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Instant Pot Pot Roast (Tavern Style)

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 6 Comments

Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients. Instant Pot Pot Roast is one of my favorite things to make in my Instant Pot. I am admittedly unorganized when it comes to meal planning and traditional pot roast is something that just NEEDS planning.

With the Instant Pot, I can make an amazing fall-apart tender roast in just over an hour. Sure, I have to remember to pull it out of the freezer with ample time to thaw but it's a huge improvement over the 8 hours it takes to cook in the slow cooker!

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Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.

I named this Instant Pot Pot Roast "Tavern Style" because this recipe calls for cooking the roast in beer. I personally don't drink, but I LOVE to cook with alcohol because of the amazing flavor it can give. In this case, the beer lends a deep, rich flavor to the beef that you just can't get with other ingredients.

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Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.

And the gravy? It get's made with the cooking liquids right in the Instant Pot after the roast is done, thanks to a short-cut ingredient and is rich and so, so flavorful.

Tips for Instant Pot Pot Roast:

  • About choosing a roast-- My two favorites for pot roast are the Chuck Roast (sometimes called Chuck Roll) and Bottom Round (sometimes called Rump Roast). Both have good marbling, making for a flavorful roast, and are reasonably priced.
  • If you're short on time you can cut the roast into small chunks, making the overall cooking time shorter. Refer to your Pressure Cooker manual for exact cooking times.
  • Alternative cooking liquids-- If you're on the fence about using beer I urge you to give it a try as it's just too good to pass up. But if you'd rather not or don't have any on hand, beef broth can be used in substitution as can red wine. Both broth and wine will give the finished recipe its own taste but will work well with the other ingredients.

More Tips For Making Instant Pot Pot Roast:

  • Adding Vegetables-- I like to serve this over mashed potatoes so I don't typically add potatoes to this roast but if you'd like to, potatoes, parsnips, and celery all work well in this recipe. Just cut them into pieces and add to the pot with the carrots.
  • Don't have an Instant Pot? No Problem! This recipe can easily be made in the slow cooker. Follow the recipe as written, except heat the oil in a large pan and brown the roast on the stovetop, adding the onions and flour to the pan as written. Transfer the browned roast and onions to the slow cooker, making sure to scrape the pan for all the flour and juices. Pour the beer, beef broth and carrots over the roast and cook on low until roast is tender. Continue to follow the recipe as written, using the slow cooker to make the gravy. If needed you can cover the slow cooker to bring it back up to a simmer before stirring in the cream and gravy mix.

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Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.

Want More Instant Pot Recipes?

Tools used for this Instant Pot Pot Roast:

  • Instant Pot: This is the model that I have and LOVE. It’s been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • Better Than Boullion: I use a lot of chicken/beef/vegetable broth in my recipes because it adds such nice flavor but I don’t love keeping cans or cartons of it in my pantry. For this reason (and more) I use this broth base anytime I call for broth in my recipes. It only takes 1 teaspoon of the base to make 1 cup of flavorful broth and can be stored for quite a while in the refrigerator.
  • Creamy Mash: I'm all about quick and easy, and these mashed potatoes are our favorite when I don't have the time to make them homemade.
  • OXO Mini Whisk: Sometimes you just need more than a fork to mix up small amounts! I love this whisk because it's the perfect size to mix in small bowls, cups or even saucepans. It's perfect for making gravy!

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Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.
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4.63 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Pot Roast (Tavern Style)

 A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Pressure Release15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef chuck roast, Cooked in beer, Instant Pot
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 922kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons oil canola or vegetable
  • 3 pound beef roast chuck or rump are my favorites
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 whole large onion thinly sliced
  • 24 ounces beer your favorite
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 4 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
  • ¼ cup or 1 packet brown gravy mix I like McCormick brand
  • ¼ cup cream
  • french fried onions and parsley to serve

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot on "Saute" mode and allow to heat until the display reads "HOT".
  • Meanwhile, combine flour salt and pepper in a large bowl and place beef into the seasoned flour, coating the entire roast. Reserve remaining flour.
  • Add oil to the Instant Pot, heat until it shimmers, and add roast to the pan, cooking until it's browned on all sides. Add remaining flour to the pot, followed by the onions. Stir to combine and cook until onions start to become tender and flour starts to brown. 
  • Pour the beer and beef broth over the meat and onions, followed by the carrots. Stir to combine and place lid on the Instant Pot. 
  • Set the Instant Pot to cook for 65 minutes (for a 3 lb roast) more or less depending on how large your roast is. Follow the cooking time recommendations in your manual for best results. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally or wait at least 10 minutes before doing a manual release. 
  • Remove roast from the post and place on a cutting board. Set aside.
  • Combine gravy mix with cream and whisk until combined. Slowly whisk gravy mixture into the juices in the pot and bring to a simmer to thicken.
  • Cut meat into smaller portions and place back into the gravy. Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice and top with french fried onions and chopped fresh parsley. 
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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 922kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 255mg | Sodium: 1508mg | Potassium: 1430mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 10455IU | Vitamin C: 3.6mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 8.1mg

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

You don't need to run to Olive Garden when you're craving soup! This Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana takes only 7 minutes and tastes like it's been simmering all day!Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

This Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is the ultimate quick-fix soup that tastes like it's been simmering all day!

If you've been to Olive Garden, it's likely you've tried this staple soup. It is brothy yet creamy and loaded with soft potato, tender kale, and spicy Italian sausage. It's probably on my list of top five favorite soups ever!

I love making this in the Instant Pot because it cooks the potatoes so quickly and makes the sausage so tender it almost melts into the soup.

The best way to eat this Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is definitely with a big loaf of crusty bread to soak up all the broth. If you need a good bread recipe, this no-knead bread goes perfectly with it!

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

Want More Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipes?

Tools I Use For Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana:

  • The Instant Pot 🙂 : This is the model that I have and LOVE. My Instant Pot has been with me for over a year, and I’ve put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • The Chop Stir: This strange little tool makes short work of browning ground meat with its odd shape that allows it to crumble the meat quickly as it cooks.

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Recipe
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5 from 2 votes

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

You don't need to run to Olive Garden when you're craving soup! This Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana takes only 7 minutes and tastes like it's been simmering all day!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Pressure Release5 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: fresh kale, Instant Pot, italian sausage soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 350kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • ½ pound Italian Pork Sausage
  • ½ pound Italian Seasoned Ground Turkey
  • 4 whole medium potatoes peeled and sliced
  • 1 whole large onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups kale tough ribs removed and chopped
  • 1 cup cream

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and brown and crumble sausages until cooked through. Drain off excess fat or use a paper towel to absorb it. Return to pot. 
  • Add onion, potatoes, garlic, chicken broth and salt to the pot and stir to combine. 
  • Place and secure the lid on the Instant Pot, cancel the "Saute" mode and set it on "Manual" mode. Enter 7 minutes cooking time at High Pressure and allow to cook.
  • Once cooking time is up, do a manual release of pressure or allow it come down naturally. Remove lid.
  • Stir in kale and cream. Allow soup to sit for 5 minutes to allow kale to soften and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1771mg | Potassium: 522mg | Vitamin A: 2845IU | Vitamin C: 45.5mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

Instant Pot Lentil Soup cooked in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy soup that is filled to the brim with flavor.Instant Pot Lentil Soup cooked in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy soup that is filled to the brim with flavor. 

Instant Pot Lentil Soup is basically what my fall dreams are made of. It's rich and hearty without being heavy like many hearty soups are.

If you've been turned off by lentil soup before because of its lack of flavor or texture you're going to want to give this recipe a try--  I really don't think you'll be disappointed! Everyone I've made this Instant Pot Lentil Soup for has raved about it and asked for the recipe.

Instant Pot Lentil Soup cooked in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy soup that is filled to the brim with flavor. 

Pin This Recipe To Your Soup Board

Tips for this Instant Pot Lentil Soup:

  • If you don't have an Instant Pot, no problem! In order to cook this soup on the stovetop, follow the recipe directions through step #2. Bring your soup to a simmer on the stovetop and cook for about 30-35 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Continue with the directions as printed on the recipe.
  • This recipe is a fantastic vegetarian/vegan soup as is, but I'm of the camp that believes everything is better with just a little bit of bacon. Adding a couple of slices of chopped bacon to the pan in step #1 adds a nice smokiness to the soup that I love.
  • Soup is always better with a good hunk of bread to dip in it and this N0-Knead Bread goes perfectly with this Lentil Soup.
  • Don't skip the lemon juice or use concentrated lemon juice! The FRESH lemon juice really makes all the flavors in the soup POP and turns it into something magical. Concentrated lemon juice (the kind in the bottle) does not have the same flavor as fresh and might make your soup taste a little off. Use fresh lemons and you'll be glad you did!

Want More Instant Pot Soup Recipes? 

Tools Used For this Instant Pot Lentil Soup

  • An Instant Pot: This is the model that I have and LOVE. My pot been with me for over a year, but still works like new! It's changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • OXO Handheld Slicer: I love this little tool when making soup because it slices small amounts of veggies quickly and easily and I don't have to dirty a cutting board-- I just slice right over the pot! I especially love it for carrots and celery.
  • Better Than Boullion: I use a lot of chicken/beef/vegetable broth in my recipes because it adds such nice flavor but I don't love keeping cans or cartons of it in my pantry. For this reason (and more) I use this broth base anytime I call for broth in my recipes. It only takes 1 teaspoon of base to make 1 cup of flavorful broth and can be stored for quite a while in the refrigerator.

