There is no reason you should have to order out to enjoy your favorite comfort foods! Not that I’m against ordering in for a relaxing night — personally, I’m a huge fan of Chinese takeout. Such a fan, in fact, that I decided to create my own, homemade version of a Chinese favorite, vegan chow mein.

Not only does making your favorite restaurant foods at home help your wallet, but it is also going to be healthier and taste so much more fresh when it comes from your own kitchen. Plus, it’s a nice change of place from your fried rice or cauliflower fried rice.

The best part about this recipe is how versatile it is. Throw in all of your favorite vegetables, add a tasty protein, or keep it vegan and serve top off with tofu. However you enjoy it, this quick and easy vegan chow mein recipe won’t disappoint!

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chow Mein

• Ready in 20 minutes. Yes, just 20 minutes! That’s less time than your favorite prime-time TV show and definitely quicker than ordering takeout.
• Easy to prep ahead. Cut your time in half by prepping the ingredients and chopping all of your vegetables ahead of time. Then, all you have to do is cook your noodles, combine the ingredients and you’re ready to go.
• So many veggies. As I said, this vegan chow mein recipe is extremely easy to customize. Fill your wok with any number of delicious, healthy vegetables. Some of my favorites are broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts! I even like to throw some edamame on top as a garnish (not a veggie, I know, but it’s fresh!).

Ingredients for Vegan Chow Mein:

For sauce:

• Cornstarch
• Low sodium soy sauce
• Honey
• Sriracha
• Sesame oil

For chow mein:

• Chow mein noodles
• Fresh minced garlic
• Fresh minced ginger
• Vegetable or avocado oil
• Onion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Red bell pepper
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Green Napa cabbage

For garnish:

• Green onions
• Sesame seeds

How to Make Vegan Chow Mein:

1. Make the sauce. First, in a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, sriracha and sesame oil and set aside.
2. Cook the noodles. Then, follow the package boiling directions according to the vegan chow mein noodles and rinse with cold water, set aside.
3. Combine the veggies. After that, in a large wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat. Then add in the ginger and garlic and cook quickly for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Next, add in the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring often. Vegetables should still be crisp and al dente.
4. Add mushrooms. Now, add in the shiitake mushrooms and cabbage and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, being careful not to overcook the vegetables.
5. Add the noodles. Next, add the sauce mixture and noodles to the vegetables. Then cook and stir the mixture frequently for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and is glossy.
6. Garnish and enjoy. Finally, serve your vegan chow mein and top bowls with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Tips & Tricks

• Prep veggies ahead of time. Prep, peel, and slice your vegetables ahead of time. The recipe cooks together really quickly so it’s best to prep all your veggies and ingredients in advance.
• Enjoy the leftovers. Whether you planned for leftovers or just got lucky, this vegan chow mein is absolutely delicious the next day. Store your leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and enjoy an easy work-from-home lunch.
• Don’t overcook the noodles. It’s easy to overcook chow mein noodles, so make sure you’re paying close attention to the time. You want to boil the noodles a tiny bit al dent, just until tender. I usually cook them a minute less than the package says just to be safe.

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Vegan Chow Mein

This vegan chow mein brings the flavors of your favorite Chinese restaurant right into your home! Healthier and more fresh than takeout, top off your vegetable chow mein with tofu or edamame.

Cooking Method Stovetop

Skill beginner

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 370kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 0.25 cups low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 8 oz chow mein noodles
• 2 tsp fresh minced garlic
• 2 tsp fresh minced ginger
• 1.5 tbsp oil (vegetable or avocado)
• 0.5 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, julienned (or sliced in match sticks)
• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 cups green napa cabbage, thinly sliced
• chopped green onion, for garnish
• sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

• For the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and sesame oil and set aside.
• Prep, peel, and slice your vegetables ahead of time. The recipe cooks together really quickly so it’s best to prep all your veggies and ingredients in advance.
• Noodles: Follow the package boiling directions according to the chow mein noodles and rinse with cold water, set aside.
• Chow mein: In a large wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat. Add in the ginger and garlic and cook quickly for 30 seconds, be careful not to burn. Add in the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Vegetables should still be crisp and al dente.
• Add in the shiitake mushrooms and cabbage and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, be careful not to overcook the vegetables.
• Add in sauce mixture and noodles to the vegetables. Cook and stir mixture frequently for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and is glossy.
• Serve and top bowls with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 282g | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 58.3g | Protein: 12.1g | Fat: 10.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Unsaturated Fat: 8.3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 47.6mg | Sodium: 662.4mg | Fiber: 5.7g | Sugar: 11g

Looking for more weeknight vegan dinner ideas?

Check out our collection of all things vegan – from breakfast to dinner to dessert. Additionally, these simple vegan recipes are some of tastiest recipes out there:

• Quick and Easy Weeknight Vegan Ramen will making putting dinner on the table a breeze
• Orecchiette with Vegan Sausage and Broccolini is delicious, simply, and healthy.
• Try this Vegan Chocolate Crunch Soft Serve Ice Cream for a delicious evening treat.

The post Vegan Chow Mein appeared first on The Inspired Home.

If you have ever been to an Ikea, or have any awareness around their Swedish meatball situation, you may have similarly assumed that the gravy was a crucial part of the dish. Well, I’m here to tell you it is absolutely not customary. In fact, the Swedes like to serve their meatballs with casserole noodles just as much as they do mashed potatoes. Insert head explosion emoji.

One of my best friends from high school is Swedish with strong ties back in Sweden. “How could I have not known this?” I thought as I dove deeper and deeper into the gravy-gate betrayal scandal of 2021. The dish I saw in my head was so dry and so lackluster without it. I just couldn’t let it go and ditch the gravy. I wouldn’t.

