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Creamy Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes Without Cheese

By 31 Comments

A recipe for good old fashioned pure and creamy scalloped potatoes. No cheese, no canned soups, just a simple list of ingredients let the potatoes shine with flavor for irresistible pure deliciousness.

I tested and tested this recipe to get it just right. I am so proud of this recipe and I hope you love it too.

FEATURED COMMENT

“I made these for dinner and they were very good. Most recipes for scalloped potatoes are very bland. This one is delicious. I surely plan on making these on a regular basis!” Constance

Looking for another popular holiday-worthy side dish that will feed that hungry family? Don’t miss this recipe for Flemings Steakhouse Mac and Cheese.

Gluten free scalloped potatoes in a white casserole dish.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Sometimes you just have to go on faith, that when it comes to making perfect Scalloped Potatoes, less is more.

This is a recipe for:

  • This is a quick and easy scalloped potato recipe without cheese or canned soups.
  • When cooked, the starch from the potatoes mixed with the cream make this a natural creamy sauce.
  • This is a recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour mix, making this a gluten free scalloped potatoes. If you’d like a scalloped potato recipe using no flour at all, take a look at my recipe for Potatoes Dauphinoise.

I’m not sure when I fell into the habit of making a glorified pan of sliced potatoes that included a cream of this, and a cream of that canned soup, and more than needed shredded cheese. And I called them scalloped potatoes. Which in fact, it was a glorified potato casserole that I regret calling scalloped potatoes. Adding cheese makes it more of an au gratin style potato casserole.

Culinary school taught us how to cook with a more pure set of mind, using quality ingredients for optimum flavor. Taking a cue from the French, all you need for a perfect pan of scalloped potatoes is some cream, butter and a few simple seasonings.

Thin sliced potatoes and onions simmered in a cream sauce with a little sprinkle of paprika for color…bingo. It’s perfect, a classic, its creamy, it’s decadent and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Let’s take a look:

Table of contents

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make gluten free scalloped potatoes.
  • Potatoes: Use a waxy potato such as Yukon Gold or Red-skinned potatoes
  • Heavy Whipping Cream and Whole Milk
  • Flour: To make these a gluten free scalloped potato recipe use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour. It works very well as a substitute for all-purpose flour with no adjustments to the recipe. You can also use all-purpose flour.
  • Seasonings: Paprika, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic and dried or fresh thyme.

Step by Step Instructions

Pro Tip: Use a mandolin. There’s no way around it, to make scalloped potatoes, you need to peel and slice the potatoes. To make this a quick and easy scalloped potato recipe, a mandolin will save you prep time.

Cut resistant glove to use with mandolin
  1. Step 1: Prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and onions and slice them ⅛″ thick. The easiest way to do this is to use a mandolin. To slice the onions, remove the peel, cut one end off the onion and then use the cut side to slice it on the mandolin. Peel the potatoes and slice.
Cooking garlic and onions to make scalloped potatoes.
Making a gluten free roux to make scalloped potatoes
  1. Step 2: Cook The Onions and Garlic: Using a 6-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 7 minutes or until soft and starting to change color. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. About 30 – 40 seconds.
  2. Step 3: Make The Roux: Add flour and cook, stirring, until smooth, 2 minutes. You can use a gluten free flour to make gluten free scalloped potatoes or all purpose flour for this step.
Cooking potatoes in cream to make scalloped potatoes.
Scalloped potatoes in a casserole dish ready to be baked.
  1. Step 4: Make the Cream Sauce: Add cream, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer. Add potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are just tender, 8-10 minutes.
  2. Step 5: Assembly: Transfer mixture to a greased baking dish. Use the back of a spoon to press mixture down.
Sprinkling scalloped potatoes with paprika before baking.
Baked gluten free scalloped potatoes in a casserole dish.
  1. Step 6: Sprinkle with paprika.
  2. Step 7: Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and a knife inserted into middle of potatoes slides in easily, about 40 minutes.

