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Simple Lo Mein With Veggies

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If there is one thing I’m going to order at Chinese take-out it is Lo Mein, probably with extra veggies! I really wanted to be able to make it at home and this Simple Lo Mein recipe hits all the right flavor notes. You can add any veggie combo you want or veggies you need to use up from your fridge. It’s the Homemade Lo Mein sauce that makes this recipe over-the-top!

Veggie Lo Mein prepared on the stovetop in a skillet.

The nice thing is that this Lo Mein comes together really FAST! You will have it done, prep to table, in under 30 minutes.

If you want a little extra protein in your Lo Mein you can pop over to this recipe that has all the tips and tricks for making Chicken Lo Mein.

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Lo Mein vs Chow Mein

I’m including this section because it was something I looked up when I was researching this recipe. I thought, if I want to know, someone else might want to know too!

The two can be very similar dishes, however Lo Mein means that the noodles are boiled or soft, while Chow Mein means the noodles are stir fried or a little crispier. The sauce can vary too. Lo Mein usually has a very savory prominent sauce, while Chow Mein can sometimes not include a sauce at all.

Ingredients

What Veggies To Use for Lo Mein – Use any combo of veggies you love or the ones you need to use up in your fridge! You will need about 3 cups of veggies in total. Here are some options: Napa cabbage, bok choy, green onion, carrots, red bell peppers, snow peas, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, baby corns, broccoli.  

Lo Mein noodles – You can find these in the Asian Foods aisle at the grocery store, read more about these noodles and substitute options below.

Ingredients shown are used to prepare a Veggie Lo Mein at home.

Oil – Use a flavorless oil that you already have in your kitchen; olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, etc…

Garlic and Ginger – fresh garlic and fresh ginger are key ingredients in Lo Mein. I usually use a frozen ginger cube from Dorot Gardens, it’s a great product that you keep in the freezer, 1 cube = 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger!

LO MEIN SAUCE

Good Soy Sauce – A Kikkoman’s Soy Sauce that you find at American grocery stores will work great, but if you can find the brand Lee Kum Kee (in photo), they have a really high quality soy sauce with authentic flavor!

Oyster Sauce – Don’t worry it won’t make your Lo Mein taste like oysters. It adds a rich umami-savory flavor to the Lo Mein.

Ingredients shown are used to make an incredible sauce for homemade veggie lo mein.

Shaoxing Wine – This is a traditional Chinese Cooking Wine, meant just for cooking, not drinking. I will say I had to go to the Pan Asia Market to find this product. If you can’t find this wine or don’t want to order it, you can sub in a white wine or cooking sherry.

Sesame Oil – Adds an authentic Lo Mein flavor! Don’t skip this ingredient.

Sugar – Balances and enhances the flavors in the sauce.

Cornstarch – Helps to thicken the Lo Mein sauce.

Finding Lo Mein Noodles & Sub Options

Traditionally, Lo Mein is made with a Chinese egg noodle…. unfortunately, in my American grocery store, that doesn’t mean much. When you look at the different types of Chinese egg noodles (chow mein, lo mein, thin wonton, and wide wonton) the one typically used in Lo Mein closely resembles the size of spaghetti.

Some recipes say that you can use spaghetti to make Lo Mein, but I think you should try to find something a little more traditional. Go to the Asian foods aisle at your grocery store and look for a noodle packaged as Chinese style Lo Mein Noodles. Here are some other substitutes for a traditional Lo Mein noodle:

  • Packaged Ramen, flavor packet discarded (probably my first choice and most available)
  • Japanese Soba Noodles
  • Udon Noodles (will be thicker than a Lo Mein noodle)
  • Spaghetti (not my first choice)

The day that I photographed this recipe I actually went to the Pan-Asia Market here is the Kansas City area. They had a fresh/refrigerated Lo Mein noodle that I purchased. So if you have a Chinese or Asian market near you, I highly recommend visiting that store. They generally have all the produce you need too!

How To Make Lo Mein At Home

This Veggie Lo Mein comes together really fast, so I recommend that you do some of the prep before you start cooking. Wash and cut all the veggies, chop the garlic and ginger, boil water and cook the lo mein noodles, and whisk together the Lo Mein sauce.

