3 Tbsp sofrito (click for recipe) or Loisa Sofrito
1/2 tsp Loisa Organic Adobo
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Chicken Better Than Bouillon Paste (powder or fresh stock is fine too)
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions
Start by heating the sauce pan to medium heat, then once hot add your olive oil to the pan
Add the sofrito and let cook for 2 minutes, then add your ground beef
Season the meat with salt, pepper, Adobo, Sazon, garlic powder, and onion powder, and cook until brown and a crust has formed at the bottom of your pan
Once the meat has been browned, remove from the heat and set aside
Bring the heat down to medium-low and add your chopped onion, red bell pepper, sliced olives, minced garlic, and diced potatoes
Allow to cook for 10 minutes before adding the meat back into the pan
Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of water and the Better Than Bouillon Paste, or chicken stock/broth, then add your bay leaves
Allow to cook together for 20-30 minutes until meat appears crisp/brown, and liquid has mostly evaporated
Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro
Serve alongside plain white rice/tostones/amarillos
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Carne guisada is one of my favorite dishes. You can serve this with white rice, tostones, amarillos, or even rolled in a tortilla if you are feeling non-traditional. Not only is it a convenient meal that can be multi-purposed into a different meal on a day to day basis, it is so easy to make!
Start by cleaning your chuck steak and marinating it with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. I also sprinkle a bit of Adobo powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Then, heat the dutch oven or Instant Pot to medium heat in preparation to sear the meat. Once the pan is hot add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and begin searing the chuck steak in small batches to brown on all sides.
Once all of the meat has been browned, set aside to begin the sauce. Add your fresh sofrito, onions, and bell pepper to the pot to brown for 5-7 minutes. Then add in your finely chopped fresh garlic. Sear for another 3 minutes.
Next, add your tomato sauce and chopped potatoes along with the water or chicken stock. Make sure you are scraping the bottom of the pan to remove all of the dark bits that are full of flavor. You want the meat to be almost fully covered with liquid.
Add your salt, black pepper, Adobo Powder, garlic powder, onion powder, Sazon, bay leaves, and dried oregano leaves. Bring to a simmer.
Once the sauce is simmering, it is time to add your seared meat back to the pot. If using the Instant Pot, go ahead and cover and set to pressure cook HIGH for 30 minutes. If using a dutch oven, after adding the meat back to the sauce allow it to come to a simmer again, then cover and cook for 90 – 120 minutes.
The meat is ready when it comes apart with the force of a spoon. If the sauce isn’t thick enough after pressure cooking, simmer on medium for another 10-15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve!
buen provecho!
Carne Guisada de Res
Carne guisada de res translates to stewed beef. It is recommended you use a good quality chuck steak to make this dish. Puerto Rican carne guisada is typically slowly cooked on the stovetop for at least 2 hours to get the meat fork tender and the sauce thick. I will be outlining this traditional method, but I also have a quicker way to make this dish for those that don’t really have more than hour to spare. You’re welcome :).
Instant Pot Carne Guisada
Using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker of any kind will significantly improve your time spent waiting for this dish to be ready. Clean up is easy and all of the steps outlined in the recipe can be done in 1 pot. If you opt to cook this dish traditionally, I recommend using a deep dutch oven that is casted enamel or stainless steel.
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Arroz con habichuelas or rice and beans is a Puerto Rican food staple. Habichuelas guisadas (stewed beans) is traditionally made with pink beans or red kidney beans, I would suggest trying this recipe out both ways as they are equally delicious. This is my family’s recipe for authentic arroz con habichuelas. Everybody who tries these beans goes nuts for the taste. Even better, it’s a simple recipe that requires minimal ingredients.
Arroz con Habichuelas de Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican rice and beans can refer to two different dishes. It can be for Puerto Rican rice with beans in which the rice has a yellow coloring with beans intermixed. Or this term can reference the dish outlined here which is habichuelas guisadas with white rice. In my home, arroz con habichuelas can be either of these.
