This quick dinner using beef mince channels Thai chilli basil stir fry vibes (except, no basil!) with poke bowl versatility (except, no pricey raw fish!). The sweet chilli drizzle sauce ties it all together, and gives you the flex to use any raw or cooked veg side. Jumble it all up and dig in!

About these Thai Sweet Chilli Beef Bowls

I wish I could tell you today’s recipe is an authentic Thai homecooked meal, lovingly prepared every day by thousands of families across Thailand…..

But it’s not (at least, not to my knowledge). It’s just something I made up, quick to make, versatile and a great all-rounder that will please picky young eaters as well as those who consider themselves connoisseurs of South East Asian food. Because although it is not authentic, it’s made with staple Thai stir fry ingredients (oyster sauce, fish sauce, garlic, sugar) so the flavour is pretty* legit.

It’s really tasty. I hope you love it!

* I say “pretty” legit because I’ve dialled up the speed factor by using sweet chilli sauce instead of fresh chilli + garlic + sugar + thickener. It totally works!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this. NOTE: There’s a fair few repeat ingredients!

The sauces

We’re making two sauces today – one for cooking and one for drizzling. Common ingredients, but they taste different because cooking the sauce changes the flavour – it intensifies and caramelises. On the other hand, the drizzle sauce is fresher.

• Sweet chilli sauce – Just your regular everyday sweet chilli sauce from regular grocery stores. I use Trident which is a common brand here in Australia. There is no need to hunt down a legit Asian brand (unless you want to!). Despite the word “chilli” in the name, it’s not spicy, it’s just sweet, though there is subtle chilli flavour in it.

• Fish sauce – Stinky in the bottle but wonderful when cooked, can’t taste fishiness at all! You just end up with tasty savoury saltiness – more interesting than salt, soy etc. We also use it in the drizzle sauce but not very much. If raw fish sauce scares you, a) I assume you don’t like Vietnamese food (because it’s abundantly used in raw form in Vietnamese sauces!) b) just use soy instead.

• Dark soy sauce – This stains the beef a lovely rich colour and adds tasty soy flavour in a way you don’t get with regular or light soy sauce. But, if you don’t have dark soy sauce, you can use either of these (though the beef won’t be as dark). There will be a touch less flavour too but don’t be concerned, the drizzle sauce will make up for it.

• Rice vinegar – To balance out the sweet and savoury in the stir fry sauce. Substitute with cider vinegar.

• Lime juice – I chose to use this for the drizzle sauce rather than vinegar because it’s fresher. But if you don’t have lime or it’s extortionate (which it can be at times here in Australia) and you want to save it for your G&T (I get it), substitute with rice vinegar. It’s not a big deal, I promise. 🙂

• Garlic – For the drizzle sauce. (We sauté garlic for the beef).

PS With a fair few common ingredients, I thought I could make one double-duty sauce. I did try, and it was ok, but it was better making two separate ones with different ratios of each ingredient. So sorry, you need two separate bowls!

For the beef stir fry

All you need for the stir fry part is beef, garlic and onion. The cashews and coriander/cilantro are for sprinkling – and there’s plenty of alternatives.

• Beef mince – Use any fat % you want. The fattier it is, the stronger the beef flavour and the juicier the stir fry.

  Other proteins – I haven’t tried but I’m confident this would be very tasty with chicken, turkey and pork. Not convinced lamb works – but I could easily be swayed.

• Garlic and onion – I challenge you to find a stir fry on my website that doesn’t include these!

• Cashews – A good sprinkle of chopped toasted cashews is such a tasty finishing touch! Elevates this from “yum” to “I need seconds!”. Peanuts would work as well, or almonds. For a no nut option, I’d probably opt for crispy fried shallots (buy them).

• Coriander/cilantro – Lovely fresh touch. I use a fair amount because I love the flavour of coriander, it is a Thai food essential! Substitute with green onion.

Rice and vegetable/salad sides

There’s no raw fish in sight, but aside from this it’s a similar concept to a poke bowl. It’s served over rice, it’s got a sauce, and it works with raw or cooked vegetables. The sweet chilli drizzle sauce essentially acts as a salad dressing which means you can literally use any vegetable you want.

It’s pictured throughout this post with cucumbers and red onion tossed with coriander (keeping with the Thai vibes!), but think – blanched broccoli florets, shredded carrot or cabbage, sliced radish, blanched asparagus, finely sliced kale, cherry tomatoes, edamame or peas.

As for the rice – I’ve used jasmine (on-theme for the Thai flavours) though any plain rice or noodles will work. Faux rice, likecauliflower rice, quinoa (cook directions here) or those new fangled low-cal-faux rice options sold at grocery stores these days, can also be used.

How to make it

Don’t skip toasting the cashews. It really goes a long way to enhance the nut flavour!

1. Drizzle sauce – Mix the ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Stir fry sauce – And mix these ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Toast cashews – Toss the cashews in a dry pan for a few minutes until you can smell them and there’s little golden spots on the cashews.

4. Chop – Let them cool then roughly chop them so you have some larger pieces and some “dust”.

5. Sauté the onion and garlic for a minute until the onion is almost translucent. (We’re on high heat now, speed is our friend). The onion will cook through more with the beef.

6. Beef – Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as you go, until you can no longer see red. Then add the sauce and keep cooking until the sauce mostly reduces, the beef is sizzling and it gets nice colour on it. Don’t skimp on this step as the caramelisation of the sauce on the beef is where the flavour is! It will take about 2 – 3 minutes on a strong stove, or 3 – 4 minutes on a weaker stove.

7. Juicy and tasty! Here’s what it looks like. The beef is a lovely rich brown colour but it’s still “juicy” thanks to the sweet chilli sauce.

