Pork Archives - 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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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.

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.

Mississippi Sin Dip

Andrea + Stef — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 08:02:40 +0000

Mississippi sin dip is hot cheesy goodness packed with juicy ham. It is baked in a bread bowl and can be served with bread pieces, tortilla chips, veggies or crackers. It only takes 10 minutes of hands on prep time and a few simple ingredients to make this delicious party snack. This amazing hot ham and cheese dip is one of the best recipes to use up leftover holiday ham. You can serve this crowd pleaser on game day, at holiday parties or any family gathering.

What is 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. The best way to bake this cheesy ham dip is in a bread bowl, but you can also cook it in a casserole dish. Serve hot ham and cheese dip with bread cubes, chips, veggies or crackers.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: show stopping, creamy, hot ham dip with lots of melty cheese, that is the perfect snack for any big game
Main Ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ham, green onions, cheddar cheese, French bread loaf
Cooking Method: oven baked
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 45 minutes baking time
Pairs well with: bread bowl pieces, any white crusty bread, potato chips, crackers, corn chips
Special Equipment Needed: large bowl, cooking spoon or spatula, knife and cutting board, sheet pan

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this Mississippi sin 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 hot dip in a bread bowl you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Mississippi Sin Dip Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese (softened)
16 oz sour cream
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup ham (diced)
½ cup green onions (diced)
2 cups (8 oz) cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 lb. round loaf of French bread

Optional Garnish

extra cheese or sliced green onions.

Variations and Substitutions

Ham: You can use diced up holiday ham leftovers, deli ham or ham steak for this game day crowd pleaser. Moreover, you can add some salty bacon crumbles directly to the dip mixture or as a topping, if desired.

Bread: Instead of French bread, you can also use Italian bread or even sourdough bread. Make sure to use a round loaf of bread.

Add Spice: You can add more hot sauce, in case you prefer a hotter dip. Additionally you can add some green chiles or red pepper flakes to this popular dish.

More Spices: If you like to add some extra flavor to this already scrumptious dip, we recommend trying a little bit of garlic powder, smoked paprika or onion powder.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: Leftovers from our amazing Brown Sugar Glazed Ham with Apricot Sauce, work perfectly for this hot dip in a bread bowl recipe. Mississippi sin dip is the perfect recipe to turn ham leftovers into a spectacular party dip.

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Baking Sheet — When using a bread bowl, you need a sheet pan or 9x13in baking pan to bake the dip. Otherwise we recommend using a pie pan or a 8×8-inch baking dish.

Instructions

This section shows how to make Mississippi sin dip cooked in bread 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: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

MIX DIP INGREDIENTS: Firstly, stir together cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl until evenly combined. Then stir ham, green onions, and 2 cups cheddar cheese into the cream cheese mixture.

CREATE BREAD BOWL: With a serrated knife, slice off the top of the bread parallel to the loaf. Afterwards scoop out as much of the inside of the bread as you can without tearing through the crust. Then cut leftover bread into cubes and store in an airtight container to serve with the dip.

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Fill the hollowed-out loaf of bread with the prepared ham dip. Then wrap loaf with a piece of aluminum foil, tenting the foil loosely over the dip. Afterward, bake for 45 minutes, removing the foil during the last 10 minutes to toast the top of the dip. Serve with bread cubes and other dippers.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love easy, delicious, and crowd pleasing dips then you’ll love our sweet Buckeye Dip. It’s a creamy and delicious peanut butter dip with cream cheese that tastes just like buckeye candies

Make Ahead

You can make the creamy dip mixture a couple of hours or up to 2 days ahead of time. Make sure to store in an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap before transferring it to the fridge. When you are ready to serve, scoop dip into a hollowed-out bread or baking dish and bake according to the instructions in the recipe.

Stef says….

Another one of my favorite dip recipes with ham is Dill Pickle Dip. Not only is it a great party app, but it’s a good snack during the warmer months that’s cool and refreshing!

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best Mississippi sin dip in a bread bowl.

Tip: Soften cream cheese to almost room temperature. That way it blends smoothly with the other dip ingredients.
Tip: Grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheese contains additives and therefore does not provide the same amazing flavor as freshly grated cheese.
Tip: Be careful when you hollow out your bread loaf. Do not cut too deep or the dip will leak out during baking.

More Warm Dip Recipes

If you love this cheesy ham dip recipe, then you’ll enjoy our 7 layer dip or nacho cheese dip as well. Here are some more of our favorite dips:

More Ham Recipes

Are you looking for more delicious ham recipes? Try one of these scrumptious and easy to make recipes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Store leftover Mississippi sin dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. We recommend removing the leftovers from the bread bowl before storage.

Freeze: Due to the high cream cheese and sour cream content, we do not recommend freezing hot ham and cheese dip leftovers. The consistency of the dip might not be very appetizing after it thaws.

How To Reheat

Reheat Mississippi sin dip leftovers in the microwave or in the oven until hot and bubbly.

Common Questions

Is it possible to make this ham and cheese dip without a bread bowl?

Sure thing! In case you don’t have a loaf of bread at hand, simply pour the dip mixture into a baking dish, casserole dish or pie plate and bake according to the instructions in the recipe.

Can I add any toppings to this great tailgate dip?

By all means!! We recommend some extra cheese, bacon crumbles or sliced green onions.

What should I serve with this hot dip in a bread bowl?

The best part about baking this amazing super bowl dip in a bread bowl is that you already have some dippers with the removed bread cubes. However, this delicious dip goes with most everything. Serve this perfect appetizer with freshly cut veggies, such as celery sticks, baby carrots, or bell peppers, for example. Cheesy ham dip also tastes great with tortilla chips, salty crackers, pita chips, pretzels or toasted French bread slices.

How can I reduce the calorie count of this hot cheese and ham dip?

If you are following a low calorie diet you can make this dip with low fat cream cheese and low fat sour cream. Additionally you can substitute some of the sour cream with low-fat or no-fat greek yoghurt.

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.

Mississippi Sin Dip Recipe

Delicious and cheesy dip, packed with ham, cooked and served in a bread bowl. The perfect game day snack!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword ham dip in a bread bowl, hot cheesy ham dip, hot dip in a bread bowl, Mississippi sin dip recipe, super bowl mississippi sin dip

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 406kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

mixing bowl
cooking spoon or spatula
knife and cutting board
baking sheet

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese softened
16 oz sour cream
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup ham diced
½ cup green onions diced
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 8 oz)
1 loaf French bread round

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce until evenly combined.
Stir in ham, green onions, and cheddar cheese.
Slice the top of the loaf of French bread off parallel to the loaf.
Then scoop out as much of the bread as you can without tearing through the crust. Cut excess bread into cubes and store in an airtight container to serve with the dip.
Fill hollowed out loaf with the prepared dip.
Wrap with aluminum foil, tenting the foil loosely over the dip.
Bake for 35 minutes. Afterwards, remove the foil, top with some extra cheese, if desired, and bake for another 10 minutes to toast the top of the dip. Garnish with some sliced green onions and serve.

Notes

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

Tip: Grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheese contains additives and therefore does not provide the same amazing flavor as freshly grated cheese.

Tip: Be careful when you hollow out your bread loaf. Do not cut too deep or the dip will leak out during baking.

Nutrition

The post Mississippi Sin Dip appeared first on Family Dinners.

Rotel Dip with Sausage

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 11:44:00 +0000

If you are ever in need of an easy and flavorful dip for a party, keep our recipe for cheesy Rotel dip with sausage at hand. This absolute crowd pleaser only requires 3 ingredients and cooks up on the stovetop in a record 15 minutes! This creamy sausage dip is a scrumptious combination of melty Velveeta cheese, Rotel tomatoes and sausage, and can be served with your choice of tortilla chips, crusty bread or vegetables. Stovetop and crockpot rotel dip instructions included below.

Spicy Rotel sausage dip can easily be kept warm in a crock pot and therefore wow guests throughout a party, tailgate or potluck.

WHAT IS ROTEL DIP?

Sausage Rotel dip is a super easy dip that only requires 3 ingredients. The star of the show is melted Velveeta, which is a processed cheese. It is flavored with cooked sausage and Rotel. Rotel is a mixture of petit diced tomatoes and green chilies with some added spices. Rotel tomatoes are almost salsa like and add incredible flavor to this dip.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: You only need 3 ingredients to make this crowd pleasing, flavor bursting, low carb dip
Main Ingredients: ground pork sausage, Velveeta cheese, Ro-tel tomatoes
Cooking Method: Crockpot, stovetop
Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time, 10 minutes cook time
Pairs well with: tortilla chips, pita chips, bagel chips, crackers, pretzels or fresh vegetables
Diets: gluten free
Special Equipment Needed: knife and cutting board, large skillet, cooking spatula, slow cooker (optional)

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this easy sausage 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 crowd favorite queso salsa dip you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Rotel Dip with Sausage Ingredients

1 pound ground pork sausage
16 oz Velveeta cheese (cubed)
10 oz can of Ro-tel tomatoes

Variations and Substitutions

Sausage: Use hot or mild sausage for this recipe. Italian sausage is another great option. You can also substitute ground beef or ground turkey for sausage if you like less spice.

