Under 30 Minutes

April 13, 2021 Asian

Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Japanese curry in the Instant Pot is a fast-but-delicious dinner option for busy evenings when you don’t really feel like cooking. With juicy chicken thighs and lots of veggies, you can serve it on its own or with a side of rice for a total meal.

What Makes This Instant Pot Japanese Curry So Good

There’s not a lot of hands-on, active cooking with pressure cooker Japanese curry, which makes it a perfect dinner idea when you don’t feel like cooking or just don’t have a ton of time on your hands.
The overall flavor of this recipe is a little spicy but also a little sweet. Serve it with a side of rice (like our Instant Pot Sushi Rice) to balance out the flavors even more.
If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container. They’ll be good for 2 to 3 days. You could freeze them in an airtight container, too!

Key Ingredients for Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Japanese Curry Roux – Definitely don’t skip this ingredient! The roux thickens up the liquid so it’s not as soup-like. You can use store-bought curry roux (or curry sauce mix) in this recipe if you want, but I actually recommend making your own! My favorite homemade Japanese curry roux is this easy 5-ingredient recipe from Just One Cookbook.

Chicken Thighs – We’re making a Japanese chicken curry here, so we’re using chicken thighs! Chicken thighs are a little fattier than chicken breasts, which means they’re also juicier and more flavorful. They’re typically less expensive, too. If you’d rather use another protein (beef, pork, etc.) or even just chicken breasts instead of thighs, you totally can, but you may need to adjust your cook time.

Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Chef’s Tips

The curry will thicken as it stands, so don’t worry if it seems a little thin or liquidy at first.
If you’re used to making Indian curry, pay attention to the instruction card below. With Indian curry, the spices are added at the beginning. For Japanese curry, though, you’ll add the curry roux at the end!
Adding a little milk gives your mixture an extra creaminess, but it’s totally optional. If you’re dairy free or just don’t want to use it, don’t! You can skip it altogether or try a little coconut milk or coconut cream.

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.

Our recipes are not necessarily low fat or low calorie, and we aren’t afraid of fat or carbs! Some of our recipes will be “skinny,” low carb, keto, paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free, Whole30, or vegan, and they will be labeled when they qualify for any of these diets. All our recipes are easy and family friendly!

An angled view of a bowl of Instant Pot Japanese curry

Other Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love

We hope you loved this recipe as much as we did! We’d love for you to give us a star ★ rating below, and follow us on Instagram! For more delicious, healthy recipes, be sure to check out 40 Aprons.

A bowl of Instant Pot Japanese curry with a spoon

Print Recipe

Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Japanese curry in the Instant Pot is a fast-but-delicious dinner option for busy evenings when you don't really feel like cooking. With juicy chicken thighs and lots of veggies, you can serve it on its own or with a side of rice for a total meal.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Keyword: easy dinner, one pot meal, pressure cooker

Servings:

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, etc.
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized chunks
1 1-inch piece ginger grated
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 carrots sliced
1 onion sliced
2 Yukon gold potatoes cubed
2 cups water
2 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
⅓ cup Japanese curry roux see Notes
3 tablespoons milk optional, see Notes
salt and pepper to taste
vinegar optional, to taste
tamari or soy sauce optional, to taste

Instructions

Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Once hot, add oil then chicken thighs. Brown chicken thighs on each side, then remove from Instant Pot.
Add ginger and garlic to Instant Pot. Sauté until fragrant, then add tomato paste and mix until combined.
Add chicken thighs, carrots, onions, potatoes, water, chicken stock, and bay leaves to Instant Pot. Cover with lid and cook 10 minutes on Manual High Pressure.
When timer is up, Quick Release pressure. Remove bay leaves. Stir in curry roux and milk (optional) until liquid has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, stir in vinegar and tamari or soy sauce to taste.
Divide into portions and serve hot.

