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Creamy Tuscan Chickpea Soup

By 6 Comments

In a nut shell: Once the weather starts turning cooler, I like to make a big pot of soup on Sundays and start the week having flavorful leftovers. After all, soup is one of those things that always tastes better the next day.

Creamy Tuscan chickpea soup.

Would I Make This Again?

Absolutely yes! This is a wonderful soup that makes enough for about 8+ servings. I love an excuse to use sun-dried tomatoes and the combination of flavors here welcomes those rich little pieces of goodness.

Points and Perks

  • Perk: It’s a restaurant quality meal.
  • Perk: Chickpeas – considered to be a superfood, I’m always looking for ways to use them.
  • Perk: It’s a pretty easy meal to make and it’s a one-pot meal.
  • Point #1: This recipe calls for Italian Sausage. I’m a fan of Chicken Italian Sausage which makes this a bit healthier.
  • Point #2: This recipe calls for kale. Don’t like it, but switching out spinach or chard makes this a recipe we enjoyed.
  • Point #3: Creamy but not overly so. This recipe calls for ¼ cup of heavy cream. With lots of broth, I can live with those small amount of fat calories.

Please note: The recipe in this article changes each periodically. If you want to save this recipe, please print out or download it, rather than save it to Pinterest. Next week, there will be a new recipe in its place. If you do happen to come back and not find the recipe you’re looking for, please email me and I’ll send it to you.

Creamy Tuscan chickpea soup.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Creamy Tuscan Chickpea Soup

Spicy sausage, tender chickpeas, and savory aromatics come together for a comforting bowl of goodness in this one-pot soup.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 8
Calories: 383kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound Spicy Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 large Yellow onion chopped, about two cups
  • 1 large Celery Stick chopped, about ½ cup
  • ½ cup Sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • 8 Cups Chicken stock
  • 2 15-ounce Cans of chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups 4 cups torn lacinato kale leaves About 1 small bunch
  • 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Grated (about ½ cup), plus more for garnish
  • ¼ cup Heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoon Chopped fresh basil
  • ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add sausage; cook, stirring often and breaking into small crumbles using a wooden spoon, until sausage is rendered and browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Add onion and celery to Dutch oven; cook, stirring often and scraping bottom of pot to loosen any browned bits, until vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in stock and chickpeas; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, until flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Spoon off and discard any foam that rises to the surface.
  • Add kale to Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, cream, basil, and salt. Divide soup evenly among bowls, and garnish with additional cheese, if desired.

Notes

Notes:
  • If you don’t like kale (that’s me) substitute spinach or chard.
  • I used dried chickpeas. 1 ½ cup dried chick peas (precooked) will equal about two cans 15 ounce cans.
  • I am a fan of Italian Chicken Sausage. It makes a great substitute here. 
  • I added ½ teaspoon of fennel seed …. because I love it with Italian sausage.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1106mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1310IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 2mg

Campechana, Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

By 24 Comments

Next time you’re in the mood for a shrimp cocktail appetizer, give this refreshing Mexican version a try. Campechana is an authentic Mexican seafood appetizer chock full of tomatoes, jalapeno, cucumber and more. A tossed salad, some crusty bread and you’ve got a perfect Summer back patio meal.

Campechana Mexican Shrimp Cocktail served in a margarita glass and garnished with shrimp and avocado. Served with corn chips

What is Campechana?

Campechana is a traditional tomato based Mexican shrimp cocktail recipe that contains fresh chopped vegetables. Campechana can also be made with baby octopus, oysters, mussels, scallops, or white fish, making it a Mexican mixed seafood cocktail. The idea for Campechana comes from Campeche, a Mexican State on the Yucatan peninsula where fresh seafood cocktails are served beach side. Also known as cocktail de camerones.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Campechana is a popular choice for seafood lovers looking for a fancy feel appetizer or a light Summer meal. It’s combination of fresh seafood, tangy sauce and crunchy texture make this a culinary treat.

Imagine a brothy tomato based citrus salsa, swimming with plump tender shrimp, creamy avocado, crunchy with celery and cucumber, and some spicy peppers.

