Hey there fellow Blue Apron fans (and those curious about the meals we cook with our favorite meal kit service)! I’m back to write about my picks for Blue Apron favorites for the month of March 2021. This month’s Blue Apron favorites roundup is quite eclectic! My choices all have a different protein, which doesn’t actually happen too often. That just means we had a really great variety of meals to choose from in March.
If you’re new around here, here are a few notes:
- My husband and I are on the three meal per week plan, meaning we generally have about 12 to 15 meals to choose our top favorites from.
- I’ll note any variations we make to our Blue Apron recipes at the end of each recap, if there are any. Sometimes, we change up the ingredients if we don’t like something (I’m looking at you mayonnaise) or if we feel the meals need a little somethin’ extra.
- I write these posts so you can see what kind of delicious dishes you could cook with Blue Apron too! You can also read more about my Blue Apron favorites in my past post archives.
Without further ado, here are my Blue Apron favorites for March 2021.
Chocolate & Chipotle Beef Chili
Chili is one of my favorite comfort meals, and I grew up eating a lot of it in Hawaii surprisingly. Chili and rice is totally a thing there! This chili had a twist to it in that it reminded me more of a chocolate mole with the addition of chipotle paste and chocolate chips. It was rich, hearty, and super flavorful. I don’t think the addition of the sesame seeds as a topping was necessary, and would probably leave that off if I made this recipe again. Otherwise, this was a filling dish I would be willing to make again and again!
Our Variations
We ended up serving our chili over rice because I just can’t bring myself to have chili without the rice! Yes, it adds some carbs and calories. However, I was able to split my serving into two to make an extra meal.
Seared Ahi Tuna
This Seared Ahi Tuna dish was a premium meal for the week. If you’ve never heard of Blue Apron Premium meals, there is an additional charge per serving. This is because the ingredients used are usually higher quality and more expensive items (like tuna of course). We don’t mind paying a little extra here and there to try out some fancier recipes!
I really enjoyed the freshness and healthy-feeling quality to this meal. Ahi tuna is delicious, and searing it is the best way to go if you’re not enjoying sashimi or sushi! The fregola sarda pasta side dish was a fantastic accompaniment to the seared ahi. It’s actually a very interesting pasta to cook as it’s in the shape of tiny little balls, almost like a pearl couscous.
There was a lot of flavor packed into the pasta side dish, and I think this was really the star of the show (sorry ahi!). In the pasta dish, there was red bell pepper, arugula, Calabrian chile paste, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, capers, olives, and dried currants – all topped with crunchy pistachios!
Chimichurri Shrimp
Another great dish packed with a ton of flavor was the Chimichurri Shrimp with barley, pepper & tomatoes. I enjoy eating a variety of grains like barley and farro to change it up from eating too much rice. The flavors and textures vary, and I feel like I’m eating a bit healthier too.
In this recipe, the shrimp is coated with my favorite Weeknight Hero Spice Blend, and then sautéed with the bell peppers and tomatoes. Rehydrated currants are mixed with the cooked barley, along with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and serves as the bed underneath the shrimp and veggie mixture. Lastly, everything is topped with a cilantro sauce (mixed with pickled jalapenos and lime), and garnished with green onions and pistachios for crunch. Definitely a flavor party!
This dish is also light in calories so you can either leave room for dessert or skip it and go to bed feeling good about your choices!
Chicken & Black Bean-Chile Sauce
This dish may start off pretty basic – chicken, potatoes, and a vegetable – but the way everything gets cooked together really makes this a tasty meal! Kale is not usually our favorite vegetable, but in this recipe, it’s sautéed with ponzu sauce, giving it a nice flavor. The potatoes are also roasted with gochujang, which adds not only flavor but also a spicy kick!
Our Variations
We accidentally used the wrong chicken components in our meals this week (pre-cut chunks vs. whole breasts we had for another meal). So, we did this a little differently in that we pan fried the chicken and coated it all with the black bean sauce. The recipe calls for the chicken to be sliced, with the black bean sauce poured over the slices.
Shawarma Turkey Skillet
Our final favorite for the month of March was this Shawarma Turkey Skillet. It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing of meals, but it was definitely tasty! I like having ground turkey in my meals sometimes as it’s less fatty; however, you do need to ensure you season everything well and not allow it to dry out. The Shawarma Spice blend was packed with flavor, so there were no issues there!
One really interesting ingredient in this dish was the addition of prunes, which were added to give the dish a slightly sweet element. This flavor profile actually paired quite well with the salty shawarma seasoning and the tangy lemon labneh drizzled on top.
I also really love a lot of the skillet meals, like the shakshuka dishes we’ve made in the past, because you get to pair the main dish with tasty and fluffy pita bread. What can I say – carbs always win!
I hope you enjoyed this month’s roundup of Blue Apron Favorites! Do any of these meals sound good to you? If so, give Blue Apron a shot and taste for yourself!
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