Creamy Cinnamon Vanilla Watermelon Soup

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

The end-of-summer heat is hard to beat in Texas, but I’ve been cooling down with Creamy Cinnamon-Vanilla Watermelon Soup. This incredibly simple and refreshing cold soup is made with chunks of juicy, naturally sweet watermelon, creamy unsweetened Greek yogurt, a splash of vanilla extract and smattering of ground cinnamon.

It’s a heathy fruit dessert or wholesome snack anytime of the day (great to refuel after a workout thanks to hydration, protein and carbs). This cold fruit soup is also one of the frugal ways I like to use up my leftover watermelon when I buy one that is too huge to eat up in a few days.

This cold dessert soup recipe was inspired by my genius, light-bulb moment to sprinkle cinnamon on a bowl of watermelon balls a few years ago – check out the post on Four Ways to Season Watermelon That Will Blow Your Mind. The cinnamon watermelon and other watermelon seasoning ideas were so amazing, it’s a show I took on the road to San Diego at the Fit Foodie Festival.

Watermelon seasoned with cinnamon and vanilla — Inspired by the time I sprinkled cinnamon on watermelon!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFTS OF CREAMY WATERMELON CINNAMON VANILLA SOUP?

Fist, watermelon is a very hydrating fruit, comprised of 92-percent water. It also provides natural, no-added-sugar carbohydrates to fuel daily activities. Watermelon also known for some other nutrients that are important to my active lifestyle like vitamin C (for immunity), lycopene (for cardio-vascular health) and the amino acid, l-citrulline (for less muscle fatigue and soreness after workouts)!

*Greek yogurt makes watermelon soup creamy and adds a boost of protein!*

The ”creamy” in creamy watermelon soup is achieved with unsweetened, plain Greek yogurt. I’m a big fan of Greek yogurt because it helps me achieve my daily calcium goal (18% DV in ¾ cup), is a great source of protein (around 17g per 3/4 cup), and is packed with probiotics, healthy bacteria that can help boost your immune system and decrease stomach issues.

Aslo, cinnamon, the spice that really takes the watermelon flavor to the next level also has great benefits. Cinnamon has antioxidents that can lessen inflammation, it is a prebiotic (the food that probiotics eat in your gut), and research has shown that it can lower blood sugar levels by slowing the breakdown of carbohydrates in your digestive tract.

Creamy Cinnamon-Vanilla Watermelon soup is a simple and refreshing snack, appetizer or healthy dessert featuring just four ingredients! A great way to use up all the watermelon if you have leftovers from a larger one (or have stored chunks in the freezer)! For more watermelon heath benefits and recipes, please visit thefitfork.com — *Pin for Later!*

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY WATERMELON SOUP?

The process of making a cold fruit soup like this watermelon soup takes just a minute or two – chop up seedless watermelon, throw in the blender and blend – no need to strain out the pulp, I like to keep to benefit from the fiber and also to give the soup a little more substance. Then, just blend in Greek yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla and serve. That’s it!

Freezing watermelon — *Plan ahead and freeze leftover watermelon in chunks or blended and poured into muffin tins or ice cube trays.*

You an make this summer watermelon soup any time of the year by storing chunks of cut up watermelon in the freezer. Either store it in chunks . . . or you can blend, freeze in ice cube trays or mini muffin tin to use later in recipes like this and drinks of all types. As I mentioned earlier, it’s what I do when I have too much watermelon to polish of before it goes bad. Having these bags of watermelon prepped in the freezer, gives me access to one of my favorite fruits for use year round in recipes like this creamy watermelon soup, smoothies, barbeque sauces, and more. Also, if you don’t have lots of freezer space or didn’t plan ahead, you can also purchase frozen chopped watermelon at the market – find it near the frozen veggies and fruit.

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from purchases made through the links, however the price to you remains the same. Thank you for supporting The Fit Fork.

