Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot Friendly!)

This delicious new recipe was a reader request, and since we love Instant Pot meals, it needed to happen! Our inspired version of this traditional Mexican dish is easy to prepare and nutrient-packed — but with all the classic flavors you know and love….

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot Friendly!)

This delicious new recipe was a reader request, and since we love Instant Pot meals, it needed to happen! Our inspired version of this traditional Mexican dish is easy to prepare and nutrient-packed — but with all the classic flavors you know and love. It’s smoky, spicy, perfectly brothy, and undeniably comforting! 

With just 1 pot required, this soup comes together in no time but is incredibly flavorful, not to mention satisfying and nourishing!

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot Friendly!) from Minimalist Baker →

Easy Vegan Picadillo (Cuban-Inspired)

When we first tried Cuban picadillo, we were enamored by the complex combination of savory, sweet, and salty flavors and knew we wanted to recreate a plant-based version. After a few tests and tweaks we landed on this inspired, fiber-rich twist and we’…

Easy Vegan Picadillo (Cuban-Inspired)

When we first tried Cuban picadillo, we were enamored by the complex combination of savory, sweet, and salty flavors and knew we wanted to recreate a plant-based version. After a few tests and tweaks we landed on this inspired, fiber-rich twist and we’re so excited to share it with you!

It’s perfectly balanced, quick and easy (1 pot and 30 minutes), and naturally gluten-free.

Easy Vegan Picadillo (Cuban-Inspired) from Minimalist Baker →

Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup (1 Pot!)

If you’re a fellow spicy food lover and also into tomato soup, you’re going to love this chipotle tomato soup! It’s inspired by a similar dish from a restaurant called Eloisa in Santa Fe. While the restaurant (sadly) had to close, we couldn’t sha…

Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup (1 Pot!)

If you’re a fellow spicy food lover and also into tomato soup, you’re going to love this chipotle tomato soup! It’s inspired by a similar dish from a restaurant called Eloisa in Santa Fe. While the restaurant (sadly) had to close, we couldn’t shake the memory of this delicious soup! So we got into the kitchen, did some tinkering, and knew we had to share!

This creamy, spicy, smoky soup is plant-based, gluten-free, and the perfect companion for sandwiches and salads!

Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup (1 Pot!) from Minimalist Baker →

Easy Refried Black Bean Tacos

These refried black bean tacos are a perfect quick and easy vegetarian dinner. Made with canned black beans and pickled jalapeños, they’re packed with flavor and serve as the perfect foundation for your favorite taco toppings. This is one of those recipes you’ll come back to time and time again; it really is as quick […]

The post Easy Refried Black Bean Tacos first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

These refried black bean tacos are a perfect quick and easy vegetarian dinner. Made with canned black beans and pickled jalapeños, they’re packed with flavor and serve as the perfect foundation for your favorite taco toppings.

This is one of those recipes you’ll come back to time and time again; it really is as quick and easy as it claims, not to mention perfect if you’re trying to eat less meat, but don’t want to sacrifice on flavor.

Three folded Easy Refried Black Bean Tacos on a white plate, with big dollops of sour cream and other toppings

There is no shortage of black bean taco recipes on this site, it being one of our favorite fillings for meat-free tacos.

But these black bean tacos, which involve a quick refried-style black bean filling made from canned black beans and flavored with spices and pickled jalapeños, may just be our favorite. Served with your choice of toppings in a soft flour or corn tortilla, they really are a perfect vegetarian weeknight main that checks all the boxes.

Choose your toppings accordingly and they can even be vegan!

(more…)

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

Let the slow cooker do all the work for you when you make this big batch of freezer-friendly homemade spaghetti sauce.

The post Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I’ve made a few variations of pasta sauce over the years, but this Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce is definitely one of my favorites. The long slow simmer caramelizes the sugars in the tomatoes and creates a depth of flavor that can’t be matched. Plus, what more could you ask for than to just throw some ingredients in a pot, forget about it for 8 hours, and then come back to a rich, delicious homemade sauce? Then you can divide the sauce into portions, freeze, and you’ll have delicious homemade pasta sauce on hand for quick busy weeknight dinners.

Originally posted on 11/4/2011, updated 1/12/2022.

Pasta sauce in a slow cooker with a spoon, garnished with parsley

Why make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce?