Notes

The milk adds an extra creaminess to the mixture, but it’s totally optional, so feel free to skip it if you want or need to.
Highly recommend using the Japanese Curry Roux recipe from Just One Cookbook for this recipe! It’s super easy to make, with only 5 ingredients.
Make it Dairy Free: Skip the milk completely, or use a little coconut milk or coconut cream.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one serving out of 4, not including any optional ingredients or additional sides. Macros may vary slightly based on specific brands or types of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

April 8, 2021 Asian

Beef Pad Thai

This quick and easy take on beef pad Thai gives you juicy beef sirloin, slippery pad Thai noodles, and an incredibly flavor sauce tied together in a delicious, complete meal in less than 30 minutes.

What Makes This Beef Pad Thai So Good

First things first, this easy beef pad Thai is based on westernized, Americanized pad Thai, so it’s not what you’d find if you were to eat authentic pad Thai in Thailand. For a truly authentic pad Thai recipe, I recommend checking out Hot Thai Kitchen or RecipeTin Eats.
My favorite thing about cooking at home, from scratch, is that you are in 100% control over what goes into your meal and how strong (or mild) your flavors are. This beef pad Thai is no different! Feel free to play with the ingredients and quantities to perfect your pad Thai.
It’s super easy to make, and comes together quick. All you need is 30 minutes to create a full meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Skip the drive-through and opt for this instead!

Key Ingredients for Beef Pad Thai

Pad Thai Noodles – These medium-ish flat noodles are an important component to pad Thai. If you’ve never had them before, don’t expect an Italian style pasta. Since these are rice flour noodles, they’re cooked differently than wheat flour noodles. They have a different texture once they’re cooked, too. On their own, their flavor is pretty neutral, but they absorb the sauce in the dish so every bite of noodles contains the perfect amount of pad Thai sauce.

Sirloin – Sirloin steak is a juicy, flavorful, lean cut of meat that’s perfect for recipes like this one where you’ll be pan-frying your meat. The cook time will vary a little depending on how thick you slice your sirloin, but only by a minute or two. When you’re slicing it, be sure to slice across the grain.

Beef Pad Thai

Chef’s Tips

No coconut sugar on hand? You can use 3 packed tablespoons of light brown sugar instead.
Obviously this recipe is for beef pad Thai, but you can use any protein you’d like if you’re not into beef. Chicken, shrimp, tofu, and pork would all be fantastic options!
Traditional pad Thai sauce uses tamarind pulp or paste to give it its tang, but we weren’t able to find any tamarind paste locally. Instead, we substituted lime juice and rice vinegar. It’s not quite the same flavor, admittedly, but it’s delicious.

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

Overhead photo of beef pad thai on a plate

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5 from 1 vote

Beef Pad Thai

This quick and easy take on beef pad Thai gives you juicy beef sirloin, slippery pad Thai noodles, and an incredibly flavor sauce tied together in a delicious, complete meal in less than 30 minutes.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian, Thai

Keyword: noodles, stir fry, takeout

Servings: servings

Calories: 545kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Small bowls (2)
Large skillet

Ingredients

For the Pad Thai Sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3 tablespoons coconut sugar

For the Pad Thai

8 ounces pad thai noodles
2 tablespoons avocado oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 red chili sliced
1 1-inch piece ginger grated
4 scallions sliced, white & green parts divided
1 pound sirloin thinly sliced
1 egg
2 cups bean sprouts
salt & pepper to taste
peanuts without shells, for garnish

Instructions

In small bowl, mix together ingredients for sauce. Set aside.
Cook noodles according to instructions on package. Drain and set aside.
Heat avocado oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, red chili, ginger, and white parts of scallions to pan. Sauté one minute, or until fragrant.
Add sirloin to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.
Once sirloin is cooked, push everything to edges of pan to create well in center. Break egg into well and scramble, then mix everything together.
Add noodles to pan, followed by pad Thai sauce. Cook until noodles absorb sauce, approximately 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once noodles absorb majority of pad Thai sauce, stir in bean sprouts. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
Portion beef pad Thai onto plates. Garnish with peanuts and green parts of scallions. Serve hot.

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 4. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

April 6, 2021 Asian

Spicy Chicken Ramen

This spicy chicken ramen is the perfect, simple meal when you’re craving something cozy! It’s deliciously savory, subtly spicy, and incredibly comforting. With just a few simple ingredients and steps you’ll have a restaurant-quality bowl of ramen in under 20 minutes.