Luckily, luckily, luckily, gravy is not dead. In fact, gravy has recently been adopted by the Swedes! Mostly due to the exposure the saucy dish has received through Ikea’s promotion of it with the gravy. So, because I am a sauce girl, I decided it was absolutely okay to keep this component in my recipe of Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes.

I make a fuss only because I wanted to honor this delicious meal, and make a traditional Swedish meatball meal. It was going to be in the title, after all! So, in an attempt to give a major nod to the tradition of this dish, I decided to focus on what made the meat seasoning so special. Queue the Grillkydda! Now this, my friend, is the thing to know about.

Grillkydda, or Piffi, is an all-purpose seasoning used in Swedish cooking. Made up of common spices that you likely have already in your spice cabinet, the homemade spice mix will elevate your meatballs tenfold. Plus, this seasoning would be amazing on chicken, fish, in creamy salad dressings, or anything else you can dream up.

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Swedish Meatballs with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Learn how to add a twist to traditional Swedish Meatballs by adding in delicious gravy with creamy mashed potatoes!

Course Lunch & Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Swedish

Keyword Dinner, Potatoes

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 948kcal

Ingredients

• For the Grillkydda – Swedish All-Purpose Seasoning:
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp ground cayenne
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• For the Meatballs:
• .33 cups milk
• 16 oz heavy cream, divided into 1/3 cup
• 1 cups panko or breadcrumbs
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• .5 tsp white pepper
• .25 tsp black pepper
• .5 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp Grillkydda mix
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 lb ground beef
• For the Mashed Potatoes:
• 2 lb yellow potatoes (about 6 potatoes), cleaned, peeled, and chopped
• 1 stick salted butter
• .66 cups heavy cream
• Salt to taste
• For the Gravy:
• .3 cups salted butter
• .25 cups flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cups heavy cream
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon
• 1 tsp Grillkydda mix
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• For the Grillkydda – Swedish All Purpose Seasoning:
• In a medium bowl, mix all of the seasoning together. Store in an airtight container.
• For the Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy:
• In a large bowl, mix the milk, cream, breadcrumbs, garlic, and seasonings together. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the liquid.
• Use your hands to mix in the pork, beef, and onion. Once everything is incorporated well, use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the meatballs out in a row. Preheat the oven to 350.
• Heat a heavy bottom braising pot over high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and coat the pan with oil. Brown the meatballs by placing them into the heated pot and cooking for about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Place the browned meatballs on a tray and repeat this step again until all of the meatballs are browned.
• Place the tray of partially cooked meatballs into the oven and cook for about 18 minutes, or until the meatballs are juicy and firm to the touch. Break one open to test.
• While the meatballs cook, prepare the mashed potatoes. Place the prepped potatoes in a medium sauce pot and cover with water. Season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Test the potatoes by piercing them with a fork, if the potato slides off with little resistance, they are ready.
• Remove the cooked meatballs from the baking tray and save the brown bits and juice for the gravy. Set aside.
• Prepare the gravy by melting the butter and reserved meatball juices together in the braising pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 3-5 minutes until brown. Slowly pour in the cream and broth. Whisk and bring to a boil. Add the soy sauce, Dijon, and Grillkydda mix. Bring back to a boil, and whisk frequently over the course of about 7-10 minutes. The gravy will have thickened and reduced by about half. Taste and add any salt and pepper necessary. Remove from the heat.
• Finish the potatoes by draining the cooked potatoes. Immediately place the butter and cream into the hot pot. Place the drained potatoes back into the pot to cover the butter and cream. Using a masher, mash the potatoes until creamy and smooth. Add salt to taste, but remember the gravy will be the main seasoning.
• Garnish with dried or fresh parsley, and some Lingonberry jam! Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 948kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 40.4g | Fat: 71.7g | Saturated Fat: 43.1g | Cholesterol: 305mg | Sodium: 868mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 3.2g

A few recipe notes:

• 50/50 split of ground pork and ground beef. Feel free to do more pork, all pork, or all beef if you have a preference. I like to buy 90/10 fat content.
• Breadcrumbs. I actually personally use panko because it’s what I typically stock in my cabinet. Breadcrumbs is customary and what I have written in the recipe. Use what you have!
• White pepper. This is the only ingredient that I would guess you might not have on hand. I really enjoy cooking with white pepper and suggest you buy it and play with it. I think you’ll be surprised how nice of a flavor it is.
• Replace old seasonings! This is a must. I’m guilty of this myself, but it’s absolutely so important to discard any old, expired spices. Not because of mold or anything, but because of flavor. The more they are exposed to air (especially ground versions), the more they lose flavor. The whole purpose of spices is of course to add flavor, and if your spices are stale you’ll end up with a lackluster dish. Trust me when I say, freshen them up frequently.
• Meat substitutions. I mean, why not? Who wants to try this with Impossible ground beef? Maybe tempeh? Let me know how it goes! Just make sure to swap the beef stock for veggie stock in the gravy.
• GF substitutions. Swap the gluten-ous components for GF breadcrumb, GF ap flour or cornstarch, tamari, and you’re golden!
• Dairy substitutions. I think you should have no problem swapping dairy ingredients for unsweetened dairy-free versions.

The post Swedish Meatballs with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Field Roast Sausages has been a brand on my radar going on 10 years. When I was vegan during my college years, I loved that they began to expand their products and offer different flavor sausages.

It really gave me something to play around within the kitchen, without much extra thought. Their spicy sausage is great, and I think that any of their options would be lovely in this dish, but I’ve decided to call for their classic Italian for this recipe for one simple reason: fennel seed.

