Honey is dominantly sweet yet it perfectly pairs with both spicy and salty ingredients. Not many of us would have expected this variability but it stands as one of the best flavor boosters in the pantry, providing the next level of deliciousness to dishes. Here, we have brought ten powerful recipes for you where fresh, floral notes of honey can bring a whole new level of depth and taste to dishes.
Using Honey in Recipes
While adding honey to any dish preparation, you are not just giving it a touch of natural sweetness. It’s more about purposefully making proteins more tender, giving that caramelized crust or golden brown glaze to the baked or roasted foods and balancing acidity in savory dishes.
When added to recipes it fits into, it gives a depth of flavors and keeps people wanting to go back and prepare more of these dishes constantly. Looking health-wise, it is also a nutritious alternative to sugar in sweet dishes. Due to its water-absorbing capacity, when used in baked items, it can absorb and lock in moisture resulting in an extra moist mouthfeel.
Popular Recipes Using Honey
From breakfast to ending any meal with dessert, honey fits in several recipes served throughout the day. Below, we have listed 10 best recipes where honey works perfectly:
1. Honey Roasted Carrots
INGREDIENTS:
- Carrots
- Olive oil
- Spices
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
- First comes the preparation of carrots, gather whole, peeled carrots and spread them in a baking tray.
- Simply use olive oil or prepare a spicy mix the way you like- mixing a pinch of your preferred spices (pumpkin pie, cinnamon) in the oil is just okay. Toss carrots in this mix.
- Next, pour honey over carrots and toss again.
- Lastly, it’s time to bake carrots till tender, the cooking completes in about 30 minutes.
NOTES:
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Bake for more time if you want softer carrots.
2. Honey Butter Toast
For a perfect pairing of morning breakfasts, honey butter toast can make a great choice. With a touch of natural sweet option, preparing honey butter toast is easy and quick.
INGREDIENTS:
- Bread/brioche
- Spreading Mix: Butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, salt
- Topping: ricotta, honey, vanilla, caramel syrup
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
- In a preheated oven, heat the butter first.
- Next, add brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt to it. Stir the content well and place it in the fridge to convert it into a spreadable form.
- Take the semi-solid mix out of the fridge after 10 minutes, mix it well.
- Take the bread or brioche, cut the crusts and spread the butter mix on all sides.
- Now, bake the bread again for 10 minutes and flip it over and repeat.
- Serve only after a certain time as time is required to get that hard texture with crisp caramelized crust.
- For a final touch, add whipped cream as a topping or you can also go for caramel syrup and a drizzle of honey.
3. Honey Granola Breakfast Parfaits
Perfect for summer days, this breakfast option is an assembly dish. Simply follow the steps below to try this recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- Greek yogurt
- Granola
- Fruit
- Honey
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
- Add yogurt as base.
- Next, layer with fruit and granola.
- Drizzle little honey over the layer.
- Next step is to simply repeat the layers- yogurt, fruit, granola and honey- until the glass is full.
- At last, decorate. Use toppings that you like: fruits, nuts and an extra drizzle of honey.
4. Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are baked in oven. The crispy cooked wings are then coated on honey garlic sauce:
INGREDIENTS:
- For sauce: Honey, Brown sugar, soy sauce
- For coating: Flour, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder
- For cooking: Oil
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
Cooking wings
- Begin by preheating the oven.
- Then toss wings into the mix of coating ingredients listed above.
- Place the flour-coated wings on the baking tray sprayed with oil and let them cook in the oven for half an hour(this time can be different depending on the wings’ size). The wings need to be flipped manually halfway through.
Sauce preparation
- Take a pan and place all the sauce ingredients together.
- Once the mix comes to boil, leave the mix to simmer on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
Coating the wings
- Now, toss the wings in the sauce we prepared earlier.
- Get the wings back in the oven for a few minutes, turn back and cook again.
- Cool it and enjoy.
NOTES:
- The wings can be made crispier by adding baking powder to the coating mix.
- To stop wings from getting soggy, you should coat the wings in the sauce only a few moments before the exact time of serving.
5. Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
Next recipe where the honey sauce does wonders, the plump shrimp gets a spicy and sweet touch in this recipe. Quick to make, you can make this healthy choice in your next weeknight dinner.
INGREDIENTS:
- Peeled and deveined Shrimp
- Cooking oil
- Marinade ingredients: Minced garlic, fresh ginger, red pepper flakes, olive oil, honey, soy sauce,
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
Marinade preparation:
- In a bowl, take all the above-mentioned marinade ingredients and give a proper mix.
- For marinating shrimps, use half the marinade. For the best flavors, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
- After the marination, it is now time to cook the shrimp.
Cooking the Shrimp:
- Heat the oil in a pan and cook the shrimp for a minute on each side.
- Now, it is time to pour in the remaining marinade into the pan. Cook the whole mix until the shrimp seems opaque and turns into a “C” shape.
- Remove the shrimp and reduce the excess marinade.
Serving:
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The shrimp is best served over rice or noodles and layer the top with the reduced marinade.
NOTES:
- Use high heat for that perfect sear and to get crisp-tender texture on each bite.
- The cooking time should be proper and strict as overcooking can make the texture of shrimp rubbery and chewy.
6. Hot Honey Sauce
A minimalist recipe with the use of three/four ingredients, you can prepare a spicy dip that goes perfectly with chicken, fries or any other favorite food of yours. Choose your spicy level, prepare and enjoy:
INGREDIENTS:
- Honey
- Hot sauce
- Red chilli flakes
- Apple cider vinegar
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
- Take a small saucepan, add honey, hot sauce and/or red chilli flakes to it.