Chopped veggies added to a skillet.

Step 1

Sautรฉ the veggies in a skillet or wok with the oil, until crisp tender.

Veggies sauteed in a skillet.

Step 2

Pour in the Lo Mein Sauce and let it simmer for 30 seconds.

Noodles added to top of sauteed veggies in a skillet.

Step 3

Remove from the heat and add the cooked Lo Mein noodles and toss with the sauce and veggies.

Sauce coating Lo Mein noodles and veggies mixed in to a skillet dinner.

Step 4

Give it a taste for seasoning, then serve it for dinner!

More Asian Inspired Recipes

Top view of a prepared Veggie Lo Mein in a skillet with snow peas and bell peppers.

Simple Veggie Lo Mein Recipe

This Simple Lo Mein recipe hits all the right flavor notes. You can add any veggie combo you want or veggies you need to use up from your fridge. It's the Homemade Lo Mein sauce that makes this recipe over-the-top!
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 301kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 12-14 oz lo mein noodles - could also use ramen noodles with seasoning packet discarded
  • 2 tablespoon olive - or canola oil – divided
  • 1 cup Napa cabbage - thinly sliced
  • ยฝ cup carrots - julienne – store bought shredded carrots work great!
  • ยฝ large bell pepper - sliced
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 4 green onions - whites and greens separated and cut into ยฝin pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger - grated

LO MEIN SAUCE

Instructions
 

Prep

  • This recipe comes together really FAST- I recommend prepping all the parts before starting – chop/clean the veggies, chop the garlic and ginger, make the sauce, boil the noodles.
  • Prepare the lo mein noodles according to the package directions, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
    12-14 oz lo mein noodles
  • In a bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, and sesame oil. Set aside.
    1 tablespoon water, ยผ cup good soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Cooking – Assembly

  • Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large skillet/pan and stir in the carrots, peppers and bok choy, saute for 2 minutes. Add in the green onions, bean sprouts, snow peas and napa cabbage. Cook for 4 minutes until the cabbage wilts.
    (if using other veggie combos – add the heartier veggies first and let soften a little, then add the tender veggies and cook a few minute longer)
    1 cup Napa cabbage, ยฝ cup carrots, ยฝ large bell pepper, 1 cup snow peas, 1 cup bean sprouts
    Chopped veggies added to a skillet.
  • Add garlic and ginger to the pan, stirring and allowing them to cook for 30 seconds.
    4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
  • Give the sauce a stir or whisk and pour into the pan. Toss with the veggies for 30 seconds
    Veggies sauteed in a skillet.
  • Remove from the heat, toss in the cooked noodles with the sauce.
  • Garnish with the green parts of the green onions, and enjoy.
    Sauce coating Lo Mein noodles and veggies mixed in to a skillet dinner.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1019mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3074IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

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I’ve tried a few recipes for Roasted Tomato Basil Soup over the years and they never quite hit the mark… I always end up tweaking the recipes just a smidge. So I thought I should just create one that I find totally balanced in flavor. Viola- here we are, the Perfect Tomato Basil Soup Recipe. It’s tomato forward with a heavy dose of fresh basil, it’s tart with sweetness to balance. You are going to love it!!

Ladle pulling up out of a Dutch oven with creamy roasted tomato basil soup.

If you are thinking to yourself… I’m not roasting tomatoes to make soup. Then you want to check out this Crazy Easy Tomato Basil Soup, or this Cold Gazpacho Soup you won’t even believe how easy they are.

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Ingredient Details

Vine ripened tomatoes – Buy the ones at the store that are literally still on the vine. They have amazing flavor! Or better yet, pop out to your garden and grab a few tomatoes. Plum or Roma tomatoes can also make a good choice.

Yellow onion and garlic – Make sure you very finely chop the onions, that way they puree down in the soup well. Add the garlic after the onions have softened, that way they don’t burn and you will have a more pronounced garlic flavor.

Kosher salt, onion powder, dried basil, oregano – This is the perfect seasoning combo for this soup! Adds flavor without masking the tomato and fresh basil.

