloin* **Use two 1¼ lb. tenderloins
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (used to pan-sear meat)

For Maple Orange Glaze:

⅓ cup real maple syrup
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
1½ Tablespoons fresh orange zest* *zest= finely grated orange peel
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch cayenne pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Pat pork tenderloin(s) dry using paper towels. Trim off large pieces of fat. Season meat on all sides with salt and pepper, dividing equally between two tenderloins.
Heat oil on Medium-High heat in a (10") oven-proof skillet. Heat 2-3 minutes, until oil barely begins to smoke. Place tenderloin(s) into hot oil in skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes (without disturbing), then rotate meat ¼ turn. Cook 2 minutes per side, then rotate until all sides are nicely browned. Transfer pork out of skillet onto a plate; cover meat to keep it warm. NOTE: pork will only be browned on the outside but will finish cooking in the oven. Do not clean skillet.
Stir maple orange glaze ingredients in a small bowl until fully incorporated. Pour glaze mixture into skillet. Heat it on Medium for about 1 minute, being sure to scrape up the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet (flavor!) Once done, turn off the heat under the skillet. Using tongs, place tenderloin(s) back into skillet. Turn tenderloin(s) to cover all sides with glaze. Let meat rest 3-4 minutes, to let glaze slightly thicken.
Bake (uncovered) at 325°F. for 30-35 minutes OR until internal temp. of pork is 140-145°F. Remove skillet from oven. Spoon glaze in skillet over pork. Cover skillet loosely with foil; let meat rest 8-10 minutes. Meat temp. will continue to rise as it rests; ultimately it should have an internal temp. of 150°F. for serving.
Cut tenderloin into approx. 1" slices. Place slices (about 3) onto each plate, spoon some maple glaze from the skillet onto the slices, serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Cooking time is based on using 2 pork tenderloins, each weighing about 1¼ pounds. Your baking time may differ slightly based on the total weight of the tenderloin used.

Nutrition Facts

Maple Orange Pork Tenderloin

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total) approx. three 1" slices)

Calories 233 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 92mg31%

Sodium 295mg13%

Potassium 669mg19%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 18IU0%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 37mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

13
Feb
2025

BBQ Chicken Legs (Instant Pot)

categories: Chicken, Instant Pot Recipes, Main Dishes

3 Shares

Pin3

Yum

Make BBQ Chicken Legs in about 30 minutes using an Instant Pot! Seasoned drumsticks are cooked, coated with BBQ sauce, & broiled until crisp.

Today I want to share a tasty (and simple) recipe for BBQ Chicken Legs, made in an Instant Pot. I found the original recipe online and have really enjoyed the simplicity of this lip-smackin’ dish.

Chicken legs are well seasoned with a homemade spice mix that takes all of a couple minutes to combine. They are cooked in the Instant Pot, then removed, basted with BBQ sauce and broiled or air-fried until nicely browned and crispy on the outside.

The chicken legs are delicious, juicy, and this really is a pretty simple meal to prepare. Here’s how to make BBQ Chicken Legs in an Instant Pot.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Seasoning Mix

The first thing you will need to do is whip up an easy, flavorful seasoning mix! Measure smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, black pepper and salt in a small bowl.

Stir these ingredients well, until fully combined. This is the seasoning mix for the chicken legs. Set the bowl aside for a minute while you get the drumsticks ready for the spices.

Prepare The Chicken Legs

Lightly pat the chicken legs dry on all sides using paper towels. Be sure to leave the skin on the legs for best results.

Use all of the prepared seasoning mix to sprinkle and cover the chicken legs on all sides. Press the seasoning mix into the skin of the chicken so it adheres very well.

Pour low sodium chicken broth into the bottom of the Instant Pot’s inner pot. Place a trivet on the bottom, then arrange the pieces of seasoned chicken on top of the trivet.

Cook The BBQ Chicken Legs

Lock the lid in place and then flip the steam release valve on top to SEALING. Program the Manual button to cook for 15 minutes at HIGH pressure.

The instant pot will begin coming to pressure, and when it has reached full pressure, the timer for the cooking program will begin automatically (and the pressure valve on top will pop up).

When the 15 minute programmed cooking time has finished, perform a QUICK RELEASE of steam by flipping the steam release valve to VENTING.

When all the steam has been released, the pressure valve on top will also drop back down, indicating all pressure is released and it is safe to open the lid. Unlock and remove the lid of the Instant Pot.

Two Ways To Crisp And Brown The Chicken, If Desired

After you remove the chicken legs from the Instant Pot, lay them on parchment paper. Brush them on all sides with a favorite BBQ sauce until each piece is fully covered.

At this point, the BBQ chicken is now fully cooked and can be served, however I highly recommend taking one more step to take these drumsticks up a notch! It only takes a few more minutes, but it is well worth it, in my opinion.

You have two options for crisping/browning the chicken legs and cooking the sauce onto the chicken. You can put them under a broiler OR you can use an air fryer to do this. It’s your choice. Here are the instructions for both methods.

