These Roasted Carrots with Dill are the life of the party when it comes to side dishes! They pair perfectly with grilled or roasted meats and fish or shake things up by tossing them with a vibrant green salad for a veggie-packed punch. Even better, they require minimal ingredients and come together in about 30…
These Roasted Carrots with Dill are the life of the party when it comes to side dishes! They pair perfectly with grilled or roasted meats and fish or shake things up by tossing them with a vibrant green salad for a veggie-packed punch. Even better, they require minimal ingredients and come together in about 30 minutes. Originally published February 22, 2013.
Today I went to the store to pick up a new toothbrush for Charlotte. I was going to let her pick out one with a princess or Dora the Explorer on it to help her be excited about brushing her teeth (although this has been less of a problem recently since I started letting her brush my teeth/gag me while I brush hers).
But I was dismayed to find that princesses come at a high price. They were all $2.25 or more for 1 toothbrush. I ended up getting the Peanuts toothbrush (2 for $1!), although it goes against my lame cartoons code.
Does anyone else have personal cartoon standards? I just can’t bring myself to like lame cartoons that aren’t funny. Like Peanuts. Or Garfield. They are just not funny, at all. My brother Nate and I were obsessed with Garfield as a kid, and now when I read them I just want to stab myself in the eye. Nate recently sent me a link to Garfield Minus Garfield, a website dedicated to removing all other characters from the strip to focus on Jon. It’s actually really funny when you take out Garfield.
Why can’t we get more cartoons like Calvin and Hobbes?
Dill Carrot Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
carrots
olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
dill (fresh or dried would work in this recipe. I prefer fresh…but use whatever you have on hand!)
How to make roasted dill carrots
Now let’s talk about these roasted carrots with dill. Sometimes I go through phases where I forget that I love carrots. It never gets to the point that I convince myself that I don’t like them, I just forget how awesome they are and miss out on months of vitamin A. Someone made this dill and carrot recipe for me after a long bout of carrot amnesia, and now I’m in carrot heaven again. These roasted carrots are so simple, soooooo good, and the combo of carrots and dill is a dynamic duo, just like Calvin and Hobbes. Plus it makes you feel good to eat orange food. No really, it does. That’s why Cheetos are so addictive.
Roasted dill carrots are a breeze! Minimal effort for maximum deliciousness. All you need to do is toss some freshly peeled carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and dill, then pop them in the oven until they’re tender and caramelized. Seriously, that´s it.
What to serve with dill carrots
Roasted dill carrots are a match made in heaven with grilled or roasted meats and seafood. Or, mix things up by pairing them with a vibrant green salad for a veggie-packed punch! And whatever you do, don’t forget to invite these tasty dill carrots to your next holiday feast—they’re total rockstars on Turkey Day!
Check out some of these recipes that go perfectly with roasted dill carrots!
These Roasted Carrots with Dill are the life of the party when it comes to side dishes! They pair perfectly with grilled or roasted meats and fish or shake things up by tossing them with a vibrant green salad for a veggie-packed punch. Even better, they require minimal ingredients and come together in about 30 minutes.Source: slightly adapted from Ina Garten
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel carrots or just give them a good scrub. If the carrots are thick, cut them in half lengthwise; if not, leave whole.
Slice the carrots diagonally into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices, or however big you want them, really. Just make sure the carrots are roughly the same size and shape so they cook at the same rate. (The carrots will shrink while cooking so big slices are fine. You will just have to up your roasting time.)
Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried dill, if you don’t have fresh.
Transfer to a baking sheet (I lined mine with foil for easy clean up) and spread out in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until they are brown and fork-tender. The roasting time depends on how big your carrots are. If you are using fresh dill, toss the carrots with the minced dill after they are roasted, season to taste, and serve.
Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy “cheater” lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It’s…
Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy “cheater” lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It’s heaven! You can even make it in the slow cooker. Eat it with some crusty Breadsticks!Originally published January 4, 2012.
My daughter Charlotte turned 13 this year, which is stupid and weird and glorious all at once. (Can any advancing parents relate to this roller coaster, ha). We got her tickets to see Wicked in San Francisco, and decided to make a day of it. This meant playing hookie from school on a random Wednesday, which I feel is good for the soul anyway.
I mean, learning how to swing from a cable car has got to be a more valuable for her than history and math, right?
We stopped at one of my all time favorite restaurants, Pazzia, a little Italian place that Eric and I found years ago on a recommendation from my friend Dorothy at Crazy for Crust. The Italian owner is always bustling around checking in on everyone. Its super homey, and the food is just unbelievable. Look at this Coccoli appetizer: those are fried dough balls with prosciutto and Stracchino cheese.
Their lasagna is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth, and was a huge inspiration for me when I was developing my ultimate Lasagna recipe last year. As I sat blissfully eating in the restaurant yesterday, I found a piece of carrot, and was so pleased. Carrot is not a typical ingredient in Americanized Lasagna, but is definitely found in my recipe. And it’s definitely found in today’s soup!
What is lasagna soup?
This soup is one of my favorites, ever. It’s exactly what it sounds like. All the components of lasagna, turned into a rich and creamy soup.
The thing that sets my Lasagna apart is the Bolognese Sauce, which takes quite a while to make, which is why people are always cheating on Lasagna and using marinara. I get it, I get it, but good things come to those who wait.
The good news is, we don’t have to wait as long for this soup. I basically took my recipe for Bolognese sauce and soup-ified it, then added lasagna noodles and a ricotta topping. I mean, I’m happy to eat this sauce all over some pasta, why not eat a version of it in a bowl? It was a good choice. I mean, how many times do I have to say ricotta swirls?
Rich, creamy bolognese combined with broth, perfectly cooked noodles, a dollop of creamy ricotta goodness, and loads of mozzarella. And, the best part, it’s done in just about 45 minutes, which is definitely an upgrade from the hours long Bolognese-to-Lasagna process.
Annoyingly, it is not made in one pot, because I insist on cooking the lasagna noodles separately. They just get too mushy if you add the dry noodles straight to the soup. If you are really short on time, I do include instructions for this method, but just know that your leftovers will be kind of soggy-sad.
