My family loves this sweet and tangy honey mustard dressing recipe. It’s made with simple ingredients and tastes way better than store-bought.

This recipe is incredibly simple to make, and you probably already have everything you need to make it in your kitchen. I love it for salads, but this dressing has so many uses. Many of our readers use it as a marinade for chicken. It works wonders as a dressing for grain bowls and we love brushing it onto salmon before baking in the oven.

I love that this salad dressing uses real ingredients and does not call for mayonnaise. For a creamier sauce that’s perfect for dipping, see our creamy honey mustard sauce. If you are looking for a marinade, we both love this honey mustard chicken.

Key Ingredients

• Mustard: I use creamy Dijon, but whole grain or regular yellow mustard will work.
• Honey: I love using local raw honey (it tastes so good). If you’d like a honey-free option, try maple syrup!
• Apple cider vinegar: I love using apple cider vinegar with “the mother” left in the bottle (like Braggs) and find it has the best flavor.
• Olive oil: Makes our dressing silky and luxurious. It also adds flavor. Avocado oil is a good alternative.
• Fresh lemon juice: Optional, but I highly recommend it. The lemon makes the dressing pop. I add the juice from one or two lemon wedges.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Honey Mustard Dressing

Tip 1: Whisk or shake until emulsified. Just a few seconds of whisking turns the dressing into a single emulsified mixture. It is amazing what happens when you whisk the mustard with olive oil and vinegar. You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake.

Tip 2: Make it extra creamy. As written, this is a vinaigrette-style dressing and, honestly, is pretty creamy already. For a thicker even creamier dressing, whisk in a little sour cream or plain yogurt.

Serving Suggestions

Of all the salad dressing recipes on Inspired Taste, this one is the most versatile. We love drizzling it over roasted vegetables. It’s especially good with roasted Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, sweet bell peppers, and broccoli.

You can even marinate chicken, fish, and pork in this dressing. You can also use it as a sauce for serving with pork chops or grilled chicken.

More Salad Dressing Recipes

Source link

The secret to our falafel recipe is soaked dried chickpeas and a mountain of fresh green herbs. They are shatteringly crisp on the outside and remarkably tender inside.

While it may be tempting to reach for a can of chickpeas, for our favorite falafel recipe, you’ll use soaked, dried chickpeas. Canned beans are too soft with too much moisture, which means you’ll have mushy fritters that fall apart. By using soaked (but uncooked) chickpeas with lots of cilantro, parsley, and mint, you’ll get a light, tender, emerald-green center with a golden, crunchy shell.

We first fell in love with falafel when walking through the Marais district of Paris, where I ordered a falafel sandwich from L’As du Fallafel. We loved their falafel so much that we ate there almost every day and came home determined to recreate it. I think we nailed it! I love tucking these into our homemade pita with creamy hummus, veggies, pickles, and this delicious tahini sauce.

Key Ingredients

• Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas don’t work here. I know other recipes say they do, but for the best authentic falafel, you want soaked dried chickpeas. This means that you need to soak your chickpeas overnight. Note that we will only soak the beans and do not cook them before making our falafel mix. For more about dried chickpeas, see this guide about soaking dried chickpeas.
• Garlic and Herbs: We love green herbs, and they work incredibly well here. We use garlic, green onions, and lots of fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, and mint.
• Spices: Our falafel mix isn’t overly spiced, but we do add ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cardamom, black pepper, and salt. Cayenne pepper is also optional for a little heat.
• Baking Powder: Adding it to your falafel mixture makes the center slightly more tender, airy, and light.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Falafel

Tip 1: Use dried chickpeas. Are you tired of me telling you this yet? Our falafel recipe below does not call for canned beans. Instead, we’re going to add them to a large bowl and soak them overnight, covered with water.

In the morning, the chickpeas will have almost tripled in size and softened a bit. They will still be hard, but no longer dried. These beans—soaked, but still firm—are perfect for making falafel. You do not need to cook them before using them in your falafel mix.