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Welcome back! If you love Puerto Rican cuisine it is essential that you learn how to make Puerto Rican sofrito. Sofrito consists of a blended mixture of onions, garlic, cilantro, culantro, and peppers. Sofrito is the foundation of many Puerto Rican dishes including: pollo guisado, Puerto Rican rice and beans, lechon, pernil, pinchos de carne, and picadillo. You can definitely find sofrito in stores, but I HIGHLY suggest you take the 10 minutes to make your own. It will taste so much better and it is an invaluable recipe to be familiar with if you ever need to make your own in a pinch.
Puerto Rican Sofrito Alternatives
If you do not have any premade sofrito on hand, then feel free to hand chop all of the vegetables and herbs listed below and add them to your recipe that way. It will still impart that Puerto Rican flavor the same way the sofrito does. However, it goes without saying that having sofrito stored in your refrigerator or freezer is extremely convenient and quicker when you are cooking.
If you aren’t interested in making your own Puerto Rican sofrito, then the only premade sofrito I can recommend is Loisa Sofrito. This product can be found easily online via the Loisa website or the Loisa Amazon storefront. I recommend this sofrito over the major competitor Goya because this company uses natural ingredients without harmful preservatives or dyes and no MSG.
Aji Dulce Peppers & Culantro
If you live anywhere in the United States other than south Florida, you will have a very hard time finding fresh aji dulce peppers and fresh culantro leaves. These are readily found in the Caribbean and are huge staple in Puerto Rican cuisine. The best places to find these ingredients are your local Fiesta grocery store or any privately owned small latin grocery store.
My Puerto Rican sofrito recipe provides an alternative to aji dulce peppers for this reason. Green bell peppers and pimiento peppers are used as a substitute for the aji dulce peppers. As for the recao leaves (culantro), I have made this recipe many times over without the culantro leaves and aji dulce peppers, and each dish still tastes delicious and authentic. I wouldn’t stress too much if you can’t find them. The recipe below provides instructions on how to make Puerto Rican sofrito with and without aji dulce peppers & culantro leaves.
how to grow aji dulce peppers and culantro – check out the garden page
Essential Tools
food processor (click for my favorite food processor) or blender
3 green bell pepper (omit if you have aji dulce peppers)
4 oz container of pimiento peppers (omit if you have aji dulce peppers)
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1-2 bunches of fresh culantro (recao)
20 cloves of garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1-2 Tbsp of water
Directions
Start by quartering your onions and bell peppers. I recommend removing the seeds from the bell peppers.
Add the onions to the food processor/blender with 1 Tbsp of water. The moisture released by the onions after they have been blended will help when adding the additional ingredients.
Add in your green bell pepper (or aji dulce peppers if you have them) to the onion mixture. Blend until smooth.
Add the garlic and the 4 oz container of pimiento peppers (omit if you are using aji dulce peppers) – blend until smooth.
Finally add 1 tsp of kosher salt and your culantro and cilantro – if working with a blender, it may be helpful to roughly chop the leaves prior to adding to the blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour into 2 separate storage containers of your choice – glass/pyrex is preferable. Freeze one container for later use and store one in the refrigerator to use as needed.
buen provecho!
FAQs
is the aji dulce pepper spicy?
No it is not. The pepper is flavorful and aromatic with a slightly sweet, fruity taste. This is why the recipe calls for green bell pepper and pimientos to substitute for this flavor.
What does culantro taste like?
It is in the same family as cilantro, but definitely different. Culantro, has a strong aromatic taste and smell. it is slightly earthier than cilantro. There really isn’t a substitute for this herb because nothing else tastes like it.
what is sofrito used for?
Sofrito is used to start the majority of sauces in Puerto Rican cuisine. It is used in Puerto Rican rice and beans, salsa criolla, Puerto Rican chicken soup (asopao), etc. You can also use Puerto Rican sofrito as a marinade for lechon, chuletas (pork chops), and pernil. Arroz con gandules also calls for sofrito.