Let’s throw in some briny olives for an extra kick. That describes this fresh Mexican seafood cocktail, and a recipe you’ll want to serve all Summer long.

This is a very refreshing Mexican Appetizer that’s full of flavor. Not to mention a healthy option.

A recipe I learned to make in Culinary School and also a method our chef instructors taught us to to poach shrimp = tried and true. Let’s take a look:

Campechana Ingredients

See full list of ingredients and precise measurements in the recipe card below.

Ingredients to make Campechana Mexican Shrimp Cocktail.
  • Cooked Shrimp. Shells removed, tails removed and chopped. Save a couple of whole shrimp for garnish.
  • Tomato Juice, or Clamato
  • Hot Sauce: Your favorite brand
  • Tomato
  • Cucumber
  • Lime Juice
  • Old Bay Seasoning (used to cook shrimp)
  • Green Bell Pepper
  • Onion
  • Celery
  • Avocado
  • Jalapeno Pepper
  • Green Olives, bring a Spanish flair.
  • Chile Powder: I prefer New Mexico Red Chile Powder, Cayenne will also work.

Ingredient Notes

  • Please don’t confuse Chili Seasoning with Chile Powder. Use a pure red chile powder to make Campechana. Chili seasoning (with an “i”) is a blend of seasonings used to make Tex-Mex style Chile Soups.
  • Kosher salt is preferred by chefs for it’s pure salty flavor. Sea salt or table salt will work fine here.
  • Mix it up and combine ½ pound of cooked shrimp with ½ pound lump crab meat. Crab meat by law has to be sold cooked, so no need to cook the crab.
  • For a more savory briny flavor, substitute Clamato Juice for Tomato Juice.

How to Make Authentic Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Campechana)

Making Campechana step 1, soaking onions in lime juice.
Making campechana step 2, combine chopped vegetables.
  1. In a glass bowl, combine onions, lime juice and salt, stir and rest for 15-20 minutes as you chop the remaining ingredients.
  1. Add the minced tomato, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, jalapeno, and green olives.
Step 3 to make campechana. Mixing vegetables together.
Step 4 to make campechana. Adding shrimp and tomato juice to vegetables.
  1. Mix all ingredients together with a large spoon.
  1. Add tomato juice, chopped or sliced shrimp and several dashes of hot sauce. Stir, cover and chill for 1-2 hours.

How To Serve and Devour

Campechana in a glass bowl served with tortilla chips and saltine crackers.
  • Grab a couple of margarita glasses and spoon in the Shrimp Campechana. Garnish the rim of the margarita glass with a cooked shrimp, tail intact and a slice of avocado.
  • Or serve in a glass bowl to show off the colorful mix of vegetables. Garnish with chopped avocado.
  • The traditional way to serve Campechana is with Saltine crackers or sturdy Tortilla Chips. Use these to eat as if you were eating a Mexican dip.
  • Provide a wedge of lime for squeezing, and chopped cilantro for garnish.

Questions You May Have

Is Campechana A Main Course or Appetizer?

Either. This recipe makes enough for 6 people as an appetizer. It can also be served as a main course using larger portions for 4 people. So depending on how many you’re feeding, this is a wonderful light dinner recipe, or a beautiful shrimp cocktail appetizer to start a Mexican Dinner Menu.

What’s The Difference Between Campechana and Ceviche?

Campechana is similar to ceviche, however with campechana, the seafood is cooked with heat, as opposed to brined in an acid (lime juice) like ceviche.

Storage

Campechana stores surprisingly well. And without losing flavor or compromised texture. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. Remove any avocado before storing.

Tips For Success:

  • Spend the extra few dollars and purchase quality shrimp Shrimp that tastes like shrimp. It’s the secret to a really good Campechana. Seek out wild caught shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. Look for it at stores like Whole Foods, who provide sustainable seafood products.

What to Serve It With

If you’re making this to serve guests as as a beginning to a beautiful to a Mexican themed dinner, MahiMahi Kabobs with Jalapeno Butter is one of my favorite seafood main course choices. Here are some more ideas.