Pasta sauce can be bought premade really cheaply, so I think in a lot of cases it does make sense to just buy a jar and go with it. But if you want to have a little more control over the quality and ingredients of your pasta sauce while still keeping costs low, this Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce is a great option. 

What Size Slow Cooker to Use

This recipe makes about 2 quarts of sauce, so I would suggest using a 3 quart or larger slow cooker. You don’t need anything fancy, just a very basic slow cooker with basic functions like warm, low, and high. I do find that slow cookers made with a thick ceramic insert (or “crock”) cook much more evenly than metal inserts, like you’d have when using the slow cooker function on an Instant Pot.

Why Add Balsamic Vinegar?

The balsamic vinegar in this recipe adds a subtle depth and brightness to the sauce. It can seem strong at first, but it mellows out as the sauce is cooked. If you’re not a fan of balsamic vinegar or just don’t have any on hand, this recipe will still make a really amazing sauce even if you leave it out.

Can I Add Meat?

I’ve tried this sauce before with ground beef and I found the cook time to be far too long for the ground beef, so if you do want to add meat I suggest browning it separately and then just stirring it into the sauce after cooking. You can also check out my quick Weeknight Pasta Sauce for an easy and flavorful meat sauce option.

How to Freeze Pasta Sauce

This recipe makes about 7 cups. I suggest dividing the sauce into two or three cup portions before freezing so you can take out just enough for one recipe at a time to thaw. Let the spaghetti sauce cool completely in the fridge, then transfer to freezer-safe containers to freeze. The sauce will stay good in the freezer for about three months, but this can vary depending on the conditions in your freezer. If you use quart-sized freezer bags and freeze them laying flat they stack nicely in the freezer without taking up much space. 

You can thaw the sauce in the refrigerator overnight or just cut the bag away from the frozen sauce, place it in a saucepot, and heat over medium-low until it’s heated through (stir occasionally).

This sauce goes great with Homemade Meatballs (also freezer-friendly)!

A plate of pasta covered in sauce with bread on the side

Pasta sauce in a slow cooker garnished with parsley

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

Let the slow cooker do all the work for you when you make this big batch of freezer-friendly homemade spaghetti sauce.
Course Dinner, Sauce
Cuisine American, Italian
Total Cost $4.40 recipe / $0.63 per cup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 7 cups
Calories 77kcal
Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion $0.32
  • 4 cloves garlic $0.32
  • 2 28oz. cans crushed tomatoes $2.00
  • 1 6oz. can tomato paste $0.69
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil $0.30
  • 1.5 tsp dried oregano $0.15
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar $0.03
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar $0.14
  • 4 Tbsp butter $0.40
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.05

Instructions

  • Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Place both in a 3 quart or larger slow cooker.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and butter to the slow cooker. Stir everything together well.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.
  • After cooking, give it a good stir, then add salt to taste. Start with just ½ tsp of salt and add more if needed (I added 1 tsp). Use the sauce immediately, refrigerate, or freeze for later.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 393mg | Fiber: 1g

Homemade pasta sauce being spooned over a plate of spaghetti

How to Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce – Step By Step Photos

Onion and garlic in slow cooker

Dice one yellow onion and mince four cloves of garlic. Add both to a 3 quart or larger slow cooker.

Tomatoes added to slow cooker

Add 2 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes and one 6oz. can of tomato paste to the slow cooker.

Seasonings added to the slow cooker

Also add 1 Tbsp dried basil, 1.5 tsp dried oregano, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, and 4 Tbsp butter to the slow cooker. 

Sauce ingredients being stirred together before cooking

Give the ingredients a good stir until they’re evenly incorporated.

Simmered pasta sauce in the slow cooker

Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours. After cooking, it will look a little like the photo above (the white is just the milk fats from the butter). Give it a good stir.

Finished pasta sauce in the slow cooker garnished with parsley

Add salt to the sauce to taste. Start with ½ teaspoon and add more until the flavors pop. I ended up using one teaspoon total. 

Side view of pasta sauce in the slow cooker

Use the slow cooker spaghetti sauce immediately or refrigerate then freeze for long-term storage.

The post Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Cabbage Soup

Forget the cabbage soup diet, you’ll want to eat this super healthy vegetable-filled cabbage soup just because it tastes incredible!