Pin This Recipe To Your Soup Board

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Instant Pot Lentil Soup cooked in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy soup that is filled to the brim with flavor. 
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4.50 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

 Instant Pot Lentil Soup cooked in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy soup that is filled to the brim with flavor. 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Pressure Release15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Instant Pot, quick, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 227kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 whole medium onion chopped
  • 2 whole carrots peeled sliced
  • 4 whole garlic cloves pressed or minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 28 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
  • 1 cup brown lentils rinsed and picked over
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup chopped fresh kale tough ribs removed
  • Juice of ½ to 1 lemon to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat Instant Pot on the "Saute" setting until hot and pour in olive oil. Cook onion, carrots and garlic in the oil until fragrant and stir in the cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Pour tomatoes, lentils, broth, water, pepper and salt into the pot. Close lid and set manual timer for 20 minutes 
  • Allow to Instant Pot to release pressure naturally or wait 5 minutes and manually release the pressure if you're in a pinch for time. 
  • Remove about 2 cups of the soup, place into a blender, and blend until smooth. Stir pureed soup back into the rest of the soup. Alternately you can use an immersion or stick blender to lightly blend the soup and thicken it up a bit. 
  • Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to your preference and stir in lemon juice-- this really makes the flavors pop! Stir in chopped kale and set Instant Pot on saute mode to bring the soup to a simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the kale is tender. 
  • Serve hot!

Notes

 Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1158mg | Potassium: 691mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 24.9mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 4.7mg

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

 

 

Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

You guys have to try this Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup! Top it with a little bit of bacon and you have a creamy soup done in 7 minutes!Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe

Creamy, cheesy soups have always been one of my most favorite things, and this Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup is no different. Loads of sweet onion, potatoes, and sharp cheddar cheese make this soup super warm and comforting.

But I think the thing that makes this recipe spectacular is the addition of dried dill weed and Worcestershire sauce. These two ingredients add so much flavor and add a bit of a different twist that you haven't tried before.

Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe

Cooking Tips for this Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup

  • Don't have an Instant Pot? No problem! Make this Cheesy Potato Soup on the stovetop by following the directions through adding the potatoes. At which point you'll bring the pot to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender. You'll then stir in the cheese, half and half and rest of the ingredients.
  • Want to switch up the flavors? Using different cheeses (smoked, sharp, mild, pepper) will change the flavor of the finished soup substantially. Play with different cheeses and find a combination you LOVE.

Want More Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipes?

Tools I Use For Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup:

  • The Instant Pot 🙂 : This is the model that I have and LOVE. My Instant Pot has been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • OXO Handheld Slicer: I love this little tool when making soup because it slices small amounts of veggies quickly and easily and I don’t have to dirty a cutting board– I just slice right over the pot! I especially love it for carrots and celery.

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe
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4.56 from 9 votes

Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup

 You guys have to try this Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup! Top it with a little bit of bacon and you have a creamy soup done in 7 minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Pressure relase10 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy, Instant Pot, Marie Calendar's
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 652kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ½ cups diced onions
  • 2 cups diced celery
  • 8 cups potatoes peeled and sliced
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 4 cups medium or sharp cheddar grated
  • 1 ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and cook celery and onion in the butter until translucent. 
  • Add potatoes, salt, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir to combine. 
  • Place and secure the lid on the Instant Pot, cancel the "Saute" mode and set it on "Manual" mode. Enter 7 minutes cooking time at High Pressure and allow to cook.
  • Once cooking time is up, do a manual release of pressure or allow it come down naturally. Remove lid.
  • Stir half and half and cheese until combined and melted and season with dill, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 2140mg | Potassium: 1737mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1485IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 763mg | Iron: 10.7mg

 

Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

This Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup has all the flavor of your favorite stuffed bell peppers wrapped up into a hearty soup that is made in 7 minutes thanks to the Instant Pot! Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup Recipe

This Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup is one of my new favorite recipes for the fall. It tastes just like a stuffed pepper and is so much easier to make!

No pre-cooking meat, no pre-cooking rice, and no hollowing out peppers! Everything is made in one pot inside the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker and only takes 7 minutes to cook!

It's basically my weeknight dream meal.

Tips for Making Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

  • Don't have an Instant Pot? No problem! This can be made in any electric pressure cooker or on the stovetop. To make on the stovetop follow the directions up until adding the rice. Bring all ingredients to a simmer and then add the rice. Let simmer, covered for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
  • I like to use a combination of ground turkey and ground beef in my Stuffed Bell Pepper soup as stated in the recipe, but feel free to use any combination (or lack thereof) that you like.

Want More Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipes?

Tools I Use For Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup:

  • The Instant Pot 🙂 : This is the model that I have and LOVE. My Instant Pot has been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • The Chop Stir: This strange little tool makes short work of browning ground meat with its odd shape that allows it to crumble the meat quickly as it cooks.

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup Recipe
Print Recipe
4.80 from 5 votes

Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

This stuffed Bell Pepper soup has all the flavor of your favorite stuffed bell peppers wrapped up into a hearty soup that is made in 7 minutes thanks to the Instant Pot!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Pressure Release10 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fresh bell peppers, Instant Pot, quick
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 493kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 28 ounces tomato sauce
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
  • 2 cups diced green bell pepper
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • ¾ cup uncooked rice

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and brown and crumble meats until cooked through. Drain off excess fat or use a paper towel to absorb it.
  • Add onion, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green peppers, sugar, salt, broth and rice. 
  • Place and secure the lid on the Instant Pot, cancel the "Saute" mode and set it on "Manual" mode. Enter 7 minutes cooking time at High Pressure and allow to cook.
  • Once cooking time is up, do a manual release of pressure or allow it come down naturally. Remove lid and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servings | Calories: 493kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 2470mg | Potassium: 1425mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 2300IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 5.6mg

Four 7 Minute Instant Pot Soup Recipes

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

My Instant Pot is my life-saver during this busy fall season, and these four instant pot soup recipes are favorites in my family. All four only take 7 minutes of cooking time and are a cinch to throw together. Cozy up this fall with these Four Instant Pot Soup Recipes that only take 7 minutes to cook! Zuppa Toscana, Stuffed Bell Pepper, Cheesy Potato, and Chicken Dumpling.

Pin These Instant Pot Soup Recipes!

Soup is one of my very favorite things to make, and we eat a lot of it here at Chez Cheney. Especially since I fell deeply, madly in love with my Instant Pot. I've had it for a little over a year now, and I can safely say that's its changed a lot of the way I cook. Not only is it great when I get a hankering for last minute pot roast, but it also cooks whole grains and rice quickly and flawlessly. It also makes short work of one-pot meals like soups and stews.

I don't have an Instant Pot, should I get one?

If you don't have an Instant Pot or another brand of an electric pressure cooker, I full-heartedly urge you to take the plunge ASAP! There's a bit of a learning curve-- I felt like I was operating a nuclear warhead the first few times I cooked with it-- but once you get the hang of it,  you'll fall in love. If there's one tool you can have in your kitchen arsenal that will help you get dinner onto the table in record time with phenomenal results THIS. IS. IT.

This is the Instant Pot Model that I have and it's been through a beating this past year as I've put it through the ringer, but it still works and looks like new. The 6-quart capacity is a great size for my family of 5. I can make a big batch of soup, cook a moderately sized roast, or a large portion of rice or grains with room to spare.

These four instant pot soup recipes are some of my family's favorites. I have Zuppa Toscana, Chicken and Dumpling, Cheesy Potato, and Stuffed Bell Pepper here. Each soup is completely different from one other and will suit lots of different tastes. I love adding bacon or ham to the cheesy potato and if you love Olive Garden's Signature Soup, you have to try the Zuppa Toscana!

[brid autoplay="true" video="484759" player="19763" title="Four 7 Minute Instant Pot Soups" duration="93" description="4 recipes for instant pot soups" uploaddate="2019-10-30 15:19:49" thumbnailurl="https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/15101/thumb/484759_t_1572448944.png"]

I hope you'll try these Instant Pot soup recipes out! If you have any questions at all about operating your Instant Pot or making these recipes, feel free to email or message me on Facebook-- I'd love to help you out!

To view the recipes below click on the Name or Picture to be directed to the recipe.

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

Cozy up this fall with these Four Instant Pot Soup Recipes that only take 7 minutes to cook! Zuppa Toscana, Stuffed Bell Pepper, Cheesy Potato, and Chicken Dumpling.

 

Pin These Instant Pot Soup Recipes!

Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup

Cozy up this fall with these Four Instant Pot Soup Recipes that only take 7 minutes to cook! Zuppa Toscana, Stuffed Bell Pepper, Cheesy Potato, and Chicken Dumpling.

Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

Cozy up this fall with these Four Instant Pot Soup Recipes that only take 7 minutes to cook! Zuppa Toscana, Stuffed Bell Pepper, Cheesy Potato, and Chicken Dumpling.

 

Pin These Instant Pot Soup Recipes!

Instant Pot Cheesy Potato Soup

Cozy up this fall with these Four Instant Pot Soup Recipes that only take 7 minutes to cook! Zuppa Toscana, Stuffed Bell Pepper, Cheesy Potato, and Chicken Dumpling.

Want more Instant Pot Recipes?

Pin These Instant Pot Soup Recipes!

Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

The easiest, moistest, most flavorful chicken ever! This bacon wrapped pesto chicken is packed with flavor and takes only 15 minutes to bake under the broiler, making it a perfect weeknight meal! Bacon Wrapped pesto chicken on a white plate

This bacon wrapped pesto chicken is a game changer, people. Let me explain why.

I've taught a handful of classes on quick cooking over the past few years and there's one kitchen tool I always work into my lesson because it's my favorite -- the broiler.

It's been my experience that most people are actually afraid of the broiler, and rightly so. It's the only appliance that can turn a perfectly browned loaf of garlic bread into coal in the amount of time it takes to sneeze. BUT it's that power and high-heat cooking that makes it such a great tool for quick and easy cooking!

If you're one of the many that equate using the broiler to cooking with the eyes of Hades, let's think about the broiler in a different way. Imagine flipping the broiler upside down so that the heat is coming from the bottom. Now, what do we have? A BBQ Grill!

The best way to cook this Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken

You see, a broiler = an upside down BBQ grill!