What Makes This Spicy Chicken Ramen So Good

This spicy chicken ramen is loaded with flavor in every bite! Fresh ginger, soy sauce, and mirin give this recipe a delicious Asian-inspired taste.
It has the perfect amount of spice. There is just enough sriracha in this recipe to give this ramen a kick without overpowering all of the other incredible flavors. Though you can totally customize this recipe to your liking and add as much or as little sriracha as you’d like!
It’s simple yet super satisfying. Spicy chicken ramen is my go-to comfort meal, there’s just something about this warming soup that will make you feel so cozy.

Key Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Ramen

Fresh Ginger – Make sure your ginger is fresh for this recipe! Fresh ginger contributes to the subtle spice in this dish. Be sure to remove the skin from your ginger before grating and using in this recipe. It is also very important that you grate your ginger as apposed to chopping it. Grated ginger gives this ramen delicious ginger flavor while avoiding large chunks of ginger throughout the soup.

Mirin – Mirin is a type of rice wine that is slightly sweeter than rice vinegar. If you can’t find mirin, you can substitute it with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Sriracha – This is what makes our spicy chicken ramen spicy! Again, feel free to use as much or as little sriracha as you’d like in this recipe. I prefer making this recipe as instructed and then allowing others to add a drizzle of extra sriracha on top of their ramen, if they’d like.

Spicy Chicken Ramen

Chef’s Tips

Be very careful not to overcook your ramen noodles. Ramen typically takes just 1 to 2 minutes to cook completely. I advise even undercooking your noodles slightly since they will continue to cook once served in the warm spicy chicken ramen broth.
If shredding chicken is a bit too laborious for you, you can dice it into one-inch cubes instead. Follow the steps in the recipe to boil the chicken in the broth, then remove it and let it cool slightly before chopping. Once all of your chicken is chopped, add it back into the ramen broth and continue with the recipe.
In the event that you have leftovers (you probably won’t, it’s that delicious), you will wanted to store the ramen noodles separately from the chicken broth. If the noodles are left to sit in the broth in the fridge, they will quickly become mushy and inedible. Therefore, store each part of this spicy chicken ramen separately and heat up individually before constructing a bowl of leftovers.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Delicious Soup Recipes

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Spicy Chicken Ramen

This spicy chicken ramen is the perfect, simple meal when you're craving something cozy! It's deliciously savory, subtly spicy, and incredibly comforting. With just a few simple ingredients and steps you'll have a restaurant-quality bowl of ramen in under 20 minutes.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: asian-inspired, soup, takeout

Servings:

Calories: 492kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

2 (two) large pots

Ingredients

1 inch fresh ginger grated, see Notes
3 garlic cloves grated, see Notes
8 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
9 ounces ramen noodles see Notes for gluten-free option
2 boiled eggs
½ cup scallions sliced
3 nori sheets torn in half
½ cup sliced bamboo shoots

Instructions

Add the ginger, garlic, chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, and sriracha to a large pot over medium-high heat.
Once boiling, add in the chicken breast, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook ramen noodles for 1-2 minutes or until al dente. Strain noodles and divide equally between four bowls.
Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks, then return to pot and remove from heat.
Top noodles with chicken and broth along with boiled eggs, sliced bamboo shoots, nori, and scallions.

Notes

Ginger & Garlic: To grate the ginger and garlic, remove the skins and then run them along a microplane or fine grater.
Make it Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and rice noodles instead of ramen noodles.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

April 1, 2021 Dairy-Free

Steamed Cauliflower

Steamed cauliflower is an easy way to get perfectly tender cauliflower florets in no time at all. A drizzle of olive oil and a little herbs and lemon zest take it to another level. Low calorie, low carb, and full of fiber and antioxidants.

What Makes This Steamed Cauliflower So Good

A drizzle of olive oil and a little salt, fresh herbs, and lemon zest take this cauliflower from bland to delectable in no time at all.
Cauliflower is naturally low calorie, low in carbs, and high in fiber, which is great if you’re following a specifically low carb or ketogenic way of eating, or if you’re just watching what you eat in general!
It’s super easy to make, which is great for busy nights when you don’t really feel like cooking, or busy meal prep days when you have a lot on your plate (literally!)
Speaking of meal prep, you can refrigerate steamed cauliflower in an airtight container up to 5 days, so it’s a great make-ahead option!