Tip 2: Make the falafel mix in a food processor. We need to finely chop the chickpeas and herbs, and a food processor works wonders.

Combine the soaked chickpeas and other falafel ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, stopping before it purees into a paste. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks finely chopped and you can press it together into balls (not like dough, but they should hold together).

I recommend watching our video in the recipe below, where you can see the texture you’re looking for.

Tip 3: Chill before cooking. Chilling the falafel mixture helps bind ingredients before you cook them, so we prefer to refrigerate the mix for 15 minutes, then form it into balls. Then, after making my balls, I pop them back into the fridge for 30 minutes or so to help them hold together for frying.

Tip 4: For the best homemade falafel, fry it. For the crispiest, most authentic falafel, fry them in oil. I know frying isn’t for everyone, but trust me, it’s worth it! It’s not as messy or complicated as you might think. If you prefer, I’ve included baking and pan-frying options in the recipe, but just remember that frying is the way to go for that perfect golden-brown and crispy outside texture.

The photo below shows deep-fried falafel on the left. It is moist and tender inside, with a golden, crisp outside (this is also the lightest texture). In the middle is pan-fried falafel, which is less crisp on the outside but still moist and tender inside, although not nearly as airy and light as deep-fried. On the right is baked falafel, which is less crispy with a less tender, bright green center.

Serving Suggestions

The classic way to enjoy these is tucked into warm, pita bread with some hummus and a handful of crunchy pickles. Sometimes we’ll add a chopped cucumber and tomato salad or a drizzle of tahini sauce. Straight tahini works, too!

For a more expansive spread, arrange the falafel on a mezze platter alongside smoky baba ganoush, tangy labneh, and briny olives. They’re also lovely for topping salads, and I love them with tzatziki.

More Mediterranean Recipes

Source link

This cold spaghetti pasta salad is a fun dish for potlucks and BBQs, and is also great as a summertime meal. It has an Italian feel with a delicious homemade dressing that makes all the difference, coating every noodle with bright, savory flavor that actually tastes good the next day.

Jump to: Overview | Ingredients | Recipe Tips | Full Recipe Card | How To Make |  Serving Suggestions | More Summer Salad Recipes

At A Glance

• Ready In: About 1.5 hours (mostly chilling time)
• Serves: 6–8
• Diet: Vegetarian, Mediterranean-inspired
• Nutrition Highlights: Fresh vegetables, good fats from olive oil, calcium from cheese
• Main Ingredients: Spaghetti, fresh vegetables, olives, Italian cheeses, homemade herb dressing
• Flavor Profile: Bright, savory, slightly sweet, tangy, zesty, with a hint of heat
• Meal-Prep Friendly: Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge; actually tastes better the next day
• Best Served With: Summer entertaining, potlucks, picnics, casual summer dinners

I first had cold spaghetti pasta salad at a friend’s backyard BBQ in the US, and I was immediately hooked. There’s something about slurping tender spaghetti coated in a tangy, garlicky dressing that just hits different than other pasta salads. But here’s the thing—most versions rely on bottled Italian dressing and seasoning packets, which gets the job done but can taste a little flat and overly processed. This homemade version achieves that same nostalgic, addictive flavor from scratch using pantry spices, good olive oil, and a few smart upgrades. You get the bright, savory, slightly sweet profile you’re craving, but with so much more depth and balance.

It’s especially perfect for those summer days when you want something cold, refreshing, and satisfying—something that actually tastes good the next day, which is honestly half the appeal for potlucks and entertaining. Once you make your own dressing, you’ll never look back.