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Pechuga de Pollo a la plancha, or grilled chicken breast, is one of my favorite dishes to make and serve. This dish is made a variety of ways in Latin households depending on the country/region you are from. My family is Puerto Rican, so pollo a la plancha is typically served alongside arroz blanco y habichuelas guisadas (Puerto Rican rice and beans).
Perfect Crispy Shredded Chicken
I have modified our family recipe a bit with 2 simple steps. First, when I am making pollo a la plancha I pressure cook the chicken so that I can shred it easily. Once it is shredded, I sear it on a skillet to get crispy shredded chicken. Second, I make a garlic mojo or chimichurri sauce (click for recipe) to add on top for an extra punch of flavor. I then serve the pollo a la plancha alongside Puerto Rican rice and beans, just like my parents. Adding the garlic mojo atop of this dish really sets it off!
How To Make Pollo A La Plancha
This recipe is actually pretty simple once you know the steps. You can modify the measurements to suit your needs, these aren’t strict measurements.
You will want to start with chicken breast. Then add the chicken breast to the pressure cooker along with 1 cup of chicken stock or water. I typically add dried oregano leaves, 2 garlic cloves, and a few slices of onions to pressure cook with the chicken. Pressure cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes. It should shred easily with a fork when it is ready. Shred your chicken then season it to taste. It is now ready to sear on the skillet and enjoy!
Add your chicken breast to a ziploc bag with: 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp white vinegar, 2 Tbsp of sofrito, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp of kosher salt, 1/4 tsp Loisa Adobo Powder, 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper. Allow to marinate overnight or for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
While the chicken is marinating, prep your garlic mojo or chimichurri sauce. To your blender add 2 garlic cloves (peeled), 1 Tbsp olive oil, juice from 1/2 a lime, then set aside.
Slice your onion and shallot into medium sized rings and set aside.
Once your chicken is done marinating, add it to your pressure cooker with 1 cup or water or chicken stock. Add in: 1 bay leaf and 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves, and 2 peeled garlic cloves, 5 slices of onion rings. Pressure cook on HIGH for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release.
While the chicken is cooking begin slowly cooking your shallots and onions in 1 Tbsp of olive on Medium Low heat. Cooking them slowly will allow them to caramelize without burning. Once the onions and shallots are browned, remove the from pan.
Drain and shred your chicken BUT save the liquid to use for the garlic mojo sauce!
Add 1 cup of the liquid from the chicken as well as the onions and garlic to your blender and blend until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Garlic mojo is ready.
Turn the heat of the skillet up to Medium or Medium High. Add a little more olive oil if the pain seems too dry. Grab a handful of shredded chicken and add this directly to the hot pain. You want to hear sizzling. Allow to sear for 2 minutes on each side.
Top with onions/shallots and add the garlic mojo sauce to taste.
Roughly chop or shred by hand your fresh cilantro to garnish the dish, slice the lime into wedges for serving. Buen Provecho!
FAQs
what if i don’t have an instant pot or pressure cooker?
That’s okay! You can boil your chicken in a large pot on the stove and still get the same results. If you have a little more time on your hands, you can use a dutch oven and slow cook them in the oven or on the stove. This will still give you shredded chicken (techinically pollo guisado) but still tasty.
What if i don’t have sofrito?
No problem! Sofrito is actually just a mixture of raw onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro, and water pureed into a sauce. It makes cooking easier because you can avoid chopping each of them individually. If you don’t have it, and can’t find any at you local grocery store (typically Goya brand Sofrito is available in the Hispanic food section) or don’t want to run to the store – just add chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, and cilantro to your chicken for marinating. Even if you don’t have bell pepper, you will still be fine!
Do i have to shred my chicken breast?
No you do not! Traditionally, pollo a la plancha is served as a whole chicken breast. If you want to serve it this way, just skip the Instant Pot steps. Cook your onions and shallots first to flavor your pan. Then turn the heat up and sear your chicken breasts.
Pinchos de carne (meat), are traditionally pork skewers, but at times can be beef. Pinchos de Carne is a savory and delicious treat you can snag pretty much anywhere in Puerto Rico. They are traditionally served with a toasted piece of bread at the end and some onion or bell peppers in between each slice of meat. Pinchos are a tasty on the go treat.