- In medium heat, let the mix simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Now, for the balance of the sweet taste, add in apple cider vinegar.
NOTES:
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Strain the mix if you have added red chilli flakes in the preparation.
7. Creamy Honey Mustard Dip
Another sauce/dip on the creamy side, it is as easy to use as hot honey sauce. It gets ready in minutes and goes best with chicken, fish and veggies:
INGREDIENTS:
- Yellow mustard
- Dijon mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Honey
- Lemon juice
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
- Mix all the ingredients well.
- Serve it with crispy fried foods or grilled meats.
NOTES:
-
For the best flavors, don’t consume immediately. Rather, let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.
8. Gooey Honey Apple Bars
Known for its melt-in-the-mouth texture, the use of honey makes these bars more gooey. Also, it balances the tartness of the apple, bringing that perfect balance of sweetness in every bite.
INGREDIENTS:
- Flour mixture: melted butter, honey, flour, oats(optional), baking powder, cinnamon
- For filling: Apple slice, honey, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla
- For honey caramel: butter, honey, cream, vanilla, salt, cinnamon
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
Step 1: Dough making
- Take the ingredients: flour, sugar, honey, cinnamon, salt in a bowl. Into these dry ingredients, add egg and butter and blend well.
- Now, transfer the mix into the baking pan. Keep some content aside for another level filling. Press the whole content of the pan by two-thirds.
Step 2: Filling Preparation
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Mix all the filling ingredients: diced apple, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in a bowl.
Step 3: Final Touch.
- Spread the filling evenly in the middle and at the top, and distribute the remaining dough mixture evenly.
- The baking pan is now ready to go into the oven. After complete cooling, cut and serve.
NOTES:
-
For a gooey texture that doesn’t disappoint, select a juicier variety and add extra honey or maple syrup in the batter for that soft texture and don’t miss out on butter.
9. Honey Baked Ham
A delicacy you will want to make over and over again, its hype is about the tender, juicy and crunchy ham that comes with a caramelized, crispy crust. You can make it a centerpiece on special occasions and its rich flavors will remain the talk of your table for years.
INGREDIENTS:
- Spiral cut ham
- For glaze mix: Sugar, butter
- For crunchy rub: Granulated sugar, holiday spices, paprika
- Pan liquid to cook ham: Water, or juice of your choice
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
Step 1: Baking the ham
- Take a roasting pan, and add liquid of your choice at the bottom.
- Add the main ingredient- ham- in the pan and cover it with aluminum foil for preserving the moisture from deep inside.
- Bake the ham for 12 to 15 minutes.
Step 2: Glazing the ham
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Now, brush the cooked ham with the spread mixture. Make sure you properly brush in between the spiral slices as well.
Step 3: Crust-Making
- Place the sugar, holiday spices and paprika mix over the ham.
- Broil the coated ham for a few minutes, until sugar starts to caramelize, without burning it.
- After letting it cool, enjoy the ham with crispy crust.
NOTES:
- Before cooking, the ham should be dry os the glaze sticks well on the surface and in the cut layers.
- If the ham is pre-cooked, it is not necessary to cook it.
10. Honey Panna Cotta
A classic Italian dessert to perfectly set your any meal of the day, honey can be a sweet addition making every bite enjoyable. Here is the recipe for delightfully ending casual or occasional dining days with a burst of flavors:
INGREDIENTS:
- Cream, milk, honey
- Gelatin
- For decoration: fresh berries (strawberry, raspberry ), coulis(optional), pistachios, mint leaf
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
Step 1: Making cream mixture
- Combine cream, milk and honey. Mix and heat till the mix comes to a boil.
- Now, to give a smooth texture to the mix, add gelatin. Turn down the heat when the content is properly melted.
Step 2: Refrigerate
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Transfer the mixture into moulds and allow it to cool. After that, it is time to transfer the moulds into the fridge overnight.
Step 3: Preparing coulis topping
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Next, if you have ready made coulis, you can use it in this recipe. Otherwise, to prepare the syrup, bring berries, water and honey and one teaspoon of lemon juice in a pan and allow it to boil. After simmering for 5 to 7 minutes, as the sauce thickens, strain it and allow it to cool.
Step 4: Serve
-
Unmould and place the panna cottas in a plate. For decoration, top with coulis syrup and as a final touch, put some berry chunks, pistachios and a mint leaf on the top.
NOTES:
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If you are placing the mould in the refrigerator for a long time, keep the surface covered so it does not dry.
Recommended Read : Can Dogs Have Honey?
Extra Recipe: Honey Ginger Calming Tea
Whether to start your day with a cup of tea or end your meals with a calming drink, you can make use of honey. This extra recipe will take care of you at any time of the day:
INGREDIENTS:
- A piece of Ginger (Grated or sliced)
- Two cups of water
- A tablespoon of Honey
- Lemon Juice (optional)
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
- Boil water and ginger together.
- Let the mix simmer in for 5-7 minutes.
- Now, strain the tea into a cup.
- Stir in a tablespoon of honey. Sip this calm drink and help yourself to feel relaxed.
Honey Recipes Conclusion
Adding honey to any recipe adds depth, natural sweetness, a fresh aroma, and nutrients to any recipe. Just a simple addition and you can make wonders at your home. Try it, test it and keep making the ones you get satisfied with.
