Main Course

Olive Garden Copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This recipe is the ultimate Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup copycat! Use a rotisserie chicken for the best flavor and to make things easier. Serve with hot bread sticks to have a complete Olive Garden experience, right at home. This recipe is simple and quick to make, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner and a family favorite!

Olive Garden Copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup

sofiyababinov
This recipe is the ultimate Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup copycat! Use a rotisserie chicken for the best flavor and to make things easier. Serve with hot bread sticks to have a complete Olive Garden experience, right at home. This recipe is simple and quick to make, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner and a family favorite!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 TBS Olive Oil
  • 4 TBS Butter
  • 1 Onion finely diced
  • 1 Cup Celery finely diced
  • 1 Quart Half & Half
  • 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 2 Carrots finely shredded
  • 30 oz Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • Ground Nutmeg to taste, a little dash
  • 1/8 tsp Ground Thyme
  • 1/2 tsp Dry Parsley Flakes
  • 1 Cup Spinach coarsely chopped
  • 1 18 oz Pack Gnocchi
  • 2 Cups Cooked Chicken Breast cubed, rotisserie chicken works best

Instructions
 

  • Do all of your prep work first, this makes it a lot easier as you go! Wash, peel and shred the carrots. Wash and coarsely cut the spinach. Peel and finely cut the onion. Mince the garlic cloves. Wash and finely dice the celery. The onion, garlic and celery can all be set aside in one plate.
  • Heat 2 TBS of olive oil in a large pot, on medium heat. Add 4 TBS butter into the oil and let it melt.
  • Add the onion, celery, and garlic into the pot. Stir and cook until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
  • When the onion is soft and translucent, whisk in the flour, a little bit at a time as you constantly whisk so it doesn’t burn, for about a minute to get a flour roux.
  • Whisk in the Half & Half, simmer until it thickens up a bit. Add the chicken broth in. Mix it and let it simmer until it thickens again, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the shredded carrots, gnocchi, chopped spinach leaves, and the cooked, cubed chicken.
  • Continue to simmer on medium heat, until the soup is completely heated through and the gnocchi are soft. Approximately 5-10 minutes.

Notes

Serve with hot bread sticks to have a complete Olive Garden experience, right at home.
Keyword easy, Italian, restaurant, soup

Carrabba’s Alfredo Pasta with Scallops

This is the authentic Carrabba’s Italian Grill Alfredo sauce recipe from Carrabba’s Italian Grill Cookbook (with a minor tweak), and it is our favorite homemade Alfredo sauce! You can serve this sauce with any pasta and protein/veggie of choice. It’s super quick and easy to make! This Alfredo sauce can be made up to 2 hours in advance and stored at room temperature, covered. This recipe makes enough Alfredo sauce to perfectly coat 1 LB pasta.

Carrabba’s Alfredo Pasta with Scallops

sofiyababinov
This is the authentic Carrabba's Italian Grill Alfredo sauce recipe from Carrabba's Italian Grill Cookbook (with a minor tweak), and it is our favorite homemade Alfredo sauce! You can serve this sauce with any pasta and protein/veggie of choice. It's super quick and easy to make! This Alfredo sauce can be made up to 2 hours in advance and stored at room temperature, covered. This recipe makes enough Alfredo sauce to perfectly coat 1 LB pasta.
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Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 4 TBS Butter unsalted
  • 1 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 Cup Whole Milk
  • 1 Garlic Clove minced
  • 1 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt/Pepper to taste
  • 1 LB Pasta of choice

Scallops (Optional)

  • 2 LB Wild Caught Sea Scallops
  • 2-3 TBS Butter
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, melt 4 TBS unsalted butter on medium heat. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. (The garlic is optional, not a part of the cookbook recipe but my addition).
  • Add in 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally so the mixture doesn't boil over. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add in 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese. Mix well and take off the burner. This last step is optional and my addition to the original Carrabba's Italian Restuarant cookbook recipe. In my opinion it takes the Alfredo sauce to a whole new level of flavor!