What are Pinchos?
Pinchos de Carne (or cerdo) is one the most delicious Puerto Rican street foods! They are usually made with either chicken or pork and then topped with a smoky barbecue sauce. My favorite place to snag these is in Piñones, Puerto Rico, where they are cooking them over a charcoal grill with the beach just a few yards away.
You can find pinchos pretty much anywhere in Puerto Rico, but I would say they are most commonly found near the beaches. The smell alone after a day of swimming and basking in the sun will have you drooling. If you live stateside, like me, and are now craving a pincho, don’t worry I’ve got you covered with this recipe.
How do you make Pinchos de Carne?
Pinchos de carne (pork skewers) are traditionally made with pork butt or pork shoulder, chopped into 1-2 inch cubes. The meat is marinated overnight in a garlic mojo, before skewering them onto bamboo skewers and grilling over an open-flame charcoal grill.
My recipe isn’t authentic in terms of the cooking process, but your product will be the same. My cheat step is pressure cooking the meat prior to skewering them on the pincho. By pressure cooking the meat, you will tenderize it enough that your time grilling it will be cut in half. You’re welcome!
Tips for the perfect Pincho
Cooking the pinchos de carne, or pork skewers, over an open flame with charcoal is best. If you can find lump charcoal, even better, but charcoal briquettes will work well too. If you only have a gas grill, don’t worry, your pinchos will still be delicious! Of note, it is the charcoal combined with the open flame that will impart the best flavor to your pinchos.
Furthermore, if you have the time, marinating the meat overnight or even for a few hours will really help with the end product of a delicious, savory pincho de carne. If planning isn’t your thing, just get them marinated and let them sit for as long as you can 😉.
Start with soaking your wooden skewers in a bath of water while you are prepping the meat and marinade. If you are marinating overnight, then soak the skewers for at least 30 minutes prior to them going on the grill to avoid burning.
Take your pilon and add 1 tsp of salt and the black peppercorns. Smash this until it is coarsely ground. Then add in your 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 5 garlic cloves. Smash until it begins look like a paste. Add the rest of the olive oil and garlic and smash that. Once finished, it should look like the picture below.
Slice the pork in 2 inch cubes. Rinse with water and add to a large bowl. Add 2 Tbsp of distilled white vinegar to the meat then add your garlic mojo mixture.
Marinate the meat overnight or for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
After marinating, add the meat to the pressure cooker/Instant Pot with 1 cup of water and ½ tsp dried oregano flakes.
Pressure cook the pork meat on HIGH for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes before manually releasing the pressure.
Remove the meat from the pressure cooker and back into a bowl to season the meat with the dry rub.
Mix 1 tsp Loisa Organic Adobo Powder, 1 tsp Loisa Organic Sazon Powder, 1/8 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp kosher salt in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the meat and mix well.
Get your wooden skewers and begin skewering the meat – the ends of each piece should be barely touching. If you try to compress them too tightly to each other, the ends will not char properly.
Leave a 1 inch space at the tip to add toasted bread after the meat is cooked
Once the skewers are prepped, begin lighting the charcoal and preparing the grill to cook.
Use ½ an onion to clean the grill – then apply your pinchos de carne on direct heat so they can get a nice char on them.
Move the pinchos into indirect heat. Now brush them with your preferred barbecue sauce. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove the pinchos and set aside to cool.
Finally, lightly toast your 1 inch slices of bread and top each pincho with one.
Serve and Enjoy!
Let me know your thoughts and experiences with this recipe in the comment section below. Buen Provecho!
Pinchos de pollo (chicken), are a savory and delicious treat you can snag pretty much anywhere in Puerto Rico. They are traditionally served with a toasted piece of bread at the end and some onion or bell peppers in between each slice of meat. Pinchos are a tasty on the go treat.
What are Pinchos?
