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.
How to Use Extra Garlic
When we make dinner, we put garlic in everything. That’s no accident! European, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisines all have used the alium bulb to season food for millennia. When a Blue Apron box arrives, it will almost always include a whole head of garlic, but most recipes only use a couple of cloves. If you’ve gotten a few boxes, you might have leftover garlic piling up. This isn’t a problem, it’s an opportunity. Here’s how to use extra garlic to create flavorful meals all week long.
Your New Favorite Cocktail Recipe Uses a Whole Pineapple
This cocktail is sort of the lovechild of my three favorite patio drinks: a mezcal negroni, a piña colada, and an Aperol spritz. It’s a little labor intensive, but I promise it’s worth it (and hey, we have the time). Can’t find fresh pineapple? I suppose canned will do
A Guide to Homemade Salad Dressing
There are two types of salads: sad salads and scene-stealing salads. A sad salad is one that was thrown together without a real plan. Its sole purpose is to deliver a few vegetables, but it lacks flavor and excitement.
A Guide to Cooking with Wine
Cooking with wine is a great way to add complexity to sauces, soups, and braises. This is a crash course in cooking with wine, designed to help you figure out how to choose a bottle and what to do with it.
How to Warm Your Plates for Dinner
Hot food has to be served hot, and cold food has to be served cold. Bring me a cold bowl of soup or a warm and wilted salad, and I will send it back every single time.
Baked Sweet Dumpling Squash Recipe
There are a number of varieties of squash, and if you’re a subscriber you’ll be trying many of them soon. But since Food Network’s Fall Fest is about pumpkins today, we wanted to share a recipe for stuffed dumpling squash that could just as easily be made with a tiny sugar pumpkin that looks more like a jack o’lantern than the one we have pictured.
Is a Rub or a Marinade Better for Flavorful Grilling?
Marinades and rubs go hand in hand with grilling. Both methods are used to add more flavor to your meal. But what, exactly, is the difference, and how do you know when to do what?
How To Make Onions Less Strong: Taming The Taste of Raw Onion
Today we’re talking raw onions, one of the most common, most flavorful ingredients in our pantry.
Salad Greens: Our Favorite Types & How To Use Them
We’re never far from a salad craving here at Blue Apron. Whether we’re aiming to highlight seasonal ingredients or balance out a rich meal, a bowl of crisp greens beckons us. If you’re a salad fiend (or you want to be one), this is your moment to discover new types of lettuce.
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:
Asian-Style Sautéed Aromatics Recipe
It might seem like this prepackaged blend is a magical substance that makes every meal delicious, but it’s actually just a mix of common ingredients found in many Asian-inspired meals
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.
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