Steamed Cauliflower

Key Ingredients for Steamed Cauliflower

Cauliflower – This not-too-distant cousin of cabbage and broccoli is full of fiber and antioxidants that your body will love. It’s blown up in popularity in the last few years because it’s a great, carb-friendly alternative to starchy foods like potatoes and rice. You’ve probably heard of cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, or even cauliflower pizza crust. Does cauliflower taste like rice or potatoes? Not really, no. But for a lot of people, it’s a workable alternative!

Olive Oil – Olive oil compliments the natural flavor of the cauliflower, herbs, and lemon zest without detracting or overpowering. Plus it’s a great source of healthy fats, and it’s got a solid amount of antioxidants, too.

Chef’s Tips

Fresh cauliflower will you give you the best flavor and texture! I definitely recommend it here over frozen!
You can use a metal or silicone steaming basket for this recipe.
What’s the best way to cut a head of cauliflower into florets? Easy! Remove the leaves from the head, then cut around the large stem to remove it. The cauliflower will break apart, and from there you can keep breaking or cutting it into smaller florets. Cut off any large stems from the florets
For a twist, stop after step 4 of this recipe and use your steamed cauliflower to make our Cauliflower Chips.
Looking for a hands-off way to steam cauliflower? Check out our post on Instant Pot Cauliflower.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Olive oil poured onto a bowl of steamed cauliflower

More Basics You’ll Be Glad You Know

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Steamed Cauliflower

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Basics, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free, gluten-free, low carb

Servings:

Calories: 198kcal

Equipment

Saucepan
Steamer basket
Fork
Large bowl

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
½ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3-4 tablespoons fresh herbs chopped, optional
1 teaspoon lemon zest optional

Instructions

Chop cauliflower into florets.
Add water to saucepan, then place steamer basket in saucepan and bring water to boil over high heat. Note: The surface of the water should be just under the bottom of your steamer basket.
Once water starts boiling, add cauliflower to steamer basket. Reduce heat to medium.
Steam 10 minutes or until tender and can be easily pierced with fork.
Remove cauliflower from steamer basket and transfer to large bowl. Drizzle olive oil onto cauliflower, then add salt, herbs, and lemon zest. Toss to coat, then serve.

Notes

We used fresh parsley for the herbs this time around, but you can use any herbs you like, or skip them altogether!
Cook times will vary slightly based on the size and thickness of your florets, and how fresh your cauliflower is. The fork method is the best test of tenderness.

Recipe yields approximately 2 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one serving of chicken cordon bleu casserole. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the sauce is in) by 6. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

March 11, 2021 Air Fryer

Air Fryer Corn Dogs

Cooking frozen corn dogs in the air fryer is the easiest way to get crispy corn dog batter outside and perfectly cooked, juicy hot dogs inside. Once you try this method, you’ll never want to cook corn dogs any other way again!

What Makes Air Fryer Corn Dogs So Good

The corn dogs come out perfectly hot and crispy in just 10 minutes! If you’ve ever tried microwaving corn dogs, you know the soft-batter struggle, and sometimes the hot dogs inside aren’t heated evenly. The oven takes care of the cooking issues, but you need to preheat it for 10 minutes and then wait 15-20 minutes for your corn dogs to cook. The air fryer gives you the best of both worlds – perfectly cooked corn dogs in minimal time.
No thawing needed! Take the corn dogs out of the freezer and pop them straight into your preheated air fryer. Great for last-minute meals!
Over-anticipate your hunger and cook too many corn dogs or corn dog nuggets for one sitting? No problem! Refrigerate them and use this same method to reheat them later! They’ll crisp right up again. Start out by reheating them for just 3 to 5 minutes, then add more time if needed.