Creamy Cinnamon-Vanilla Watermelon Soup

Creamy Cinnamon-Vanilla Watermelon soup is a simple and refreshing snack, appetizer or healthy dessert featuring just four ingredients! A great way to use up all the watermelon if you have leftovers from a larger one (or have stored chunks in the freezer)! For more watermelon health benefits and recipes, please visit thefitfork.com

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, entree soup, Snack

Keyword: cinnamon, watermelon, yogurt

Servings: 4 10-ounce servings

Ingredients

4 cups cold seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
1 cup unsweetened plain Greek yogurt I used 2%
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Place watermelon in blender, process until smooth. If using frozen watermelon, let it thaw a bit before blending. No need to strain pulp out of watermelon.
Add Greek yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla. Process until incorporated.
Serve cold, divide among four bowls. Approximate serving size is 10-ounces. Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon on top, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Air Fryer Montreal Steak Bites with Spicy Tomato Butter and Spinach-Quinoa

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

Let’s hear it for steak night in the middle of the week, whoot-whoot! My recipe for Air Fryer Montreal Steak Bites with Spicy Tomato Butter and Spinach-Quinoa is ready in 20 minutes or less, delivers tender and juicy morsels of beef, and will have any-old work or school night dinner feeling a little extra special.

Montreal Steak Bites with Spicy Tomato Butter and Spinach-Quinoa Toss. Amazingly easy and delicious! Create quick air-fryer dinner with beef steak bites that turns out tender and just every time -- served with spicy tomato butter sauce and spinach-quinoa toss! A 20 minute meal with great nutrition.

Honestly, learning how to cook steak in an air fryer has been my best life hack lately. Typically, I only grill or pan sear /oven finish steaks and was feeling wary and anxious that air frying beef (especially cut up chunks of good steak) might yield an overdone, dried-out result. BUT NOT TRUE, these air fryer steak bites were succulent and mouthwatering through and through.

First you need to start with a tender cut of beef for best results in the Air Fryer. Tenderloin or filet mignon cut into chunks would be to-die-for, but more affordable cuts like flat iron, top sirloin or strip steak are still very tender, but cost a fraction of the price. I used Flat Iron steaks which rank second in tenderness among common beef cuts, deferring only to tenderloin. And the price difference is often $10 a pound less!

The simplicity of this beef air fryer recipe is what makes it a winner, it addition the incredible flavor. Bite-sized chunks of steak are drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with a purchased Montreal seasoning (an iconic spice blend of garlic, coriander, dill, black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper). Then it’s just a matter of pre-heating the air fryer to 400F degrees and then cooking steak for about 8 to 10 minutes, no flipping needed!

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Please note that you do not want to overcrowd the air fryer pan, this will hamper circulation and the final result may not be as tasty. Place your choice of cut up tender steak like flat iron steaks in Air Fryer. Don’t pile up, place in a single later and give a little space between each steak bite. My Air Fryer comfortably holds about ½ pound of steak bites at a time – so I prepare in two batches, which is really no big deal because it will take about 15 minutes to cook the quinoa that I serve with this easy beef dinner. Currently, I’m using the Instant Pot® Duo Crisp which is an ahhhh-mazing kitchen appliance with 11 functions – air-frying, pressure cook, slow cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer, sous vide, roaster, mini oven, broiler, and dehydrator. But, did you know that Instant Pot also makes stand-alone, serious-business air-fryers? Check out the Vortex air fryers (pictured above) that have all the latest, super-crispy technology!

hot quinoa tossed with fresh spinach -- the greens just wilt in for a veggie-boosted side dish.

I start my quinoa at the same time as the air-fryer – it usually takes about 15 minutes to make light and fluffy quinoa on the stove top (and even less just to defrost and reheat, if I’ve have quinoa meal prepped in the freezer). Once the quinoa is finished, simple stir in a cup or so of chopped fresh spinach while it’s hot – it will automatically wilt down.

Now, all that is left is making the spicy tomato butter – a 1 minute deal! Melt butter and stir in tomato pesto (already prepared spicy or sweeter sun-dried tomato with a little dried red pepper to taste).

To serve, place Montreal steak bites on bed of spinach quinoa and drizzle with the tomato butter! Or, to serve as a crowd-pleasing air fryer beef appetizer, simply skip the quinoa and set out the steak bites with spicy tomato butter along with toothpicks for dipping.

A nicely portioned, balanced and nourishing meal to fuel an active lifestyle with 367 calories, 18g fat, 16g net cart, and 29g protein for one-fourth of the recipe yield (but I may have eaten more, just sayin’ – lol)

Note: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from purchases made, but the price to you remains the same. Thank you for supporting The Fit Fork when you shop!

5 from 3 votes

Air Fryer Montreal Steak Bites with Spicy Tomato Butter and Spinach-Quinoa

Cook Time

16 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Amazingly easy and delicious! Create quick air-fryer dinner with beef steak bites that turns out tender and just every time — served with spicy tomato butter sauce and spinach-quinoa toss!

