Salads Archives - The Midnight Baker

Benedictine Pasta Salad

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 31 May 2022 23:00:28 +0000

Benedictine pasta salad would rate as the best pasta salad. Try it and see why.

Benedictine Pasta Salad–Loaded With Flavor

If you can’t decide whether you want a cucumber salad or a traditional pasta salad, then this Benedictine pasta salad is just what you’re looking for. Since it combines the best parts of both salads, it’s sure to please.

The pasta in this salad is mini farfalle (bowties). I haven’t seen that in any generic or store brand so if you want to use that, you’ll have to go with a major brand. You want smallish pasta here so the regular bowties may be too large. If you can’t get the mini bowties, then I’d recommend medium shells, ditalini or spirals. You’ll want to stay away from any larger tubular shapes as you don’t want excess water in this because of the cucumbers. Even though you seed them, cucumbers will still give out some water.

Delicious Dressing

This dressing really is a show stopper. It has a wonderful bright clean flavor that would go well with other salads as well.

Now about the mint and the hot sauce–the dressing isn’t hot or even piquant. The hot sauce is there to bring out the flavor; much like a pinch of chili powder heightens then flavor of chocolate. And the mint has the same effect. You don’t really taste it but the dressing would be missing something if it was omitted.

The Add-Ins

In this I used the so-called “seedless” cucumbers. They are often known as “European” or “English” cucumbers. Even though they claim to be seedless, there’s pulp in the center so you have to remove it. Otherwise, so much water will leech out that it will ruin the salad. I didn’t use the more common variety because they’re waxed and I didn’t want to remove the skin so I’d have a pop of color. Another great choice would be Kirby or pickling cucumbers. They’re good and solid and are sold unwaxed–however the skin is a bit on the tough side FYI.

As for the carrots, slice them really thin so they will be nice and tender for the salad. Same goes with the peas.

The Recipe

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Benedictine Pasta Salad

A truly outstanding pasta salad

Prep Time25

Cook Time0

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cucumber pasta salads, cucumber salad, hearty pasta salads, pasta salads with cucumber

Servings: 8

Calories: 111kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Dressing:

1/2 cup cucumber seeded and chopped
3 tbs chopped onion
3 tbs chopped mint
1 tbs chopped garlic
4 oz cream cheese softened
2 tbs mayonnaise
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp hot sauce
Salt & pepper to taste

Salad:

8 oz mini farfalle
1 1/2 cup carrots sliced
1 1/2 cups cucumber seeded and sliced
1 cup frozen peas thawed
1/2 cup radishes sliced
1/2 cup green onion sliced
1 tbs dried dill weed or 1/3 cup fresh chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Dressing--place the cucumber, onion, mint and garlic in a food processor pulsing to finely mince. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon zest & juice and hot sauce and puree. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Chill until ready to use.
Salad--cook mini farfalle per package directions, adding the carrots and peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking; rinse and drain. Place in a large bowl.
Add the cucumber, radishes, green onion and dill and toss well. Add dressing and toss to coat. Season with additional salt & pepper if needed. Chill until ready to serve.

Video

Nutrition

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Fire Noodles

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 03 May 2022 23:00:44 +0000

Fire noodles make a great meatless main dish but also great as a cold salad.

Versatile Fire Noodles

Fire noodles is one of those dishes that can wear a couple of hats.

It’s a great main dish that you can also serve to any vegetarian guest because it’s really flavorful and filling. It’s also a good choice for a salad if it’s chilled. Now that we’re on the cusp of summer, delicious salads are a thing to be considered. Don’t forget picnics either. These noodles are just great no matter how you serve them.

Making this totally vegan is also an option. Any eggless pasta or rice noodles can be substituted. As far as the honey, that can be left out or a vegan syrup or sugar can fill in.

Why “Fire”

The “fire” comes from the colors of the peppers. There’s no heat in this at all. The chili paste adds no real heat; just a touch of flavor.

Since all bell peppers essentially taste the same, you can use whatever you have or what’s cheapest. If you do splurge and buy the red, orange and yellow, dice or slice what you don’t use and freeze them for later use. That’s what I do but bear in mind that they will be too limp after freezing to add to salads, so reserve those for cooking.