Less Spicy: You can easily dial down the heat in your dip by substituting ground beef for spicy sausage. Adding a little bit of cream cheese or sour cream to the dip is another easy way to help cooling it down for those who don’t like a spicy dip.

More of a Spicy Kick: On the other hand you can also add some more heat to your dip by adding some chopped jalapeños, chili powder or even a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Add Spices: Increase flavor by adding some onion or garlic powder to taste. Additionally, you can try adding some taco seasoning.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you loved this yummy sausage recipe, try our Air Fryer Cooked Sausages. The air fryer cooking method is one of the easiest ways to make a perfectly brown, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside sausage link.

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.

Crockpot — This recipe requires a slow cooker. We use a 6 qt. basic Crockpot brand slow cooker. It works wonderfully. If you’re planning to take your Crockpot to potlucks you’ll want to check out this one that has a locking lid. A slow cooker has an inner pot called the crock. Neither the crock nor the lid are oven safe on most machines. Do not put them in the oven.

Skillet — 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 will work.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook spicy Rotel dip 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.

PREPARE INGREDIENTS: Chop cheese and open Rotel dip before beginning.

COOK SAUSAGE: Afterwards, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. When sausage is cooked through, drain excess grease.

MELT CHEESE: Add cheese and the entire contents of a Rotel can to the pan and stir until melted.

SERVE: When cheese is melted, remove from heat and serve while warm. In case you want to keep it warm for a party, fill the dip into a small crock pot turned to low.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love the yummy combination of cheese and sausage then you’ll love our Sausage Breakfast Pizza. It is the perfect weekend brunch recipe. Made with pizza dough, your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, sausage, egg and with some spices to really bring the flavors together!

How To Make Rotel Dip In The Crockpot

Cook sausage in a skillet on the stove. Drain grease.

Add cooked sausage, cheese cubes and whole can of Rotel to slow cooker.

Cook on low, stirring occasionally. Keep dip in the crock pot while serving to keep the dip warm.

Stef says….

While this scrumptious salsa cheese dip is one of my absolute favorites for game nights or a tailgate party, I also can’t get enough of my Buffalo Chicken Dip. It is creamy, cheesy, and spicy and EVERYTHING you never knew you needed.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best sausage Rotel dip.

Tip: Use high quality meat. To make this sausage queso dip less greasy use sausage or ground beef with a lower fat content.
Tip: Cut Velveeta into small cubes. The smaller the cubes are, the faster they will melt.
Tip: Use all the Rotel contents. For best results, add all the tomatoes, chilis and juices from the Rotel can to your dip.
Keep the dip warm. Pour the dip into a crock pot or fondue pot to keep it warm while serving.

What To Serve With Rotel Dip With Sausage

All different styles of tortilla chips, pita chips, bagel chips, crackers, pretzels or fresh vegetables are great options to serve with this dip.

You can also serve this amazing dip with different types of crusty bread, such as baguette, ciabatta, bread sticks or pizza bread.

Rotel sausage 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.

More Dip Recipes

If you love rotel dip with sausage you’ll enjoy our 7 layer dip or nacho cheese dip as well as these yummy dips:

How To Store

Refrigerate: We recommend eating salsa cheese dip immediately while warm. You can store cooled Rotel dip leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: We do not recommend freezing this great dip.

How To Reheat

You can reheat dip leftovers over low heat on the stovetop or in the crockpot. Make sure you stir the dip often until it is hot and the cheese completely melted again.

Common Questions

Can I make original Rotel dip ahead of time?

Sure can! There are two options to make this dip ahead of time. First, you can prepare the whole dip as described and reheat it whenever you are ready to serve. Or you can brown the meat and cube the Velveeta ahead of time, and cook the dip as soon as your guests arrive. It cooks up in only 10 minutes.

Is it possible to make this dip in the slow cooker?

Yes, Rotel dip can also be cooked in the crock pot. However, you still have to brown the sausage in a skillet first. Then add the browned sausage and all the ingredients to a slow cooker on low and cook for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

When can I serve this sausage Rotel dip?

This easy dip recipe makes one of the best party dips ever. It can therefore be served on many occasions. We love making it for a big game during football season, a super bowl party, movie night or even baby showers. Moreover, it could be an easy appetizer with drinks for a dinner party. No matter on what occasion you serve this scrumptious dip, it will always be the hit of the party.

Rotel Dip with Sausage Recipe

You only need 3 ingredients to make this super easy, cheesy and absolutely delicious dip. Rotel dip with sausage will disappear in no time at your next party!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword rotel dip, rotel sausage dip, salsa cheese dip, sausage rotel dip, spicy rotel dip

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 304kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

large skillet
cooking spatula
knife and cutting board

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork sausage
16 oz Velveeta cubed
10 oz Rotel

Instructions

Brown the ground pork sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Break the sausage up into small pieces while cooking. Cook until sausage is cooked all the way through, 165ºF.
Remove excess grease from the pan.
Add the cubed Velveeta and Rotel to the pan. Include the Rotel juices.
Over medium heat, cook until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are combined.
Serve while warm.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Try keeping your Rotel dip warm if you’re having a party by putting it into the slow cooker on low.
You can substitute ground beef for sausage if you want less spice.
Let cool then cover and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the crockpot.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with tortilla chips, fresh vegetables, over nachos or with crusty bread.

Nutrition

The post Rotel Dip with Sausage appeared first on Family Dinners.

How To Cook Sausage In The Air Fryer

Andrea + Stef — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 18:18:57 +0000

Have you been looking for an easy way to turn your favorite sausage into a delicious dinner? Then this how to cook sausage in the air fryer recipe is just right for you. This is perfect for your favorite pre-cooked sausages. This air fryer cooking method is one of the easiest ways to make a perfectly brown, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside sausage link. It only takes 12 minutes to make air fryer sausages and the best part they cook hands off. This is simply the best way to cook sausage, since it takes less time and the sausage links come out perfect each time.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: perfectly cooked juicy sausages with crisp skin that are evenly browned all around
Main Ingredients: sausage
Cooking Method: air fryer
Nutrients: low carb with 17g protein per serving
Cooking Time: 12 minutes
Pairs well with: fries, potato wedges, salads, crusty white bread
Diets: keto friendly, gluten free, dairy free
Special Equipment Needed: air fryer, instant read thermometer

Ingredients

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

Ingredients

1 lb sausage (4 links, raw in casing)

Variations and Substitutions

Sausage: You can cook any kind of delicious sausages in the air fryer, such as pork sausage, chicken sausage, turkey sausage, sweet Italian sausage, or breakfast sausage, for example.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this easy sausage recipe, try our Sausage Breakfast Pizza. Made with pizza dough, your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, sausage, and egg, this is the perfect weekend brunch recipe.

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.

Stef says….

I love cooking sausages in the air fryer, because it is quick, hands off and therefore perfect for busy weeknights.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook sausages 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.

PREPARE: Firstly, spray the air fryer basket or tray with non-stick cooking spray. Then place the raw sausages in the basket or on the rack leaving space between the links. Do not overcrowd. In case your air fryer is not large enough, air fry uncooked sausages in batches.

COOK: Cook sausages for 8-10 minutes at 400°F. Then, flip the sausage, and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.

SERVE: Finally, remove from the air fryer. Serve.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love everything sausage then you’ll love our Rotel Dip with Sausage. You only need 3 ingredients to make this super easy, cheesy and absolutely delicious dip.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best air fryer sausage link recipe.

Tip: Make sure not to pierce the skin of the sausage before cooking, otherwise juices will escape during cooking making the sausage dry.
Tip: Add sausages in a single layer and make sure they are not touching. That way the hot air can circulate properly. For best results flip them once during air frying.
Tip: Add air fryer parchment paper to the air fryer basket to avoid smoke production, in case there are some drippings.
Tip: Make sure to adjust cook time depending on the size of the sausages and the thickness of the sausages.

What To Serve With Sausage Cooked In The Air Fryer

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

Bread: Serve sausage links cooked in the air fryer 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. These delicious garlic knots are brushed with butter, seasoning and parmesan.