Course: dinner, dinner, entree

Keyword: air fryer, beef, flat iron, sirloin, steak

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 367 kcal

Ingredients

2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed to yield 2 cups cooked
1 1/3 cup water
1 lb. beef flat iron steaks or top sirloin or other tender cut
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Montreal seasoning
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp tomato pesto
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flaker, or more to taste

Instructions

Bring water to boil, add quinoa. Reduce to simmer, add lid, cook for 15 minutes, or until all water absorbed. When done, stir in chopped spinach, set aside, keeping lid on pot to stay warm.
Meanwhile, after starting quinoa bring air fryer up to 400F heat.
Cut steaks into 1 ½” chunks, place in bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Montreal seasoning. Stir until evenly coated.
Place steak bites into hot tray of Air Fryer, if your air fryer is small, don not overcrowd, simply prepare in two batches.
Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes and remove tray from heat.
While beef cooking, prepare spicy tomato butter by stirring pesto and red pepper flakes into melted butter.
Portion plates with spinach quinoa and beef bites, drizzle with spicy tomato butter.

Recipe Notes

Fit & Fresh Watermelon Workout + Juice as Exercise Sports Drink

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored byWatermelon.org, however all editorial opinions and content, unless otherwise noted, remain my own – as does the enthusiasm for watermelon.

Many of us are still avoiding the gym and working up a sweat in the family room, garage or backyard instead. But, what to do if things start to get boring or you don’t have the right equipment on hand?! Do what I do and just improvise to freshen up your home fitness routine – and add a WATERMELON to your workout!

Grab a watermelon or two, and sweeten up your home sweat sesh with this fun workout. Full body, cardio and strength with exercises that use a tote bag to allow a greater range of movement in this watermelon workout. Exercise can be both serious, and practical (what a great fitness hack)! -- and don't forget watermelon and watermelon juice is the perfect pre and post workout snack for runners and athletes.

This Freestyle Fresh & Fit Watermelon Workout will sweeten up your home workout and bring a smile to your face – it’s a silly and a serious sweat sesh at the same time. If you know me, you gotta realize by now that exercising with a watermelon is one of my FAVORITE home fitness hacks. I’ve done everything from watermelon pool workouts to home watermelon workouts you can do inside on a mat to high intensity interval workouts with watermelon for the backyard or park.

Use watermelon as impromptu "weights" in your workout! It's a great fitness hack!

Jumbo, standard and personal-sized watermelons offer different weight options. I’ve used watermelons as big as 30 pounds to exercise with – you DON’T want to drop them! Today, I’m keeping it more moderate (but still challenging) with a 15-pounder and a 5-pounder mini watermelon.

Also, I’m showing many watermelon exercises with an “in the bag” trick that allows the unwieldy, round-ish fruit to be used safely for even more movements. Adding a watermelon to a totebag with sturdy handles is a great way to turn it into a piece of equipment you can swing like a kettle bell, hang over your shoulders like a wieght vest, and more safely hold overhead or in other exercise positions without worry of dropping and smashing the watermelon . . . or your face!

The Freestyle Fit & Fresh Watermelon Workout, lets you choose your order of cardio exercise holding watermelon and strength exercise with watermelon. I’ve squeezed my demo of this garage or backyard watermelon workout on super speed above so you can get the idea.

Another great way to use the whole fruit is to DRINK THE WATERMELON JUICE. There are so many great reasons to drink this fit and fresh beverage. It’s 100% natural, just juice from a watermelon. No funny colorings, preservatives or added sugars. Of course, there are some natural fruit sugars in it, but that’s a good thing in my opinion because topping off glucose stores during and after intense, prolonged exercise is needed for optimal performance.

Also, Vitamin C and amino acid l-citrulline, both found in watermelon and watermelon juice, are beneficial for my active lifestyle. There are more watermelon benefits for runners and athletes. For example, some studies have shown that Vitamin C can help boost immunity during high training cycles and that l-citrulline may help to minimize post-workout fatigue and soreness by increasing reparative blood flow to the muscles.

Another sports hydration trick I like to do with watermelon juice is to mix it with an electrolyte drink mix for even more “oomph” on those days when I’m slogging through many miles in the Texas heat. To save money and have more control over the ingredients (I don’t want artificial colors or flavorings), using a recipe for homemade electrolyte powder (with sodium, potassium and magnesium) is the ideal mix in for watermelon juice. I also water down the watermelon juice too so the natural sweetness doesn’t overwhelm me when I’m out there working hard in the sun and my stomach is a little off.

