Course Archives - Family Dinners

How To Make Perfect Cast Iron Skillet Burgers

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 19:14:35 +0000

If you have been craving a juicy and flavorful hamburger, then these easy, homemade cast iron skillet burgers are perfect for you! Even though you might think a grill or an open flame is the perfect way to cook a burger, this cast iron skillet recipe actually produces the best burgers you have ever tasted. They are perfectly seasoned, tender, juicy and done in only 15 minutes. With our scrumptious special sauce made from scratch and all your favorite burger toppings these cast iron skillet cheeseburgers are simply out of this world good!

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: Amazingly juicy and tender burgers made from scratch that cook up in a hot skillet in only 15 minutes. These tasty burgers are the absolute best!
Main Ingredients: cooking oil, ground beef, spices, hamburger buns, slices of cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, pickles, special sauce (mayonnaise, mustard, dill pickles, pickle juice, sugar, white wine vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder)or other condiments of choice
Cooking Method: stovetop
Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time, 10 minutes cooking time
Pairs well with: French fries, potato wedges, crunchy salad, pasta salad, potato salad
Special Equipment Needed: large bowl, cast-iron skillet, cooking spatula, meat thermometer, small mixing bowl, cooking spoon or whisk

Ingredients

You may have all of these simple ingredients for this cast iron burgers in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this homemade burgers recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Cast Iron Skillet Burgers Ingredients

1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
1 lb ground beef (85%lean/15%fat)

Hamburger Seasoning Ingredients

1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika

Special Sauce Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 tablespoon dill pickles (finely chopped)
2 teaspoon pickle juice
2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder

Optional Toppings

4 brioche burger buns (toasted)
4 cheese slices
tomato slices
lettuce
onion slices
pickle slices
special sauce or other condiments of choice

Variations and Substitutions

Oil: You can use vegetable oil, avocado oil or grapeseed oil to fry up your delicious burgers. As a matter of fact you can even use olive oil for searing in a pinch.

Meat: We recommend using ground chuck for this easy recipe. Additionally, you can substitute other ground meat, such as ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef.

Cheese: Feel free to use any cheese you like, such as cheddar cheese or American Cheese, for example. Moreover, Swiss cheese or Pepper Jack cheese would be other great options.

Hamburger Buns: Substitute brioche buns with sesame seed, potato, pretzel, or ciabatta buns, for example. Additionally you can skip the buns altogether, and sandwich your burgers and toppings between lettuce leaves for a more keto friendly meal.

How To Make Gluten Free

Use a gluten free burger bun for this good burger in order to make this meal gluten free. The hamburger patties are already naturally gluten free.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love these perfect burgers, try them with a side of Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes. You’ll love them because they are full of thin, tender potato slices roasted to a golden crisp and stuffed with melty cheddar cheese.

Recommended Tools

Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale.

Cast Iron Pan — When cooking a burger patty on the stovetop, using a cast-iron skillet is the best way to get a juicy and perfect burger. However, you can also use any other frying pan or even a non-stick pan in a pinch.

Optional Alternative Ways To Cook A Burger:

Air Fryer – This recipe requires an air fryer. We have both this Cosori air fryer, which is wonderful, and this Cuisinart Air Fryer, which we also love. The Cuisinart also has convection oven and toaster oven capacity. You can buy an air fryer with a basket with high sides that food goes into or a tray type of machine. The trays are shallow but are usually longer and can accomodate more food in a single layer.

Grill — An indoor or outdoor grill is needed for this recipe. We love our indoor Zojirushi grill for cooking inside.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook cast iron burgers on the stovetop, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For printable detailed instructions and nutritional information see the recipe card below.

Step 1: Firstly, combine 1 pound of ground hamburger and hamburger seasoning in a large bowl. Then, gently mix together with your hands.

Step 2: Afterwards, divide the meat mixture into 4 equal parts. You can use a kitchen scale to divide the beef mixture perfectly equal.

Step 3: Then roll each piece into a ball and flatten with your hands into a patty. As patties will shrink in size when they cook, make them a bit bigger than the buns. Afterwards, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add a little oil to the pan. Then use a spatula to spread the oil evenly around the surface area of the pan.

Step 4: Add each hamburger patty to the preheated skillet. In case your pan is not large enough cook them in batches. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes on the first side, until the underside of the hamburger is beginning to become a nice golden brown.

Step 5: Afterwards, flip the hamburger patties and place a slice of cheese in the center of each patty. Cheese will melt as the burger cooks. Cook for about 3-4 minutes more on the second side, until the patty has a nice sear on the bottom.

Step 6: When the cheese is melted and the hamburger patty is cooked to desired doneness, remove from the hot pan.

Step 7: For the special sauce, combine mayonnaise, yellow mustard, chopped pickles, pickle juice, white wine vinegar, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl. Then stir until well combined. Afterwards add the desired amount of sauce to the bottom bun.

Step 8: Then place the perfect cooked hamburgers on the toasted buns.

Step 9: Add sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, sliced pickles, lettuce and all your other favorite toppings. Try some bacon or sautéd mushrooms as well.

Step 10: Finally serve these amazing burgers with your favorite side dish and enjoy!

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this easy to make burger recipe then you’ll love our Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich. This meatball sub recipe combines crispy French bread with juicy meatballs and melty mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Make Ahead

You can prepare the burger patties up to 12 hours ahead of time. You can stack them with parchment paper pieces between each patty for easier storage. Make sure to store them in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Additionally you can freeze them until ready to use.

Other Cooking Methods For Burgers

Besides cooking burgers on a traditional grill, the air fryer is another great way to make delicious burgers. Air Fried Burgers come out tender and juicy with just the right amount of crispy bits on the outside.

Stef says….

For a fun twist on a traditional burger, try my delicious Big Mac Salad. It has all of the flavors of a Big Mac but uses simple ingredients that are healthy and even suitable for a low carb diet.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best cast iron skillet burgers.

Tip: Use ground chuck with either 80/20 or 85/15 mixing ratio for your hamburger patties.
Tip: Do not overcook your meat. Otherwise it will turn out very dry.
Tip: Only assemble the burgers when you are ready to eat them, therefore avoiding soggy hamburger buns.

Serving Suggestions

We love to eat cast iron skillet burgers all by themselves. But sometimes you need to serve it as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Potatoes: Serve juicy burgers with crispy Fries, Potato Wedges, Tater Tots, Hassleback Potatoes, Baked Sweet Potatoes or classic Baked Potatoes.

Salad: Pair homemade cheeseburgers with a fresh salad. A green salad like our Easy Italian Salad or Tortellini Pasta Salad. Or even a Greek Salad with olives, cucumbers and feta or an Artichoke Rice Salad.

Other Sides: Yummy burgers would also taste great with Air Fryer Pasta Chips, or Air Fryer Zucchini Fries.

More Hot Sandwich Recipes

Warm sandwiches make great lunches, dinners or party snacks. If you like burgers, you will also love our other scrumptious slider and sandwich recipes:

Andrea says….

I love adding some crispy bacon to this delicious burger recipe. My favorite way to cook bacon is this easy recipe for Oven Baked Bacon. It comes out perfectly cooked every time without any of the greasy splatter.

How To Store

Refrigerate: Store leftover burger patties in an airtight container, ziploc bag or tightly wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap in the fridge for 1-2 days. We do, however, not recommend storing assembled burger leftovers, because the toppings will loose their texture and the burger buns will get soggy.

Freeze: We recommend freezing uncooked burger patties in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For easy removal, place a small sheet of parchment paper between each patty before freezing.

Defrosting: Thaw frozen burger patties in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight. Alternatively you can cook them from frozen as well.

How To Reheat

Reheat cooked burger patties in the microwave or in the air fryer.

Common Questions

What is the best meat to use for hamburger patties?

For the best, beefy, and juicy burgers we recommend using ground chuck. Ground chuck usually provides the perfect lean meat/fat ratio at about 80-85 % lean meat and 15-20 % fat. The higher fat content is necessary to keep your burger flavorful and juicy. Even though, lean ground beef might sound like a better and healthier choice on paper, it unfortunately makes dry burgers that are no fun to eat.

Is it better to use fresh or frozen hamburger patties?

There is actually not a big difference in quality or taste between frozen and fresh hamburger patties. While fresh hamburger patties do provide a slightly richer taste, they have a very short shelf life. Fresh patties are the better choice if you want to follow a specific hamburger patty recipe and if you are planning on cooking them within a day or two. Frozen hamburger patties, on the other hand, are a lot more convenient and still provide great taste. You can safely store them in the freezer for up to 6 months without losing any flavor. Moreover, frozen patties cook up quick and easy without defrosting, which makes them a great choice for a last minute meal.

What internal temperature should my burger have when it’s done?

The internal temperature of a great burger depends on the degree of doneness you prefer. According to the FDA a well done burger should be between 160 and 165 degrees. In case you prefer your burger medium-well it should have an internal temperature of 150-155 ºF. Medium-rare burgers should be between 130 and 135 degrees.

What are tasty hamburger toppings?

Cast iron skillet cheeseburgers are a great meal, because they are super easy to personalize. Popular burger toppings include cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized onions, hamburger sauce, ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise.

How To Make Perfect Cast Iron Skillet Burgers

There is no need to heat up a grill for these juicy and delicious cast iron skillet burgers. They cook to perfection on the stovetop in only 15 minutes and can be garnished with all your favorite burger toppings! They are so much better than take-out!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cast iron burger, cast iron skillet cheeseburger, homemade burger, how to cook a cheeseburger indoors, juicy burger

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings burgers

Calories 814kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

mixing bowls
cast iron skillet
kitchen spatula
cooking spoon or whisk

Ingredients

Burger Patty Ingredients:

1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil vegetable, avocado or grapeseed oil
1 lb ground beef 85% lean/15% fat

Hamburger Seasoning Ingredients:

1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika

Special Sauce Ingredients:

¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 tablespoon dill pickles finely chopped
2 teaspoon pickle juice
2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder

Toppings:

4 brioche burger buns toasted
4 cheese slices optional
4 tomato slices optional
lettuce optional
sliced onion optional
sliced pickles optional
special sauce or desired condiments

Instructions

Special Sauce Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, yellow mustard, chopped pickles, pickle juice, white wine vinegar, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Burger Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine 1 lb ground hamburger and hamburger seasoning. Gently mix together with your hands.
Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal parts. Then roll each piece into a ball and flatten with your hands into a patty. Patties will shrink in size when they cook, so make sure you make them a bit bigger than the burger buns.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Use a spatula to spread the oil evenly around the pan.
Add each hamburger patty to the pan. If your pan is not large enough you might have to cook them in batches.
Cook for 4 minutes on the first side, until the underside of the hamburger is beginning to become a nice golden brown.
Flip the hamburger patties and place a piece of cheese on top. Cheese will melt as the patty cooks.
Cook for about 4 more minutes, until the patty is golden brown on the bottom.
When cheese is melted and hamburger patty is cooked to desired doneness, remove from the skillet.
Place the hamburger patty on a toasted bun.
Add special sauce, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, sliced pickles, lettuce and any other favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Nutrition

The post How To Make Perfect Cast Iron Skillet Burgers appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:50:13 +0000

In case you have never tried John Wayne casserole, then it is about time to give this amazingly flavorful and delicious family dinner a whirl. Everyone who loves southwestern cuisine will enjoy eating this quick and easy weeknight dinner. It combines a biscuit base with layers of ground beef, creamy sour cream mixture and lots of melty cheese.

Ground beef and cheese casserole only takes 15 minutes to prepare and is ready to serve in under an hour. It tastes best combined with a potato side, crunchy salad and Mexican condiments such as salsa or guacamole, for example. This is undoubtedly the best version of the original John Wayne casserole recipe. And it’s the perfect dish to bring some new life into Taco Tuesdays.

What is John Wayne Casserole?

This yummy casserole full of southwestern flavors got its name from the fact that in the 1970s the famous actor John Wayne contributed a version of this easy recipe to a cookbook called “Cooking with Love from Cara and her Friends”. Cara Connery created this charity cookbook for the American Cancer Society. Since then, the recipe has been adapted multiple times but still kept John Wayne’s name. This oven baked casserole is a scrumptious combination of a biscuit base, ground beef taco meat, Rotel tomatoes, bell peppers and lots of cheese.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: everything you love about Tex-Mex food in one scrumptious and easy casserole recipe that will impress the taste buds of your whole family
Main Ingredients: Bisquick, water, ground beef, yellow onion, red bell pepper, Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese
Cooking Method: oven baked
Cooking Time: 15 minutes prep time and 40 minutes bake time
Pairs well with: potatoes, salad, pico de gallo, guacamole
Special Equipment Needed: large skillet, kitchen spatula, 9×13-inch baking dish, large bowl, small mixing bowl

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this cheesy casserole in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this easy ground beef casserole recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Biscuit and Taco Casserole Ingredients

2 ¼ cups Bisquick
⅔ cup water
1 lb ground beef
½ medium yellow onion (about 1 cup, diced)
1 red bell pepper (sliced)
1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (undrained)
¼ cup taco seasoning
½ cup sour cream (plus more for serving)
½ cup mayonnaise
2 ½ cups shredded medium cheddar cheese (divided)

Optional Garnish

Fresh parsley or fresh cilantro, chopped fresh tomatoes, sliced black olives, sliced green onions

Variations and Substitutions

Biscuit crust: We love using Bisquick mix for convenience, however, you can try using canned biscuits or homemade biscuit dough as well.