Sugar – Don’t skip the sugar! It is needed to balance the acidic tartness from the tomatoes. It is just enough to make the flavor right. However, taste the soup at the end and make sure you don’t need more sugar. If you have tomatoes that aren’t quite ripe you may want more sugar.

Ingredients shown are used to prepare roasted tomato basil soup.

Chicken broth – If you want to make this soup vegetarian you can opt for a veggie broth.

Fresh basil – You will use 2 cups of fresh basil for the soup! It is just enough to infuse flavor through the whole soup. If you grow summer basil, this is a great recipe for the end of the summer when you have more than you know what to do with – and you have already had pesto 5000 times.

Heavy cream – Just ยพ cup of heavy cream blends all the flavors perfectly and give the soup a silkiness.

Crushed tomatoes – You have two options for this soup; crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes. I have tried the soup with both. I prefer the crushed tomatoes as I think they add a better texture and weight to the soup, but the whole peeled worked just fine!

Mom’s Tip

Since tomato is one of the main flavors in this soup, buy the best canned tomatoes you can afford at the store. This is not the time for best choice, always save or store brand – save those for chili.

Tips for Roasting Tomatoes

I have two tips for making sure your tomatoes are roasting and not steaming. You want to develop the sugars and get a little caramelization around the edges, that is FLAVOR DEVELOPMENT!

  1. Lightly de-seed the tomatoes by cutting them in half or quarters and lightly squeezing out the seed/liquid pockets. If you leave that excess liquid in the tomato it will evaporate and create steam, preventing the tomatoes from roasting.
  2. Don’t over crowd the sheet pan. You want the heat to be able to circulate around the tomatoes without creating too much steam. So if you need to divide the tomatoes into two pans, definitely do that!

Watch The Recipe

How To Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Halved tomatoes on a baking sheet.

Step 1

Clean, cut and lightly de-seed the tomatoes. Place on a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and kosher salt. Roast for 45 mins.

Seasonings added to the roasted tomato mixture.

Step 2

Soften finely diced onions. Add the garlic, seasonings and herbs, the roasted tomatoes and collected juices.

Wooden spoon resting in basil and tomato mixture.

Step 3

Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes and basil. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Creamy tomato mixture simmering on stove.

Step 4

Puree by your preferred method, to the texture you like.

Cream added to the tomato mixture.

Step 5

Add heavy cream, let warm through for 5 minutes.

Serving – Side Dishes

You already know what I’m going to say…GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH! There isn’t a more classic combo than tomato soup and grilled cheese. Now if you can’t do the grilled cheese, another great option is crusty warm bread or garlic bread and a side salad.

Big crusty seasoned croutons also make a great addition to this soup. Here is how you whip up a batch:

Homemade Croutons for Serving

  • 3 cups thick cut bread – cubed (see notes)
  • ยผ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 400ยฐ. Place the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss the bread with all the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on all the herbs & seasonings. Roast for 5 minutes. Toss. Then roast another 5-8 minutes, until golden and crispy, but not burnt.

Storing

This Tomato Basil Soup will be good in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you don’t add the cream you can store it even longer in the freezer, up to 6 months. Then when you thaw or warm, add the cream and heat through.

Recipe Tips To Remember

  1. Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet with tomatoes, they will steam instead of roast. Use two pans in needed.
  2. Lightly de-seed the tomatoes before roasting.
  3. Finely chop the onions so they will puree down in the soup.
  4. Taste before serving to see if you need to add more sugar. Tomatoes will have varying sweetness at different times of year.

FAQ’s

Do I need to peel my tomatoes for Tomato Basil Soup? That is a hard no for me. After the tomatoes roast the skin is soft and charred on the edges (flavor!). They puree down perfectly. BUT if you feel like you still don’t want the tomato skin/peel in your soup, the skin will easily pull off the tomatoes after roasting.

What tomatoes are best for Tomato Basil Soup? I like to buy vine ripened tomatoes at the store because I find they are usually the most flavorful, year round. But Roma/Plum tomatoes can be found year round as well and make a good option.