Best Noodles

In these types of recipes–or anything Asian with noodles–I always opt for lo mein noodles.

The reason for this is that it obviously makes Asian-style dishes more authentic. However, these noodles are a bit chewy so it makes the dish more satisfying. Lo mein noodles are available fresh in most big supermarkets, but you can also find the dry ones in the International aisle at the market. I buy them in bulk because I use them a lot.

If you can’t find them in either style, good old spaghetti will do nicely. Regular, #8 is best.

The Recipe

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Fire Noodles

Great meatless main or chilled as a salad

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Main, Main Course, Main/Side, Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: cold noodle salads, fire salad, meatless asian main dishes, salads for picnics

Servings: 4

Calories: 283kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1/2 each of red orange and yellow bell pepper
3 green onions sliced
8 oz lo mein noodles or spaghetti
2 tbs oil
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tbs sesame seed optional, for garnish

Sauce:

2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp chili paste
1 tsp honey

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook noodles as per package directions; drain and set aside.
Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the garlic and bell peppers. Stir fry until peppers are crisp-tender. Discard garlic.
Add the cooked noodles and the sauce. Toss to coat.
May be served hot or chilled.

Nutrition

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Marinated Bean Salad

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 23:00:55 +0000

Marinated bean salad is one of those salads that can be a complete meal. Totally vegan but totally delicious.

Marinated Bean Salad–An All-Season Salad

When my neighbor saw this she said it reminds her of summer. She’s right there because this or my Mexican 3 bean salad is generally on my menu when I have cookouts on my deck.

But I tend to think of this marinated bean salad as an all-season treat. In fact, it is a meal in itself when you think about it. Beans are a great source of protein and also a wonderful source of fiber so it’s pretty filling. To top that off–if you could–it’s totally vegan. Therefore, it’s a great main course when you’re serving those who don’t eat meat.

Economical Salad

Perhaps one of the best things about this recipe is that it is very economical.

Face it, beans are cheap. With rising prices, we’re all trying to economize where we can. Pasta, rice and beans are some of the best money savers around. Many of us are cutting down on meat too because it’s very high in price at the moment. What better way to save than with this delicious bean concoction.

It calls for canned beans which a lot of us already have in our pantry to begin with. I used white (cannellini) and red kidney beans because they make a great presentation. But you can use any variety or a combination of such.

Marinade

Basically, the marinade or dressing is a vinaigrette.

One tip I picked up from watching numerous Julia Child shows is that the proportion of oil to vinegar is a highly personal choice. She said she preferred more olive oil to vinegar and/or lemon juice. I’m totally the opposite. Therefore I suggest you mix up the marinade first and taste it. Then you can adjust for your personal taste.

The Recipe

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Marinated Bean Salad

Totally vegan and totally addictive

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Course: Main/Side, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: marinated kidney beans, mixed bean salad, salads using canned beans

Servings: 6

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

30 oz cannellini beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
15 oz dark red kidney beans 1 can, drained and rinsed

Bean Marinade:

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbs chopped fresh chives
1 tbs chopped fresh dill
1 clove garlic finely minced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbs finely chopped red onion
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place beans in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients. Pour over beans and toss to coat.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss well before serving.
Will keep well for about 3 days so you can make this ahead.

Nutrition

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Easy Garlic Mayonnaise

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 23:00:35 +0000

Use this garlic mayonnaise as a sandwich spread or as a base to help crumb coatings adhere. Delicious either way.

Garlic Mayonnaise

If you’ve never tried homemade garlic mayonnaise, now’s your chance! And if you love garlic, you can start rejoicing!

Since it’s so velvety in texture, it can form the base of many salad dressings. Of course you don’t have to put the garlic in; this is simply a basic mayonnaise where I added garlic. You can leave it plain. Other additions could be herbs and spices you like. Cranberry and horseradish make fine additions as well.

However, today we’re talking garlic mayo and not just for dressing or sandwich spreads! Did you know that mayonnaise can replace the egg wash and flour to get breadcrumbs to adhere to food? I never made the connection either, but learned that in one of my air fryer groups. Mayonnaise also helps prevent the food from drying out.

So next time you want to bake or airfry breaded chicken breasts, use this! It adds such great flavor.