It's not so scary when you think of it this way, is it?

Bacon wrapped pesto chicken-- raw chicken on a cutting board

When you're able to harness high heat from a broiler and use it correctly (aka not scorching your garlic bread), you end up with food that is juicy, caramelized (we all love those charred bits), and the best part, COOKED QUICKLY!

This Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken goes in and out of the oven in 15 minutes and only takes about 10 minutes to prep which means it can be on your table in 30 minutes flat.

This is a sponsored post for HemisFares™ brand that is available exclusively at Kroger family of stores.  All opinions are honest and 100% my own.

For Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken, Jarred Pesto is Your Friend!

For quick weeknight cooking, pre-made ingredients that pack a ton a flavor are your friend. I love to keep jarred basil pesto in my pantry so I can pull it out in a hurry and use it to dress up just about anything. The jarred pesto at my local Smiths is usually on the top shelf near the spaghetti sauces.

Bacon wrapped pesto chicken-- boy in grocery aisle

About a month ago, I posted about this new line of imported foods carried at Kroger stores when I made 5 cheese stuffed Lumaconi, and I've been excited to try out some more of their products. For this Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken, I spread HemisFares™ brand Pesto alla Genovese (Basil Pesto, Find #50) across strips of boneless skinless chicken breast that I pounded a bit to thin them out.

Bacon wrapped pesto chicken-- jarred pesto

I used about a tablespoon of pesto per each piece of chicken.

Bacon wrapped pesto chicken-- raw chicken with pesto on it

I then rolled each piece up into a pinwheeel and wrapped a piece of bacon around it, securing the loose ends under the bottom of the roll.

Bacon wrapped pesto chicken before baking

Once all the rolls were ready I transferred them onto a baking sheet, gave them a little squeeze of lemon juice over the top and popped them under the broiler. I cooked them for about 7 minutes, flipped, and then an additional 7 minutes until the bacon was browned and crisp and the chicken was cooked through.

Bacon wrapped pesto chicken on white plate

Aren't they gorgeous? I love all the colors and can you tell how juicy that pesto chicken is?! SO GOOD!

Why is this chicken SO juicy?

The secret really is in the pesto-- it's so full of flavor and keeps that chicken moist while cooking. If you haven't found the HemisFares line at your local Kroger store, look for it! There are so many fun international ingredients, perfect for quick meals and fancy gatherings alike. For more information on HemisFares you can check out the website HemisFaresFinds.com or visit Facebook.com/HemisFares.

If you try the recipe, let me know!

📖 Recipe

The easiest, moistest, most flavorful chicken ever! This bacon wrapped pesto chicken is packed with flavor and takes only 15 minutes to bake under the broiler. making it a perfect weeknight meal!
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4.91 from 32 votes

Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken

The easiest, moistest, most flavorful chicken ever! This bacon wrapped pesto chicken is packed with flavor and takes only 15 minutes to bake under the broiler, making it a perfect weeknight meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: broiled, jarred pesto recipe, moist chicken breast
Servings: 6
Calories: 211kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 jar HemisFares Basil Pesto
  • 8 slices bacon
  • ½ lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the broiler on your oven on HIGH with the oven rack about 8-10 inches from the top. 
  • Pound each chicken breast thin until it's an even thickness (about ¼in) and cut each in half long ways. Season each strip with salt and pepper.
  • Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pesto over each chicken strip and roll up into a pinwheel.
  • Wrap each pinwheel with a single piece of bacon, securing with a toothpick if needed. 
  • Place wrapped chicken on a lined baking sheet and squeeze fresh lemon juice over each of the pinwheels.
  • Place under broiler and cook for about 7 minutes, flip and continue to cook for an additional 7 minutes or until the bacon is browned and chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 349mg | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 5.7mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.5mg

 

 

Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

This Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup is the perfect comfort food! It's a hearty soup full of veggies, tender chicken, and topped with dumplings.Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup Recipe

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are one of my family's favorite meals lately. It's heartier than chicken noodle soup, and my kiddos love the drop biscuit dumplings.

This recipe is one that I've used for as long as I can remember for the stovetop and I just modified to cook in the Instant Pot.

I was nervous about how the dumplings would cook under pressure, but they turned out great! I will admit that they aren't quite as fluffy as their stovetop-cooked counterpart but for the time cooking in the Instant Pot saves me, I think it's worth it.

Cooking Tips for Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup:

  • Don't have an Instant Pot? No problem! This can be easily made on the stovetop. Follow the direction in the recipe through mixing the dumpling batter. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Place small spoonfuls of dumpling dough into the soup, cover pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the dumplings are set. Cooking on the stovetop yields less tender chicken, but is still delicious!
  • Instead of using frozen veggies, feel free to use up any veggies you have in the fridge/pantry. Carrots, zucchini, brussels sprouts, potatoes, green beans, corn, spinach, etc. all work well and will make the soup your own!

Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup RecipeWant More Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipes?

Tools I Use For Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup:

  • The Instant Pot 🙂 : This is the model that I have and LOVE. My Instant Pot has been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • OXO Handheld Slicer: I love this little tool when making soup because it slices small amounts of veggies quickly and easily and I don’t have to dirty a cutting board– I just slice right over the pot! I especially love it for carrots and celery.

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumpling Soup Recipe
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4.30 from 10 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup

 This Instant Pot Chicken Dumpling Soup is the perfect comfort food! It's hearty, full of veggies and tender chicken and topped with dumplings. So good!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Pressure Release10 minutes
Total Time12 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dumplings from biscuit mix, easy, One pot
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 388kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • ½ whole large onion diced
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 bag 12 oz mixed frozen vegetables
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 ¼ cups baking mix like bisquick
  • ⅔ cup milk

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and cook onion and celery in the butter until translucent. 
  • Add chicken, poultry seasoning, salt, basil, and cayenne to the pot and stir to combine. Top with the frozen vegetables and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. 
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine baking mix with milk and stir until just combined. Scoop small spoonfuls of the dough into the boiling broth and continue until all the dough is used.
  • Place and secure the lid on the Instant Pot, cancel the "Saute" mode and set it on "Manual" mode. Enter 7 minutes cooking time at High Pressure and allow to cook.
  • Once cooking time is up, do a manual release of pressure or allow it come down naturally. Remove lid and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servings | Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1965mg | Potassium: 565mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 12.3mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

Easy Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!

I've eaten my fair share of cheap-o ramen noodles in my day in all their MSG-y goodness. It's not something I'm proud of, but it is what it is, right? I mean, we all do stupid stuff as kids and into adulthood. If only I had known how to dress those little orange packages up with a few ingredients and turn it into something like this Coconut Lemongrass Ramen! If only...

But, I'm trying to right some of the wrong done to my taste buds by sharing this recipe today. Yes, I am using a few cheap-o packs of ramen noodles but we're throwing away the seasoning packet and turning these noodle cakes into something pretty spectacular, if you ask me.

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I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!

All it takes is some coconut milk, chicken broth, red curry paste, ginger, and some lemon grass! Oh, and we'll add some chicken into the mix too.

I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!

The result is creamy and rich with just a little kick from the curry. The noodles and chicken are cooked with the seasoned broth and come out with such great flavor, you'll hardly recognize them.

I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!

Top off your bowl of Coconut Lemongrass Ramen with a big squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkling of cilantro and you've got a bowl of noodles you won't only be unashamed of, but that you'll actually want to share!

If you like your ramen, I've doctored up some other ramen recipes, too! This Confetti Chicken Big Bowl is a huge hit as is this Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl. Check. Them. Out.

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

📖 Recipe

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4.91 from 10 votes

Easy Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen

I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: Instant ramen recipe, ramen noodles, red curry ramen
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 308kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • Fresh chopped cilantro
  • Juice of ½ lime more for serving
  • 1 tablespoons soy sauce or fish sauce
  • 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced
  • 2 pkgs ramen noodles seasoning discarded
  • 1 tablespoon Lemongrass Paste *See Notes
  • 1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste
  • ½ piece ginger peeled
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 15 ounce can coconut milk

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and cook for 1 minute until very fragrant.
  • Stir coconut milk, chicken broth, ginger, and lemongrass paste into the curry paste until well combined. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to low and gently cook for 5 minutes.
  • Stir sliced chicken and ramen noodles into the broth, bring to a simmer, return heat to low and cook just until the chicken and noodles are cooked-- about 3 minutes.
  • Remove chunk of ginger, and stir juice from ½ of a lime, soy sauce, and fresh cilantro into the soup and serve immediately. * See Notes

Notes

  1. Lemongrass paste can be found at most grocery stores in the fresh herb section of the produce aisle. It comes in a toothpaste-like tube and can be stored for a LONG time in the freezer.
  2. Packaged ramen noodles absorb liquid freakishly fast after being cooked, so I advise that any leftover noodles be removed from the broth and stored separately until ready to reheat. Alternately, if you have leftover broth and no noodles left, you can reheat the broth to cook additional noodles-- I do this all the time!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 771mg | Potassium: 555mg | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 10.3mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 4.3mg

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I love little short cuts in the kitchen and this Thai Coconut Lemongrass Ramen makes for a super flavorful meal without taking a ton of time to make thanks to cheap-o ramen noodles and ready made curry and lemon grass pastes. Easy and so, so flavorful!

Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 36 Comments

Chicken Fettuccini is a favorite at our house, and I'm so excited that I can now make it super quick! Using the Instant Pot cuts the cooking time by more than half and the best part is I only dirty one stinkin' pot. I'm tellin' you this Instant Pot thing is a game changer, especially for this Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo.Chicken Alfredo Fettuccini on a white plate with fork

You guys! I'm so excited about this recipe I could hardly wait to get it photographed and written out! I've been cooking A LOT with my Instant Pot (see my latest recipe here), and this one is pretty life-changing.