BROILER – Method #1:

Remove the chicken legs out of the Instant Pot, and place them in a single layer on an oven proof baking sheet. Place the chicken under an oven broiler (several inches away from the heat source) and broil until the drumsticks become browned and crispy.

IMPORTANT: Keep a very close eye on the chicken when using the broiler. Remember, the chicken is already cooked through. Your chicken can go from nicely browned to burnt very quickly, and you DO NOT want to burn your dinner, right?

AIR FRYER – Method #2:

Place the chicken legs in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer. Cook them at 400° for 6-8 minutes, turning them over halfway though this cooking time.

I typically only cook them for about 6 minutes, because they are already fully cooked through. The purpose is simply to crisp up the outer skin, and brown the chicken legs a bit more.

The skin of the chicken drumsticks should become crispy and browned using this method. Transfer the chicken legs out of the basket once done.

Enjoy The BBQ Chicken Legs (Instant Pot)!

Serve the chicken immediately after transferring them from the broiler or the air fryer. Serve with a favorite side dish or two, and enjoy these delicious BBQ chicken legs.

This recipe, as written, will yield three servings of two chicken legs per serving. The chicken legs are well-seasoned, and taste great. Hope you enjoy them and appreciate how easy they are to make!

I hope you get the chance to make these delicious, juicy BBQ Chicken Legs, and trust you’ll enjoy this simple, tasty dish as much as we do!

Thanks for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.

Looking For More INSTANT POT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have other delicious Instant Pot Recipes you may want to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from Nicole Morissey at: preventionrd.com/instant-pot-bbq-chicken-drumsticks/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

BBQ Chicken Legs (Instant Pot)

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Pressurization time + Broiling time

15 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Make BBQ Chicken Legs in about 30 minutes using an Instant Pot! Seasoned drumsticks are cooked, coated with BBQ sauce, & broiled until crisp.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: BBQ Chicken Legs, Instant pot

Servings: 3 (2 legs per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 380 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Seasoning Mix:

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt

Rest of Ingredients Needed:

6 chicken drumsticks skin on, patted dry
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¾ cup BBQ sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Stir smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper and salt together in a small bowl, until combined. Set aside.
Lightly pat chicken legs dry on all sides using paper towels. Be sure to leave the skin on the legs for best results. Sprinkle and cover the chicken legs on all sides with spice mix, using it all. Press spices into the chicken skin so it adheres well.

Instant Pot Directions:

Pour chicken broth into the inner pot. Place a trivet on the bottom; arrange pieces of seasoned chicken on top of the trivet.
Lock lid in place; flip steam release valve on top to SEALING. Program Manual button to cook for 15 minutes at HIGH pressure. Instant pot will begin coming to pressure; when it's reached full pressure, timer for the cooking program will begin automatically (pressure valve on top will pop up). When 15 minute programmed cooking time is complete, perform a QUICK RELEASE of steam by flipping the steam release valve to VENTING. When all steam is released, pressure valve on top will drop back down, indicating it is safe to unlock and open the lid.

Add BBQ Sauce:

Remove chicken legs from Instant Pot. Lay them on parchment paper; brush BBQ sauce on all sides until fully covered. At this point, BBQ chicken is fully cooked and can be served, however I highly recommend one more step: You have 2 options for crisping/browning the chicken legs. Here are the two options.

Final Step For Browning/Crispness:

Method #1-Broiler: Place chicken legs in a single layer on baking sheet. Place chicken under an oven broiler (several inches away from heat source). Broil until drumsticks are nicely browned and crispy. IMPORTANT: Keep a close eye on the chicken when using broiler. Your chicken can go from nicely browned to burnt very quickly!
Method #2 - Air Fryer: Place chicken legs in single layer in air fryer basket. Cook at 400° for 6-8 minutes, turning them over halfway though cooking time. The skin of the chicken should become crispy and browned. Transfer chicken out of the basket once done.
Serve with a favorite side dish (or two), and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

BBQ Chicken Legs (Instant Pot)

Amount Per Serving (1 (2 legs))

Calories 380 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 139mg46%

Sodium 1117mg49%

Potassium 594mg17%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 758IU15%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 49mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

25
Jan
2025

Cheesy Beef Potato Casserole

categories: Beef, Casseroles, Main Dishes

7 Shares

Pin7

Yum

Cheesy Beef Potato Casserole is a delicious dish, with layers of ground beef, sliced potatoes, creamy sauce and cheddar cheese. Serves 4.

Cheesy Beef Potato Casserole is a simple yet delicious main dish to make! The layers of seasoned ground beef, potato slices, creamy sauce and grated cheddar cheese blend together to make a yummy “comfort food” type of casserole.