Dust Off That Immersion Blender

I’ve had an immersion blender for ages. They were all the rage about 10 years ago. I played with this toy and then put it away, using it only periodically to puree a soup. And yes, I even made emulsified dressings and mayo with it.

But dust it off an make this mayonnaise. You have all the ingredients on hand I am quite sure. With the stick blender, you don’t have to let the oil drizzle in a thin laminar thread. You just dump all the ingredients in a container then let ‘er rip, as they say.

As for the container, it’s best to use the one that came with your blender. If you can’t find it, a pint mason jar will work well. You need something tall and with a base that’s just a little bit larger than the head of the blender. The reason is so the oil can be gradually incorporated through the openings at the head of the blender. Just remember to use high speed and don’t stop until the mayo is almost formed.

Dijon Mustard

This is something that’s a regular pantry item for me because I like it as a condiment and I also use it in cooking. My Swiss Dijon chicken is one such recipe.

It’s use in this mayonnaise–or anything emulsified–is that it is also a great emulsification aid. You only use a small amount so you probably won’t even taste it. But don’t leave it out; you’ll have problems if you do.

And a word about the egg–to be on the safe side you can use a pasteurized egg. I don’t because I get fresh just-laid eggs from a friend who keeps free-range chickens that are fed organically. And yep, those eggs have a bluish shell!

The Recipe

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Easy Garlic Mayonnaise

Great sandwich spread or base for a crumb coating

Prep Time5

Cook Time0

Course: condiments, Dips/Sauces/Dressings, Sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: adhering crumbs to food, garlic mayonnaise, making mayonnaise with an immersion blender

Servings: 16

Calories: 122kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 whole egg
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbs lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Using the container that came with your immersion blender or a wide-mouth pint mason jar, add all the ingredients in the order listed. Let this stand about 5 minutes so everything equalizes.
Place immersion blender in the container with the head touching the bottom of the container and blend at high speed until mixture begins to emulsify--it'll turn white--about 1-2 minutes.
Place in a container with a tight-fitting lid (or if you used a mason jar, just put a lid on it) and store in the refrigerator. It lasts about 1 week.

Nutrition

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Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 23:00:32 +0000

Cold soba noodle salad is a great side dish or meatless meal.

Cool Side Or Cool Meal

We’re all looking for cool stuff to eat since it’s been brutally hot lately. That’s cool meaning temperature but it’s also a cool, meaning awesome, thing to eat too.

Soba noodles are all the rage lately. There’s so many ways to use them. This cold soba noodle pasta salad is just one way to use them. This salad makes a great side for grilled fish or chicken. But this can also stand in for a main course. Even better is it’s vegetarian so if you have guests who no longer eat meat, it’s a perfect choice for a main course.

It’s not vegan because of the honey, but if you can find a good substitute for that, then you have a vegan meal.

Herb Combos

Actually, any choice of herbs is up to you and your individual tastes.

I used an equal amount of basil, parsley and cilantro. I know basil seems a bit unusual for something with Asian notes, but it worked well–at least for me. Staying in the basil family, you can substitute Thai basil for the regular kind. The only reason I didn’t do that was I chose not to grow that variety this year.

Using all cilantro works here too. It’s an herb used a lot in Asian cuisine so you can’t go wrong. Honestly, I’m not a big fan of it because I’m one of those people who finds it tastes soapy–but that’s if there’s too much. A small amount combined with the other herbs is quite nice.

But whatever you choose to use, please use fresh herbs.

Add More Flavor

There’s only a drop of chili paste (sambai oelek) in the dressing. It adds flavor but no heat to speak of. It’s got a wonderful flavor so if you like food with a bit of heat, add as much of that as you like.

Garlic is also a nice addition to the dressing. It’s not necessary to add it, but if you want to introduce the flavor then add one clove, pressed, into the mix.

The Recipe

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Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Nice as a side or a meatless cold meal

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Course: Main Course, Main/Side, Side Dish, Side Dish/Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: cold noodle salads, using soba noodles, vegetarian pasta salads

Servings: 4 as a side

Calories: 251kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

8 oz Soba noodles uncooked
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbs chopped fresh basil

Dressing:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs lime juice
1 tsp honey
1 tbs toasted sesame seed
1/4 tsp chili paste sambai oelek

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Place drained noodles in a large bowl and add the herbs.
Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Add to the noodles and toss to coat.
Chill for at least 1 hour.