Scallops Recipe:

  • Melt 2-3 TBS butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add scallops to the pan, spreading them all out for even cooking. Drain out any water that accumulates in the pan while scallops are cooking.
  • Cook the scallops about 5 minutes on one side, then gently flip them and cook an additional 5 minutes or so on the other side. The key to perfectly cooked scallops is golden on the outside and tender (not overcooked) on the inside.
  • Add desired number of scallops to each plate of Alfredo pasta and serve!

Notes

You can add scallops, any protein or veggie of choice to this Alredo pasta dish!
Keyword 30 minutes, easy, Italian, restaurant, seafood

Turkey Sausage Meatball Zuppa Toscana Soup

This Turkey Sausage Meatball Zuppa Toscana Soup is a faster, easier, and arguably yummier version of the famous Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup. Lean and delicious Italian turkey sausage meatballs (homemade or store bought) are a great substitute for the typical pork sausage used in this recipe. This is definitely a family favorite recipe!

Turkey Sausage Meatball Zuppa Toscana Soup

sofiyababinov
This Turkey Sausage Meatball Zuppa Toscana Soup is a faster, easier, and arguably yummier version of the famous Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup. Lean and delicious Italian turkey sausage meatballs (homemade or store bought) are a great substitute for the typical pork sausage used in this recipe. This is definitely a family favorite recipe!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 1 LB Ground Turkey Sausage Meat store bought or homemade (in notes below)
  • 1 TBS Olive Oil for frying meatballs
  • 12 Cups Filtered Water
  • 4-5 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
  • 4-5 Red Skin Potatoes washed, thickly sliced
  • 1/2 Bag Kale washed, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions
 

  • Form little (1 inch) meatballs from the store bought (or homemade, see notes below) ground Italian turkey sausage meat and set aside.
  • Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the Italian turkey sausage meatballs. Cook, flipping meatballs from side to side, until meatballs are well cooked through.
  • Boil 12 cups filtered water in a big pot on high heat. Once water comes to a boil, add 3 chicken bouillon cubes and the fully cooked turkey sausage meatballs.
  • Lower heat to medium high. Add in the sliced red skin potatoes. Cook 10-15 minutes until potatoes cook through. Once potatoes are cooked through, add 1/2 large bunch (or bag) of chopped kale.
  • Add in 2 cups of heavy whipping cream. Once the kale is soft and cooked through, the soup is done. Add another 1-2 chicken bouillon cubes, to taste. No salt necessary because the bouillon cubes add enough salt to the soup. Mix well and serve hot!
  • This soup tastes great the next day too. Just warm up as much as you need in a small pot on medium heat.

Notes

If you can’t find store bought ground Italian turkey sausage meat, you can use Italian turkey sausages and just squeeze the ground meat out of the sausage skins or you can make your own Italian turkey sausage ground meat using this recipe:
Ingredients: 1 LB Ground Turkey, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Italian Seasoning, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder, 1/2 tsp Onion Powder, 1/2 tsp Dry Oregano, 1/2 tsp Dry Basil, 2 tsp Dry Parsley, 1/4-1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (mild or spicy).
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Form into about 1 inch meatballs.
Keyword 30 minutes, easy, soup, turkey

Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) 

These Thai Drunken Noodles taste better than any restaurant version I’ve ever had. This is one of the easiest and quickest recipes and one of our favorite dishes! A trip to your local Asian grocery store is necessary to get certain ingredients. You can make this dish plain, with veggies, shrimp, or any protein of your choice. It’s very versatile!

Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

sofiyababinov
These Thai Drunken Noodles taste better than any restaurant version I've ever had. This is one of the easiest and quickest recipes and one of our favorite dishes! A trip to your local Asian grocery store is necessary to get certain ingredients. You can make this dish plain, with veggies, shrimp, or any protein of your choice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 LB Shrimp or any protein of choice
  • 1 LB Wide Rice Noodles wide or any rice noodles of choice
  • 1 Thai Chili Pepper less or more depending on your preference
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 1 TBS Olive Oil for frying
  • 1 Can Baby Corn drained
  • Any other vegetables of choice I usually add whatever we have on hand
  • 4 TBS Butter for baking shrimp
  • 4 tsp Fish Sauce

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 3 TBS Dark Soy Sauce
  • 3 TBS Light Soy Sauce
  • 6 TBS Oyster Sauce
  • 4 tsp Sugar
  • 2 TBS Water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel, devein and wash the shrimp. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Put shrimp into a large glass baking dish, add 4 TBS butter and bake for 15-20 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through. Once cooked through, set aside. Meanwhile continue to next steps.
  • Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Some tricks I learned to attain perfect rice noodles is adding 1 TBS of olive oil to the pot of boiled water when cooking rice noodles to keep the noodles from sticking together. I also stir the noodles constantly to prevent sticking. Set cooked noodles aside.
  • Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 TBS olive oil on medium heat. Add in 1 finely chopped Thai chili pepper (less or more depending how spicy you prefer), add in 3 minced garlic cloves. Stir until fragrant.
  • Add in the cooked shrimp (butter/water drained). Add 4 tsp fish sauce. Cook a few minutes, until the shrimp crisps up to your preference, 5-10 minutes.
  • Add in the cooked rice noodles. Pour the sauce over the noodles and shrimp. Mix well. Turn the heat down to low. Cook until rice noodles are hot and have absorbed the sauce, about 10 minutes.
  • Lastly, add canned baby corn (drained) and/or any other veggies you want to add. Cook an additional few minutes until veggies are cooked through.

Notes

Make sure you use both Dark and Light Soy Sauce or the sauce will be too salty and not the right flavor.
Some tricks I learned to attain perfect rice noodles is adding 1 TBS of olive oil to the pot of boiled water when cooking rice noodles to keep the noodles from sticking together. I also stir the noodles constantly to prevent sticking.
If you decide to add diced onion, add it in the beginning with the Thai chili pepper.
This recipe reheats well. Fry the Drunken Noodles on a skillet with 1 TBS butter on low heat to heat up.
The Dark Soy sauce, Light Soy sauce, Fish sauce, Oyster sauce and wide Rice noodles can all be found at your local Asian grocery store.  
You can customize this dish with your favorite veggies and protein. I sometimes add mushrooms, scallions, Thai basil. Sometimes I make it with sliced chicken breast instead of shrimp. It’s super versatile! 
Keyword 30 minutes, easy, noodles, shrimp, Thai

Lamb Shurpa Soup

Hearty and comforting Lamb Shurpa Soup takes me back to my Eastern European roots. Nothing better on a cold winters day! You can use beef if you prefer. This soup is easy to make and tastes even better the next day.

Lamb Shurpa Soup

sofiyababinov
Hearty and comforting Lamb Shurpa Soup takes me back to my Eastern European roots. Nothing better on a cold winters day! You can use beef if you prefer. This soup is easy to make and tastes even better the next day.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine European
Servings 12 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5-3 LB Lamb Chops washed, patted dry
  • 3 Carrots chopped into circles
  • 2 Green Bell Peppers cubed
  • 1 Onion finely chopped
  • 1 Large Tomato finely chopped
  • 2 LB Potatoes cubed
  • 1 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste
  • 1 TBS Salt
  • 1 tsp Onion & Garlic Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Mrs.Dash Seasoning or any salt-free seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • Parsley optional, to taste
  • Dill optional, to taste
  • 8 oz. Pasta of choice optional

For frying lamb chops and vegetables:

  • Montreal Chicken Seasoning to taste
  • Onion & Garlic Seasoning to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • 3-4 TBS Olive Oil