8. Assemble bowls – Spoon the beef over steaming rice. Pile vegetables of choice on the side (raw or cooked, more on this above), douse with the Drizzle sauce, sprinkle with coriander and cashews. Then it’s dinner time!

Eating etiquette

And finally, a very important matter – the eating etiquette. When it’s first placed in front of you, take a moment to admire it. So pretty and colourful!

Then dive in and mix it all up. Mix with vigour! If you are not flicking cashew bits and rice on the table, are you really living? Embrace the chaos, because the better it’s jumbled, the more enjoyable every single bite will be.

Bring on the delicious mess!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Thai Sweet Chilli Beef Bowls

Recipe video above. This quick dinner using beef mince channels Thai Chilli Basil stir fry vibes (but, no basil and not spicy) with poke bowl versatility (but, no pricey raw fish!).

I use bottled sweet chilli sauce for simplicity instead of fresh chilli, garlic, sugar and thickener, and it works a treat. Plus, it's more kid friendly because you can barely taste the spice.

The key is the Sweet Chilli Drizzle Sauce! It adds flavor to the beef, rice, and veggies (raw or cooked). Jumble it all up and dig in!

Course Main

Cuisine Western

Keyword beef bowl, beef mince recipe, Ground beef recipe, quick stir fry, thai beef recipe

Prep Time 13 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 585cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup roasted cashews , unsalted (or peanuts, Note 1)
• 1 tbsp canola oil , or other plain cooking oil
• 500 g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef)
• 1 small onion , finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 3 tbsp roughly chopped coriander/cilantro leaves (sub green onion)

Sweet chilli stir fry sauce:

• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (I use Trident)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (Note 2)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (sub cider vinegar)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 3)
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 3)

Sweet chilli drizzle sauce:

• 1 garlic clove , minced using garlic crusher
• 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice (sub rice vinegar when limes are crazy expensive)
• 2 tsp fish sauce (Note 2)

Serving:

• 2 batches jasmine rice or other plain rice of choice
• Steamed or fresh veg (Note 5) (pictured: chopped cucumber, coriander/cilantro, red onion finely sliced)

Instructions

Abbreviated recipe

• Mix each sauce. Toast cashews, sauté onion + garlic 1 min, then cook beef. Add sauce, cook until reduced/caramelised, serve over rice with veg on side. Spoon over drizzle sauce, top with cashews and coriander.

Full recipe:

• Drizzle sauce – Mix the ingredients in a bowl, set aside.
• Stir fry sauce – Mix the ingredients in a separate bowl, set aside.
• Toast cashews – Heat a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add the cashews and toast for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board then roughly chop once cool.
• Cook beef – Heat the oil in the same pan over high heat. Add the garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see raw meat.
• Sauce it! Add the cooking sauce and cook well, stirring, until it mostly reduces down so the sauce caramelises on the beef, about 3 – 4 minutes. (Don't shortcut this step, it's where the flavour is!)
• Serve the beef over rice with a side of veg. Douse everything with the sauce, top with cashews and coriander (fresh chilli wouldn't go astray either). To eat, jumble everything up then dig in!

Notes

1. Cashews – Toasting brings out the flavour, promise it’s worth it. Raw nuts – just toast for a little longer so they are cooked through. Peanuts and almonds would also be tasty, else a generous pinch of sesame seeds. Salted nuts – that’s fine, but maybe cut down the fish sauce (in stir fry sauce) by about 1/2 tbsp.

2. Fish sauce – It’s stinky in the bottle, but it cooks out so don’t be scared! It’s the secret ingredient that adds more flavour than other salty things like salt, soy etc. If you really have to sub, use all-purpose soy or light soy (NOT dark soy, too intense).

3. Oyster sauce – Similarly stinky (but also sweet), but is a flavour shortcut. Don’t skip it. Sub vegetarian oyster sauce (yes, such a thing exists!).

4. Dark soy sauce gives the beef an enticing deep brown colour as well as adding tasty soy flavour. Substitute with all purpose or light soy sauce, though the beef won’t be as dark. While the flavour will also be a little less, it’s ok here because the drizzle sauce will save it!

5. Veg – The drizzle sauce will make any veg tasty, whether raw (like cucumber pictured, shredded cabbage, carrot, leafy greens, radish) or cooked (just plain steamed or blanched, like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, peas). Think: poke bowl situation!

6. Leftover beef will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer. Great meal prep if you use steamed veg because everything in the can be reheated (though I wouldn’t keep cooked rice longer than 3 days in fridge). Best to keep the drizzle sauce separate, if you can.

Nutrition per serving, assuming lean beef is used, 1 cup cooked rice, all the drizzle sauce and pictured cucumber side. 206 calories is from the rice, so switch it out with lower cal / lower carb alternatives if you want to reduce the calories (eg cauliflower rice).

Nutrition

Calories: 585cal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1617mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 4mg

More Asian food made using beef mince

It doesn’t have to be Spag Bol every single night!

Asian Beef Bowls (Super Quick!)

Quick Asian Caramelised Beef Ramen Noodles

Beef fried rice

Spicy Firecracker Beef

Qeema – Easy Indian Curried Beef Mince

Beef chow mein – great mince/ground beef recipe!

Beef mince recipes - ground beef

Life of Dozer

I should retitle this section “greed of Dozer” because I had to take him into the emergency vet hospital last night after I caught him chowing down fertiliser (which can be toxic to dogs). 🙄 Thankfully, it wasn’t chemical fertiliser (which can be really toxic), “just” chicken poop.