Key Ingredients for Air Fryer Corn Dogs

Frozen Corn Dogs – This method works for any kind of frozen corn dogs, even mini corn dogs! You can cook as many or as few as you want, too. You might need to work in multiple batches if you’re cooking a lot, especially if your air fryer is small, so keep that in mind!

Chef’s Tips

As with any appliance, cook times will vary from one air fryer to another. Keep an eye on your food, especially the first time or two, and adjust your cook times as needed.
You can totally eat corn dogs on their own, but I love mine with mustard. Ketchup is another tried-and-true topping, but really, when it comes to corn dog condiments, anything goes. I even like my mini corn dogs with honey mustard or a little nacho cheese!
A light spritz of air-fryer-safe spray oil on the basket will help keep the corn dogs from sticking, but depending on your air fryer, it may not be necessary. Be sure not to use any aerosol cooking sprays in your air fryer, because they can damage the coating on your basket!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Air fryer corn dogs on a tray next to a bowl of mustard

More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

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Air Fryer Corn Dogs

Cooking frozen corn dogs in the air fryer is the easiest way to get crispy corn dog batter outside and perfectly cooked, juicy hot dogs inside. Once you try this method, you'll never want to cook corn dogs any other way again!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: frozen food, kid friendly, summer

Servings: corn dogs

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

4 frozen corn dogs
spray oil optional
mustard optional, for serving

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 380° Fahrenheit. Place corn dogs in air fryer basket in one even layer. Cook in air fryer for 10 minutes, turning over once after 7 minutes. Remove from air fryer and serve plain or with mustard (or condiment of choice).

Notes

Cooking mini corn dogs? Cook them at 380° Fahrenheit for 7 to 8 minutes, turning once halfway through cook time.
Depending on the number of corn dogs you’re cooking and the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in multiple batches. Be sure the corn dogs are always in one flat layer, not touching or overlapping.

This method will work for any brand of frozen corn dogs. Nutritional information will depend on the specific brand of corn dogs you use.

March 9, 2021 Air Fryer

Frozen Mozzarella Sticks in the Air Fryer

Cooking frozen mozzarella sticks in the air fryer is the easiest way to get perfectly crispy mozzarella sticks full of hot, gooey cheese in just 10 minutes.

Frozen mozzarella sticks cooked in the air fryer then placed a on a white plate with a small bowl of marinara

What Makes Frozen Mozzarella Sticks in the Air Fryer So Good

This method gives you perfectly crispy mozzarella sticks without the mess (and calories) of deep frying. They come out way crispier than baking them in the oven, too!
It’s so quick! 7 minutes in the air fryer is all you need to put together a tasty snack even the kids will love. Definitely keep this one in your back pocket!
If your air fryer is large enough, you can cook a ton of mozzarella sticks all at once! That means you can easily feed a big group without any extra effort.

Key Ingredients for Frozen Mozzarella Sticks in the Air Fryer

Frozen Mozzarella Sticks – You can use any brand of frozen cheese sticks you like for this method! The cook times may vary slightly with larger or thicker cheese sticks, so keep an eye on them and adjust as needed.

Chef’s Tips

Marinara sauce is the traditional dipping-sauce-of-choice when it comes to mozzarella sticks, but I personally like to dip mine in ranch dressing. You could really use anything, though – ketchup, BBQ sauce, blue cheese dressing, the sky’s the limit!
Don’t overlap the frozen mozzarella sticks in the air fryer. To cook evenly, the air has to be able to circulate freely. If the mozzarella sticks touch anywhere, that’ll be a spot where the air can’t reach!
If the cheese starts to ooze out of the mozzarella sticks, that means they’re overcooked. You can try lowering the temperature on your air fryer, or shortening the cook time. You’ll know the mozzarella sticks are ready when they’re crispy but a little squishy when you squeeze them. If they’re still firm, they’re not done yet.
It’s not necessary, but you can spray a little air-fryer-safe oil in the basket first, to keep your mozzarella sticks from sticking. Another spritz of oil on the sticks themselves will give them an even crispier coating!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Frozen mozzarella sticks cooked in the air fryer then placed on a white plate with a small cup of marinara sauce

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Frozen mozzarella sticks cooked in the air fryer then placed on a white plate with a small bowl of marinara

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Frozen Mozzarella Sticks in the Air Fryer

Cooking frozen mozzarella sticks in the air fryer is the easiest way to get perfectly crispy mozzarella sticks full of hot, gooey cheese in just 10 minutes.