Salad: Pair air fried sausages with a fresh salad. A green salad like our Easy Italian Salad or Raw Asparagus Salad with Walnuts. Or try Stef’s amazing Artichoke Rice Salad or Cesar Pasta Salad. Moreover, sauerkraut and cole slaw also taste great with sausages.

Sides: Traditionally, link sausages are served with baked beans, potato salad, Fries, Potato Wedges or Hasselback Potatoes.

More Air Fryer Recipes

If you love cooking a quick meal in the air fryer then try one of our other scrumptious air fryer recipes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Let easy air fryer sausages cool completely, before transfering them to an airtight container or ziploc bag. Additionally you can put the sausages on a clean plate and cover them with aluminum foil. Then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: You can freeze cooked juicy air fryer sausage in an airtight, freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw in the fridge overnight.

How To Reheat

Reheat in the microwave or in the air fryer for a couple of minutes until heated through.

Common Questions

How do I know when my sausages are cooked through?

The best way to check if your sausage links are done is with a meat thermometer. After reaching an internal temperature of 160 degrees f, your sausages are safe to eat.

How long do sausages need to cook with the air fryer method?

The length of cooking time depends on what type of sausage you are cooking. Thin sausages generally take 8-10 minutes to cook, while thicker sausages need 10-12 minutes in the air fryer.

How do I use parchment paper in the air fryer?

It is very important to use proper parchment paper and not wax paper. You can either use specially made air fryer parchment paper liners or make your own out of regular parchment paper.

How to Cook Sausages in the Air Fryer

Perfectly cooked sausages that are quick and easy to make in the air fryer.

Course breakfast, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword air fryer sausage, how to cook sausage in the air fryer, sausage in air fryer, sausage links in air fryer

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 12

Total Time 13

Servings servings

Calories 345kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

Air Fryer
kitchen tongs

Ingredients

1 lb sausage 4 links, raw in casing

Instructions

Spray air fryer basket or tray with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the sausage in the basket or on the rack leaving space between the links. Do not overcrowd. If your air fryer is not large enough, cook in batches.
Cook the sausage for 8 minutes at 400°F. Flip the sausage, and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
Remove from the air fryer. Serve.

Notes

How To Store

Freeze: You can freeze cooked juicy air fryer sausage in an airtight, freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw in the fridge overnight.

How To Reheat

Reheat in the microwave or in the air fryer for a couple of minutes until heated through.

Nutrition

The post How To Cook Sausage In The Air Fryer appeared first on Family Dinners.

Meatball Stuffed Biscuits

Andrea + Stef — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 07:06:00 +0000

This easy recipe for mozzarella and meatball stuffed biscuits comes out absolutely delicious and can be baked in the oven or air fryer. Flaky layer biscuits are stuffed with juicy meatballs and melty cheese before being topped with a flavorful mixture of Italian herbs, garlic and salt. Serve these warm biscuits with meaty centers as a scrumptious appetizer, game day snack or fun weeknight dinner. For best flavor, dip these homemade biscuit bites into warm marinara sauce. Everyone will love this tasty crowd pleaser.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: fluffy biscuits filled with gooey melted cheese and tender meatballs, they are soft, flaky and most flavorful
Main Ingredients: canned biscuit dough, cooked meatballs, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic salt
Cooking Method: oven baked
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 20 minutes cook time
Pairs well with: fresh green salad, pasta salad, warm marinara sauce, fries
Special Equipment Needed: pie pan, knife and cutting board, pastry brush

Ingredients

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

Meatball Stuffed Biscuits Ingredients

1 can Grands biscuit dough
16 pre-cooked meatballs
16 cubes of mozzarella
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ tsp garlic salt

Substitutions

Meatballs: Use one of our favorite meatball recipes: Italian Style Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, Air Fryer Meatballs, Turkey Meatballs, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. A bag of ready-made meatballs works in a pinch.

Mozzarella: Use fresh low moisture mozzarella cheese, such as cut up sticks of string cheese, thick deli slices mozzarella, or shredded mozzarella.

Biscuits: We like Grands by Pillsbury, however, any kind of refrigerated canned biscuits should work fine. In case you don’t have any canned biscuits at hand, you can also use refrigerated canned crescent dough or pizza dough.

Possible Variations

Add Veggies: Use your favorite vegetables like onions, black olives, mushrooms, or spinach.

Swap Cheeses: Provolone or swiss cheese would pair well.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this delicious mini meatball sandwich recipe, try our Meatball Calzones. You’ll love them because they are so easy to make and ready in no time. Switch up the pizza toppings and you’ll never eat the same version twice!

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.

Pie Pan — We are using a 9inch pie plate for this recipe. However, a square baking dish would work well too. Make sure to grease the baking dish with butter, oil, or cooking spray. If you don’t want to grease the pan, you could cut out a round sheet of parchment paper.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook meatball stuffed biscuits 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, heat oven to 350ºF, then grease the bottom of a 9 inch pie dish using butter or non stick cooking spray.

SHAPE THE BISCUIT DOUGH: Open the canned biscuits, separate dough and cut each one in half. Then roll each half into a ball, and flatten it into a small circle.

ADD MOZZARELLA AND MEATBALL: Afterwards, place a piece of cheese and one delicious meatball into the center of each biscuit circle.

COVER AND ROLL BISCUITS: Pull the sides of the dough up and wrap dough around the cheese and juicy meatball. Roll each biscuit bite between your hands until it’s round.

PLACE IN DISH: Place each dough ball seam-side down in the greased baking dish. Afterward, brush biscuits with olive oil, if you like, before sprinkling the tops with parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt.

COOK: Bake for 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Finally, brush the tops with olive oil and serve with a cup marinara sauce!

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love juicy meatballs with melty cheese then you’ll love our Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders. These chicken meatball sliders are great for game day appetizers or a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Make Ahead

You can prepare these yummy biscuit bites a couple of hours ahead of time. (Follow steps 1-7 of the recipe.) Then cover tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. That way there wont be any prep time left by the time you are ready to bake them, and dinner is ready in only 15 minutes.

Air Fryer Cooking Method

You can also cook your stuffed biscuits in the air fryer. Simply place meatball biscuit bites into the air fryer basket in a single layer so they are not touching. You might have to do two sets, depending on the size of your air fryer. Cook in the air fryer at 350ºF for 5-6 minutes. Remove from air fryer when the tops are a deep golden brown and they are baked through. See our Air Fryer 3 Cheese Bites, Air Fryer Pizza Bites or Air Fryer Breakfast Bites.

Andrea says….

These flaky biscuits are super easy. I like to make them ahead and store them in the fridge so when we’re ready to eat we just pop them into the oven. I love to add a little green side salad to make it a meal.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best mozzarella and meatball biscuit bites.

Tip: For best flavor, use your own homemade meatballs. For sake of ease, you can also use your favorite pre-made meatballs as well.
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 Meatball Stuffed Biscuits

We love to eat cheesy meatball-stuffed biscuits all by themselves as a Super Bowl snack or appetizer. But sometimes you need to serve them as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Other Appetizers: Combine mouthwatering meatball sub bombs with other scrumptious starters such as our Spinach Artichoke Dip, Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells or Hot Pizza Dip for your game day or Super Bowl recipes.

Salad: Pair these yummy meatball and mozzarella biscuits with a fresh salad. A green salad like our amazing Italian Salad or Strawberry Avocado Salad. Or even a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

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

More Biscuit Bites Recipes

We love making these flaky treats with a cheesy or meaty surprise because they are so versatile. You can serve them as an appetizer, game day treat, after school snack or fun main course. Here are our other favorite stuffed biscuit recipes:

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Keep meatball sub bites in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Once they have cooled completely, place the meatball stuffed biscuits in a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for 2 months.

Defrosting: Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature.

How To Reheat

To reheat, place them back in the oven, air fryer, or microwave and heat until they are warmed all of the way through.

Common Questions

Are meatball stuffed biscuits gluten free?

For these to be gluten free, you would want to be sure you use a gluten free dough. Also, if you are making your own meatballs and are using breadcrumbs, those need to be gluten free as well.

What goes good with meatball subs?

Meatball stuffed little biscuits are in fact one of those foods that you could eat with just about anything. From salads, chips, and fries, to a side of veggies the choices are endless.

What are the best meatballs to use?

We like using our homemade meatballs, but this is a personal preference based on taste and the amount of time you have. We’ve made them from ground beef, pork, and chicken; all which turned out delicious!

Meatball Stuffed Biscuits Recipe

Mozzarella meatball biscuit balls are the best appetizer for parties and game days. They are also simple to make, which makes them an easy weeknight dinner idea.