Ground Beef: In case you prefer, substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef.

Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought brand or make your own taco spice. Both mild and spicy taco seasoning work great with this casserole dish. A ¼ cup taco seasoning is equal to one packet.

Cheese: Substitute medium cheddar with sharp cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, or Monterey jack cheese, for example. Additionally you can try using a Mexican cheese blend as well.

Bell Pepper: We used a red bell pepper for this hearty casserole, but you can substitute yellow or green bell peppers in a pinch. In case you like it spicy you can additionally add some green peppers, green chiles or jalapeño peppers, for example.

How To Make Gluten Free

Make this ground beef casserole recipe gluten free by using gluten free biscuit mix. Moreover, make sure your taco seasoning is also gluten free.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this easy ground beef casserole recipe, try our Mexican Lasagna Recipe. You’ll love it because this taco casserole combines all your favorite Mexican flavors, such as taco meat, refried beans, salsa, melty cheese and sour cream.

Recommended Tools

Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale.

Casserole Dish — We love using this glass baking dish as it cooks food evenly, you can easily see the food while it cooks and it also looks good as a serving dish.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook John Wayne casserole in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For detailed instructions and nutritional information see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Prep: Firstly grease a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 1: Brown ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and onions have softened. Onions will be translucent.

Step 2: Afterwards add the taco seasoning and mix well.

Step 3: Then add Rotel tomatoes with all the juices and stir to combine. Set meat mixture aside.

Step 4: Afterward mix together biscuit mix and water in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 5: Then add the cheese and form a cohesive dough. The cheese pieces will break up as you mix.

Step 6: Afterward press the biscuit layer evenly into a glass baking dish. It doesn’t need to be totally even or flat.

Step 7: Then add the ground beef mixture on top of the bisquick layer. Make sure to spread it out evenly.

Step 8: In a separate bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and 1 cup of grated cheese. Then spread the sour cream mixture over the lean ground beef layer.

Step 9: Afterwards top the casserole with the sliced bell peppers and the remaining cheese.

Step 10: Finally bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love Mexican inspired one pan meals then you’ll love our Frito Pie with Ground Beef. This yummy, quick and easy comfort food combines perfectly seasoned beef and beans with melty cheese and crispy Frito chips.

Make Ahead

John Wayne casserole tastes best fresh out of the oven, so we do not recommend making it ahead of time. However, you can prepare the ground beef layer ahead of time and then keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembling and baking the casserole.

Stef says….

Yummy dinner casseroles are a family favorite in our house. Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole and T urkey Enchilada Casserole are two of our other favorite Mexican inspired weeknight dinners.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best ground beef casserole recipe.

Tip: Make sure to properly brown the beef and onions. This adds immense flavor to the beef mixture and keeps the meat from drying out.
Tip: In case the biscuit dough is too sticky, place a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap over it while pushing it onto the baking dish.
Tip: There are so many variations of this recipe. So feel free to personalize this casserole recipe with all your favorite add-ins.

Serving Suggestions

We love to eat this cheesy beef casserole all by itself. But sometimes you need to serve it as a complete meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Salad: Pair John Wayne casserole with a fresh salad. A green salad like our Italian Salad, Stef’s Taco Salad Shells or Andrea’s Greek Salad.

Sides: Traditionally, beef and biscuit casserole is served with a baked potato. You can in fact make this scrumptious side dish in the oven, convection oven, air fryer, Instant Pot, slow cooker, toaster oven, microwave or on the grill. It would taste great with Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes or Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes.

Sauces: Traditionally, John Wayne casserole is served with Mexican condiments such as guacamole, restaurant style salsa or pico de gallo, for example. It would taste great with mango habanero salsa as well.

More Tex-Mex Inspired Recipes

In case you also love Mexican cuisine as much as we do then you have to try some spicy Sausage Rotel Dip and chips or these crowd pleasing recipes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Transfer to an airtight container, ziploc bag or wrap tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then store meat and cheese casserole leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Firstly, let leftover John Wayne casserole cool completely. Then transfer to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

How To Reheat

You can reheat leftover casserole in the microwave.

Common Questions

Is it possible to add more vegetables to this original recipe?

Yes! As a matter of fact you can add some corn or your favorite kind of bean to the meat filling. We like black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans, for example. Moreover, you can add an additional chopped bell pepper to the ground beef mixture.

I love spicy food. How can I make this dish spicy without compromising the delicious flavor?

There are in fact several ways to add a spicy kick to this yummy dinner. Firstly you can use spicy taco seasoning for the meat, then you can add some chopped green chilies or jalapeno peppers to the sour cream layer and finally you can replace all or half of the cheese in this great recipe with Pepper Jack cheese.

What is a great side dish to serve with this best casserole recipe?

Even though this scrumptious casserole is already a full meal by itself, it goes extremely well with potato sides. We recommend serving baked potatoes, Hasselback potatoes or even tater tots with John Wayne casserole. All these delicious potato dishes cook up to perfection in the air fryer.

Can I make my own taco seasoning mix?

Of course! Our delicious and easy Taco Seasoning recipe only uses simple ingredients. It is a quick blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Additionally, homemade taco spice is so much better than store bought.

Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe

This amazing Tex-Mex casserole combines layers of ground beef, biscuits and cheese to a delicious family meal everyone will love. It has been around for decades because it's just that good!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword cheesy ground beef casserole, easy ground beef casserole, john wayne casserole, taco casserole recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 583kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

large skillet
kitchen spatula
mixing bowls
9x13in baking dish

Ingredients

2¼ cups Bisquick
⅔ cup water
1 lb ground beef
½ medium yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
1 red bell pepper sliced
10 oz Rotel tomatoes undrained
¼ cup taco seasoning or 1 package
½ cup sour cream plus more for serving
½ cup mayonnaise
2½ cups medium cheddar cheese shredded and divided

Optional Garnish:

chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream
diced tomatoes
sliced black olives

Instructions

Firstly grease a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brown ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and onions have softened.
Add the taco seasoning to the meat mixture and stir well.
Then add Rotel tomatoes with all the juices and stir to combine. Set meat mixture aside.
Afterward mix together biscuit mix and water in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms.
Then add the cheese and form a cohesive dough.
Afterward press the biscuit layer evenly into a glass baking dish.
Then add the ground beef mixture on top of the bisquick layer. Make sure to spread it out evenly.
In a separate bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and 1 cup of grated cheese.
Then spread the sour cream mixture over the lean ground beef layer.
Top the casserole with the sliced bell peppers and the remaining cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Notes

You can top each slice of John Wayne casserole with a dollop of sour cream, some diced tomatoes, black olives and chopped cilantro.
Salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole are also great sides with this casserole.

Nutrition

The post Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

45 Game Day Appetizers: The Best Party Snacks

Andrea + Stef — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 17:12:10 +0000

What’s better than watching your favorite sports and fun game day events? Doing it all while eating the best super bowl snacks and amazing game day appetizers. No matter if you are looking for a warm, cold, meaty, vegetarian or sweet game day food, our list of favorite game day appetizers has got you covered. Our delicious recipes are quick, easy to make and absolute crowd pleasers.

Meaty Party Snacks

Our list of meat party appetizers has something for every meat lover in your life. Whether it is juicy meatballs, crispy chicken legs or delicious party dips, we have the best easy to make recipe for you. You can serve these crowd pleasing meaty snacks as easy Super Bowl party appetizers or even as a main dish paired with crusty bread and a fresh salad.

Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

Our quick and easy slow cooker BBQ meatballs recipe combines frozen meatballs with homemade barbecue sauce. This scrumptious dish only needs 10 minutes of prep time, then it cooks hands-off in the crockpot.

Moreover, you can prepare this delicious appetizer completely ahead of time. Keep the meatballs warm in the slow cooker or reheat them when you are ready to serve. Insert toothpicks into the meatballs for easy serving.

Get the Crockpot BBQ Meatballs Recipe

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs

These amazingly crispy chicken legs are marinated in a blend of brown sugar, salt and spices before being cooked to perfection in the air fryer. A pinch of cayenne pepper gives this easy appetizer a slight spicy kick.

Crispy chicken legs is a very versatile recipe that can be served as a super bowl party snack, fun lunch or perfect appetizer.

Get the Crispy Chicken Legs Recipe

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

These easy stuffed meatballs are cheesy, tender, and bursting with flavor. They are oven baked and ready in just 35 minutes. A blend of ground beef and pork makes these homemade meatballs filled with mozzarella cheese extra juicy and delicious.

Serve them with a bowl of marinara sauce, or put them in sliders or subs for a perfect halftime show sandwich.

Get the Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs Recipe

Meatball Stuffed Biscuits

These flaky biscuits are stuffed with juicy meatballs and melty cheese before being topped with a flavorful mixture of Italian herbs, garlic and salt. You can use store-bought meatballs for convenience or try one of our favorite meatball recipes: Italian Style Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, Air Fryer Meatballs, Turkey Meatballs, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. You can make this perfect game day snack in the oven or air fryer.

For best flavor, dip these homemade biscuit bites into warm marinara sauce. Everyone will love this tasty crowd pleaser.

Get the Meatball Stuffed Biscuits Recipe

Pizza Bites

For this quick and easy pepperoni pizza snack, simply wrap some flaky biscuit dough around pepperoni and mozzarella cheese balls. Then top with butter and Italian seasoning and cook them in the oven or in the air fryer. You can fill pizza bites with pretty much any pizza topping you like.

These easy football season appetizers taste great dipped in marinara sauce. If you would like to make your own sauce, check out our recipe for insanely good homemade marinara sauce.

Get the Pizza Bites Recipe

Mississippi Sin Dip

This scrumptious football season favorite is a blend of cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ham, green onions and cheddar cheese. Bake this easy dip in a bread bowl or casserole dish.

This amazing hot ham and cheese dip is one of the best recipes to use up leftover holiday ham. You can serve this cream cheese dip recipe with bread bowl pieces, any white crusty bread, potato chips, crackers, pretzel bites or corn chips.

Get the Mississippi Sin Dip Recipe

Million Dollar Dip

Even though you only need a bowl, a wooden spoon and 5 ingredients for this easy dip recipe, it tastes like a million bucks! Mayonnaise serves as the creamy base for this delicious dip, but can be substituted with greek yoghurt or sour cream. Its other main ingredients are cheddar cheese, green onions, almonds and bacon.

This is one of the easiest but most flavorful party dip recipes ever. Serve million dollar dip with buttery crackers, tortilla chips, fresh vegetables, bagel chips, pita chips, salty pretzels or any of your favorite crackers.

Get the Million Dollar Dip Recipe

Tortellini Pasta Salad

This tortellini pasta salad recipe is a colorful chorus of fresh flavors, loaded with al dente tortellinis, cured meats, fresh veggies and creamy mozzarella. It only takes 10 minutes to make this Italian inspired game day appetizer.

You can even make this tasty salad vegetarian or vegan by skipping the meats and cheese. Add more fresh veggies instead, such as diced cucumber, green or yellow bell peppers and red onion, for example.

Get the Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe

Bacon And Cheeseburger Sliders

These super yummy bacon cheeseburger sliders are serious crowd-pleasers. Everyone loves soft Hawaiian rolls filled with juicy beef, crispy bacon, melty cheese and just the right blend of condiments. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds for a perfect burger look. It takes only 15 minutes to prep these wonderful game day appetizers that are also a huge hit with kids.

Get the Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders Recipe

Lil Smokies Pigs In A Blanket

Pigs in a blanket is a classic party snack and game day appetizer. Lil’ smokies are wrapped in a slightly sweet crescent dough, brushed with butter, and baked until golden brown! An easy 30 minute recipe that only uses 4 ingredients!

Serve this delicious appetizer hot with ketchup, mustard, hot sauce or any of your favorite dipping sauces.

Get the Lil Smokies Pigs in a Blanket Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Fries

If you love Buffalo Chicken Dip, then you’ll love this easy sheet pan game day appetizer. You only need 8 ingredients and 30 minutes worth of time to make this delicious and filling recipe. You can easily personalize this recipe. Make it a little bit less spicy, use more ranch or blue cheese, if you like, or make it vegetarian by substituting cauliflower for the chicken.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Fries Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

In case you are a big fan of Buffalo wings, you will love these scrumptious made from scratch meatballs. You only need a few ingredients along with a couple of spices, and the meatballs are done in less than 30 minutes!

