We’re proud to introduce three new twists on the traditional bento box, each a beautiful fusion of the traditional with the new. We think, in true bento fashion, that each looks just as good as it tastes. Perfect for back-to-school, or whenever you need a tasty break on the go.
It’s like art that tastes good.
Chipotle Veggie Pinwheel Bento Box
- For pinwheels:
- 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1/2 cup packed spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon HERDEZ® TAQUERIA STREET SAUCE® Chipotle
- 3 CHI-CHI’S® Flour Burrito Style Tortillas
- For assembly:
- 1 cup CHI-CHI’S® Thick & Chunky Salsa Medium
- 1 (8-ounce) package HERDEZ™ Traditional Guacamole Mild
- 1 pound mini sweet peppers
- 2 mangos, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
For pinwheels:
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, peppers, beans, corn, spinach and street sauce together until combined.
- Spread a heaping 1/4 cup of cream mixture evenly over tortillas. Roll up each tortilla and place seam-side-down on cutting board. Cut tortillas into 1 ½- to 2-inch-thick pinwheels.
For assembly:
- Place pinwheels, salsa, guacamole, peppers and mangos decoratively in bento boxes. Top mangos with chili powder. Serve with lime wedges.
Motherboard Bite Bento Box
- For panini:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 slices cracked wheat bread
- 1 cup packed baby spinach
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 2 (3-ounce) packages COLUMBUS® Prosciutto
- 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
- For bite and assembly:
- 8 ounces COLUMBUS® Italian Dry Salami, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, broken into rustic bite-size pieces
- 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
- 2 cups seedless green grapes
- 2 cups salted mini pretzels
- 2 large Honeycrisp or Gala apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 2 cups water crackers
- 2 cups Marcona almonds
Instructions
For panini:
- Heat panini press or skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Brush outer side of each bread slice with olive oil. Evenly divide spinach, mozzarella, prosciutto and tomato on 2 bread slices, oil-side-down. Top with remaining bread slices, oil-side-up.
- Working in batches, place sandwiches on panini press or in skillet. Cook 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is golden-brown. If using a skillet, lightly press sandwich with a spatula and cook until cheese is melted and bread is golden-brown. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.
For bite and assembly:
- Place salami, Parmigiano, olives and grapes together in bento boxes. Arrange panini triangles, pretzels, apples, crackers and almonds decoratively in bento boxes. Serve at room temperature.
Ham-and-Cheese Empanada Bento Box
- For empanadas:
- 4 ounces HORMEL® NATURAL CHOICE® Honey Deli Ham, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen empanada dough for turnover pastries, thawed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- For tostones:
- 2 large green plantains, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- For skewers:
- 1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch stars
- 2 mangos, pitted, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
- For assembly:
- 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
- 1 1/2 cups HERDEZ™ Salsa Casera Mild
- 1 (8-ounce) package HERDEZ™ Traditional Guacamole Mild
Instructions
For empanadas:
- Heat oven to 375°F and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine ham, beans, corn and cheddar.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of ham mixture in center of pastry rounds. Brush edges of rounds with egg. Fold pastries in half and crimp edges with a fork. Transfer filled pastries to prepared baking sheets, 1-inch apart. Brush tops with egg.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until golden-brown.
For tostones:
- Heat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss plantains and olive oil together until coated. Place plantains, cut-side-down, on rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven.
- Using the bottom of a glass, press plantains into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Continue to bake 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden-brown.
For skewers:
- Thread 12 4-inch skewers with pineapples, mangos and oranges, alternating ingredients evenly.
For assembly:
- Arrange empanadas, tostones, skewers, rice, salsa and guacamole decoratively in bento boxes. Serve at room temperature.