by Ezra Cohen Montreal

Crispy coconut shrimp with mango salsa heat and a sweet, spicy finish

There’s a point where sweet stops being soft and starts pushing back. That’s what makes this bowl work.

You’ve got crispy coconut shrimp that’s golden, a little crunchy, and a little rich. Then mango and habanero come in and cut through it. Not subtly, but not overwhelming either. Just enough heat to wake everything up.

Finally, the Ezra Cohen Mango + Habanero Zalsa does most of the heavy lifting. It brings real fruit sweetness, clean heat, and enough acidity to keep the whole bowl from feeling too heavy.

What You’re Making

A layered bowl with:

• Crispy coconut shrimp
• Mango habanero salsa
• Rice or other grain base of your choosing
• Fresh toppings for contrast. Anything sweet, a little hot, crunchy, and something cool to balance it out all work.

Quick Details

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Servings: 2–3 bowls

Ingredients

For the Coconut Shrimp

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)
• ½ cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened or lightly sweetened)
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Oil for frying (or spray if baking/air frying)

For the Bowl

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice (or coconut rice, quinoa, or brown rice)
• ½ cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 avocado, sliced
• ½ cup cucumber, diced
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

Bonus

• Ezra Cohen Montreal Mango + Habanero Zalsa (or similar product)

How to Make Coconut Shrimp Bowls with Mango Salsa

1. Prep the Shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry. This matters more than people think—moisture kills the crisp.

Set up three bowls:

• Flour
• Beaten eggs
• Coconut + panko mixed together

Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Coat

Dredge each shrimp in flour, dip it in egg, then press it into the coconut mixture. Don’t rush this part. Press the coating in so it actually sticks.

3. Cook

You’ve got three options:

Pan-fry:
Heat the oil over medium. Cook shrimp 2–3 minutes per side until golden.

Air fryer:
400°F for about 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway.

Oven:
425°F for 10–12 minutes on a lined tray.

You’re looking for a deep golden color and firm texture.

4. Build the Bowl

Start with rice. Add cabbage, cucumber, and avocado.

Lay the shrimp on top while they’re still warm.

Spoon over the mango habanero zalsa, and don’t be shy with it.

Finish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Why the Mango Habanero Zalsa Works Here

The Ezra Cohen Mango + Habanero Zalsa isn’t just heat. It’s layered.

You get:

• Real mango sweetness, not syrupy
• Habanero heat that builds instead of hitting all at once
• Enough acidity to cut through fried shrimp

It’s also versatile. Use it as a marinade, a drizzle, or a straight-up dipping sauce. In this bowl, it ties everything together without overpowering it.

Also worth noting, this product is: 

• Gluten free
• Vegan
• Made with real fruit
• Kosher

Variations

• Make it spicier: Add fresh-sliced chili or a dash of hot sauce
• Cool it down: Add a yogurt-lime drizzle
• Swap the protein: Works with chicken, tofu, or even grilled fish
• Go low-carb: Skip rice, use greens or cauliflower rice

How to Store Your Leftovers

• Store everything separately: Keep shrimp, rice, and toppings in different containers to avoid sogginess.

• Refrigeration guidelines
  • Shrimp: up to 2 days
  • Rice + toppings: 3–4 days
  • Mango habanero salsa: keeps well when sealed and chilled

• How to reheat shrimp (skip the microwave if possible)

• • Oven: 375°F for 8–10 minutes
  • Air fryer: 350–375°F for 4–6 minutes (Brings back texture without overcooking)
• Reheating rice: Add a splash of water before microwaving so it doesn’t dry out
• Fresh toppings tip: Avocado is best cut fresh, but if stored, a little lime juice helps slow browning

Ways to Use Leftover Zalsa

• Spoon over eggs
• Add to tacos or wraps
• Brush onto grilled chicken or fish
• Mix into a quick marinade

FAQ

Are these mango habanero coconut shrimp bowls very spicy?

It has heat, but the mango balances it. You can control intensity by how much zalsa you use.

Can I bake instead of fry?

Yes. You’ll lose a bit of crunch, but it still works. Use high heat if you’re cooking it this way. 

What rice works best?

Jasmine or coconut rice gives the best balance with the sweetness and spice.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, just make sure they are thawed completely and dried well.

Ezra Cohen Montreal is introducing the world, once again, to a culinary revelation with their hazelnut butter & miso-glazed chicken thighs, a dish that transforms simple ingredients into restaurant-quality magic. The first bite of these umami-rich chicken thighs, shared during a local cooking workshop, converts even the most skeptical home cooks.

The secret to this recipe lies in the perfect marriage of miso paste and butter. When these two powerhouses combine and caramelize on juicy chicken thighs, they create an irresistible glaze that’ll have you licking your plate clean.

Why This Miso-Glazed Chicken Thighs Recipe Works

The genius behind this miso-glazed chicken thighs recipe comes down to flavor chemistry. White miso paste brings deep umami notes while butter adds richness and helps the glaze caramelize beautifully. Honey then balances the saltiness with subtle sweetness, while the rice vinegar cuts through the richness with bright acidity.