As punishment for his greed, he is reverting to a bland boiled-veg-chicken diet for the next little while, as a precaution. And I’ve publicly shamed him in this home video:

And further shaming in the family WhatsApp thread:

Will report back in a few days but no alarming signs at this stage. Thank you again SASH (Dr Erin!), for treating him!

The post Thai Sweet Chilli Beef Bowls appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta is a big, bubbly pasta made with beef and a surprising amount of hidden vegetables in a Cajun flavoured tomato pasta sauce, topped with oozy cheese. Serves 7 to 8 and makes for excellent leftovers!

A complete one-pot meal with lots of hidden vegetables

Here today with a sparkling new recipe I created with mid-week cooking in mind: a big, bubbling Cajun pasta made with beef and a surprising amount of hidden vegetables, so you can serve this as a complete meal. It’s really economical (500g/1lb beef -> 7 to 8 servings), with bold beefy Cajun flavours and smothered with oozy cheese.

The good amount of Cajun spices used in this recipe lets us pack in vegetables without disappointingly diluting the flavour of the dish. You know exactly where I’m coming from, I know you do!!

In this recipe, we’ve got a carrot, zucchini, and capsicum (bell pepper) with 500g/1 lb of beef, plus there’s also 800g/28 oz canned tomato and an onion (these count as vegetables too!) All these vegetables not only boosts nutrition but also stretches the dish to serve 7-8 people instead of the usual 4-5.

So much veg. But try to tell me you don’t want to eat this!! ⬇️

Cajun pasta – not authentic, and that’s ok!

In case you are wondering, no, Cajun pasta isn’t authentically Cajun. In fact, Cajuns typically use rice. However, combining Cajun spices with pasta is popular in America and makes for a super tasty dish. So I’m totally on board with it!

Ingredients in this One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta

I’ve chosen to use grated carrot and zucchini which blends in seamlessly into the pasta sauce, plus a chopped capsicum (bell pepper) which is on theme for the Cajun flavours in this dish.

The pasta add-ins

• Beef – I’ve designed this recipe around beef and I did find I had the tweak the volume of the Cajun spice blend to get the right balance of flavour. So while you could substitute with chicken, turkey or pork, you might find the seasoning a little on the light side so I’d increase the Cajun seasoning a bit. And probably add a bit more fat too, else the mince might seem a little dried out.

  Lamb doesn’t get a mention here because I feel like the combination with Cajun spices in a pasta sounds a bit odd? I could be wrong.

• Vegetables – Zucchini and carrot, grated with a box grater so it disappears into the pasta sauce. Plus a red capsicum (bell pepper), chopped rather than grating because it would turn into watery mush.

• Onion – This absolutely counts towards your vegetable quota! Plus it forms an important part of the flavour base for this pasta.

• Garlic – Where there is onion, there is almost always garlic. Actually, there is almost always garlic even when onion is not present!

• Kidney beans – This bulks out the recipe with more nutritional value than using more pasta, as well as adding a different texture to the dish. It’s also on theme as kidney beans are used in Cajun dishes – like red beans and rice. 🙂

cajun pasta sauce

The key to success with this One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta for perfectly cooked pasta and enough sauce so it’s bubbly and saucy rather than dry and stodgy is to use enough liquid (stock, canned tomato and water). You will be surprised how much the pasta absorbs!

• Crushed canned tomato – For the pasta sauce. We use 800g/28 oz which makes this pasta nice and saucy!

• Chicken stock/broth and water – The liquid for cooking the pasta. We need a fair amount (1 litre / 1 quart) because pasta absorbs a surprising amount of liquid! I use a combination because using just water makes the sauce a little bland, but using all chicken stock rather than equal parts water and stock didn’t improve the flavour. So why incur the extra cost of using all chicken stock when water is free? 🙂

• Tomato paste – Just 2 tablespoons gives the sauce a tomato flavour boost, and thickens it slightly. Without, the sauce is just a little on the light side of tomato-flavour, but I’d still make this if I was out.

• Homemade Cajun Spice blend – I like to use a homemade Cajun spice blend because the quality of Cajun spice blends varies so much from brand to brand. Though if you have a good one, like Slap Ya Mama, feel free to substitute with that.

  Here are the spices you need for the homemade Cajun spice blend:
  

  • Dried thyme – substitute with fresh leaves, chopped

  • Paprika – sweet/regular, not smoked or spicy

  • Garlic powder – has an earthier flavour than fresh garlic. Substitute with more onion powder, or 2 extra garlic cloves.

  • Onion powder – has an earthier flavour than fresh onion, Substitute with more garlic powder.

  • Cayenne pepper – optional, for subtle warmth. Feel free to leave it out, or substitute with chilli powder (ie pure chilli, not the US non-spicy chili blend) or a dash of your favourite hot sauce.

  • Salt and pepper

• Cheese – For melting on the surface. I like to use Colby because it melts easily (useful for recipes where we use residual heat to melt the cheese) and doesn’t go greasy. But any melting cheese will be fine here. Personally I don’t use mozzarella because it doesn’t have quite enough flavour. Or, if I did, I’d add a good sprinkle of parmesan on top.

How to make this One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta

Using the one-pot method of cooking pasta where uncooked pasta is cooked in the pasta sauce does not work for all recipes. But it works extremely well for some – like this one!

The bonus, other than less washing up, is that the pasta absorbs the flavour of the sauce. Extra yum factor!

1. Shred the carrot and zucchini using a standard box grater. I like to grate them so the strands are shorter rather than longer (they hide better!). I don’t peel the carrot (free nutrition).

2. Cook – Use a large heavy based pot with a lid. I use a 24cm / 9.45″ cast iron pot which gets very full!

   Heat the oil over high heat, and cook the onion and garlic first to flavour the oil. Then cook the beef, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from red to brown.