Tips For Perfect Scalloped Potatoes

  • Uneven Slicing: Evenly sliced potatoes will cook more consistently … use a mandolin.
  • Avoid Curdled Sauce. Don’t try to skimp on fat calories and use half and half. The fat content in heavy whipping cream simply cooks better and doesn’t separate like milk or half and half. In addition, as the potatoes cook, they will release some starchy moisture into the cream. Better to have that moisture mix with thick luscious cream for a beautiful thick sauce.
  • Under Seasoning: Taste the sauce before putting the scalloped potatoes in the oven. Potatoes can soak up a lot of seasoning, make sure you’ve added ample salt.
  • Over Crowding: Use a casserole dish large enough to hold the scalloped potatoes. They’ll cook better and you’ll avoid oven spillage.

What To Serve With Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are ideal holiday meals, potlucks or even a cozy weeknight dinner.

Scalloped potatoes are a very popular Easter side dish along with Brown Sugar Green Beans with Bacon. So a baked ham is a perfect main course. Other ideas are:

Consider seafood, like this recipe for Heavenly Halibut. Or pair scalloped potatoes with a steak, like my recipe for Beef Tagliata. And don’t forget about chicken like this Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet.

Whatever protein you choose, don’t forget a bright Accompaniment Salad with my Red Wine Vinegar Dressing. Enjoy!

Questions You May Have

What Potatoes Are Best To Make Scalloped Potatoes

Use Yukon Gold potatoes or red-skinned potatoes. Both are a waxy potato with less starch, which means they’ll hold their shape better when thin sliced and baked. A starchy potato like a Russet, will tend to break down and fall apart. Save those russet potatoes for recipes like these Slow Cooker Roasted Potatoes.

What Is The Easiest Way To Slice Potatoes For Scalloped Potatoes?

A mandolin. I’ve had my OXO Good Grips Mandolin Slicer for years and it’s been worth it’s weight in gold. And I wouldn’t use my mandolin without a Cut Resistant Glove. It protects your hands and fingers from injury, and It works much better and is easier to manage than the guider tool that comes with the mandolin.

Can You Make Scalloped Potatoes Ahead of Time?

These are best baked and served immediately. However, you can make them in advance. For make ahead scalloped potatoes, bake them per recipe instructions. Let them cool completely to room temperature. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to three days. When ready to serve, let the scalloped potatoes come to room temperature while you pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are heated through.

Do You Need To Peel The Potatoes?

Both Yukon Gold and Red Skinned Potatoes have tender skins that don’t need to be peeled, however, for this creamy delicate and white scalloped potato casserole, it’s better for the potatoes to be peeled, for appearance reasons.

How Do I Store And Reheat Leftovers?

  • Storage: Once the casserole has cooled, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Reheating: Remove plastic wrap and gently reheat the casserole in the oven at low temperature so they don’t dry out. 200 degrees is a good starting point to reheat.
  • Microwave: To use a microwave for individual servings, the 50% power feature is your best friend. Warm individual servings on a plate at 50% power in 30 second increments. This will gently reheat the potatoes without sacrificing texture.
  • Can I Freeze Scalloped Potatoes? You can, but I’m not a big fan of freezing as it may compromise the texture of the cream sauce.

Recipe for Scalloped Potatoes Without Cheese

Baked gluten free scalloped potatoes in a white casserole dish.

I hope you give this recipe a try. It’s truly a treat, and especially if you’re needing a gluten free scalloped potato recipe.

More Delicious Potato Recipes

And don’t miss my side dish category, you’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular on my site for old fashioned Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole. A blast from the past and crazy delicious.

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.