Course Appetizer, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword biscuits stuffed with mozzarella and meatballs, meatball biscuits, meatball stuffed biscuits, mozzarella and meatball biscuit bites

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings biscuit bites

Calories 116kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

pie dish
knife and cutting board
pastry brush

Ingredients

1 can Grands Biscuit Dough
16 cooked meatballs
16 cubes of mozzarella
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease the bottom of a 9 inch pie dish.
Separate the biscuits. Cut in half. Roll each half into a ball then, using your hands, flatten them into rounds.
Place a piece of mozzarella and a meatball in the center of the round.
Use your hands to pull the biscuit dough up to cover entire meatball. Seal the seams and roll the ball in your hands to make it round.
Place in the pie dish.
Sprinkle each bomb with some grated parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic salt.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until each bomb is golden brown.
Brush tops with olive oil. Serve with marinara sauce.

Notes

For the mozzarella, use fresh mozzarella, cut up mozzarella string cheese or shredded mozzarella.
Optional: brush tops of bombs with olive oil before sprinkling with seasoning before cooking.
Use any type of meatball you enjoy.

Nutrition

The post Meatball Stuffed Biscuits appeared first on Family Dinners.

Easy Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 01:58:00 +0000

Easy mozzarella cheese stuffed meatballs are cheesy, tender, and bursting with flavor. We love them as our main course, but you can also make them into sliders, subs, calzones and even serve them with spaghetti noodles and homemade tomato sauce!

These cheesy meatballs make the absolute best entree when you smother them in our homemade marinara sauce. They are oven baked to perfection, but the other reason we really love these is that they take only 35 minutes to make, so time is never an issue. These are one of the best Italian meatballs, and your whole family will love them. Moreover, this cheesy meatballs recipe is usually a game day fave, along with buffalo chicken meatballs.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: tender and juicy pork and beef meatballs filled with melty mozzarella pieces, undoubtedly one of our absolute favorite meatball recipes
Main Ingredients: ground beef, ground pork (or pork sausage), breadcrumbs, milk, egg, parsley, parmigiano reggiano cheese, garlic, mozzarella cubes and spices
Cooking Method: oven baked
Nutrients: low carb meatballs that are a good source of protein
Cooking Time: 20 minutes prep time, 15 minutes cook time
Pairs well with: pasta, crusty bread, sandwiches
Diets: keto friendly
Special Equipment Needed: sheet pan, mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, knife and cutting board, cookie scoop, instant read thermometer

Ingredients

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

Meatball Ingredients

½ pound lean ground beef
½ pound ground pork (or pork sausage)
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese (or parmesan cheese)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 garlic cloves (minced)
24 mozzarella cubes (4 mozzarella string cheese sticks cut into 6 pieces each)

Variations and Substitutions

Ground Meat: We are using a 1 to 1 ratio of beef and pork. You can substitute pork sausage for the ground pork, or use only beef, if you prefer. You can also substitute ground chicken or ground turkey, in case that is your personal preference.

Breadcrumbs: Regular or panko breadcrumbs will work.

Milk: Any percentage of fat will do. However, if you are using a plant based milk, choose unsweetened.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this juicy meatball and fresh mozzarella recipe, try our Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole. You’ll love it because all you have to do is mix the ingredients in a baking dish, cover and bake.

Recommended Tools

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

Baking Sheet — We recommend lining the sheet pan with parchment paper, that way the meatballs do not stick to the pan and clean up is quick and easy. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can spray the baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with foil.

Cookie Scoop – Using a cookie scoop helps to ensure each meatball is the same size.

Instructions

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

PREPARE: Firstly, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400ºF.

SOFTEN BREADCRUMBS: Then, combine the milk and breadcrumbs in a large bowl and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.

MIX: Afterwards, add the remaining ingredients except for the mozzarella and mix together with your hands.

FORM MEATBALLS: Divide meat mixture into 24 meatballs that are about the same size. Form a flat disk in the palm of your hand with each portion of meatball mixture. Then place a piece of mozzarella cheese in the center of each ball. Fold the meat mixture over the mozzarella ball so that it’s in the middle and the meat is covering it altogether.

COOK: Afterward, sit the meatballs on the baking sheet leaving a couple of inches between each one. Then bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.

SERVE: Finally, remove from the oven and serve with pasta, marinara sauce, or your favorite side dish.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love meatball sandwiches then you’ll love our Meatball Stuffed Biscuits. They are the perfect appetizer for parties and game days. They are super easy to make, and therefore also an ideal weeknight dinner.

Andrea says….

You cannot beat mozzarella stuffed meatballs. These are good with anything you’d usually put a meatball on. We like to serve them with marinara sauce and this easy green greek salad recipe.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best mozzarella meatballs.

Tip: Do not overmix meatball ingredients, or otherwise your meatballs will be tough.
Tip: The meat mixture will be sticky. We therefore recommend wearing gloves or slightly oiling your hands.
Tip: Make sure your meatballs are all approximately the same size. That way they cook evenly. A cookie scoop helps keeping meatball sizes equal.

What To Serve With Easy Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

We love to eat cheese-stuffed meatballs all by themselves. But sometimes you need to serve them as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Bread: Serve this easy mozzarella meatball recipe with crusty bread or soft dinner rolls. Our Garlic Bread is made with fresh parmesan cheese and store-bought french bread. If you have extra time make Pizza Dough Garlic Knots.

Salad: Pair these yummy meatballs with a fresh salad. A green salad like our amazing Italian Salad or Strawberry Avocado Salad. Or even a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

Sides: Traditionally, gooey mozzarella cheese meatballs are served on a bed of pasta (or zucchini noodles) with pasta sauce. Our homemade marinara sauce is the perfect addition to these beef and pork meatballs.

More Meatball Recipes

If you love meatballs, then you have to try our other amazing homemade meatball recipes. No matter if you want to try chicken, turkey, Italian or air fryer meatballs, we have got you covered.

How To Use Meatballs

You can use these scrumptious cheesy meatball directly to make delicious Fettuccine Pesto, Meatball Sub Sandwiches, Meatball Calzones or Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders. However, these scrumptious recipes can also come in handy for using up leftovers:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Let your cheese stuffed meatballs cool completely. Afterwards, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: If you plan to freeze the meatballs before eating, undercook them slightly. Then let them cool completely before you transfer them to a freezer safe sealed container or freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months. After they’re defrosted, cook them thoroughly, testing the internal temperature to make sure they’re 165°F.

Defrosting: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

How To Reheat

You can warm fully cooked leftover mozzarella stuffed meatballs in the microwave or in the oven until heated through.

Common Questions

Is it better to bake meatballs or fry?

Baking meatballs doesn’t require oil or butter and you don’t have to constantly watch or stir them compared to frying. Frying can also lead to overcooked meatballs that may not be as tender, however, the cooking method is usually a personal preference.

What is the secret to tender meatballs?

To keep meatballs tender you want to be sure that you don’t overmix the meat mixture and you cook just until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Can you freeze mozzarella stuffed meatballs?

You can freeze the stuffed meatballs raw or after they have been cooked. However, if you are going to bake them and immediately freeze before eating, it’s best to undercook them slightly.

Easy Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Meatballs Recipe

These cheese stuffed meatballs are oozing with flavor and mozzarella that goes great with spaghetti or a marinara dipping sauce.

Course Appetizer, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese stuffed meatballs, cheesy meatballs, easy mozzarella cheese stuffed meatballs, mozzarella stuffed meatballs

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings meatballs

Calories 147kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

baking sheet and parchment paper
knife and cutting board
mixing bowl
cookie scoop

Ingredients

½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork or pork sausage
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
6 cloves garlic minced
24 mozzarella cubes 4 mozzarella string cheese sticks cut into 6 pieces each

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place parchment paper on your baking sheet.
Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to soften breadcrumbs.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, except mozzarella. Mix together with your hands.
Form 24 equal size meatballs.
Add a piece of cheese to each meatball. Using your hands, make sure meat is surrounding the cheese. Roll in your hands to make a round, uniform shape.
Place meatballs on your baking sheet.
Cook for 15-18 minutes. Meatballs will be done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove from the oven and enjoy.

Notes

It can be helpful to use gloves or oil your hands before forming meatballs to prevent them from sticking to your hands.
If you plan to freeze the meatballs before eating, undercook them. After they’re defrosted, cook them thoroughly, testing the internal temperature to make sure they’re 165°F.
You can refrigerate meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Recipes You’ll Love:

Easy Lasagna: Make quick lasagna with your favorite jar of marinara sauce.
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon: This easy side dish is a delicious way to eat your veggies.
Garlic French Bread: Buy a loaf of french bread and make it better with our cheesy garlic butter.
Homemade Red Wine Marinara Sauce: This easy marinara sauce is bursting with flavor and pairs perfectly with these meatballs.
Red Wine Sangria: Have a little sangria with your meal! Or try this delicious Fall Sangria recipe.
Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Pasta Casserole: Use your leftover meatballs in this delicious pasta meal.