3. Vegetables and spices – Next, cook the carrot and zucchini. They will release water at first, but then the water will evaporate. After 2 minutes when they are partially cooked, add the capsicum and cook for another 2 minutes until the carrot and zucchinis wilted.

   Then add the tomato paste and all the Cajun spices. Cook for another 1 minute to take the sour raw edge off the tomato paste and get the spices all through the vegetables and beef.

4. Sauce and pasta – Add the canned tomato, water (I use the water to swill out the tomato cans), chicken stock and beans. Give it a good stir and bring it up to the simmer before adding the pasta.

5. Cook 15 minutes – Once the liquid comes back up to the simmer, cover with the lid and then lower the heat to medium. We want the liquid simmering, but not bubbling madly (too strong, base will catch) nor still which means it isn’t hot enough (the pasta will just be sitting there bloating in hot liquid rather than cooking).

6. Stir every few minutes to ensure the base doesn’t catch. As it cooks, the liquid will get absorbed by the pasta.

   The pasta is ready when it’s just about cooked (ie centre is still a bit firmer than you want). It will be rather watery still which is what we want. The pasta will finish cooking and the excess liquid will be absorbed in the next step! **Stop here if making ahead, see box below for tips.**

7. Cheese it! Working quickly (so we don’t lose heat), give the pasta one big stir, smooth the surface, then sprinkle the surface with cheese.

8. 3 minutes – Cover with the lid and turn the stove off. Leave the pot on the stove for 3 minutes to let the residual heat melt the cheese. Then lift the lid and be greeted with THIS DELERIOUSLY DELICIOUS SIGHT! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Serve immediately, while the pasta is at its peak, hot and oozy. Because as with all pastas, the longer this sits around, the less saucy it becomes as the pasta will continue to absorb liquid.

Though truthfully, it doesn’t bother me even when it’s not as saucy as freshly made. I was happily warming up leftovers and eating this for breakfast four days later, then I made another couple of batches “just to check it one more time” and froze them to donate through RecipeTin Meals (my food bank).

I think this is One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta is another recipe ideal to add to our RTM rotation – nutritious, economical, easy to scale up, keeps well and damn tasty! – Nagi x

PS The token green onion sprinkle is not at all mandatory, just my attempt to add a splash of green to the molten blanket of yellow.

PPS For those interested, I did a post on the Top 10 meals we make at RTM -> Top 10 recipes we make at RecipeTin Meals. It’s a useful list for recipes that are ideal for making ahead, freezing, wholesome, economical and the sort of food everybody loves. We tend to stay away from things like bold-flavoured spicy Vindaloo curry at RTM! 🙂

Watch how to make it

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One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta with lots-of-veg

Recipe video above. A big bubbly beefy pasta in a Cajun flavoured tomato sauce, filled with lots of hidden vegetables, all made in one pot! Love that it's a complete meal, and a great way to stretch 500g/1lb beef to serve more people with the bonus of a stack of "hidden" vegetables (carrot, zucchini ,zucchini, canned tomato and onion – yes, onion counts towards daily veg intake!).

Leftovers are excellent! Fridge or freeze.

Course Main, One Pot Meals

Cuisine Western

Keyword beef pasta, cajun beef pasta, cajun pasta, One Pot Pasta

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 7 – 8

Calories 507cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

One-pot pasta:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1 onion , chopped
• 500g/ 1 lb beef mince (ground beef) (Note 1)
• 1 carrot , medium, shredded using box grater (I keep skin on)
• 1 zucchini , medium, shredded using box grater (Note 2)
• 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), chopped (Note 2)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 800g/ 28 oz canned crushed tomato
• 400g/ 14 oz kidney beans , drained (or other beans of choice, can omit)
• 2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium (sub beef stock)
• 2 cups water (just regular tap water!)
• 350g / 12 oz (3 cups) elbow pasta (macaroni) , spirals, penne, ziti, small shells, rigatoni or similar size, uncooked (Note 3)
• 1 1/2 cups (tightly packed) colby cheese or other melting cheese of choice, preferably freshly shredded (melts better)
• 1 green onion stem , finely sliced (optional garnish)

Cajun spices:

• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tbsp paprika (sweet/regular, not smoked or spicy)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , optional (faintly spicy)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot with a lid over high heat.
• Cook vegetables – Cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see red meat. Add the carrot and zucchini, cook for 2 minutes until the water they release mostly evaporates. Add the capsicum and cook for 2 minutes.
• Spices – Add the tomato paste and Cajun Spices. Cook for 1 minute.
• Pasta sauce – Add the canned tomato, water (I swill the cans clean), stock and beans. Mix and bring to a simmer.
• Add the pasta, stir, let it come back up to the simmer. Put the lid on and lower the heat slightly to medium so the liquid is simmering (not bubbling madly).
• Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the base doesn't catch. The pasta should be a bit firmer than you want in the middle, and still a bit soupy which is good! Liquid gets absorbed in the next step.
• Melt cheese – Give it a stir, smooth the surface, sprinkle with cheese. Put the lid on then turn the stove off (leave the pot on the stove). Leave for 3 minutes so the residual heat melts the cheese and the pasta finishes cooking.
• Serve – Remove from the stove, sprinkle with green onion if desired, then serve immediately while saucy and the cheese is gooey!

Notes

1. Protein – This recipe works best with beef, I feel. Chicken and turkey gets a little dry for my taste, though you could use them (I’d increase the spices a bit, same for pork). I think lamb and cajun spices in a pasta is a little odd? But I could be wrong!

A reader also made this with kangaroo and reported delicious results!