You might also like these pasta salads:
 Cold Chicken Pasta Salad
 Mediterranean Pasta Salad
 High-Protein Pasta Salad
 Elote Pasta Salad
 Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
More Pasta Salad Ideas

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this spaghetti pasta salad recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

For the Salad:

• Spaghetti (broken in half)—the star of the show; there’s something special about the way spaghetti strands take on dressing compared to other pasta shapes
• Cucumber (seeded and diced)—adds crisp, refreshing crunch
• Red bell pepper/capsicum (finely diced)—sweet, slightly tangy flavor and bright color
• Cherry tomatoes (halved)—juicy, bright, and fresh
• Red onion (finely minced)—adds bite and savory depth without overpowering
• Sliced olives—briny punch that pulls everything together; you can use black, Kalamata, or a mix
• Pepperoncini (finely minced)—delivers a gentle heat and vinegary tang; Golden Greek peppers can also be used
• Shredded Asiago cheese —milder, slightly creamy bite throughout the salad; Manchego or Comté cheese are also great options
• Finely grated Parmesan—melts into the dressing to help emulsify it while adding salty, savory depth. If you don’t have Asiago or other slightly softer aged cheeses, just add more Parmesan
• Fresh basil (thinly sliced)—bright, herbaceous finishing touch that keeps the salad feeling fresh

For the Dressing:

• Olive oil (good quality)—the base; good oil makes a real difference in flavor
• Red wine vinegar—provides acidity and tang
• Lemon juice—extra brightness and helps balance the sweetness
• Sugar—rounds out the flavors; don’t skip this
• Kosher salt—brings everything into focus
• Dried oregano, basil, and parsley—these dried herbs replace the seasoning packet and give you control over flavor depth
• Garlic powder and onion powder—savory umami without the harshness of fresh
• Celery seed—adds an unexpected herbal note that blooms as it sits, but can be left out
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)—gentle heat without taking over
• Dijon mustard—helps emulsify the dressing and adds subtle depth
• Finely grated Parmesan—helps the dressing emulsify and cling to the noodles
• Pepperoncini brine—the secret ingredient that ties everything together

Recipe Tips

• About that long ingredient list: At first glance, the dressing might look intimidating, but it’s mostly dried herbs and pantry staples you likely already have. They come together in just a couple of minutes. This homemade version replaces both the bottled dressing and the seasoning packet, giving you the same layered flavor (tangy, savory, well-balanced), but without the preservatives and fillers. It’s worth it.
• Why pepperoncini two ways? The brine adds acid and salt; the minced pepperoncini add gentle heat without overpowering everything. Together, they’re the secret to that addictive tang.
• Why both Asiago and Parmesan? The finely grated Parmesan melts into the dressing, helping to emulsify it while adding salty, savory depth. The Asiago is added in larger shreds, bringing a milder, slightly creamy bite throughout the salad. You can also use Manchego or Comte cheeses. You can use all Parmesan if you prefer, but the combination adds nice balance of flavor and texture.
• Flexible vegetables: This recipe is beautifully flexible. The base uses crisp, fresh vegetables for contrast, but you can swap or add based on what you have on hand or what’s in season. Think crunchy (celery, radishes, carrots), juicy (zucchini, green beans, corn), briny (artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, capers), or roasted (roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini, roasted cherry tomatoes).
• Make-ahead tip: You can prep everything the day before—chop vegetables, make the dressing, cook and chill the pasta. Just hold back the fresh basil until just before serving so it stays vibrant. Add a drizzle of olive oil or a splash of vinegar before serving if the salad looks a little dry.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. The pasta will absorb the dressing as it sits, which is normal—just refresh it with a bit more olive oil or a splash of red wine vinegar or pepperoncini brine before serving. Keep it chilled (it shouldn’t sit out for more than about 2 hours). Don’t freeze—the vegetables lose their texture, and the dressing separates.

If you’ve tried this cold spaghetti pasta salad or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.

How To Make Cold Spaghetti Pasta Salad

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for making this cold spaghetti pasta salad.