The post Cabbage Soup appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Do you remember the cabbage soup diet? It was one of those crazy fad diets where you were supposed to eat as much as you want of just one thing (in this case cabbage soup) and you’d supposedly lose weight without trying. While I’m not a fan of that type of diet, I am a big fan of the cabbage soup that the diet was centered around. Why? For one simple reason—it’s absolutely DELICIOUSYeah, I was surprised too. The first time I had the famed diet cabbage soup I expected it to be boring and bland, but I was pleasantly surprised by how extremely flavorful and comforting the soup was. I actually ended up eating it over and over again just because I wanted to. And it became a winter comfort food staple for me ever since. 😅

Originally published 1/15/2018, updated 1/8/2022.

Overhead view of a pot of cabbage soup with a ladle

Is Cabbage Soup Healthy?

I’m not going to tell you this cabbage soup will “detox” you or make you lose weight, but this soup is chock-full of a lot of the one thing that almost all of us are guilty of not getting enough of—vegetables.

I’m nicknamed this soup All You Can Eat Cabbage Soup as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the old fad diet, but seriously, eat as much as you want. The more the better, really. You’ll just be getting more of the good stuff. And guess what? This cabbage soup is insanely inexpensive, too! So even more reason to feel free to eat as much as you want!

What’s in Cabbage Soup?

The classic “cabbage soup diet” cabbage soup has taken many forms over the years, but they all have one thing in common—they’re stuffed full of non-starchy vegetables swimming in a flavorful herb-filled broth. I like my broth a bit more tomatoey, so I added some tomato sauce to thicken it up. Some people use V8 instead, but tomato sauce is much less expensive, especially when only a small amount is needed. I also added a bit of smoked paprika (because that’s my fav), and a splash of lemon juice at the end to brighten it up.

How to Store Leftovers

This recipe does make a really large batch, so it’s a good idea to freeze about half of it, just in case you can’t eat all of it within about five days. To freeze this soup, divide it into single-serving portions, chill it completely in the refrigerator first, then transfer to the freezer for longer storage. Keep in the freezer for up to three months.

Add More Protien

Soup recipes in general are very flexible, so you could always add a little extra protein to this soup to make it more filling. Here are some other great ingredients you can add:

  • Beans (cannellini, chickpeas, kidney beans)
  • Ground beef (or check out my Beef and Cabbage Soup)
  • Italian sausage
  • Cubed tofu (extra firm)
  • Shredded chicken

a bowl of cabbage soup with a spoon and garlic bread on the side

Shown with Homemade Garlic Bread.

close up of the pot of cabbage soup

Cabbage Soup

Forget the cabbage soup diet, you'll want to eat this super healthy vegetable-filled cabbage soup just because it tastes incredible! 
Course Dinner, Soup
Cuisine American
Total Cost $7.13 recipe / $1.19 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 2 cups each
Calories 133kcal
Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion $0.32
  • 4 cloves garlic $0.32
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16
  • 4 carrots $0.57
  • 4 ribs celery $0.50
  • 1 green bell pepper $0.69
  • 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes $1.00
  • 1 8oz. can tomato sauce $0.34
  • 1/2 lb. frozen green beans $0.67
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley $0.23
  • 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika $0.15
  • 1 tsp dried oregano $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
  • 6 cups chopped cabbage (½ head) $1.14
  • 6 cups vegetable broth $0.78
  • 1 tsp salt $0.05
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice $0.04

Instructions

  • Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large soup pot and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft.
  • While the onion and garlic are sautéing, peel and slice the carrots, chop the celery, and dice the bell pepper. Add the carrot, celery, and bell pepper to the pot. Continue to sauté as you measure the rest of the ingredients.
  • Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, frozen green beans, chopped parsley, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, and pepper. Continue to stir and cook while you chop the cabbage.
  • Chop the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. Add the cabbage to the pot along with the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
  • Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the soup to come to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes or until the cabbage is to your desired tenderness.
  • Once the cabbage is tender, season the soup with salt, starting with ½ tsp and adding more to your liking. Finish the soup by adding the lemon juice and stirring to combine. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1783mg | Fiber: 7g

A ladle full of cabbage soup held over the pot

How to Make Cabbage Soup – Step by Step Photos

Onion and garlic in a soup pot

Start by mincing four cloves of garlic and dicing one large onion. Add them both to a large soup pot with one tablespoon olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.