2. Vegetables – You can switch the carrot, zucchini capsicum for other vegetables, just chop them in a way that makes sense. A huge handful of baby spinach stirred in just before topping with cheese comes to mind. I like shredding the carrot and zucchini because it disappears. 

3. Pasta – the 3 cup measure for 350g/12 oz is for elbow pasta/macaroni only. The cup quantity for other pasta shapes will differ.

Leftovers – So delicious! Keeps better than many pastas because it’s so nice and saucy so it doesn’t get too stodgy and dry. Fridge 4 days, freezer 3 months! Making ahead – If making the whole dish ahead intentionally, stop after step 6, take it off the stove and let it cool (you could even transfer into an ovenproof dish at this stage). Sprinkle with cheese then fridge or freeze! 

Nutrition per serving assuming 8 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 507cal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 995mg | Potassium: 1091mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3063IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 292mg | Iron: 6mg

Life of Dozer

My new cookbook TONIGHT hits shelves around the world next month! 15 October in Australia, 17 October in the UK and 29 October in the US. I CAN’T WAIT!!

Dozer features prominently in this one. I insisted. No Dozer, no cookbook! He’s in every single Chapter opener. Here’s one of my favourites – no setting up required, 100% Dozer/Nagi situation!

And some photos I found on my camera from the shoot day:

Actually, I haven’t been looking at these photos from the early cookbook shoot days because it makes me a little sad. It was just before he was diagnosed with his condition and had his surgery, and all I can think is how I dragged him along to all those shoot days and he made such an effort to co-operate like the good boy he is. But he must’ve been suffering so terribly, unable to breathe properly. 😭

I remember on the last day of shooting, he struggled so much to walk just 50 meters from the building to the car at the end of the day. Breaks my heart knowing I pushed him too hard, not knowing he was not well. 💔

Anyway! He’s so much better now, and I’m so grateful.

And the best reward for all that hard work I put into the cookbook? That he is here with me to celebrate the launch next month.

I have the best dog in the world. – Nagi x

Our new cookbook TONIGHT is now available for pre-order so you can secure a copy and get it straight away when it releases in October! It’s not all Dozer. There’s a recipe or two in there as well. 😉

The post One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta with lots-of-veg appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

This is a handy recipe for crispy quesadillas baked in the oven. Which means you can make 3, 4 or 8 at a time instead of pan frying one by one! Stuffed with my favourite taco beef mince (ground beef) though you can use chicken, turkey, lamb or pork. Super quick and easy!

Crispy oven baked beef quesadillas

Recipe writers “always” trumpet on about how quick and easy quesadillas are to make (yours truly included). Which they are, if you’re cooking for one or two people.

But if you’re cooking for 3 or 4 or 5 – and throw a hoard of hungry teenagers into the mix – who’s got time to pan fry them one by one? Nobody I know in the real world!

Solution: Use the oven. They are truly crispy and everything you want in a quesadilla, stuffed with a taco-flavoured meaty filling studded with corn, beans and oozy cheese. My favourite part is the edges where the melted cheese goes crispy!

Just in case you doubt me – more proof of crispy:

That’s crispy!!

Ingredients for crispy oven baked quesadillas

You can use this recipe as a template for whatever filling you want. Though to ensure it goes crispy, you need to ensure the filling isn’t too watery. Mince works well because it can be juicy without being watery, and it’s great to cook up with a tasty Mexican seasoning. Also, the surface of the quesadillas stay nice and flat (compared to, say, irregular size chunks of chicken, like in this baked chicken quesadilla) which equals crispier surface.

the beef quesadilla filling

Here’s what goes into the taco flavoured beef filling. It’s the same seasoning I used for my old school beef tacos which I adore!

• Beef mince (ground beef) – This recipe will work with any type of meat though you will find chicken and turkey is drier than beef, pork and lamb. Beef is my favourite – because I do have a very big soft spot for old school Beef Tacos (crispy taco shells and all!).

• Taco seasoning – This is the blend I use for my Beef Taco Filling, made with simple pantry staples. If you’re tempted to use a store bought packet for convenience, go ahead. But when you have time, use this homemade mix and notice how it doesn’t have that artificial edge! I think you’ll enjoy it. 🙂

• Tomato paste – This is to add a little flavour, bind the filling and juice it up a bit. Without, the beef is a little dry and crumbly, I find.

• Corn and beans – This is to add some bulk and different texture into the filling, rather than just using meat. I use canned, though you can use frozen corn as well. (Use leftovers in a salad or freeze flattered in ziplock bags so you can snap off a bit more the next time you make this!).

The quesadillas

Here’s what you need to assemble the quesadillas.

• Flour tortillas – Use flour tortillas around 20cm/8″ wide. I’ve tried this with all sorts of brands from and they all baked up lovely and crispy with the exception of Old El Paso. These tortillas labelled as “super soft and flexible!” which works against us here! They do go quite crispy but they take an extra 3 to 5 minutes, but still not as crispy as all the other brands I tried (Mission, Coles and Woolworths brands, La Banderita).

  Whatever brand you can get, I still think this is still worth making. Firstly, it’s quick. Secondly, even if not as ultra crispy as pictured, it should crisp up a decent amount and it will be a tasty trial-and-error to find the tortilla brand that works best.

• Cheese – Use any melting cheese you want. I use Colby, cheddar, tasty cheese (an Australian cheddar-like cheese) and Monterey Jack, all of which are staples in my fridge. I wouldn’t choose to use mozzarella as it doesn’t have as much flavour but if that’s all I had, it wouldn’t stop me.

• Olive oil – You need it, if you want crispy! Just 1 teaspoon to grease the tray and some for the quesadillas ( just 1/2 teaspoon each).