Serve this amazing game day appetizer with carrot sticks and celery. Additionally, you can serve ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Bacon Wrapped Mozzarella Sticks

This delicious game day appetizer is easy to make, only needs 3 ingredients and just takes 20 minutes of hands on prep time. You get gooey melted cheese wrapped in crispy salty bacon that you can pull apart or dip into your favorite sauce.

Moreover, they make the perfect keto-friendly snack and finger food, high in fat and low in carbs! Serve with marinara or bbq sauce.

Get the Bacon Wrapped Mozzarella Sticks Recipe

Crockpot Meatballs With Grape Jelly

These party meatballs make for an easy meal or delicious game day appetizer! You only need 3 simple ingredients for this crowd pleasing dish: savory meatballs, grape jelly and Heinz chili sauce. Additionally, it only takes 5 minutes to prep this flavorful game day snack that cooks all by itself in the slow cooker.

You can even serve these mouthwatering meatballs as a main course paired with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes, for example.

Get the Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly Recipe

Meatball Marinara Subs

This Italian-American classic combines juicy meatballs, marinara sauce and melty cheese in crispy bread rolls. Serve these yummy sandwiches for lunch, dinner or as game day appetizers. Even kids can’t get enough of them!

You can use your favorite store-bought or homemade meatballs for this easy party snack. Moreover, it is also the perfect recipe to use up leftover meatballs.

Get the Meatball Marinara Sub Recipe

Vegetarian Game Day Appetizers

As more and more people choose to follow a vegetarian diet, it is very important to have a couple of amazing meatless party appetizer recipes up your sleeve. Here are our favorite appetizers without meat but full of flavor. They are some of the best super bowl appetizers and all your vegetarian family and friends will devour them.

Air Fryer Pasta Chips

This viral TikTok recipe makes the perfect game day appetizer. It takes less than 10 minutes to turn leftover pasta into a crispy, crunchy and perfectly seasoned appetizer or fun snack. Additionally you can easily vary flavor by coating the pasta in different seasoning blends and serving them with a variety of dipping sauces.

This easy party snack pairs well with marinara sauce, garlic sauce, pesto, or whipped feta, for example.

Get the Air Fryer Pasta Chips Recipe

Air Fryer Three Cheese Bombs

These scrumptious cheesy biscuit bites only need 6 simple ingredients, take less than 20 minutes to make and can be baked in the air fryer or oven. We used sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, and mozzarella cheese for this easy recipe, but you can pick your favorite cheeses.

You can furthermore personalize these treats by adding different ingredients such as leftover ham, pizza sauce, pepperoni or eggs, for example. Serve with marinara sauce, honey mustard dipping sauce or other dipping sauces.

Get the Air Fryer Three Cheese Bombs Recipe

Ranch Dip

This easy recipe is a simple combination of sour cream, mayonnaise and ranch dressing mix. And the best part, this amazing dip is ready in only 5 minutes. You will get the best flavor using homemade ranch seasoning mix for this dip.

Serve creamy ranch dip with a bag of chips, tortilla chips, fresh veggies, such as carrots, red peppers or celery sticks, for example. Moreover, this flavorful dip also tastes amazing with fried fish, potato wedges, chicken wings, hot wings, potato skins or tater tots.

Get the Ranch Dip Recipe

Sour Cream and Onion Dip

This simple French onion dip recipe only uses 2 ingredients and is ready to serve in just 5 minutes. Sometimes also referred to as “California Dip”, this flavorful dip is a simple combination of sour cream and onion soup mix. Use homemade French onion soup mix for the most delicious flavor.

Serve this easy dip recipe with plain potato chips, crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, fresh veggie sticks, chex mix or pretzels.

Get the Sour Cream and Onion Dip Recipe

Creamy Dill Dip

You only need a bowl and a whisk to make this easy sour cream and mayo based dip that gets its flavor from fresh dill and aromatic spices. Even though it is ready in just 10 minutes, we recommend letting it rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to let the flavors develop. It is the perfect dip to make ahead of time when hosting a party.

Creamy dill dip makes a great center piece on a veggie platter, as it tastes delicious with carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and more. In addition, you can dip buttery crackers, fresh crusty bread or potato chips into this amazing cold dip.

Get the Creamy Dill Dip Recipe

Pull Apart Garlic Bread

This amazing game day appetizer is fluffy with an irresistible butter mixture, garlic, and loaded with gooey mozzarella and parmesan cheese. It can be made using store-bought or homemade bread dough.

Serve this cheesy garlic bread warm with a bowl of marinara sauce or your favorite super bowl dips. We love it alongside Pizza Dip, Spinach Artichoke Dip or Rotel Dip with Sausage.

Get the Pull Apart Garlic Bread Recipe

Mexican Inspired Game Day Snacks

Our favorite Mexican inspired game day appetizers include everything you love about Tex-Mex food. Crispy nachos, a modern twist on tacos, creamy dips, spicy jalapeño poppers and crunchy taquitos. We love serving Mexican inspired party snacks because they are flavorful, colorful and oh so delicious!

Loaded Beef Nachos

These colorful and mouthwatering beef nachos are loaded with juicy ground beef and beans filling, creamy and delicious nacho cheese sauce and topped with all your favorite Mexican toppings. Oven baked loaded beef nachos take less than 30 minutes to make and are an absolute super bowl party favorite.

Get the Loaded Beef Nachos Recipe

BBQ Chicken Nachos

These BBQ chicken nachos are a classic, crowd-pleasing game day snack that combines melty cheese, shredded chicken and loads of tasty Mexican flavors. It only takes 5 minutes to assemble these delicious nachos before they bake to melty goodness in the oven.

Top this one pan party snack with pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and chopped cilantro before serving.

Get the BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe

Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells

This Mexican Italian fusion dish is a scrumptious combination of juicy taco meat, melty cheese and crispy pasta shells. Cooked in the air fryer, they’re quick, easy and incredibly crispy as well.

Serve this crowd pleasing game day appetizer with a blend of sour cream and taco seasoning. Alternatively you can dip them in salsa or guacamole as well.

Get the Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe

Air Fryer Chipotle Chicken Stuffed Pasta

This 3 ingredient game day appetizer is easy to make, serves a crowd, and is full of flavor. All you need is jumbo shell pasta, your favorite cheese and cooked chicken marinated in Chipotle Marinade. Then simply fill the noodles with chicken and cheese and air fry to crispy perfection.

Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

Get the Air Fryer Chipotle Chicken Stuffed Pasta Recipe

Air Fryer Chipotle Chicken Wings

What makes these delicious game day appetizers so irresistible is the flavorful marinade made from olive oil, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, shallots, honey and spices. Simply blend everything together in a food processor, pour over the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes or up to a day. Then cook to perfection in the air fryer.

These wings come out crispy every time and only need 20 minutes of hands on prep time. Serve with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream or your favorite dipping sauce.

Get the Air Fryer Chipotle Chicken Wings Recipe

Queso Blanco

This amazing white queso is made from scratch with real cheese! We use evaporated milk and cornstarch for our silky smooth Mexican cheese sauce to avoid curdling or separation. Pour this smooth, creamy cheese sauce over nachos, tacos, baked potatoes or roasted vegetables.

Easy queso dip is a great appetizer, party or game day snack, but can also be served as part of a taco station or as a side dish for a Mexican inspired dinner.

Get the Queso Blanco Dip Recipe

The Best 7 Layer Dip

This easy appetizer is a beautiful mash-up of all your favorite Southwestern flavors including creamy refried beans and sour cream, salsa, fresh avocados, tomatoes and shredded cheese. It comes together in only 10 minutes and you can make it as spicy or mild as you like.

Serve this tasty appetizer and game day dish with sturdy tortilla chips, homemade tortilla chips, tostadas or other flavored corn chips.

Get the 7 Layer Dip Recipe

Chili Cheese Dip

This crowd pleaser combines cream cheese, comforting chili and lots of gooey cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack. Chili cheese dip cooks in the oven or in a crockpot. In case you are in a time crunch, you can assemble this creamy, and cheesy dip a day ahead of time.

Chili cheese dip tastes amazing with tortilla chips, Fritos, tostadas, crackers or veggie sticks.

Get the Chili Cheese Dip Recipe

Texas Trash Dip

This flavorful dip is a perfect blend of cream cheese, sour cream, refried beans, taco seasoning and cheese. Lots of cheese! It only takes 40 minutes to make this easy bean dip in the oven, however, you can also cook it in the slow cooker, if you prefer.

You can even assemble this perfect dip a day ahead of time. Serve Texas trash dip with your favorite tortilla chips, crackers or toasted white bread.

Get the Texas Trash Dip Recipe

Homemade Chicken Taquitos

These crispy chicken taquitos combine chicken, salsa, cream cheese, sour cream, Mexican cheese blend, spinach, green chiles and spices. They are done in less than 30 minutes and taste simply amazing. You can make these yummy party snacks in the oven, on the stovetop or in the air fryer.

Serve taquitos warm, garnished with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and chopped cilantro. Alternatively you can serve sauces on the side for dipping as well.

Get the Chicken Taquito Recipe

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño poppers are packed with a thick cream cheese filling, topped with crispy breadcrumbs, and cooked to a perfect golden brown in less than 10 minutes per batch! They are slightly spicy, cheesy and full of bacon. You can cook them in the air fryer or oven.

Serve with a bowl of ranch dressing or your sauce of choice for dipping.

Get the Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers Recipe

Southwest Chicken Roll-Ups

These easy to make game day appetizers combine everything you love about southwestern food. Simply fill tortillas with a mixture of cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, rotisserie chicken, green onions, black beans, rotel, jalapeños and spices. Then roll up, chill and slice!

They only take 15 minutes to make and then chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Roll-ups are therefore ideal to make ahead of time. You can make them up to a day before serving.

Get the Southwest Chicken Roll-Ups Recipe

Sweet Party Treats

Game day appetizers don’t always have to be savory, the best super bowl celebration is only complete with some decadent dessert snacks. We love serving creamy dessert dips and deep fried sweet finger foods at football game watch parties. Our sweet party treats are quick, easy and absolute crowd favorites.

Deep Fried Oreos

Yummy deep fried oreos are a classic American fair treat, but with this easy recipe you can enjoy them at home all year round. All you need to do is make a simple batter out of Bisquick pancake mix, milk, oil and an egg. Then dip oreos in the batter, deep fry and enjoy!

It only takes a couple of minutes to make this amazing and addictive party snack.

Get the Deep Fried Oreos Recipe

Deep Fried Snickers

This fun recipe takes your favorite candy bar to the next level. It is as easy as putting your favorite candy bar on a skewer, dipping it in batter, and deep frying it to golden brown perfection. In case you need some inspiration, TWIX and MARS bars are a great choice for caramel lovers.

You only need a few basic ingredients: Bisquick pancake mix, milk, oil, egg and candy bars. Your delicious deep fired candy bars are ready in just 30 minutes and will be a huge hit at your next game day party.

Get the Deep Fried Snickers Recipe

Deep Fried Cookie Dough Bites

Deep fried cookie dough is crispy on the outside and gooey and delicious on the inside. You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this easy recipe: Bisquick pancake mix, milk, oil, egg, and refrigerated cookie dough. Simply roll your favorite cookie dough into balls, dip them into pancake batter and deep fry in hot oil.

And the best part, it only takes 15 minutes to make this mouthwatering dessert. If you love eating cookie dough, this will be your new favorite dessert.

Get the Deep Fried Cookie Dough Recipe

Cookie Dough Dip

Cookie dough dip is generally made from cream cheese, butter, sugars, vanilla and add-ins, such as chocolate chips or toffee pieces. It does not contain any flour or raw eggs, and is therefore completely safe to eat! Ready in just 5 minutes, this is one of your absolute favorite dips.

Serve this creamy dip with chocolate chip cookies, fresh fruit, honey graham crackers, animal crackers, pretzel rods, vanilla wafers or apple slices. You can even dip pretzels into this sweet treat to get an irresistible sweet and salty combo.

Get the Cookie Dough Dip Recipe

Buckeye Dip

Buckeye dip tastes just like a blend of buckeye candies and peanut butter frosting. This easy cream cheese dip combines the two classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter. It uses only 6 simple ingredients and is ready in just 5 minutes.

Serve with chocolate graham crackers, pretzels, Nilla wafers or cookies. This amazing dip is especially popular at holiday parties, on super bowl Sunday or Valentine’s day.

Get the Buckeye Dip Recipe

Cannoli Dip

This sweet and creamy dip is basically a deconstructed cannoli. It only uses 5 ingredients and is ready in just 5 minutes. It is usually made from ricotta, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla and chocolate chips.