Baked gluten free scalloped potatoes.
Print Recipe
4.60 from 5 votes

Creamy Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes With No Cheese

This is a recipe for scalloped potatoes, no cheese, no canned soups and gluten free. Simple ingredients, big on flavor and Irresistibly delicious.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 8
Calories: 303kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for greasing
  • 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 large sweet onion thinly sliced
  • ½ cup Gluten Free Flour or all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2.5 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 3 pounds Potatoes Yukon gold or red potatoes. Peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick.
  • ½ teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350°. Grease a casserole baking dish with butter; set aside. a 9 x 13" baking works well here.
  • Melt butter in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Less than one minute.
  • Add flour; cook, stirring, until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Add cream, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Add potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are just tender, 8-10 minutes.
  • At this point, taste the sauce and adjust for more salt if needed.
  • Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Using a spoon, press mixture down; sprinkle with paprika. Bake until golden brown and a knife inserted into middle of potatoes slides in easily, about 40 minutes.
  • A garnish of chopped chives is always a nice touch.

Notes

Tips For Success
    • Evenly sliced potatoes will cook more consistently … use a mandolin.
    • Heavy whipping cream. Don’t try to skimp on fat calories and use half and half. The fat content in cream simply cooks better and doesn’t separate like milk or half and half. In addition, as the potatoes cook, they will release some starchy moisture into the cream. Better to have that moisture mix with thick luscious cream for a beautiful thick sauce.
    • If potatoes aren’t golden enough for you, turn on the broiler and let them crisp up a bit. Watch them close, this will only take about a minute.

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1011IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg

Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes Without Cheese … It’s what’s for a side dish.

Heating A Spiral Ham with Thyme and Honey Glaze

By 34 Comments

Heating a spiral ham can be a tricky endeavor, especially since they’re cut this way to serve at room temperature. But what if you want to glaze the ham and serve it warm? This article includes some tips and tricks to keep that ham nice and juicy an easy sweet and sour glaze recipe

Spiral Cut Honey Glazed Ham on a white platter.

I’m of the belief that you can’t have Easter or Christmas dinner without a ham involved. A big centerpiece spiral cut ham glistening with a honey glaze?

The sweet and salty combination of flavors just tempts you to reach in a pull a piece of meat from its bone. Doesn’t it?

And during these holidays I get emails from readers asking if I have a recipe, or how to heat a spiral ham without it drying out.

A spiral ham is already cooked and sliced, so that they’re really asking is “how to I warm a spiral ham without it drying out”.

I prefer to purchase spiral cut hams from Costco. They don’t seem so overly salty as other brands and come with a good price. Those ham also come with their own glaze packet, so of course feel free to use it, or try this honey thyme glaze included in this post.

The glaze is a recipe I’ve been using for years. I mean really …take a look at the lineup ingredients, honey, thyme, Worcestershire and cider vinegar? Who can resist?

Heating A Spiral Ham

I must admit I ignore the reheating instruction on the Costco package and take my cue from The Honey Baked Ham Company. The experts.

Their advice is to serve the ham at room temperature: “do not heat Honey Baked Hams® - they are made to enjoy right from the refrigerator. But, If you prefer your meat warmed, gently heat on low heat 275°F for 10 min per pound only by the slice, do not heat the entire ham. Heating may cause the meat to dry out and lose flavor.“

I’ve served ham both ways. Letting it come to room temperature without a glaze, and reheating so I can use a ham glaze.

I bring the ham to room temperature for about an hour. But since I prefer a warm ham with this honey glaze, I use the Honey Baked method, however reduce the oven temperature to 250 degree.

How to reheat a spiral ham in a roaster using parchment paper and aluminum foil
  • Place the ham in a large roasting pan with an elevated roasting rack.
  • Cover and tuck the ham with a large sheet of parchment paper. Then cover snugly with heavy duty foil.
  • Or, better yet, place the ham in a cooking bag purchased at the supermarket. Cut four slits in the bag.
  • Pour two cups of water in the bottom of the roasting pan – for steam.
  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place ham cut side down and let it heat until the center of the ham reads 100 degrees. This will normally take about 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, depending on size.
  • Remove the ham from the oven.
  • Cook glaze ingredients stovetop. Roll back the sides of the bag or foil to expose the ham.
  • Brush the ham liberally with the glaze and return to the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the ham from the oven, tent with foil and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Ham Per Person?