Nutrition

The post Easy Mozzarella Cheese Stuffed Meatballs appeared first on Family Dinners.

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 01:18:18 +0000

In case you are a big fan of soups, then this easy and delicious crockpot ham and bean soup recipe is perfect for you. It comes together in only 5 minutes and cooks to perfection all by itself in the slow cooker. This flavorful soup is packed with ham, white beans, carrots and celery is one of the best homemade soups you will ever eat. Additionally, this ham and beans recipe is the perfect way to put leftover holiday ham or turkey to good use. This soup is a real family favorite in our house and best served with crusty white bread or cornbread.

What is Slow Cooker Ham and Beans?

This delicious crockpot ham and bean soup recipe combines chicken broth with beans, carrots, celery and diced ham for a flavorful soup that everyone loves. The addition of rosemary, thyme and a hint of garlic make this ham and bean recipe especially irresistible.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: flavorful soup full of tender ham, beans and vegetables that makes a perfect weeknight dinner
Main Ingredients: chicken broth, Great Northern beans, carrots, celery, yellow onion, garlic, ham and spices
Cooking Method: Crockpot
Nutrients: low in carbohydrates, high in fiber and protein
Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time, 6 hours cooking time
Pairs well with: crusty bread, cornbread, garlic bread
Diets: gluten free, dairy free
Special Equipment Needed: slow cooker, knife and cutting board, ladle

Stef says….

This delicious one-pot soup is perfect for busy weeknight dinner time. Set it in the morning and come home to an amazing home cooked meal.

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this crockpot ham and bean soup 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 slow cooker ham and beans you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
1 pound dried Great Northern beans (rinsed)
3 large carrots (diced)
3 celery stalks (diced)
1 small yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced, 4 teaspoons)
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 large meaty ham bone (3-5 lbs.)

Optional Garnish

Fresh parsley

Variations and Substitutions

Ham: Instead of ham bone you can also use ham hock, ham shank, leftover holiday ham or diced ham steaks.

Beans: Instead of Great Northern beans you can substitute navy beans, cannellini beans, pinto beans or bean mix such as Hurts’s hambeens, for example.

Potatoes: If you like you can add diced potatoes or sweet potatoes to this hearty soup.

Bacon: For some extra flavor add some cooked bacon to this slow cooker soup.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this ham and bean recipe, try our Easy Chili. You’ll love it because this is a hearty ground beef chili with beans and tomatoes and just the right amount of spice.

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.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook ham and beans soup in the slow cooker, 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, in a large crockpot, layer broth, white beans, diced carrots, diced celery, chopped onions, minced garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Then, stir to combine. Afterwards submerge the ham bone in the broth and beans.

COOK: Then, cover and cook on high until the beans are tender, about 6-8 hours.

FINISH: Remove the lid and discard the bay leaf. Afterward let the ham bone cool for a moment. Once cool enough to handle, dice any ham meat and stir it into the bean soup.

SERVE: Finally, season soup with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Then ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love scrumptious meat and bean dinners 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

You can in fact make this soup up to 3 days ahead of time. This will give the flavors time to develop and blend even better so the soup might actually taste better the next day. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best crockpot ham and bean soup recipe.

Tip: Use dried beans, not canned beans, because they give the broth much more depth of flavor that cannot be achieved with canned beans.
Tip: Cut all the vegetables into approximately the same size so they are cooked through at the same time.
Tip: Use a ham bone if possible, since it enriches the soup with a ton of flavor.

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Ham and Beans Soup

We love to eat crockpot ham and beans all by themselves. But sometimes you need to serve it as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Bread: Serve easy crockpot ham and beans with Garlic French Bread made with fresh parmesan cheese and store-bought French bread. If you have extra time make Pizza Dough Garlic Knots, or homemade Cornbread Muffins. Additionally, Andrea’s Copycat Lion House Rolls also go perfectly with this dish.

Salad: Pair white bean soup with a fresh salad. A green salad like our fabulous Italian Salad or Strawberry Avocado Salad with Poppyseed Dressing. Or even a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

Low carb: This bean and ham soup would also taste great with Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks in case you want to keep it low in carbohydrates.

More Soup Recipes

Especially during the colder months there is nothing better than a steaming bowl of delicious soup. Try one of our other amazing soup recipes that work great for lunch or dinner:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Let soup cool completely. Then store leftover ham and beans in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Store ham and bean soup leftovers in an airtight, freezer safe container. If you’re storing in a zip top plastic bag, try to get as much air out as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: A great way to defrost your crockpot ham and bean soup is in the refrigerator overnight.

How To Reheat

You can reheat this delicious soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Andrea says….

For best results, use dry beans and ham bone. They add incredible flavor to this great recipe.

Common Questions

Can I make this soup with leftover ham?

Of course, this easy ham and bean soup works perfectly with any kind of leftover holiday hams, such as bone-in ham for example. Moreover, instead of juicy ham, you can also try this soup with leftover thanksgiving turkey.

Is it possible to make this soup on the stove top?

Yes! You can combine the ingredients for this easy soup in a dutch oven or large soup pot and simmer on the stovetop over medium low heat. However, the cooking process will still take at least 3-4 hours.

How do I give this easy slow cooker ham and bean soup a bit of spicy kick?

In case you like your soup a bit more on the spicy side, add some red pepper flakes or chili powder to this easy recipe. Additionally you can add some of your favorite hot sauce to adjust the spiciness.

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

Amazingly flavorful soup loaded with chopped ham, white beans and vegetables. It's an ultimate comfort food that the whole family will love.

Course Main Dish, soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword crockpot ham and bean soup recipe, crockpot ham and beans, ham and bean soup in the crockpot, slow cooker ham and beans, slow cooker ham and beans soup

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 5

Servings servings

Calories 294kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

crockpot
knife and cutting board
ladle

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth
1 lb dried Great Northern beans rinsed
3 large carrots diced
3 celery stalks diced
1 small yellow onion minced
4 cloves garlic minced, 4 teaspoons
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 large meaty ham bone 3-5 pounds

Optional Garnish:

fresh parsley

Instructions

In a large crockpot, layer broth, beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
Submerge the ham bone in the broth and beans. Cover and cook on high until the beans are tender, about 6-8 hours.
Remove the lid and discard the bay leaf. Remove ham bone and let sit until cool for a moment.
Once cool enough to handle, dice any ham meat and stir it into the bean soup.
Season soup with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve.

Nutrition

The post Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders

Andrea + Stef — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 00:31:00 +0000

These Hawaiian roll meatball sliders taste just like the real thing, except no fork needed! Similar to a meatball sub, but less messy. Meatball and cheese sliders make the perfect game day snack, party snack or fun main course meal.

If you have a soft spot for the classic chicken parmesan, these oven baked Hawaiian roll sliders are going to blow you away. Not only are they packed with flavor, but you will only need simple ingredients, which you probably already have at home.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: Sweet Hawaiian buns, melted cheese, savory meatballs and parmesan topping make the most amazing pull apart meatball sliders. These mini meatball subs are easy to make and can feed a crowd.
Main Ingredients: slider rolls, mozzarella cheese, chicken meatballs, parmesan cheese, butter, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder
Cooking Method: oven baked
Cooking Time: 10 minutes prep time, 25 minutes cooking time
Pairs well with: fresh green salad, pasta salad, antipasto salad, wedges and fries
Special Equipment Needed: 9×13-inch baking dish, measuring spoons and cups, cutting board and knife

Ingredients

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

Slider Sandwiches Ingredients

12 Hawaiian sweet rolls, dinner rolls or slider buns
12 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
24 cooked meatballs (We made our own chicken meatballs but you can make your own or buy from the grocery store and cook them in the air fryer.)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup marinara sauce (plus more for dipping)
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus 2 tablespoon for sprinkling on top)
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Variations and Substitutions

Cheese: You can substitute the fresh mozzarella slices for other types of cheese like provolone, pepper jack, Monterey jack or shredded mozzarella.

Marinara: Try the best homemade marinara sauce, it’s delicious! As a quick and easy option you can purchase a jar from the store, like Rao’s.

Chicken Meatballs: We love using our favorite chicken parmesan meatball recipe, however, you can grab some from the frozen section as well. You can also use cooked breaded chicken breast pieces in this recipe.

Instead of using chicken meatballs, make chicken breast in the Instant Pot and dice or shred it for the sliders.