Instructions
 

  • Wash lamb chops and pat them dry. Set a large skillet with 2 TBS olive oil on medium heat. Add the lamb chops. Season lamb chops on both sides. I seasoned with salt and onion & garlic seasoning on one side and Montreal chicken seasoning on the other side.
  • Fry lamb chops until they are completely cooked through and seared.
  • Set a large pot with 17 cups water on high heat. Bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower to medium heat. Add in the lamb chops and let lamb chops cook for 30 minutes. Skim off impurities (foam) that rises to the top.
  • After 30 minutes add the salt, spices of choice and potatoes. Meanwhile move on to the next step.
  • Set a pan with 2 TBS olive oil on medium heat. Add in the carrots and bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the onion and tomato. Season with salt and any seasoning of choice. Cook until veggies are a tender, about 10 minutes (they'll finish cooking in the soup).
  • Add 1 can of tomato paste to the skillet with veggies and let it cook a few minutes to thin out the tomato paste.
  • Add the cooked veggies/tomato paste into the pot of soup and cook until potatoes are cooked through.
  • If you want some pasta in the soup you can cook 8 oz. pasta of your choice in a small pot, according to package instructions and set it aside.
  • Once potatoes have cooked through and soup is done, turn off the burner and add 3 minced garlic cloves and optionally dill and parsley to taste. Add more salt or seasoning if needed!
  • To serve put pasta into bowls, ladle soup over pasta.

Notes

We cook the pasta for this soup in a separate pot so the pasta doesn’t get soggy and absorb all the soup broth.
Keyword easy, lamb, main course, soup

Grilled Bulgogi Shrimp

It’s finally cooling down outside and the perfect weather for grilling. If you’re in the mood for grilling but tired of meat, these Bulgogi Shrimp don’t disappoint! Plump, juicy, grilled to perfection shrimp with a hint of a smoky Bulgogi flavor. I first had Bulgogi Shrimp at an amazing Korean BBQ restaurant here in Charlotte and knew immediately I’d be making these at home. Super easy and fast to grill, just make sure you give the shrimp at least 1 night to marinate. A trip to your local Asian market is required to get the Bulgogi sauce needed to marinate this shrimp.

Grilled Bulgogi Shrimp

Plump, juicy, grilled to perfection shrimp with a hint of a smoky Bulgogi flavor. If you're in the mood for grilling but tired of meat, these Bulgogi Shrimp don't disappoint! Super easy and fast to grill, just make sure you give the shrimp at least 1 night to marinate.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Grill

Ingredients
  

  • 2 LB Shrimp raw, peeled and deveined
  • 1 29.7 oz. Jar Korean BBQ Bulgogi Sauce enough to cover the shrimp in the sauce
  • 16 Bamboo Skewers for grilling

Instructions
 

  • Peel, devein, and wash the shrimp. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels, put shrimp into a big bowl.
  • Add enough Korean BBQ Bulgogi Sauce (I used about 3/4 of the 29.7 oz. jar). Mix well. Cover the bowl with a lid and let the shrimp marinate in the Bulgogi sauce overnight for best flavor, or for at least 6 hrs.

Grilling Instructions:

  • Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes, this is so the wood doesn't split while you are putting shrimp on skewers. Pat skewers dry with paper towels.
  • Put shrimp onto skewers. I put 6-7 shrimp on each skewer. I had 16 skewers total and the average person ate 2 skewers (with some white rice and steamed veggies on the side).
  • Grill the shrimp until fully cooked to your preference. You don't want to overcook shrimp so they don't taste rubbery. With the preheated grill they took about 10-15 minutes to grill. We flipped them once halfway through, for even cooking on both sides. We use a special kind of charcoal for grilling these Bulgogi shrimp (or anything we grilll really) for the best flavor: Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal (we use Frontier brand).
  • You can also bake these Bulgogi shrimp but we prefer the smoky, charred flavor that only the grill can give! Bake in 400 degrees until shrimp cook through. Another option is an indoor griddle grill.

Notes

We use a special kind of charcoal for grilling these Bulgogi shrimp for the best flavor: Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal (we use Frontier brand).
You can also bake these Bulgogi shrimp but we prefer the smoky, charred flavor that only the grill can give!
I serve these with white rice and steamed veggies on the side.
Keyword 30 minutes, grilling, seafood, shrimp

Creamy Cajun Rigatoni Shrimp Pasta

This pasta is delicious and super easy to whip up in 30 minutes. It is definitely one of our family favorite pasta recipes. Even my picky boys eat it (and ask for seconds)! I got the inspiration for this recipe from a restaurant called “Nothing But Noodles” here in Charlotte. It’s one of my favorite pastas on their menu so I decided to recreate it at home (with the addition of a lot of shrimp of course) and I am so glad I did!