Taking into consideration how many hearty eaters versus delicate eaters, plan on ¼ to ½ pound per person. So when purchasing a ham err on the generous side, after all, you’ll want leftovers for those ham sandwiches. So if you’re serving 12 people, plan on purchasing a 6 pound boneless or a 9 pound bone-in.

Can I Heat A Spiral Ham In The Crockpot?

Yes, Place the ham in the crockpot and apply the glaze. You won’t need foil unless the ham it too big for the lid to fit. Then you’ll need to use heavy duty foil to cover the crockpot. Bake on low for 4 hours. Dig out that Thanksgiving turkey baster and half way through the cooking time base the top of the ham with some of the juices from the bottom of the crockpot.

A spiral cut ham with honey thyme glaze and a glass of red wine.

What To Serve With Honey Glazed Ham

Sauteed asparagus seems like a natural choice. Here are some more recipe ideas:

Heating A Spiral Ham With Glaze

Foregoing heavy glazes, this lighter honey and thyme version allows the meat to shine in all its glory.

I hope you give this honey glazed ham recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

One of the best things about making a big ham roast are the leftovers. Don’t you agree?

And if you’re looking for even more ham glaze ideas, take a look at this lineup from Betty Crocker for 10 Ridiculously Easy Ham Glazes.

Ideas for Leftover Ham

And if you’re looking for more pork recipes, don’t miss my Pork Category, You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular on my site for Grilled Pork Ham Steak.

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.

Spiral Cut Honey Glazed Ham on a white platter.
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5 from 4 votes

Spiral Ham with Honey Thyme Glaze

Foregoing heavy glazes, this lighter honey and thyme version allows the meat to shine in all its glory.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course Pork
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 674kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 5-7 pound spiral cut ham fully cooked. Let sot at room temperature 1 hour before heating.
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 ½ tablespoons chopped thyme fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ cup cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup honey
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Place the ham in a large roasting pan with an elevated roasting rack. Cover and tuck the ham with a large sheet of parchment paper. Then cover snugly with heavy duty foil. Or, better yet, place the ham in a cooking bag purchased at the supermarket. Cut four slits in the bag.
  • Pour two cups of water in the bottom of the roasting pan – for steam. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place ham cut side down and let it heat until the center of the ham reaches 100 degrees. This will normally take about 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, depending on size.
  • Remove the ham from the oven. Cook glaze ingredients stovetop. Roll back the sides of the bag or foil to expose the ham. Brush the ham liberally with the glaze and return to the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the ham from the oven, tent with foil and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Notes

This glaze recipe will yield enough to flavor a 5 – 10 pound ham.
How much Ham Per Person?
Taking into consideration how many hearty eaters versus delicate eaters, plan on ¼ to ½ pound per person. So when purchasing a ham err on the generous side, after all, you’ll want leftovers for those ham sandwiches. So if you’re serving 12 people, plan on purchasing a 6 pound boneless or a 9 pound bone-in.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 2706mg | Potassium: 691mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

Heating a Sprial Ham … it’s with Honey and Thyme Glaze … It’s what’s for Easter Dinner.

Marcus Samuelsson’s Authentic Swedish Meatballs

By 12 Comments

This Authentic Swedish Meatballs recipe is rich and deep in flavor. Made with ground beef, veal and pork, cream and honey. Marcus Samuelsson’s Swedish Meatballs are a treat.

If you’re meatballs fans like we are, don’t miss my recipe for BBQ Meatballs. Crazy delicious and pot luck perfect.

Authentic Swedish Meatballs served with pickles and lingonberries.

Authentic Swedish Meatballs

Every culture has its version of the mighty meatball and with the arrival of Ikea in Denver a few years ago, I’ve been given the impression that Sweden is the king of meatballs.

