Benninghofen House Recipes

Benninghofen House Recipes

Soups & Stews • Salads • Breakfasts & Baked Goods • Breads, Doughs & Sauces

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🍲 Soups & Stews

Comforting, crowd‑pleasing, and retreat‑friendly.


Hearty Vegan Potato Corn Chowder

Yield: ~12 bowls

Creamy vegan corn and potato chowder
Dairy‑free, rich, and perfect for a crowd.

Ingredients

  • 8 large Yukon gold potatoes, cubed (~2 lb)
  • 3 cups corn (frozen, canned, or fresh)
  • 4–6 white carrots, diced
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced (or 1¼ tsp garlic powder)
  • 8 cups vegetable broth • 2 cups non‑dairy milk
  • 1 tsp dried thyme • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 2¼ tsp salt • 2 bay leaves • 2–4 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 6 tbsp flour (optional for thickening)

Directions

  1. Add everything except milk and flour to a large soup pot; simmer until tender (~15 min). Remove bay.
  2. Blend ¼–⅓ of the soup for creaminess.
  3. Optional: whisk flour into part of the milk, add; return to a low boil 5 minutes to thicken. Season.

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Corn, Potato & Chicken Soup (Onion & Garlic‑Free)

Rustic chicken soup with potatoes and corn
All the comfort, none of the alliums.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb chicken (breast or thigh), bite‑size • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 lb potatoes, diced • 4 cups corn
  • 3 celery stalks • 2 carrots (opt.)
  • 8 cups low‑sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup cream/half‑and‑half/oat milk (opt.)
  • 1 tsp thyme • 2 bay leaves • Salt & pepper
  • Parsley/chives for garnish • Peas/red pepper (opt.)

Directions

  1. Sauté chicken 5 minutes; remove. Sauté celery + carrots 2–3 minutes.
  2. Return chicken; add potatoes, corn, broth, thyme, bay; simmer 15–20 minutes.
  3. Stir in dairy (optional). Blend up to ⅓ for thickness. Season and garnish.

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Vegetable Quinoa Stew

Quinoa vegetable stew
Hearty, nutritious, and endlessly adaptable.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil • Onion • Carrot • Celery • Seasonal veg
  • 6 garlic cloves • ½ tsp thyme • 28 oz diced tomatoes
  • Scant 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 4 cups veg broth + 2 cups water • Salt • 2 bay leaves
  • Pinch red pepper flakes • Pepper
  • 15 oz beans or chickpeas • 1+ cup chopped kale/collards
  • 1–2 tsp lemon juice

Directions

  1. Sweat aromatics, add garlic/thyme, then tomatoes.
  2. Add quinoa, broth, water, seasonings; simmer 25 minutes.
  3. Add beans + greens 5 minutes; finish with lemon.

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White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili
Creamy, comforting, with a gentle kick.

Ingredients

  • Oil • Onion • Jalapeños • Green chiles • Garlic
  • 2 tsp cumin • 1 tsp oregano • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 3 × 15 oz white beans, drained
  • 2 × 14.5 oz chicken broth
  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack

Directions

  1. Sweat onion; add peppers, garlic, spices 3 minutes.
  2. Add beans, broth, chicken; simmer 15 minutes.
  3. Off heat, stir in cheese to melt.

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Italian Wedding Soup

Italian wedding soup
Mini meatballs, tender pasta, silky greens.

Meatballs

  • Egg • ½ lb beef • ½ lb pork • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan • Parsley • Garlic • Oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt • ½ tsp pepper • Oil for hands

Soup

  • Olive oil • Onion • Carrots • Celery • Garlic
  • Salt & pepper • 8 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup acini di pepe (or orzo) • 3 cups spinach
  • Parmesan for serving

Directions

  1. Mix and form ~80 small meatballs; brown 3–4 minutes.
  2. Sauté veg; return meatballs; add broth; simmer.
  3. Stir in pasta 10 minutes; finish with spinach.

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Lasagna

Baked lasagna
Rich layers of ricotta, meat sauce, and mozzarella.

Ingredients

  • Red Sauce (below) • 1 lb ground beef • ½ lb Italian sausage
  • 28 oz ricotta • 2 eggs • ½ cup Parmesan • Pinch salt
  • 1 box lasagna noodles • Mozzarella (top)

Directions

  1. Boil noodles to al dente; oil lightly and cool.
  2. Brown meats; mix into red sauce. Stir ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt.
  3. Layer: sauce → 4 noodles → ricotta → meat sauce; repeat. Top with sauce + mozzarella.
  4. Bake 400°F 40 min covered (greased foil), then 10–20 min uncovered to brown. Rest and slice.

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🥗 Salads

Bright, fresh sides and mains.


Greek Salad

Greek salad
Briny olives, crisp cucumbers, and creamy feta.

Ingredients

  • 2 English cucumbers + salt • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • ½ cup Kalamata • ½ cup green olives
  • 2 tsp dried oregano/Italian seasoning
  • Salt, pepper, cayenne • ¼ cup red wine vinegar • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 4 oz feta, diced (divided)

Directions

  1. Salt cucumbers 10–15 minutes; rinse and drain well.
  2. Toss with tomatoes, olives, seasoning, vinegar & oil.
  3. Fold in most feta; chill; top with remaining feta.

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Sunshine Salad

Chickpea cucumber salad
Tahini‑lime dressing with crisp cucumbers and chickpeas.

Ingredients & Dressing

  • Zest 1 lime + juice 2 limes • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup tahini • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 can chickpeas • 2 cucumbers • 5 celery stalks • ½ cup cilantro

Directions

  1. Whisk dressing; toss with chickpeas, cucumber, celery, cilantro.

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Kale Salad

Kale salad
Massaged kale with roasted sweet potato, cranberries, and pecans.