In the instructions, I call for crumbled sausage, and with that releases a little bit of fennel seed embedded within the sausage. This adds a touch of bright earthy flavor that rounds this simple dish out nicely.

Another key part of this recipe is rich tasty olive oil, and layering in the salt at different stages. Don’t over-salt in the beginning, because once the pasta water gets added, more salt comes with it. For the most part, this recipe is pretty intuitive and allows a lot of room for adaptation and adjusting for your flavor preferences.

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Orecchiette with Vegan Sausage and Broccolini

This satisfying vegan dish is light and simple. What makes it really wonderful is the flavor of the vegan sausage amplified with fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, and a deep, buttery extra virgin olive oil.

Diet VeganDiet

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 475kcal

Ingredients

• 0.75 lb dried Orecchiette pasta
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 4-piece package of Field Roast Italian Vegan Sausages, plastic removed
• 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 0.25 cups extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, divided

Instructions

• In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Cook Orecchiette following the package instructions, using ½ teaspoon of salt to flavor the boiling water. Save a small bowl of pasta water for later use.
• Meanwhile, use your hands to crumble the vegan sausages. Set aside.
• Bring a large braising pan or deep dished pan to medium-high heat and lightly coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Cook the garlic until fragrant and just a touch brown, about 3 minutes max.
• Add a heavy pinch of red pepper flakes, stir, then add in the crumbled sausage. Continue to cook for about 4 minutes, until slightly brown and you begin to smell the sausage’s fennel. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, and add a bit more oil to encourage the browning of the vegan sausage, as needed.
• Add in the chopped broccolini, and stir to combine and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add a small scoop of starchy pasta water to help steam cook the broccolini. Cook, stirring the mixture frequently, until the greens darken to a deep rich color, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the cooked and drained pasta to the mixture and drizzle remaining oil. Mix to combine, and taste. Add any additional salt and red pepper flakes necessary.

Nutrition

Serving: 227g | Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 55.5g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 20.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Unsaturated Fat: 15.8g | Sodium: 543.7mg | Fiber: 6.1g | Sugar: 3.3g

Looking for more vegan recipes?

• Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Quick and Easy Weeknight Vegan Ramen
• Vegan Chow Mein

The post Orecchiette with Vegan Sausage and Broccolini appeared first on The Inspired Home.

These bibimbap bowls are probably my favorite category in the bowl meal trend. Translating literally to “mixed rice,” this mouthwatering dish includes the best flavors of Korean cuisine. Plus, they are SO EASY to meal prep! I like to make each bowl a little different each day — one a little spicier with jalapeños, one filled with proteins like egg and meat, and one veggie-packed. Meal prep doesn’t need to be boring, after all.

Why You’ll Love These Bibimbap Bowls

• It’s endlessly versatile. Bibimbap is literally just a bowl of rice with your favorite ingredients mixed in — plus the delicious Korean spices. Have a picky eater who doesn’t like spinach? They can have a bowl without it and everyone else can enjoy it! Is not everyone vegetarian? Totally fine — let the meat be an add-on option for a self-serve style dinner. The possibilities really are endless.

• It’s super quick. Depending on how many ingredients and toppings you choose to add and prepare, making bibimbap bowls is actually pretty quick. And if you’re making it for meal prep, lining up bowls of rice and just adding toppings is also a nice “assembly line” process. For a prep-heavy dish, I love using my Schmidt knife set. There is a knife for everything and they look so gorgeous in my kitchen.

• It’s great leftovers. I know, I know, I keep talking about meal prep and leftovers, but it really is GREAT the day (or next day) after. Personally, I like to prep ingredients at the beginning of the week, then when I want a quick lunch, I make some minute-rice and add my pre-made toppings. Quick and delicious.

Tips & Tricks

• Prep veggies first. I always like to prep my veggies first, then arrange them in small bowls or containers. It makes constructing the actual bibimbap bowls super easy, and I tend to like the “self-customization” this setup offers to myself, family and guests.

• Make it vegetarian. This bibimbap bowl recipe tastes just as great (maybe even better) sans meat! Throw in some tofu or load up on sautéd veggies — either way, this Korean rice bowl won’t disappoint.

• Add some heat. When I want a little spice in my bibimbap bowls, I add just a tiny bit of chili powder when sautéing the veggies or meat. If you’re really wanting more heat, you can always add in some jalapeños or a sautéd chili. Remember though, less is usually more!

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Bibibamp Bowls

Bibimbap bowls are the perfect solution for meal-prep, eating on the go, or even a quick work-from-home lunch. Ready in less than an hour, these delicious Korean rice bowls are full of your favorite veggies and fresh flavors.

Course Lunch & Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Korean

Keyword Dinner, Lunch

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 1486kcal

Ingredients

• For Beef Marinade:
• beef loin, very thinly sliced
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp sriracha
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• For Rice:
• 4 cups cooked white rice
• For Veggies:
• 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
• .5 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2.5 tsp sesame oil, divided
• For Toppings:
• 4 fried eggs
• sesame seeds
• green onions

Instructions

• In a medium bowl mix together thinly sliced beef, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and sriracha until the beef is well coated. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes while preparing rice and veggies.
• Boil rice according to package directions. While rice is boiling, begin to prep veggies.
• In a small bowl combine english cucumbers with rice vinegar and sesame oil. Set aside to marinate.
• Heat ½ tsp sesame oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle each vegetable with a small sprinkle of kosher salt. Sauté carrots for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Remove carrots and repeat with ½ tsp sesame oil and zucchini sticks. Remove zucchini and repeat with ½ tsp sesame oil and mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove zucchini and repeat with ½ tsp sesame oil and bean sprouts and cook for 1-2 minutes.Remove mushrooms and add in remaining sesame oil and spinach, sauté for 30 seconds or until the spinach has wilted. Keep vegetables warm.
• Add in 2 tsp sesame oil and marinated beef strips to the pan. Cook on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes or until the meat has cooked through and caramelized on the outside.
• Fry eggs in a non-stick skillet to taste.
• Assemble rice at the bottom of the bowl. Top evenly with vegetables, beef, marinated cucumbers and fried egg. Top with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 1486kcal | Carbohydrates: 163.2g | Protein: 113.9g | Fat: 48.1g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 529mg | Sodium: 2013mg | Fiber: 13.3g | Sugar: 31.8g

The post The Best Bibimbap Bowls appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Learn the basics for how to cook pot roast, including a breakdown of the many different pot roast cooking methods, plus get tips on what to serve with this mouthwatering dish!