Not wanting to depend on a prefab, assemble yourself furniture store to set my bar for the Swedish Meatball standard, I decided to consult a famous Chef.  

And with two side by side ss’s in his last name, I trusted Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s recipe to be authentic and very special.

Before Christmas we watched the Lidia Bastianich Christmas special in which she invited several celebrities to share their Christmas meal memories and traditions.

Chef Marcus Samuelsson was on the show and his segment was dedicated to his family’s Swedish Christmas tradition, their Authentic Swedish Meatballs recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

With many of the classic ingredients that we relate to Swedish and Scandinavian food culture, these meatballs are rich and deep in flavor with ground beef, veal and pork, cream and honey. Decadent!

Cream and lingonberry preservers make a unique and unforgettable sauce.

Pickled cucumber adds a powerful compliment and served with mashed potatoes and a dollop of lingonberry preserves on the side, smooth, simple and refined.

My favorite thing about these meatballs? There’s pickle juice in the meat sauce mixture.

Note: I found lingonberry preserves at Whole Foods, and I’ve also seen them at Ikea.

Recipe for Marcus Samuelsson’s Swedish Meatballs

I hope you give this Swedish Meatballs recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe and give the recipe a star rating.

And don’t miss my recipe for Ground Pork Meatballs with Peaches, Basil and Lime. It’s hard to pick a favorite meatball recipe, but this one is right at the top.

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.

Authentic Swedish Meatballs served with pickles and lingonberries.
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Marcus Samuelsson’s Authentic Swedish Meatballs Recipe

Made with ground beef, veal and pork, cream and honey. Marcus Samuelsson's Swedish Meatballs are authentic and a treat.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: Swedish
Servings: 6
Calories: 572.37kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • FOR THE MEATBALLS
  • ½-3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion finely chopped
  • ½ pound ground chuck or sirloin
  • ½ pound ground veal
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 large egg
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • FOR THE SAUCE
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup lingonberry preserves
  • 2 Tablespoons pickle juice from quick pickled cucumbers below,
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • FOR THE QUICK PICKLED CUCUMBERS
  • 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 whole allspice berries
  • 1 English cucumber

Instructions

  • FOR THE MEATBALLS
  • Combine the bread crumbs and heavy cream in a small bowl, stirring with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened. Set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Remove from the heat.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, veal, pork, onion, honey, and egg, and mix well with your hands. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the bread crumb-cream mixture and mix well. With wet hands (to keep the mixture from sticking) shape the mixture into meatballs the size of a golf ball, placing them on a plate lightly moistened with water. You should have about 24 meatballs.
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs, in batches if necessary, and cook, turning frequently, for about 7 minutes, until browned on all sides and cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate, and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
  • FOR THE SAUCE
  • Return the skillet to the heat, whisk in the stock, cream, preserves, and pickle juice, and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, preserves, and Quick Picked Cucumbers.
  • FOR THE QUICK PICKLED CUCUMBERS (makes 1 ½ cups)
  • Slice the cucumber as thin as possible (use a mandoline or other vegetable slicer if you have one. Put the slices in a colander, toss them with the salt, and let stand for about 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, and allspice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • Rinse the salt off the cucumbers, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Put the cucumbers in a medium bowl and add the pickling solution; they should be completely covered by the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours before serving.

Notes

Note: I found lingonberry preserves at Whole Foods, and I’ve also seen them at Ikea.

Nutrition

Calories: 572.37kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.01g | Protein: 24.26g | Fat: 41.16g | Saturated Fat: 18.5g | Cholesterol: 169.34mg | Sodium: 228.7mg | Potassium: 459.36mg | Fiber: 0.87g | Sugar: 14.65g | Vitamin A: 651.86IU | Vitamin C: 2.87mg | Calcium: 66.41mg | Iron: 2.14mg

Marcus Samuelsson’s Authentic Swedish Meatballs Recipe … It’s Whats for dinner.