I'll admit I miiiiight be being a tad bit dramatic about this, but seriously you guys-- Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo DONE in under 20 minutes in one pot! I want to give this recipe all the exclamation points right now.

Chicken Fettuccini with alfredo sauce on a white plate

It's made with real ingredients, too. I'm not dumping in a jarred sauce and covering the lid. We're talking real cream, butter, and garlic. If I ever got a private concert from Julie Andrews, I'm pretty sure I'd have her sing "Favorite Things" with those three ingredients added to the song. You think she's too classy to oblige?

Probably.

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Alfredo sauce over chicken and pasta on a white plate

This Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo recipe is pretty self-explanatory, so I'm just going to leave this right here and direct you to the recipe card below and make sure to read the recipe notes if you don't want a mess in your kitchen. 🙂

If you have an Instant Pot make this like, now. If you don't, this is the one I have and love. Much love to you all!

**UPDATE 1/5/2018**

I'm still very much learning about cooking with electric pressure cookers, and one thing has become evident to me as I've read the comments from those that have tried this recipe: All Electric Pressure Cookers are not made equal! It looks like even those that are the same brand and/or model are cooking this recipe differently.

According to the comments, about 75% of you that have made it had it turn out fabulous (yay!) and the other 25% had problems.

After testing the original recipe again and again in my Instant Pot 6 quart DUO60, I've made a few modifications to the recipe card.

The first is that I added an additional ½ cup of chicken broth to the recipe. Doing this will leave more liquid for the sauce and hopefully eliminate the "BURN" or "ovHT" notification that some of you are getting. I did a little bit of digging, and this is what I found:

This mechanism is called “burn-protection”. When a high temperature (140C or 284F) is detected at the bottom of the inner pot, the burn-protection mechanism suspends heating to avoid burning food. On Instant Pot IP-DUO series, a warning message “ovHt” is flashed on the display. -- Instantpot.com

Apparently, dense foods with a high starch content, like fettuccini, can block the heat from distributing evenly in the pot, causing the sensors in the Instant Pot to suspend cooking, regardless of how much liquid is in the pot. If you are using a pot that is smaller than 6 quarts or using more chicken than is called for (causing the pasta to be weighted down more to rest on the bottom), you might run into this problem.

The second change I made to the recipe is an increase in cooking time by 2 minutes. The additional liquid and increase in cooking time should take care of any undercooked pasta. This said, due to the nature of cooking pasta in an Instant Pot, where the noodles aren't able to move freely, you will end up with with a few that were not submerged all the way or were stuck together--It's just part of this cooking method. Every time I've made it I've ended up with about 95% of my pasta being perfectly cooked. The other 5% is something I'm willing to sacrifice for the sake of how stinkin' easy this recipe is. 🙂

I appreciate all your comments and am grateful for an opportunity to fine-tune a recipe with your feedback! Please continue to share your experiences with the recipe, and hopefully, we can create the ULTIMATE fettuccini alfredo recipe for the Instant Pot together!

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📖 Recipe

Chicken Fettuccini is a favorite at our house and I'm so excited that I can now make it super quick! Using the Instant Pot cuts the cooking time by more than half and the best part is I only dirty one stinkin' pot. I'm tellin' you this Instant Pot thing is a game changer, especially for this Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo.
Print Recipe
4.86 from 63 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

Chicken Fettuccini is a favorite at our house and I'm so excited that I can now make it super quick! Using the Instant Pot cuts the cooking time by more than half and the best part is I only dirty one stinkin' pot. I'm tellin' you this Instant Pot thing is a game changer, especially for this Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Pressure Release time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: easy dinner, Instant Pot, One pot
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1272kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 1 pound dry fettuccini noodles
  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • fresh basil

Instructions

  • Press saute button on Instant Pot and heat olive oil until display reads "HOT". Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in the pot to brown. Cook 2 minutes per side just until lightly browned, but not cooked all the way through, remove from pot and place on a plate.
  • Melt butter in the pot and stir in minced garlic. Cook for less than 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant and pour in cream.
  • Bring cream and garlic to a simmer while scraping the bottom of the pot with a spatula to release the browned bits from cooking the chicken. Simmer sauce for 2 minutes until just slightly thickened and pour in chicken broth, salt and nutmeg.
  • Break dry noodles in half and place into the pot, making sure all noodles are submerged, followed by the browned chicken breasts.
  • Cover Instant Pot and set it to cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes.
  • When time is up, allow Instant Pot to naturally release pressure-- about 8-10minutes (See Notes).
  • Remove chicken and slice if desired before returning to the pot. Stir in cheese and fresh chopped basil before serving-- sauce will thicken as it cools.

Notes

The first time I made this I tried doing a quick release of pressure after the cooking time was up and I ended up with a literal volcano of cream coming from the spout of my Instant Pot! Ha! So, that's why I recommend you wait for a natural release. Cream has a tendency to boil up when being cooked and comes right up to the top of the pot, making for an easy escape when you release the valve. You may be able to get away with letting it cool for 5 minutes and then try a quick release, but do so knowing you might get a cream bath. 😉

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1272kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 74g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Cholesterol: 431mg | Sodium: 1656mg | Potassium: 1354mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2210IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg | Calcium: 366mg | Iron: 3.5mg

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Quick and Easy Terriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 2 Comments

There's so much yum happening in this teriyaki chicken big bowl. Sticky, sweet chicken, hot broth, veggies and tender slurp-able noodles. So good and easy!Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

There's so much yum happening in this teriyaki chicken big bowl. The combination of sticky, sweet chicken, hot broth, veggies and tender, slurp-able noodles is almost too much to handle. Good thing it's easy to make!Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

I'm having a day.

It's not a day of great significance or anything.

Just a day.

A day where I sit and stare at this little blog of mine until I go cross-eyed, trying to figure out where I want this to go. I've been at this for the past 5 years. FIVE years.

Making recipes. Taking pictures. Writing blog posts. Repeat.

And don't get me wrong, I love it. I really do. But the monotony of it is kind of creeping in on me.

Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

I'm no where near the "power bloggers" in stats or number of posts or brands that are waiting with baited breath to work with me.  But I'm not "small" either. I have a recipe that's been pinned 570,000 times. That's something. I'm going on a cruise next week with my husband because of this blog. That's something.

I have you guys.

You're devoted to trying my recipes. Emailing me questions. Letting me know you're there.

Thank you for that!

Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

Maybe it's the summer lull that is getting to me. Maybe I'm a little burned out. Maybe I'm just going crazy because my 2 oldest kids have been gone this week at their grandparent's house and it's been eerily quiet here.

Maybe.

Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

I don't know, but I need to figure it out. Can you help me? Ha!

Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

Pin it for Later

Asking for help when I'm not really sure what I need help with is kind of a funny thing. But maybe you'll know.

Probably not though, and that's okay.

I'll figure it out.

Maybe on my cruise next week I'll have an epiphany while laying on the warm Mexican beach.

Ok. Who am I kidding, I'll be sleeping.

But, if you want a really killer dinner that I haven't talked about AT ALL in this post for it, you need to try this teriyaki chicken big bowl! It's quick and easy to put together and my whole family loves it.

So, until I figure it out. Let's go eat some ramen!

📖 Recipe

Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl
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3.50 from 2 votes

Teriyaki Chicken Big Bowl

There's so much yum happening in this big pot. The combination of sticky, sweet chicken, hot broth, veggies and tender, slurp-able noodles is almost too much to handle. Good thing it's easy to make!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: broiled chicken thighs, ramen noodles, teriyaki chicken thighs
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 283kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 6 whole boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 8 ounce bottle teriyaki glaze and marinade
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced
  • 2 whole medium carrots julienned
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce or to taste
  • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 whole medium zucchini cut into quarters then sliced
  • 6 ounces ramen noodles, throw away seasoning packet
  • 4 whole green onions sliced for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to broil.
  • Arrange chicken thighs on a lined baking sheet and season well with salt and pepper. Cook chicken 5 inches under the broiler for 5 minutes. Open oven, slide chicken out and flip each piece over. Brush with teriyaki sauce and return to the oven for 3 minutes. Flip chicken once more, brush with sauce and return to oven for 3 more minutes or until cooked through and the sauce is bubbly and charred. Set aside.
  • In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat and saute mushrooms with the carrot, garlic and salt until tender-- about 5 minutes. Pour chicken broth into pot followed by the Sriracha, soy sauce. Season to taste with the soy and Sriracha. Bring to a boil.
  • Add zucchini and ramen to the broth and cook 10 minutes or until the noodles and zucchini are tender. Remove from heat.
  • Slice cooked chicken and serve on top hot ramen and broth. Garnish with green onions if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 2645mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 27.1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2.8mg

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 8 Comments

Sweet and sticky, this sweet chili chicken is finger-lickin' good and only needs a few ingredients! Perfect served over rice with some veggies for a quick and easy dinner!Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

Are you guys ready for this chicken? I don't know if you are. It's so stinkin' easy but gives you the sweetest, stickiest, slightly spicy, charred chicken you can imagine.

You'll start with some chicken thighs because the dark meat can hold up with all of the abuse we're going to put it through. 🙂 The thighs stay nice and moist and if we tried to get a char on chicken breast like this, we'd end up with dried out meat which is never good. Just season up each side with a little kosher salt.

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

And then you'll spread a layer of sweet chili sauce over each thigh. If you're not family with sweet chili sauce, I show a picture of it and where to find it in this post. After the sauce it gets a little drizzle of olive oil.

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

From here it goes straight into the oven for about 15-20 minutes and will look something like this. And now, this is where it gets FUN! Each thigh gets a little bit more sauce and then gets sprinkled with brown sugar a little bit more salt.

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

Turn the oven on to BROIL and place your oven rack just a few inches from the element. Slide the chicken into the oven and get ready to watch it bubble and char and get irresistibly sticky. It should only take 3 minutes or so, so watch it closely. Things can go downhill pretty quickly under the broiler if not watched like a hawk! Once it gets to charred to the point that you like, take it out.

