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Warm Butter Bean Salad with Bacon and Maple Syrup Vinaigrette

By 19 Comments

Butter Bean Salad With bacon gets a beautiful splash of flavor dressed with a warm maple syrup vinaigrette. Bold and tangy, this salad is served warm by quickly heating canned butter beans and the vinaigrette in the the microwave. A super easy side salad recipe yet hearty enough for a light main course salad. This recipe will wow the palate.

Butter bean salad served on a white platter bowl.

What Is This Butter Bean Salad About?

It's a cozy bowl of buttery beans warmed through and tossed in a glossy maple vinaigrette. Add in bacon for that sweet, salty flavor combo that we all love. Don’t you love dragging a strip of bacon through maple syrup that’s dripped off your stack of pancakes? Imagine the same intoxicating sensation in this butter bean salad. The vinegar in the maple syrup dressing keeps it from tasting like breakfast and you won’t even miss the pancakes.

It’s Delicious and Here’s Why

Bold, smoky and complex, it’s light enough for a to serve as a starter for a main course, and with bacon, hearty enough for a light dinner.

  • Texture: The warm maple syrup dressing melts into salad greens and turns the beans into royalty. And, after all maple syrup is a natural partner for bacon.
  • Bacon: There are six pieces of bacon in this white bean salad recipe. That means a crunch of salty bacon flavor in each and every bite.
  • Flavor: A combination of sweet and salty is always a treat for the taste buds.
  • Veggies: The green onions add a nice touch to the flavor and the red bell pepper a crisp splash of color. 
  • The Texture: Creamy fluffy butter beans, crisp vegetables, and crunchy bacon over crisp greens = perfect.

Butter Beans vs Lima Beans

Butter beans and lima beans are the same bean. Butter beans are just fully grown lima beans. Bigger, creamier and less green tasting.

Using canned butter beans are a big convenience. They're already tender and warming them gently helps them to drink up the maple syrup dressing. If you want to use dried beans, soak them overnight, drain and cover again with water and simmer until soft but not falling apart. Salt towards the end and don’t overcook. Mushy beans will ruin the mood of this salad.

Why Maple Syrup Works Here

Pure Maple Syrup isn't just sweet. It's earthy and almost smoky. That depth plays well with beans, which are mild and creamy. Dijon mustard, when paired with maple syrup delivers a little dance of sweet and tangy. And of course, there’s that bacon and maple syrup combination that simply irresistible.

This salad recipe comes together in a snap, let’s get started.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make butter bean salad.
  • Canned Butter Beans = Easy!
  • Bacon: Thick sliced, fried and cut into pieces.
  • Veggies: Green onions and red bell pepper.
  • Greens: Since we’re using a warm dressing, choose sturdy greens like baby spinach or a power mix that contains a mix of spinach and hearty greens. Delicate lettuces will wilt too easily.
  • Vinaigrette: Real maple syrup, Dijon mustard for bite, apple cider vinegar for brightness. Olive oil, salt, black pepper. That's it, simple and clean.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Honey: If you're out of maple syrup, honey will work. Bringing a little different flavor, it’s still a good choice.
  • Vinegar: Balsamic instead of cider vinegar? Deeper and richer flavor.
  • Lemon Juice: Lemon juice instead of vinegar. Lighter and brighter, a more Summery option.
  • Beans: Pillowy Butter beans are my absolute favorite choice for this salad, but canned Navy Beans and Great Northern Beans are a good substitute.
  • Make It Heartier: This salad seems to me to be perfect as is, but if you want some additions, here are some suggestions. Pieces of roasted chicken. Or top with a poached egg. We made many salads topped with runny eggs in Culinary School … it’s a very French thing to do. The runny yolk drips into the salad ingredients making it even creamier.

Tip: I've tried all of these and Maple syrup and apple cider vinegar are still my favorite.

How To Make Butter Bean Salad

Preparing canned butter beans to make butter bean salad.
  1. Step 1: Cook The Bacon: Grab your favorite fry pan and cook the bacon until the fat has rendered and it’s nice and crispy. Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon into bits and set aside. Prepare The Beans: Place the canned beans into a colander, rinse and set aside while they drain.
Making maple syrup vinaigrette for butter bean salad.
  1. Step 2: Make The Savory Maple Syrup Vinaigrette Combine Maple Syrup, cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon Mustard, salt and pepper in a microwave safe bowl.
Heating maple syrup vinaigrette in a glass bowl for butter bean salad.
  1. Step 3: Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir with a whisk and microwave on high for another 30 seconds. Whisk again until smooth and set aside. Warm The White Beans: Heat for 1 minute or until beans are nice and warm.
Butter Bean Salad in a white serving bowl.
  1. Step 4: Grab your favorite salad bowl Place sturdy greens (example, spinach or arugula) in the salad bowl. Sprinkle in the chopped red bell pepper and sliced green onions. Sprinkle on the bacon.
  2. Dress and serve: Add the warm beans and warm maple syrup vinaigrette to the salad. Toss a bit and serve.

Presentation tip: I like using a wide shallow salad bowl. The small ingredients don’t sink to the bottom for a better display.