More Soup Recipes

Ladle pulling up out of a Dutch oven with creamy roasted tomato basil soup.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Roast up some vine ripened tomatoes and puree them with sautรฉed onion, garlic, fresh basil, chicken stock and plenty of seasoning. This will be the best Tomato Basil Soup you will make!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 239kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

Instructions
 

Roasting Tomatoes

  • Preheat the oven to 400โ„‰.
  • Place the cut and lightly deseeded tomatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle on ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt. Toss with clean hands.
    3 lbs vine ripened tomatoes
    Halved tomatoes on a baking sheet.
  • Roast in the oven for 45 minutes.

Assembly – Making Tomato Basil Soup

  • Meanwhile in a large pot add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot add the onions and sautรฉ for 10-15 minutes, it's ok if they start to turn golden around the edges. Add the garlic and sautรฉ 2 more mins.
    1 large yellow onion, 5-6 cloves garlic
  • Pour in the roasted tomatoes and all collected juices, sugar, seasonings, and 2 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir around the pot.
    ยฝ teaspoon onion powder, ยฝ teaspoon dried basil, 1 ยฝ tablespoon sugar, ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
    Sauteed seasoned onion and tomato mixture.
  • Pour in the chicken broth, entire can of tomatoes and chopped basil, stir. Simmer for 20 minutes.
    3 cups chicken broth, 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cups fresh basil
  • With an immersion blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency.
    Alternately transfer lightly cooled soup in batches to a blender to puree, be careful blending hot liquid in a closed blender.
    Wooden spoon resting in basil and tomato mixture.
  • Pour in the cream, stir and heat through for another 5 minutes on low.
    ยพ cup heavy cream
  • Taste for additional seasonings (salt, sugar, pepper). Depending how sweet the tomatoes are, I will sometimes add a little more sugar at this point.
    Cream added to the tomato mixture.
  • Time to eat. Goes great with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Storing / Freezing

  • Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • This can also be frozen, don't add the cream, let it cool and freeze for up to 6 months. When reheating add the cream and warm through.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

  • Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet with tomatoes, they will steam instead of roast.
  • Use two pans in needed.
  • Lightly de-seed the tomatoes before roasting.
  • Finely chop the onions so they will puree down in the soup.
  • Taste before serving to see if you need to add more sugar. Tomatoes will have varying sweetness at different times of year.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1426mg | Potassium: 663mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2755IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg

Easy Baked Tilapia with Mango Salsa

by 1 Comment

This Baked Tilapia with Mango Salsa recipe takes just 15 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking time. It’s the perfect combo of light tasting fish with a burst of citrus sweetness. It makes an incredible Spring or Summer dinner, especially when fresh mangos are ripe and juicy! If you like to spice things up, add a lot of fresh jalapeno.

Baked seasoned tilapia topped with a homemade mango salsa
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Ingredient Details

Tilapia Fillets: Fresh tilapia is mild in flavor and cooks quickly, making it ideal for this recipe. Since it is pretty mild we flavor it with plenty of seasonings before cooking. Substitute it with cod, halibut, or catfish.
Onion Powder: Adds a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor without the texture of fresh onions.
Paprika or Smoked Paprika: Adds a mild smokiness and a pop of color to the fish.
Kosher Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the fish and salsa.
Black Pepper: Adds a slight heat and complements the other spices. White pepper can be used for a milder flavor.

ingredients for Tilapia Mango Salsa


Ripe Mango: Provides natural sweetness and a tropical flavor to the salsa. Mangoes are in season June to September. It can be substituted with peaches or pineapple for a similar fruity profile.
Red Bell Pepper: Adds a crunchy texture and a touch of sweetness. Yellow or orange bell peppers can also be used instead.
Red Onion: Offers a sharp, slightly spicy flavor that balances the sweetness of the mango. If you have a particularly strong onion you can cut a hunk off the onion, then rinse it under cool water so it doesn’t overwhelm the salsa with onion flavor. Shallots or green onions can be used instead.
Fresh Cilantro: Adds a bright, herbaceous flavor to the mango salsa.
Jalapeรฑo Pepper: Provides a subtle heat. use the green parts for flavor- add the white pith and seeds for flavor AND heat. You can omit it or replace it with a pinch of red pepper flakes if you prefer less spice.
Fresh Lime Juice: Adds acidity and brightness, enhancing the overall flavor of the salsa.