Notes

Nutrition info calculated for side dish serving size.

Nutrition

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Taco Pasta Salad

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 23:00:00 +0000

When is pasta salad like a taco? When it’s taco pasta salad of course!

A Different Pasta Salad

There’s quite a number of different pasta salads. From a humble macaroni salad to the more gourmet pasta salads. I think just calling it “pasta salad” makes it more gourmet and if you get technical, macaroni salad is actually pasta salad. But I digress.

This taco pasta salad is pure genius and I can guarantee you that you’ll be a real hero to the taco lovers in your family when you serve it. So I’d make double the recipe because it’ll disappear quickly.

The Best Cheese To Use

This recipe calls for good old cheddar. It’s easy to come by and as always I suggest shredding your own from the block. Since when you shred it yourself, it has none of the drying and anti-caking agents that are in the packets of the commercially shedded kind. Plus, I think it tastes better. It certainly has a better texture.

But what “flavor” cheddar is best? You’ll get more bang for your buck tastewise if you use an extra-sharp variety. That’s my opinion on the subject because a milder variety would get lost with the strong flavor of the seasoning so you’d be better off with something bold.

Seasonings And Additions

I like the taste of my own homemade taco seasoning. However, an envelope of the store bought will work just fine. If you do make up some of my recipe for the taco seasoning, leave out the cornstarch.

You can beef up (so to speak) this taco pasta salad by adding a pound of browned ground beef, chicken or turkey. That will make it a great cold meal for a hot day. If you do choose to add meat, the taco seasoning can be added to the meat when it’s browning.

The Recipe

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Taco Pasta Salad

If you love tacos...

Prep Time20

Cook Time0

Course: Main/Side, Salad

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: mexican salads, summer pasta salads, taco pasta salad

Servings: 6

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
2 tbs homemade taco seasoning or 1 packet store-bought
3 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbs jalapeño peppers diced (optional)
1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing
Corn chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle taco seasoning over pasta and toss to coat.
Add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper and dressing; toss to coat. Serve with corn/tortilla chips.
Adding some diced cooked chicken will make this a complete main dish.

Nutrition

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Jalapeño Popper Corn Salad

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 23:00:54 +0000

This jalapeño popper corn salad is a meal in itself.

The Perfect Cookout Salad

Sometimes, you just have to think outside the box when it comes to salads you serve for picnics and BBQs.

While you can’t go wrong with the old standards such as potato salad and macaroni/pasta salad, maybe offering something else in addition to those is in order.

That’s where this jalapeño popper corn salad comes in. First of all, it’s pretty different from the usual fare. Secondly, it’s quite hearty and will satisfy those who want to go meatless (when you exclude the bacon and it’ll still taste great).

Roasted Corn: It’s Worth It

Roasted corn has a fantastic flavor, which is why it’s perfect for this salad.

While you can use cooked frozen or canned corn, the extra step of roasting a whole ear of corn then removing the kernels is worth it.

If you cook out a lot and often do ears of corn on the grill, why not just throw a few extra on the barbie to plan for this salad? This is what I call a “planned over.” Meaning it’s technically a leftover for which you have later plans.

You can do that with the onions and jalapeños too.

If You Want It Milder…

You can, of course, use less jalapeños and make sure you have no seeds or ribs un what you add to the salad.

Another thing you could do is use plain jack cheese instead of pepperjack.

When it comes to the peppers, I like a combo of fully ripe and green jalapeños. I grow my own in my Aerogarden so I can let a lot of them get red and fully ripe. I haven’t seen any red ones in any of my markets, but you might find them in supermarkets that specialize in organic produce.