Tips For Success

  • Use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup from the breakfast aisle at the grocery store. Pure maple syrup brings a much cleaner, rich flavor. Plus you’ll be avoiding high fructose corn syrup.
  • Thick Sliced Bacon: Once cut into bacon bits, thick sliced bacon will deliver a more flavorful and chewy bite of bacon.
  • Don’t overheat the beans, they’ll crack and dry out.

What To Serve It With?

Since this is a heavier, almost main course salad, keep it light. Stay on theme and serve it as a starter for Dijon Mustard Maple Glazed Salmon. Or simply with a few slices of crusty bread and make it a meal. As far as wine, choose a crisp cold Sauvignon Blanc. It’s acidity will compliment the bacon and match the dressing.

FAQ’s

Are Butter Beans Healthy?

Butter beans are an excellent source of plant protein. They're loaded with dietary fiber, which supports digestion, helps regulate blood sugar, and keeps you full longer. Great for heart health, too.

Can I Make This Ahead?

This is such a quick and easy salad to throw together, but if you need to work ahead, I would suggest chopping the red bell pepper and onion ahead of time. Store each of them separately in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also throw together the vinaigrette ingredients ahead and time and warm right before plating the salad.

Explore More Recipes Using Beans

So if you’ve been wondering what to make with canned butter beans, I hope you give this rich and rustic recipe a try. It get rave reviews every time I serve it.

if you're loving the idea of this creamy butter bean salad don't stop here. I cook with dried bean and canned beans a lot. So here are a few more of my favorite bean recipes, from cozy soups to hearty main dishes and bean salads, that keep this humble ingredient doing all the heavy lifting.

Don’t miss my Salad Category. You’ll find lots of great salad recipes and vinaigrettes, including the most popular salad recipe on my site for my Taco Salad Made With Catalina Dressing. And yes, the backbone of this recipe is canned beans.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Warm Butter Bean Salad served on a white platter plate.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Warm Butter Bean Salad with Bacon and Maple Syrup Vinaigrette

Butter Bean Salad With bacon gets a beautiful splash of flavor dressed with a warm maple syrup vinaigrette. Bold and tangy, this salad is served warm by quickly heating canned butter beans and the vinaigrette in the the microwave.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salads, Salad Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 419kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • ½ Cup green onions sliced
  • 1 Small red bell pepper chopped
  • 6 slices Thick cut bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 14 ounces spinach or mixed spinach and super greens combo
  • 1 can Butter beans drained and rinsed
  • For The Maple Syrup Dressing
  • ¼ cup Pure maple syrup
  • 3 Tablespoons Cider vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Chop the red bell pepper and slice the green onions, set aside.
  • Fry the bacon in a fry pan until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Drain on paper towels. Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
  • Place the canned beans in a colander and rinse and let drain. Set aside.
  • For the Maple Syrup Dressing
  • Combine maple syrup, cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Whisk and then heat for another 30 seconds or until hot.
  • Place drained and rinsed canned white beans in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave until hot, about one minute.
  • Combine onions, bell pepper, bacon and greens in a salad bowl. Add beans and drizzle with the warm maple syrup vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Notes

This white bean salad can be served as a light main course or a side dish for your favorite protein or soup.
Tips For Success: 
  • Use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup from the breakfast aisle at the grocery store. Pure maple syrup brings a much cleaner, rich flavor. Plus you’ll be avoiding high fructose corn syrup.
  • Thick Sliced Bacon: Once cut into bacon bits, thick sliced bacon will deliver a more flavorful and chewy bite of bacon.
  • Don’t overheat the beans, they’ll crack and dry out.

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 629mg | Potassium: 1112mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 10031IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 5mg

Tangy Grilled Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream Sauce

By 21 Comments

Grilled Flank Steak with a marinade of apple juice, cider vinegar and rosemary makes this the best flank steak recipe we’ve found. And an incredibly easy grilled flank steak recipe for any weeknight dinner. With a tangy end flavor result, don’t forget the Horseradish Cream Sauce = divine.

Grilled flank steak on a cutting board with tangy horseradish sauce.

Flank Steak 101

About 15 years ago I jumped on the flank steak bandwagon and this was the first recipe I tried. At that time, flank steak was a “new to me” cut of meat. It turned me into an instant fan. It’s become one of my favorite cuts of meat to cook with.

This long, flat steak comes from the belly-side of the steer, and is lean and muscular. This means lots of flavor without a lot of fat. That also means there’s some things to know about cooking it.

Grilled flank steak recipes usually come with a marinade. Marinating helps break down some of the connective tissue and helps to tenderize the meat. It’s usually a thin piece of steak, and that means a short cook time. Usually about 6 – 8 minutes per side.

But the most important thing to know about flank steak, is how to cut it after it’s cooked. Across or against the grain! Always! That creates shorter strings of meat instead of long chewy ones. Must easier to eat.

Flank Steak Marinade

Flank steak is so versatile and it seems to soak up every delicious flavor morsel of any marinade or seasoning you toss its way. And scoring the meat in a diamond pattern on one side helps that marinade soak in and do it’s job even better. The diamond scoring pattern on the steak allows more surface area for the marinade.