This casserole will yield 4 generous servings, and can be prepared ahead of time, if necessary, then reheated in a microwave. I really think you’re going to enjoy this tasty casserole! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Ingredients For The Casserole

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on MEDIUM heat. Once the oil is hot, add ground beef and chopped onion, and cook until meat has browned and cooked through, and onions are translucent. Drain the grease out of the skillet (discard).

Add garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and 2 T. water to the meat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the water has cooked out and the spices coat the ground beef and onions. Taste a small piece of the meat, and add additional salt (to taste).

In a separate bowl, whisk or stir one can of cream of mushroom soup and milk together until they’re well-combined. Set the sauce aside.

Now it’s time to very thinly slice seven small red potatoes. Clean the potatoes very well, leaving the peel ON. Slice the potatoes really thin with a sharp knife. TIP: If you have access to a mandolin, you can use that for thinly slicing the potatoes.

NOTE: You can also substitute 2 large russet potatoes for this, if you don’t have access to red potatoes.

Layer The Casserole

Now it’s time to “build” the cheesy beef potato casserole. Create layers in 4 easy steps (see below), then repeat these 4 layers once more to make the casserole.

Spray or grease the bottom and sides of an 8″ x 8″ baking dish. Place a single layer of thinly sliced potatoes (use HALF) on the bottom of the dish, covering as much of the bottom of the pan as possible.

Evenly distribute a layer of HALF the ground beef mixture on top of the potatoes. After that, distribute HALF of the mushroom soup mixture over the ground beef. NOTE: Distribute ground beef and mushroom soup mixtures evenly (as much as possible) in the baking dish.

Top the casserole with HALF the grated cheddar cheese. Okay… now repeat the process one more time, layering potatoes, meat, mushroom soup, and finish with the remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake The Cheesy Beef Potato Casserole

Now the cheesy beef potato casserole is ready to bake! Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, and place it on the middle rack in a preheated 350°F. oven.

Bake (covered) for 45 minutes, then remove the aluminum foil. Bake (uncovered) an additional 20 minutes until the top of the casserole has become golden brown and it is bubbly around the edges. The cooking time is necessary to make sure the potatoes are tender!

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit, undisturbed, for 4-5 minutes to let the casserole “firm up” just a bit. Garnish the top with chopped fresh parsley (curly OR Italian flat leaf), if desired.

Serve The Casserole

The potatoes should be tender, and if the casserole rested for 4-5 minutes as recommended, it should slice very easily. Carefully slice the cheesy beef potato casserole into 4 pieces.

The layers of potatoes will help hold everything together (similar to pasta in a lasagna). Use a large spatula to transfer the pieces onto serving plates. Serve the casserole with a veggie or salad on the side, and enjoy this delicious dish!

This finished casserole is a delicious and comforting type of meal I trust you’ll enjoy as much as we do.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this easy casserole! Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderfully delicious casserole recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from Maria at: recipesen.com/cheesy-hamburger-potato-casserole-recipe/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Cheesy Beef Potato Casserole

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 5 mins

Total Time

1 hr 25 mins

Cheesy Beef Potato Casserole is a delicious dish, with layers of ground beef, sliced potatoes, creamy sauce and cheddar cheese.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesy beef potato casserole

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 524 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¾ pound ground beef (lean)
½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt* *or more, to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons water
10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup = 1 can
½ cup low-fat milk
7 small red potatoes unpeeled, very thinly sliced *See note*
fresh chopped parsley for garnish (OPTIONAL)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease or spray an 8" x 8" baking dish.
Heat oil in a large skillet on MEDIUM heat. Add beef and onion; cook until meat has cooked through and browned. Drain/discard grease. Add garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and water to meat. Cook (and stir) 1-2 minutes, until water has cooked out and spices coat the beef. Taste; add additional salt (if necessary).
PREP: In a medium bowl, stir mushroom soup and milk until well-combined. Set bowl aside. Wash potatoes well, leaving the peel ON. Slice potatoes very thin (1/8"-1/4") with sharp knife (or mandolin). Set slices aside. Grate cheddar cheese; set it aside, also. Now it's time to make the casserole!
Place HALF the sliced potatoes in a single layer on the bottom of greased baking dish, covering as much of the bottom as possible. Evenly distribute HALF the beef mixture over potatoes. Spread HALF the mushroom soup mixture over ground beef. Top with HALF the grated cheese. Repeat process one more time, layering potatoes, meat, mushroom soup, and remaining cheese.
Cover casserole with aluminum foil; place on middle rack in preheated oven. Bake (covered) at 350℉ for 45 minutes, then remove foil. Bake (uncovered) an additional 20 minutes until casserole is lightly browned and bubbly around the edges. Remove casserole from oven; let it rest 4-5 minutes to "firm up" slightly before slicing. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Cut into 4 portions, and serve!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: 2 large russet potatoes may be substituted for the red potatoes.

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Beef Potato Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 524 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 66mg22%

Sodium 944mg41%

Potassium 1754mg50%

Carbohydrates 55g18%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 176IU4%

Vitamin C 27mg33%

Calcium 89mg9%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!