The Recipe

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Jalapeño Popper Corn Salad

Roasting the corn gives this salad it's great flavor

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Course: Main/Side, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jalapeño popper corn salad, salads for cookouts and picnics, salads using roasted corn

Servings: 8

Calories: 498kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 cups roasted corn cooked canned or frozen may be used
2 large roasted jalapeños
1 medium onion quartered and grilled
1/2 cup crisp bacon sliced
1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 oz cream cheese softened
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Grill whole corn on the cob by your preferred method--mine is on my gas grill but you can use an air fryer too. When corn is nicely roasted, set aside to cool, then cut the kernels off the cob to use in the salad.
Grill the jalapeños and onions by the same method as the corn, but spritz them with a bit of oil before you do. When they are done, set them aside to cool. Then roughly chop the onion and dice the jalapeños (whether you remove the seeds are up to you but they do add additional heat).
Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the roasted corn, onions cheeses and jalapeños. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon, then add the rest to the corn mixture.
Add enough of the dressing to coat--depending on your tastes, you may not use all of it. If there is leftover dressing, it may be refrigerated and used on any salad you wish.

Nutrition

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Parmesan Chicken Salad

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 00:04:56 +0000

If you’ve got leftover chicken, this Parmesan chicken salad is a great way to use it.

Use Those Leftovers: Parmesan Chicken Salad

Since most of us have to deal with using leftover chicken and turkey, we could also use some new ways to use the stuff.

Chicken salad is one of those all-time favorites for using leftovers and there’s many many recipes. This Parmesan chicken salad is yet another one of those recipes. The difference here is that this salad has a really great flavor and stands out as one of the best I’ve tasted. And I’ve tasted a lot of chicken salad in many years.

Basil? But Yes

Basil actually goes very nicely with chicken provided it’s used sparingly so it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors. The original recipe I saw called for fresh, but my basil petered out a while ago and I haven’t started another windowsill garden yet. I used the dried kind you find on the spice shelf and it worked out fine. But I’m sure that the flavor would be awesome using fresh, so do it if you can but don’t sweat it if you can’t. Another plus to the fresh kind is that it will add a pop of color, but since you use green onions there’s plenty of color in this salad.

Little Mayo

This salad doesn’t use much mayo. You might want to add a tablespoon more if you find this chicken salad a bit dry. I’m a mayo freak but I found the stated amount to be just fine–and I used roasted white meat chicken too.

I made sandwiches with this and I used my no-knead peasant bread to make them. It’s a wonderful combination so I suggest you make that bread just for this purpose! The bread has the perfect texture to complement this salad.

The Recipe

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Parmesan Chicken Salad

Great way to use leftover chicken

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Course: Appetizers, Main, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fancy chicken salads, superbowl party food, using chicken leftovers

Servings: 4

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken
3 tbs finely diced celery
3 green onions finely chopped
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

If using fresh basil, use 2 tsp finely chopped.

Nutrition

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Italian Green Bean Salad

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 22 Aug 2020 23:00:58 +0000

You can serve this green bean salad hot or cold. It’s a winner either way!

A Salad For All Seasons

No matter what season it is, this Italian green bean salad always is a good choice.

There aren’t too many salads you can serve hot or cold, but this is one of them It’s equally good either way.

Since it’s marinated, you may want to call it pickled green beans. As a result, if you let it sit for a day, it will have tons of flavor. For a lighter flavor, just let it sit for about an hour.

It’s so good, you may just want to call it dinner. And if you have vegetarian friends stopping by, you might want to consider this for your menu. You can make it vegan too if you leave out the cheese or substitute a vegan cheese for the regular grated cheese.

Preparing the Green Beans

As always, I prefer to use fresh green beans. If I buy them in the bag instead of the loose ones, I generally prefer what they call “French” beans. This doesn’t mean French cut like the frozen kind; they are just much thinner beans than the standard variety.

You can use frozen if you like, but buy whole green beans. This salad won’t work well with canned beans so my advice is skip the canned ones.

You get to decide the doneness of the beans. My personal taste is lightly blanched so they are still very crisp. However, you can cook them to tender if that is the way you like them. The only thing you have to do is dump them in very cold or ice water as soon as they are cooked. This stops the cooking process and the beans remain their lovely green color.

Dressing

The dressing is a light vinaigrette which is very easy to prepare. It has a lovely oregano flavor. Make it ahead so the oregano infuses in the dressing. Actually this is a lovely dressing for standard lettuce-based salads and tomatoes, so you might want to double or triple the recipe. And fresh oregano works best however dried works well too. In fact, I used the dry kind to make this dressing. But if you have fresh, double the amount in the recipe and bruise it a bit before adding it in so you get more flavor.