Place the flank steak and it’s marinade in a large heavy duty zip lock bag first thing in the morning and marinate all day. At dinner time, drain the marinade. pat dry and grill. Such an easy dinner.

This recipe has such striking flavors. The marinade of cider vinegar, apple juice and rosemary brings a tangy treat to each bite.

It’s remarkable how much flavor the steak takes on from this combination of flavors and the  all day marinade. And when that flavor meets the cool creamy flavor of the creamy horseradish sauce, it’s a wonderful sensation to the palate.

To our taste, it’s the best flank steak marinade ever. And an amazing combination of flavors.

Even when the snow flies, if you own a grill pan, a flank steak is easily seared for about 5 – 7 minutes per side and dinner ready in a flash. And even a cast iron skillet will yield a beautifully browned pan seared steak. But of course you forfeit those sought-after grill marks.

Tips On How To Grill Flank Steak

  •  With a sharp knife, diamond score the meat to help the marinade penetrate and tenderize
  • Marinade 8 – 12 hours
  • Pre-heat that grill to 500 degrees. Then turn down to 350. Add flank steak and cook 6 – 8 minutes per side. You’ll get a good crispy sear and tender inside.
  • Use can also use a good heavy duty good quality grill on the stove top. Heat the pan on high until hot. Reduce heat to medium high, add some vegetable oil and coat the pan well. Add flank steak and cook 6-8 minutes per side.
  • When finished cooking, tent flank steak with foil and let rest about 7 minutes.
  • Slice steak against the grain for easier bite sized eating.
  • Flank steak can be braised resulting in a piece of steak that will shred beautifully.

Tangy Grilled Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream Sauce Recipe

Marinated grilled flank steak on a black wood cutting board with a bowl of horseradish cream sauce

To bring out the flavor even further don’t serve this without  Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce.

Grilled Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream Sauce and best flank steak marinade

I hope you give this one a try and if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating. Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes.

More Grilled Flank Steak Recipes

And if you’re looking to beef up your dinner plans, don’t miss my Beef
Category. You’ll find a ton of mouthwatering ideas. And you’ll find the most popular flank steak recipes on my site for Beef Tagliata, an Italian Flank Steak Recipe that will WOW your crowd. And don’t forget about pan-searing. Take a look at my recipe for Cast Iron Flank Steak. Perfectly seared with a golden crust and tender inside.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Grilled flank steak on a cutting board with tangy horseradish sauce.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Tangy Grilled Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream Sauce

A marinade of apple juice, cider vinegar and rosemary makes this the best flank steak marinade we’ve found. And an incredibly easy grilled flank steak recipe. Tangy Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream Sauce = killer. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 186kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 pound flank steak
  • ½ cup cider vinegar
  • ½ cup frozen apple juice concentrate thawed, undiluted
  • 1 Tablespoon rosemary fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 3 Tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Vegetable cooking spray

Instructions

  • Trim fat from steak. Score a diamond pattern on both sides of steak. Combine steak and next 5 ingredients (steak through Worcestershire sauce) in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 8-12 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove steak from bag; discard marinade.
  • Prepare grill or broiler. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and cook 7 minutes on each side or until steak is desired degree of doneness. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve steak with Horseradish Cream.
  • Serve this with The Creamiest Horseradish Cream Sauce

Nutrition

Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 501mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2.2mg

Grilled Flank Steak With Horseradish Sour Cream …It’s Whats For Dinner.

Spicy Mango Dressing With Habanero

By 34 Comments

Using a food processor makes quick work of this recipe for Mango Dressing. Sweet, fresh, tangy and with a little bit of heat from the Habanero pepper.

A jar of mango dressing with salad ingredients behind.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Fresh and delicious, this Mango Dressing is very easy to whip up. Actually the hardest part is dragging the food processor out of the cabinet. Then in minutes, you’ve got a unique and very special salad dressing recipe.

I’ve always been hesitant to Habanero peppers in my recipes. Too hot! It must have been due to an overly habanero’d dish I tried in a restaurant. Habanero peppers do carry a spicy reputation, but using a small amount in this Mango Dressing recipe really adds some great flavor and just right heat.

Even though there is olive oil and vinegar in this recipe, I hesitate to call this a Mango Vinaigrette. It’s texture is so thick and luxurious I’m putting it into the dressing category.

This is a nutritious recipe with no added sugar or processed oils.

This is a bright, colorful dressing recipe that’s fresh with flavor and perfect for your next tossed green salad.

Let’s take a look at how easy it is.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Nothing fancy, nothing complicated, mostly pantry items.