Ingredients

  • 7 cups destemmed kale • 1 roasted sweet potato
  • ⅓ cup goat cheese • ½ cup cranberries • ½ cup pecans
  • 1 honeycrisp apple • Oil spray • Salt & pepper
  • Dressing: 2 tbsp Dijon • ¼ cup olive oil • 2 tbsp ACV • 1½ tbsp maple • ¼ tsp salt • 1 tbsp water

Directions

  1. Roast sweet potato 400°F ~30 min; flip once.
  2. Whisk dressing; massage into kale.
  3. Add nuts, cranberries, apple, goat cheese, sweet potato; toss.

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Avocado Corn Salad

Avocado corn salad
Bright, zesty, and crowd‑pleasing.

Ingredients

  • 4 ears cooked corn (or 2 cans), 3 avocados, 1 lb tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion • ⅓ cup cilantro • 1 jalapeño (opt.)
  • 2 limes (juice + zest) • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup oil • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp pepper • ½ tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Combine veg; whisk dressing; toss and chill 1–4 hours.

Shortcut: toss with ½–¾ cup Italian dressing.

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🍳 Breakfasts & Baked Goods

Make‑ahead breakfast hits and sweet treats.


Baked Scrambled Eggs

Baked scrambled eggs
Hands‑off eggs for a full house.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, melted • 24 eggs • 2¼ tsp salt • 2½ cups milk

Directions

  1. Butter 9×13 dish; whisk eggs, salt, milk; bake 350°F 10–15 min; stir; bake 10–15 min more.

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Cheesy Basil Breakfast Potatoes

Cheesy hashbrown bake
Make‑ahead, bake‑off breakfast favorite.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb frozen shredded hash browns • 8 oz sour cream • 1 can cream soup
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar • 1 tbsp minced onion
  • 1 tbsp dried basil • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp pepper

Directions

  1. Mix; spoon into greased 9×13; refrigerate overnight; bake 350°F 45 min uncovered.

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Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

Cinnamon cream cheese squares
Golden, crisp, and cinnamon‑sugary.

Ingredients

  • 2 cans crescent dough • 2 × 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1¼ cups sugar (divided) • 1 tsp vanilla • ½ cup butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

  1. Layer dough + filling; top with dough; butter; sugar + cinnamon; bake 350°F 25–30 min; cool & cut.

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Broccoli Cheddar Egg Bites

Egg bites
Protein‑packed, freezer‑friendly breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 7 eggs • ¼ cup milk • ¼ tsp salt • Pepper
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar

Directions

  1. Steam broccoli 1–2 min; whisk eggs; portion with cheese in silicone cups; bake 350°F 22–25 min.

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Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seed pudding
Endlessly customizable, great for retreats.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp chia • ½ cup milk • ½ tsp sweetener • ⅛ tsp vanilla (opt.) • Pinch salt
  • Toppings: fruit, granola, jam, nuts

Directions

  1. Mix; chill 2 hours to overnight; serve with toppings.

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🍞 Breads, Doughs & Sauces

From pizza nights to crowd‑loving focaccia, plus essential sauces.


Pizza Dough

Pizza dough ball
Poolish‑based dough for flavor and texture.

Poolish (Starter)

  • 300 g water • 300 g flour • 5 g honey • 6 g yeast (4 g instant dry)

Rest 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight.

Dough

  • Poolish • 700 g flour • 400 g water • 25 g salt • 10 g olive oil

Directions

  1. Whisk water into poolish; add salt, then flour. Knead 10–15 min; add oil once cohesive.
  2. Slap‑and‑fold; rest; repeat; refrigerate 16–24 hr. Ball 2 hr before bake.

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Crushed Tomato Sauce

Crushed tomato sauce
Bright, fresh, no‑cook style (keeps 1 week).

Ingredients

  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes • Pepper
  • Basil & oregano (dried or fresh)
  • Garlic powder or fresh • Red wine vinegar/lemon
  • Salt to taste

Directions

  1. Stir together, adjust salt. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

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Sautéed Mushroom Sauce

Sautéed mushroom sauce
Fantastic as a pizza base or pasta topper.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil • ½ onion • 16 oz mushrooms • Garlic (opt.)
  • Salt & pepper • 1 tbsp fresh thyme • ¼ cup cream

Directions

  1. Sauté onion; add garlic; add mushrooms to brown; season.
  2. Stir in cream + thyme; simmer 2 minutes to thicken.

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White Bread with Poolish

White bread loaf
Crackly crust, tender crumb—Dutch oven baked.

Poolish

  • 500 g flour • 500 g water @ 80°F • scant ½ tsp IDY

Final Dough

  • 500 g flour • 250 g water @ 105°F • 21 g salt • ¾ tsp IDY • 1000 g poolish

Directions

  1. Mix poolish (12–14 hr), then final dough; fold 2–3× in first hour; bulk to ~2.5×.
  2. Divide into 2, shape, proof ~1 hr; bake in preheated Dutch ovens 475°F (30 min covered + 20–30 uncovered).

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Focaccia Bread (750 g)

Focaccia bread
Olive‑oil rich and wildly crowd‑pleasing.

Ingredients

  • Warm water + sugar + yeast
  • 750 g flour • 3 tsp sea salt • 9 tbsp olive oil
  • Flaky salt & rosemary (opt.)

Directions

  1. Bloom yeast; mix dough to elastic; bulk double 1–1½ hr.
  2. Pan + oil; press to edges; proof 45 min; dimple + oil; bake 425°F 20–30 min.

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© Benninghofen House • Recipes for retreats & gatherings