Pinchos de Pollo (chicken kabobs) are one the most delicious Puerto Rican street foods! They are usually made with either chicken or pork and then topped with a smoky barbecue sauce. My favorite place to snag these is in Piñones, Puerto Rico, where they are cooking them over a charcoal grill with the beach just a few yards away. Beautiful scenery with delicious food can’t be beat!
Pinchos de Pollo
How do you make Pinchos de Pollo?
Pinchos de pollo (chicken skewers) are traditionally made with chicken thighs. Chicken breast can be used too, but you have to be careful not to overcook them because they dry out easily. The chicken is marinated overnight in a garlic mojo marinade before skewering them onto bamboo skewers and grilling over an open-flame charcoal grill.
Pincho de Pollo Recipe Tips
Cooking the pinchos de pollo, over an open flame with charcoal is best. If you can find lump charcoal, even better, but charcoal briquettes will work well too. Only have a gas grill? Don’t worry, that will still work for this recipe!
Furthermore, if you have the time, marinating the chicken overnight or even for a few hours will really help with the end product of a delicious, savory pincho de pollo. If planning isn’t your thing, just get them marinated and let them sit for as long as you can 😉.
1/2 cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory Barbecue Sauce
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/4 tsp of Kosher salt
8-10 garlic cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 loaf of baguette or French bread, sliced
1/2 an onion
Directions to make Pinchos de Pollo – Como Hacer Pinchos
Start with soaking your wooden skewers in a bath of water while you are prepping the meat and marinade. If you are marinating overnight, then soak the skewers for at least 30 minutes prior to them going on the grill to avoid burning.
Take your pilon and add 1 tsp of salt and the black peppercorns. Smash this until it is coarsely ground. Then add in your 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 5 garlic cloves. Smash until it begins look like a paste. Add the rest of the olive oil and garlic and smash that. Once finished, it should look like the picture below.
Rinse the chicken the chicken thighs with water and then slice into 2 inch pieces. Add the chicken to a bowl then add 2 Tbsp of distilled white vinegar.
Top the chicken thighs with your garlic mojo mixture
Marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator or for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Mix 1 tsp Loisa Organic Adobo Powder, 1 tsp Loisa Organic Sazon Powder, 1/8 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp kosher salt in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the meat and mix well.
Get your wooden skewers and begin skewering the meat – the ends of each piece should be barely touching. If you try to compress them too tightly to each other, the ends will not char properly.
Leave a 1 inch space at the tip to add toasted bread after the meat is cooked
Once the skewers are prepped, begin lighting the charcoal and preparing the grill to cook.
Use ½ an onion to clean the grill – then apply your pinchos de pollo on direct heat so they can get a nice char on them for 10-15 minutes. Turning them every few minutes to evenly distribute the char.
Then, move the pinchos into indirect heat. Now brush them with your preferred barbecue sauce. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.
Remove the pinchos and set aside to cool.
Finally, lightly toast your 1 inch slices of bread and top each pincho with one.
Serve and Enjoy!
Let me know your thoughts and experiences with this pincho recipe in the comment section below. Buen Provecho!
This recipe will be a favorite for every gathering you host. My friends and family request this dish every time I go to their homes, and the recipe requests haven’t stopped. The amazing thing about this goat cheese spread is how versatile it is.
What pairs well with goat cheese?
This goat cheese fondue recipe pairs really well with pita chips, water crackers, or toasted bread (sourdough is my favorite). You can also make a platter with blanched green beans and asparagus alongside of raw bell peppers and broccoli, and use the goat cheese spread as a dipping sauce. It’s a hit every time!
How To Make Goat Cheese Fondue
Serving Size:
20
Time:
30 min
Difficulty:
Easy
Ingredients
8 oz goat cheese log
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 spring fresh rosemary
3 fresh sage leaves
2-3 fresh garlic cloves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
5-7 olives (any type is fine)
5-7 cherry tomatoes (optional)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Add your goat cheese to an oven safe baking dish or ramekin
Add the olive oil, chopped fresh herbs, salt and pepper
Mince your garlic by hand or with this rechargeable mini food processor that makes life that much easier!