I even included a slow cooker version, if you are rolling with the crock pot these days. You still have to start on the stove, but it’s a great way to front load your day if you know you’ve got a busy afternoon.
Lasagna soup recipe ingredients
This is just an overview, full ingredient amounts and instructions are located in the recipe card, so be sure to take a look below!
oil
onion
celery
carrots
spices
fresh rosemary
garlic
lasagna noodles
Italian sausage
white wine
cream
tomato paste
crushed tomatoes chicken broth
balsamic vinegar
Ricotta
parmesan
How to make lasagna soup
Start out by roughly chopping your veggies, then dumping them in the food processor.
Pulse until they are finely minced. There are always a couple pieces that refuse to be chopped, the problem child, you know. You don’t want to just keep blending, or it will end up pulverized, and we are looking for a mince. Just take out the naughty pieces and chop them by hand.
Start sauteing the veggies in a soup pot, and add all your spices. The fennel is optional, especially since there is already some in the sausage we are using. But I love the stuff. Let this cook for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, prep your rosemary and garlic. I love to use fresh rosemary in this soup, it brings such an amazing aromatic flavor. Let that saute for a minute…
Then add in the sausage. Once that is cooked and crumbled, add in the cream. YES, CREAM!
The wine, then the tomato paste. Don’t hate me for my cooking wine, just use the wine you like best, I don’t keep wine in the house so this works for me :)
This is where the magic happens. Most lasagna soups don’t have these ingredients (cream, wine), this tastes more like a Bolognese sauce. But I love to make my lasagna with Bolognese sauce, so that’s why I added it here!
Finally, add in the crushed tomatoes, water and chicken bouillon base, and balsamic vinegar for a little extra punch of flavor.
That’s it for the soup. Boil your noodles separately if you hate soggy noodles! I hate soggy noodles more than I hate those shopping carts with a wonky wheel (you know the ones). More than I hate drying off with a damp towel. More than I hate a crisply sharp pencil with no eraser. So it’s worth it to me to boil the noodles separately. If you are in a rush, just toss the dry noodles into the soup with an extra cup of water and keep simmering an extra 25-30 minutes or so, and call me the next day when you are eating soggy leftovers for lunch so that I can mock you.
Now for the best garnish known to mankind: ricotta + parmesan + salt and pepper. I could eat this stuff with a spoon, for days!
And that’s it my friends. A pot of goodness just for you.
What to serve with easy lasagna soup
This soup is rich and hearty, so something light like a salad, other vegetables, or even fruit is a good way to round out the meal. But, I’m also NOT going to say no to some delicious bread to dip in! Here are some lovely sides that will pair nicely.
The Best Garlic Butter Bread >> my mouth is watering thinking about dipping this crusty garlic bread into lasagna soup!
How long does slow cooker lasagna soup last in the fridge?
Any leftover lasagna soup can be kept in the fridge for a good 5-6 days. Wait for the soup to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. I like to store the noodles, soup, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella all in separate containers.
To reheat the entire amount, add all the soup back into a large pot on the stove over medium heat until hot and serve over noodles in a bowl. For single serving, spoon the soup and noodles into a bowl and cook in the microwave, stirring every minute, until hot. Add your toppings and you’re ready to eat!
Can you freeze lasagna soup
Lasagna soup freezes well! While technically there’s nothing wrong with freezing it all mixed up (other than soggy noodles…) I prefer to freeze the different parts of the soup separately. Cooked pasta generally holds up to the freezing/thawing process better with no sauce or broth on it, so place any cooled, cooked noodles in a ziplock freezer bag. You can put parchment paper between layers if you’re worried about them sticking. The soup, ricotta mixture, and even the mozzarella can all be frozen in their own separate freezer ziplock bag. Make sure with each bag to squeeze out as much air as possible, seal, and then place in the freezer. The bags will be good there for about 2-3 months.
To thaw, place all the bags in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours. If you are reheating a large portion, add the soup to a pot and cook over medium heat until hot, then pour over noodles in a bowl. For an individual portion, add soup and noodles to a bowl and cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute. Add as much ricotta and mozzarella as you like, and you’re all set.
Lasagna soup frequently asked questions
Who made lasagna?
We have the Italians, and especially early Italian-American immigrants, to thank for the deliciousness we know today as Lasagna (THANKS GUYS!) If you want a fascinating read, I recommend Ian MacAllen’s book “Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American”. It gives the background on Italian food in the U.S. and discusses how specific dishes (like lasagna) arrived to their current form here.
Where did lasagna soup originate?
It’s hard to say for sure! The same author mentioned above believes we can thank a hotel restaurant, specifically the Windsor Lounge at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, for the original idea in the 1990s. Not too long after that, Campbell Soup published a version of the recipe and it really took off from there! Soon many versions started to pop up on the internet (including on my site in 2012) as food blogs got more popular in the 2010s. It’s pretty ubiquitous now!
can you use oven ready noodles in lasagna soup?
Yes, you can! Just boil them for less time, probably only a couple minutes. I prefer to use regular lasagna noodles because I like the curly edges. But really any kind of noodle you prefer or have on hand will work, including oven ready lasagna noodles. You just need to make sure that whatever you use, they get cooked to al dente, don’t overdo it.
What wine goes with lasagna soup?
I’m not the best person to advise you on this since I don’t drink. But a quick google search tells me a red wine with high acidity, Pinot Noir or Sangiovese could pair well. Take that with a grain of salt, and rely on what you think would balance out the very hearty, earthy flavor of the soup.
More cozy soups you’ll love
Soup is the perfect answer to chilly nights, feeling under the weather, rainy days, or anytime you want to feel like your food is giving you a big ol’ comfort hug. These soups are some of my favorites, and hit the spot every time!
Okay guys are you ready for 2012 Karen?? I posted a version of this recipe back in the day, when I had a point and shoot camera and apparently used brown cardstock paper as my photo backdrop??? I’m dying over here 😳🤣 Below is my story from back when I was 24 years old, with a brand new baby marriage, a baby Charlotte, and a baby lil blog I had just started months earlier:
Sometimes I wish I had a house elf. Or heck I’d even take a mere dish-elf. It’s kind of pathetic that I’m wishing for this and not world peace or something, especially since all I do is stay home every day. It’s not like I don’t have time for dishes. I just hate them. Hate them with the fire of a thousand suns.