Prep Time3 mins

Cook Time7 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy to make, kid friendly, less than 10 minutes

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

air-fryer-safe spray oil optional
frozen mozzarella sticks
marinara sauce optional, for serving

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 380° Fahrenheit. Lightly spray basket with spray oil (optional).
Arrange frozen mozzarella sticks in air fryer basket in one even layer.
Cook mozzarella sticks for 7 minutes. Flip sticks over halfway through cook time.

Notes

This method will work for any brand and quantity of frozen mozzarella sticks. If you’re cooking a lot of them, you may need to work in multiple batches.

Cook times will vary from one air fryer to another. The thickness of your mozzarella sticks and your preferred crispiness will also affect the cook time. Keep an eye on them as they’re cooking and watch for signs of oozing!

March 5, 2021 Air Fryer

Sausage in the Air Fryer

Cooking sausage in the air fryer is our favorite way to get Italian sausage or bratwurst on the table! Hands off and super quick, the air fryer cooks sausage beautifully, with a perfect crisp skin.

What Makes Sausages in the Air Fryer So Good

This air fryer method is SO easy. No standing over the stovetop while grease splashes everywhere, turning the sausages constantly to make sure they’re browned (not burnt) outside but still perfectly cooked inside. Here the air fryer does all the work, and it’s virtually hands-free! You just need to flip the sausages once, halfway through the cook time.
Air fryer sausages come out perfectly cooked, every single time. Stovetop sausages can vary every time you make them if the heat is even slightly off, or if you flip them too many times, or not enough, or any number of little factors. Air fryer sausages are always beautifully crisp outside and outrageously juicy inside.
It takes less than 20 minutes to go from fridge to table! Sausages make a great pairing with all sorts of things, too – roasted peppers and onions, potatoes, pasta with a cream sauce… you could even eat the sausages in buns or just on their own!

Key Ingredients for Sausage in the Air Fryer

Sausage – Link sausages are literally the only ingredient you need for air fryer sausages! This method will work for any link sausage, so just pick your favorite (or try something new, it’s entirely up to you!). Smaller links, like breakfast sausages, will cook a little faster than thicker sausages like bratwursts. If you’re Whole30, make sure the sausages you use are Whole30-compliant!

Chef’s Tips

For larger sausages or smaller air fryers, you may not be able to fit 5 link sausages in the basket at once. That’s okay! You can work in batches if you need to. The key is to make sure they’re laying in one even layer, not touching or overlapping, so the air can circulate completely. Any spot the air can’t reach is a spot the sausage won’t cook completely.
Don’t pierce the skin of the sausages before you put them in the air fryer! The skin is there to hold in all the juices, and poking holes in it would just let all those juices run out during cooking.
Air fryer smoking? No worries! Sausages are high in fat, and sometimes the dripping fat causes a little smoke. If you run into this, you can try putting a parchment paper made specifically for air fryers in the bottom of the basket, under the sausages. A little water in the bottom of the basket could help, too.
Air fryers are phenomenal, but like with any appliance, one can be a little different from another. Keep an eye on your sausages in the air fryer the first time or two you make them, so you know exactly what cook time works best for your air fryer! Remember, with pork sausage, you want an internal temperature of at least 160° Fahrenheit.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

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Sausage in the Air Fryer

Cooking sausage in the air fryer is our favorite way to get Italian sausage or bratwurst on the table! Hands off and super quick, the air fryer cooks sausage beautifully, with a perfect crisp skin.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time14 mins

Total Time19 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carnivore, keto, summer cookout

Servings: servings

Calories: 388kcal

Equipment

Air Fryer
Tongs

Ingredients

5 sausage links like Italian sausage or bratwurst, about 18 ounces

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 370° Fahrenheit. Place sausages in single layer in basket.
Return basket to air fryer. Cook 13 minutes for a softer skin or 14 minutes for a nice browned exterior. Using tongs, flip sausages once midway through cooking.