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

If you used parchment paper to line your baking sheet it will start to burn and that's okay. I've yet to start a fire and I put it under the broiler all the time.

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

Doesn't this look good?!

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

The sweet chili chicken is moist and the sweet sticky sauce and bits on the baking sheet are just too yummy. If you try it out, let me know!

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

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📖 Recipe

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken
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4.78 from 9 votes

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken

Sweet and sticky, this chicken is finger-lickin' good and only needs a few ingredients! Perfect served over rice with some veggies for a quick and easy dinner!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: baked chicken thighs, Mae Ploy, sweet chili sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 464kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓- ½ cup sweet red chili sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Place chicken thighs on a lined baking sheet and season with salt on both sides.
  • Brush a layer of chili sauce over each piece of chicken and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Place chicken in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through.
  • Remove chicken from oven and brush with another layer of sauce and sprinkle a teaspoon of brown sugar over the top of each thigh followed by another sprinkling of salt.
  • Turn oven onto BROIL
  • Return chicken to the oven and broil for 3-5 minutes or until the tops of the chicken are caramelized and starting to char. Make sure to watch carefully as it can go quickly.
  • Remove chicken from oven and serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1170mg | Potassium: 555mg | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Baked Ricotta Chicken

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 3 Comments

Italian marinated chicken breasts get quickly browned, topped with a luscious combination of cheeses, and baked until tender perfection in a tomato sauce. Serve over pasta for a hearty and pleasing meal.

Baked chicken topped with ricotta cheese and parsley


We're just going to jump right into the recipe here today. This ricotta-baked chicken was the result of a much-needed Sunday nap a few weeks back. I was laying down trying to motivate myself to peel myself up from the couch and racking my brain trying to figure out what to make for dinner and then, BOOM. Dinner was made. In my head. On the couch.

Wouldn't that be nice if it was really made? I could get into those kinds of naps.

To start, you'll marinade 6 chicken breasts in some Italian dressing. I used a seasoning packet and added my own vinegar, oil, and water but if you have a bottle in the fridge, by all means, use it up!

Raw chicken breasts marinading in a ziplock bag.

Once your chicken has been the hot tub of flavor long enough (3 hours- overnight), you get to work! Mix together some ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, pepper and just a pinch of nutmeg.

Ricotta cheese, egg and parmesan cheese in a measuring cup

Heat a large skillet on the stove top, add a little olive oil, and brown the chicken on both sides. You don't have to make sure it's cooked through, just browned. Set the chicken aside on a plate and then pour in a can of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes. Use you spatula to scrape up all the little browned bits that got stuck the bottom of the pan while cooking the chicken.

Chicken breast being cooked in a pan

When all the delicious little bits are up take the pan off the heat and put the chicken back into the pan.

Five chicken breasts in a pan

Take the cheese mixture and spoon it into mounds on top of the chicken breasts until it's all used and pop that sucker into the oven.

Chicken breasts topped with ricotta cheese

You'll bake it uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the cheese just starts to brown a little bit on the top, the sauce is bubbly, and the chicken is cooked through. Once it comes out you can sprinkle it with just a little bit of chopped parsley and more parmesan cheese.

Four chicken breasts topped with ricotta cheese and herbs

The tomato sauce has super flavor and is great served over pasta while the chicken stays moist from being baked under the cheese and is nicely seasoned from the dressing. I hope you'll try it!

Baked chicken breast being lifted out of pan

Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like

📖 Recipe

Baked Ricotta Chicken
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4.47 from 58 votes

Baked Ricotta Chicken

Italian marinated chicken breasts get quickly browned, topped with a luscious combination of cheeses, and baked until tender perfection in a tomato sauce. Serve over pasta for a hearty and pleasing meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Marinade Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: baked chicken breast with cheese, baked chicken in tomato sauce, ricotta cheese recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 380kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • .6 ounces Italian Dressing Mix
  • ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup lite olive oil
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 6 whole boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 15 ounces Italian Seasoned Diced Tomatoes undrained
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pinch nutmeg

Instructions

  • Mix Italian dressing mix with water, vinegar, and ⅓ C oil. Pour into a gallon sized ziplock bag and add chicken. Let marinade for at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
  • Combine cheeses, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken in remaining olive oil in batches until browned on both sides, but not cooked all the way through. Set chicken aside on a plate.
  • Keep skillet on the heat and pour in the tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits left on the pan with a spatula until bottom of the pan is clean. Remove from heat. Return chicken to the pan with the tomatoes.
  • Using a spoon, evenly scoop the cheese mixture into mounds on top of each chicken breast. Place skillet into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is just starting to brown on top and chicken is cooked through.
  • Serve over pasta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 803mg | Potassium: 175mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Caesar Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 3 Comments

Tender and juicy lemon-garlic pork tenderloin stars in this savory and filling sandwich. If you are a Caesar salad lover, this one’s for you

Pork tenderloin on a ciabatta roll with lettuce and caesar dressing

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hormel Foods, LLC.. All opinions are 100% mine.

My kids will confirm that the phrase “go make a sandwich” comes out of my mouth more often than they’d prefer. In my defense, I hear “Mom, I’m hungry” much more than I’d care to as well. Sandwiches are easy, budget-friendly and I basically always have all the ingredients on hand for some form of one. But there is much more to the world of sandwiches than peanut butter and jelly and turkey and swiss.

Take this Caesar pork tenderloin sandwich for example. It has all the components of a sandwich but blows other lesser sandwich-like beings out of the water with flavor! AND the amount of time it actually takes to make is what really has me sold on this. Let’s make it and I’ll show you how stinkin’ easy it is to throw together.

For the meat, I’m using a Hormel ALWAYS TENDER® Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin. It’s pre-marinated and ready to just pop into the oven. Hormel Foods ALWAYS TENDER® line features pork tenderloins, pork loin filets & pork roasts in a variety of flavors. I like to keep one in my freezer for a quick and easy meal that I don't have to think about, look up a recipe, and wonder how it's going to turn out.

Lemon garlic pork tenderlion on a cutting board

You literally just have to cut open the package, put it in a baking dish or sheet, and put it in the oven.

Caesar Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

The pork tenderloins take about 40-45 minutes to cook and when they come out they are juicy and ready for whatever you want to throw at them. In this case, I'm just slicing it up for sandwiches.

Cooked Pork Tenderloin being sliced

To finish off the sandwich, I used a caesar salad kit from the grocery store that includes chopped romaine, caesar dressing and croutons. You can set the croutons aside to munch on later. Slice ciabatta rolls in half, stack with the warm pork tenderloin slices and top with the romaine, a sprinkling of the parmesan cheese and a drizzle of the caesar dressing.

Pork tenderloin sandwich on a white plate

Consume immediately! 🙂 The meat is tender, juicy, and creates the perfect flavor combination with the salad fixings! Hope you'll try it!

Other Sandwich Recipes You Might Like

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Caesar Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Print Recipe
4.69 from 19 votes

Caesar Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Tender and juicy lemon-garlic pork tenderloin stars in this savory and filling sandwich. If you are a Caesar salad lover, this one’s for you!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caesar salad kit, marinated pork tenderloin, pork sandwich on ciabatta
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 673kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 Hormel Always Tender Pork Tenderloin lemon garlic flavor
  • 1 caesar salad kit
  • 4 ciabatta rolls

Instructions

  • Bake pork tenderlion as directed on package. Let rest for 5 minutes after cooking and thinly slice.
  • Slice ciabatta rolls and top with the sliced pork, romaine, parmesan cheese, and caesar dressing.
  • Eat while warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 98g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 294mg | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 1782mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 4.4mg

Smoky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork With Pineapple Slaw

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 4 Comments

This Smoky Slow Cooked Pork is great served over rice, wrapped up in lettuce leaves or just eaten on its own. Top it with a sweet and crunchy pineapple slaw and it makes for a super flavorful meal that even my picky eaters gobble up!Smoky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Pineapple Slaw | heatherlikesfood.com



Back when we were first married and had all the time in the world (we didn't really, we just didn't have kids yet) we bought an electric smoker at a garage sale. We were SO excited to smoke this and smoke that and had super illusions of grandeur about how much we were going to use it. As the story usually goes, it didn't get used nearly as much as we had planned. I think I remember smoking ONE batch of salmon in it and using it as a BBQ the other 4 or 5 times we pulled it out.

We ended up moving and sold it to another chump that was SO excited to buy it at our garage sale. Maybe they actually used it and if they did I applaud them and secretly wish I could live next door and pretend that it was us that was filling up the air with smoky goodness instead of our good intentions.

Smoky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Pineapple Slaw | heatherlikesfood.com

I love smoked pork and this recipe is just smoky enough to curb the craving without having to spend hours feeding wood chips into a smoker. It's great on its own and creates a super flavorful juice that is great spooned over rice. You can also toss the meat with BBQ sauce for awesome sandwiches or you can eat it like it do and wrap it up in lettuce leaves with a pineapple slaw. The pineapple slaw is sweet, tangy and crunchy and offsets the richness of the meat quite well. Enjoy!!