Stuffed Meatball Sliders: Use our mozzarella stuffed meatballs to make these even cheesier.

Italian Meatball Sliders: For a traditional meatball sub feel, use Stef’s famous Italian meatballs.

Turkey Meatball Sliders: Stuffed with spinach and cheese, turkey meatballs can easily be turned into sliders.

Air Fryer meatball Sliders: An easier way than using the oven is making air fried meatballs.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you loved this easy meatball sliders recipe, try our amazing Meatball Calzones. You’ll love these because they are so easy to make, you can fill them with chicken parmesan meatballs and they taste even better than take-out.

Recommended Tools

Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a small commission for 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 Hawaiian roll sliders 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.

PREHEAT OVEN AND PREP DISH: Grease a 9×13 baking dish and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

SLICE SLIDER ROLLS: Cut the slider rolls and place the bottom halves in the baking dish.

BRUSH ON BUTTER: Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small bowl and brush it on the bottom half of the rolls.

ADD MARINARA: Spread the marinara sauce on top of the sliders. If you add extra sauce to your slider rolls before cooking they may become soggy. If you like more sauce, consider putting a layer of cheese on the bread then sauce.

PLACE THE MEATBALLS: Put two chicken meatballs on top of each roll.

ADD THE CHEESE: Top all the individual sandwiches with a slice of mozzarella, followed by the parmesan cheese.

ADD THE TOP BUNS: Place the top rolls on the cheese.

BASTE WITH BUTTER: Brush the sliders with melted butter. If you like your sliders extra buttery, add more melted butter before baking. Then baste the top layer of bread with delicious butter when you remove from the oven.

ADD SPICES: Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with black pepper and Italian seasoning.

COOKING TIME: Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

UNCOVER: After 20 minutes, uncover the sliders and continue cooking for another 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish the top of the buns with fresh basil if you like, then serve and eat.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love meatball sandwiches then you’ll love our Meatball Sub Bombs. They are easy to make and the best appetizer for parties and game days. Served with a salad, they are also an easy weeknight dinner idea.

Andrea says….

This is a fun way to make meatball sandwiches. It’s great with any type of leftover meatballs or just cook up some frozen meatballs just for these.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best cheesy meatball sliders recipe.

Tip: Use sweet King’s Hawaiian rolls, as they have just the right flavor to complement the meatballs and marinara sauce.
Tip: For best results, use homemade marinara sauce. In case you are in a hurry, use your favorite sauce from the store.
Tip: Do not add too much sauce to the slider rolls, or they might get soggy. Rather serve some sauce on the side for dipping.
Tip: Don’t be shy with the butter, because it adds immense flavor to your sliders. Have you tried using garlic butter to add even more flavor?

What To Serve With Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders

We love to eat chicken parm sliders all by themselves. But sometimes you need to serve them as a meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Sauce: Serve Hawaiian roll sliders with homemade pasta sauce, such as our best Marinara Sauce with Red Wine.

Salad: Pair these cheesy chicken meatball sliders with a fresh salad. A green salad like our amazing Italian Salad or Strawberry Avocado Salad. Or even a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil or Antipasto Salad.

Sides: Traditionally, meatball sliders are served with Fries or Potato Wedges. It would also taste great with a fruit salad, like Stef’s Peach Burrata Salad.

Homemade Meatball Recipes

You can make all kinds of different flavored meatball sliders by using a different meatball recipe each time. We love using all of these juicy meatballs to make Hawaiian roll sliders:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Keep leftover sliders in the fridge in an air tight container or ziploc bag up to 3 days.

Freeze: We don’t recommend freezing chicken parm sliders because of the sauce. Once it’s thawed, the rolls may become soggy.

How To Reheat

Reheat Hawaiian roll meatball slider leftovers in the oven at 350ºF until heated through. We recommend keeping them covered with aluminum foil while reheating. In case it has to go quick, you can also reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds. However, be careful, because the rolls will get squishy when microwaved for too long. Additionally, you can reheat them in the air fryer at 350 degrees for a few minutes.

Common Questions

How long to bake meatball sliders?

Because our meatballs are already cooked, you only need about 25 minutes to bake, just so the cheese melts and the tops are toasted.

Is it better to use my own homemade meatballs or frozen meatballs for this recipe?

As a matter of fact you can use any kind of meatball you like. We love using one of our easy recipes for chicken, turkey or ground beef meatballs. The only thing you need to be careful about is using cooked meatballs.

When should I serve Hawaiian roll sliders?

Slider recipes are very versatile and can be served as a perfect party appetizer, delicious snack on super bowl Sunday as well as a fun main course with a crunchy salad and some potato wedges.

Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders

These chicken meatball sliders are great for game day appetizers or a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Course Appetizer, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken meatball parm, chicken parm sliders, hawaiian roll meatball sliders, hawaiian roll sliders, meatball sliders

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings

Calories 226kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

12 slider rolls
12 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
24 cooked chicken meatballs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup marinara sauce plus more for dipping
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Slice slider rolls in half. Put the bottom half in the baking dish.
Brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter on the rolls.
Spread ⅓ cup marinara sauce over bottom of rolls.
Place 2 meatballs on each roll.
Top each roll with a slice of mozzarella.
Sprinkle ⅓ cup parmesan cheese on top of mozzarella.
Place the slider roll tops on top of the cheese. Baste with 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle top with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Serve and eat.

Notes

If you like your sliders extra buttery, add more melted butter before baking. Then baste the tops with butter when you remove from the oven.
You can substitute the fresh mozzarella slices for other types of cheese like provolone or shredded mozzarella.
If you add extra sauce to your slider rolls before cooking they may become soggy. If you like more sauce, consider putting a layer of cheese on the bread then sauce.

Nutrition

The post Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders appeared first on Family Dinners.

Pork Ribs vs Beef Ribs: Different Types Of Ribs And How To Cook Them

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 20:34:23 +0000

It doesn’t matter if you cook ribs in the oven, on the grill or in a smoker they are always a big crowd pleaser. The secret to perfect ribs is usually a low and slow cooking process that tenderizes the meat and makes it fall off the bone. However, if you want your ribs to be done a lot faster, you can cook them in an air fryer or Instant Pot. They still come out perfectly delicious! Let’s take a look at all the different types of ribs, so you can decide which kind is perfect for you!

What Different Styles Of Ribs Are There?

Generally speaking there are two types of ribs, beef and pork. However, there are different types of cuts of each. Below we outline the different types of pork and beef rib cuts, what the meat is like and how to cook each.

Different Types Of Pork Ribs

Pork ribs are the most popular type of rib. They are meaty and come out tender, flavorful and absolutely mouthwatering. There are four different types of ribs that come from different parts of the pig. The type of pork ribs does not have to do with the size of the pig but rather the part of the pig the cut comes from.

Baby Back Ribs

Even though their name might suggest different, baby back ribs do not come from baby pigs or young pigs. They are simply smaller/shorter than spareribs and therefore called baby back.

Other Names: back ribs, pork loin ribs, Canadian back ribs

Rib Cut: Baby back ribs are cut from the high back/loin area of pigs. Back ribs have little cartilage and their bones have a slight curve.

Type of Meat: They are the leanest kind of pork ribs, with lots of loin muscle (meat) on top and less between the bones. Baby backs are the most expensive kind of pork ribs. The tender meat and less fatty bits means the ribs are in high demand and have a higher price tag.

Cooking Methods: There are many great ways to cook a rack of baby back ribs. Remove the membrane before cooking. Try cooking them in the smoker, oven, air fryer or on the grill.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: Have you tried our juicy and perfectly cooked Air Fryer Ribs? They are seasoned with a flavorful homemade spice rub and covered in scrumptious bbq sauce. Air fried ribs are incredibly easy to make and ready to serve in under 40 minutes.

St. Louis-Style Ribs

St. Louis ribs got their name from meat processing plants in the St. Louis area. They started to trim a rack of spare ribs down to rectangular shape by cutting away the hard breastbone and cartilage.

Rib Cut: St. Louis style ribs are cut from the belly area of a pig and are basically trimmed spareribs.

Type of Meat: Louis style ribs have more meat between the bones and also more fat compared to a baby back rib rack. They are trimmed to an almost rectangular shape and the bones are flatter than in back ribs. This makes them easier to work with and brown easier.

Cooking Methods: Remove the membrane (silver skin) before cooking. Cook these ribs in the smoker, in the oven or on the grill.

Spare Ribs

In general, spare ribs are meatier but less tender than baby back ribs. They do contain more fat which results in added flavor when cooked.

Rib Cut: Spare ribs come from the end of a hog’s rib cage after the bacon is removed.