Another good choice is Pollo Asado, Citrus juice and Mexican spices join forces to create bright and complex flavors for this easy Mexican Chicken Marinade to make Chicken Asado. A juicy Mexican grilled chicken dinner with sheer pizzaz.

And don’t forget a Mexican cocktail, like this recipe for Palomas.

If you’re looking for fresh Summery shrimp recipes, don’t miss this one for Chimichurri Shrimp. An Argentinean shrimp recipe that’s easy and bursting with flavor.

Looking for more Mexican Style appetizer recipes? I’ve got you covered:

And if you’re looking for a ton of appetizer recipes, don’t miss my Appetizer Category. You’ll find a ton of finger licking ideas. Including my recipe for Honeyed Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp. One of the most popular seafood appetizers on my site.

This recipe was published May of 2012 and updated June, 2024 with step by step instructions.

Campechana Mexican Shrimp cocktail in a margarita glass.
Print Recipe
4.86 from 14 votes

Campechana, Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Next time you're in the mood for a shrimp cocktail appetizer, give this refreshing Mexican version a try. Campechana is an authentic Mexican seafood appetizer chock full of tomatoes, jalapeno, cucumber and more. A tossed salad, some crusty bread and you've got a perfect Summer back patio meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Resting time2 hours
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6
Calories: 188.74kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp medium or large, preferably American Wild Caught
  • 1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning add a wedge of lemon if you'd like.
  • ½ cup sweet onion minced, or yellow onion.
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 Cup tomato finely chopped. One medium tomato.
  • ½ Cup cucumber About ¼ of a medium cucumber. Peeled and minced.
  • ½ Cup celery Minced. About 1 medium stalk.
  • ¼ Cup green bell pepper minced
  • ¼ Cup jalapeno pepper minced, about 1 medium pepper
  • 3 tablespoons Green Olives chopped, pitted
  • 2 cups Tomato Juice Or Clamato
  • 2 dashes hot sauce to taste (I used lots)
  • ¼ bunch cilantro chopped
  • 1 avocado cut into small cubes
  • ½ avocado sliced into wedges
  • chile powder & black pepper I like Chimayo Chile Powder, or ancho

Instructions

  • To Cook The Shrimp: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the Old Bay seasoning to water. Add shrimp and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and rest for about 3 minutes - drain and chill shrimp. Reserve 4 – 8 of the shrimp for garnish. Remove tails from the rest of the shrimp and chop or slice.
  • In a glass bowl, combine onions, lime juice and salt, stir and rest for 15-20 minutes as you chop the remaining ingredients.
  • Add the minced tomato, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, jalapeno, and green olives. Stir well.
  • Add tomato juice, chopped or sliced shrimp and several dashes of hot sauce - cover and chill for 1-2 hours.
  • Just before serving, stir in cilantro and chopped avocado. Spoon into four margarita glasses and garnish with a lime wedge, a whole shrimp or a slice of avocado. Or all.
  • Sprinkle with chile powder and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with saltine crackers or tortilla chips and hot sauce on the side.

Video

Notes

Tips for Success:
  • Spend the extra few dollars and purchase quality shrimp. Shrimp that tastes like shrimp. It’s the secret to a really good Campechana. Seek out wild caught shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Use good knife skills here. Evenly chopped vegetables results in pride in skill set and a professional appearance of this dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 188.74kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.12g | Protein: 17.69g | Fat: 8.63g | Saturated Fat: 1.27g | Cholesterol: 190.51mg | Sodium: 650.63mg | Potassium: 606.11mg | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 4.94g | Vitamin A: 807.97IU | Vitamin C: 37.35mg | Calcium: 143.9mg | Iron: 2.76mg

Shrimp Campechana Recipe …It’s What’s for Summer Dinner.

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.

Three Cheese Italian Breakfast Casserole

By 8 Comments

This savory Italian Breakfast Casserole combines three cheeses, roasted red bell pepper and a hint of onion. You can make this creamy cheesy Italian egg bake in just an hour.

Try other popular breakfast recipes like this one for Country Potatoes with Ham or these Southwest Egg Bites with Cottage Cheese.

A slice of Italian breakfast casserole topped with sour cream.