Celery, carrot, and bell pepper added to the pot

While the onion and garlic are sautéing, peel and slice 4 carrots, slice 4 stalks of celery, and dice one green bell pepper. Add the carrots, celery, and bell pepper to the pot. Continue to sauté over medium.

Tomatoes, spices, parsley, and green beans added to the pot

Add one 28oz. can diced tomatoes (I used petite diced), one 8oz. can tomato sauce, ½ lb. frozen green beans, ¼ cup chopped parsley, ½ Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp thyme, and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir to combine.

cabbage in soup pot, broth being poured in

Chop 1/2 head of cabbage into one-inch pieces (about 5-6 cups once chopped). Add the chopped cabbage to the pot along with 6 cups of vegetable broth.

Cabbage soup before simmering

Stir everything together, place a lid on the pot, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the soup to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the soup simmer over medium-low, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes, or until the cabbage is to your desired tenderness.

Salt being added to the soup

Once the cabbage is tender, season the soup with salt, starting with 1/2 teaspoon, then adding more to taste (I used 1 tsp total). Next, add one tablespoon of lemon juice, which really helps brighten the flavors. 

close up of the pot of cabbage soup

And then slurp down all that vegetable-y goodness! I garnished with a little more fresh parsley, but it’s not needed for extra flavor.

close up of a bowl of cabbage soup

This soup goes great with some crusty bread (garlic or not) to soak up that delicious broth!

The post Cabbage Soup appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Skillet Chickpeas with Whipped Ricotta

I shared my favorite Vegetarian Dinner Recipes and now I have one more! This Skillet Chickpeas with Whipped Ricotta recipe is a perfect 10! You should probably add it to your dinner menu right now! It takes less than 30 minutes to make; it’s the …

I shared my favorite Vegetarian Dinner Recipes and now I have one more! This Skillet Chickpeas with Whipped Ricotta recipe is a perfect 10! You should probably add it to your dinner menu right now! It takes less than 30 minutes to make; it’s the perfect weeknight meal. The recipe is made with mostly pantry…

The post Skillet Chickpeas with Whipped Ricotta appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Cabbage Soup

It’s soup season and I am HERE for it! I love cozying up to a big bowl of piping hot soup! Lentil, black bean, broccoli cheese, butternut squash, tomato…I love them all! Today, I am sharing my Cabbage Soup recipe and I think you are going t…

It’s soup season and I am HERE for it! I love cozying up to a big bowl of piping hot soup! Lentil, black bean, broccoli cheese, butternut squash, tomato…I love them all! Today, I am sharing my Cabbage Soup recipe and I think you are going to LOVE it! I know, I know, cabbage soup…

Wild Rice Salad with Mushrooms and Herbs

Friends, prepare yourselves for the ultimate flavor-packed, comfort-filled, fall-infused side: wild rice salad! This dish is our favorite kind: low effort, BIG reward! It’s simple to prepare but doesn’t skimp on flavor (hello mushrooms, hazelnuts, cran…

Wild Rice Salad with Mushrooms and Herbs

Friends, prepare yourselves for the ultimate flavor-packed, comfort-filled, fall-infused side: wild rice salad! This dish is our favorite kind: low effort, BIG reward! It’s simple to prepare but doesn’t skimp on flavor (hello mushrooms, hazelnuts, cranberries, and fresh herbs!)

Not only that, but it can be served warm or at room temperature — perfect for when those other holiday dishes are running a bit behind (please tell us we’re not the only ones)!

Wild Rice Salad with Mushrooms and Herbs from Minimalist Baker →

Vegan Split Pea Soup

This vegan split pea soup is fast, easy, and comforting. It’s the perfect cozy meal for chilly fall and winter days.

The post Vegan Split Pea Soup appeared first on Budget Bytes.

You know how I love my legumes (beans, peas, and lentils). They’re shelf-stable, versatile, filling, and always inexpensive. And split peas are definitely an underrated legume, IMHO. They cook super fast, they make deliciously rich and comforting soups, and they’re just packed with both fiber and protein. While I’ve made multiple versions of split pea soup in the past, this vegan split pea soup is probably the easiest one yet. It’s a simple, basic recipe that is easy enough to make even on those days when you feel overloaded, mentally or physically. Just the smell of it simmering away on your stove top is in itself restorative. :)

Overhead view of a bowl of split pea soup with saltine crackers

What are Split Peas?