And the surprise is you can use bottled Italian dressing too if you don’t feel like bothering with making the one in the recipe. Likewise, you can use my copycat mix for Good Seasons so you make a fresh dressing;

The Recipe

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Italian Green Bean Salad

Delicious served hot or cold

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: green bean salad, hot salads, vegan dinners, vegetarian main dishes

Servings: 4

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

12 oz fresh whole green beans trimmed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp oregano
1 small garlic clove crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Pinch of sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all dressing ingredients in a lidded jar. Shake to combine and set aside.
Cook green beans to desired doneness. Drain off water and immediately immerse the beans in very cold or ice water if you wish to serve cold. Drain beans and dry on paper towels. To serve hot, place drained beans in a bowl
Add the dressing and grated cheese to the beans and toss to coat.
Cold salad: Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill for a few hours. The longer they marinate, the better they will taste.

Nutrition

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Beef Fajita Salad Bowls

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 23:00:18 +0000

Who wouldn’t love a big salad with a spicy fajita seasoning? It’s easy and tasty!

Even Eat The Fajita Plate

Have you ever said you were so hungry you could eat the plate too? Well, you get to do exactly that with this satisfying fajita salad since the bowl is edible too.

In fact, that’s the only real labor-intensive task; shaping the “bowl.”

If you’re into Mexican food, or if you’ve ever made a brioche, you have the equipment to do this. It’s just a fluted deep metallic bowl that you drape the flour tortilla over to mold the shape.

However, if you don’t have those bowls, a nice softball-sized aluminum foil ball will suffice nicely. Just drape the tortilla over the ball so you get a bowl-like result. While it won’t be as pretty as using the mold, it works and that’s all that counts here.

Simple Fillings

The beauty of these fajita salad bowls is how simple the filling is. It’s some veggies and a spicy fajita seasoning seasoning.

For this recipe, you can use commercial fajita seasoning, but I always think it’s better to make your own. First of all, it’s way cheaper and maybe even more importantly, you control the ingredients so there’s nothing in it that you can’t pronounce. And since you make relatively small batches, it’s always fresh.

As for the veggies, I use a mix of baby salad greens and try to vary the colors of the bell peppers. However, using just one color–green–works well too. All the colors taste the same so it’s just a visual thing to mix colors. The orange and yellow peppers are costly, but if you can catch a sale, then by all means use a variety. Remember, you can freeze bell peppers so anything extra won’t go to waste.

Spicy Fajita Seasoning

As I said before, feel free to use any commercial fajita seasoning you like. But since I have a lot of herbs and spices on hand, I make my own spicy fajita seasoning.

One substitution I make when I make up a batch is use chipotle chili powder instead of the generic. Now, it may render it “unuathentic,” but the taste of chipotle really ups the ante on flavor. I’ve also tried ancho chili powder as well. Both are great substitutes that can also enhance the flavor of other recipes, such as these spicy pork chops, so I recommend buying them.

The Recipe

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Fajita Salad Bowls

Combine a salad with fajitas--all served in an edible bowl

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: fajitas, flour tortilla bowls, spicy fajita seasoning

Servings: 6

Calories: 273kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb thinly sliced sirloin steak or any tender steak
6 flour tortillas about 10-inches/25 cm in diameter
6 cups assorted salad greens
2 bell peppers julienned
1 large onion sliced
2 tbs oil

Fajita Seasoning:

1 tbs cornstarch
2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tsp paprika hot paprika preferred
1 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all the fajita seasoning ingredients in a small bowl; set aside
To make tortilla bowls, preheat oven to 400F/200C. Dampen the flour tortillas with a few drops of water. Mold them to shape on the exterior of fluted tortilla shaper bowls. If you don't have the shapers, see post for another method. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the tortillas begin to brown and hold their shape. Remove from oven and cool completely. FYI you can make a bunch of these for later use.
Fill the tortilla bowls with about 1 cup of salad greens.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the thinly sliced steak and brown. Add the onion and cook until onion just becomes transluscent. Add the peppers and fry just until they turn a bright color. Add the fajita seasoning and stir well to blend.
Place the meat mixture on top of the salad greens in the bowl. Serve immediately

Nutrition

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