This really is a problem for me, since I cook constantly. Almost every day Eric walks in the door after work and I say, I’m making dinner. Sorry about the mess. Then he proceeds to clean it up. After being at work for 9 hours. The man truly is a saint. Or maybe he’s part house elf.
Seriously though. I’m kind of like a tornado in the kitchen. I leave destruction in my wake. Eric is like disaster cleanup. He comes in and saves the day. Maybe I should get him one of those Helping Hands t-shirts. It would probably be more appropriate than wearing an apron.
A friend of mine revealed to me the secret of the oven. If you have a sink full of dishes and company coming, stick them in the oven to get them out of the way. Why didn’t I think of that? Genius. Then she told me about the time she used this trick just before a potluck at her house. One guest arrived and said, My casserole needs to keep warm. Do you mind if I stick it in your oven?
The lesson here? It’s for you people: don’t ask to use my oven when you come over, unless you are part house elf.
Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy "cheater" lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It's heaven! You can even make it in the slow cooker. Eat it with some crusty Breadsticks!Originally published January 4, 2012.
1/2teaspoonkosher saltor sea salt (if using table salt, add less)
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
Additional toppings:
parmesan cheesegrated
mozzarella cheeseshredded
fresh basil
Instructions
Prep your veggies: Use a food processor to quickly mince your onions, celery, and carrots. Chop 1 onion into quarters, peel 2 large carrots and lop off the ends, and cut 2 stalks of celery into a few pieces.
Add it all to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the veggies are uniformly chopped. There will always be a couple pieces that refuse to be chopped, pull them out and use your knife to finish the job. The reason I like to use a food processor is because we want these veggies chopped very small.
If you don't have a food processor, chop the onion, carrots, and veggies by hand into a fairly small mince.
Make the soup: Heat a large (6 quart) soup pot over medium heat. When it's hot, add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions, celery, and carrots.
Season the veggies with 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or sea salt). Add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
If you love fennel (it's optional), add 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed to a ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. Add to the veggies.
Let the veggies saute on medium heat with the spices for about 5 minutes, until the onions are tender.
Rosemary and garlic. Meanwhile, remove the rosemary from the stems. Finely chop all the spindly leaves. You need about 1 tablespoon. Smash and mince 6 cloves of garlic. Add the rosemary and garlic to the pot with the veggies. If it's starting to stick and look dry, add a little extra oil. Saute for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Immediately add 1 pound mild Italian sausage. Saute for another 6-8 minutes until the sausage is fully cooked, breaking it up with a spoon.
Reduce wine: Add 1 cup white wine (I use cooking wine), 1 cup cream (sometimes labeled heavy cream or whipping cream), and the 6-ounce can tomato paste. Stir it all together and turn the heat to medium high to bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat back down to medium, or wherever it needs to be to maintain a low bubble. Let cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is thick.
Add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 8 cups of water, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium or medium low to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Make the ricotta topping: In a medium bowl, add 1 pound ricotta cheese, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir it all together. Set aside until you're ready to serve.
Boil the lasagna noodles.* Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil, and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 9 lasagna noodles. Cook, stirring, according to package instructions, usually it's about 8-12 minutes. Do NOT overcook. You want these noodles very al dente, since they will be sitting in soup and will keep absorbing liquid. We don't want them soggy. When they are done cooking, drain the water and drizzle the noodles with oil. Set aside until you are ready to serve.
Serve the soup. Add 1 or 2 cooked lasagna noodles to a bowl. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Top with a healthy scoop of the ricotta mixture. Healthy, I say! Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil. Devour with crusty French bread, Garlic Bread, or Breadsticks!
Storage: Store the noodles separate from the soup. Keep noodles and soup covered in the fridge for up to 5-7 days; follow your nose.
Freezer: To freeze leftovers, place any cooled, cooked noodles in a ziplock freezer bag. You can put parchment paper between layers if you're worried about them sticking. The soup, ricotta mixture, and even the mozzarella can all be frozen in their own separate freezer ziplock bag. Make sure with each bag to squeeze out as much air as possible, seal, and then place in the freezer. The bags will be good there for about 2-3 months. See post for thawing tips.
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Follow the instructions as written, up through reducing the wine, cream, and tomato paste for 5 minutes. Once this mixture is reduced and like a paste, add it to a crock pot.
Add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 8 cups of water, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Stir. Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 4-8 hours.
Follow the recipe instructions for boiling the noodles and making the ricotta mixture. (If you really don't want to boil the noodles separate, add them to the crock pot and cook an extra 1-2 hours, until al dente.)
Serve the soup. Add 1 or 2 cooked lasagna noodles to a bowl. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Top with a healthy scoop of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil. Devour with crusty French bread, Garlic Bread, or Breadsticks!
Notes
*Boiling noodles: Listen, I know it’s super annoying to boil the noodles separately. Can’t you just toss the dry noodles into the soup? Yes, you totally can! Add an extra cup of water so the soup doesn’t get too thick. Just know that your noodles could end up overcooked, and any leftovers will definitely be soggy. I am perhaps a little fussy about this, haha. I prefer to serve and store the noodles separate, but you do you bro. Don’t let some food blogger tell you what to do.
These healthier oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have NO sugar, NO white flour, and only 2 tablespoons of butter in the whole batch! They are the perfect way to satisfy your mad chocolate cravings when you are supposed to be losing holiday pounds. Originally posted January 12, 2016. I saw this bumper sticker today: “How’s my…
These healthier oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have NO sugar, NO white flour, and only 2 tablespoons of butter in the whole batch! They are the perfect way to satisfy your mad chocolate cravings when you are supposed to be losing holiday pounds. Originally posted January 12, 2016.
I saw this bumper sticker today: “How’s my driving? Shoot me a text.” HA!