Easy Mixed Vegetable Side Dish

By 17 Comments

This is an easy, simple, feel-special mixed vegetable side dish recipe. Green, fresh and delicate, this Spring vegetable medley is ready to serve in about 15 minutes.

Mixed green vegetable side dish.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Hands down, this is my favorite mixed green vegetable side dish. Why? Because it’s so easy and amazing with simple fresh flavors.

This is a side dish combining asparagus, frozen peas, fresh spinach and leeks.

It’s a beautiful way to take advantage of Spring vegetables, but please feel free to serve it year round.

Simply seasoned with a little salt, pepper and butter, the flavor of the fresh vegetables shine when gently cooked.

If you’ve made your decision for the main course, and you’re wondering what to serve as a clean vegetable side dish, this is a recipe I recommend you try. You don’t need a special occasion to serve this easy and elegant green vegetable medley.

This recipe comes from the ever reliable Martha Stewart with her advice: “Add any spring vegetables to this dish, but make sure to choose fresh and tender ones that will cook in a flash”.

Asparagus side dishes are so popular, this recipe showcases those fresh spears. Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make mixed green vegetable side dish.
  • Neutral Oil: Use Avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. We’ll also use butter to sautee the delicate peas and spinach.
  • Leek: If you’ve never cooked with leek, you’re in for a treat. A mild sweet vegetable with a hint of onion flavor.
  • Asparagus
  • Baby Spinach: Fresh please, frozen spinach simply won’t work here.
  • Frozen peas. Make it easy, frozen peas work beautifully in this dish.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy!

Green vegetable medley step 1.
How to make skillet green vegetable medley step 2.
  1. Step 1: Cook the tougher vegetables first. Add oil to and heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat until oil is hot. Add asparagus, leeks and salt and saute turning frequently until just getting tender, about 5 minutes. Remove asparagus and leeks to a plate
  2. Step 2: Add the more delicate vegetables: Return skillet to heat, and melt butter. Add spinach and peas, season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper; cover, and cook until spinach is wilted and peas are tender, about 3 minutes.

Return the asparagus and leeks to the pan and it’s ready to serve.

What To Serve It With

One skillet steak and mixed vegetables.

Steak and mixed green vegetables, my favorite way to serve this recipe. You can remove the vegetables to a plate, cover and keep warm. In the same pan, quick sear a simply seasoned small Flank Steak, or even a New York Strip. The steak cooks in a matter of minutes, you can then return the vegetables to the pan for a quick warm up. Drizzle the Steak with Mustard Sauce for an outstanding meal.

Storage

Leftovers: These cooked vegetables store very well in the refrigerator. Just place in an air-tight contained and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave. The 50% power feature is your best friend. Use it to gently reheat the vegetables in 30 second increments.

Cleaning Leeks: Prized by chefs, leeks carry a milder flavor than their cousins onions and garlic. They also carry grit because their tightly packed leaves easily collect soil. To clean leeks, remove any outer leaqves that have wilted. Slice the leek lengthwise in half, all the way through the root end. Hold the leek under a faucet with the root end up. Rinse the leek under cold running water, lifting and separating the leaves with your fingers to allow the grit to flow down though the top of the leek. Continue rinsing until all the grit is removed. Remove the root end before using.

Explore More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

And don’t miss my side dish category. You’ll find lots of great side dish recipes including one of the the most popular side dishes on my site for easy, cheesy Microwave Cauliflower.

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.

Mixed green vegetable side dish.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Green Mixed Vegetable Side Dish

A simple, fresh and healthy side dish with mixed vegetables.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2
Calories: 328kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bunch thin asparagus ends trimmed if tough
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 small leek dark-green leaves trimmed, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds (about 1 cup)
  • 1 bunch spinach stems trimmed
  • 4 ounces sweet baby peas
  • Pinch freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Add oil to and heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat until oil is hot. Add asparagus, leeks and salt and saute turning frequently until just getting tender, about 5 minutes. Remove asparagus and leeks to a plate.
  • Return skillet to heat, and melt butter. Add spinach and peas, season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper; cover, and cook until spinach is wilted and peas are tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Return the asparagus and leeks to the pan. Nestle a seared steak in the center and serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe comes from the ever reliable Martha Stewart.

