Cheapism’s independent editorial team finds the best for less. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission to support our work. ©TCF Co. Recipes View Slideshow Factory Secrets The Cheesecake Factory’s menu seems endless when you’re flipping through its pages at the restaurant. But if you’ve […]
Click here to view original web page at blog.cheapism.com
Cheapism’s independent editorial team finds the best for less. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission to support our work.
©TCF Co.
Factory Secrets
The Cheesecake Factory's menu seems endless when you're flipping through its pages at the restaurant. But if you've been there more than a handful of times, you've probably got a favorite dish on each page — and certainly a go-to cheesecake slice. For Factory obsessives who want to recreate the experience at home instead of paying for a restaurant meal, the company has released recipes for some of its most popular dishes, from creamy seafood appetizers to decadent cheesecake sundaes.
Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
Sometimes called pastalaya, this dish is a mashup of Cajun and Italian food. It's full of protein with chicken and shrimp, plus lots of bell peppers and onions. The recipe calls for spicy chicken-seafood broth, but you can use chicken broth. Add cayenne pepper and hot sauce to taste if you like it really spicy.
Chicken Bellagio
Thin, crispy breaded chicken breast sits atop a pile of lightly dressed spaghetti in this Italian-inspired recipe. A garnish of prosciutto adds richness, while the arugula salad adds fresh bitterness. The recipe calls for prepared Parmesan cream sauce, so you can use a little jarred Alfredo sauce or make your own with cream, butter, and Parmesan.
Chinese Chicken Salad
The salads at TheCheesecake Factory are renowned for being massive and filling. This one includes mandarin oranges, bean sprouts, almonds, and poached chicken — or save time and use shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. To make it really over the top, deep fry your own rice noodles and wonton strips, and pile them high.
Chicken Taquitos
These crunchy, fried chicken taquitos would make a great party food. Use grocery store rotisserie chicken or cook some chicken breasts in a crockpot to shred. If you can't find anything labeled green chile sauce like the recipe calls for, use bottled jarred salsa verde. If you have an electric deep fryer, this recipe is even easier.
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Yes, Cheesecake Factory serves brunch, and these cinnamon roll pancakes are one of the most popular dishes. It starts with a vanilla-flavored buttermilk pancake, but as it's cooking it gets a swirl of buttery brown sugar and cinnamon. They don't need syrup, but a drizzle of creamy icing would be delicious and appropriate.
Crispy Brussels Sprouts
This recipe for crispy brussels sprouts wasn't translated for the home kitchen very well. You'll need a deep fryer or Dutch oven with oil heated to 350 degrees for frying the sprouts, and if you can't find maple-butter glaze, just combine equal parts maple syrup and melted butter. Frying the outer leaves of the sprouts separately from the rest ensures everything is crispy without being burned.
The Cheesecake Factory's version of crab rangoon are these overstuffed and creamy wontons. Chili garlic paste is available in a lot of supermarkets, but you can also use sriracha if you have it. Folding these is the most difficult part, and if you can't quite swing it like the restaurant's version, just fold them into simple triangles. However you do it, be sure to seal the edges well.
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
Chicken, broccoli, Parmesan, and garlic come together in this pasta dish with an ingenious crunchy topping of crushed croutons. When you add the pasta at the end of the recipe, make sure you continue tossing and cooking it until the sauce gets thicker and coats the pasta. You can substitute fresh or sun-dried tomatoes for the roasted tomatoes.
Huevos Rancheros
The Factory puts its spin on classic huevos rancheros by serving the eggs on top of crispy quesadillas instead of plain corn tortillas. Be careful not to break the egg yolks before you dig into them with your fork. For the ranchero sauce, you might be able to find a suitable salsa in a Hispanic market, or you can make your own.
Korean Fried Cauliflower
Though many people think of fried cauliflower as a vegetarian alternative to chicken wings, it's absolutely delicious in its own right. Rice flour keeps the cauliflower crisp even when it's coated in sauce and the lime zest adds tang. You can find all the ingredients you need for the chile sauce at most Asian supermarkets.
Is this the ultimate recipe to use up leftover mashed potatoes? Definitely. Mix them with bacon, cream cheese, cheddar, and green onions, then roll into balls before freezing. Give them a coating of panko breadcrumbs and fry them up into an amazing appetizer everyone in your family will go nuts over.
Mexican Tortilla Salad
The Cheesecake Factory's version of a taco salad, the Mexican tortilla salad has chicken, roasted corn, and black beans mixed with greens in a mustard vinaigrette. Use a tostada for the fried corn tortilla base so you don't have to fry anything. If you'd like to make the avocado cream sauce, just mix avocado, sour cream, and lime juice in a blender until smooth.
Summer Strawberry Cheesecake Treats
There are recipes that Cheesecake Factory has not released and will likely never release, and that includes any actual cheesecake. However, there are a number of recipes that include the cheesecake as an ingredient, like these strawberries. Mash up your favorite slice — they recommend original, white chocolate raspberry truffle, and mango key lime — and pipe it like frosting into a hulled strawberry, crust and all.
Santa Fe Salad
The Santa Fe salad is like a less complicated version of the chain's tortilla salad. It includes chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, and Monterey Jack cheese tossed with romaine. It all gets tossed with two dressings, including a Southwestern style and a little bit of spicy peanut sauce. Crispy tortilla strips are mounded on top, but you could use crushed tortilla chips to save time.
Red Sangria
Sangria is a great drink to have for parties because you make a big batch of it and it just gets better as it sits in your fridge. This one is made with red wine, spiced rum, and mango and passionfruit juice for a tropical twist. Pineapple, orange, and apple chunks soak up the flavors, so make sure to get some of each in every glass.
Tortilla Soup
There are endless recipes for tortilla soup, but this one is unique. It uses chopped corn tortillas that are sauteed in oil with the onions, garlic, and other vegetables to add flavor and texture to the soup. Once the soup is blended, the toasted corn flavor pops and melds wonderfully with the cumin and chili powder.
Coconut Macaroon Cheesecake Cups
If you're a fan of Almond Joy bars or any coconut candy, you'll love these macaroon cups filled with cheesecake. Make a simple macaroon cookie base with coconut and egg whites, then press it into a muffin tin to create cups. Once they're cool, you coat the inside with melted chocolate and then fill with a scoop of your favorite cheesecake flavor.
Tuscan Chicken
Tuscan chicken is a dish from the Cheesecake Factory's Skinnylicious menu, which has lower calorie and fat options. This one has an abundance of vegetables, including asparagus, tomatoes, and artichokes, along with grilled chicken and farro, a whole grain. Capers and balsamic vinaigrette give it a salty, briny punch.
Warm Crab Artichoke Dip
If you bring this appetizer out for your next dinner party or movie night, you'll be a hero. The directions are exactly how it'd be done in a restaurant if you're looking for that experience. But at home, you might find it easier to bake the dip instead of heating it in a pan for each serving. If you have trouble finding crabcake mix, a blend of breadcrumbs and seasonings, check your grocery store near the Cajun mixes or breadcrumbs.
Blonde Brownie Cheesecake Sundae
If you thought the Cheesecake Factory's cheesecake couldn't get any more decadent, think again. This dessert layers scoops of your favorite flavor cheesecake with homemade blonde brownies — a.k.a. blondies — and sundae toppings like caramel and fudge. This would be especially great with peanut butter cup, banana, or caramel cheesecakes.