Creamy Cajun Rigatoni Shrimp Pasta

sofiyababinov
This pasta is delicious and super easy to whip up in 30 minutes. It is definitely one of our family favorite pasta recipes. Even my picky boys eat it (and ask for seconds too)! I got the inspiration for this recipe from a restaurant called "Nothing But Noodles" here in Charlotte. It's one of my favorite pastas on their menu so I decided to recreate it at home (with the addition of a lot of shrimp of course) and I am so glad I did!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 655 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 LB Rigatoni Pasta or pasta or choice
  • 2 LB Shrimp peeled, deveined
  • 3 Cups Heavy Cream
  • 2 Cups Parmesan Cheese finely shredded
  • 2 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 2 TBS Cajun Seasoning divided (1 TBS for shrimp, 1 TBS for sauce)
  • 1 Cup Baby Tomatoes diced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper diced, optional
  • 8 TBS Butter divided (4 TBS for shrimp, 4 TBS pasta/sauce)
  • 1 TBS Parsley finely chopped for garnish, optional
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel, devein shrimp and put it in a large baking dish with 4 TBS butter (cut into slices). Sprinkle with 1 TBS Cajun seasoning, a sprinkle of salt and mix. Bake for 15-25 minutes until shrimp is cooked through, mixing twice. Meanwhile move on to steps 2 and 3. 
  • Cook Rigatoni pasta (or any pasta of choice) in a pot of salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. When the shrimp in the oven is well cooked through, take it out of the oven and set aside, covered to keep it hot. 
  • Heat 2 TBS Butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the minced garlic cloves, diced baby tomatoes, and diced bell pepper (optional). Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add 3 cups heavy cream and 2 cups finely shredded parmesan cheese. Mix well and bring to a light boil, then reduce to low heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally. 
  • Once the pasta is cooked through, drain water from the pot and add 2 TBS butter to the pasta. Add cooked pasta and cooked shrimp to the skillet with sauce and combine.

Notes

This recipe reheats well the next day. Just warm up on a skillet with some butter on low heat.
Keyword 30 minutes, pasta, seafood, shrimp

Ground Beef Bulgogi Plate

This ground beef Bulgogi plate is a super easy and quick meal yet looks and tastes like a dish from an upscale Korean restaurant! You can use ground beef or cut up pieces of beef (steak) for this recipe. I prefer to use ground beef because it’s easier. I got this amazing recipe from our friend Dre and it’s frequently on our weeknight menu. I hope you love this recipe just as much as we do!

Ground Beef Bulgogi Plate

This ground beef Bulgogi plate is a super easy and quick meal yet looks and tastes like a dish from a restaurant! You can use ground beef or cut up pieces of beef (steak) for this recipe. I love how versatile this dish is, everyone gets to build their own perfect plate.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 LB Ground Beef
  • 4-5 Carrots peeled, cut into thick matchsticks
  • 1/2 Cup Korean BBQ Bulgogi Sauce from the Asian market
  • 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 Bunch Cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 Bunch Scallions finely chopped
  • 2 Cups Jasmine Rice cooked according to package instructions
  • 4 TBS Olive Oil divided, for cooking
  • Korean Gochujang Brown Rice Red Pepper Paste from the Asian Market, optional, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Chop up the carrots into large matchstick pieces, toss on a baking sheet with 3 TBS olive oil and salt to taste. Bake on 400 degrees for 20-30 mins, until carrots are soft. Meanwhile move on to next steps!
  • Cook 2 Cups Jasmine rice according to package instructions. Cover and set aside.
  • In a large frying pan, on medium heat, add 1 TBS olive oil then add the ground beef. When the ground beef is almost done cooking, add Korean BBQ Bulgogi sauce, Soy sauce, and Sesame oil. Cook until the ground beef is well cooked through. Cover with lid and set aside.
  • Finely chop 1 bunch cilantro and 1 bunch scallions. Put both into a plate. These will be served on the side as garnishes to serve the Bulgogi with.
  • Serve everything on the table and everyone can build their own perfect Bulgogi plate! This is not only a fun way to serve Bulgogi but makes storing leftovers easy too. I add 1 tsp of the Gochujang paste (for a spicy kick, totally optional) and mix everything together for the perfect Bulgogi plate!
Keyword 30 minutes, beef, easy, Korean