What Is Pot Roast?

This recipe always makes me feel nostalgic — I can’t remember a time I sat down to eat this classic comfort food without being surrounded by my family or friends. As a kid, I remember always having a delicious roast at my grandparents’ house with all of the aunts and uncles, and cousins. So naturally, when I decided to put together this how-to guide, I was left with so many happy emotions!

In its simplest form, pot roast is a cut of beef simmering in a Dutch oven with a savory broth and chopped vegetables. Requiring less than 30 minutes of active prep and cooking time, your delectable roast works its magic simply by sitting and cooking for 4-8 hours.

One of the best parts of cooking roast is that it’s actually a pretty inexpensive recipe! The chuck roast cut of beef is much less expensive than other cuts of beef, and the vegetables are staples that you likely already have in your pantry. Serve your roast with noodles, mashed potatoes, or mashed cauliflower for a complete family dinner everyone will love!

Ingredients for Most Pot Roast Recipes:

Aromatics: Garlic, onion, shallot, herbs

Veggies: Carrot, celery, potato, onion (low carb, no potato)

Liquids: Mix of broth and wine

Beef to use: Beef chuck roast

Dutch oven: Heavy-bottomed cast iron or ceramic pot

How to Make a Dutch Oven Pot Roast:

1. Prep your vegetables

I like to use onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes when I cook any roast. I start by halving or quartering my potatoes, depending on the size, then I chop the onions, celery, and carrots in large chunks.

When it comes to chopping up vegetables, I love using my Messermeister knife set. The knives are extremely versatile and super strong, even after re-sharpening.

2. Gather spices and liquids.

Make sure you have all of your spices, herbs, and broth liquids ready to pour into the Dutch oven.

3. Sear meat.

It’s important to remember to sear the meat on all sides to keep the juices inside while it cooks. You can sear using any method, but you want charred edges on the sides of the beef.

4. Begin cooking.

Put your meat and broth mixture into a Dutch oven then cook for 4-8 hours. Make sure to add your veggies to the Dutch oven about halfway through cooking.

5. Serve and enjoy.

Garnish your roast with fresh herbs and serve alongside your favorite sides for an easy and delicious family dinner.

Different Methods for Cooking Pot Roast

There are many different ways to cook pot roast, and much of the time, the method chosen depends on how much time you have to allow your roast to cook.

Here are some of the common methods and a quick note about time and temp:

Multi-Cooker: Generally, you can cook roast for 20 minutes per pound in a multi-cooker with a pressure setting. You can add a few minutes if you like extra tender meat.

Slow Cooker: When I make a roast in my slow cooker, I let it cook for about 8 hours on low.

Stovetop: Some prefer to allow the roast to cook on the stovetop by leaving the Dutch oven on a burner for several hours. I would recommend against this method, as it doesn’t cook the roast as evenly.

Oven: Cook for about 3 hours at 350 degrees F. This method in my Le Creuset Dutch oven is my go-to! It’s perfect for making on a cold winter day and I find that it cooks most evenly for a super flavorful pot roast.

Don’t forget the gravy!

Don’t toss your mouthwatering wine and broth roast liquid. It’s the perfect base for a delicious gravy you can drizzle over the pot roast before serving.

To turn the juices and drippings into gravy, you will likely need to thicken it. You can do this by pouring your liquids into a saucepan and cooking over medium-high heat to reduce the liquids or stir in some cornstarch. If the gravy gets too thick, you can always add a little more wine, broth, or water. Simmer the gravy in the saucepan until you have reached your preferred flavor and consistency.

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Pot Roast 101

Learn the basics for how to cook pot roast, including a breakdown of the many different pot roast cooking methods, plus get tips on what to serve with this mouthwatering dish!

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 801kcal

Ingredients

• 3 heads garlic, tops cut off
• 2 onions, peeled then quartered or halved (depending on size)
• 1 shallot, peeled and chopped into large pieces
• 1 bunch celery, chopped into large pieces
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
• 8 baby red potatoes, quartered or halved (depending on size)
• 1 cups red wine
• 3 cups broth
• 1 3-5 pound beef chuck roast
• salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Prep your vegetables. I like to use onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes when I cook any roast. I start by halving or quartering my potatoes, depending on the size, then I chope the onions, celery, and carrots into large chunks
• Gather spices and liquids. Make sure you have all your spices, herbs and broth liquids ready to pour into the Dutch oven.
• Sear meat. It’s important to remember to sear the meat on all sides to keep the juices inside it while it cooks. You can sear using any method, but you want charred edges on all sides of the beef.
• Begin cooking. Put your meat and broth mixture into a Dutch oven and then cook for 4-8 hours. make sure to add your veggies to the Dutch oven about halfway through cooking.
• Serve and enjoy. Make sure to be careful of the large pieces of garlic and herbs while serving.
• Note: If using another method, see article above for instructions!