So my best friend Sarah announced on Facebook yesterday that she had just spent 4 hours creating the “Daniel Craig in Casino Royale 6 Week Meal Plan” as requested by her husband, and if anyone wanted a copy they could shoot her an email. (Click HERE if you want to see it! Thanks Sarah!) It is exactly what it sounds like: 40 days of meals similar to what Daniel Craig ate while training to be James Bond.
Eric and I were talking later and he was wondering if he should do it. I said no, I prefer soft bellies actually (mine included, most importantly). And I also said, “Daniel Craig is like 65 and not cute. Like a grandpa. But with abs. It’s disturbing.”
And he said, “You’re just wrong, Karen. Daniel Craig is legitimately hot.”
Well there you go, Daniel Craig. You win today. I think my husband has a man-crush on you.
But really, am I the only one?? Pierce Brosnan made a much sexier James Bond if you ask me.
Are you following a diet or any kind of meal plan this January? I had plans. But I also just ate 2 cookies, so…
You will love these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Healthy Cookies
But at least they were healthy-ish ones! My friend Amy from Amy’s Healthy Baking wrote a book all about Healthier Chocolate Treats and this is one of her recipes. How cool is that?? She is so talented. Her blog is all about healthy baking. Definitely check her out!
These skinny oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are perfect for January! (Or anyone who’s trying to look like Daniel Craig…) They are moist and lightly spiced with cinnamon.
Seriously, you can’t beat a cookie made from scratch and I’m not just talking about taste. These are no store-bought treat made of low-quality carbs and unhealthy fats stripped of nutrients during processing and preservation. No! The first ingredient alone, oats, is considered to be one of the healthiest whole grains out there, chock full of important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants! And that brings me to a good question.
Are Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Healthy?
Um . . . what even is healthy? Okay, I’m joking, but actually it’s good to step back now and again to think about what healthy means.
“Healthy” basically boils down to two things:
Calorie in versus calorie out. Balance. If you are eating fewer calories per day than you use, your body is still getting the daily calories it needs by burning excess fat, assuming you have excess fat. Otherwise, you are starving your body.
Bottom line, if your body isn’t getting your necessary calories somehow, you’re not eating healthy.
2. High-quality nutrients. Food doesn’t just provide energy (calories), it also provides the building blocks of life (nutrients). Variety matters. I don’t care how “healthy” kale is, eat nothing but kale every day and you will not get all your nutrients.
Bottom line, eating a wide variety of foods is the only way to get all those wonderful macro and micro nutrients.
So? The skinny on skinny oatmeal cookies? Are they healthy?
Folks, the good news is homemade oatmeal cookies can be a part of a healthy diet! The bad news is they have to be a small part of a healthy diet. (I hate it when there’s a catch.)
Like I said above, these cookies have nutrients aplenty. But with all those nutrients comes a lot of calories, all inside a little cookie. When big calories come in small packages, you don’t feel full fast and that can lead to excess eating. One of the best things about this better-option cookie recipe is that it only makes 12-15 cookies, which helps to keep portions under control.
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
Here’s all you need! (Quantities given in recipe below.) These cookies are built on pantry essentials, win!
Quick oats. While you can substitute old fashioned oats, I don’t recommend it (see below.)
Whole wheat flour. Substitute white flour if you want!
Baking powder
Cinnamon
Kosher salt. Substitute table salt if necessary, but usea little less.
Butter. Salted or unsalted butter is fine.
Vanilla
Large eggs
Honey
Dark chocolate chips
Optional: raisins, craisins, or toasted walnuts (yum!)
What’s the difference between quick oats and regular oats?
Oats are one of the healthiest whole grains, and that includes quick oats, one of the ingredients in these cookies. Quick oats are smaller, drier, flakier, and more processed than old fashioned rolled oats. (They are partially cooked and then dried. Good news, quick oats are still a whole grain.) Unless you’re in a pinch, use quick oats for this recipe. They absorb moisture and take on a softer, cookie-er texture than old fashioned rolled oats.
How to make Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
Now for the best part: baking! Here’s a simple overview of what to do and what to watch out for. (Step-by-step instructions given in the recipe below.)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
Mix dry ingredients together: oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Make sure you spoon and level your flour. I always do it with two measuring cups. Scoop with one cup, dump it in the one you need, then level off with the top of the measuring cup.
In a separate bowl, melt the butter. Whisk in the vanilla, then the egg. Whisk in the honey.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until it has just come together. Don’t overdo it, over mixing makes for tough cookies. (Then wipe out the bowl you used for your dry ingredients and toss it back in your cupboard!)
Save out about half of the chocolate chips. Use a sharp knife to roughly chop the remaining chocolate, then fold it into the dough.
The chocolate chips are divided: half in the dough, half jammed into the warm cookies after baking for maximum showiness. If showiness isn’t your thing today, own it. Toss all the chips in the dough with reckless abandon.
Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, or freeze for about 15 minutes. Don’t skip this step! Yes, we’re modern humans. Yes, we’re pressed for time. Yes, Daniel Craig has multiple action scenes as James Bond available on YouTube for you to consume while waiting 30 minutes. Chilling this lower-calorie cookie dough helps mimic the higher-calorie cookie texture and shape.
Shape the dough into about 12-15 cookies, depending on how much dough you ate. (What, just me?? I mean who can say no to this goodness??) Place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes, or until they have juuust started to brown on the edges.
Remove from the oven and immediately press the remaining chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies. They will melt immediately into pools of dark glory.
Let cool on the pan for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
How to store Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yes! In fact, try freezing single-serve portions before you let this buttery softness hit your tastebuds to better manage your waistline. Just let the cookies cool completely and toss them single-layered inside a ziplock. Squeeze out extra air. Voila, tomorrow’s treat, done today!
Another option is to freeze the dough itself. Spoon the dough balls onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (or a plate) and put in the freezer for 30 minutes. Place frozen dough balls into a labeled, freezer-safe storage bag. No need to thaw! Bake them straight from frozen, tacking on a couple minutes to the bake time. Freshly baked cookies, anytime you want!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe FAQs
What is the secret to chewy cookies?