Unlike recipes that demand hours of marinating, this glaze works its magic during cooking. The high heat transforms simple ingredients into complex flavors in under 30 minutes.

Chicken thighs are the ultimate canvas here. Their higher fat content means they stay juicy and forgiving, even if you accidentally overcook them by a few minutes. The skin crisps up to perfection under the broiler. Meanwhile, the glaze bubbles and caramelizes into sticky, finger-licking goodness.

Ingredients for Perfect Miso Butter Chicken Thighs

To make these miso butter chicken thighs for four servings, you’ll need:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons white miso paste
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 1 tablespoon of natural hazelnut butter (Ezra Cohen Montreal hazelnut butter or other variety will work)

White miso works best for beginners because it’s a bit milder and more balanced than red or brown varieties. Most Asian grocery stores stock it, as do most grocery stores now, and a container lasts months in your fridge.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Prep Your Chicken Right

Pat those thighs completely dry with paper towels. I mean, really dry, because otherwise, the moisture will prevent a nice crispy skin.

Then, season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you make the glaze.

Create the Miso Glaze

In a bowl, whisk together miso paste, softened butter, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger until smooth. The consistency should be thick but spreadable. If it seems too stiff, add a teaspoon of warm water. For a richer, nutty depth, whisk in 1 tablespoon of natural hazelnut butter. It melts into the glaze, adding subtle sweetness and extra body without overpowering the miso.

Sear for Crispy Skin

Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with a little bit of olive oil. Make sure it gets hot enough, then place chicken thighs skin-side down. Don’t touch them for 5–6 minutes. Flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes. The skin should be deep golden brown.

Apply the Glaze

Remove the skillet from the heat. Brush half the miso mixture over the chicken, focusing mainly on the skin side.

Save the remaining glaze. You’ll need it for the final flourish.

Into the Oven

Transfer your skillet to a preheated 400°F oven, or transfer the chicken thighs to an oven-safe baking sheet. Bake for 15–18 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check for 165°F internal temperature at the thickest part.

Final Glaze and Broil

Brush the remaining miso mixture over the chicken. Switch to broil and cook for 2–3 minutes.

Watch closely and then remove from the over.

Rest and Garnish

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for color and crunch.

Ezra Cohen Montreal’s Pro Tips for Success

• Marinating isn’t mandatory, but if you have time, brush the chicken with glaze 30 minutes early. The flavors penetrate deeper, creating a more complex taste. Just remember to bring the chicken back to room temperature before cooking.
• Dry chicken equals crispy skin. For restaurant-level crispiness, place seasoned chicken on a wire rack in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking. The cold air removes surface moisture better than paper towels alone.
• Double the glaze recipe. Trust me on this—make extra and reserve half for serving. It keeps for a week refrigerated and tastes amazing on everything from roasted vegetables to grilled fish.
• Temperature matters for texture. While 165°F is safe, many chefs prefer cooking thighs to 175°F. The extra heat breaks down more connective tissue, resulting in even more tender meat.

Delicious Variations to Try

Once you’ve nailed the basic recipe, experiment with these twists:

Spicy kick: Add a tablespoon of gochujang or a teaspoon of sriracha to the glaze. Start small — heat intensifies as the glaze reduces.

Citrus brightness: Replace rice vinegar with fresh lime juice and add lime zest. The citrus cuts through the richness beautifully.

Vegetable additions: Toss halved Brussels sprouts or cubed sweet potatoes in leftover glaze. Roast them alongside the chicken for a complete meal.

Different miso adventures: Red miso creates deeper, more intense flavors. Chickpea miso works great for those avoiding soy.

Perfect Serving Suggestions

These miso butter chicken thighs shine alongside steamed jasmine rice, which soaks up all that glorious glaze. For texture contrast, add a simple cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar and sesame oil.

The cool crunch balances the rich, savory chicken perfectly.

For busy weeknights, prep everything in the morning. Mix your glaze, season the chicken, and store them separately in the refrigerator.

When dinner rolls around, you’re just 30 minutes from an impressive meal.

Leftovers (if you have any) make incredible next-day lunches. Shred the meat for salads or stuff it into sandwiches.

The flavors actually deepen overnight, making day-two chicken almost better than fresh.

Planning a dinner party? This recipe scales beautifully using sheet pans instead of skillets. Just rotate the pans halfway through for even browning.

Your New Favorite Dinner

These miso-glazed chicken thighs deserve a permanent spot in your dinner rotation. With minimal prep time, accessible ingredients, and maximum flavor payoff, this dish checks every box. Don’t be surprised when it becomes your most-requested recipe. If you want to see more recipes using other Ezra Cohen Montreal nut butters and zalsas, take a look at our recipe page.

This no-bake cashew butter fudge recipe is the kind you make when you want something rich and structured without turning it into a project. Everything comes together in one bowl, goes straight into the freezer, and sets up clean enough to slice without cracking or crumbling.

Cashew butter gives the fudge its body and its flavor, so the quality matters. A smooth, unsweetened cashew butter keeps the texture tight and the sweetness controlled, which is exactly what you want in a freezer-set fudge. Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Cashew Butter works well here because it’s finely ground and neutral, letting the cocoa and vanilla come through without competing or turning the mixture gritty.