Split peas are just what they sound like, green peas that have been dried and split in half. You’ll find them in the dry bean aisle, right next to bags of other types of dry beans. You may find both green split peas and yellow split peas, either of which will work fine for this recipe.

Split peas are great to cook with because they cook quickly with no soaking, and because they’re already split open, they break down and thicken soups really quickly. They’re probably the easiest way to get your daily dose of legumes!

No Ham??

As mentioned above, this isn’t my first go at split pea soup. There are a lot of different ways you can make a delicious split pea soup and most contain some sort of pork for flavor. To keep a lot of flavor in this vegan split pea soup, I made sure to use a good dose of herbs and spices, including smoked paprika, which gives a similar smoky flavor to bacon or ham. If you want your soup to be extra rich, you can also add a dollop of coconut oil.

This soup creates its own flavorful broth with a medley of vegetables and a handful of herbs and spices, but if you want to ramp it up even more you can replace the water in the recipe below with vegetable broth. Just keep in mind that broth usually contains salt, so you’ll want to add less salt at the end. Vegetable broth is often pretty dark as well, so your soup will likely not be as vibrant in color.

What to Serve with Split Pea Soup

This thick and flavorful soup is so cozy, you’ll definitely want some crackers or crusty bread to scoop up all that goodness! Saltines or oyster crackers are great, but so are homemade croutons or some homemade bread for dunking, like Homemade Focaccia.

Other Split Pea Soup Variations

Here are some other variations on delicious split pea soup:

Thick split pea soup on a spoon in the soup bowl
Thick split pea soup on a spoon in the soup bowl

Vegan Split Pea Soup

This vegan split pea soup is easy and comforting. It's the perfect cozy meal for chilly fall and winter days.
Total Cost $3.16 recipe / $0.63 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 5 1.5 cups each
Calories 390kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic $0.16
  • 1 yellow onion $0.28
  • 3 ribs celery $0.36
  • 3 carrots $0.24
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32
  • 1 lb. split peas (dry) $1.49
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika $0.05
  • 1 tsp dried parsley $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper $0.02
  • 6 cups water $0.00
  • 1.5 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.07

Instructions

  • Mince two cloves of garlic. Dice the onion, celery, and carrots. Add the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots to a large pot with olive oil and sauté over medium heat for about five minutes, or until the onions are soft.
  • Add the dry split peas, smoked paprika, parsley, oregano, thyme, pepper, and water to the pot. Stir to combine.
  • Place a lid on top, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the water up to a boil. When it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until the peas have completely broken down and the soup is thick.
  • Add salt to the soup by taste, starting with ½ teaspoon. I added about 1.5 tsp. Serve hot with crackers or crusty bread for dipping!

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 771mg | Fiber: 25g
Close up of a ladle full of split pea soup held over the pot

How to Make Vegan Split Pea Soup – Step by Step Photos

chopped vegetables in the soup pot

Start by dicing one yellow onion, three ribs of celery, and three carrots, and mincing two cloves of garlic. Add them to a large soup pot along with 2 Tbsp olive oil.

sautéed vegetables in the pot

Sauté the vegetables over medium heat until the onions are soft.

peas, herbs, and water added to the pot

Add one pound of split peas to the pot along with ¼ tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried parsley, ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, and six cups of water.

stirred soup ingredients in the pot

Stir everything to combine, place a lid on top, then turn the heat up to medium-high to bring the soup up to a boil.

Thickened split pea soup being stirred

Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until the peas have completely broken down and the soup has thickened.

Finished split pea soup in the pot with a ladle

Finish the soup by salting to taste. Start with ½ tsp salt and continue to taste and add more until the soup taste bright and vibrant. I added 1.5 tsp and then it was just right! You can garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, but it’s not needed for flavor.

A bowl full of split pea soup with saltine crackers, a spoon in the side

Serve hot with crackers, croutons, or crusty bread for dipping!

The post Vegan Split Pea Soup appeared first on Budget Bytes.