Chilling cookie dough gives the finished cookie much chewier texture (not to mention great flavor). These cookies get (at least) 30 minutes of chilling time. Melted butter also makes for chewier cookies, so the small amount we’re using here is getting melted. It’s also important to measure ingredients correctly: you can improvise in cooking, but in baking, it’s best to stick with the given amounts to get the desired texture. Too much flour can straight up ruin an otherwise perfect cookie!
Why do my oatmeal cookies get hard?
The most important step to preventing hard cookies happens before the cookies are even baked. DO NOT add too much flour! I always use the “fluff and scoop” method. I fluff up the flour with a spoon, then use the same spoon to scoop it gently into the measuring cup before leveling it off. This recipe for healthier oatmeal cookies doesn’t call for too much flour, so you don’t have to worry too much. You’ll also want to keep your cookies in an airtight container. If you’re going to have them around for more than 2-3 days, I recommend freezing them. That way you can pop one in the microwave anytime you need a treat.
Why are my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies flat?
Traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are made with a heck ton of butter. If you put a stick of butter in the oven, it’s going to bake flat, right? Same thing will happen to your cookies if you don’t have the right balance of ingredients. If you are looking for some amazing (traditional, full-fat) oatmeal cookies that don’t bake flat, check out my Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies or these Very Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!
For today’s skinny cookie recipe, this is not going to be a problem for you at all! These are low fat cookies. There are only 2 tablespoons of butter in the whole batch. You are not going to have a problem with these cookies baking flat! Just make sure you follow the instructions to chill the dough before baking.
Did your grandma make you Chicken and Rice Casserole? It was my Grandma Georgia’s signature dish, pure comfort food. She called it “Chicken Continental.” She used Minute Rice and canned soup. I’ve updated the recipe to be completely from scratch, with a homemade sauce and white rice (which is more nutritious.) It’s still really easy,…
Did your grandma make you Chicken and Rice Casserole? It was my Grandma Georgia’s signature dish, pure comfort food. She called it “Chicken Continental.” She used Minute Rice and canned soup. I’ve updated the recipe to be completely from scratch, with a homemade sauce and white rice (which is more nutritious.) It’s still really easy, and a great old-fashioned recipe for when you feel like you need a warm hug from your dinner!
This post is sponsored by Zoup! Good, Really Good®, but all opinions are my own of course! Thanks for supporting the amazing brands that keep The Food Charlatan chugging along.
My Grandma Georgia was an amazing lady who grew up poor, helping her family on their farm from a young age. She remembers hearing the wind whistle between the wooden slats of their house growing up in the 1920s. Once when I was like 13, she saw me wearing overalls and she gave me a funny look. “Why are you wearing those? When I was a girl, that’s what I wore when I went outside to WORK.” My 2001 fashion statement was strange to her. (To be fair, if you saw pictures of me when I was 13, you would think I looked strange no matter what I wore. Puberty hit me HARD, y’all 😂)
Grandma would bring us roses cut from her garden every time she visited in the spring. She had porcelain figurines (dogs, cats, dancing ladies) all over her house that I adored. She made me a homemade dress every Christmas, and quilts too. She grew her own grapes and blackberries in the backyard and made the most amazing juice and pies.
One time when I was very young, grandma had to cancel dinner plans because she got a stomach bug. We decided to make her get well cards. I drew an extremely detailed picture of her bathroom, down to the bath toys she had for us, and the potpourri on the back of the toilet. I was very proud of my picture, and devastated when my sister told me we probably shouldn’t give it to her…because it also showed grandma on her knees violently throwing up in the toilet. (Still wish someone had saved that picture, ha!)
My grandma passed away when I was 20 years old, about a month after my wedding. We had just spent time together, and Eric and I were poor. (Not overalls-poor, not wind-in-the-slats-poor…but just starting out, and we felt poor). I lived out of state and decided not to attend the funeral, since I had been able to say my goodbyes at the wedding. I don’t have a lot of intense regrets in my life, but this is one of them. Funerals are much more about closure for the living, something I didn’t realize at the time.
I’ve come to terms with it, but there is still a hint of yearning, a little bittersweetness, whenever I think deeply about her, that I don’t think I will ever lose.
When I make her recipes, I feel a little connection to my past, a connection to HER, that I treasure so much. She was the most quintessential of grandmothers so of COURSE she was a phenomenal cook. My siblings and I often reminisce about the good ol days when she would serve up Chicken and Dumplings with a glass of fresh grape juice and Blackberry Torte for dessert (recipe coming this summer!)
Her signature dish was this “Chicken Continental,” or chicken and rice casserole. I can’t even describe the dreamy look in my dad’s eye when he talks about his mom making this dish. There is something about food from your childhood, right? His and mine both. It’s like a hug from your dinner…the next best thing to an actual hug from your Grandma.
Old-fashioned chicken and rice casserole
The recipe sounds so basic. Chicken and rice, what’s the big deal? Sounds kinda dry right. But I’m telling you, get ready for some MAGIC. When I finally nailed the recipe, I sent it to my best friend Sarah and she made it for her family. She texted me:
The depth of flavor is legit. The chicken gets cooked alongside the rice, and absorbs all the amazing flavor. We are using skin-on, bone-in chicken, and that’s not an apology. I told you, this recipe is old school. After breading and browning it, the skin magically stays super crispy throughout the bake, even with the moisture of the rice.
Using bone-in dark meat, like drumsticks and thighs, ensures that the chicken doesn’t get dry, even with the long bake time. Grandma Georgia’s original recipe calls for searing a whole fryer chicken, but I’m not mature enough for that. 😂 Using bone-in dark meat gives you the same result.
After searing the chicken, Grandma mixed together a couple cans of cream of mushroom soup with some Minute rice and tossed it all in the oven. Today we are making our own sauce instead of canned soup. I promise it’s not hard, and the flavor is so good.
We are also using regular white rice. Minute Rice is basically half cooked white rice, and it turns out pretty gummy. It also doesn’t have a lot of nutrients (we need that fiber!), and it’s not an ingredient I usually have in my pantry (but I always have rice). The total time for baking ends up being longer using white rice, but I think it’s worth it.