There are several ways source watermelon juice. It’s can be expensive, but purchasing already prepared is an option. But buyer beware, make sure you are getting the actual juice and not some sort of sugar-added drink. If you want a lot of juice in a hurry, you can put cubed watermelon in your blender, blend up and pour through a strainer to pull the pulp off (Watermelon.org has a great demonstration of how to make watermelon juice this way).

BUT the method usually share when people ask “how to make easy watermelon juice” is to just pour it off the container of my big watermelon I buy every week in the summer. Once cut, juice slowly seeps out and I always pour it off every morning to drink later – even freezing portions. ALL OF THE WATERMELON JUICE you seen in that sports bottle above was poured off the cutting up of a single watermelon. But that makes total sense actually, as watermelons are nearly 93% water!

Drop me a comment if you try the watermelon workout or making watermelon juice!

Asian Beef Filet Mignon with Gochujang Butter (Good Chop Meat & Seafood Box Review)

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

Asian Filet Mignon with Gochujang Butter makes a delicious, decadent and yet, dare I say, fast-and-easy steak night dinner ready in just 20 minutes.

Asian Beef Filet Mignon with Gochugang Compound Butter

For this Gochujang steak, I’ve used grass-fed filet mignon from Good Chop, a meat a seafood subscription service (keep reading on to get the recipe and get my Good Chop review).

Beef, chicken, pork and seafood from Good Chop, a high-quality subscription box delivering all your favorite proteins to your doorstep. — *Don’t miss my Good Chop review and savings details at the bottom of post!*

Perfect for date night or every night, this Asian steak recipe starts with a simple wet rub of soy sauce, ginger and garlic that is then pan seared and finished in the oven. Preparing a filet mignon in the skillet and then oven finishing is one of my favorite methods, it creates such a delicious crust.

This elegant but very easy steak dinner is sure to make any date night or even week night more memorable. Asian Filet Mignon with Spicy Sweet Gochujang Butter. Beef is rubbed ginger, garlic and soy sauce before pan searing and finishing in oven. The decadent compound butter, melts atop the meat at serving to create a luxurious sauce. — *Pin this for later!*

Or, check out the entire Pinterest Story for more details.

Beef tenderloin and filet mignon (the coveted steak cut from the tenderest tail end of the loin) are favorite cuts of mine because the texture is “melt in your mouth” tender, and this inherent tenderness means that there is no need for a texture-improving marinade that can often take hours. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Also, despite being so succulent, filet mignon is an incredible lean cut – the 100% grass-fed filets from Good Chop are generous-sized and have only 12g fat per 6-ounce serving with a whopping 36g protein.

Adding flavor to beef filet mignon steaks — *Filet mignon is so tender, it doesn’t need a marinade – but a quick wet rub of garlic, ginger and soy sauce add extra flavor!*

Instead, filet mignon recipes, despite their elegance, are almost always simple and easy – only a light seasoning (even just salt and pepper) or a simple wet rub (like the one I used) can make a filet mignon steak recipe even MORE next level.

For even more flavor to complement the beef filets, I made a compound butter with Gochujang and lightly sweetened it with honey. Gochujang paste is fundamental to Korean cooking and is made from red chile pepper flakes, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. The red past is spicy-sweet and bumps up the umami taste in beef recipes. After mixing up the ingredients, stick in the freezer to get the Gochujang compound butter to set up fast – then serve atop the hot filet mignon and watch it slowly melt into a sauce that will knock your socks off without being too spicy. I also love how the lightly sweet spicy compound butter also spreads over the veggies on my plate.

Gochujang Compund Butter - thefitfork.com — *Compound butter us an easy way to turn simple steaks into an upscale dining experience.*

In addition to Korean steak, any leftover Gochujang butter can be added as a flavor-enhancer for simple steamed vegetables, spread on bread and toasted, dolloped on hot noodles or rice – you get the idea, it’s delicious!

So, let me give you my Good Chop, review! This subscription service brings you quality proteins exclusively from American family farms and fisheries. It’s a convenient and surprisingly cost-effective way to source my protein – I definitely appreciate not having to drive all over town to source top-quality meats and seafood. There are never any antibiotics or hormones in Good Chop products and premium options like USDA Prime beef and 100% grass-fed beef are also available.