Ingredients to make mango dressing.
  • Fresh Mango
  • Seasoned Rice Vinegar, or you can substitute Apple Cider Vinegar.
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Red Onion
  • Habanero Pepper, We’ll use only a portion of the pepper. I’ve also made this with a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Step 1, how to cut a mango to make mango dressing.
Step 2, using a food processor to puree mango to make mango dressing.
  1. Step 1: Cube the mango: I like to use a mango slicer to cleanly slice the fruit. Then use a sharp knife to score the fruit without cutting through the skin. You can then scrape the mango cubes into the food processor.
  2. Step 2: Puree: In a food processor, combine the chopped mango with the vinegar, lime juice and mustard. Puree until smooth.
Step 3: Adding chopped onion and habanero pepper to make mango dressing.
Step 4: Adding oil to food processor to make mango dressing.
  1. Step 3: Add the chopped onion and habanero pepper. Blend again.
  2. Step 4: Using the drip hole on your food processor, add the olive oil, ¼ cup at a time. Run the machine until very smooth and creamy.
Step 5: Adding cilantro to make mango dressing.
Step 6: Mango dressing made in a food processor.
  1. Step 5: Add the cilantro leaves.
  2. Step 6: Use the pulse feature for about 10 pulses. You only want to rough chop the cilantro to add color, texture and of course some of that delicious cilantro flavor.

Questions You May Have

Can I Use Frozen Mango to Make Mango Dressing?

Yes you can use frozen mango chunks. And with no changes to this recipe.

What Kind Of Mangos Should I Use?

Ataulfo (yellow mangoes) and Red Mangoes can be easily found in our Supermarkets. Either will work for this Mango Dressing Recipe.

How To Pick A Mango

Focus on feel rather than color. A ripe mango should have a slight give when you press on the skin. It shouldn’t be rock hard and it shouldn’t be mushy. However, unripe mangoes will ripen on your kitchen counter if left for a few days.

Tips for Success:

  • Mangoes can be ornery to peel and chop. I personally have mangled many mangos. I like make this task easy by starting the process with a Mango Slicer. It slides down the large seed, removing it and separating the mango in half. I’ve included an Amazon Link. I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you purchase this device using this link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
  • Remove the veins and seeds before chopping the habanero pepper. This is where most of the heat lies. You can adjust the amount of habanero used in this recipe. Want it hotter? Use the entire pepper. You may want to wear gloves to keep the oil from the pepper getting on your hands. It could irritate your skin and be hazardous if you accidentally touch your eyes.
  • Use a good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Less quality may result in a strong flavor that will over-power the flavor of this delicate dressing. You want a pure mango flavor.

How To Use It

A tossed salad tomatoes, mangoes, avocado and greens. Topped with Mango Dressing.

Mango Dressing is delicious for any homemade salad you throw it’s way. May I suggest fresh greens with chopped avocado, chopped fresh mango and some cherry tomatoes. A simple yet divine flavor combination when tossed with this dressing.

Mango dressing with shrimp salad and watermelon.

And one of my favorite ways to serve Mango Dressing is tossed with poached shrimp, sliced avocado and some fresh slice sweet onion. Don’t forget a squeeze of lime and a couple slices of Summer watermelon. And of course a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

Craving more mango salad recipes? Don’t miss this one for Avocado Mango Salad with Blue Cheese. It’s delightful! And don’t miss my category for Salad Recipes. You’ll find lots of good recipes, including the most popular on my site for Blue Cheese Dressing. Rich, creamy and cheesy.

A jar of homemade mango dressing with habanero.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Spicy Mango Dressing with Habanero

Using a food processor makes quick work of the recipe for Mango Dressing. Sweet, fresh, tangy and with a little bit of heat from the Habanero pepper.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course Salad
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 8
Calories: 144kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients

  • 10 – 12 Ounces Fresh Mango peeled and cubed
  • ¼ cup Rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh lime juice Approximately the juice of one lime
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive oil decent quality
  • ½ teaspoon Habanero chile chopped, seeds and veins removed
  • ⅛ cup Red onion rough chopped
  • Cilantro leaves I used the tops of about 6 stems
  • ½ teaspoon Sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • In a food processor, combine the chopped Mango with the vinegar, lime juice and mustard. Puree until smooth.
  • Add the habanero pepper and red onion. Blend again.
  • With the machine on, add the oil in a thin stream through the dripper hole, ¼ cup at a time. Blend until very smooth.
  • Add the cilantro and pulse about 10 times. You want small chunks of cilantro to add color, texture and of course that famous cilantro flavor. Season with salt and pepper and it's ready to serve.

Notes

Tips For Success
  • Mangoes can be ornery to peel and chop. I personally have mangled many mangos. I like make this task easy by starting the process with a Mango Slicer. It slides down the large seed, separating the mango in half. I’ve included an Amazon Link. I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you purchase this device using this link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
  • Remove the veins and seeds before chopping the habanero pepper. This is where most of the heat lies. You can adjust the amount of habanero used in this recipe. Want it hotter? Use the entire pepper.
  • Use a good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Less quality may result in a strong flavor that will over-power the flavor. You want a pure mango flavor.
This recipe yields about 1 ½ cups of dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 389IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Avocado and Shrimp Salad With Mango Dressing…It’s What’s For A Light Meal

Broccoli Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad

By 22 Comments

This Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad could possibly be the best pasta salad ever. Really! It’s that good. A wonderful pot luck, crowd pleasing pasta salad with bacon, broccoli and cheese tortellini. With cherry tomatoes and a creamy unique dressing, this one is worth a look.