The simplest way to make any morning better is with a delicious breakfast egg casserole. And this Italian egg bake can be one of the easiest ways to serve up eggs that certainly won’t disappoint.

What makes a baked egg casserole a great egg casserole? Certainly a beautiful custard texture, a blend of amiable cheeses and a touch of savory. And this is an egg bake without bread, which makes for an even fluffier lighter experience.

Eggs are combined with creamy soft cheeses. Flour thickens the custard base and the baking powder brings the “puff” to this casserole.

Roasted red bell peppers, brings a smoky and sweet layer of flavor and a touch of green onion brings it all home.

This Italian Breakfast Casserole is easy enough to prepare on a lazy Sunday morning. About twenty minutes prep time and a 35 minute bake in the oven. While the casserole is baking, grab a package of frozen hash browns, and fry some bacon or sausage and breakfast is served. Let’s take a look:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make Italian Egg Bake.
  • Large Eggs
  • Roasted Red Bell Pepper, chopped
  • Green Onion
  • The Cheeses: Cheddar Cheese, Ricotta Cheese, Parmesan Cheese
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Butter, melted
  • Kosher Salt
  • Baking Powder

Step by Step Instructions – It’s Easy

Mixing dry ingredients for Italian Egg Casserole.
Combining eggs and cheese to make Italian Breakfast Casserole.
  1. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder into a small bowl.
  1. Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Add melted butter, flour mixture, and cheeses and mix well at low speed. Then stir in peppers and green onion.

Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

Mixing eggs and cheese together to make an Italian Breakfast Casserole.
Italian Breakfast Casserole in an 8 x 8 casserole dish ready to bake.
  1. Then stir in peppers and green onion.
  1. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 casserole dish.
Baked egg casserole in a square le creuset baking dish
  1. Bake this Italian Breakfast Casserole for 35 – 40 minutes. The top should be slightly browned and the casserole set up in the middle.

Questions You May Have

Can I Make This Italian Egg Bake Ahead of Time?

Yes. You can make it the night before. Complete all the steps and place in the casserole dish. Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.

Is This Recipe Gluten Free?

You’ve got a jump start since this is an egg bake without bread. Make this complete gluten free by using a 1 to 1 gluten free flour.

What Should I Serve With This Italian Breakfast Casserole?

This casserole is light and fluffy. And without any Italian Sausage, you’ve got lots of choices. Serve this with Fried Biscuits, a fresh fruit salad, a side of chicken Italian Sausage. Serving this for brunch? Serve it with a simple tossed salad with Red Wine Vinegar Dressing.

Tips For Success

  • You most certainly can roast your own red bell peppers for this recipe, but make it easy by purchasing three roasted red bell peppers from the olive bar, or jarred roasted-red bell peppers.
  • Use a cake tester to make sure the casserole is done and set up in the middle.
  • Let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
A slice of three cheese egg casserole on a spatula.

Variations

  • Picture this Italian egg bake with with fine chopped sauteed asparagus and shallots.
  • Add Southwestern flare by substituting the roasted red bell peppers with jalapeno peppers of Hatch chile peppers. Add a tablespoon of adobo sauce from canned chilles in adobo for an additional kick of excitement.
  • Or a simple mixture of mushroom and chives. Just be careful with the moisture content in mushroom. Fry and lightly salt them to draw out moisture before adding.

I hope you give this Italian Breakfast Casserole a try. You’ll be glad you did.

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.

A slice of three cheese Italian Breakfast Casserole.
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5 from 2 votes

Three Cheese Italian Breakfast Casserole

This is a recipe for an oh-so cheesy Italian Breakfast Casserole. Savory with roasted red bell pepper, three of your favorite cheeses and a hint of onion, this is an easy egg and cheese casserole perfect for your next Sunday Brunch or breakfast.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 9
Calories: 289kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

  • 1 8 x 8 Casserole Dish

Ingredients

  • 3 medium red bell peppers roasted and diced
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 9 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 ½ cups Medium Cheddar Cheese grated
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
  • 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
  • 3 green onions finely chopped (½ cup)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder into a small bowl.
  • Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Add melted butter, flour mixture, and cheeses and mix well at low speed, then stir in peppers and green onion.
  • Pour into a buttered 8 x 8 casserole dish and bake in middle of oven until top is golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
  • To serve, cut into 9 squares and garnish each with a dollop of sour cream and fine chopped heirloom tomatoes.