The cocoa powder adds depth rather than sweetness, and the salt stays noticeable. This isn’t meant to be candy-sweet or soft like frosting. It’s closer to a classic fudge texture, firm when cold and slightly softer once it’s been sitting out for a few minutes.

Best of all, there’s no cooking involved. Still, the order in which you make it matters. You want everything fully combined without overworking the mixture, and you want it spread evenly so it sets at the same rate across the pan. Once it’s frozen, the texture will hold, and the flavor will settle.

No-Bake Cashew Butter Fudge with Cocoa Powder

Ingredients

• ¾ cup Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Cashew Butter (or cashew butter of your choice)
• ½ cup powdered sugar or powdered maple sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

1. Line a small square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the fudge out once set.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir the cashew butter and melted coconut oil until fully smooth and glossy. The base should be completely emulsified before adding anything else.
3. Sift in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt. Mix gently until no dry spots remain and the mixture thickens into a dense, uniform paste.
4. Add the vanilla extract and fold just until incorporated.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
6. Freeze for 2 hours, or until firm.
7. Remove from the freezer, lift out using the parchment, and slice into small squares.

Serving and Storage

This cashew butter freezer fudge is best served cold or slightly tempered. Straight from the freezer, it will be firm and cleanly sliceable; after a few minutes at room temperature, it softens into a silkier bite.

Store tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to two weeks.

We hope you enjoy this recipe. Browse through Ezra Cohen Montreal’s various nut butters as well as additional recipes that use them!

A silky, pepper-forward carbonara without dairy sounds like a stretch until you see how little the dish actually depends on cream or cheese. This version uses Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Cashew Butter and starchy pasta water to recreate the lush texture carbonara is known for, without relying on eggs, milk, or cheese.

The result is rich but clean, creamy without being heavy, and ready in under 30 minutes. It behaves like carbonara should: glossy, cohesive, and clingy, with enough structure to coat the pasta rather than pool at the bottom of the bowl.

Why It Works

• Cashew butter emulsifies cleanly with starchy pasta water, creating a tight, glossy sauce.
• Finishing the sauce off heat prevents separation and keeps the texture smooth.
• Using minimal pasta water during boiling increases starch concentration, improving sauce cohesion.
• Strong black pepper anchors the dish in traditional carbonara flavor territory.

The Dairy-Free Carbonara Technique

Carbonara isn’t cooked the way most pasta sauces are. There’s no simmering, no reduction, no time spent over heat once the sauce components are introduced. The sauce forms when fat, starch, and residual heat meet at the right moment.

That’s still true here.

Cashew butter behaves similarly to egg yolk and cheese when handled gently. Overheat it, and the emulsion loosens. Keep the pan off the burner and let the pasta do the work, and the sauce will tighten naturally.

This is less about steps and more about when things happen.

Making it Kosher

Traditional Roman carbonara is built on a short list of ingredients: pasta, eggs, cured pork, hard cheese, and black pepper. This version removes the elements that make traditional carbonara non-kosher (pork and dairy), without abandoning the method that gives the dish its identity. Instead of egg yolks and cheese, cashew butter and starchy pasta water form the emulsion. Instead of guanciale, flavor comes from black pepper, garlic, and whatever kosher add-ins you choose to cook in the pan.

Because there’s no dairy and no meat, the dish is naturally pareve. That isn’t treated as a substitution or workaround here; it’s simply the result of applying the carbonara technique to ingredients that behave the same way in the pan.

Choosing Ingredients That Matter

Cashew Butter

A single-ingredient, unsweetened cashew butter is essential. Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Cashew Butter has a smooth grind and neutral flavor, which allows the sauce to emulsify without introducing sweetness or grit.

Pasta

Long noodles like spaghetti or linguine work best. They make it easier to judge sauce consistency and help distribute the emulsion evenly.

Protein Add-Ins

Since there’s no pork fat, flavor comes from what you cook in the pan. Mushrooms provide depth, vegan bacon adds smoke, and tempeh brings chew. Whatever you choose, it needs to be fully cooked before the sauce goes in.

Creamy Dairy-Free Carbonara

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, vegan bacon, tempeh, or other kosher protein, sliced or diced
• ½ cup Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Cashew Butter
• 1¼ cups unsweetened plant milk (almond or oat)
• ¼ to 1 cup reserved pasta-cooking water
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Fresh parsley or chives, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, whisk cashew butter with a small amount of warm plant milk until smooth and pourable. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms or other protein and cook until browned and tender. Remove skillet from heat.

Add drained pasta to the skillet along with the cashew mixture, nutritional yeast (if using), salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat.

Add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, tossing continuously, until the sauce emulsifies and coats the pasta evenly. Serve immediately, topped with herbs and additional black pepper.

Notes

• Do not oversalt the pasta water; it will be added to the sauce.
• The sauce should look slightly looser in the pan than on the plate.
• This dish is best eaten immediately.
• Reheat gently with added liquid if needed.