• Cook spaghetti in well-salted water until just al dente. Don’t overcook—you want it to have a little bite because it will soften as it sits.
• Drain and rinse briefly under cold water (or dunk into iced water) to stop the cooking. Shake off excess water thoroughly so the dressing clings properly.
• While the pasta cools, whisk all dressing ingredients together until emulsified. Taste it. It should be bright, savory, slightly sweet, and assertive. Let it sit for 5 minutes—the heat and celery seed will bloom and become more noticeable. Taste again and adjust as needed.

• Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl and toss with about ⅔ of the dressing while the pasta is cool but not ice-cold. This helps it absorb the flavors properly. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes.
• Add the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, olives, and minced pepperoncini. Toss gently so you don’t break anything up.
• Fold in the Asiago, Parmesan, and fresh basil. Add the remaining dressing as needed—you may not need it all, and it’s easier to add more than to take away.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Before serving, taste and adjust with a splash of vinegar, extra olive oil, or a pinch of salt if needed. The flavors meld beautifully as it sits.

Serving Suggestions

Honestly, this is one of those recipes that works for just about every occasion. Bring it to potlucks and picnics—it travels beautifully and tastes even better the next day. Serve it at summer BBQs alongside grilled meats and vegetables, or make it a main dish on a warm evening when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s also perfect for meal prep; divide it into containers and grab it for a cold, satisfying lunch. Pair it with crusty bread, a crisp white wine, or a cold beer. The fresh, tangy flavors work well with just about anything summery.

More Summer Salad Recipes

Source link

My favorite bone broth recipe is easy to make and guarantees an intensely flavorful, velvety broth perfect for using in recipes or sipping by itself.

This bone broth tastes just way better than store-bought, and it is much less expensive!

You can use a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) or a slow cooker, so I’ve shared both methods below. The one you choose depends on what works best for your schedule. For more broth recipes you’ll love, see our easy chicken broth, vegetable broth, classic chicken stock, or beef stock.

Key Ingredients

• Bones: I usually use chicken bones and make chicken bone broth, but you can use our recipe below for beef, pork, or a mix of bones. I often use leftover bones from roasting a chicken. Still, the best bones for this recipe have a high collagen and marrow content, providing rich flavor, gelatinous texture, and more nutritional benefits. For poultry, I like chicken wings, backs and necks, and chicken feet (don’t be put off, they have lots of collagen). For beef, use knuckles, marrow bones, and neck bones. And for pork, use neck bones and feet.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: I always add a bit of vinegar to my broth, but it is optional. Some say it helps to break down the bones and connective tissue, which sounds great, but honestly, I cannot confirm. What I do know is that acid almost always makes dishes taste better, and I always have a bottle of ACV in the pantry, so I use it for my bone broth. Other vinegars, like white or red wine vinegar, work well, too.
• Aromatics: Onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt help to make this really tasty. For a cleaner, more chicken-forward broth, remove the carrot. For a gingery broth, add a few coins of fresh ginger. For a herby broth, add parsley, dill, or thyme.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

Tips for How to Make the Best Bone Broth

Tip 1: Use a pressure cooker. I prefer using a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot) or a slow cooker when making bone broth. While you can make it on the stove, the extended cooking time (24+ hours) makes me uneasy about leaving a pot on an open flame for that long.

Tip 2: Roast your bones. Roasting your bones intensifies the flavor of the broth. I spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast them in a hot oven until they turn brown, usually about 30 minutes.

Tip 3: Building your flavors. Once roasted, transfer the bones to your pressure cooker or slow cooker. Add your desired vinegar and aromatics, then cover everything with cold water. Ensure the water level covers all the ingredients but doesn’t exceed the maximum fill line of your cooker.

Tip 4: Cooking times. Once you have everything in your cooker secure the lid and cook according to your appliance:

• Pressure cooker (Instant Pot): Cook on high pressure for 3 to 4 hours.
• Slow cooker: Cook on LOW for 24 to 48 hours.