Notes

Tips For Success: 
  • You most certainly can roast your own red bell peppers for this recipe, but make it easy by purchasing three roasted red bell peppers from the olive bar, or jarred roasted-red bell peppers.
  • Use a cake tester to make sure the casserole is done and set up in the middle.
  • Let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 9g | Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 214mg | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2034IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 368mg | Iron: 1mg

Three Cheese Italian Breakfast Casserole … It’s What’s For Breakfast.

This recipe was first published September of 2018 and updated June of 2024 by adding step by step instructions.

Black and Blue Burgers

By 1 Comment

Black and Blue Burgers will wow your burger loving family. Blackened seasoning gives burger patties a little extra kick while sharp blue cheese adds a layer of complex flavor. You can either use a store-bought blackening spice or make your own.

Burgers are our favorited food during the Summer months and with all of my burgers our favorite side dish to serve is baked beans. Take a look at BBQ Beans On The Grill. or these Spicy Baked Beans. And a great side dish for any burger, take a look at my recipe for Beer Mac and Cheese.

Black and blue burger with red onion, tomato and lettuce.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Summer grilling wouldn’t be complete without an arsenal of burger recipes. Taking a cue from Culinary School, where we pan-seared steaks seasoned with blackening seasoning, then served topped with blue cheese, these Black and Blue Burgers were born in my own kitchen.

The bold flavors of this burger are elevated a step higher slathered with a coarse ground Dijon Mustard for a condiment.

The lineup of seasonings to season the ground beef brings a unique and robust flavor to these burger patties.

Also inspired by my Silver Spur Ranch Blue Cheese Burgers, this version takes advantage of blackened seasoning to add warm and spicy layer of flavors. In short, this is one delicious burger.

Beef and Blue Cheese are natural culinary partners, so let’s get started.

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Ingredients You’ll Need For The Black and Blue Burger Seasoning

Let’s start by making this super easy Homemade Blackened Seasoning Recipe. You probably have everything you need in your pantry and it’s a super easy recipe. Again, another recipe from Culinary School. I’ve never purchased blackened seasoning, so can’t recommend a store brand.

Homemade blackened seasoning to make black and blue burgers.
  • Freshy Ground Black Pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • New Mexico Red Chile Powder, or Cayenne Pepper is more customary
  • Dried thyme
  • Dried oregano
  • Smoked paprika
  • Onion powder
  • Kosher salt

See recipe card for quantities.

Homemade blackened seasoning in a black bowl.

Simply add ingredients to a bowl and use a whisk to combine.

Ingredients For The Black and Blue Burgers

Ingredients to make Black and Blue Burgers.
  • Hamburger Buns. I really like the little crunch of sesame buns, but use your preference.
  • Garnish: Green leaf lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion and coarse ground Dijon Mustard. For the mustard, I like this jar from Whole Foods.
  • 80/20 Blend Ground Beef
  • Crumbled Blue Cheese
  • Blackened Seasoning
  • Kosher Salt

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Combining ground beef and blue cheese crumbles to make black and blue burgers.
  1. Step 1: Place ground beef in a bowl. Add crumbled blue cheese, blackened seasoning and salt.
Combined ground beef and blue cheese crumbles to make black and blue burgers.
  1. Step 2: Use hands to combine the ingredients, just like you would making meatloaf.

Hint: Don’t overwork the meat mixture when making ground beef patties. A looser mix will simply make a better cooked and juice burger.

Three black and blue hamburger patties ready to grill.
  1. Step 3: Portion ground beef into three patties. You can also make quarter pound burgers and make four black and blue patties.
Grilled black and blue burger patties.
  1. Step 4: Place burgers on the grill. Sear 3 to 5 minutes on the first side or until dark crust develops on burgers. Flip the burgers and grill on second side for additional 4 to 5 minutes or until they reach internal temperature of 160°F.