Notes

Recipe yields 5 cooked sausages. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving, or 1 cooked sausage. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brand and type of sausages used.

Nutrition

February 4, 2021 Desserts

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Chocolate covered espresso beans are the bite-sized energy boost you’ve been craving! Sweet and crunchy, with a little punch of caffeine. This 2-ingredient recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes.

What Makes This Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Recipe So Good

There’s only 2 ingredients in this recipe, and you can find them at almost any grocery store! No need to run around tracking down crazy ingredients you might not use ever again.
They give you a little energy boost, thanks to the caffeine content of the espresso beans. How much exactly depends on the type of beans you use, but generally whole coffee beans have more caffeine than brewed coffee! Keep that in mind if you’re caffeine-sensitive.
Store them in an airtight container (refrigerated or room temperature) up to one week for a sweet treat you can keep on hand! They also freeze well – just keep them in an airtight container up to one month.

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans Ingredients

Espresso Beans – You can use basically any whole bean coffee you can find at your local grocery store! Hazelnut and vanilla beans add a little extra flavor to this recipe. Dark coffee beans generally work well with the sweetness in milk chocolate, while medium or light roast beans work well with the bitterness in dark chocolate.

Chocolate – The great thing about this recipe is you can customize it so easily! We used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use a chocolate bar, chili-flavored dark chocolate chips, mint chocolate chips, or any other flavor chocolate you like!

Chef’s Tips

Eat them on their own by the handful, or use them as a garnish for chocolate cupcakes or brownies.
We used a microwave to melt the chocolate because it’s so quick and easy, but you can totally use a double boiler if you prefer!
For a keto treat, try something like Choczero chocolate chips or Lily’s 55% Dark chocolate chips.
After coating the beans in the melted chocolate, you can roll them in cocoa powder if you like a really chocolatey snack.

Close up of chocolate covered espresso beans in a white bowl

More Incredible Chocolate Recipes

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Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Chocolate covered espresso beans are the bite-sized energy boost you've been craving! Sweet and crunchy, with a little punch of caffeine. This 2-ingredient recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 2 ingredients, easy to make, no cooking

Servings: servings

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Microwave
Microwave-safe bowl
Baking sheet
Parchment paper

Ingredients

1 cup espresso beans
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 milk chocolate bar

Instructions

Place chocolate chips (or chocolate bar, broken into pieces) in microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted. Be careful not to burn chocolate.
Remove bowl from microwave and add in espresso beans, stirring until well combined.
Remove each espresso bean individually using a fork. Place beans on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, being careful not to let them touch.
Repeat until all beans are coated in chocolate and placed on parchment paper.
Let beans cool at room temperature. Alternately, chill them in the refrigerator to help them set up faster.

Notes

Make it Keto: Use keto-friendly chocolates like Choczero or Lily’s brands chocolate.

Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe . Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 8. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

February 2, 2021 Desserts

Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chocolatey gluten free mug cake is so easy to throw together when you’re craving something sweet. This recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into delicious, moist cake. Easy to make dairy-free!

What Makes This Gluten Free Mug Cake So Good

Remember Easy Bake Ovens? This is kind of like a grown-up version of that… only way better. In less than 5 minutes you’ll go from ingredients to gluten free chocolate cake, with minimal effort.
The single-serve portion size is so convenient for anyone living alone or just watching what they eat. You won’t be tempted to eat 2 or 3 cupcakes or a slice of cake as big as your head since you’re only making one mini-cake at a time.
This recipe is egg-free, which means it won’t have a rubbery texture when you microwave the batter. Instead it’ll be moist and light and melt-in-your-mouth good!

Gluten Free Mug Cake Ingredients

Gluten Free Flour – Your results will vary depending on the brand of flour you use. If your attempts at mug cake are a bust, you may need to try a different brand or type of gluten free flour. We used King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour for our mug cake, so we can vouch for it working correctly.

Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chef’s Tips

The cake will rise and expand as it “bakes” in the microwave. If your mug is on the small side, put a paper towel or a dish underneath it in the microwave, to catch any overflow.
You can make this mug cake in the oven if you prefer not to use a microwave, just be sure to use an oven-safe mug. Place the mug on a baking sheet, then bake 15-20 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
To cut down on clean-up, you can mix all of the ingredients directly in the coffee mug. I think it’s a little easier to mix them in a bowl and pour them into the mug, but do what works for you!
This recipe makes one single-serve mug cake. For larger quantities of cake, try this recipe for the Best Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes Ever (Gluten Free) from our sister site, 40 Aprons!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug with a scoop of cake on a spoon next to the mug

More Gluten Free Recipes You’ll Love

Gluten free chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug

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Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chocolatey gluten free mug cake is so easy to throw together when you're craving something sweet. This recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into delicious, moist cake. Easy to make dairy-free!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time1 min

Total Time6 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Gluten Free

Keyword: comfort food, easy to make, less than 10 minutes

Servings: serving

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Whisk
Microwave
Medium bowl
Microwave-safe mug

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, vegetable, avocado, coconut, etc.)
¼ cup milk plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ level cup all-purpose gluten free flour see Notes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

In medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
Add in flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir batter until no clumps remain.
Pour batter into mug. Top with chocolate chips. Microwave 1 minute, then in subsequent 10-second intervals if needed until "baked".

Notes

We used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour which includes xanthan gum. If your all-purpose gluten free flour doesn’t include xanthan gum, be sure to add some in separately. For a recipe this small, you should only need a dash.
Our mug cake was ready after one minute in the microwave, but every microwave is different. You may need to heat your cake batter longer, but don’t go too long or your cake will be super dry. Check the doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center of the cake – if it comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs) then you’re good to go!
Make it Dairy Free: use almond milk or coconut milk, and vegan chocolate chips.

Recipe yields one mug cake. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one mug cake. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

December 28, 2020 Family Friendly

Keto Grilled Cheese

With buttery homemade keto bread and gooey melted cheese, this delicious keto grilled cheese is a perfect low carb version of a classic childhood comfort food.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s quick and easy! Go from ingredients to a fully-formed, ready-to-eat, keto-friendly grilled cheese in less than 10 minutes, using less than 10 ingredients.
The single-serving recipe makes it very easy to measure and track your nutritional information, since there’s no guessing on portion sizes.
Homemade low-carb bread gives this grilled cheese all of the fluffy goodness of a traditional sandwich with a fraction of the carbs found in traditional bread.

Keto Grilled Cheese Ingredients

Coconut Flour – This naturally grain-free and gluten-free flour comes from the meat of a coconut. It has a subtle coconut taste and smell, but it’s barely noticeable when mixed with other ingredients.

How to Make Keto Grilled Cheese

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

This super easy grilled cheese recipe uses the same bread as our Keto French Toast recipe!

Start by whisking together all the ingredients for the bread, then microwave the bread mixture for 90 seconds and cut it into two slices. Melt butter in a pan and cook the assembled grilled cheese in the butter until the bread is browned and the cheese is melty. Easy peasy! Enjoy your grilled cheese hot on its own or with a side of tomato soup.

Chef’s Tips

Use a 4×6 or 5×7 baking dish for your bread, as a larger dish will make the bread too thin.
Our recipe calls for American cheese or cheddar cheese, but you can absolutely use any kind of cheese you like!
Add a little turkey meat to your sandwich before cooking for a delicious, keto-friendly turkey melt.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Two halves of keto grilled cheese stacked on top of each other

More Amazing Keto Recipes

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5 from 2 votes

Keto Grilled Cheese

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, easy to make, low carb

Servings: serving

Calories: 640kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Ingredients

For the Bread

2 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 egg
1 ½ tablespoons coconut flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

For the Grilled Cheese

2 slices cheese American or cheddar
butter

Instructions

Add ingredients for bread to bowl and whisk together. Place into a greased dish. Microwave for 90 seconds. Let cool, then cut in half to make slices.
Melt butter in frying pan over medium heat. Assemble cheese between slices of bread and place in pan. Cook until cheese is melted and bread is slightly browned on each side, flipping when necessary.

Nutrition