A perfect party dessert, this great dip can be served with cannoli chips, cone pieces, waffle cookies, graham crackers or fresh fruit.

Get the Cannoli Dip Recipe

S’mores Skillet Cookie Dip

This scrumptious dessert dip combines a warm and gooey chocolate chip cookie base with a toasted marshmallow s’mores top. The cookie dough in this amazing dip is made from scratch and only uses simple ingredients. Best of all, this oven baked treat is ready in just 30 minutes. If you love s’mores you’ll love this s’mores skillet cookie!

Serve this fun twist on a summer time classic with graham crackers or simply spoon it out of the pan.

Get the S’mores Skillet Cookie Dip Recipe

Jello Shots

These fun, colorful and fruity jello cups are the ultimate party cocktail. They are incredibly easy to make, perfect to make ahead of time and super versatile. You can choose any delicious flavor of jello you like, combine it with your favorite potent potable and create instant party fun! You can even make layered jello shots in your team’s colors for next game day or super bowl Sunday.

Tequila Sunrise Jello Shots

These orange and red jello shots are bursting with yummy citrus flavor, a hint of grenadine and a slight kick from the tequila. Tequila sunrise jello shots combine orange jello, water, orange juice, tequila and grenadine sirup.

You can prepare these crowd favorites up to 7 days ahead of time, and keep them in the fridge until ready to serve. Decorate them right before serving.

Get the Tequila Sunrise Jello Shot Recipe

Piña Colada Jello Shots

The tropical flavor combination of pineapple and coconut in these yummy jello cups creates summer feeling and party fun all year round. All you need is coconut rum, water, pineapple jello, sweetened condensed milk and coconut cream. Piña colada jello shots only take 10 minutes to make, before chilling for 2 hours in the fridge.

For easy party planning, you can make these crowd pleasing jello shots up to 7 days ahead of time. Simply keep them refrigerated and decorate them right before serving.

Get the Piña Colada Jello Shot Recipe

Orange Creamsicle Jello Shots

This amazing combination of tangy orange with sweet and creamy vanilla takes you right back to your childhood. Orange creamsicle jello shots only use 5 simple ingredients: vanilla vodka, water, orange jello, orange juice and sweetened condensed milk.

It only takes 10 minutes of hands on prep time to make these amazing party treats. Make jello shots up to 7 days ahead of time, then store in the fridge until ready to serve. Decorate them right before serving.

Get the Orange Creamsicle Jello Shot Recipe

Candy Corn Jello Shots

These layered jello cups are the perfect combination of fresh and fruity jello with smooth and creamy vanilla. You can use lemon or pineapple jello for the the yellow layer and orange or peach jello for the the orange one. Create your own favorite flavor combination! Additionally you can make layered jello shots in the colors of your favorite team for the next big game day.

Prepare these colorful jello shots a couple days ahead of time and store them in the fridge until ready to serve.

Get the Candy Corn Jello Shot Recipe

45 Game Day Appetizers: The Best Snack Recipes For A Party

Whether you are looking for a delicious appetizer or a fun party snack, our list of favorite game day foods has got you covered! Choose from meaty, vegetarian, Mexican Inspired, sweet and boozy snacks. Our recipes are out of this world delicious, quick and easy to make!

Course Appetizer, Dessert, side

Cuisine American, Italian, Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword cold dips, game day appetizers, game day food, party appetizers, party snack recipes, party snacks, super bowl snacks, warm dips

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

Meaty Party Snacks:

Vegetarian Game Day Appetizers:

Mexican Inspired Game Day Snacks:

Sweet Party Treats:

Jello Shots:

Instructions

Choose your favorite game day appetizer recipe.
Gather all the ingredients.
Prepare party snack.
Enjoy with your guests!

Notes

Please check each recipe for detailed instructions on

how to make the dip
what to serve with your delicious party snack
and how to store leftovers safely.

The post 45 Game Day Appetizers: The Best Party Snacks appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy Basil Pesto Pasta With Meatballs

Andrea + Stef — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 02:52:00 +0000

Easy basil pesto pasta with meatballs is a delicious and crowd pleasing meal the whole family enjoys. We love how easy this homemade pesto sauce comes together in only 10 minutes. This easy weeknight meal is very versatile and can be tossed with all your favorite noodles and meat. We used spinach and turkey meatballs to make this a healthy skillet meal but you can use Italian meatballs, chicken or shrimp if you prefer. Without doubt, this easy recipe for the best fettuccine pesto will be a huge hit with your family.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: quick and easy meal bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors, that tastes great with chicken, meatballs and shrimp
Main Ingredients: fresh basil leaves, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, pasta noodles, cooked meatballs and spices
Cooking Method: stovetop
Nutrients: packed with antioxidants, healthy fats and calcium
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time and 20 minutes cook time
Pairs well with: fresh crunchy salad, garlic bread, Caprese salad, roasted vegetables
Special Equipment Needed: large pot or saucepan, skillet, food processor, kitchen tongs

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this pesto fettuccine recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this pesto pasta fettuccine recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Fettuccine With Pesto Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)
½ cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
1 lb pasta noodles
25-30 cooked meatballs

Optional Garnish

chopped fresh basil and freshly gated parmesan cheese

Variations and Substitutions

Basil: Use fresh basil from a plant or freshly cut. Do not substitute dried basil. You can, however, substitute half or all of the basil for baby spinach, if you like.

Parmesan: In case you’re in a pinch, you can use grated parmesan from your refrigerated deli section. We don’t recommend using the grated parmesan you find on the shelves in the center aisles of your grocery store.

Nuts: We love pesto with pine nuts, however, you can substitute walnuts to make tasty basil walnut pesto. It really depends on your personal preference. Use walnut pesto the same way you’d use any pesto.

Pasta: As a matter of fact, there is no best pasta for pesto. Even though we used fettuccine for this recipe, you can use any pasta of your choice.

Meatballs: You can use store-bought meatballs or make your own. Any style of meatball works great with fettuccine pesto. Have you tired our Air Fryer Meatballs, Turkey Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs or Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs?

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you loved this homemade pesto fettuccine recipe, try our Chicken Pesto Calzone. You’ll love them because they are crispy and golden brown on the outside and stuffed with melty cheese, juicy chicken and tasty pesto.

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Food Processor — We are using a food processor to make the pesto, but a blender would work well too.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook pesto pasta with meatballs on the stovetop, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below.

COOK PASTA: Firstly, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, add salt and cook pasta according to package instructions. When the pasta is al dente, drain and set the hot pasta aside. Reserve starchy pasta water (¼ cup) if you want to add it to your pasta later with your pesto.

HEAT MEATBALLS: Then heat meatballs if they’ve been refrigerated or frozen.

STEP 1: Place basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper into a food processor.

STEP 2: Blend the ingredients together until the basil and pine nuts are broken up into small pieces.

STEP 3: Afterwards, slowly add olive oil to food processor while pulsing.

STEP 4: Keep adding a little olive oil at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

STEP 5: In a warm skillet, heat the pesto a little bit. Then add drained pasta to your own pesto and toss. If needed, add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to thin out the pesto. Afterwards, add the meatballs to the top of the fettuccine al pesto.

ENJOY: Finally, sprinkle freshly grated parmesan over the basil pesto pasta with meatballs and enjoy.

Stef says….

I love using this easy and scrumptious pesto for my Pesto Pasta Salad. This beautiful, flavorful, and easy to make, pasta salad brings a little bit of the Mediterranean to your table!

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love Italian inspired meatball dinners then you’ll love our Easy Baked Cheesy Meatball Sub Sandwich. This meatball stuffed sandwich bake is cheesy and full of flavor. Try pesto instead of marinara sauce for this perfect meal.

Make Ahead

Homemade pesto lasts for a about a week in the fridge. You can therefore prepare the sauce a couple of days ahead of time. Then store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best easy basil pesto pasta with meatballs.

Tip: Make sure to use fresh and bright green basil for your pesto.
Tip: Use high quality meatballs. Use your favorite frozen meatballs or make your own.
Tip: Thin out the pesto with leftover pasta water to get perfectly creamy pesto pasta.

What To Serve With Homemade Pesto Pasta with Meatballs

We love to eat easy basil pesto pasta with meatballs all by themselves. But sometimes you need to serve it as a meal. Try one of these tasty recipes:

Bread: Serve 10-minute pesto pasta with crusty bread or soft dinner rolls. Garlic French Bread is made with fresh parmesan cheese and store-bought French bread. If you have extra time make Pizza Dough Garlic Knots.

Salad: Pair this best pesto pasta recipe with a fresh salad. A green salad like our amazing Italian Salad or Chopped Asparagus Salad. Or even a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil or Antipasto Salad.

Side Dish: This fettuccine pesto main dish would taste great with Roasted Vegetables, Parmesan Roasted Broccoli or Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus.

More Pasta Recipes

We are big fans of simple recipes for yummy weeknight pasta meals. They are quick, easy, comforting and oh so good. Here are some of our other favorite pasta dishes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Store homemade pesto pasta leftovers in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to one week in the fridge.

Freeze: Store leftovers in a freezer ziploc bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Defrosting: Our favorite way to defrost fettuccine pesto leftovers is in the refrigerator overnight.

How To Reheat

You can reheat leftover basil pesto pasta with meatballs in the microwave the next day.

Andrea says….

I’m all about healthy eating right now and I’m pulling out my favorite healthy recipes that are full of bold flavor to keep me excited! This Pesto Chicken Wrap is super simple and such a quick and easy dish to make.

Common Questions

Can you add pasta water to your own pesto?

In case you find your pesto is sticky, you can mix your pesto with ¼ cup of the pasta water before mixing with your noodles. In case you didn’t save any pasta water, add some regular water.

What do you pair with homemade pesto sauce?

Pesto pairs naturally with cooked pasta, as a sauce on pizza or sandwiches, as a dressing on a salad or as a dip for garlic bread, for example. Additionally you can use it as a substitute for marinara sauce in a lasagna.

What flavors pair well with pesto?

Any dishes with similar ingredients (parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, basil) work well with the fresh flavors of pesto. You can also pair it well with cheese like mozzarella, for example. Pesto pairs especially well with grilled chicken or meatballs. Additionally, you can try it as a salad dressing with fresh tomatoes or dip for bread as well.

How can I use up easy pesto pasta leftovers?

In case you can’t eat all this fettuccine pesto try making it into another easy dinner. Try adding leftovers to a baking dish and then cover with fresh mozzarella slices. Bake at 350°F until the cheese is melted and any meat in your pasta is heated through again. Moreover, you can make a cold pesto pasta salad from the leftovers. Firstly, remove any leftover meat from the creamy pesto pasta. Then add sliced black olives, chunks of mozzarella, sliced grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, diced bell peppers or any other vegetables you want to add.

Easy Basil Pesto Pasta with Meatballs

Delicious pesto fettuccine pasta with meatballs makes a healthy and delicious meal for the whole family.

Course dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword easy pesto pasta, easy pesto recipe, fettuccine and meatballs, homemade pesto, meatballs, pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 540kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

large pot
Food Processor or blender
large skillet

Ingredients

Pesto Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
½ cup parmesan freshly grated
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon garlic minced
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper freshly ground

Pasta Ingredients

1 pound fettuccine pasta noodles
30 meatballs cooked

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a stock pot or large saucepan. Follow pasta package instructions to cook noodles. When cooked, drain and set aside.
Heat meatballs if they've been refrigerated or frozen.
In a food processor, blend basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper.
Slowly add olive oil to the food processor while pulsing.
In a warm skillet, toss pasta with pesto. Add meatballs on top of the pasta.
Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

Optional: Substitute half the basil for spinach.
Optional: Substitute walnuts for pine nuts.
If your pesto is very thick, you can add a little more olive oil.
Use your favorite kind of meatball. We used turkey meatballs in this recipe.

Nutrition

The post Easy Basil Pesto Pasta With Meatballs appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy Hot Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe

Andrea + Stef — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 00:07:00 +0000

If you are a pizza lover, this cheesy, gooey and absolutely delicious hot pepperoni pizza dip is perfect for you. Mouthwatering layers of seasoned cream cheese, pizza sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and pepperoni combine all your favorite pizza flavors within this oven baked dip.

Served with crusty bread or your favorite crackers, pepperoni pizza dip is an amazing appetizer to an Italian dinner, but can also be served at your next party, movie night or on game days.

You can also easily personalize this dip by adding your favorite pizza toppings instead of slices of pepperoni. Not a meat lover? Make this easy pizza dip vegetarian by topping it with vegetables such as black olives, green bell peppers or red onions.

WHAT IS PIZZA DIP?