How To Build That Burger: Spread whole grain mustard on bottom bun, add lettuce and sliced tomato. Top with red onion.

Substitutions

  • Lettuce – I like green leaf lettuce for burgers because of it’s pretty frilly edge appearance. You can substitute iceberg lettuce for more of a crunch, or even Romaine lettuce.
  • Mustard: It’s fun to experiment with different mustards, so I highly recommend using the coarse ground mustard I’ve listed. However, you most certainly can use regular Dijon mustard.

Variations

  • Onions – Try grilling the onions rather than serving them on the burger raw. Grilling red onions brings out the natural sugars which caramelize for a sweeter result.

Check out this Rosemary Brie Burgers, where I make a Red Onion Chutney for a burger topping. Crazy delish.

Storage

I intentionally make extra burgers to have leftovers. Simply wrap the extra burger patty in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the patty in the microwave for about 1 minute, at 50% power. Longer if needed. Voila, you have a quick lunch the next day.

Top tip – Blue Cheese

Hardly ever do I recommend purchasing pre-crumbled cheeses in plastic containers. However, for this recipe the pre-crumbled is a benefit. So many high quality blue cheeses are beautifully creamy, making them harder to crumble yourself. Crumbled blue cheese in containers are a little dryer and will make life easier for you, without sacrificing flavor. The smaller crumbles distribute more evenly through the ground beef mixture.

FAQ

Are These Black and Blue Burgers or Black and Bleu Burgers?

"Bleu" is simply the French spelling for blue. If you want to make official Black and Bleu Cheese Burgers, choose a French blue cheese. I can readily find it at my local Kroeger grocery store under the Murray's Brand. I find it to be a softer bleu cheese with incredible flavor. It's also more expensive.

Are These Burgers Gluten Free?

If you use gluten free buns, these burgers are completely gluten free burgers.

Are you Hamburger fans like us? Don’t miss more of our favorites.

And if you’re looking for even more recipes, don’t miss my category for Hamburger Recipes. You’ll find more ideas including the most popular on my site for Bobby Flay’s Coleslaw Burger.

Pairing

These are my favorite side dishes to serve with Black and Blue Burgers:

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.

Black and blue burger with red onion, tomato and lettuce.
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No ratings yet

Black and Blue Burger

Blackening seasoning gives the burger patty a little extra kick while sharp blue cheese adds a layer of complex flavor. You can either use a store-bought blackening spice or make your own.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3
Calories: 657kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • For The Homemade Blackened Seasoning
  • 2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder or Cayenne. Or more if you want it spicier.
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
  • For The Black and Blue Burgers
  • 1 pound Ground Beef
  • 1 Tablespoon Blackened Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ Red Onion Cut into rings
  • 3 ounces Blue Cheese crumbled
  • 3 Tablespoons Whole Grain Dijon Mustard
  • 3 leaves Green Leaf Lettuce
  • 3 slices Tomato
  • 3 Sesame Seed Hamburger Buns

Instructions

  • Preheat grill to high.
  • Place ground beef in a bowl. Add crumbled blue cheese, blackened seasoning and salt. Use hands to combine the ingredients. Portion ground chuck into three patties. You can also make quarter pound burgers and make four hamburger patties.
  • Turn grill down to medium high and place burgers on the grill. Sear 3 to 5 minutes on the first side or until dark crust develops on burgers. Flip the burgers and grill on second side for additional 4 to 5 minutes or until they reach internal temperature of 160°F.
  • Add buns to grill to toast, 2 minutes or until golden brown.
  • To build that burger. Spread whole grain mustard on bottom bun, add lettuce and sliced tomato. Top with red onion.

Notes

Tips For Success: 
  • Hardly ever do I recommend purchasing pre-crumbled cheeses in plastic containers. However, for this recipe the pre-crumbled is a benefit. So many high quality blue cheeses are beautifully creamy, making them harder to crumble yourself. Crumbled blue cheese in containers are a little dryer and will make life easier for you, without sacrificing flavor. The smaller crumbles distribute more evenly through the ground beef mixture.
  • Take the time to toast that bun. Simply butter and place on the grill for a few seconds. It will elevate these Black and Blue Burgers from good to great.
  • Use an Instant Read Digital thermometer to read the internal temperature of those burger patties while cooking. 160 Degrees is recommended.
  • Grill the red onion slices rather than serving them raw on the burger will make for a sweeter onion experience.