Type of Meat: Because they are from the belly area of pigs, they are meaty but also have more fatty tissue than back ribs. Additionally the belly of the pig has more cartilage and connective tissue.

Cooking Methods: Remove the membrane on the bone side of the ribs before you cook. Cook spare ribs low and slow to break down the connective tissue. Cook in a smoker, oven or on the grill.

Country-Style Ribs

Even though a lot of people don’t consider country-style ribs “true” ribs, their meat has much the same qualities as a true rack of ribs does. Boneless country-style ribs are actually not from the rib area of the animal. They do not contain any rib bones.

Cut: This budget-friendly cut really comes from the shoulder area.

Type of Meat: Country style meat is a mixture of light and dark meat with a nice marbling of fat.

Cooking Methods: Country-style ribs are best cooked long and slow in the smoker, oven or crockpot. Moreover, they are also the perfect cut of meat for braising. For a quicker cooking process try making them in the Instant Pot.

Prepping country style ribs for the Instant Pot recipe.

Stef says….

I have to admit I was the biggest skeptic but am now a firm believer in air fryer baby back ribs! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved these. I’ve found a new favorite way to make ribs!

Different Types Of Beef Ribs

There are also different types of beef ribs. The type of rib has to do with where the meat is cut from the cow. You can buy different cuts of ribs ribs from your local butcher or from most grocery store meat departments.

Short Ribs

Short ribs get their name from the fact that they are generally not longer than 2-3 inches and are a smaller size than other beef ribs.

Other Names: dino ribs, dinosaur ribs, short plate ribs, chuck short ribs

Rib Cut: Short ribs can refer to ribs from two different places on the cow, the sub-primal area (lower part of a cow’s rib cage) and the arm chuck primal area (rib area more toward the shoulder). Short ribs or plate ribs come from the lower part of a cow’s rib cage while chuck short ribs come from the chuck primal area.

Type of Meat: They are usually very meaty and marbled with fat. The meat sits on top of the bone. Additionally, they have a layer of fat and lots of connective tissue.

Cooking Method: These ribs are cooked differently depending on the type of short rib. Plate short ribs are cut in 3-bone slabs, about 5-inches long. Smoke low and slow like you would brisket. Chuck short ribs are usually cut in 4-bone slabs or in single bone cuts called “English Cut”. Untrimmed 4 bone slabs are referred to as “Dino” ribs. Braise chuck short ribs, do not smoke.

Short ribs.

Flanken-Style Ribs

Other Names: Beef galbi or “Kalbi”, L.A. Style ribs

Rib Cut: Flanken-style ribs come from the same section as beef chuck short ribs, but are cut differently. Instead of being cut along the bone they are cut across. This means there are usually a couple of small bones in each rib piece.

Type of Meat: Flanken-style ribs are very meaty, have some fat and lots of connective tissue. They are very popular in Korean BBQ dishes as well as in some Mexican dishes.

Cooking Method: Cook this beef by searing and cooking hot and fast.

Flanken-style ribs.

Beef Spare Ribs

Beef spare ribs are the same cut of meat as flanken ribs and short ribs. The difference is how they’re cut. While short ribs are cut into 3-inch long pieces, the spare ribs are cut into 6-inch long rib pieces.

Beef Back Ribs

Rib Cut: Beef back ribs come from the back of cows, right behind the shoulder area. They are what is leftover after the butcher cuts away the prime rib roast.

Type of Meat: Although tasty, they have less meat, which sits mostly in between the bones, than the other kinds of beef ribs. These ribs are cheaper because they are mostly bone.

Do Beef Ribs And Pork Ribs Taste Different?

The main differences between pork ribs and beef ribs is that pork ribs are usually leaner than beef ones and more mild in flavor. Their taste compares to pork chops. The meat on beef ribs is usually more marbled and therefore has an intense beef flavor that compares to steak or brisket.

What Is A Rack Of Ribs?

Racks of ribs are groups of ribs cut by the butcher. They contain at least 8 ribs and up to 13 ribs, connected. You can usually find 10-13 on a typical commercial rack of ribs. A half rack of ribs is half of a rack of ribs, anywhere from 4 to 7 ribs.

Andrea says….

You haven’t had delicious ribs until you’ve had these Dry Rub Recipe For Baby Back Ribs cooked in the oven. They’re easy to make any time of year and are tender enough to fall off the bone. You can’t beat this flavor! If you love a saucy rib this is for you. Just rub the ribs with my rub made of brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt and BBQ sauce. Then wrap in aluminum foil and cook to perfection with my favorite cooking method!

The Best Side Dishes To Serve With Ribs:

We love serving ribs with Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Chili Mac, Chili, Baked Beans, Crispy Garlic French Bread, Cornbread Muffins and French Fries.

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.

Instant Pot– This recipe requires an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. This Instant Pot isn’t the fanciest you can buy but we love it and it will work for most people’s needs. If you’re looking for one with all the bells and whistles, this 10-in-1 Instant Pot is amazing. Make sure your sealing ring is in good shape. You can buy replacement silicone sealing rings if you need one. These seal the pot and keep the pressure inside the machine.

How To Store Ribs

Refrigerate: Store cooked rib leftovers in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: You can freeze leftover ribs in a freezer safe container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw ribs in the fridge overnight.

How To Reheat

Reheat leftover ribs in the microwave, in the oven or in the air fryer. Reheating may dry out the meat so we recommend wrapping in foil and heating in the oven at 350°F until the meat is hot.

Oven cooked baby back ribs

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love meatier ribs then you’ll love our incredibly tender and flavorful Instant Pot Country-Style Ribs smothered in barbecue sauce. They are super easy to prepare, come out juicy and fall apart in your mouth.

Common Questions

Is it better to remove the membrane from ribs?

We recommend removing the membrane (or silvery skin at the back of the ribs) before seasoning and cooking them. The membrane keeps the seasoning and heat from properly penetrating the meat and also turns into an unappetizing looking and leathery skin during cooking.

What are the cheapest type of ribs?

In general, beef ribs are a bit more expensive than pork ribs. If you are buying pork ribs you will find that country-style ribs are very budget friendly, however, they are not “real” ribs. Comparing the other three kinds of “true” pork ribs, you will find that baby back ribs are the priciest, followed by St. Louis-style ribs and spareribs are the cheapest ones.

What are the meatiest type of ribs?

Country-style ribs are by far the meatiest type of pork rib, as they are boneless. However, if we take a look at “true” ribs, spareribs and St. Louis-style ribs are the ones that have the most meat. When it comes to beef, short ribs are the ones that have the most meat.

What are the best ribs to BBQ?

We recommend using either spareribs or St. Louis-style ribs for grilling. They have a higher fat content that melts away during grilling, leaving you with juicy and flavorful ribs.

What are the best ribs to smoke?

There is no definite answer to this question, as baby back ribs, spareribs and St. Louis-style ribs all come out absolutely delicious cooked in a smoker. It all comes down to whatever qualities are most important to you. While baby back ribs are more meaty and lean, St. Louis-style ribs and spareribs have more fat, which makes them extra juicy and flavorful.

What are the key differences between beef short ribs vs. back ribs?

Beef short ribs and beef back ribs are both popular beef rib cuts. The main difference between short ribs and back ribs is that back ribs are 6-8 inches long and short ribs are 2-3-inches long. Short ribs have more meat than the beef back ribs. Beef back ribs have meat between the bones, rather than on top of the bones. Short ribs have a layer of fat on top of the meat, usually. Beef back ribs are relatively lean, in comparison.

Ribs with membrane intact.

The post Pork Ribs vs Beef Ribs: Different Types Of Ribs And How To Cook Them appeared first on Family Dinners.

Pulled Pork Sliders (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Oven Roasted)

Andrea + Stef — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 01:56:00 +0000

This is hands down the quickest way to make the best Instant Pot pulled pork sliders ever! Instructions are included for making in a slow cooker or oven as well. Pressure-cooked pulled pork is ready in only 80 minutes and comes out tender, juicy, and absolutely irresistible. Not only does this Instant Pot recipe use a homemade spice rub, but you can make it extra special by also using BBQ sauce made from scratch. Your entire family will love this flavor-bursting sandwich that can be topped with classic coleslaw or whatever topping you prefer. With this delicious recipe, you can treat your family with mouthwatering BBQ pork all year round.

Why cook BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders in the Instant Pot?