This super yummy and addictive oven baked dip starts out with a layer of seasoned cream cheese, that is topped with a layer of tasty pizza or marinara sauce. Then sprinkled with two of Italy’s most popular cheeses: mozzarella and parmesan and finally topped with pepperoni slices. It combines all the flavors of a pepperoni pizza in a mouthwatering dip.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: pizza dip is creamy, cheesy, full of flavor and can easily be personalized with your favorite pizza toppings
Main Ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, pepperoni
Cooking Method: air fryer, oven baked
Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time and 25 minutes cook time
Pairs well with: crusty bread, pita chips, crackers, bagel chips, tortilla chips, garlic bread, french bread, pita bread, fresh bell peppers
Diets: keto friendly, gluten free
Special Equipment Needed: medium bowl, electric hand mixer, air fryer, oven-proof skillet

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this hot cheesy pizza dip recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this pepperoni pizza dip you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Easy Pizza Dip Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese (softened)
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ¼ cup pizza sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
10 pepperoni slices

Optional Garnish

Fresh basil

Substitutions

Pizza Sauce: Use your favorite store bought pizza or marinara sauce or make your own. Check out our recipe for the best, easy to make Marinara Sauce.

Italian Seasoning: You can substitute plain oregano, or make your own Italian seasoning for this easy party dip.

Cheeses: For best results, shred your own cheeses. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives and doesn’t melt as well or taste as good.

Pepperoni: Original or turkey pepperoni work well. You can also use mini pepperoni.

Variations:

Add extra cheese or use less cheese, depending on your preference.
Add different meat options: ham, grilled chicken, bacon, or sausage.
Try making your dip vegetarian by topping it with roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, or sliced black olives.
Make it Hawaiian by topping it with diced ham, bacon bits and pineapple chuncks.
Try a Buffalo twist, top with grilled chicken and crumbled up blue cheese, bake, and then top with just the right amount of Buffalo sauce.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this cheesy dip recipe with pepperoni, try our Rotel Dip with Sausage. You’ll love it because you only need 3 simple ingredients to make this super easy, cheesy and absolutely delicious dip.

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Cast Iron Pan — A cast iron skillet works best for this recipe, because it retains heat for a long time. It therefore keeps the dip warm and gooey till it’s all eaten up. However, any oven safe pan, baking dish or a 9-inch pie plate will work as well.

Electric Mixer – Use an electric hand mixer to make the cream cheese layer for this good pizza dip.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook pepperoni pizza dip in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For printable instructions and nutritional information see the recipe card below.

Prep: Firstly, heat oven to 350ºF. Then grate cheeses and measure ingredients.

Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

Step 2: Using a hand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth.

Step 3: Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a cast iron skillet or pie baking dish.

Step 4: Top cream cheese layer with pizza sauce and sprinkle with the two types of cheese.

Step 5: Then top with pepperoni. You can add some extra pepperoni, but note that pepperoni releases grease when cooked, so too much pepperoni could make your dip extra greasy.

Step 6: Bake uncovered in an 350 f oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Let rest for 5 minutes then serve with chips, crusty bread, pita crackers or thick slices of bell pepper.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love the delicious flavor of easy to make party dips then you’ll love our Million Dollar Dip. This crowd pleaser is full of yummy cheese, crispy bacon and crunchy almonds.

How To Make Pizza Dip Ahead

Hot pizza dip can also easily be made ahead. Simply assemble the dip, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Pull the dip out of the refrigerator and bake when you are ready to serve it. You might have to increase cooking time, because the uncooked dip will be very cold.

How To Make Pizza Dip In The Air Fryer

You can also cook this easy pizza dip recipe in the air fryer if you prefer:

Preheat the air fryer to 325ºF.
In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Then spread cheese mixture into the bottom of a pie tin or cake pan that fits easily into your air fryer.
Top with pizza sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
Top with pepperoni slices.
Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Let the dip rest for 5 minutes, then serve with chips, crusty bread, pita crackers or thick slices of bell pepper.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best baked pizza dip appetizer.

Tip: For best results, use room temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese will not mix together well with the other ingredients.
Tip: Taste the pizza sauce before using if it’s store bought. Not all pizza sauce is equal. Make sure you like it!
Tip: Shred your own mozzarella cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has preservatives and doesn’t melt as well or taste as good.
Tip: Do not add too much pepperoni. Pepperoni releases grease when it’s cooked and your dip will be very greasy if there’s too much pepperoni.

More Amazing Dip Recipes

If you love this hot cheesy pizza dip recipe, then you’ll enjoy these other delicious appetizer recipes:

More Delicious Pizza Recipes

If you love love pepperoni pizza dip you’ll also enjoy Grilled Pizza, Thick Crust Pizza and these easy recipes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: You can store uncooked pepperoni pizza dip in the fridge for up to 24 hours. We recommend eating baked pizza dip immediately. You can store hot pizza dip leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: We do not recommend freezing this dip.

How To Reheat

You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, oven or air fryer. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and bake your dip until heated through, about 10-15 minutes. For the air fryer, put your dip in a pie tin or cake pan and air fry at 325ºF for 5-10 minutes.

Common Questions

Are pizza sauce and marinara sauce the same?

Even though they contain very similar ingredients, there are some slight differences. For example pizza sauce has a thicker consistency and often contains olive oil, while marinara sauce has a lighter consistency and often contains onions or shallots. You can use both sauces in this recipe with similar results.

Can I cook hot pizza dip in the air fryer?

Yes, preheat your air fryer to 325ºF. Prepare the hot pizza dip as described in the recipe. Use a cake pan or pie tin that fits your air fryer instead of a cast iron pan. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes in the air fryer. Let rest for 5 minutes then serve.

Is it possible to add other toppings to this pepperoni dip?

Of course! Prepare the hot pizza dip as instructed in the recipe until the mozzarella and parmesan cheese layer. Now you can get creative and top the dip with your favorite toppings, such as green peppers, black olives or ham, for example.

What to serve with cheesy pizza dip?

You can serve this delicious pizza dip with different types of crusty bread, such as baguette slices, ciabatta, bread sticks or pizza bread. Pizza dip is also a great way to use up stale white bread. Simple cut the bread in slices and toast them in the oven until golden brown and crispy.
Pita chips, bagel chips, crackers, pretzels or thick slices of bell pepper are other great options to serve with this dip.
Oven baked pepperoni dip also makes a perfect appetizer when served with garlic knots and Italian salad.

Easy Hot Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe

This creamy and cheesy hot pizza dip has everything you love in pizza. Enjoy dipping crusty bread, vegetables or crackers in this game day favorite.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked cheese dip, cheesy pepperoni dip, hot pizza dip, pepperoni pizza dip, pizza dip

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 247kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

Medium Bowl
hand mixer
spatula
cast iron pan or other oven safe pan, or baking dish

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese softened
½ cup sour cream
1½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
⅛ tsp garlic powder
1¼ cups pizza sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
10 slices of pepperoni

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Using a hand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth.
Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a cast iron skillet or pie dish.
Spread the pizza sauce over the cream cheese mixture.
Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the top of the pizza sauce.
Top the cheese with pepperoni slices. Add more if you prefer a lot of pepperoni. Note that pepperoni expresses grease when cooked, so too much pepperoni could make your dip extra greasy.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Serve while warm.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES:

Add more or less cheese, depending on your taste.
Optional: Add an ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the cream cheese mixture.
Use any pizza toppings you prefer. Try sliced olives, mushrooms, peppers, or sausage.
To make ahead, prepare the dip up until the point of cooking but do not cook. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cooking time may increase if ingredients are very cold.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Serve with crusty bread, pita chips or crackers.
Serve as an appetizer with Italian Salad and garlic knots.

Nutrition

The post Easy Hot Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

Air Fryer 3 Cheese Biscuit Bombs

Andrea + Stef — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 15:00:00 +0000

These easy and delicious 3 cheese biscuit bombs are perfect for cheese lovers. They cook up quickly and perfectly in the air fryer. There is simply nothing better than soft and flaky biscuit dough wrapped around melty cheese. You can easily personalize these treats by trying different sorts of cheese or adding different ingredients like leftover ham, pizza sauce, pepperoni or eggs to the filling.

No doubt, cheese bombs make the perfect appetizer for any meal and are best served with a bowl of marinara sauce. If you don’t want to use a store bought sauce, then check out our recipe for insanely good homemade marinara sauce.

Cheese biscuit bites are also great as a side dish for soups and salads or a perfect game day snack or party food.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: easy cheese bomb recipe made with golden brown flaky biscuits and ooey gooey melted cheese centers, they go great with many dipping sauces
Main Ingredients: refrigerator flaky biscuits, sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, melted butter, Italian seasoning
Cooking Method: air fryer
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 6 minutes baking time
Pairs well with: marinara sauce, honey mustard dipping sauce, crunchy salad, chili, soups
Diets: vegetarian
Special Equipment Needed: sharp knife and cutting board, pastry brush, small bowl, air fryer

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for these cheese bombs with biscuits in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the local grocery store! If this is your first time making this air fryer cheese bombs recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Cheese Stuffed Biscuits Ingredients

1 can large refrigerator biscuits (we like Grand’s biscuits)
6 oz cheddar cheese
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese
6 oz mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Optional Garnish

Italian seasoning, coarse sea salt, bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds

Substitutions

Biscuit Dough: We love using canned breakfast biscuits for convenience. However, you can substitute homemade biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, crescent rolls dough or even pizza dough with similar results.

Cheese: Substitute your favorite cheese for the cheddar, Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese. You can get creative with the cheese filling, try Swiss cheese, Gruyere, pepper jack, brie or any type of cheese you prefer.

Italian Seasoning: You can use store-bought spice, homemade Italian seasoning, oregano or pizza spice for this comfort food.

Add garlic: If you are a big fan of garlic flavor, add a sprinkle of garlic powder to the cheese filling and/or to the the melted butter. Then use the garlic butter mixture to baste the biscuits. Moreover, you can try using garlic butter biscuits.

Toppings: You can also top your cheese bombs with oregano or pizza seasoning. For a bit of a salty kick, try sprinkling them with a little salt. Another great option would be some everything-bagel seasoning. You can even top biscuit bombs with some chopped fresh basil, but only after they are done baking to keep the fresh green color. Freshly grated parmesan cheese would also be a good choice.

Possible Variations

BREAKFAST BISCUIT BITES – These biscuit bites are filled with scrambled eggs and crisp bacon for a perfect handheld breakfast.

HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICH BITES – Ham and cheese wrapped in a flaky biscuit crust and baked in the air fryer. An easy and quick lunch.

PEPPERONI BOMBS – Simply add 1-2 slices of pepperoni to your cheese center and prepare as described.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this air fryer cheese biscuits recipe, try our low carb Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks. You’ll love them because crusty cauliflower breadsticks have a layer of cheesy goodness on top and just the right amount of seasoning.

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Instructions

This section shows how to cook biscuit cheese bombs in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Cut 16 cheese cubes of each type of cheese and cut biscuit dough in half so you have 16 pieces of dough.

Step 2: Flatten each biscuit piece so it’s large enough to wrap around 3 cheese cubes.

Step 3: Place 3 pieces of cheese in the center of the buttery biscuit circle.

Step 4: Wrap biscuit around the cheese cubes. Seal it closed with your fingers.

Step 5: Place cheese biscuits into the air fryer basket so they are not touching. You might have to do two batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. Then, baste the tops of the cheese bombs with the melted butter using a pastry brush.

Step 6: Sprinkle cheesy biscuit bombs with Italian seasoning. Add a little salt, if you prefer.

Step 7: Cook in the air fryer at 350ºF for 6 minutes or until cooked and golden brown. Time may vary depending on your machine so check them at 5 minutes. In case you like your biscuit bombs extra buttery, baste the tops with butter again at this point.

Finally, let them cool for a few minutes before eating. In case the cheese bombs look dry after they come out of the air fryer, baste the tops again with melted butter.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love easy and delicious biscuit recipes then you’ll love our Deep Fried Strawberry Shortcake. This lovely summer dessert combines deep fried biscuits with sweet strawberries and whipped cream.

Make Ahead

You can fill and shape these cheesy biscuit bites a couple of hours before baking. Make sure to tightly wrap with plastic wrap, then store them in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Oven Baked Appetizers with Canned Biscuits

You can in fact make this great recipe in the oven as well. Place the cheese bombs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and bake at 375ºF for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and baked through. Brush biscuits again with melted butter before serving.

Stef says….

If you also love everything cheesy, try these amazing Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells. This Olive Garden copycat recipe is so simple to make and bursting with parmesan, provolone and mozzarella cheese.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best cheese-stuffed biscuits.

Tip: Use a blend of your favorite cheeses to fill these canned biscuits in air fryer.
Tip: Make sure the biscuits are closed up so they don’t open and leak cheese all over.
Tip: Baste with melted butter, garlic butter or olive oil so the tops don’t dry out.