Of course, being a beef-loving girl, I made a beeline for the filet mignon steaks! But, variety in protein choices is best for a balanced diet and the cool thing about a Good Chop subscription box is that it can also be customized to include other protein options (including pork, chicken and seafood) that are just as top-quality as the beef featured here today. Visit Good Chop today to learn more about their sourcing specifications and what beef, chicken, pork, and seafood options are available for your own custom meat subscription box.

Seriously, the convenience of having quality meat and seafood shipped to your house is unmatched – especially in this day and age where many of us are minimizing so much of our in-person shopping due to busy schedules and/or wanting to minimize contact. Boxes are delivered every four weeks, and you can pick a plan that is best for you – either 6 menu items (up to 36 portions) or 12 menu items (up to 72 portions) per delivery. Good Chop delivers pretty much everywhere in the lower 48 US states. They email you tracking links to alert you when delivery is expected, so you don’t have to worry about it sitting out on your porch all day. That being said, my meat subscription box was delivered in 100-degree temperatures, sat on my porch for two hours, and upon opening the dry ice had kept everything frozen solid, no signs of thawing at all. Of course, they have a money-back, satisfaction-guaranteed policy and you can cancel at any time. Also, love the mindful shipping materials – it’s all fully curbside recyclable, even the insulated liners made from plant-based components.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Good Chop and contains affiliate links, however all comments, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own. I earn a small commission from referred subscriptions, but the price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset operating costs for The Fit Fork, thank you for your support.

5 from 2 votes

This elegant but very easy steak dinner is sure to make any date night or even week night more memorable. And, only 20 minutes prep to plate. Asian Filet Mignon with Spicy Sweet Gochujang Butter. Beef is rubbed ginger, garlic and soy sauce before pan searing and finishing in oven. The decadent compound butter, melts atop the meat at serving to create a luxurious sauce that adds just the right amount of heat.

Asian Beef Filet Mignon with Gochujang Butter

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Course: dinner, entree

Cuisine: Asian, fusion, korean

Keyword: beef, compound butter, filet, gochujang, steak

Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

For steaks:
2 beef filet mignon steaks cut 1-3/4 to 2 inches thick (about 12 to 14-ounces total)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce divided
1 teaspoon minced ginger divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
For Gochujang compound butter:
1/2 stick 2-ounces butter, room temperature
1 tablespoons gochujang paste find on Asian condiment aisle
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Parchment or wax paper for storing optional

Instructions

Ahead of time or at the start of preparing steaks, make Gochujang compound butter by simply mixing together softened butter, Gochujang past, garlic, sesame oil, lemon juice honey and black pepper until combined. May leave in bowl or wrap up in Parchment paper, twisting off ends. Stick in freezer while steaks cook to firm up.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Brush beef filets with soy sauce. Press minced ginger and garlic evenly onto beef, set aside.
Heat ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) to medium-high on stove top until very hot, add olive oil.
Place filets in skillet and sear for approximately two minutes per side, until a caramelized crust has formed and they release from the skillet without sticking.
Place skillet into preheated oven.
Continue to cook in 400°F oven for approximately 10 to 15 more minutes (total time will vary based on thickness of steaks and desired level of doneness)* See recipe notes
Remove steaks from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
While steaks are still warm (but not hot, hot), top with a slice or smear of Gochujang butter. It will melt to make a decadent sauce.
Store remaining butter, covered, in refrigerator for up to a week. It’s great on rice, noodles, toast, and steamed vegetables.

Recipe Notes

Medium rare: 130-135° (remove from heat at 125° )
Medium: 135-145° (remove from heat at 130° )
Medium well: 145-155°. (remove from heat at 140° )

Note: The reason you take steaks off the heat BEFORE the desired finish temperature is because they will continue to cook (with temperature rising 7° on average) as they rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored as part of a blogger recipe challenge hosted by Lucky Foods.

One bite of these delicious beef stuffed peppers and your taste buds will be immediately high-fiving the flavor receptors your gustatory cortex (that’s the part of your brain responsible for the perception of taste).

This recipe for Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle definitely has some funky fusion flavor. It’s all inspired by Korean street food and some of my favorite Tex-Mex Southern cooking techniques – like stuffing peppers with stuff and putting buttery cracker crumb toppings on anything and everything.

roasted poblano peppers - thefitfork.com

I love stuffing and roasting peppers with beef and other delicious ingredients but I decided to think beyond Chile Rellenos. Putting delicious Korean BBQ in a Poblano pepper just seemed like a mouth-watering thing to do – my hunch was correct!