This recipe is NOT the same as a Chicken Broccoli Casserole. That recipe starts out similar, with some cream of chicken soup and chicken, but ends with a panko topping and lots of gooey cheddar cheese. Cheese is always a good idea right?
No no no. I LOVE me some cheese my friends, but it has no place in this dish. Cheese would overpower the deep chicken flavor we are going for in this recipe.
My absolute favorite part of this dish is the crispy bits of rice on the edges and bottom of the pan that Sarah mentioned. Almost every culture that uses rice as the staff of its diet has a name for the crispy, golden rice. Persians call it Tahdig. In the Dominican Republic they call it “concon.” In Indonesia it’s called “intip.”
You can see it in the photo above, the golden crisp rice on the top and left side that still has the shape of the pan it was scraped from. It’s SO good.
Zoup! Culinary Concentrate™
Today’s post is brought to you by Grandma Georgia, of course, but also by Zoup! Good, Really Good®. I’ve worked with Zoup! in the past using their chicken broth (Creamy Turkey Rice Soup) and beef broth (Beef Bourguignon). Let me tell you, this company knows what’s up when it comes to flavorful broths! That’s actually how they got started, they were the team behind an actual soup restaurant (Zoup! Eatery) before they started expanding into products. So they really know how to bring in that flavor!
This time they asked me to try out their new product, Zoup! Culinary Concentrate™. I was SO excited. I’ll tell you a secret, I almost never have regular broth on hand in my kitchen. I rely on broth bases that are concentrated, so that I can just add water to them to make broth when I need it. It’s not only my favorite way to have instant shelf-stable broth on hand at all times, but it’s also my secret ingredient in SO many recipes, even those that don’t call for broth. A spoonful-here or a stir-in there takes your ho-hum soup or stir fry up about 10 notches in 10 seconds.
There are not a lot of brands that offer this product and I’m SO glad that Zoup! has branched into this market! Just look at the gorgeous color of this base. You will not believe how amazing it smells. It’s so good, and you can even turn it into a sipping broth. It’s good enough to drink, just mix with hot water. There are no artificial flavors, no preservatives, no inexpensive fillers, and no added sugars.
I love Zoup! because they make their products in small batches, meaning the nuances of the recipe don’t get lost. So far, they are offering beef, chicken, and vegan broth bases. The depth from this concentrate seeps into the rice in today’s casserole and makes every single bite so, so flavorful. They are not cutting corners and it shows!
I found Zoup! Culinary Concentrate™ at my local grocery store, but you can also get it at Zoupbroth.com or on Amazon. In addition to these broth bases, Zoup! also offers traditional broths and bone broths, including chicken, beef, and veggie, plus super-premium, shelf-stable soups available in nine, flavor-forward recipes, like Chicken Potpie and Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Sage.
If you buy these products on Amazon, I have a code for 20% off your first order! It’s 20Charlatan. The code is valid until April 12, 2024. Follow ZoupGoodReallyGoodBroth on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and Pinterest!
Chicken and rice casserole recipe ingredients
Back to the recipe! Here’s everything you need to make Grandma Georgia’s rice and chicken casserole! You probably already have a lot of these spices in your cupboard. Take a look, and be sure to check out the recipe card for exact amounts and instructions.
This recipe is so easy! My grandma used an entire fryer chicken to make this recipe, that she would break down herself, but umm…I’m not grown up enough for that 😂 So instead we are cheating by using some thighs and drumsticks.
Dark meat all the way! (You could certainly make this with chicken breasts, but your chicken might get a little dry in the oven since it has to cook so long.) Coat your chicken in the flour mixture, and DON’T throw away the leftover flour!
Now it’s time to sear the heck out of your breaded chicken! Crank up the heat and brown the chicken in some oil. My grandma did this in butter (that’s what the recipe says!), but I have no idea how she didn’t burn the butter in the process. Vegetable oil has a higher smoke point, so it can handle a hot sear without smoking or scorching. To add in the flavor of the butter though, we are flipping the chicken and adding it to the pan for the sear on the second side. It does the job great! Gimme all that buttery flavor.
Now if you haven’t already, take a minute to chop up your veggies: onions, celery and garlic. I used fresh garlic this time, but I often cheat and just use the jarred stuff.
You want to chop your veggies on the small side. We are looking for flavor, but the onion and celery should kind of melt into the sauce and rice. My grandma actually grated her onion, and didn’t use a ton, just a few tablespoons. I wanted bigger onion flavor (and I’m way too lazy to grate…are you noticing a theme here?? 😂) It’s workin for me guys!
Okay now we are going to turn this into a white sauce. Mine is usually not white at all, because I tend to be an onion browner, not to mention a chicken-searer-gone-rogue. I love blackened edges too much, okay??
Your onions will start to stick together like this once you add the flour to the mixture.
Now it’s time to add in our Zoup Culinary Concentrate™! This stuff is liquid GOLD you guys. Give it a sniff, it will knock you out, it smells so good. Stir it into your onions and let the aroma transport you to your childhood.
Next we’re going to add in some milk and water to turn it into a creamy sauce. You have to stir constantly as you add the liquid, so the sauce doesn’t get clumpy.
Do you cook rice before putting it in a casserole?
We are not cooking the rice before it goes in the oven! Add the remaining water and rinsed rice straight to the casserole dish.
Add the white sauce to the casserole dish with the rice and water, then top with the seared chicken. Doesn’t it look so good already??
Don’t forget to tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil before putting it in the oven. This is really important! You must cover a pot of rice when you cook it on the stove, to lock in the steam, and the same thing applies here.
Then, cook in the oven for a good long while. Usually we wouldn’t bake chicken this long, but this is a special case. With all the moisture and steam, plus using only dark meat, the chicken comes out tender and flavorful, not dry at all.
The casserole does take a while to bake, so plan ahead. But from this point on you can just sit back and relax, the work is done!
Make some broccoli as a side dish, sprinkle on some parsley garnish, and bon appetit! I wish you could see my dad’s face when I make this for him. Grandma Georgia was his mom. There is NOTHING that brings you back like the smells and tastes of your mama’s kitchen!