Nutrition

Calories: 801kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 49.4g | Fat: 50.9g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 839mg | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 5.2g

Looking for more beef dinner recipes?

• Braised Beef Brisket & Roasted Carrots with a Pomegranate-Honey Glaze for Rosh Hashanah
• Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon
• How to Make a Panini 2 Ways

The post Sunday Night Pot Roast 101 appeared first on The Inspired Home.

During the pandemic, freezer meals, and freezer sales as a whole, have spiked. Freezing is a smart storage method that allows for a lot of flexibility and the preservation of nutrients. It’s my go-to for extra garden produce.

Actually, when I think about what I’d like to add to my already amazing dream kitchen… it’d be a full-size freezer right next to an enormous fridge. Is this what being an adult is like?

First, clear and clean out your freezer.

If you aren’t even sure what lies in the depths of your freezer, it’s time for a full clear out. That means removing everything and wiping out the freezer. If your freezer (or fridge) has kind of a weird odor, I highly recommend using a Moso charcoal bag to absorb the odor naturally which is more powerful than baking soda.

There’s nothing more off-putting than having something from your freezer smell unappetizing. I actually have a few of these Moso bags in different shapes for the fridge, shoes, etc. All you have to do to replenish their odor sucking power is put them in the sun for a few hours. When they’re all used up (two years) open them and compost for plant growth in your garden.

See what foods are and aren’t being used.

Once the freezer is clean, it’s time to evaluate what you’ve actually been using and what you and your family didn’t like and avoided. Don’t repeat a broccoli soup no one touched, because all your good intentions are doing is taking up space. Your freezer is valuable real estate, so make sure it’s stocked with foods you’re actually using!

Find freezer meals that work for you.

While you can find literally thousands of freezer meal recipes and prep articles, I’ll be honest that many don’t appeal to me. They’re almost always for slow cookers and are stored in plastic bags. If that works for you, that’s awesome, but that’s not really a cooking style that appeals to me. Instead, I prefer to focus on oven, reheat, or sous vide meals.

When my husband and I started planning freezer meals for after the baby arrives, we started off by listing meal ideas that would appeal to us and then deciding which of those would freeze well. It’s a mix of comfort food items (Grandma’s meatballs, tuna casserole), soups (rosemary potato white bean), and other entrees like tikka masala chicken and chilis plus little snack bites.

Remember, you can create mix-and-match side dishes or entrees and write down what to pair them with on the container to make it super simple. Always use a piece of washi tape or sticky note or write on foil to remind yourself the contents, date (unless you plan on using these pretty quickly if you have a small freezer), and directions. One particular note: I add a reminder to remove any plastic cling wrap before going into the oven.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to meal prep with my freezer:

Use freezer and oven and dishwasher safe casserole dishes.

Le Creuset makes the most gorgeous casserole dishes and loaf pans in all shapes and sizes. If you’re making something that needs to bake, opt for a container like this where you can put it in the oven after thawing.

The perfect examples? Lasagna, stuffed shells, casseroles, or enchiladas. To me, Le Creuset is the pinnacle of smart for these purchases because they’re also DISHWASHER safe. No one has time for the nuances of dish-care ‘rules’ for persnickety items. To store, I wrap the top in a cling film first, then cover it in foil and write the directions on top.

Use freezer-safe sealed airtight containers.

These are great for sauces, soups, and fully cooked items that only need to be re-heated. I highly recommend these from Duralex which is a French-made tempered glass company.

Their containers come in lots of shapes and sizes and sets. Most importantly they’re heat and cold resistant and can go from fridge to microwave. They’re dishwasher safe and impact and chip resistant.

Use a vacuum sealer.

Perfect if you intend to sous vide, but also ensures a very excellent seal that’s great for meats, especially if you’re adding seasoning.

A good vacuum sealer has pre-made standard size bags available, or rolls that allow you to vacuum seal to any size.

Use silicone molds for snacks, then store them in bags or containers.

As always, can use airtight containers with lids, freezer bags, or stashed bags. We love little healthy cookie dough bites made with almond flour and nut butter. With silicone molds (and you can use cute stars or bar shapes) you can pre-portion snacks.

No matter what size your freezer is, make sure you’re using the space to suit YOUR needs! A pre-made meal can be a relief after a long week. All it takes is a little pre-planning.

Make-Ahead Freezer Meal Ideas:

19 Freezer Meals to Save You Time (and Brain Cells) This Week

Best Ever Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

Make-Ahead Vegetarian Meals that Make for Relaxed Weeknights

The post Your Guide to Make-Ahead Freezer Meals appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Now I must say, I’ve started to get better about knowing the realistic boundary of how much we can actually consume on these special holidays, but yeah, there’s going to be leftovers. And this recipe, a Holiday Leftovers Casserole, can help you out with that.

I actually created this meal completely separate from the holiday season. It was born more out of a desire to have mashed potatoes, stuffing, and all of the other yummies all together more than just once a year. Any time we get an urge for a comforting, nostalgic meal, no matter the time of year, I’ll whip this up as the main meal instead of the second act.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s simply a layering of all of your favorite parts of a holiday meal. I recommend using mashed potatoes and stuffing for sure — but you could make it a Shepherd’s Pie with ground beef if you’re sick of turkey. Or keep it entirely vegetarian and use mixed vegetables like corn, carrots, and peas.

Whip up an easy gravy with a roux and some stock and pour it over top of each plate to make it just like Thanksgiving. Or, play around and do dumplings instead of stuffing and a stew-like turkey base. This recipe is truly just an inspiration, and the rules are yours to make from there!

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Holiday Leftovers Casserole

What to do with your holiday leftovers? That’s really up to you. This casserole is truly just an inspiration, and the rules are yours to make from there!