Ways to Enjoy Bone Broth

Serve on its own. My favorite way to serve this is to sip it like tea. Heat a cup of broth and season with salt, pepper, or other spices you love. I love grating fresh ginger into my cup for a gingery kick. Then, I sip it as a comforting drink.

Add to recipes. You can also use this broth as your base for soups, stews, gravies, risotto, and rice. Some of my favorite recipes that make the rich, satisfying flavor of bone broth sing are:

Source link

This fajita recipe is truly restaurant-worthy. The secret is cooking the steak, chicken, and shrimp all in one skillet, which builds incredible flavor.

We are obsessed with this recipe. Thanks to the combination of steak, chicken, and shrimp, they are just as good, if not better, than what you can get at a restaurant.

I realize cooking three proteins for dinner seems like a lot, but with our clever recipe, it’s easier than you think. We use the same skillet to cook the steak, chicken, shrimp, and veggies, which means we build so much flavor! You will love it.

Key Ingredients

• Steak: I use flank or skirt steak for this recipe because it cooks quickly and becomes incredibly tender when sliced against the grain.
• Chicken breast: I love chicken breast in this recipe, but you can use chicken thighs with no changes.
• Shrimp: I love combination fajitas, so I include shrimp. For this recipe, choose large to jumbo shrimp.
• Veggies: Even though this recipe has steak, chicken, and shrimp, the veggies are still my favorite part. All the juices and spices leftover from cooking the proteins get scooped up by the veggies, which makes them extra delicious. I use onion and bell peppers (or poblano peppers).
• Fajita seasoning: I love our homemade seasoning! I bet you already have everything in your spice cabinet to make it. You’ll mix chili powder (I love ancho chili powder), cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
• Tequila: Everything for this recipe is cooked in the same skillet, so the bottom of the pan builds in flavor thanks to bits of steak, chicken, shrimp, and spices sticking to it. A generous splash of tequila helps to lift all that flavor from the pan to create a sauce. A Mexican beer or chicken stock is a good substitute.
• Lime: I squeeze fresh lime into the skillet and serve more lime wedges on the side. With this recipe, you can’t have too much lime.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Fajitas

Tip 1: Marinate using our dry rub. To make them extra flavorful, I marinate the steak, chicken, and shrimp with salt and a simple fajita spice rub (ancho chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and smoked paprika) for 30 minutes before cooking.

Tip 2: Start with chicken. I cook the chicken since it takes the longest. My favorite method for cooking chicken breasts is to sear them in a skillet, then cover and cook over low heat until done. After 10 to 15 minutes, I transfer them to a plate and cover with foil while I cook the steak. For a recipe using just chicken, check out these garlic citrus chicken fajitas.

Tip 3: Use the same skillet for the steak. Cook your steak until browned on both sides and slightly pink inside (I like to cook to medium, around 140°F). Then it joins the chicken to rest.

Tip 4: Use the same skillet for veggies and shrimp! Sliced onions and peppers go in the pan and cook until softened. They release moisture as they cook, which mixes with the flavorful bits stuck to the skillet from cooking the steak and chicken. I move the veggies aside as they finish and cook the shrimp until firm and opaque.

Tip 5: Deglaze your skillet. After the chicken, steak, shrimp and veggies are finished, I add a splash of tequila, Mexican beer, or chicken stock to deglaze the pan for extra flavor.

Tip 6: Reheat chicken and steak for serving. To serve, I slice the steak and chicken and add them back to the pan, helping to reheat. Then, it’s time to build those delicious fajitas!

Serving Suggestions

Homemade flour tortillas or corn tortillas take this recipe to the next level! Then, you can load them up with your favorite toppings. I love sliced avocado, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, and pico de gallo. 

A side of Mexican rice, refried beans, or homemade black beans is always a hit. And, of course, remember the tortilla chips and salsa for the table.

More Tex Mex Recipes

Source link