Tom Yum Soup With Shrimp

381719F1-D313-4B75-92B7-C300DAFBCD79I came up with this Shrimp Tom Yum Soup recipe last night, courtesy of quarantine 2020 lol. One of our favorite Thai restaurants has been closed and I have been dreaming of Tom Yum soup so I decided to try making my own. To my surprise, it turned out perfect from the very first attempt and tastes exactly like it does at the restaurant! Michael found this Tom Yum paste at an Asian grocery market (I’ve also seen it at International stores) and it makes this recipe so simple because you have all the great flavors of Tom Yum soup, without having to buy a bunch of ingredients that are difficult to find. I am so excited to share this super easy and fast recipe with you all!

Tom Yum Soup With Shrimp

sofiyababinov
This recipe is a courtesy of quarantine 2020 lol. Michael found this Tom Yum paste at an Asian grocery market and it makes this recipe so simple because you have all the great flavors of Tom Yum soup without having to buy a bunch of ingredients that are difficult to find.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Thai
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 LB Raw Shrimp peeled, deveined
  • 8 Cups Filtered Water
  • 4 tsp Vegetable Flavor "Better Than Bouillon" Paste
  • 1-3 TBS Tom Yum Paste found in the Asian market, according to your spiciness preference
  • 1 12oz. Can Organic Evaporated Milk
  • 2 15oz. Cans Straw Mushrooms
  • 1/2 Lime to juice
  • 2 TBS Cilantro optional, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, bring 8 cups filtered water to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add 4 tsp of the vegetable flavor "Better Than Bouillon" paste. Then add 1-3 TBS of the Tom Yum paste, to taste, according to how spicy you prefer your soup.
  • Add the can of evaporated milk and lower the heat to a light boil (low-medium).
  • Add the 2 cans of straw mushrooms (drained and patted dry with a paper towel). Then add the 1 LB raw shrimp. Cook 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms and shrimp completely cook through.
  • Squeeze juice of 1/2 lime into the pot and mix thoroughly. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with chopped cilantro garnished on top, optionally.

Notes

This soup tastes great the next day, just heat up the amount you need in a small pot. 
Keyword 30 minutes, easy, soup, Thai

Easy Authentic Vietnamese Chicken Pho

4B3115C4-1A78-4D12-869F-38548C5A38D6I got the recipe for this Authentic Vietnamese Chicken Pho from my friend and next door neighbor, Trang. We were over their house for Pho one day and it was the best, most Authentic Vietnamese Pho I have ever eaten so I knew I had to get her recipe!  This recipe is very simple to make although it does require a trip to your local Asian Market for some of the ingredients. I am so exited to share it with everyone that has been waiting for me to post it! This recipe can be made with beef if you would prefer Beef Pho, you would just use 6 LB beef (any kind, we use brisket and chuck) and a few beef bones (optional but adds so much savory beef flavor) to make Beef Pho and it takes more time to cook. We are definitely Pho lovers and went out to eat Pho frequently, so I was very happy when my hubby and son said that this Pho tastes better then any restaurant we’ve ever eaten it at. Homemade definitely tastes best and saves a lot of money too. I hope you all love it just as much as we do!