Keyword Casseroles, Dinner, Potatoes, Thanksgiving

Skill beginner

Prep Time 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Calories 418kcal

Ingredients

• 4 cups mashed potatoes
• 2 cups frozen peas, or a mixed frozen vegetable
• 3 cups stuffing
• 4 tbsp butter, chopped into cubes

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F. Use a small casserole dish, like the square Emilie Henry I have pictured above, and smooth in the mashed potatoes. Next, evenly layer frozen peas, while still frozen. Spoon the stuffing over top, leaving it uneven and tall in certain areas.
• Place the butter cubes into the stuffing valleys and place the casserole into the oven. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, until the butter has melted and the stuffing is brown on the top and the center is completely reheated and hot. This cook time will be much shorter if each layer is made fresh and not chilled.
• Serve with optional gravy and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 10.4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8.3g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 955mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 5.6g

The post Holiday Leftovers Casserole appeared first on The Inspired Home.

First, I pick quality over quantity. It keeps serving sizes in line with recommendations, but it also helps put my money where my other values lie (for example shopping local, or supporting my local butcher). Second, I think a lot of care should be taken in picking cooking methodologies. Carelessly chucking chicken on the grill to char it to a brick doesn’t honor the animal for what it was. To me, there’s an element of wanting to do justice to the meat I do decide to eat. So how should you do it?

I’ve always advocated for sous vide cooking. It’s the most precise and ensures a perfect turn out every time. And if you have a sous vide precision cooker, I absolutely recommend using it.

You can see previous sous vide recipes on Inspired Home like these Sous Vide Asian Short Ribs with Udon Noodles. However, I’m also practical. And if you just don’t see yourself using sous vide for one reason or another, don’t spend your money there. Use what you have and make the best of that method.

Cooking a steak on the stove is tricky. Stovetops, and ovens for that matter, are extremely ambiguous. The temperatures are often inaccurate and recipes that are ‘cook on high’ do not translate at all to your particular stovetop which really would need a ‘high plus plus’ to get the same results. To control this, we use the oven to cook steak.

First, you’ll create a spice blend and crust the steak. You can use a mortar and pestle, but for the best texture, I recommend an electric coffee grinder that you can use for spices. The Bistro model is stainless steel and compact with a transparent lid.

That means you can actually see when you’re getting close to the texture you need without constantly opening and closing the top, spilling spices everywhere and flinging your body across the kitchen to stop your kid or pet from eating rogue peppercorns. The other big benefit is you can pulse vs continuous grind with this model.

Once your steak is crusted with seasoning, you’ll sear it on your stovetop in a cast iron skillet that’s super hot. Searing makes a nice texture and color exterior before you transfer it into the oven to complete cooking in a more even way.

But this is the most important part: before the steak goes into the oven, probe it. Probing your steak with a thermometer like this genius OXO thermometer removes the variation in sizing and thickness that you may have dinner to dinner or between various recipes you use. A probe tells you exactly when to pull a steak, without guesswork.

This particular thermometer is one I use every single week took cook a rotisserie chicken from my CSA. It takes zero work since all I do is season my chicken, place the probe in the chicken and click through the automatic settings to select ‘chicken breast’.

It’s especially handy if you often find yourself unsure of what the safe internal temperatures for meat are. Once your temperature gets close, the thermometer and screen that’s attached to the probe outside your oven will beep and let you know it’s time to start watching.

I’ll also say this would make a great gift to someone who changes home rentals frequently and loves to cook (there’s no waiting to figure out if your oven runs hot or cold in comparison to your previous oven).

Once your steak is out of the oven and rested, it’s time to serve up! That means a sharp, quality knife is a must. For a porterhouse, my husband and I split one steak, so you can cut it off the bone and give each person part of each side of the steak (the strip and the tenderloin side).

I’ve seen so many steak knives in my life that are often partially serrated, meaning they’re impossible to appropriately sharpen. You want something like this Cangshan steak knife set which is forged full tang (that means that piece of metal goes all the way up the full inside of the handle). They’re sturdier and hardier. But most importantly the way this knife is made, you can keep them as sharp as when you bought them.

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Perfect Oven Porterhouse Steak

Fill your house with the amazing aroma of this fabulous steak recipe!

Course Lunch & Dinner Recipes

Keyword Cooking, Dinner, Recipes, Sous vide, Steak, Techniques

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 364kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp peppercorns (four variety peppercorns used here)
• 1 porterhouse steak (about 1.5 inches thick)
• 1 tbsp butter
• For the Spice Blend:
• 1 tbsp dehydrated garlic
• 1 tbsp dehydrated onion
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Instructions

• Remove steak from fridge for 30 minutes.
• Place all spices except the paprika and brown sugar in a coffee or spice grinder. Pulse about 10 times until spices are roughly milled (think about the texture of what you’d like to bite into). Add to a small bowl with paprika and brown sugar and whisk to combine.
• Cover all sides of the steak with the seasoning.
• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Heat a cast iron skillet with 1 T butter until very hot. Add steak and sear for 1 minute on each side, switching, then 3 minutes on each side.
• Place the probe into the thickest part of your steak (do not touch the bone). Set the thermometer for 128 F (medium rare- the temperature will continue to climb after you remove it from the oven).
• Cook steak in the oven until probe reads 128 F. This won’t take more than 15 minutes, so stay close by!
• Rest for at least 5 minutes, slice and serve with a thyme garlic compound butter if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.4g | Protein: 28.3g | Fat: 18.8g | Saturated Fat: 7.4g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 7086mg | Fiber: 6.9g | Sugar: 11.5g

The post How to Make Perfect Porterhouse Steak in the Oven appeared first on The Inspired Home.