Nutrition

Calories: 657kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 3110mg | Potassium: 828mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2952IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 298mg | Iron: 7mg

Black and Blue Burgers … They’re Whats For Dinner

Chile BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill

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Rich, robust, sweet, spicy and smoky, these Chile BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill are a total WOW on the flavor scale. Using canned baked beans and adding bacon, molasses and chile peppers, mesquite wood chips bring home the incredible smoky flavor. Learn how to cook baked beans on the grill … it’s easy.

BBQ Baked beans on the grill served in a red ramekin.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

This is a recipe developed in Culinary School for one of their recreational evening classes on grilling. You’ll love the method of using a disposable foil casserole pan to make baked beans on the grill. Easy clean up!

Entire Meal On The Grill: These bbq baked beans cooked on the grill, are a perfect side dish for every type of backyard barbecue party thrown your way. Burgers, ribs and hotdogs never had it so good. And if plan it just right, you can make your entire meal on the grill. For instance, Grilled Chicken Halves, these BBQ beans and grilled Sweet Potato Fries … just for an example.

Flavor: You simply couldn’t believe the flavor of these bbq baked beans. Rich with sweet flavor using molasses. And smoky with bacon.

Add Some Real Smoke: Mesquite Chips are used to bring the smoky layer of flavor to the already delicious combo of ingredients. Simply use a foil packet or a small smoke box to accomplish this.

Simple to Make: BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill, are a very pleasant surprise in more ways than one. Aside being absolutely delicious, they’re easy to make.

Let’s take a look.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Mesquite wood chips and medium heat chile peppers bring unique layers of flavors to the customary ingredients used to make bbq baked beans.

Ingredients to make bbq baked beans on the grill.
  • Mesquite Wood Chips: Easily found along side grilling supplies at the grocery store. Hickory wood chips are also a good choice here.
  • Using Canned Beans make this an easy fix.
  • Good quality thick sliced bacon.
  • Chile Peppers, Medium Heat Please: Mild chile peppers simply won’t bring that warmth of heat to the end flavors of this recipe. You need a medium heat pepper to fight it’s way through the strong flavors here. I like to use Hatch Chile Peppers here.
  • Sweet Onion
  • Dark Molasses
  • Brown Sugar
  • Ketchup
  • Fresh Garlic

See recipe card for quantities.

How To Cook Baked Beans On The Grill, It’s Easy

Before starting the preparation of these baked beans, soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes and preferably one hour. Drain off the water before using them in the cooking process. Empty canned beans into a colander in the sink. Allow the beans to drain, but do not rinse.

Cooking bacon, onions and garlic in a large fry pan to make bbq baked beans on the grill.
  1. Step 1: In a large fry pan over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces, stirring occasionally, until crispy. About 10 minutes. Add the chopped onions and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Adding sauce ingredients to skillet to make bbq baked beans on the grill.
  1. Step 2: Stir in the catsup, molasses, chile peppers and brown sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
BBQ baked beans in an aluminum casserole pan.
  1. Step 3: Place the drained beans into a grill safe, 3 quart casserole. Sprinkle on Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. I like to use the disposable foil pans. They’re recyclable and grill friendly.
Adding sauce to canned beans to make bbq baked beans on the grill.
  1. Step 4: Add the sauce and stir into the beans. Place the pan of beans on the grill over indirect medium heat. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring often.

Substitutions

  • Bacon – If you’re opposed to pork bacon, turkey bacon will work just fine for this recipe. And to make this a vegetarian grilled baked beans recipe, there are plenty options for vegetarian bacon.

Variations

  • Rich Flavor – Substitute tomato paste for the ketchup. Doing so will make this even deeper and richer bbq sauce flavor. Me? I prefer ketchup.
  • About Chile Peppers – I always have a stash or roasted chile peppers in the freezer. You can purchase canned chile peppers on the Mexican food aisle at the super market. Again, choose a pepper that’s medium on the heat scale.