Add the minced garlic to your dish, sliced olives and cherry tomatoes
Bake for 25 minutes on center rake until sizzling and browning on top
Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes
Top with chopped parsley and serve with pita chips or toasted sourdough bread!
Storage Instructions
You must store leftovers in the refrigerator in a food safe container. The goat cheese spread can last anywhere from 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
FAQs
What are the best uses for goat cheese?
Goat cheese can be used on salad, chicken, or vegetables. This goat cheese recipe can be used to make an goat cheese stuffed chicken breast or crumbled on top of your favorite salad. It’s packed with flavor!
Is goat cheese healthier than regular cheese?
Goat cheese is a healthier alternative to cow’s milk. It is lower in lactose and has comparable nutritional value to cow’s milk if not better.
How can you make goat cheese taste better?
If the flavor of goat cheese is too strong for you, then I would suggest adding small amounts of milk, cream, or sour cream. This will diminish the sour flavor of the goat cheese, and it will still be delicious.
This garbanzo bean soup is one of my favorite recipes. It is quick and easy. You can serve it rustic, which is my preferred method, or pureed for a more elevated presentation.
Every time I make this for a get together I do opt to puree the garbanzo bean soup and I serve it in a coffee mug for my guests to sip on as an appetizer. They love this! If I am cooking it for myself and family, I leave it as is and avoid the extra puree step. Either way is delicious!
Pro Tips:
Use a dutch oven to prepare the soup – it can be enameled cast iron or stainless steel
If you plan to puree the soup – I suggest using a handheld blender
Pureeing the soup will actually appeal to more people, even those who claim they don’t like garbanzo beans. You’re welcome 🙂
Garbanzo Bean Soup Recipe
Serving Size:
10-12
Time:
50 min
Difficulty:
Easy
Ingredients
1 Kielbasa Sausage 14 oz. – or sausage of your choosing (optional)
2 16 oz cans of garbanzo beans
1/2 small white onion sliced
1 shallot sliced
8 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 pint of chicken stock
3 cups of water
1 tsp of Better Than Bouillon – chicken flavor (optional)
Add 1 Tablespoon of good olive oil to your pot on medium heat
Quarter the sausage into small 1/2 inch pieces (see photo). This is will allow them to brown more easily and make for tastier bites in the soup. Should you choose to puree the soup, it will be much easier with the smaller bits of sausage.
Brown the sausage on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until they are mostly golden brown. Refer to the photos below for reference.
Once the sausage is brown, add your chopped onion, shallot, and bell pepper. Add a pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Cook until beginning to brown and caramelize. This should take around 10-15 minutes.
After aromatics are caramelized – add the finely chopped garlic. Then, saute for another 3 minutes.
Add the 2 cans of drained and rinsed garbanzo beans – allow this to cook for 10 minutes
Deglaze your pot with the chicken stock and water. Make sure you scrape up all of the brown bits at the bottom of your pot as this will impart flavor to the soup. It is an essential step.
Add your garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and bay leaf
Add 1 tsp of the Better Than Bouillon, stir well, and bring to a simmer
Allow to simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes
Lower heat to LOW – add 1-2 handfuls of chopped kale. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
Finally, top with chopped cilantro and parsley – then serve! If you want to puree the garbanzo bean soup, allow it cool for 15 minutes before doing so. Remove your bay leaf prior to pureeing the soup!
Storing Garbanzo Bean Soup
This soup needs to be stored immediately upon cooling. Garbanzo beans can begin fermenting quickly at room temperature. Once properly stored in the refrigerator, leftovers will stay good for 2 additional days. The soup is even better the second day!
FAQs
Why should you rinse garbanzo beans?
You should always rinse canned garbanzo beans prior to adding them to your dish. The sodium content is high in canned garbanzo beans, for this reason you should avoid adding any of the canned liquid to your dish. To reduce the amount of sodium, I suggest rinsing them with cool water for 3 minutes.
Are chickpeas and garbanzo beans the same?