It’s an easy and healthy Mexican chicken casserole that’s baked in the oven until the cheese is melted and the edges are a crispy golden brown.

You guys know how I feel about Mexican food. Tacos, burritos, bowls, oh my! And who could forget about good ol’ enchiladas rolled and drenched in a Mexican-spiced tomato sauce?

The secret is the fresh and vibrant spin from homemade salsa-verde-like enchilada sauce with fresh tomatillos (you know – those green, sticky tomatoes you always see at the market, but never know what to do with them).

Get ready for the enchilada bake of your dreams.

Ingredients

The list of the ingredients is a mix of fresh produce and Mexican pantry staples I always have on hand. I’ve broken it down into the sauce and casserole
categories as follows:

Enchilada Sauce Ingredients:

• tomatillos
• yellow onion
• jalapeños
• olive oil
• salt
• ground cumin
• garlic powder
• fresh cilantro leaves
• lime
• chicken or vegetable broth

Tomatillos. Tomatillos are more acidic and less sweet than their ripe red tomato cousin (they are actually the same family as a gooseberry!). You can find them in the produce section of most grocery stores, usually next to the jalapenos.

They have a thin, papery husk with a sticky surface underneath. Simply discard the husk and give them a good scrub under cool running water. Dry completely before coating with the olive oil.

One of the reasons I love this casserole SO much is the homemade enchilada sauce.

I love breaking out my Blendtec for soups and sauces. It powers through all the ingredients and leaves me with a smooth texture every time. This blender is the quietest blender I have ever used. You can literally have a conversation while it’s humming and you’d never know it was on!

Enchilada Casserole Ingredients:

• chicken breasts, cooked + shredded
• canned green chiles
• cream cheese, softened
• cooked quinoa
• enchilada sauce
• flour tortillas
• shredded cheddar cheese

Quinoa. Quinoa is technically a seed, not a grain (hence the reason it is known as a pseudo grain) and comes in a variety of colors (white, red, black). I went with the prepacked tricolor (or rainbow) quinoa for both flavor and color.

Always rinse quinoa before cooking to rid of its bitter coating. Then, cook it the same way you would rice, but in a ratio of 1:1.5 quinoa-to-liquid, for 15 minutes. As soon as you see little curls poking out of the tiny seeds, it’s ready!

I love making quinoa in my rice cooker. It’s the perfect small dutch oven for cooking a big batch of quinoa and it’s heavy lid seals in all the steam for super moist quinoa.

Chicken. Poached chicken breasts are your best friend in this recipe. I like to purchase a big batch of chicken breasts and poach them in water with some onion, garlic and parsley stems.

Strain out the liquid and reserve it as chicken stock to use in this recipe and have on hand for the rest of the week. Shred the chicken breasts immediately or make ahead of time to have cooked chicken ready and waiting for you in the fridge. The chicken will keep best in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Toppings. Sour cream, avocado and cilantro is my perfect trifecta, but this is when you can go crazy! Pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole or even some crushed up tortilla chips for extra crunch would all be wonderful.

How To Make Green Enchilada Casserole

Traditional flour tortillas are layered with a creamy, zesty, spiced chicken and quinoa filling, along with the green enchilada sauce and loads of cheese! It’s baked until gooey and finished with some sour cream, avocado and fresh cilantro.

Rather than rolling the tortillas individually, these bad boys get stacked with the filling for a mile-high enchilada bake ready in no time. About half the time is making the sauce and the other half if completely hands-off since you’re just waiting for the green casserole to bake in the oven. Simply:

Blend the Enchilada Sauce

1. Preheat. The oven to 400 F.
2. Roast the tomatillos, onions and chile. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, add tomatillos, onion and jalapeno. Drizzle with olive oil and gently rub the olive oil onto the vegetables. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatillos are tender and golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
3. Blend! In a blender, add roasted tomatillos, yellow onion, 1 jalapeno (reserve 1 jalapeno and taste test before adding the 2nd), salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro, lime juice and broth, then blend until smooth. Taste test for more salt and more spice once blended.

Assemble the Green Quinoa Enchilada Layers

1. Prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together shredded chicken, green chilis, cream cheese, quinoa and ½ cup enchilada sauce. Mix together until creamy.
2. Start layering. In the bottom of a casserole dish, add ¼ cup of enchilada sauce and spread evenly.
3. Pile high! Layer in 2-3 tortillas, 1 cup of quinoa chicken mixture, ½ cup enchilada sauce and ½ cup of cheese. Repeat layers until the casserole dish is full. Top the top layer with cheese.
4. Bake! In the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
5. Garnish and serve. Top with a drizzle of sour cream, diced avocado and chopped cilantro.

Meat, Vegetarian & Gluten-Free Variations

I love the mix of chicken and quinoa against soft, pillowy flour tortillas, but there are simple swaps you can make to satisfy any meat, vegetable or gluten-free eaters.

• Ground Meat: Use 2-pounds ground beef, turkey or chicken that has been browned in a hot skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil instead of the shredded chicken breasts.
• Beans: Replace the chicken with 2 (15-ounce) cans drained & rinsed black beans or pinto beans.
• Corn Tortillas: Sub out the flour tortillas with 1 large package corn tortillas. You will need more of the corn tortillas to fully cover each layer in the casserole dish since they are smaller.

Meal-Prep Ready & Freezer Friendly

Get ahead of the game with this green enchilada bake by blending the sauce and cooking the chicken and quinoa ahead of time. Store each in a separate container in the fridge.

All that’s left to do on the day you are going to serve is layer, assemble, and bake to glorious baked enchilada heaven!

For longer storage, once assembled and cooked, store in a covered, freezer-safe casserole dish in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and rewarm in a 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until warmed through.