Nutrition

Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1314mg | Potassium: 1622mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 18992IU | Vitamin C: 88mg | Calcium: 263mg | Iron: 11mg

Green Vegetable Side Dish …It’s what’s for any entree.

Southwestern Beans and Chicos

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Beans and Chicos. New Mexico chicos are made from local sweet corn. Once sun-dried, they’re a staple in Southwestern kitchens. Beans and chicos are a popular, simple and hearty dish made from this specialty food.

New Mexico beans and chicos served over rice and with swiss chard.

Last fall on one of my annual trips to LuLu’s Farm in Brighton, I ran across a peculiar bag of dried corn that didn’t quite look exactly like hominy. They were labeled Chicos and the folks there suggested I make Beans and Chicos.

Chicos

What Are Chicos?

A trip to the counter to ask about my find revealed that I had a bag of Chicos in my hand.  When I arrived home, I consulted Google and thanks to New Mexico Magazine found:

We take ears of white, sweet corn that is still in the husks, and lay them in a big horno, or outdoor adobe oven, and cover them with wet potato sacks," says Shirley Martinez of Martinez Farms, which produces more than 100 pounds of chicos a year. "We make a hot wood fire, cover the horno completely with adobe and mud, and leave the corn to steam overnight, which gives chicos their smoky flavor. We take the corn out the next day, pull the husks all the way back, and hang them to sun-dry for at least a week." The fruits of this fall's labors, she says, will be sold next year.

How To Make Chicos And Beans

Continuing my search for traditional ways to serve them, most of the recipes were simple dishes of chicos and beans, using pinto beans.  

  • I chose to use my crock pot to make Beans and Chicos.
  • Rinse the pinto beans and remove any misfits.
  • In a fry pan, cook 6 slices of bacon. Cut the bacon into chunks before cooking.
  • Remove most of the bacon grease and cook chopped onion in the same pan. Cook until the onions are turning tender. About 5 minutes.
  • In a crock pot, add bacon grease, onions, bacon, beans and chicos.
  • Cover with water by about 2 inches. Stir in chile powder. Cook on low all day or until beans and chicos are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve over rice and cooked chard.

New Mexico Pinto Beans Recipe with Chicos

I hope you give this recipe for beans and chicos a try. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a message about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite recipe using Chicos, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

And if you’re looking for more Southwestern inspired recipes, don’t miss my Mexican Southwestern Recipe Category. You’ll find lots of New Mexico inspired recipes including the most popular on my site for Stacked Enchiladas.

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New Mexico beans and chicos served over rice and with swiss chard.
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Chicos and Beans

Beans and Chicos. New Mexico chicos are made from local sweet corn. Once sun-dried, they're a staple in Southwestern kitchens. Beans and chicos are a popular, simple and hearty dish made from this specialty food.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 15 minutes
Course: Mexican
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 8
Calories: 300kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups dried pinto beans
  • ½ Cup chicos
  • 1 small sweet onion diced
  • 6 slices bacon chopped and cooked until just crisp
  • 1 Tablespoon red chili powder New Mexico Chimayo
  • 2 Tablespoons bacon grease
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • White rice cooked
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place beans and chicos in a colander and rinse well. Place the beans and chicos in your crock pot, and cover with water by two inches. Soak over night.
  • In a fry pan, cook bacon until just crisp. With a slotted spoon remove bacon to a paper towel. Remove most of the bacon grease, reserving two tablespoons. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • In a crock pot, add bacon grease, onions, bacon to the chicos and beans. Stir in chile powder. Cook on low all day or until beans and chicos are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve over wilted chard and cooked white rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 937mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2615IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 4mg

New Mexico Pinto Beans and Chicos …They’re what’s for Dinner.