📖 Recipe

Smoky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Pineapple Slaw | heatherlikesfood.com
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4.60 from 5 votes

Smoky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork With Pineapple Slaw

This Smoky Slow Cooked Pork is great served over rice, wrapped up in lettuce leaves or just eaten on it's own. Top it with a sweet and crunchy pineapple slaw and it's makes for a super flavorful meal that even my picky eaters gobble up!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crock pot pork, pineapple salsa, pulled pork entree
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 288kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 6 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast trimmed of excess fat
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder more if you like some heat
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 4 cups diced pineapple about 1 small-med pineapple
  • ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • 3-4 cups shredded cabbage
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise

Instructions

  • Combine salt, chili powders and garlic powder in a small bowl and spread over the meat. Sear the roast in a hot skillet with the olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Transfer roast to the slow cooker.
  • Combine liquid smoke and balsamic vinegar in small bowl and pour over the roast. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until its tender and easily shreds with a fork.
  • Once cooked, remove roast from the slow cooker and shred. Pour the juices created from cooking into a fat separator or large measuring cup and either pour or spoon off the fat that rises to the top. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and combine with the cooking juices. Cover and let cook an additional 5 minutes.
  • Combine all the ingredients for the slaw and season to taste. Serve the pork topped with the slaw on top of rice or wrapped up in lettuce leaves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 34.2mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2.1mg

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Smoky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Pineapple Slaw | heatherlikesfood.com

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili - We've arrived! It's officially soup season and I have a super simple and easy recipe for you today. For those of you that have had slow cooker salsa chicken, this is a lot like that with the addition of beans, corn, and some fresh cilantro and lime to brighten it up.

Large red bowl of Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili with corn and beans.

Delicious Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili

There's not a whole lot that tops a bowl of hot, filling chili when it's chilly. It's chilly time chili. Chili chilly.

Alright, I'll stop.

A large spoon in a large bowl of Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Chili.Top this salsa chicken chili with some tortilla chips, shredded cheese, a little sour cream and even some avocado. Everything is better with avocado.

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Large red bowl of delicious Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili with corn and beans.
Print Recipe
4.50 from 8 votes

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Chili

I have a super simple and easy recipe for you today. For those of you that have had slow cooker salsa chicken, this is a lot like that with the addition of beans, corn, and some fresh cilantro and lime to brighten it up.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy chili recipe, jarred salsa recipe, quick chili
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 394kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
  • 28 ounces black beans undrained
  • 14.5 ounces pinto beans undrained
  • 2 cups jarred salsa
  • ¼ cup taco seasoning
  • 14.5 ounces canned corn drained
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 fresh lime juiced
  • 1 tablespoon masa harina corn flour optional

Instructions

  • Place chicken, beans, salsa, corn, and taco seasoning in a slow cooker, stir to combine and set to cook for 4 hours on HIGH.
  • Remove chicken from the chili and shred.
  • If you'd like the chili a little thicker, stir in 1 tablespoon of masa harina, cover the slow cooker and cook an additional 10 minutes.
  • Stir shredded chicken, cilantro and lime juice into the chili and serve with chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 886mg | Potassium: 1241mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 4.9mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 5mg

Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burgers

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 5 Comments

Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burgers - Let's start our Monday out right, shall we? Whaddaya say we crush up a bunch of nacho cheese doritos, mix them into burgers and stuff each one with a pile of pepper jack cheese that turns into a molten volcano of goodness?

I think YES.

Delicious Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burger split in half.

 

I was listening to the radio the other day and one of the DJ's mentioned a burger he had tried made with Doritos and I knew I had to figure this one out.  You're welcome.

Doritos in a silver measuring cup.

The 3 magic ingredients here are chips, meat, and an egg. It doesn't sound like much, but just trust me this time. My food processor did all the work to crush up the chips, but a rolling pin and ziplock bag would do the trick to.

Crushed Doritos mixed with a burger patty and egg.

This Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burgers recipe makes 5 patties perfectly if you measure them out to a quarter cup. Each finished patty needs ½ C total, so you'll be scooping out 10 portions of the meat.

Burger meat in a white measuring spoon.

You'll flatten and shape each ¼ C portion into about ½" thick patties first and then we need to make a little hot tub for the cheese to nestle into. I used the back of my ice cream scoop to indent each patty a bit and then topped 5 of them with about 2 tablespoons of grated cheese.

Shredded Pepper Jack cheese on burger meat patties.

Take the remaining 5 patties and top the cheese filled ones with them, making a little cheese/hamburger sandwich. Crimp the edges to seal in the cheese and reshape and smooth as needed. I also gently flattened them out at this point so they weren't so huge that my jaw got dis-jointed from taking a bite.

Stuffing shredded Pepper Jack cheese into Dorito Burger patties.

They take about 6 minutes per side over medium-high heat to cook all the way through. Obviously cook them less if you like yours more rare, but with the cheesy middle, these are about as juicy as they come so you don't have to worry too much about them drying out if you cook them for the full time.

Grilling a Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burger.

Best Part of Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burgers

For me, the best part of these Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burgers is the super crunchy, salty outside that the Doritos provide. The whole burger is just lightly seasoned with corn and nacho cheese, and the cheese in the middle kind of makes this amazing. Don't forget to take your first bite while they are still hot so you can fully experience the it's-way-too-hot-to-eat-right-now-but-I'm-happy-to-sacrifice-my-mouth-for-something-so-tasty effect. Mouths heal fast anyways.

Easy and simple Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burger on a wooden table.

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📖 Recipe

Delicious Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burger on a wooden table.
Print Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes

Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burgers

If you love Doritos and jack cheese, you can't go wrong with these Pepperjack Stuffed Doritos Burgers!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chip crusted burger, Spicy Burger, Stuffed Cheeseburger
Servings: 5 hamburger patties
Calories: 420kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup finely crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos about 2 C chips
  • 1 ⅓ pound ground beef- 85% lean or less
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup pepper jack cheese shredded
  • salt and pepper
  • buns and burger toppings

Instructions

  • Combine crushed chips with the meat and egg. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated, bur don't over mix the meat.
  • Divide the meat into ¼ C portions and flatten into about ½" thick patties. Use the back of an ice cream scoop to indent the middle of each patty and place 2 tablespoon of the cheese in 5 of the indentations.
  • Cover each cheese topped patty with the remaining patties, crimp the sides to seal and gently smooth out the patties to be uniform. You can also slightly flatten them at this point. Season each side of the patty well with salt and pepper
  • Cook over medium high heat on a griddle or grill, about 6 minutes per side for well done.
  • Serve with the usual hamburger toppings and don't forget to take a bite while the cheese is hot, melty, and juicy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1patty | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 419mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 3.2mg

Banh Mi Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

Banh Mi Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches - Truth: I'm basically smitten by anything that includes both bread and pulled, saucy meat.

Truth: "Banh Mi" is actually the Vietnamese term for all types of bread and baguettes but it's evolved and now refers to a meat-filled sandwich found in Vietnamese bakeries.

Truth: Vietnamese food rocks

Truth: I've taken some liberties with this recipe and don't claim this as an authentic banh mi.

Truth: It's amazing.

Banh Mi Style Pulled Pork Sandwich with a side of pickles on a wooden board.

How to Start Your Banh Mi Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

The meat starts off in the slow cooker where it slow-roasts for hours and gets fall-apart tender. The sauce it's cooked in is a combo of sweet chili sauce (click here to learn a little about it), lime juice, and fish sauce. Fish sauce is a key ingredient in Thai and Vietnamese cooking and doesn't actually taste as "fishy" as one would think. While I fully encourage you to give it a go, soy sauce can be substituted if you can't get past the name.

Tiparos Fish Sauce.

Stir up the sauce and pour over the pork in the slow-cooker. I usually like to use a pork shoulder, but this time I used a pork sirloin roast which is a good choice if you want something a bit leaner.

Pouring fish sauce over pork shoulders in a slow cooker.

 While the pork is cooking, let's put together a little cool, crisp, slaw. One of the main components of this slaw is daikon and if you haven't had it it's a super mild white raddish that you can find in most produce sections. Sometimes it's called Japanese raddish but you'll be able to spot it because it basically looks like a long, giant root.

Daikon vegetable on a table.

 Shred some daikon and carrot, throw in some fresh cilantro and toss with a dressing made of rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and  a little salt. It's okay if you get this put together a few hours before you're ready to serve because the carrots and daikon hold their crunch really well.

Homemade Pulled Pork Sandwich ingredients in a green bowl.

Now Wait

After 6-8 hours your meat should be full cooked and ready to go. Take the pork out of the slow cooker and place on a plate to easily shred. Pour the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a separate bowl, skim the fat off the top and combine 1 cup of that liquid with another ¼ C of sweet chili sauce. Toss the shredded meat with the cooking liquid sauce and you're ready start making Banh Mi Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches!

Pouring sweet chili sauce over pulled pork in a slow cooker.

Assembling Your Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Before starting to assemble the pulled pork sandwiches, mix a dollop of mayonnaise with a squirt of sirracha and spread each side of a toasted baguette with it. From there, pile high with the hot pork, a spoonful of the slaw, and top with a few thin slices of cucumber.

Take a bite and enjoy the crunchy, smooth, cool, and spicy-ness. Yup- it's good.

 

From Scratch Korean Pulled Pork Sandwiches on a wooden board.

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📖 Recipe

Delicious Pulled Pork Sandwiches wrapped in parchment paper with a sliced pickle on the side.
Print Recipe
4.75 from 4 votes

Banh Mi Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Slow Cooker pulled pork piled high with pickled veggies and a spicy mayo.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 20 minutes
Course: Sandwich
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: easy sandwich, Slow Cooker, vietnamese sandwich
Servings: 8 sandwiches
Calories: 215kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 lb pork shoulder
  • salt and pepper
  • ¼ C sweet chili sauce
  • ¼ fish sauce
  • 1 lime juiced
  • ¼ C sweet chili sauce
  • 1 ½ C shredded carrots
  • 1 ½ C shredded daikon
  • ½ C fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • cucumber thinly sliced
  • mayonnaise mixed with sirracha to taste
  • french baguettes sliced and toasted

Instructions

  • Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper and place in a slow cooker.
  • Combine fish sauce, ¼ sweet chili sauce, and lime juice in a small bowl and pour over the pork. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat shreds easily. Remove meat from cooking liquid and shred.
  • Pour cooking liquid into a separate container, skim off fat and combine 1 C of this skimmed liquid with the remaining ¼ of sweet chili sauce. Toss the meat with this sauce and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine daikon, carrots and cilantro. Whisk together the vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and sugar and pour over the veggies. Toss to combine and set aside.
  • Spread each baguette with the sirracha mayo, a few slices of cucumber, and a spoofull each of the meat and slaw.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3387IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg

Welcome to Heather Likes Food!