Making Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle

Caramelized onions and very thinly sliced sirloin steak* come together in a couple hot minutes in a skillet, and are married with a sauce with sweet-savory flavor and a pop of ginger. I used the convenient and very authentic Kalbi Sauce from Lucky foods.

In one of my Tex Mex pepper creations, I’d typically go overboard on cheese – but that didn’t seem like a match for this Asian stuffed pepper recipe. Instead, a light-bulb went off with “buttery crumb topping” lighting up in my mind.

Kinda like those rich and buttery crumb toppings made with classic crackers like Ritz or Club Crackers us Southerners like to put on near everything, from casseroles to fish to fruit desserts. Except, I made this a spicy cracker crumb topping using Gochujang paste (again from Lucky Foods) in the melted butter. These lightly spicy and umami-elevated buttery crumbs pile on top the beef mixture and hit the broiler to crisp up and turn golden buttery brown.

Finally, a drizzle of creamy Kimchi mayo from Lucky foods for the finishing touch along with some cool, fresh shaved green onion stalk, carrot and cilantro. Every bite of this Korean BBQ pepper so good, so many directions of texture and flavor.

An Asian street-food inspired stuffed poblano pepper made with sirloin beef, caramelized onions, a sweet-savory Kalbi sauce, plus unique crispy cracker topping and kimchi mayo finish -- it's a creative and unique fusion! You'll love this quirky but delicious dish for Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle. Sponsored by Lucky Foods.

Making this recipe inspired by Asian street food was so easy thanks to Lucky Foods. Lucky Foods is a proud purveyor of Asian heritage-inspired foods with clean ingredients. The family behind this family-run business immigrated to the US in the 70s, started with a single restaurant, then a popular spring roll product, and now has expanded to include a variety of wholesome products. These Asian condiments include the Korean and fusion sauces I used in this recipe (under the Seoul label) using fresh ingredients and aromatic spices – you will never find MSG, GMOS, or added colors and/or preservations in any products from Lucky Foods.

Learn more about Lucky Foods products, where to purchase them, and more recipe ideas at LuckyFood.com or on Facebook and Instagram

For a more interactive demo of the recipe, please visit my Idea Pin on Pinterest.

5 from 1 vote

Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Inspired by Asian street food, this dish of Korean BBQ beef stuffed peppers is bursting with insane spicy, sweet flavor and a unique crunchy crumb topping with a hint of heat!

Course: Appetizer, dinner

Cuisine: Asian, fusion, korean

Keyword: beef, kalbi, poblano, stuffed pepper

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 poblano peppers halved, ribs and seeds removed
1 cup finely sliced/chopped white onion
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/2 lb. sirloin steak very, very thinly sliced (or equivalent “steak-umm” type product)
1/3 cup Kalbi sauce I used Lucky Foods brand
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Gochujang paste I used Lucky Foods brand
10 + buttery crackers like Ritz or Club crackers crushed to make about ½ cup crumbs
¼ cup Kimchi Mayo I used Lucky Foods brand
Garnish as desired: shaved green onion stalks carrots, cilantro, etc.

Instructions

Heat oven to 350F degrees. Place prepped peppers in a baking dish, cut side ups. Roast in oven for approximately 20 minutes or until softening and lightly browning on edges.
Meanwhile, add chopped onion to skilled with oil and stir constantly over medium heat until turning a dark golden brown. Stir in coconut sugar and cook for an additional minute, taking care not to burn. Transfer to plate.
Stir fry beef quickly over medium-high heat, for just two to three minutes until just barely cooked through. Add onions back in and cook, stirring, for another minute. Stir in Kalbi sauce.
Stuff beef mixture into roasted peppers.
Melt butter in small skillet, stir in Gochujang paste until combined. Stir in cracker crumbs.
Pile buttered cracker crumbs over top of beef mixture in peppers. Stick under broiler on High for about 2 minutes, or until browning and getting crunchy on top.
Remove and drizzle with Kimchi mayo and garnish with desired ingredients such as shaved green onion stalks, carrots, cilantro, etc.

Recipe Notes

Note: Instead of slicing sirloin, I used an equivalent amount frozen sirloin patties (pre-sliced and formed) found in the freezer meat section.