While cooking pulled pork in the oven or slow cooker takes hours, the Instant Pot method makes it possible to serve pulled pork sliders in only 80 minutes. Not only does pressure cooking the meat drastically reduce the cooking time, it also produces the most tender and succulent bbq pulled pork.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: tender and juicy pulled pork with delicious BBQ sauce on soft buns and topped with crunchy coleslaw
Main Ingredients: pork shoulder or butt roast, olive oil, beef broth, BBQ sauce, slider buns, light brown sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and coleslaw
Cooking Method: Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Oven.
Nutrients: 18g of protein per serving
Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time, 75 minutes cooking time
Pairs well with: chips, potato salad, macaroni salad, crusty white bread, corn
Diets: dairy free
Special Equipment Needed: Instant Pot, metal trivet, mixing bowl, instant read thermometer, forks

Ingredients

You may have all of these BBQ pulled pork sliders ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe.

Pantry Ingredients: light brown sugar, olive oil, beef broth, BBQ sauce, slider buns
Produce Ingredients: prepared coleslaw
Meat Ingredients: boneless pork shoulder roast
Spices: garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt

Substitutions:

Beef broth: You can substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth for the beef broth.
Pork shoulder roast: You may also use a pork butt roast.
Coleslaw: Make your own or just use plain cabbage, if you prefer.
Spices: We highly recommend uses the spices listed. If you would like, you can add a ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
BBQ sauce: Use any type of BBQ sauce you like or make our delicious tangy BBQ sauce.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: Looking for another scrumptious recipe for pork shoulder roast made in the Instant Pot? Then our flavor bursting, melt in your mouth Instant Pot Carnitas are perfect for you! They are easy to make and oh so good!

Recommended Tools

Instant Pot– One cooking method for this recipe is an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. This Instant Pot isn’t the fanciest you can buy but we love it and it will work for most people’s needs. If you’re looking for one with all the bells and whistles, this 10-in-1 Instant Pot is amazing.

Slow Cooker – You can also use a large slow cooker to make this delicious pulled pork recipe.

Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sliders Instructions

This section shows how to cook BBQ pulled pork sandwiches in the Instant Pot, 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. You can print the recipe with or without photos. For instructions for the crockpot pulled pork sliders and oven pork roast pulled pork sliders see below.

MAKE SPICE RUB AND SEASON: In a small bowl, mix together the spice rub ingredients. Then gently rub the spices all over the pork roast. You can remove the netting or keep in place to keep your roast together. Next, turn the Instant Pot to sauté setting and add 2 tablespoon of oil.

SEAR: When oil is hot in saute mode, sear roast for about 2 minutes on each side, until it’s lightly browned. Remove and turn sauté off. Then pour beef broth into the pot and deglaze by scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.

PRESSURE COOK: Place the metal trivet into the Instant Pot. Place the roast onto the trivet. Lock the lid, seal and set to high pressure for 65 minutes. Once cook time is done do a quick release to release the pressure in the pressure cooker. Use an instant read meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the roast. Pork roast is safe to eat at 145°F.

SHRED AND FINISH: Remove the pork roast and shred with forks. Set aside. Remove the metal trivet and discard any liquid from the pot. Next, return meat to the Instant Pot, add desired amount of BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Finally, place a generous amount of pulled pork on the bottom bun. Add coleslaw and additional BBQ sauce, if desired. Place bun tops on top and serve while warm.

Optional: Brush tops of buns with melted butter.

What To Serve With Pulled Pork Sliders

Pulled pork sliders are great as a game day snack or a full meal. These hearty sandwiches are often eaten alone but if you want to serve them with something try one of these ideas:

Dill pickles or dill pickle spears: Serve these on the side or in slices on the slider, if you prefer.
Beans: Baked beans are a classic side dish for pulled pork. Make your own or just open a can of baked beans.
Side Salad: Make an easy Italian Salad as a side salad.
BBQ Sauce: Serve your sliders with more BBQ sauces. A variety of sauces is great if you’re serving a crowd. Try sweet BBQ sauce or a tangy BBQ sauce with worcestershire sauce, or even a mustard BBQ sauce.

Make Ahead

BBQ pulled pork is a great meal to make ahead since you can either refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure you let the dish cool completely before transfering it to an airtight or freezer safe container. You can reheat the pulled pork in the microwave, on the stovetop or in the slow cooker.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best pulled pork sliders.

Tip: Use pork shoulder for this recipe. Pork shoulder has just the right fat/lean ratio for roasting and therefore produces the moistest, most flavorful pulled pork.
Tip: Don’t skip the searing. Browning the meat before cooking locks in the juices and adds a great deal of flavor.
Tip: Use good BBQ sauce. Use your favorite store bought BBQ sauce or make your own. Have you tried our quick and easy to make BBQ sauce recipe?

More Delicious Recipes

Try this dry rub recipe for baby back ribs in the oven and air fryer is the secret to the most delicious BBQ ribs ever. They’re easy to make, fall off the bone tender and you can’t beat this flavor! Or try these Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders and Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this delicious pumpkin quick bread, try our amazing Pumpkin Spice Pancake Recipe. You’ll love these pancakes because they are thick, fluffy and packed with pumpkin and warm spices.

How To Store

Refrigerate: After cooking, put pulled pork leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Store Instant Pot pulled pork in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Transfer leftover pulled pork to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheating: Reheat your pork in the microwave in a covered microwave safe dish.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you also love everything BBQ then you’ll love our tender and juicy Crockpot BBQ meatballs. They are super easy to make and only require 10 minutes of hands on prep time.

Common Questions

What is the best cut of pork to use for this recipe?

We recommend using either a pork shoulder or pork butt roast. Both cuts have an ideal fat/lean ratio and produce juicy and flavorful pulled pork. We do not recommend using pork loin in the pressure cooker. Pork loin (same thing as pork loin roast) is a very lean cut of meat and can overcook very easily in the Instant Pot. Pressure cooked pork tenderloin is often dry and no real joy to eat.

Can I skip the searing step and just put the roast into the Instant Pot raw?

Searing the meat is important for multiple reasons. First, it caramelizes the outside of the meat and therefore adds immense flavor to your roast. Additionally, searing seals up the meat and therefore locks in all the amazing juices that keep your roast nice and moist. So, while it is not impossible to skip this step, we highly recommend searing the roast before cooking in order to create perfectly cooked pulled pork.

Is it better to use store bought or homemade BBQ sauce?

In this case you can use either your favorite brand of store bought or homemade BBQ sauce. If you feel adventurous and want to make this recipe extra special try our quick and easy recipe for homemade BBQ Sauce.

What are other toppings for pulled pork sliders besides coleslaw?

While coleslaw is the most popular topping for pork sliders, you can also top your sandwiches with pickles, more barbecue sauce, Ranch dressing, mustard, sliced jalapeños, a slice of cheddar or provolone cheese, pickled onions, or even guacamole.

Can I use this recipe to create a slider bar at my next party?

Sure can! Prepare the pulled pork as described in the recipe. Turn your Instant Pot to keep warm mode during the party. Next to the electric pressure cooker set up a basket with pre-cut slider buns, a bowl of coleslaw, extra BBQ sauce and little bowls with any other toppings you want to serve.

Pulled Pork Sliders Recipe

The most succulent and flavorful BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. Cooked in the Instant Pot, the meat turns out tender and juicy and is ready in only 80 minutes!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose

Keyword BBQ pork sandwiches, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, Instant pot pulled pork, Instant pot pulled pork sliders

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 340kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

Instant Pot
metal trivet
forks
mixing bowl

Ingredients

Rub Ingredients:

½ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt

Pulled Pork Ingredients:

2-3 lbs pork shoulder roast or butt roast (not pork loin)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup beef broth or water
½-1 cup BBQ sauce homemade or store bought
10 slider buns

Garnish:

3 cups prepared coleslaw

Instructions

Mix together the rub ingredients. Gently rub the spices all over the pork roast.
Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add 2 tablespoon of oil.
When oil is hot, add roast to the pot. Sear roast for about 2 minutes on each side, until it’s lightly browned. Remove and turn saute off.
Pour broth into the pot and deglaze by scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Place the metal trivet into the instant pot. Place the roast onto the trivet.
Lock the lid, seal and set to high pressure for 65 minutes.
Once cook time is done, do a quick release.
Remove pork roast. Shred with two forks or cut into large chunks then shred with a fork. Set aside.
Remove the metal trivet and liquid from the pot.
Return the shredded pork to the pot. Then add BBQ sauce to the pot and stir to mix. Add more BBQ sauce, if desired.
Top slider buns with shredded pork and coleslaw. Serve while warm.

Notes

For a 4 lb pork roast, pressure cook on high for 80 minutes.
Store leftover shredded pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze shredded pork in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
If you want a thinner sauce, reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid and whisk it together with the BBQ sauce before adding shredded pork back into the pot.

Oven Pork Roast Pulled Pork Sliders Instructions

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders Instructions

Nutrition

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