What To Serve With 3 Cheese Biscuit Bombs

We love to eat air fryer cheese bombs all by themselves. But sometimes you need to serve it as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Main Dish: Serve cheese stuffed biscuits as a side dish with your favorite Italian meal, such as Italian Meatballs, Easy Lasagna, or Baked Ravioli, for example. Moreover, cheese bombs taste great with Easy Chili or Ground Beef Vegetable Soup.

Salad: Pair 3 cheese biscuit bombs with a fresh salad. A green salad like amazing Italian Salad or Chopped Asparagus Salad. Or even a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

Sides: Traditionally, gooey cheese biscuits are served with a dip. Our homemade marinara sauce is the perfect addition to this yummy dish.

More Biscuit Bomb Recipes

We love air fryer recipes with canned biscuits, because they are so easy, delicious and versatile. Some of our absolute favorite biscuit bombs are:

How To Store

Refrigerate: If you have leftover cheesy biscuit bites, store them in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: If you would like to freeze your leftovers, individually wrap each biscuit bite with plastic wrap and put them into a ziptop freezer bag or a freezer safe container. 3 cheese biscuit bombs can be frozen for up to a month.

Defrost: To defrost, unwrap desired number of air fryer cheese biscuit bites completely and put them on a microwave safe plate. Cover them with a paper towel. Reheat in the microwave for 1 – 1 ½ minutes, depending on your machine.

How To Reheat

To reheat, pop cheese bombs in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Additionally you can reheat fluffy biscuits filled with gooey melted cheese in the air fryer for a couple of minutes.

Common Questions

Does it matter what kind of refrigerated dough I use for this simple recipe?

You can use refrigerated canned biscuits homemade biscuit dough, crescent or pizza dough for similar results.

Are cheese bombs good with dip?

They are wonderful with dip. One perfect option would be Marinara sauce, but 3 cheese biscuit bombs would also be good with other dips of your choice. Cheese balls are also a great side dish for soups or salad.

I don’t have an air fryer. Can these cheese bombs also be baked in the oven?

Yes, you can also place the cheese bombs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them at 375ºF for about 10 minutes until golden brown and baked through. Brush biscuits again with melted butter.

Air Fryer 3 Cheese Biscuit Bombs

These cheese filled biscuit bites are the perfect start to a meal. You can use your favorite cheeses to create this mouthwatering appetizer.

Course Appetizer, breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword air fryer appetizers, air fryer cheese biscuit bomb, cheddar cheese, cheese bombs, monterey jack cheese, mozzarella cheese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 16

Servings bombs

Calories 221kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

knife and cutting board
pastry brush
Air Fryer

Ingredients

1 can large refrigerator biscuits
6 oz cheddar cheese
6 oz monterey jack cheese
6 oz mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon butter melted
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

Cut each type of cheese into 16 cubes. Set aside.
Open the can of biscuits. Split each biscuit in half, so you end up with 16 dough pieces.
Flatten each biscuit piece into a circular shape. Place 3 pieces of cheese (one of each type of cheese) in the center of the biscuit circle.
Wrap the biscuit dough around the cheese, pinch the seams together with your fingers to seal closed.
Place cheese bombs into the air fryer basket so they are not touching. You might have to do two sets, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Baste the tops of the cheese bombs with the melted butter using a pastry brush.
Then sprinkle them with Italian seasoning.
Cook in the air fryer at 350ºF for 6 minutes. Time may vary depending on your machine so check them at 5 minutes.
Remove cheese bombs from air fryer when the tops are a deep golden brown and they are baked through.
Let them cool for a few minutes before eating. Serve them with a bowl of your favorite marinara sauce.

Notes

You may want to baste the tops of the cheese bombs when they come out of the air fryer again if they look dry.

You can also use refrigerated canned crescent dough or pizza dough with similar results.

Try making these cheesy biscuit bites with Swiss cheese, Gruyere, pepper jack, brie or any type of cheese you prefer.

Try sprinkling a little salt on top before cooking for a bit of a salty kick.

Nutrition

MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

The post Air Fryer 3 Cheese Biscuit Bombs appeared first on Family Dinners.

22 Crowd-Pleaser Dips: The Best Party Dip Recipes

Andrea + Stef — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 02:44:49 +0000

Whether you are hosting a family gathering, game day event, backyard bbq or just a party with friends, crowd-pleaser dips are always everyone’s favorite. They can be cheesy, meaty, creamy, crunchy, sweet, savory, warm or cold, but above all, easy party dip recipes are bursting with delicious flavor. Serve crowd pleaser dips with potato chips, crackers, tortilla chips, crusty bread, cookies, graham crackers or fresh fruit and vegetables. This is a list of our all time favorite party dips. They are scrumptious, quick, easy to make and definitely satisfy all your dip cravings!

Hot Dip Recipes

Warm dips are very versatile and can be served as an easy appetizer at a dinner party, a snack at your next party or even as a fun lunch combined with crusty bread and a crunchy salad. Our favorite easy dip recipes only use simple ingredients, do not require fancy equipment and taste great at any special occasion. If you’re serving them at a Super Bowl party, put them in a crockpot to keep them warm.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Slow-cooker buffalo chicken dip is a scrumptious combination of juicy chicken, zingy ranch dressing, hot buffalo sauce and melty cheese. It only takes 10 minutes to prepare this hot dip, then it cooks all by itself in the crockpot. You can even make this crowd-pleasing party snack in the oven, if you prefer.

Serve this delicious dip with corn chips, crackers, veggies or toasted white bread. It will be a crowd favorite at your next super bowl party.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

Texas Trash Dip

You can even assemble this perfect dip a day ahead of time. Serve Texas trash dip with your favorite tortilla chips, crackers or toasted white bread.

Get the Texas Trash Dip Recipe

Chili Cheese Dip

Chili cheese dip tastes amazing with tortilla chips, Fritos, tostadas, crackers or veggie sticks.

Get the Chili Cheese Dip Recipe

Crack Corn Dip

Crack corn dip is creamy, cheesy and packed with golden corn. This tasty dip is made from frozen corn, green chilies, sour cream, cream cheese, shredded cheese and spices. It can be oven baked or cooked in a crockpot. You can even prepare it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

It tastes great with tortilla chips, tostadas, crackers or pita chips and is always a huge hit on game days, at summer cookouts or parties.

Get the Crack Corn Dip Recipe

Rotel Dip with Sausage

This absolute crowd pleaser only requires 3 ingredients: Velveeta cheese, Rotel tomatoes and sausage. Rotel is a mixture of petit diced tomatoes, green and spices, almost like salsa. It cooks up on the stovetop in a record 15 minutes! However, rotel dip also cooks in a slow cooker, if you prefer.

Serve this crowd-pleaser dip with tortilla chips, pita chips, bagel chips, crackers, pretzels or fresh vegetables. This scrumptious appetizer is one of the best dip recipes ever.

Get the Rotel Dip Recipe

Easy Hot Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe

Delicious hot pepperoni pizza dip combines mouthwatering layers of seasoned cream cheese, pizza sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and pepperoni. You can also easily personalize this oven baked dip by adding your favorite pizza toppings such as black olives, green bell peppers or red onion, for example.

Serve this yummy party snack with crusty bread, pita chips, crackers, bagel chips, tortilla chips, garlic bread, french bread, pita bread or fresh bell peppers.

Get the Cheesy Pizza Dip Recipe

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

Hot spinach and artichoke dip is an oven baked classic, that can be served as a perfect appetizer or delicious party dip. It is a blend of cream cheese, butter, sour cream, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, spinach and artichoke hearts.

Serve this creamy spinach dip with toasted white bread, tortilla chips, pita chips, bagel chips, raw veggies, or crackers.

Get the Artichoke Spinach Dip Recipe

Queso Blanco

Queso is a great appetizer, party or game day snack, but can also be served as part of a taco station or as a side dish for a Mexican inspired dinner.

Get the Queso Blanco Dip Recipe

Mississippi Sin Dip

This scrumptious football season favorite is a blend of cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ham, green onions and cheddar cheese. It can be baked in a bread bowl or casserole dish.

Get the Mississippi Sin Dip Recipe

Cold Dip Recipes

The great thing about cold dips, they only use a few simple ingredients and are ready in just minutes. Cold dips can be prepared several hours or up to 2 days ahead of time and then refrigerated until ready to use. They therefore make party preparations easy and a lot less stressful. Additionally, cold dips make great appetizers for dinner parties or simply serve them with drinks!

The Best 7 Layer Dip

Serve this perfect appetizer and game day dish with sturdy tortilla chips, homemade tortilla chips, tostadas or other flavored corn chips.

Get the 7 Layer Dip Recipe

Crack Dip

Our mouthwatering crack dip combines cheddar cheese, real bacon bits, sour cream, cream cheese and ranch dip mix. This simple recipe is ready in just 5 minutes and is therefore also a great option when you need something quick for surprise guests.

Ranch crack dip tastes amazing with buttery crackers, tortilla chips, potato chips, pita chips, fresh veggies or toasted slices of French bread.

Get the Crack Dip Recipe

Million Dollar Dip

Even though you only need a bowl, a wooden spoon and 5 ingredients for this easy dip recipe, it tastes like a million bucks! Mayonnaise serves as the creamy base for this amazing dip, but can be substituted with greek yoghurt or sour cream. Its other main ingredients are cheddar cheese, green onions, almonds and bacon.

This is one of the easiest but most flavorful party dip recipes ever. Serve million dollar dip with buttery crackers, tortilla chips, celery sticks, carrot sticks, bagel chips, pita chips, salty pretzels or any of your favorite crackers.

Get the Million Dollar Dip Recipe

Sour Cream and Onion Dip

Serve this easy dip recipe with plain potato chips, crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, fresh veggie sticks, or pretzels.

Get the Sour Cream and Onion Dip Recipe

Ranch Dip

Get the Ranch Dip Recipe

Dill Pickle Dip

The base for this mouthwatering dip is made by mixing up sour cream, cream cheese and ranch seasoning mix. Then simply add sliced deli ham, green onions and your favorite dill pickles and you have a crowd favorite dip that is ready in just minutes.

Enjoy this creamy and zingy dill pickle dip with Ritz crackers, Triscuits, potato chips, pretzels or with fresh veggies, such as carrots, red peppers or celery sticks, for example. Additionally, this amazing appetizer also tastes great on sandwiches.

Get the Dill Pickle Dip Recipe

Creamy Dill Dip

Get the Creamy Dill Dip Recipe

Sweet Dip Recipes

When you hear crowd-pleaser dips, you most likely think of savory dips. However, sweet dips are also a must have dessert at a good party. Dessert dips have a sweet creamy base and delicious add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, or mini M&Ms, for example. They are the ultimate party food and all your guests will love them.

Cannoli Dip

A perfect party dessert, this great dip can be served with cannoli chips, cone pieces, waffle cookies, graham crackers or fresh fruit.

Get the Cannoli Dip Recipe

Buckeye Dip

Serve with chocolate graham crackers, pretzels, Nilla wafers or cookies. This amazing dip is especially popular at holiday parties, on super bowl Sunday or Valentine’s day.

Get the Buckeye Dip Recipe

Cookie Dough Dip

Serve this classic dip with chocolate chip cookies, fresh fruit, honey graham crackers, animal crackers, pretzel rods, vanilla wafers or apple slices. You can even dip pretzels into this sweet treat to get an irresistible sweet and salty combo.

Get the Cookie Dough Dip Recipe

S’mores Skillet Cookie Dip

Serve this fun twist on a summer time classic with graham crackers or simply spoon it out of the pan.

Get the S’mores Skillet Cookie Dip Recipe

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip

Peanut butter cheesecake dip only uses 5 simple ingredients: cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, heavy cream and vanilla. Moreover, this amazing peanut butter and cream cheese fruit dip takes only about 5 minutes to make and can be served immediately! Simply combine all ingredients in a food processor and you end up with the most delicious fruit dip.

Enjoy this scrumptious party snack with fruit such as apple slices, strawberries or blueberries, for example. However, it also tastes great with crackers, cookies and even pretzels.

Get the Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip Recipe

Booty Dip

This viral TikTok dip recipe is a heavenly combination of cream cheese, marshmallow creme, heavy whipping cream, brown sugar, vanilla and lots of mini chocolate chips. Booty dip has gotten its name from the tagline that when you eat it you can watch your booty grow. And with it being so creamy, light, delicious and simply addictive, they are not wrong!

Serve this scrumptious chocolate chip marshmallow fluff dip with graham crackers, Nilla wafers, animal crackers or just spoons. However, it also tastes great with fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries, for example.

Get the Booty Dip Recipe

22 Crowd-Pleaser Dips: The Best Party Dip Recipes

Looking for a new scrumptious dip recipe? We have got you covered! These are our all time favorite crowd pleasing party dips. No matter if you are looking for a warm, cold or sweet party snack, these easy dip recipes wont disappoint!