How to make crispy oven baked quesadillas

You will notice that there is less filling than traditional pan fried quesadillas because the more filling there is, the less it crisps up in the oven.

Also – don’t skimp on the oil drizzled on the tortillas. Oil = crisp!

1. Beef filling – Cook the beef first, breaking it up as you. Then when the red (raw) colour is just about gone, add the Taco Seasoning and cook it for 1 minute which will bring out the flavour. Add the tomato paste and stir for another 1 minute to cook off the sour raw flavour. Stir in the corn, beans and water. The water will “juice up” the filling a bit without making it watery (which will compromise crispiness).

2. Cool the filling for 15 minutes. If it’s too hot, it will steam inside the quesadillas which makes the tortilla soggy = compromises crispiness (do you see a theme in today’s recipe? 😂).

   This is what we’re after – not dry and crumbly, but it’s not watery:

3. Assemble quesadillas – Spread the filling across half of each quesadilla and top with cheese. Spread evenly to make the quesadillas as flat as possible.

4. Prepare for baking – Grease a tray with olive oil (just 1 teaspoon is enough), then place the quesadillas on the tray. Drizzle the surface with oil then spread across the surface and sides (I use my hands). Oil is essential for oven baked crispiness. Don’t be tempted to skimp on the oil!

5. Double flip bake – Bake in a hot oven (220°C / 425°F (200°C fan-forced)) for 8 minutes. Flip, bake for 5 minutes, then flip again and bake for a further 2 minutes or until it is golden and crispy. The third flip is key! The tortilla gets stained with red oil from the beef which crisps up beautifully, and it’s extra tasty.

6. Serve immediately! Cut the quesadillas in half then serve with your dipping sauce / toppings of choice. (More on this below).

Dipping sauces and toppings for quesadillas

Confession: more often than not in a I need something to eat, stat! situation, I will munch on these plain or, at best, sour cream for dunking.

Though when energy-levels and time-scrambling permit, Avocado Sauce is my dipping sauce of choice. Firstly, it’s fast. Avocado, sour cream, lime, coriander -> blitz. This easily happens while the quesadillas are in the oven.

And secondly, I like that it’s creamier than guacamole so it’s easier to dunk.

As for Pico de Gallo, it is an excellent finishing touch to add some freshness to quesadillas and to round out the meal with some fresh vegetables. But – I’ll be honest. It doesn’t usually make an appearance when I’m making quesadillas midweek, because I’m usually in a fridge clean-out or speedy meal scenario! – Nagi x

PS Just had a thought – a restaurant style smooth tomato salsa dip is also an excellent dipping option. And some more dip suggestions:

Avocado Sauce

Pico de Gallo (Authentic Mexican Salsa)

Guacamole

Restaurant Style Salsa recipe

Watch how to make it

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Crispy oven baked beef quesadillas

Recipe video above. This is a super handy method to make 3, 4 or 8 quesadillas in the oven at the same time rather than cooking them one by one on the stove. They are impressively crispy (see photos and video for proof!) and very quick to make.

Stuffed with my beef taco filling though you can switch with chicken, turkey, pork or lamb, or stuff with whatever your heart desires as long as it's not too watery because this might affect how well the tortilla crisps in the oven.

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword baked quesadillas, beef quesadillas, oven quesadillas, Quesadillas

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 364cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 250g/ 8oz beef mince (ground beef) – or chicken, turkey, pork, lamb
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 cup corn kernels (canned, drain, or frozen)
• 1/3 cup black beans (caned, drained)
• 2 tbsp water

Quesadillas:

• 4 flour tortillas (20cm/8"), Mission crisps best, Old El Paso the least (Note 1)
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 tightly packed cups shredded cheese – cheddar, colby, tasty cheese, Monterey jack (not mozzarella)

Homemade taco seasoning:

• 1/2 tsp EACH ground garlic , onion, dried oregano
• 1 tsp EACH cumin , paprika powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
• 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Serving:

• Avocado sauce or Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo
• Sour cream
• Nothing (I happily eat it plain!)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Filling – Heat the oil in a non stick pan over high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until the red colour is mostly gone. Add the Taco Seasoning and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the beans and corn, then add the water and stir. The filling should be juicy (not dry) but not watery (compromises crispiness!). Remove into a bowl and cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan-forced). Grease a metal tray with 1 teaspoon of olive oil (I use my hand).
• Assemble quesadillas – Spread the filling on one side of the quesadilla. Top with cheese, fold to cover. Place on tray, repeat with remaining quesadillas.
• Drizzle the top of each with 1/2 tsp olive oil then spread using your hands (top and sides, not underside). Press the quesadilla down to flatten the surface.
• Bake for 8 minutes. Flip the quesadillas, bake for 5 minutes, flip again then bake for a further 2 minutes or until crispy. (Sometimes I spritz with oil to give it a helping hand)
• Serve – Cut each into half and serve immediately with dipping sauce/toppings of choice.

Notes

Recipe makes 4 but you can make as many as you can fit in your oven. Though if you cram your oven full they will likely take longer to crisp up!

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1. Use flour tortillas around 20cm/8″ wide. Best brand – Mission is my favourite. I’ve tried every brand I could find here in Australia and they all bake up crispy with the exception of Old El Paso, labelled as “super soft and flexible!” which works against us here. They do go quite crispy but they take an extra 2 to 3 minutes with an extra spritz of oil, but still not as crispy as all the other brands I tried (Mission, Coles and Woolworths brands, La Banderita).

Whatever brand you can get, this is still worth making because it’s quick and even if not as ultra crispy as pictured, it should crisp up a decent amount and it will be a tasty trial-and-error to find the tortilla brand that works best!