Pasta salad made with tortellini.

What To Expect From This Recipe

One day, just for fun, I decided to Google “the best pasta salad ever”. What was the return? A pasta salad with cheese tortellini and broccoli. A new idea for me. I took the basic recipe and made it my own.

This Cheese Tortellini Pasta salad is loaded with cherry tomatoes, crisp bacon bits, broccoli florets and sliced green onion. And being the coleslaw lover that I am, I’ve smothered it in a sweet and tangy bottled coleslaw dressing to make this one delicious creamy tortellini pasta salad.

Pillowy cheese tortellini never had it so good.

It’s hearty, comforting and with Summer pasta salads in demand from Memorial Day to Labor Day, this Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad will be your best friend this Summer.

This summer side salad deserves it’s place right up there with my favorites, Old Fashioned Potato Salad, and my Chicken Macaroni Salad. Both very popular recipes.

This pasta salad recipe will go with any grilled entree, but my favorite way to serve it is with my recipe for Grilled Chicken.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients to make Cheese Tortellini pasta saald.
  • Cheese Tortellini: You can use cheese tortellini found in the frozen food department. Or cheese tortellini found in the refrigerator section. Both will work well here.
  • Fresh Broccoli Florets
  • Bacon, Preferrably thick cut, cut into bits and cooked crisp.
  • Cherry Tomatoes, halved.
  • Bottled coleslaw dressing: Surprisingly, the dressing for this tortellini pasta salad is simply bottled Coleslaw Dressing. I can find two brands. Light House Cole Slaw Dressing in the refrigerator section of the produce department. And Hidden Valley Ranch dressing on the bottled salad dressing aisle. There’s always the option of making homemade coleslaw dressing.
  • Green Onions

Chef Tip: I like to purchase Cherub brand tomatoes. Cherubs are a variety of grape tomatoes which have a stronger outer skin and meatier, less watery flesh. They are easier to slice for salads, hold up better during cooking or roasting and are reliable year round with their mild, sweet flavor.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s So Easy

Cooking bacon to make Cheese tortellini pasta salad.
  1. Step 1: Cook The Bacon: Cut the bacon into small squares and cook until golden and starting to crisp. This will take about 15 minutes if using a good quality thick cut bacon.
Adding ingredients to cooked cheese tortellini to make Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad.
  1. Step 2: Cook the cheese tortellini according to package instructions and drain well. Place the tortellini in a large bowl and add the ingredients on top.
Cheese tortellini pasta salad ingredients combined.
  1. Step 3: Using a large spoon, gently stir until well combined. To stir, it’s better to dig under the ingredients with the spoon and gently fold over. Remember, the cooked cheese tortellini is delicate and you don’t want to break them open.

Tips For Success

  • Tortellini: I have used both Buitoni and Rani brand refrigerated cheese tortellini. Both work well for this broccoli tortellini salad.. I have also used a frozen brand, which can be harder to find.
  • Be careful not to over-cook the tortellini. If the pasta shells get too soft, they’re more likely to fall apart when you stir in the ingredients. I recommend cooking the tortellini 30 seconds less than instructed time for al dente.
  • Pasta salads like this one always taste better the next day. But pasta is notorious for absorbing more sauce once it sits for awhile. Simply stir in some more coleslaw dressing or even a drizzle of milk if needed.

Storage

Store any leftovers covered or sealed in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cheese Broccoli Tortellini Pasta Salad

Best Pasta Salad. Tortellini, tomatoes, broccoli onions.

This Tortellini Pasta Salad is quite a tasty recipe, and, as always, much better after sitting in the fridge overnight, gotta give those ingredients a chance to get to know each other better.

I have taken this pasta salad with cheese tortellini to countless pot lucks, BBQ’s and parties. It never fails, someone always asks for the recipe.

And if you’re looking for even more side dishes for picnic style gatherings, don’t miss this line-up of Summer cook-out sides. I’m positive you’ll find something you love. And take a look at this pot-luck-perfect side dish for Old Fashioned Pea Salad with Eggs. Bacon and cheese make this a popular recipe.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Cheese tortellini pasta salad served in a blue bowl.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Broccoli Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad

This Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad could possibly be the best pasta salad ever. Really! It's that good. A wonderful pot luck, crowd pleasing pasta salad with bacon, broccoli and cheese tortellini. With cherry tomatoes and a creamy unique dressing, this one is worth a look.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 3656kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 19 ounce package Cheese tortellini Package sized vary from 19 – 20 ounces.
  • 1 pound Thick cut bacon chopped and fried until crispy, grease drained.
  • 4 cups broccoli cut small into florets
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • 1 cup Coleslaw dressing bottled.

Instructions

  • Cook The Bacon: Cut the bacon into small squares and cook until golden and starting to crisp. This will take about 15 minutes if using a good quality thick cut bacon.
  • Cook the cheese tortellini according to package instructions and drain well. Place the tortellini in a large bowl and add bacon bits, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, green onions, and coleslaw dressing.
  • Using a large spoon, gently stir until well combined. To stir, it's better to dig under the ingredients with the spoon and gently fold over several times. Remember, the cooked cheese tortellini is delicate and you don't want to break them open.