YES! They are the same bean. Chickpea and garbanzo can be used interchangeably. Where you are from will determine whether you refer to the bean as a chickpea or garbanzo. My family is Puerto Rican and we all refer to them as garbanzo beans, most Spanish speaking countries do.
Can you convert this to vegan garbanzo bean soup?
Yes! You can easily convert this into a vegan garbanzo bean soup by eliminating the sausage. I have done this recipe without sausage and it is just as tasty. Don’t forget to substitute the chicken Better Than Bouillon with vegetable Better Than Bouillon and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Chimichurri is one of the tastiest, easiest sauces/marinades to make. It can transform any dish from blah to amazing. There are so many varieties of chimichurri that even if you are missing a couple of items from this recipe, you can still Macgyver your way into creating your own variation. The only essential ingredients are parsley, garlic, oil and vinegar of any kind.
What do you eat Chimichurri with?
Chimichurri hails from Argentina, where it is used as table condiment in most homes. It is almost exclusively used on beef, however I have found. this is delicious on any protein and even on vegetables and potatoes.
What can you use instead of red wine vinegar in Chimichurri?
Traditional chimichurri has olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, oregano, and garlic. In the years I have been making my easy chimichurri recipe, I have found that fresh oregano upsets my stomach and it is only available at the grocery store seasonally; as well as red wine vinegar provokes my mother’s acid reflux.
Obviously, this sauce tastes too good too give up, so I cut out the fresh oregano and opted for cilantro instead, and I tried various vinegars before settling on rice vinegar. Rice vinegar has a milder flavor and is slightly sweeter compared to red wine vinegar. If you prefer red wine vinegar the ratios for oil to vinegar shown below would remain the same.
Chimichurri Tips
I’ll be honest, I am not a huge fan of chopping everything by hand. When you are doing a large batch with more than one bunch of parsley or cilantro, it can get tiring if you don’t have your own Sioux chef. While chopping by hand gives you more control on the texture of your chimichurri, if you have a small food processor like the one listed below, it will save you a lot of time.
I would still recommend hand chopping the parsley, but mince your garlic in the food processor since that usually takes the longest.
PRO TIP:If you have a larger food processor, go ahead and add your parsley and cilantro together and pulse until you get your desired texture, remove the mixture, then add the garlic to the processor. By doing the garlic last, it will pick up any remaining bits of cilantro and parsley in the processor. This tip also applies to those hand chopping everything. You’re welcome!
Follow the links below to my favorite mini electric chopper (used for this recipe) and my favorite large food processor:
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro (if you hate cilantro – replace with more parsley and 2-3 sprigs of fresh oregano)
Kosher salt
Black peper
Olive Oil
Rice Vinegar
Red pepper flakes
3 large cloves of fresh garlic – if you like it spicy add 1-2 more
Directions
Start by chopping your parsley and cilantro – I like my chimichurri to have texture so I leave it coarsely chopped. If you are using a food processor, do this step first. Once you have reached your desired texture for the parsley and cilantro, remove the mixture and set aside in a bowl.
Mince the 3 cloves of garlic – you can use more if you are making a larger batch. This step can be done in a small or large food processor. Once desired texture is reached, add this to the parsley/cilantro mixture.
Add 3/4 cup of olive oil to the parsley and garlic mixture
Add 1/4 of rice vinegar – if you like more bite/tang use red wine vinegar instead
Add 1/2 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper
Add kosher salt to taste -1/2 tsp should be good
Add 1/2 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes
Let the chimichurri rest for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavors to build. If you can allow for 1-2 hours, that is ideal!
Taste – if you if it is too vinegary, simply add more olive oil and vice versa
Add to flank steak, chicken, roasted/boiled potatoes, fish, and vegetables. Buen Provecho!
Storage Instructions
This chimichurri sauce will last in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. If I do not use it all by day 3-5, I will repurpose it as a marinade for my next protein. But my favorite way to use my chimichurri marinade, is as a sauce for roasted/boiled potatoes. Drool…. This makes the most delicious potatoes! Try it!
Let me know your thoughts/experiences with the recipe below!
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