Course Appetizer, Dessert, side

Cuisine American, keto, Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword cold super bowl dip, dip recipes, hot dips, party dips, warm dips

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

Warm Dips:

Cold Dips:

Sweet Dips:

Instructions

Choose your favorite dip recipe.
Gather all the ingredients.
Prepare the dip.
Enjoy!

Notes

Please check each recipe for detailed instructions on

how to make the dip
what to serve with your delicious party snack
and how to store leftovers safely.

The post 22 Crowd-Pleaser Dips: The Best Party Dip Recipes appeared first on Family Dinners.

The Best 7 Layer Dip Recipe

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 02:47:35 +0000

Make this classic creamy 7 layer bean dip for your next game day gathering, picnic or potluck, and watch it disappear before your eyes. This easy appetizer is a beautiful mash-up of all your favorite Southwestern flavors including creamy refried beans and sour cream, salsa, fresh avocados, tomatoes and shredded cheese. You can make it as spicy or mild as you like, plus it’s gluten free and vegetarian, therefore just about everyone can enjoy it.

This easy recipe comes together almost as fast as it disappears. With a few simple fresh and canned ingredients, you’ll have a guaranteed crowd pleasing dish that’s going to be a huge hit at your next party.

WHAT IS 7 LAYER DIP?

7 layer bean dip is a classic Tex-Mex appetizer that is so universally loved it deserves its own star in the appetizer hall of fame. In this dish, fresh guacamole, salsa, refried beans, sour cream, tomatoes, shredded cheese and toppings are arranged in colorful layers. It’s simple but beautiful, and it’s so delicious that your tortilla chips will practically scream “dip me!” That’s the magic of a 7 layer dip.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: Perfect game day or potluck party dish. Easy to whip up and refrigerate for later.
Main Ingredients: refried beans, Rotel, guacamole, sour cream, Mexican cheese blend, salsa, black olives, green onions, fresh tomatoes
Cooking Method: no bake
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time
Pairs well with: sturdy tortilla chips, homemade tortilla chips or other flavored corn chips, tostadas
Diets: keto friendly, gluten free, vegetarian
Special Equipment Needed: 9×13-inch baking dish , 8×8-inch baking dish, pie pan, cooking spoon or spatula, medium bowl

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this Mexican 7 layer dip recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and therefore not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this 7 layer dip appetizer you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

7-Layer Taco Dip Ingredients

16 oz can of refried beans (spicy or mild)
5 oz Rotel with juices (½ a 10 oz can)
2 cups guacamole
2 cups sour cream
4 oz grated Mexican cheese blend (about 1 cup)
1-2 cups salsa
1 can sliced black olives or green olives (½-1 cup)
1 bunch diced green onions
½ cup fresh tomatoes (diced)

Optional Garnish

Fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, a squeeze of fresh lime juice

Substitutions

Refried Beans: Use full fat refried beans, if possible. You’ll also want to add a little water to the refried black beans to thin them out a bit , as creamy refried beans are more spreadable.

Guacamole: You can use your favorite store-bought guacamole for this great dip or prepare homemade guacamole, in case you have the time.

Sour Cream: Use regular cool sour cream, try our cilantro lime sour cream or one of 3 ways to make dairy free sour cream for this easy dip.

Cheese: Grate the cheese yourself. Sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack and pepper jack are a great combination. Pre-grated cheese has preservatives and additives that make the cheese taste not quite as good.

Salsa: Use your favorite kind of salsa, such as chunky salsa, homemade pico de gallo, homemade salsa verde, or restaurant style salsa. You can of course also use your favorite store-bought brand of salsa or fresh pico de gallo.

Tomatoes: We prefer Roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes or other medium sized tomatoes for this 7 layer dip recipe.

Variations

TACO FLAVOR: Mix in a packet of taco seasoning with the sour cream.

LESS SPICY: Use regular refried beans, instead of spicy.

MORE SPICY: Add a can of diced green chiles or chili powder to the bean layer. Use hot salsa or mix salsa with some hot sauce.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this traditional 7-layer dip recipe, try our Buffalo Chicken Dip. You’ll love it because it’s a creamy mix of cheese, chicken and hot sauce, that makes the perfect game day party snack.

Recommended Tools

Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale.

Baking Dish – An 8×8 baking dish works perfectly for this recipe. It’s just the right size and goes from fridge to table beautifully. If you want to use a 9×13-inch baking dish just double the recipe.

Instructions

This section shows how to make seven-layer dip, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For printable instructions and nutritional information see the recipe card below.

Prep: Use an 8×8 glass dish or equivalent serving dish.

Step 1: Firstly, mix spicy refried beans and Rotel to make the bean layer.

Step 2: Then spread layer of beans evenly on the bottom of your baking dish.

Step 3: Next add the guacamole layer on top of the beans and Rotel tomato layer.

Step 4: Afterwards add sour cream layer and salsa on top of the avocado layer.

Step 5: Top the layer of salsa with remaining layers of shredded cheese, olives and green onions. Tomatoes are optional.

Step 6: Afterwards, cover and refrigerate for an hour or until you are ready to serve.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love Mexican layered dips then you’ll love our Chili Cheese Dip. This perfect game day snack is full of chili flavor and gooey cheese! You can make it as mild or spicy as you like!

Make Seven Layer Dip Ahead

You can refrigerate this delicious dip for up to 3-4 days, so you can absolutely make it ahead and keep it in the fridge overnight. This will also help chill your dip so it’s firm and ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best 7 layer spicy bean dip.

Tip: Use full fat refried beans, if possible, and thin the bean mixture with a little water and Rotel juices.
Tip: Use fresh, ripe avocados to prepare homemade guacamole if you can and grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese has preservatives and additives that make the cheese taste not quite as good.
Tip: Refrigerate before serving. Give your bean dip time to chill keeps it fresh and firm before serving.

Serving Suggestions

We love to eat 7 layer dip all by itself as a party snack. But sometimes you need to serve it as part of a Mexican inspired meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Appetizers: Combine this easy taco dip recipe with Loaded Beef Nachos or Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells.

Main Dishes: Pair this classic recipe for 7 layer dip recipe with crock pot chipotle chicken tacos, chipotle chicken burrito bowls, grilled chipotle chicken kabobs, Instant Pot carnitas or sheet pan chicken fajitas.

Mexican Condiments and Dips: This scrumptious layered dip also tastes great in combination with Queso Blanco , Crack Corn Dip or Chili Cheese Dip.

Sides: We love serving Mexican dishes with homemade Air Fryer Taco Shells, Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice.

More Delicious Dip Recipes

If you love this best 7-layer dip recipe, then you’ll enjoy these other yummy dip recipes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Leftover 7 layer bean dip can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container or tightly wrap with plastic wrap. However, layers will start to separate some and it may become a bit watery.

Freeze: We don’t recommend freezing this Mexican dip.

Common Questions

What’s in a 7-layer dip?

A 7 layer dip consists of fresh guacamole, salsa, refried beans, sour cream, tomatoes, shredded cheese and toppings (green onions, olives and tomatoes), all arranged in different layers.

Does guacamole turn brown in a 7-layer dip?

Similar to apples and bananas, the flesh of an avocado can turn brown when it is exposed to the air for a long period of time. An easy way to slow this oxidation process is to add some fresh squeezed lime juice to your guacamole. It also helps to reduce the amount of air your guacamole is exposed to. You can do this by putting your guacamole in between two other layers in your 7 layer bean dip.

Can 7 layer dip be frozen?

As a matter of fact, we do not recommend freezing 7 layer bean dip and this dip is so popular that you probably won’t have any left over to freeze!

Is it ok to heat 7 layer dip?

This 7 layer dip is best served cold or at room temperature because it contains sour cream and guacamole. However, in case you would like to make a warm Mexican inspired dip try our Chili Cheese Dip or Texas Trash Dip.

Can 7 layer dip be made the night before?

Yes, you can refrigerate this dish for up to 3 days, so you can absolutely make it ahead and then keep it in the fridge overnight. This will also help chill your dip so it’s firm and ready to serve.

Is it possible to serve this 7 layer bean dip recipe with taco meat?

Most definitely. In fact, combine this delicious dip with our scrumptious Ground Beef Taco Filling and Air Fryer Taco Shells and you have the perfect weeknight dinner.

The Best 7 Layer Dip Recipe

This classic, creamy 7 layer bean dip is an easy-to-make crowd pleaser for your next game day gathering, picnic or potluck.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Mexican

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword cheese, guacamole, olives, refried beans, spicy 7 layer dip, tomatoes

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 163kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

8×8 baking dish

Ingredients

16 ounces spicy refried beans canned
½ 10 ounce can of Rotel with juices
2 cups guacamole
2 cups sour cream
4 ounces grated Mexican cheese blend
1-2 cups salsa
½-1 cup sliced black olives canned
1 bunch diced green onions
½ cup fresh tomatoes, diced

Instructions

Use an 8×8 baking dish or equivalent serving dish.
Mix spicy refried beans and rotel. Spread in the bottom of your baking dish. (For more spice, add a can of diced chiles into the bean layer.)
Spread guacamole layer over the bean layer.
Spread a layer of sour cream over the guacamole. (For a taco flavor, add a packet of taco seasoning into the sour cream layer.)
Spoon salsa over the sour cream.
Sprinkle cheese over the sour cream layer.
Top with olives, green onions, and tomatoes (optional).
Cover and refrigerate for an hour or until you are ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips,warm flour tortillas or slices of bell pepper.

Notes

You can change up the amounts of each ingredient to suit your own tastes.
Feel free to change the order of the layers.
For a less spicy bean dip, use regular refried beans.
For more spice, use hot salsa or mix salsa with some hot sauce.
For more of a taco flavor, mix in a packet of taco seasoning with the sour cream.
7 layer dip can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Layers will start to separate some and it may become a bit watery.

Nutrition

The post The Best 7 Layer Dip Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

Blackberry Dump Cake With Real Berries

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 02:35:00 +0000

Serving dessert with dinner is a great treat for the whole family. This blackberry dump cake with real berries is the perfect weeknight dessert. It takes less than 10 minutes to prep and then bake to perfection in the oven.

In case you’ve never made a dump cake, then tonight is the night to try it. If you are a big fan of berries and cake, then you’ll love this blackberry cake mix cobbler. Similar to a crumble recipe, it taste best topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream.

Additionally, you can also use another kind of fruit or berry in this scrumptious recipe. Besides blackberries, raspberries, strawberries or peaches are other great options. This yummy and versatile recipe will soon be your new favorite fruit dessert.

What is a Dump Cake?

It will soon become completely obvious why this is called a dump cake. Spoiler alert! You dump everything into a baking pan or casserole dish and bake! It’s that easy. Even though it’s a terrible name, the result is out of this world delicious.

There are many variations of this simple dessert but this is one of our absolute favorites. You will not be disappointed. The combination of sweet and tart and cake is perfection. Each bite is a burst of flavor because of the delicious combination of simple ingredients.

If you love using boxed cake mix you might love this poke cake because it’s so pretty and delicious.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: easy to make combination of a berry crumble and cake, it tastes amazing topped with vanilla ice cream
Main Ingredients: blackberries, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, yellow cake mix, quick cooking oats, salted butter
Cooking Method: oven baked
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time and 40 minutes baking time
Diets: vegetarian
Special Equipment Needed: small bowl, 9×13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this blackberry dump cake recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this easy dessert recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Easy Blackberry Dump Cake Ingredients

4 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 package yellow cake mix (just the dry cake mix)
½ cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks, melted)

Optional Garnish

scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or cool whip

Variations and Substitutions

Berries: Substitute fresh blackberries with frozen ones, however, make sure to add some extra baking time when using frozen fruit. You can also use other fresh berries such as raspberries, blueberries or strawberries. Moreover, a mixed berry dump cake would also be delicious. You could even dry chopped apples or peaches. Ripe and juicy berries and fruit make the best cake mix cobbler. So pick whatever is in season at the farmer’s market.

Cake Mix: We love using yellow cake mix for this easy dump cake recipe, but you can also use vanilla cake mix or chocolate cake mix

Brown Sugar: The blackberries, whether fresh or frozen, will most likely need some sweetener. If you have especially sweet berries you can omit the sugar or decrease the amount of sugar. If you prefer, you can substitute white granulated sugar for the brown sugar or use a sugar substitute.

How To Make Gluten Free

Use a gluten free yellow cake mix and gluten free oats. This is an easy substitution. If you’re eating gluten free but aren’t sensitive to cross contamination you can use regular oats. If you’ve got Celiac Disease you’ll want to look for specifically gluten free oats. More gluten free desserts you might love.