Notes

  • Tortellini: I have used both Buitoni and Rani brand refrigerated cheese tortellini. Both work well for this recipe. I have also used a frozen brand, which can be harder to find.
  • Be careful not to over-cook the tortellini. If the pasta shells get too soft, they're more likely to fall apart when you stir in the ingredients. I recommend cooking the tortellini 30 seconds less than instructed time for al dente.
  • Pasta salads like this one always taste better the next day. But pasta is notorious for absorbing more sauce once it sits for awhile. Simply stir in some more coleslaw dressing or even a drizzle of milk if needed.
*please note, I believe the calorie calculator is not taking into consideration that the bacon has been cooked and drained. Therefore a very large calorie and fat content is being registered.

Nutrition

Serving: 10people | Calories: 3656kcal | Carbohydrates: 477g | Protein: 170g | Fat: 118g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 449mg | Sodium: 5195mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 42g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 682IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 1550mg | Iron: 28mg

Broccoli Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad … it’s What’s For a Side Dish

Crispy Pan Fried Chicken With Homemade Fried Chicken Gravy

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Country style Pan Fried Chicken is lightly seasoned and deliciously crisp. You don’t need a deep fryer to make a good crispy fried chicken. This is a recipe for pan fried chicken that will make some of the best fried chicken gravy you’ve ever tasted.

Pan fried chicken with potatoes and fried chicken gravy served with green beans.

Table of contents

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Being a third-generation Kansas farm girl, I know my pan fried chicken. And I know my fried chicken gravy. I grew up on my mother’s family recipe for pan fried chicken using Crisco. Served with mashed potatoes and Old Fashioned Green Beans, this is surprisingly the first meal I learned to prepare as a very young cook.

Crisco Fried chicken with gravy ended up on our dinner table several times a week during Summer harvest months. It was a rewarding and easy way to feed a table full of hired hands helping my father with the farm work. 

The preparation to make pan fried chicken is simple, but attention to details important. The right kind of oil, at just the right temperature, and knowing when to turn the chicken are important.

In this article, I’ll give you step by step instructions so you can make perfect fried chicken, and fried chicken gravy.

oil to use for fried chicken

Oil: I’ve never fried chicken in anything but Crisco. As far as I know Crisco fried chicken is simply the best.

Breading: For pan fried chicken, the “breading” is nothing more than salt and peppered all-purpose flour. Never did we jazz it up with things like buttermilk, corn flakes or herbs. Keeping things simple, lets that chicken flavor shine. 

Equipment: And use a deep fryer??? Never. You simply can’t make fried chicken gravy without a skillet with chicken drippings which consists of oil and those little pieces of crispy skin that have stuck to the bottom of that skillet.

I wouldn’t touch our classic recipe. The results, sweet milk fried chicken gravy over creamy mashed potatoes and perfectly crunchy fried chicken.

You can use one whole fryer chicken cut into pieces, or select individual pieces of chicken, like breasts, thighs, and chicken drumsticks.

You can’t have fried chicken gravy without pan fried chicken, so let’s get started.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make fried chicken and fried chicken gravy.
  • Chicken: Use a whole fryer chicken, cut up. Or choose chicken pieces of your choice. A mix between chicken thighs, breasts, drum stick or even wings. The weight should equal around 3 pounds.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour will be used for dredging chicken for frying. Do not use self-rising flour.
  • Crisco: Crisco is an American brand of vegetable shortening. It’s a solid fat product with a high smoke point, making it good for frying. In my humble opinion Crisco fried chicken is the best.
  • Milk: Full fat please. This is not the time to skimp on fat calories by using a low fat milk product. Your gravy will be creamier and sweeter using full fat milk.
  • Spices: Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Tip: Since we’re making Fried Chicken with Fried Chicken Gravy, you’ll more than likely want to serve this with mashed potatoes. I like to make the mashed potatoes first, then transfer them to a slow cooker to keep warm until the rest of the meal is ready.

Important: Before you drain those potatoes, fish out a cup of the starchy cooking water. We’ll use it to make chicken gravy.

Optional: You can brine the chicken pieces in salted water for an hour before frying. Remove from water and use paper towels to thoroughly pat dry before flouring.

Dredging chicken in flour to make pan fried chicken.
How to pan fry chicken for fried chicken and fried chicken gravy.
  1. Set up your dredging station. Place chicken pieces on one plate. The salt and peppered flour on the next plate. Then have a plate ready to place the floured chicken pieces. Once pieces are floured, shake off excess flour. Let them sit 10 minutes to set the flour. Dinner plates work well here.
  1. Melt the Crisco over medium high heat, in a large heavy skillet with deep sides. You’ll need enough oil to cover the chicken pieces about ⅓ of the way up. Once the oil has reached a temperature of 365 degrees, gently place the chicken pieces in the hot oil. Brown each piece on one side until golden. This will take about 7 – 10 minutes per side. Turn the pieces to brown on the other side. Chicken is done when internal temperature reads 165 degrees.