Mexican-Inspired Recipe For A Crowd

I love casseroles for the fact that they easily serve a crowd! This recipe generously serves 4 but can serve up to 8-10 people at a picnic, potluck, or party. My friends devour it every time.

When I’m serving up a casserole like this I love baking it off in my Dansk Speckled Bakeware Roaster. Believe it or not, this entire pan can go right from the oven to the table. It’s a collection of bakeware that is perfect for busy people who don’t have time to plate up dinner (who does?!) but want everything to look as nice as possible.

It’s a great crowd-pleasing recipe for all your Cinco de Mayo celebrations, too!

Recipe Tips:

• Use home-cooked poached chicken. I love to poach a big batch of chicken breasts at the beginning of the week so that it’s cooked and ready anytime I am inspired to make a shredded chicken casserole. Add a few aromatics and you have a homemade chicken stock to use in this recipe and throughout the week, too!
• Pull out the cream cheese while you make the sauce. Softened cream cheese is much easier to mix with the remaining filling ingredients. Cut into small cubes to speed up the process even more.
• Broil for extra crispy cheese. After the casserole is fully baked, set it under the broiler on HIGH for 2-3 minutes for a layer of crispy, crunchy, brown-speckled cheese.

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Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

This Green Enchilada Casserole is creamy and dreamy swimming in a vibrant salsa verde sauce. It’s an easy and healthy Mexican chicken casserole that’s baked in the oven until the cheese is melted and the edges are a crispy golden brown.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Casseroles, Cheese, Dinner, Lunch, Mexican

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Calories 622kcal

Ingredients

• 10 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 jalapeños, deseeded, (1-2 depending on how spicy you want it)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• A handful of fresh cilantro leaves
• .5 lime, juiced
• .5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 medium chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1 block (8-ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 3 cups enchilada sauce
• 12 flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream, optional topping
• diced avocado, optional topping
• chopped cilantro, optional topping

Instructions

• For the Enchilada Sauce: Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• On a parchment-lined baking sheet, add tomatillos, onion, and jalapeño. Drizzle with olive oil and gently rub each ingredient. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatillos are tender and golden.
• Remove from the oven and set aside.
• In a blender, add roasted tomatillos, yellow onion, 1 jalapeño (reserve 1 jalapeño and taste test before adding the 2nd), salt, cumin, garlic powder, fresh cilantro leaves, lime juice, and broth, then blend until smooth. Taste test for more salt and more spice once blended.
• For Enchiladas: In a medium bowl, mix together shredded chicken, green chiles, cream cheese, quinoa, and ½ cup enchilada sauce. Mix together until creamy.
• At the bottom of a casserole dish, add ¼ cup of enchilada sauce and spread evenly. Layer in 2-3 tortillas, 1 cup of quinoa chicken mixture, ½ cup enchilada sauce, and ½ cup of cheese. Repeat layers until the casserole dish is full. Top the top layer with cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
• Top with a drizzle of sour cream, diced avocado and chopped cilantro.
• Notes: Poach and shred the chicken ahead of time, if desired. The chicken will keep best in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 795mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g

More Mexican Recipes You’ll Love:

Classic Piña Colada

Chipotle BBQ Jackfruit Tacos

Taco Night Fiesta

Air Fried Fish Tacos

The post The Only Enchilada Casserole Recipe You’ll Ever Need appeared first on The Inspired Home.

It eliminates the pressure of trying to complete a meal at a decent hour for dinner and gives you that sense of accomplishment for being efficient with your meal planning!

This weeknight vegan ramen recipe is the epitome of quick and easy! Add flavor to ready-made broth and top the bowl off with your favorite ramen toppings in less than 20 minutes.

Why ramen? I think there is some nostalgia around a bowl of ramen whether it brings back memories of your favorite restaurants or college dorm life. This recipe is designed to give you time back in your day but satisfy your hunger with flavor and fresh accoutrements.

This elevated ramen recipe is the perfect way to recap a week and go to bed satisfied! Go the extra step and top the meal off with a warm cup of green tea!

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Vegan Weeknight Ramen

This weeknight vegan ramen recipe is the epitome of quick and easy! Add flavor to ready-made broth and top the bowl off with your favorite ramen toppings in less than 20 minutes.

Keyword Dinner, Lunch, Noodles, Ramen, Soups and stews, Vegan

Diet VeganDiet

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 429kcal

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tbsp green onion
• 2 tsp garlic
• 2 tsp fresh ginger
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• .5 cups water
• 1 tsp aminos
• 1 pack ramen noodles
• 1 cups tofu
• 1 cups bok choy
• 1 cups spiralized carrots
• .75 cups mushrooms
• .5 cups bean sprouts
• lemongrass (optional)

Instructions

• Heat 1 tbsp of avocado oil in a large pot on medium-high heat
• Add the green onion, garlic, lemongrass (optional) and ginger to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes
• Add the vegetable broth, water and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Mix everything well, cover and then simmer for 10 minutes to allow the broth to absorb all the yummy flavors from the onion, garlic and ginger!
• While the broth is simmering, heat 2 tbsp of avocado oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the bok choy, carrots and mushrooms and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Once done, remove from heat.
• Cook the ramen per the package instructions. TIP: purchase ramen that can be cooked in the microwave for ease!
• Remove all green onion, ginger and garlic pieces from the broth with a slotted spoon
• Add the tofu and ramen to the broth, raise the heat and cook until noodles soft (2 minutes)
• Plate your ramen and decorate your bowl with the sautéed vegetables – add bean sprouts for crunch!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 887mg | Fiber: 9.2g | Sugar: 6g

The post Quick and Easy Weeknight Vegan Ramen appeared first on The Inspired Home.