Corn tortillas don’t work as well, they tend to split when baked.

2. Make ahead – Cook filling and shred cheese, then refrigerate separate, assemble just prior to baking. Assembling quesadillas ahead not recommended as the filling will soak the tortillas = compromise crispiness. Cooked quesadillas will keep for 3 days, re-crisp in the oven.

Nutrition per quesadilla excluding dipping sauces / toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 364cal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 683mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 331IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 3mg

Life of Dozer

This week we had Dozer’s first public appearance since he got sick earlier this year – so exciting!

The event was a reader dinner at one of my favourite local restaurants, Boronia Kitchen. The evening kicked off with canapés and cocktails outdoors even though it is the middle of winter just so people had a chance to meet Dozer before we headed inside for dinner.

Unfortunately when we headed inside for dinner, Dozer was sent home. To be honest, 30 minutes of meet-and-greet is more than enough excitement for him for one day. He was ready for bed!

And, even though these photos don’t belong in the Life of Dozer section, a couple of photos of the dinner. What a night! A huge thanks to the incredible team at Boronia Kitchen – especially the restaurateur Chef Simon Sandall – for going above and beyond to put on such a special and spectacular evening. I had so much fun, and I especially loved that the event was small enough so I had time to go around and spend time at every table.

The post Crispy oven baked quesadillas appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Here’s a great new beef mince recipe to try! Think – Greek Moussaka flavours, in risotto form in a handy one-pot recipe. Eggplant, beef, tomato, lots of garlic and oregano. Cosy. Easy. Satisfying. Utterly delicious!

One-pot Moussaka beef and rice

Think of today’s recipe as a cross between moussaka and risotto. But so much easier to make than both of them!

It channels moussaka vibes with eggplant and beef mince cooked in a red-wine tomato sauce, heavy on the garlic and oregano (Greece approves!). And it’s got the hallmarks of a great risotto, with the juicy, oozy rice. Never stodgy, never mushy.

It’s not authentic anything. But it’s very, very tasty, and a really handy one-pot meal for those times when you want something straightforward to make that’s filling, cosy and a little bit different. Because – what do you mean you’ve never cooked rice with eggplant before?? It works so well! Eggplant is a sponge for flavour. It soaks up all that garlicky, tomatoey, beefy flavour that bursts in your mouth when you bit into a piece!

Ingredients in Moussaka Beef Rice Pilaf

Here’s what you need to make this Moussaka(ish) pilaf:

Eggplant

One eggplant around 20 cm / 8″ long, weighing around 300g/10 oz. It’s fine if it’s a little larger or smaller. I’ve made this with an eggplant 500g/1 lb big and it worked great and increased the volume of the dish.

Other vegetable options – The use of eggplant in this recipe is what gives it moussaka vibes, though you can absolutely use other vegetables. Zucchini (courgettes) immediately springs to mind, being a similar juicy vegetable (be sure to cut them fairly large so they don’t get too soft), as does pumpkin and large pieces of tomato.

For the beef pilaf

• Beef – I’m using beef here but lamb is equally as delicious. Chicken, turkey and pork also work but won’t taste as “Greek”! 🙂

• Rice –  I like basmati because it has a lovely fragrance that I think suits this dish, and it holds up well to this one-pot style of cooking, unlike, for example, jasmine rice which gets too soft and mushy (in my humble rice-snob opinion). Long grain and medium grain rice can also be used. Short grain rice and sushi rice will work but are not my first choice as they gets a little softer than ideal.

  Rice to avoid – This recipe as written is not suitable for brown rice, risotto rice, paella rice, wild rice, black rice, quinoa or faux rice (cauliflower rice!). It can be made to work but the recipe will need adjustments to order of cooking, liquid quantities etc.

• Chickpeas – I added this at the last minute because it adds some good texture into what is otherwise a big pot of one dimensional soft texture. It also bulks it up using a low-GI starch that will keep you feeling full for longer – win, win!

• Garlic – Four big cloves! Greece would have a heart attack if we didn’t use garlic!

• Dried oregano – Another ingredient used regularly in Greek cooking.

• Onion – Essential flavour base.

• Pinot noir or other dry red wine – This will add a touch of extra depth of flavour into the dish, but it’s not the end of the world if you skip it.

• Tomato paste and crushed tomato – For good tomatoey flavour!

• Chicken stock/broth – Better than water. Low salt please! If you only have full salt, reduce the salt in the dish by 1/2 teaspoon or so.

How to make this one pot beef rice pilaf

1. Cut the eggplant into 1.5cm / 3/5″ cubes. I don’t peel eggplant because I haven’t encountered bitter skin or flesh issues (largely bred out of modern eggplants). If you are concerned, sprinkle the eggplant with 1/4 teaspoon salt and leave in a colander for 30 minutes to sweat bitterness out. Pat off the excess water then proceed with the recipe.

2. Sauté the onion and garlic in a large pot, then cook the beef, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see red.

3. Bloom flavours – Next, add the oregano and salt and cook the beef for a good minute. This will make the oregano flavour bloom. Then add the tomato paste and cook that for 1 minute too. Don’t shortcut this step! It cooks out the raw sour flavour of tomato paste and sweetens it, as well as adding more flavour into the beef.

4. Eggplant and rice – Add the eggplant and toss to coat well in all the juicy beef. Mix until all the cubes are coated and change from white to red. Then add the rice and mix it through as well.

5. Cooking broth – Add the chickpeas, tomato, stock, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir and bring the liquid to a simmer..

6. Steam rice 20 minutes – Wait until there are bubbles across the entire surface, not just around the edge of the pot. Put the lid on, turn the heat down to medium low (or low, if your stove is strong) and let the rice steam for 20 minutes. No peeking, no stirring!