Tip: How to tell when fried chicken is done on one side and ready to turn.

How to make pan fried chicken and fried chicken gravy.
How to make pan fried chicken with fried chicken gravy.
  1. Photo #1: Use a fork to lift one of the pieces of chicken to take a peek to see if the chicken pieces have reached that golden brown color. This chicken drum is not golden brown and not ready to turn.
  2. Photo #2: I’ve just turned this chicken thigh.  Now that’s perfect.
Cooking chicken pieces in crisco to make pan fried chicken.
Cooking chicken breasts on all sides to make pan fried chicken.
  1. Step 3: As the chicken pieces cook, remove them to a plate lined with a paper towel. This gives you a chance to turn some of the remaining pieces to make sure they’re browned on each side. Legs and breasts may need extra attention.
  1. Step 4: Use a meat fork to hold the breast on it’s side so it cooks on the sides. We want to make sure each side has that crispy crust. Now we’re ready to make fried chicken gravy.

Nothing will make your mouth water more than a platter of crispy pan fried chicken.

A platter of pan fried chicken pieces.

Total time to fry a full pan of chicken is about 30-40 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken pieces to a large platter and tent with foil while you make the white chicken gravy.

How To Make Fried Chicken Gravy

Fried chicken gravy may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. Easy to make following this simple procedure. Mashed potatoes never had it so good.

using potato water from boiled potatoes

Remember at the beginning of this article, I instructed you to prepare the mashed potatoes and before draining, fish out a cup of the starchy potato cooking water. This water will be combined with the milk to make a creamy fried chicken gravy.

Adding flour to oil in frying pan to make fried chicken gravy.
Stirring flour to with oil to make fried chicken gravy.
  1. Step 1: Carefully pour off the oil leaving ¼ cup in the fry pan. Make sure you don’t let any of those brown chicken crunchies on the bottom of the pan escape. That’s what really makes a gravy flavorful. With burner on medium low, add ¼ cup of all purpose flour
  1. Step 2: Stir into a roux.  You can make more gravy by leaving more of the grease in the pan. Just make sure you are adding equal part of flour to oil.
Making a roux in a fry pan to make fried chicken gravy
Adding milk to roux in fry pan to make fried chicken gravy.
  1. Step 3: Stir until well blended and the roux is starting to turn golden in color. Make sure you’re scraping up every bit of the chicken bits from the bottom of the pan.
  1. Step 4: Add 1 cup of milk and ¾ cup of the reserved potato water.
Stirring in milk to thini fried chicken gravy.
How to make fried chicken gravy in a skillet.
  1. Step 5: Stir constantly and continue to cook as it bubbles and thickens. If the gravy seems thick, add milk, a little at a time to achieve that perfect gravy consistency. Each time you add milk (if needed) let it simmer for at least 1 minute to thicken before you determine if more milk is needed.
  1. Step 6: Keep stirring until nice and creamy. Serve immediately with Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes.
Fried chicken gravy in a black bowl with a ladle for serving.

Transfer your homemade fried chicken gravy to a serving bowl and serve over mashed potatoes.

Questions You May Have

Can You Make Healthier Fried Chicken By Removing The Skin?

Don’t you dare try to get all healthy on me and remove the skin…it won’t work…don’t bother. Making cast iron skillet fried chicken is not the time to count fat calories. It’s all about that crispy skin.

How Do You Make Gravy Without Lumps

Once you add the liquid to the roux, you can not add any more flour. Doing so will create lumps in gravy, without recovery.

Can I Use A Different Oil Product From Crisco?

Crisco vegetable oil is a good substitute. Peanut and Canola oil have high smoking points and are also good choices here. Keeping in mind, I’ll never use anything other than Crisco shortening.

Equipment

You’ll need a large heavy bottomed skillet with high sides. A 15″ cast iron skillet works well here. I also like All-Clad 12 inch skillet. With a smaller skillet, you’ll most certainly have to cook the chicken pieces in batches. Avoid a non-stick skillet. Most non-stick skillets are notorious for not generating heat high enough to get a good sear of frying.

How To Serve It.

Mash potatoes with some butter and milk and just enough salt and pepper.  My mom always served this meal with this Old Fashioned green beans recipe. that have been tossed with some cooked chopped onion and bacon pieces. 

Another great side dish for fried chicken is this recipe for Honey Butter Skillet Corn.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days. Store fried chicken pieces, potatoes and gravy all in separate containers.

To reheat: I personally like to eat left over fried chicken cold. And it’s great to take on picnics. If you want to reheat, avoid the microwave because it will soften that crispy chicken crust. Reheat left over fried chicken in a 300 degree oven for a few minutes, or use an air fryer to keep the skin crispy. Use that microwave to reheat potatoes and gravy.

Tips For Success:

  • Before placing the raw chicken into the hot oil in the pan, make sure the oil is hot enough. If it’s not, the chicken will absorb the oil which will keep it from getting nice and crispy. Use a digital read thermometer to register 365 degrees. Don’t have a digital read thermometer? My mom used to sprinkle in a bit of flour to the hot oil. If it created a good sizzle, she knew it was ready for the chicken.
  • When placing the chicken pieces in the fry pan, don’t over-crowd. I usually pan fry chicken in batches. During cooking, if grease is splattering too much, lower heat.
  • Don’t purchase “factory farmed” chicken. This individual pieces of chicken will be too large, making it hard to fit in the pan, and making it hard to get cooked through. Choose a chicken from a small smaller company like Red Bird Farms. Responsible companies such as this, don’t use methods to grow over-sized birds for harvest.
  • When Making Fried Chicken Gravy: Once you add the milk and starchy water to the flour oil mixture to start the gravy process, you can’t add more flour. It will simply clump without recovery.

Recipe for Pan Fried Chicken With Fried Chicken Gravy

Fried chicken with gravy has been my favorite comfort food recipe for as long as I have memories. I’ve been making it since I was a young girl. A family recipe that I’d like to pass along to your family.

More Chicken Recipes

And if you’re looking for more chicken recipes, don’t miss my Chicken Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular on my site for Chicken Macaroni Salad. A cold macaroni salad thats sweet, tangy and wonderful.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

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Pan fried chicken with homemade fried chicken gravy.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Pan Fried Chicken with Homemade Fried Chicken Gravy

Good old fashioned pan fried chicken, with authentic creamy white fried chicken gravy. Step – by – step instructions.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Brine time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Course Chicken
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 508kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Whole Chicken Cut into pieces, or purchase individual pieces of your choice.
  • ½ cup Crisco Shortening enough to cover the chicken pieces half way up
  • 2 cups flour for dredging chicken
  • 2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
  • For the Fried Chicken Gravy:
  • ¼ cup oil drippings oil from the fried chicken
  • ¼ Cup All purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk and more to insure gravy consistency
  • ¾ cup starchy water from boiling potatoes
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • 1 hour before frying chicken, place chicken pieces in a large bowl of water and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Drain chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
  • In the meantime, prepare the Mashed Potatoes. Peel and cube potatoes, cover with salted water and place on stove top to boil. Once tender, remove ¾ cup of the starchy cooking water and set aside. Keep the potatoes warm in a crockpot on low.
  • For The Pan Fried Chicken
  • Place flour on a large plate and use a whisk to stir in salt and pepper. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour coating all sides, and shaking off any excess flour. Place each piece on a clean plate. Let sit for 10 minutes to let the flour "set in".
  • Melt Crisco shortening in a deep sided skillet or large fry pan. When oil reaches around 375 degrees start placing the floured chicken pieces in the hot oil, skin side down. You want to oil to come about ⅓ of the way up the chicken. Cook each piece until golden brown. You don't want to over-crowd the chicken pieces. More times than not, I fry chicken in batches.
  • Using a meat fork, turn chicken pieces over to brown on the other side.
  • Use a digital read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees. And no pink juices are coming from the chicken.
  • Remove pieces to a plate lined with paper towels and tent with foil to keep warm.
  • For The Fried Chicken Gravy:
  • Drain all but ¼ cup of the oil fro the skillet. Return to medium heat and add ¼ cup flour to the pan. Please note, you can make more gravy by reserving more oil. Just remember you need a 1 – 1 ratio of oil and flour.
  • Cook 2 – 3 minutes or until flour is starting to turn a light golden brown. Be sure you're aggressively scraping the chicken crumb bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Add milk and reserved starchy water from the potatoes. Let it bubble until thickened, at least two minutes. This is important to let the flour flavor blend with the oil. Drizzle in more milk if necessary to get a gravy consistency that's perfect for you. Remember, each time you add a little milk, let it simmer for a couple of minutes to allow the gravy to re-thicken.
  • Note: Once you add the liquid to the flour oil mixture to start the gravy process, you can't add more flour. It will simply clump without recovery.

Notes

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
  • Before placing the raw chicken into the hot oil in the pan, make sure the oil is hot enough. If it’s not, the chicken will absorb the oil which will keep it from getting nice and crispy. Use a digital read thermometer to register 365 degrees. Don’t have a digital read thermometer? My mom used to sprinkle in a bit of flour to the hot oil. If it created a good sizzle, she knew it was ready for the chicken.
  • When placing the chicken pieces in the fry pan, don’t over-crowd. I usually pan fry chicken in batches. During cooking, if grease is splattering too much, lower heat.
  • Don’t purchase “factory farmed” chicken. This individual pieces of chicken will be too large, making it hard to fit in the pan, and making it hard to get cooked through. Choose a chicken from a small smaller company like Red Bird Farms. Or purchase chicken from Whole Foods.  Responsible companies such as this, don’t use methods or purchase chicken that are over-sized birds for harvest.
  • When Making Fried Chicken Gravy: Once you add the milk and starchy water to the flour oil mixture to start the gravy process, you can’t add more flour. It will simply clump without recovery.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

Pan Fried Chicken With Gravy … It’s Whats For Dinner