How To Make Dairy Free

Use a butter substitute such as vegan butter (block) or vegetable shortening to make this dairy free.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you loved this blackberry cake with fresh blackberries, try our Apple and Blackberry Crumble. You’ll love it because it’s bursting with sweet and tart flavor. It’s the perfect dessert for summer or fall, and a lighter alternative to cake.

Recommended Tools

Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale.

Baking Dish – Use a 9×13-inch baking dish or similar sized baking pan or casserole dish for this recipe.

Instructions

This section shows how to make blackberry dump cake in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For printable instructions, and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below.

Prep: Grease 9×13 baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Then preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 1: Place fresh blackberries in an even layer on the bottom of a baking dish.

Step 2: Afterwards, add brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and cardamom on top of the rinsed blackberries. Then mix together with the berries. Make sure to evenly distribute the mixture at the bottom of the pan.

Step 3: Sprinkle a box of cake mix evenly on top of the berry mixture.

Step 4: Add rolled oats on top of the cake mix.

Step 5: Use your hands or a spoon to gently combine the oats and cake mix. Try not to mix the berries into the cake mix.

Step 6: Afterwards, melt 2 sticks butter and pour over the top of dry cake mix in the cake pan. Make sure it’s evenly distributed and cover as much area as possible. That way you avoid large dry patches.

Step 7: Bake for about 45-50 minutes in the preheated 350 degree oven. Make sure to start checking your dump cake at the 45 minute mark. The baking time varies depending on whether you used fresh or frozen fruit.

Step 8: Bake until the blackberry filling is bubbling and the topping is browned and baked through. Let cool for a couple of minutes. Then serve with a scoop of ice cream on top of the fruit cake.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love everything blackberry flavored then you’ll love our Blackberry Cocktail. This easy cocktail recipe, with sweetened fruit, a splash of bubbly, and a sprig of thyme, is delicious whether you make it with alcohol or without alcohol.

Stef says….

Dump cake recipes are seriously one of the easiest cakes to assemble. Simply “dump” each layer at a time in a cake pan, then let the oven to do the rest of the work! Besides blackberry, I also love making Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake, Lemon Dump Cake and Lemon Pineapple Dump Cake.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best blackberry dump cake with real berries.

Tip: In order to avoid overly sweet dump cake, adjust the amount of sugar to the sweetness of your berries.
Tip: Make sure to cover the cake mixture evenly with the melted butter to avoid dry spots.
Tip: Let the cake cool for a couple of minutes before serving. Then top with vanilla ice cream.

More Fruit Dessert Recipes

The easiest desserts are often the most delicious. We love these great recipes with fresh fruit or pie filling because they come together in only minutes and taste absolutely divine:

How To Store

Refrigerate: After the fresh blackberry cake has completely cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or wrap tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: You can freeze any leftover dump cake with blackberries in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 1 month.

Defrosting: Thaw blackberry dump cake leftovers in the fridge or at room temperature.

How To Reheat

You can reheat leftover dump cake in the microwave or eat it cold.

Common Questions

Can I use frozen blackberries when fresh aren’t in season?

Of course. Using frozen blackberries may take a bit longer to cook completely. If you defrost first we recommend defrosting in a strainer to get rid of excess moisture.

What other fruit can be substituted?

Any berries make a great substitute. Use less sugar for sweeter berries, like strawberries. You might also consider diced apples mixed in with the blackberries.

How long does it take to make easy blackberry cobbler?

In case you are trying to organize your baking and cooking time for dinner, I recommend putting the ingredients into the dish before starting your dinner. From the time you start gathering your ingredients until it’s ready for the oven is a maximum of 10 minutes. Once you have it in the dish it will take 30-50 minutes to bake. If you’re using fresh berries it will cook on the lower end of the time frame. Consider this when deciding what time to put it into the oven.
Once you remove it from the oven it will take 5-10 minutes to sit and cool enough to serve with a scoop of ice cream.

What is the best way to serve this delicious dessert?

Firstly, let the dish sit for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly and to let the juices thicken up a little more. Then serve the dessert while it’s warm. We recommend pairing with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream though it’s delicious all by itself!
You could even make individual desserts in their own baking cups. Cook them at the same time on a baking sheet. This is a fun way to serve to guests. Just add a scoop of ice cream on top of each of the baking dishes.

blackberry, butter, cake mix, cinnamon, dump cake

Blackberry Dump Cake With Real Berries

10 minute prep to make this easy blackberry dump cake recipe – summer blackberries baked with a cake and oat cobbler-like topping.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword blackberry dessert, blackberry dump cake, blackberry dump cake recipe, dump cake

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 372kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

Baking Pan

Ingredients

4 cups blackberries fresh or frozen
⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 package yellow cake mix (just the dry cake mix)
½ cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup salted butter melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine blackberries, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and cardamom in 9"x13" baking dish.
Sprinkle cake mix and rolled oats over the blackberry mixture. Use your fingers or a spoon to lightly combine the cake mix and rolled oats.
Pour melted butter evenly over the top of the cake mix/oats.
Bake about 30-50 minutes until the blackberry filling is bubbling and topping is browned and baked through. ***See note below on cooking time.
Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

***Wide range in cook time depends on if you are using fresh versus frozen blackberries – a dump cake made with frozen berries will take longer to cook all the way through.

Nutritional value information does not include ice cream or whipped cream added to the dump cake for serving.

Nutrition

The post Blackberry Dump Cake With Real Berries appeared first on Family Dinners.

Chili Cheese Dip

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 02:14:33 +0000

Chili cheese dip is a perfect blend of cream cheese, comforting chili and lots of gooey cheese. It only takes 10 minutes to assemble this perfectly delicious appetizer or party snack that bakes to warm and melty perfection in the oven. You can serve hot chili dip at a tailgate party, during the big game, or even at your next movie night. Moreover, it is a great addition to any Mexican themed dinner or nacho bar. Chili cheese dip tastes amazing with tortilla chips, Fritos, tostadas, crackers or veggie sticks.

What is Chili Cheese Dip?

This perfect game day snack, sometimes also called “Hormel Chili Dip”, combines a layer of cream cheese, salsa and grated cheese with a second layer of chili and cheese. Additionally, before being baked in the oven, this perfect appetizer is topped with an extra layer of cheese. While we prefer the layered version of this scrumptious party food, there are other versions of this dip as well. Other easy dip recipes call for blending all ingredients together before baking, being cooked on the stovetop or even in a slow cooker.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: warm dip that is creamy, full of chili flavor and melty cheese
Main Ingredients: cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, cream cheese, chili
Cooking Method: oven baked
Cooking Time: 10 minutes of prep time, 20 minutes baking time
Pairs well with: tortilla chips, flavored corn chips, French fries, potato chips, Fritos scoops
Diets: gluten free
Special Equipment Needed: mixing bowls, cooking spoon or spatula, 8×8-inch baking dish, pie pan

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this chili cream cheese dip recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this homemade chili cheese dip you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Cheesy Chili Dip Ingredients

1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese
½ cup salsa
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
15 oz can of chili

Optional Garnish

a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños or black olives

Variations and Substitutions

Cheese: Substitute shredded Colby Jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, Velveeta cheese or Mexican blend cheese for the cheddar and Monterey Jack. In case you like to add some spice to your dip use Pepper Jack cheese instead.

Salsa: Use your favorite store-bought salsa or make your own. Have you tried our delicious and easy to make Salsa Recipe with Canned Tomatoes? You could even use a can of Rotel tomatoes in a pinch.

Chili: You can use any type of chili for this easy chili cheese dip recipe. Use your favorite canned chili, chili con carne, spicy chili, or homemade chili. Moreover, you can make this delicious dip vegetarian by using meatless bean chili.

Make it spicy: You can add a lot of heat to this dip by using Pepper Jack cheese, spicy chili and hot salsa. However, if you want even more spiciness, add some green chiles, chopped jalapeños, red pepper flakes, a little bit of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this cheesy chili dip recipe, try our Instant Pot White Chicken Chili. You’ll love it because this easy chili made with chicken, canned beans, vegetables and spices cooks up in the pressure cooker in just 15 minutes.

Recommended Tools

Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale.

Baking Dish — We recommend using a pie pan or a 8×8-inch baking dish to cook this tasty dip.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook homemade cheesy chili dip in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below.

PREPARE: Firstly, preheat the oven to 350°F. Then combine cheeses in a small bowl.

MAKE CREAM CHEESE LAYER: Afterwards, mix together softened cream cheese, salsa, and 1 cup of grated cheese in another small bowl. Then spread mixture into a pie plate or oven-proof shallow dish.

MAKE CHILI LAYER: Combine another cup of shredded cheese and the can of chili and spread on top of the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish.

BAKE: Then top with remaining cheeses, before baking at 350°F for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Finally serve with corn chips, Fritos, veggies or crackers.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love hearty ground beef chili with beans and tomatoes and just the right amount of spice then you’ll love our Easy Chili recipe. You can make this tasty chili con carne in the slow cooker, Instant Pot or in a dutch oven on the stovetop.

Make Ahead

You can assemble this creamy chili cheese dip recipe up to 1 day ahead of time. Make sure to cover tightly with cling wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Only bake the dip when you are ready to serve it.

Crockpot Chili Cheese Dip Instructions

To make the chili cheese dip in a slow cooker, simply add layers of the cream cheese mixture, chili cheese mixture and grated cheese into a small crock pot. Then cook on High for 2 hours. Keep warm to serve.

Stef says….

Another fun twist on traditional chili is Chili Mac. My family loves this perfect blend between warm spicy chili and satisfying macaroni and cheese. And the best part this 30-minute one-pot meal is easy to make and easy to clean up!

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best chili cheese dip.

Tip: Soften cream cheese to almost room temperature. That way it blends smoothly with the other dip ingredients.
Tip: For best results, grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheese contains additives and therefore does not provide the same amazing flavor as freshly grated cheese.
Tip: Use good quality chili. Only tasty chili makes a great tasting dip.

More Delicious Warm Dip Recipes

If you love this chili cheese dip recipe, then you’ll enjoy these other delicious warm dip recipes:

More Mexican Inspired Dip Recipes

If you love Mexican flavors as much as we do, then these easy and scrumptious dips will be perfect for your next party:

Andrea says….

In case you are not a big fan of traditional chili, try topping this cheesy dip with amazing White Chicken Chili instead.

How To Store

Refrigerate: Store leftover chili cheese dip in an airtight container, ziploc bag or tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up 3 days.

Freeze: You can freeze this cheesy dip in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw chili cheese dip leftovers in the fridge overnight.

How To Reheat

A great way to reheat this easy chili dip is in the microwave or oven until hot and bubbly again.

Common Questions

What dippers should I serve with this chili cheese dip recipe?

Cheesy chili dip tastes great with tortilla chips, Fritos, tostadas, salty crackers, pita chips or toasted French bread slices. Additionally you can serve this delicious appetizer with freshly cut veggies, such as celery sticks or bell peppers, for example.

Can I add any toppings to this easy appetizer?

By all means!! We recommend adding a dollop of sour cream, freshly chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños, green onions or black olives to the top of this nacho cheese and chili dip.

How long can this crowd-pleasing dip sit out at room temperature?

We recommend leaving this dip out at room temperature no longer than two hours. After that, in order to stay food safe, give it some time in the fridge to cool down. You can reheat leftovers later in the microwave or oven.

Is it possible to make this super bowl chili dip on the stovetop?

As a matter of fact, yes! You just need to make some slight adjustments to the recipe. The dip will no longer be layered, but turns into an all in one dip. It will be just as tasty, though. Begin by adding chili, salsa and cream cheese to a large skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until the ingredients are hot, bubbly and thoroughly combined. Then add grated cheese and stir until all the cheese has melted. Serve with tortilla chips or spoon over hot dogs to make chili cheese dogs.

Chili Cheese Dip Recipe

Perfect game day snack full of chili flavor and gooey cheese! Make it as mild or spicy as you like! This baked hot chili dip is perfect for dipping anything.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword cheesy chili dip, chili cheese dip recipe, chili cream cheese dip, hot chili dip, super bowl chili dip

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 263kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

mixing bowls
cooking spoon or spatula
baking dish

Ingredients

1½ cups grated cheddar cheese
1½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup salsa
8 oz cream cheese softened
15 oz can of chili

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine cheeses in a small bowl.
In another small bowl, mix together cream cheese, salsa, and 1 cup of grated cheese.
Spread mixture into a pie plate or oven-proof shallow dish.
Combine another cup of cheeses and the can of chili and spread over the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish.
Top with remaining cheeses.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Notes

Tip: Soften cream cheese to almost room temperature. That way it blends smoothly with the other dip ingredients.

Tip: For best results, grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheese contains additives and therefore does not provide the same amazing flavor as freshly grated cheese.

Tip: Use good quality chili. Only tasty chili makes a great tasting dip.

Nutrition

The post Chili Cheese Dip appeared first on Family Dinners.