Easy Authentic Vietnamese Chicken Pho

Easy, simple recipe for Authentic Vietnamese Beef Pho! We are definitely Pho lovers in my family and went out to eat Pho very frequently, so I was very happy when my hubby and son said that this Pho tastes better then any restaurant we've ever eaten it at. I hope you all love it as much as we did!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Baking Onion/Ginger for soup 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 12

Equipment

  • Big Pot (at least 14 quarts)

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Large Onions peeled, cut in halves
  • 1 6 in. Ginger peeled, thinly sliced
  • 6 LB Organic Whole Chicken
  • 32 Cups Water
  • 4 tsp Sugar
  • 2 tsp Salt to taste
  • 1 TBS Oil for cooking the rice noodles

Special Pho Ingredients from the Asian Market (pictured below in the notes section)

  • 1 Package Pho Rice Noodles thin or wide noodles both work
  • 5 Oz. Cot Pho Bo brand Beef Flavored Pho Soup Base
  • Hoisin Sauce optional, to add flavor

Pho Soup Toppings/Garnish

  • 4 Limes quartered, to squeeze out lime juice
  • 1 Bunch Cilantro finely chopped
  • 2 Jalapeño Peppers thinly sliced
  • Bean Sprouts
  • 1 Bunch Scallions finely chopped
  • Thai Basil
  • Hot Sauce optional, to add flavor

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the onions and cut them in halves. Peel the ginger and cut it into quarter sized, thin slices. Put foil on a baking sheet, spray the baking sheet with oil, and put onion and ginger on it.
  • Put the baking sheet with onion and ginger into the over on 350 Degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes until the onion is yellow/golden in color. This baking process is important for the onion to have a sweet taste!
  • Fill a big pot with 3/4 water. Bring the pot of water to a boil, this will not be your Pho soup yet! Add the chicken into the pot (no giblets). Let it boil for 3-5 minutes. (If using beef with beef bone instead of chicken, let it boil 5-7 minutes.) This process cleans the meat of any impurities. Take the chicken out of the pot, discard the water in the pot and clean the pot. I use another, bigger, 16 quart pot to make the Pho.
  • Boil a big pot of water, as much water as you need for your Pho Soup (I did 32 cups water in a 16 quart pot). Add the whole chicken into the pot. Then add 5 Oz. Pho seasoning paste. I use half a jar of the Pho seasoning paste and 1 filter packet of spices. The spices stay in the packet (it’s like a tea bag) when you throw it into the soup! (The seasoning paste comes with 2 packets of spices included in the jar.) Add Salt to taste, I add 2 tsp. Add Sugar to taste, I add 4 tsp. Add in the baked onion and ginger.
  • Let it cook on a light boil (low-medium heat) for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken. I had a 6 LB chicken and I cooked it for 45 minutes. If you are using beef, it will take 3-4 hrs to cook until the meat is tender.
  • In the last 15 minutes of cook time, soak the Pho noodles in a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes. Boil a separate pot of water for the Pho rice noodles. When the water comes to a boil, throw in the rice noodles and a TBS of oil (this is my trick for the rice noodles not to stick together) and cook until just tender. Then run cooked noodles under cold water, mixing them, in a strainer to stop the cooking process and so the rice noodles don’t stick together. Be careful not to overcook your rice noodles or they will be too soft and fall apart in your Pho soup!
  • When the chicken is cooked through and soft, take the whole chicken out and turn off the burner. Discard the spice filter packet. Some people discard the onion and ginger but I like to keep it in the pot (for flavor only, but don’t serve it). Although some people like the onion, thinly cut, added to their bowl of Pho. Cut the chicken up into small strips.
  • To serve, put rice noodles and cut chicken pieces into bowls. Pour the Pho broth over the noodles/chicken.
  • Serve with sauces and a plate of the toppings (limes cut into quarters, finely chopped scallions and cilantro, sliced jalapeno pepper, washed bean sprouts and Thai basil leaves).
  • Everyone can add toppings of choice to their Pho soup according to their preferences!

Notes

This it the jar of Cot Pho Bo brand Beef Flavored Pho Soup Base (even for chicken Pho I used this beef soup base, per my friend’s suggestion. It makes Pho more flavorful then the chicken soup base).
This is the package of Rice Noodles that we use. You can use wide or thin rice noodles, just make sure the package say’s Pho rice noodles on it!
Keyword chicken, Pho, Vietnamese