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Hey, I'm Heather-- the voice, cook, photographer and part-time crazy-eyed woman behind Heather Likes Food! I'm so glad you're here and before you start exploring the site, I have a question for you:

Do you want to feel like a total rock star in your kitchen?

Yeah? I kinda think we all do! It's so fun to make a meal for others and hear the "ooohs" and "ahhhs" and "mmmms" as they eat! My goal is to bedazzle that apron of yours and get you to start singing from the rooftops that you know how to cook! 

Incredible Recipes

The recipes you see on Heather Likes Food is the food I make for my family. We try to keep our diet moderately well balanced so you'll find a mix of good old-fashioned comfort food, healthy salads and soups, desserts, vegetarian options and everything in between.

My focus here is on SIMPLE and DELICIOUS. Sure, it's fun to make a recipe with 32 steps and cart-full of ingredients sometimes, but it's not my every day and I'm sure it's not yours either! I am a mom of 3 real (usually picky) kids, a real husband and a very real schedule and budget.

I’m a firm believer that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen, have a degree in cooking or spend lots of money on fancy ingredients to make excellent food. Usually, with a little know-how, the simplest ingredients taste the greatest.

Tamale Pie | heatherlikesfood.com

How Do I know These Recipes Are Any Good?

Every recipe is tested by my family and friends and has gotten a big thumbs up. Also, as you scroll the site you'll see that my recipe cards have ratings and those ratings come from readers, like you! You'll be able to see other reader's comments, including ingredient substitutions, praise, or what they would change. As you try these recipes, you'll be able to rate them as well.

Simple Ingredients

I'm not going to send you to the store to buy a pack of guava gizzards that you'll use for one recipe and never look at again (guava gizzards may or may not be a thing). I will give you recipes that use ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry or would normally buy. Grocery budgets are real and hard to stick to sometimes! I try to craft my recipes so they are makeable on just about any budget.

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About Me, the "Heather" that likes Food.

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in catering kitchens and behind bakery benches with buttercream on my face and sore feet. By the time my second daughter joined our family, I decided it was time to stay home with the kiddos. What was once a simple blog for cake pictures and recipe sharing with friends and family has turned into a thriving business and I couldn't be happier! Thanks for being here!

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Spiced Apple Pork Burgers & Strawberry Banana Smoothie Pops

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com

With the summer grilling season right around the corner I want to share a couple of recipes that are great for entertaining and warding off that summer heat: Spiced Apple Pork Burgers and Strawberry Banana Smoothie Pops

When your husband finishes off 2 burgers and asks when you can make them again, you know you've got a good recipe on your hands---or more accurately, in your face. This recipe comes from my friends at Tree Top and I'm so glad they introduced me to it. In all honesty when I first looked at it I thought, "pork burgers? Is that really a thing?" but I quickly learned they were in fact a glorious thing when I had that first bite. They are juicy, full of flavor and I seriously can't wait to make them again.

The secret ingredient in these is the addition of apple sauce to the ground pork.

Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com

The other thing that makes these so special is the combination of spices used to season the meat. Chili powder, cinnamon, ground mustard and black pepper marry together the apple flavor marvelously with the pork.

Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com

Give the meat a good little stir and portion it out for patties. When I make burgers I like to form the meat into a mound in the bowl and score it so I don't end up with one huge burger and a bunch of little ones or vice versa. It's not fair to give your burgers a little man complex.

Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com

These patties are great for grilling and work equally as well on the stove top. Cook just like you do regular burger patties; once they are  no longer pink in the middle you're set! The finishing touch on these burgers is a maple-dijon sauce. A super simple mixture of dijon mustard and real maple syrup makes a sweet and tangy sauce that is perfect on these

Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com

I topped our burgers with caramelized onions, fresh baby spinach, a tomato slice and, of course, that dreamy maple-dijon sauce.

Hello, lover.

Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com

These burgers prove that apples are great for all types of cooking. I love using applesauce as a substitute for fats in my baking and adding apple juice to savory recipes like soups and sauces can create amazing layers of flavor. Tree Top's 3 Apple Blend juice is one of my absolute favorites for cooking and drinking alike.  Here's a fun little info graphic on the juice making process at Tree Top.  Click to enlarge

Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com

Speaking of using juice in your recipes, homemade smoothie popsicles are a great way to cool off, save money, and sneak copious amounts of fruit into your kid's unsuspecting bellies. This recipe uses fresh strawberries, bananas, apples, yogurt and apple juice. Just throw all the ingredients into the blender, mix until smooth, pour into a popsicle mold and freeze!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Pops | heatherlikesfood.com

What's not to love about a popsicle speckled with  fresh strawberries? Ah, I love summer!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Pops | heatherlikesfood.com

This is a sponsored post by Tree Top Inc. All comments and thoughts, as always, are uniquely mine. 

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Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Spiced Apple and Pork Burgers

These Spiced Apple and Pork Burgers may sound like an odd combination, but they are definitely delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pork Burger
Servings: 6 Burgers
Calories: 555kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
  • 2 pounds ground pork
  • ½ cup Tree Top Natural Apple Sauce
  • 1-½ tsp. salt
  • 1-½ tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. dry mustard
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 6 Hamburger buns
  • Baby Spinach leaves
  • Optional for garnish: Cheddar cheese grilled onions, pickles, tomatoes or other favorite toppings
  • Optional: Toast buns if desired

Instructions

  • Stir maple syrup and mustard together in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Spray a large non-stick grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and place over medium to medium high heat.
  • Mix pork, apple sauce, salt, chili powder, dry mustard, pepper and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl. Form mixture into 6 patties. Place patties in pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, turn and cook additional 4-5 minutes or until done. To serve, spread bun bottoms with maple mustard mixture. Top each with a spinach leaf, a patty and bun tops.

Notes

Recipe Source: Tree Top

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 3.1mg

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Spiced Apple Pork Burgers | heatherlikesfood.com
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5 from 2 votes

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Pops

Smooth and creamy, these healthy popsicles are easy to make and delicious!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Chilling Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fresh fruit, homemade popsicles, smoothie popscicles
Servings: 8 popsicles
Calories: 78kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Tree Top Apple Juice
  • 1 pint strawberries hulled, sliced and frozen
  • 1 banana sliced and frozen
  • 1 apple peeled, cored, sliced and frozen
  • 6 oz vanilla yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into ice pop forms or paper cups, place ice pop sticks in center and freeze inverted for about 3 hours or until solid.

Nutrition

Serving: 1popsicle | Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg

Fiesta Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 14 Comments

This Fiesta Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is, hands-down my favorite slow cooker recipe. It takes just a few minutes to throw into the crockpot and cooks up full of flavor!Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've shared a lot of recipes over the years with friends and family but, this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is hands down the one that gets requested the most often. Honestly, I'm really surprised I haven't already shared it if only to prevent me from having to email it to someone new. Forwarding emails are such taxing work, you know. I'd much rather sit and eat bon bons and watch Parenthood (do bon bons still exist?).

Here are a few reasons why I think this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is a favorite (in no particular order):

  1. It's absolutely the BEST tortilla soup I've ever tried. Lots of trial and error has gone into making this soup my be-all-end-all. If soup eating were a sport, I would win something while eating this and you would too.
  2. It's drop dead easy. Put (mostly) all of the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning and come dinner time you have a hot, hearty soup that took you 10 minutes to make.
  3. It makes you feel amazing and has healing abilities. This is the direct result of #1 and #2. People will love it. You'll feel really cool. You'll start day dreaming about cooking for Graham Elliot on Master chef. You'll eventually realize Graham will want you to cook more than just tortilla soup and decide not to audition. You'll feel sad until you realize there's still soup in the fridge. All is well. All is well.
  4. It's a texture thing. Crunchy tortilla chips topped with cheese turn magical when you add a ladle-full of hot soup brimming with beans and chicken. Throw some diced avocado and a dollop of sour cream into the mix, and you just created a euphoric textural symphony of taste in a bowl. The only thing that could make it better would be a unicorn sitting at your dining room table with you. And maybe some flan.

Now that I've pretty much covered the "why," let's focus on the "how." You'll start by adding red enchilada sauce, chopped green chiles, diced tomatoes, and black beans into your slow-cooker.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Followed by some frozen corn kernels...

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

...spices like cumin and chili powder, salt, oregano, and a bay leaf. You'll also chop up an onion and a few cloves of garlic and add them into the mix. You'll then pour a few cups of chicken broth over everything and stir it.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

As a general rule, I never like to add frozen meat to my slow-cooker since it takes so long for it to come up to temperature. But, I break that rule whenever I make this soup. Such a rebel, I know. But I reason that the chicken breasts are individual, and the soup itself is brothy so they defrost really quickly and it saves me a step. Add two boneless skinless chicken breasts into the slow-cooker.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Let it rip and roll and do it's thing on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-8. It's ready when the chicken shreds easily. Remove that easily shred-able chicken from the soup and shred it up. Meanwhile, stir a big handful of chopped fresh cilantro and the juice of 2 limes into the soup.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla SoupReturn the chicken to it's home and serve hot with corn chips and cheese for maximum effect. The melted cheese paired with the still-slightly-crisp tortilla chips is heaven.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

Tools used in making this Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System: I've owned this slow cooker for about six years (when they were first introduced), and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (fewer dishes) and there's a bake feature as well.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup
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4.83 from 40 votes

Fiesta Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

This slow cooker recipe is tortilla soup at its perfection! Tender chicken and a tangy broth stuffed with veggies and beans, and topped wtih fresh avocado, cheese and tortillas chips!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 10 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Enchilada Sauce Soup, Fresh Cilantro, Slow Cooker
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 348kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 can 15oz petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 can 10 oz red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can 4 oz diced green chilies
  • 1 can 14.5 oz black beans, drained
  • 10 oz frozen corn kernels
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 C chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ C fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 limes juiced
  • tortilla chips cheese, sour cream, avocado for serving

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients except for the cilantro and lime juice in a slow-cooker.
  • Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
  • Remove chicken from soup, shred into bite-sized pieces and return to soup.
  • Stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice.
  • Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, and avocado if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 1274mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g

Fancy Pants Street Vendor Hot Dogs

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 3 Comments

Fancy Pants Hot Dogs

I don't know why, but when I think of what kind of food should be eaten on Halloween it usually comes down to either nachos or hot dogs. Oddly enough I can't recall enjoying either one of these foods in the holiday's past, but nonetheless that's where I'm taking us today. It might have to do with the fact that I know if I serve hot dogs on Halloween I can call them "halloweenies" and I'm all over justifiably throwing the word weenie into my everyday vernacular if only to make my 6 yr. old roll her eyes.