What to serve with chicken rice casserole
There is usually a lot going on in a casserole, so I tend to prefer simpler sides. My favorite sides are usually some kind of salad or a cooked vegetable I know my kids will eat. Here are some great options!
Easy Roasted Broccoli Recipe >> definitely one of my family’s favorite veggie sides (and you can use frozen, huge win)
This is a really easy meal to store. Spoon the casserole into an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. Easy peasy! It’ll last in the fridge for 4-5 days. If you wanted, you could use individual meal prep containers and add a portion of rice and a piece of chicken to each to make easy lunches throughout the week. To reheat, warm it covered in the microwave at 50% heat for 2-3 minutes until hot.
Can you freeze chicken and rice casserole?
Freezing leftover casserole is a great idea when you have a lot leftover or want to store individual portions for another time. It works great! Wait for the chicken and rice to cool, then add to freezer ziplock bags or freezer safe containers with airtight lids.
If you really want to get ahead in life, you can prepare this meal in disposable foil casserole trays and freeze directly in the tray after cooking. Put the cooled pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes to flash freeze. Take out, wrap well in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil. Label the top in sharpie so you don’t forget what it is! It will last in the freezer for 3-4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and place individual portions in the microwave, cover, and heat at 50% power for 2-3 minutes.
To reheat an entire frozen pan, first be sure to remove the plastic wrap. Put the foil back on and put the pan into a cold oven. Set the temperature to 350 degrees. The casserole should be ready in about 2 hours. You can remove the foil the last 10-15 minutes if you’d like to get it browned. You can also thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
Rice and chicken casserole frequently asked questions
what are the four components to a casserole?
There are obviously huge variations among casseroles, and some may not have every single component. But generally, what you’ll find in casseroles are a starch, a protein, a vegetable, and a binding agent or sauce. For this chicken and rice casserole, we’re doing three of the four , leaving veggies out to ride solo on the plate next to the casserole.
how do you make chicken and rice casserole?
It’s a pretty simple concept! We’re going to lightly bread and sear some chicken pieces, then make a delicious white sauce to douse the chicken and rice in a casserole dish. For a step-by-step guide, you can look through the “How to” section above or check out the recipe card below!
Can you reheat chicken and rice casserole?
Absolutely! It can be warmed up in the microwave or in the oven. Over cooked chicken tends to get dried out, so if you use the microwave use 50% power and be sure to keep a cover over the food to keep moisture in and block splatter.
To reheat the entire casserole dish in the oven, add a couple tablespoons water to the bottom of the pan, if there are some servings missing. This will help keep it from scorching. Learned that trick from my mother-in-law! Then make sure it’s covered tightly in foil to keep moisture in, and put the dish into a cold oven. This is mostly to prevent a cold glass dish from breaking by going into a hot oven, so you can preheat if you’re not using glass. Then set a timer for 45 minutes. Check after the timer goes off, it may need another 15-30 minutes to get hot depending on your baking dish, and how much is in it. Because it makes so much, you can even split into two pans and bake that way. This works great for busy weeknights!
More comfort food meals you’ll love
I don’t know about you, but anything my Grandma made growing up counts as comfort food, so this casserole is on my list for sure! Check out these other recipes I love to make when I need a big hug from my dinner.
Did your grandma make you Chicken and Rice Casserole? It was one of my Grandma Georgia's signature dishes. She called it "Chicken Continental." It called for Minute Rice and canned soup. I've updated the recipe to be completely from scratch, with a homemade sauce and regular white rice (which is more nutritious.) It's still really easy, and a great old fashioned recipe for when you feel like you need a warm hug from your dinner!
1 and 3/4cupwhite long grain ricerinsed until the water runs clear
parsleychopped, to garnish
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the edges of a large 9×13 inch casserole dish and set aside.
Chop the veggies: Finely dice 1 medium onion, in smaller pieces than you normally do. Dice 3/4 cup celery, don't be afraid to chop up some celery leaves too, they have great flavor. (I chop from the end of the full head of celery, I don't bother with individual stalks.) Smash and mince 1 tablespoon garlic (or, use the garlic from a jar if you are feeling lazy). Set aside.
Make the flour mixture: In a medium bowl, add 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir together.
Trim any excess skin off of the edges of the chicken thighs, if there is a lot hanging off. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, being sure to coat each piece top and bottom and all over. DO NOT discard the remaining seasoned flour!
Sear the chicken: Heat a high-sided 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat. Add the chicken in a single layer; do not crowd the pan. Leave 1-2 inches of space in between pieces. Do it in two batches if your pan is small. Let the chicken sear over medium high heat for about 2 minutes, until well-browned. We are not cooking it all the way, just browning the edges.
Use tongs to flip each piece of chicken. Once the chicken is flipped, add 2 tablespoon butter and swirl around the edges of the chicken, lowering the heat a little if necessary to avoid burning the butter. After 1-2 minutes of searing the second side, when it is nice and browned, remove the chicken to the same plate from before.
Make the white sauce: Leave any drippings in the pan. Lower the heat to medium. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Add the diced onion and celery and saute for about 4 minutes until soft. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
Measure the remaining seasoned flour mixture (that you have leftover from dredging the chicken). Add more flour as necessary to make sure it comes to about 1/2 cup. Slowly sprinkle the flour over the onions, stirring as you go.
Stirring constantly, gradually add 1 cup milk, whisking constantly to break up the flour. Do not add more liquid until the last bit has been incorporated.
Slowly pour 1 cup water into the onions, stirring constantly to make sure it combines with the sauce; you don't want lumps. Once it is incorporated, cook the mixture over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Rinse 1 and 3/4 cup white rice in a strainer under running water. Rinse until the water runs clear, at least 30-60 seconds (this makes your rice less gummy.) Add the rice to the greased 9×13 inch casserole dish. Add 1 and 3/4 cup water to the rice in the dish.
Add the white sauce mixture to the rice and water in the pan, and stir.
Place the chicken on top of the rice mixture. It will sink down a bit, that's okay. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, this is very important! Sometimes I even wrap the foil around the bottom of the dish just to make sure I have a good seal.
Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. At this point, turn the oven up to 400 degrees and bake for another 20-30 minutes. When the chicken is nice and brown, and the rice looks bubbly and thick on top, it's done. The edges of the pan should be very brown. The liquid will not look completely absorbed. To be 100% sure the rice is cooked, you can nab a spoonful from the center and taste it to see if it's nice and soft. If not, leave it in another 10 minutes. The chicken should be above 165 degrees. The top of the casserole will still look a little liquidy. The casserole will settle as it rests and continue absorbing some of the sauce, but it is meant to be a little saucy, it won't look as dry as rice you've cooked with water. The rice should be soft and the pan should be jiggly but not sloshy when you shake it.
Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes. Serve right away, sprinkled with chopped parsley as a garnish. I love this Easy Roasted Broccoli Recipe as a side dish with this meal!
This Easy Cheeseburger Soup is a quick and easy weeknight meal! No drive thru needed for the satisfying cheeseburger flavors you’re craving. The pickles and bacon on top are the perfect garnish. Make this for game day, a chilly night, or anytime you want dinner done in 45 minutes. It’s easy to throw together, and…
This Easy Cheeseburger Soup is a quick and easy weeknight meal! No drive thru needed for the satisfying cheeseburger flavors you’re craving. The pickles and bacon on top are the perfect garnish. Make this for game day, a chilly night, or anytime you want dinner done in 45 minutes. It’s easy to throw together, and if you’re already at the store you can grab a package of sesame buns to butter and toast for homemade croutons.Originally published March 21, 2014.
The other day I saw something small on my kitchen floor and bent over to pick it up. I’m on a constant quest to keep the floor spotless, because Truman is still in the stage where he puts everything in his mouth.
But then I realized that it was a piece of lettuce. And I was THIS CLOSE to putting it back.
We’re bringing “tricking our kids into eating vegetables” to a whooooooole different level over here, guys.
Speaking of baby boys, my friend Claire over at Lemon Jelly Cake just had a sweet little boy a few weeks ago. Today I’m posting over there to give her a break so that she can get some freaking sleep snuggle with her baby. (The recipe is now available below.)
Claire asked me to make something that I would bring to a new mom in real life, and I instantly thought of soup, because it’s warm and comforting and fills you up when you need 5,000 calories per meal to keep up with nursing. Or was that just what I told myself way back when?
It really does taste like a bacon cheeseburger, pickles and all. And I don’t even like pickles. This soup is best served immediately because it has fresh iceberg lettuce in it. (Don’t be weirded out. Just trust me.)
Ingredients for the Best Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
Here’s a quick list of everything you need to make this soup. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a full list!
Onion
Ground beef
Tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
Yellow mustard
Beef broth (or use Better than Bouillon beef base, love that stuff)
Velveeta cheese
Iceberg lettuce
Grape or cherry tomatoes
Chopped pickles (relish would work too, for garnish)
Bacon (cooked, and crumbled, for garnish)
How to make Cheeseburger Soup with Velveeta
I love how easy this soup is. Here’s how you make it!
Cook the onion and ground beef over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is cooked through. Use a spoon to remove the grease.
Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard, and stir that together for about 2-3 minutes. Add the beef broth and Velveeta. Stir until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
Add the grape tomatoes and lettuce, (it will look like WAY too much, but it will cook down, don’t worry) and simmer until the lettuce has just barely wilted, about 2 minutes.
Garnish with chopped pickles and cooked bacon.
Tips for making this Recipe for Cheeseburger Soup
Here are a couple tips for making this easy cheeseburger soup recipe turn out just right, every time.
Drain the grease. I already recommend using lean ground beef (like 90/10) for this soup, but you’ll still want to drain off extra grease.
Garnish right before eating. No one likes soggy lettuce! We’re letting it wilt for just a couple minutes. If you won’t finish off all the soup in one night, consider garnishing individual bowls with lettuce and tomato, rather than adding it all to the soup pot.
Cheeseburger Soup Recipe variations and substitutions
Just like a burger, you can have this soup your way. Here are a few ideas!
Make it vegetarian. Use a pound of your preferred ground beef substitute (like Impossible plant-based ground beef, or Beyond Beef, or Wegmans “Don’t Have a Cow” crumbles) instead of the regular ground beef. Omit the bacon, of course.
Sub your meat. Ground turkey works in this too!
Add mushrooms. Saute up some white button mushrooms or baby bellas and add them as a topping with the lettuce and tomatoes.
More cheese. If you’re a Swiss burger lover or you’ve got some pepper jack cheese on hand, add a slice or a sprinkling of grated cheese and let it melt on top of the hot soup. Cheddar cheese, Colby jack cheese, it’s all good. The creaminess!!
Fancy it up. See serving suggestions immediately below for how to gussy up this soup and send it off to the dinner table in style (or just serve it as an easy dinner just the way it is).
Give it a kick. Add a little hot sauce!
How to Serve the Best Ever Cheeseburger Soup
I serve this soup as a one-and-done kind of dinner, but here are a few ideas for giving your meal a little somethin somethin.
Brush some sesame seed buns with butter, cut them into 1.5 inch pieces, toast them in the oven, and serve your bun-croutons on top of the soup.
Throw some frozen french fries in the oven and serve them on top (or on the side).
Top each serving with half a toasted, buttered sesame seed bun, like a little hat for the soup (and of course, dip it in).
How to Store the Best Cheeseburger Soup
This cheeseburger soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, but I recommend leaving the lettuce out of whatever portion you’re not serving right away. That way you can add it last minute and get more crispy-crunchy goodness. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months. In this case, I’d recommend adding both the lettuce AND tomatoes after you defrost and reheat it on the stove.
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, add the onion and ground beef. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is cooked through. Use a spoon to remove the grease.
Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard, and stir that together for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the beef broth and velveeta. Stir until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
Add the grape tomatoes and lettuce, (it will look like WAY too much, but it will cook down, don’t worry) and cook until the lettuce has just barely wilted, about 2 minutes.
Garnish with chopped pickles and cooked bacon.
Notes
Source: from Savoring Sarah, a blog that has been taken down.