7. Rest 10 minutes – At the 20 minute mark, take a quick peek to ensure the liquid has been mostly absorbed. There will still be a layer of thick tomato on the surface which is fine. Take the pot off the stove and let it rest for 10 minutes with the lid on. During this time, the rice will finish cooking and absorb the remaining liquid. Never, ever skip resting rice!! It’s essential!

8. Serve – Remove the lid, stir through some chopped parsley. Then divide between bowls and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of extra parsley. Dig in with a spoon!

YUM. That is one great bowl of cosy deliciousness. And a complete meal at that with almost 1 kg / 2 lb of vegetables (eggplant + canned tomatoes + onion, yes, onion totally counts), protein and starch.

Great served plain, as pictured above, but a dollop of yogurt wouldn’t go astray either (which I added yesterday when I made this for a team lunch). And nobody would say no to some warm flatbreads for dunking! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Moussaka beef rice pilaf

Recipe video above. This is an utterly delicious and easy way to turn a packet of beef mince into a cosy, satisfying one-pot dinner. Channeling Greek Moussaka flavours (but a fraction of the work!), this has soft juicy eggplant pieces and beef cooked in a red wine tomato broth that's heavy on the garlic and oregano, while the addition of rice turns this into a satisfying all-in-one dinner. I love how both the rice and eggplant soaks up all the beefy flavour of the tomatoey broth.

Though not in Moussaka, I added a can of chickpeas for some texture contrast amongst all the soft rice/eggplant, plus it's a good-for-you low GI starch that will keep you feeling full for longer.

Course Mains, One Pot Meals

Cuisine Greek(ish)

Keyword Beef and rice, beef mince recipe, Ground beef and rice, Ground beef recipe, One Pot Dinner

Servings 5

Calories 458cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1 onion , diced
• 500g / 1 lb beef mince / ground beef (or lamb) – Note 1
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (for the beef)
• 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 300g/ 10oz eggplant (~ 20cm/8" long), cut into 1.5cm / 3/5" cubes
• 1/3 cup pinot noir or other dry red wine (optional)
• 1 cup basmati rice , uncooked (Note 2)
• 400g / 14 oz can chickpeas , drained (or other beans of choice)
• 400g / 14 oz can crushed tomato
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (for broth)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

To serve:

• 1 tbsp parsley , finely chopped (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil , for drizzling
• Dollop of Greek yogurt optional (not pictured but goes really well!)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• ⚠️ Eggplant cube size – Make sure they're no larger than 1.5 cm / 1/2" max, else they may not cook through properly!
• Cook beef – Heat the oil on a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see red. Add the 1/2 tsp salt and oregano. Cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute (don't shortcut this step – Note 3).
• Deglaze – Add the eggplant and the cubes are coated in the red beef juices. Add the wine, bring it to a simmer, stir (scrape the base of the pot) then let it mostly evaporate.
• Broth – Add the rice and stir to coat. Add remaining ingredients, stir, bring to a simmer. Give it one last stir then once there are gentle bubbles all across the surface (not just around the edge), put the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low (or low, if using a strong stove).
• Steam rice – Cook for 20 minutes, no peeking, no stirring! The liquid will be absorbed by the stage though there will be a layer of tomato on the surface (peek quickly!).
• Rest – Remove the pot from the stove and rest for 10 minutes (lid still on) – residual liquid will be absorbed and the rice will finish cooking.
• Eat! Toss the rice – it will be juicy but not mushy! Divide between bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with parsley and enjoy!

Notes

1. Protein options – Lamb works equally as well. Chicken, turkey and pork also work but won’t taste as “Greek”! 🙂

2. Eggplant – I do not peel, I’ve never had problems with bitterness in the skin (which has largely been bred out of eggplant these days). If you’re concerned about bitterness, toss the cubes of eggplant in 1/4 tsp salt and leave in colander for 30 minutes. Pat dry, follow recipe.

3. Rice – I like basmati because it has a lovely fragrance that I think suits this dish. Long grain and medium grain rice can also be used. Short grain rice/sushi will work but not my first choice, it gets a little softer than ideal. Jasmine rice is a little too soft for this type of cooking method (it will get mushy). Recipe not suitable as written for brown rice, risotto rice, paella rice, wild rice, black rice, quinoa or faux rice (cauliflower rice!).

4. Cooking off the tomato paste will intensify and improve the flavour, plus take off the sour edge. Makes the beef and overall dish tastier!

Leftovers will keep for 3 days. Add a sprinkle of water to juice it up again when reheating.

Nutrition per serving assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 458cal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 986mg | Potassium: 1039mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 454IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 6mg

Life of Dozer

In Dozer news, I finally caved and got him a life jacket so he can swim safely!

I was really trying to avoid it, thinking it would cement me further into the Crazy Dog Lady territory (even though secretly I know I’m the head priestess of the club). But after a stressful incident of Dozer swimming out way too far from shore, deaf to my frantic screeches to come back, I caved. Safety first!

To those wondering, Dozer is an excellent swimmer but he has an old-boy medical condition as a result of which he is not allowed to swim because of the risk of water getting into his lungs.

The life jacket, however, keeps him so nice and buoyant above the water line and keeps his head above water so he’s back swimming!!! He didn’t even bat an eyelid when I popped in on him. Look how happy he is!

So, Life of Dozer was pretty great this past weekend gone! I look forward to sharing more happy updates in the coming months.

Thank you again for all the messages of support and words of advice for Dozer’s recovery. I am genuinely so truly touched and grateful. – Nagi x

The post One-pot Moussaka beef rice pilaf appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.