I recently heard tell of a few food carts that marinade their hot dogs in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and brown sugar. So, clearly,  as soon as I learned about this I knew I had to try it. But first, what to top it with? Mustard… pickles? It didn't take long before I remembered a little hot dog stand in Provo, Utah called J. Dawgs who tops their dogs with their "special sauce" that's basically a sweet BBQ sauce of sorts. Perfect!  So today I'm going to show you a sweet/tangy marinated hot dog topped with a sauce that could definitely award any given hot dog cart a run for their money. These dogs are so good that I don't even know if I can feel good about calling them "halloweenies" come the 31st. Though I make no promises, my daughter is pretty cute when she thinks I'm ridiculous.

You'll start by combining ½ C of apple cider vinegar, 1 C of brown sugar, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Stir until the sugar dissolves and set aside.

Using a sharp knife, score the hot dogs in a diamond-shaped pattern. Doing this will allow them to soak in more marinade and also gives lots of surface area for the sauce to adhere to when all is said and done.

Place the dogs into the prepared marinate and let them do their thing for 30 minutes up to overnight. The longer they marinade the better.

Prepare your sauce by combining chili sauce, prepared BBQ sauce, honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. When I say chili sauce, I don't mean sriracha, or even sweet chili sauce from the Asian food aisle. I'm talking about the chili sauce found next to the ketchup at the market, like this one. They really need to be more creative with names for sauces, don't you think?

Give all the ingredients a stir and you're good to go.

Grill the marinated hot dogs until hot and just starting to char around the edges. Serve on buns topped with the sauce, onions, pepperoncinis and pickles.



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4.36 from 14 votes

Fancy Pants Street Vendor Hot Dogs

This sweet marinade is the perfect way to dress up those boring, basic hot dogs for your next backyard bbq!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy dinner, grilled, party food
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 459kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 6 all beef hot dogs
  • ½ C apple cider vinegar
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ C Chili Sauce found in the ketchup aisle
  • 1.2 C prepared BBQ sauce
  • ¼ C honey
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Combine apple cider, brown sugar, and garlic for the marinade and stir until sugar is dissolved
  • Score hot dogs in a diamond shaped pattern and place in marinade for 30 minutes up to overnight
  • Remove from the marinade and grill until hot and slightly charred around the edges.
  • Combine all sauce ingredients and stir. Serve over hot dogs with onions, pepperoncinis, and pickles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 1533mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 4 Comments

homemade ranch dressing in a white bowl

Ranch dressing is a multifaceted mistress of sorts. You either like it and can enjoy it on a salad, LOVE it and dunk everything from pizza to shoe leather in it, or think it's an epicurean abomination all together and are lobbying to remove it from the shelves of grocery stores.   If you're of the last camp, feel free to stop reading now. I love you, but this post is just not for you.

If you fall somewhere in between the realm of LIKE and LOVE, you're in for a treat. I happen to think that bottled ranch dressings are an atrocity, but love a nice, freshly made ranch. In the past I've made it with a packet of ranch dressing mix, but hated paying over $1 for half of an ounce of salt and garlic powder.

Making your own mix is super easy, really fun (think sand art), and is significantly less expensive than buying the packaged mixes. Another bonus is that you'll always have a stash of it in the pantry as one recipe makes enough mix to keep your salad, pizza and hot wings well dressed for quite sometime.

You'll start with a mason jar, parsely, black pepper, garlic salt, kosher salt, granulated onion and garlic, and dill weed. Be as artistic as you want to be and layer all the herbs and spices into the jar. Screw on the jar lid and mess up your beautiful layers by giving it a good shake. You're done!

seasonings for ranch dressing layered in a mason jar

When you're ready to make some dressing just add 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of the mix to 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup milk, ¾ C sour cream, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Stir, stir, stir!

ranch dressing made in a large measuring cup with wire whisk

This mix works interchangeably with other recipes that call for a packet of ranch dressing mix. Use 1 tablespoon for every packet needed. I'll be back on Wednesday with an awesome recipe using this mix, but in the meantime if you need to get your ranch fix, try these Slow-Cooker Cilantro Ranch Chicken Tacos, or this BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad.

Pin it! You know you want to...

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homemade ranch dressing in a white bowl
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

This recipe make a ranch that is a pour-able consistency. perfect for salads. If you like your ranch thicker, add a little bit of milk at a time until it's the consistency that you like.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fresh, make it yourself, no ranch seasoning
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 24kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • ¾ C dried parsley
  • 2 tablespoon black pepper
  • ¼ C garlic salt
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • ¼ C + 2 tablespoon granulated onion
  • ½ C dill weed

Instructions

  • Combine all herbs and spices in a jar and shake to mix.
  • Combine 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon mix with 1 C mayonnaise, 1 C milk, ¾ C sour cream, and 2 tablespoon lemon juice.
  • Use mix interchangeably in recipes calling for ranch dressing mix. Use 1 tablespoon mix for every packet needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3540mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 224IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

Orange Sticky Finger Ribs

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

sticky ribs on a baking sheet with sauce on them

Yesterday was a day where cooking or eating like a normal person just wasn't in the cards. Nothing crazy occurred and our schedule wasn't jam-packed, it just didn't happen. The girls were happy with a piece of cold pizza for dinner and Ammon fended for himself like a real man can. Meanwhile, my pickle and I were quite happy together and my brined companion proved to be and oddly satisfying dinner.

I think days like these need to happen every once in a while. Let the stress of making dinner and eating responsibly flee for a night- your family won't starve and maybe you'll realize that sustenance can be achieved with less than you think! Nevertheless, no matter how much I enjoyed my pickle there's always something that sounds better…

Things I ate yesterday:

An apple, Costco samples, pita chips, peach mango salsa, string cheese, carrot sticks, a cherry Danish, a few Dreyer's Dibs, and a jumbo dill pickle.

What I wish I would have eaten yesterday:

Orange Sticky Finger Ribs.

Sweet, tangy, and just spicy enough, these ribs are fall-off-the-bone fabulous. They can be made entirely in the oven, or taken outside to grill after the initial cooking in the oven.

You'll need 1 rack of pork spare ribs, trimmed. To figure out where to trim, hold the side without the ribs and try to fold it over the top of the ribs.  Bones don't bend so you know to cut down the line where it stops folding. There's a lot of good meat on the trimmed portion so don't throw it away. I usually cut it into chunks and throw it in with my ribs to cook.

1 rack of pork ribs trimmed

This next part it totally optional, but I always do it- removing the membrane. There's a thick, tough membrane that covers the back of the ribs. Removing it makes eating and cutting the ribs a little easier. Using the tip of the knife, loosen a corner of the membrane. With your fingers (using a paper towel can help you get a better grip on it), pull it off. It usually comes off in one or two big pieces.

removing the membrane from the back of pork ribs

Cut the meat into sections of 3 or 4 ribs,  and season front and back with kosher salt and Montreal Steak seasoning.

bottle of Montreal steak seasoning

Place in a baking dish big enough to fit all the sections of ribs in one layer.

seasoned ribs in a glass baking dish

And pour enough orange soda into the dish so that it comes half-way up the sides of the ribs.

orange soda being poured over the ribs

Cover pan tightly with foil and bake until the meat is tender, but not quite falling off the bones. Remove ribs from pan and drippings and place on a lined baking sheet, leaving a bit of space between each section of ribs. Brush meat all over with prepared sauce.

brushing the sauce over the ribs on a baking sheet

Cook under the broiler for about 4 minutes, brush with more sauce and continue to broil until the sauce is bubbly and slightly charred.

Yummers. This is TOTALLY football worthy food- what do you think?

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sticky ribs on a baking sheet with sauce on them
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4.78 from 9 votes

Orange Sticky Finger Ribs

These pork spare ribs are first slow-baked in orange soda until fall-off-the-bone-tender and then bathed in a sweet and sticky orange bbq sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Broiling Time4 minutes
Total Time2 hours 14 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked ribs, orange soda, oven
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 437kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 rack pork spare ribs about 3-4 lbs
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 C orange soda
  • ¾ C prepared BBQ sauce
  • ¾ C brown sugar
  • ½ C orange juice concentrate
  • 2 tablespoon hot sauce or to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°
  • Trim ribs and cut into sections of 3 or 4 bones each. Season front and back with salt and Montreal Steak seasoning and place in a baking dish in a single layer. Pour just enough orange soda over the ribs to cover them half-way.
  • Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender but not quite falling off the bone.
  • Remove ribs from baking juices and place on a lined baking sheet.
  • Prepare sauce by combining BBQ sauce, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate (not orange juice), and hot sauce in a small sauce pan and heat on the stove until sugar is dissolved.
  • Brush sauce over cooked ribs and place under the broiler for about 4 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with more sauce. Return to the oven and continue to cook until the sauce is bubbly and slightly charred.

Nutrition

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 1352mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 83g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg