Extra Helpings - A Blue Apron blog
Meet the new Blue Apron, now more convenient (and delicious) than ever. This is meal planning the way it should be: simple, inspiring, fun—and no subscription needed.
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Search for recipes, cooking tips, food trends, and all things delicious.
Pecorino Romano vs. Parmesan: Everything You’ll Want To Know
Pecorino and Parmesan can seem pretty similar. Both are hard salty cheeses from Italy, and they’re both frequently in the mix with pasta. However, they’re not the same cheese.
Types of Asian Noodles: Your Comprehensive Guide
Noodles are a pillar of many Asian cuisines, and the key to many beloved dishes across the continent. Attempting a full taxonomy would be nearly impossible:
Spicy Seasonings & Ingredients: Your (Very) Hot Guide
If your goal is to have your meals taste delicious and be painless, bookmark this list and leave these spicy ingredients out of your recipes
What Are Capers? Cooking, Taste, & More Explained
If capers aren’t already your secret weapon in the kitchen, they should be. If you know how to cook with capers, these tiny green buds will add a bright pop of briny flavor to whatever you’re making. Think of them like a shortcut to flavor. These are some of the recipes that made us fall in love with capers.
Shishito Peppers Recipe: How To Cook Them & More
Tender, smoky shishito peppers are a restaurant staple—but they’re easy to use at home too. These vibrantly green and slightly smoky Japanese chiles—shaped a bit like wrinkled fingers— have become a late summer and early fall favorite on menus across the country.
Curry Paste vs. Curry Powder: What Sets Them Apart
Curry is a broad term for saucy well-spiced dishes with ties to India, Thailand, and many other countries throughout Southeast Asia. Curry starts with a blend of spices, but there’s no exact formula. No two curries are alike! At home, you can use curry paste or curry powder as a shortcut. These ingredients will help you create dishes with complex layered flavors in no time at all.
Blue Apron’s Favorite Cilantro Sauce
Creamy cilantro sauce is one of our favorite ways to add a contrasting pop of flavor to our plate. We love drizzling cilantro sauce over grilled chicken, spiced beef, or seared fish dishes.
How to Remove Rusty Brown Lettuce Spots
Everyone loves a good salad, but sometimes lettuce can be a pain. Delicate leaves can wilt or decay, and hearty lettuces like romaine can develop rusty brown spots. Don’t despair!
How to Dice Carrots
Rounded vegetables like carrots tend to roll around, and can be tricky to dice evenly. Learn how to dice a carrot safely with these easy tips.
Tomatillo Poblano Sauce
Recreate Blue Apron’s signature tomatillo poblano sauce at home. You can use this recipe to replicate your favorite Blue Apron meals, or you can improvise. Try it on any protein, bean dishes, or roasted vegetables. For a creamy kick, stir a spoonful into yogurt or sour cream to make a rich sauce.
How to Pit Olives
Olives add a salty complexity to salads, flatbreads, and cheeseboards. These fruits are native to Southern Europe and Northern Africa, and are an essential part of many traditional recipes from those regions.
How To Make a Rice Dome
Instead of scooping rice into the bottom of your bowl, then pouring the curry on top, we do exactly the opposite. On top of our steaming, lemongrass-scented bowl of tofu or shrimp curry, we scoop out a perfect dome of rice.
What is Sambal Oelek? (& How to Use It)
Sambal oelek is an Indonesian condiment made from chili peppers, vinegar, and salt. It’s name comes from the Indonesian word for pepper—sambal—and the name for a mortar and pestle in which peppers are sometimes ground.
How To Properly Cook Ground Beef
Properly cooked ground beef should be browned and flavorful. If you end up with grey or dry meat, it’s time to examine your technique. You might be accidentally steaming your protein instead of gently sautéing.
How to Make the Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Grilled cheese is delicious any time of day. Two slices of white bread with gooey American cheese is a perfect lunch order at your favorite diner. Whole wheat toast with melted slices of Swiss makes a perfect snack after a stressful day. For a full-on dinner, we love to create gourmet sandwiches with great artisan bread, imported cheese, and fresh vegetables.
Romesco Sauce
Romesco is a thick sauce packed with smoky and sweet flavors. This sauce originated in Spain, but today you can enjoy it around the world. It’s traditionally enjoyed as a sauce for fish or grilled meats, or as a tasty dip for vegetables and breads.
Furikake Seasoning: Description, Recipes, & Uses
Furikake seasoning is one of those ingredients that does your work for you. All you have to do is add a few teaspoons to the top of your dish, and you’ll instantly boost the flavor, texture, and appearance of whatever you’re serving.
How To Boil Rice: Cooking Tips & More
The advantage of this method is clear. When you cook rice like pasta you don’t have to double check the ratio of water to rice, or measure the water. You also don’t have to watch the stove quite as closely, since there’s no risk of the bottom burning.
Italian Salsa Verde Recipe
Mexican salsa verde is a green sauce made with tomatillos and hot green peppers. It can be used to top meats, tortillas, or enchiladas. It can be mild or quite spicy.
All About Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a bright green sauce common in Argentine and Uruguayan cuisine. Authentic chimichurri must include fresh herbs, spicy pepper, something acidic, and lots of good olive oil.
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