See this oven version of Spicy Baked Beans on my website! Another recipe with great flavor and a little bit on the tangier side, using mustard and Worcestershire sauce, this is an oven baked bean recipe.

Equipment

These beans can be made on a gas grill or using a charcoal grill. Simply be sure to create a heat station with no heat. This sets up an indirect heat cooking situation. Turn off one set of burners on a gas grill, or move charcoal briquettes to one side of the grill. Place the pan of beans away from the heat source.

Place wood chips in a small disposable pan or in a open foil pouch. Follow grill instructions for using wood chips. Example, my Weber grill instructs to place either a foil packet or foil pan with soaked wood chips, under the grates and above the flavor bars.

Storage

Store left over grilled baked beans in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to use the microwave to reheat. These beans can also be frozen. Use a freezer zip-lock style baggie or an airtight container. They will store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Top tip

The more you stir the beans while they’re cooking on the grill, the stronger the smoky flavor.

A Question You May Have

Can I Use Dried Beans For This Recipe

Yes you can. You’ll need to start the process the day before. Soak pinto beans over-night, then cook in the crockpot until tender. This will take a few hours. See my post for Cowboy Chili where I explain how to easily cook dried beans in the crockpot.

BBQ baked beans on the grill served in a red Le Creuset Ramekin.

If you’re grilling this summer, you need to try these BBQ Baked Beans on the grill. The flavor is amazing and you’ll want to make them again and again. And if you’ve never tried baked beans with molasses and brown sugar, you’re in for a treat.

More Summer Side Dishes You Might Like

Looking for more recipe for those backyard cookouts? Try these:

And if you’re looking for more Summer sides, don’t miss my category for Side Dishes, you’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular on my site for Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes.

Make It A Meal

These are a few of my favorite main courses to serve with BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill.

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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A red crock full of baked beans cooked on the grill.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chile BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill

How To Cook Baked Beans On The Grill. Rich, robust, sweet, spicy and smoky, these Chile BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill are a total WOW on the flavor scale. Using canned baked beans and adding bacon, molasses and chile peppers, mesquite wood chips bring home the incredible smoky flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 283kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

  • 1 EZ Foil Disposable Casserole Pan 3 quart

Ingredients

  • 5 slices Thick Cut Bacon Cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 medium Sweet Onion Chopped, about 1 ½ cups
  • 4 medium Garlic cloves peeled and chopped
  • ½ Cup Catsup
  • ¼ Cup dark Molasses
  • 1 Cup Chile Peppers roasted, peeled, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Brown sugar
  • 56 ounces Canned Baked Beans 2-28 ounce cans
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Before starting the preparation of these baked beans, soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes and preferably one hour. Drain off the water before using them in the cooking process. Empty canned beans into a colander in the sink. Allow the beans to drain, but do not rinse.
  • In a large fry pan over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces, stirring occasionally, until crispy. About 10 minutes. Add the chopped onions and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the catsup, molasses, chile peppers and brown sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Place the drained beans into a grill safe, 3 quart casserole. Sprinkle on Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. I like to use the disposable foil pans. They're recyclable and grill friendly.
  • Add the sauce and stir into the beans. Place the pan of beans on the grill over indirect medium heat. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring often.

Notes

Top Tip: The more you stir the beans while they’re cooking on the grill, the stronger the smoky flavor.
Tips For Success For Grilled Baked Beans:
These beans can be made on a gas grill or using a charcoal grill. Simply be sure to create a heat station with no heat. This sets up an indirect heat cooking situation. Turn off one set of burners on a gas grill, or move charcoal briquettes to one side of the grill. Place the pan of beans away from the heat source.
Place wood chips in a small disposable pan or in a open foil pouch. Follow grill instructions for using wood chips. Example, my Weber grill instructs to place either a foil packet or foil pan with soaked wood chips, under the grates and above the flavor bars.

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 1006mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 212IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg

BBQ Baked Beans On The Grill … They’re Whats For A Side Dish