How to Make Mango Salsa Tilapia

This is a quick overview of how easy it is to make Tilapia with Mango Salsa, for more detailed instructions and amounts, pop down to the recipe card.

raw tilapia in a baking dish with seasoning

Step 1

Pat the tilapia dry, brush with oil. Season with herbs and spices. Set aside for 30 mins.

fresh mango salsa mixed in a bowl

Step 2

Mix the mango salsa and let set for 15 mins.

seasoned tilapia baked in a dish

Step 3

Bake the tilapia.

Tilapia baked in a white dish with fresh mango salsa over top

Step 4

Spoon the salsa over top the baked tilapia and serve it up!

Side Dish Ideas

Keep this dinner fresh and light. A GREAT addition to this tilapia is Mexican Rice and cilantro lime slaw.

Make It Your Own

As always, if you take one thing away from this recipe, make it your own! Add the flavors you think would elevate the dish for your family. Here are some ideas:

Variations

  • Add diced avocado to the salsa for creaminess.
  • Include diced cucumber for extra crunch.
  • Add grilled or roasted corn kernels for a sweet, smoky flavor.
  • Swap the mango for pineapple or peach.
  • Instead of tilapia, try a cod or halibut.

Recipe Tips To Remember

  1. Fresh Is Best: Fresh mango, lime juice, and cilantro make a significant difference in the salsa's flavor.
  2. Some Like It Hot: Customize the heat by adding more or less jalapeรฑo peppers, or removing the seeds for a milder taste.
  3. Check Fish Temperature: don’t overcook the tilapia, use an instant read thermometer to ensure the fish reaches 145ยฐF for perfect doneness.

More Seafood Favorites

Baked Tilapia with seasoning and fresh mango salsa over top

Baked Tilapia and Fresh Mango Salsa

Super simple baked tilapia with plenty of seasoning, topped with a really good homemade mango salsa. Just 15 mins prep and 15 mins cook time.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

Tilapia

Mango Salsa

  • 2 large ripe mango - 1 ยฝ cups diced
  • ยฝ cup red bell pepper - diced
  • ยผ cup red onion - diced
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeรฑo pepper - ribbed and deseeded
  • 1 small lime
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt - or to taste

Garnish

  • extra lime cut into wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400ยฐF.
  • Place the tilapia fillets in a shallow baking dish. Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Brush both sides of each tilapia fillet with olive oil.
    4 large tilapia fillets, 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • In a small bowl, mix onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over both sides of the fish. Let them marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.
    1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika, ยพ teaspoon kosher salt, ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
    raw tilapia in a baking dish with seasoning
  • While the fish is marinating – in a large bowl, combine the diced mango, red bell pepper, red onion, and chopped jalapeรฑo peppers. Add the chopped fresh cilantro and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Pour in the juice from one lime. Let it sit at room temp while the fish finishes marinating and baking.
    2 large ripe mango, ยฝ cup red bell pepper, ยผ cup red onion, 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeรฑo pepper, 1 small lime, ยฝ teaspoon salt
    fresh mango salsa mixed in a bowl
  • Bake the fish for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The fish is ready when its internal temperature reaches 145ยฐF and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
  • Place the fillets on a plate and spoon the fresh mango salsa over the top. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas

by 2 Comments

If there is one thing that I could eat on repeat, it’s enchiladas! These Ground Beef Enchiladas turned out SO good I knew I had to share them ASAP. Seasoned ground beef is loaded into soft yellow corn tortillas with a little cheese, topped with a homemade red chili sauce and finished with a lot of melty cheese. You are going to be a dinner-winner with this recipe!

Ground beef mixture spilling out of corn tortillas in a baking dish on enchilada sauce with melted cheese over the top.

Sometimes we even top them with a little extra diced white onion, cilantro, and fresh avocados. Add the garnishes your family loves.

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Ingredient Details

Corn Tortillas – for the most authentic tasting enchiladas I highly recommend using yellow corn tortillas. They require a little prep, but I believe in you! You can read all about that here.

Ground Beef – as with most recipes, except burgers, I recommend using an 85/15 ground beef. It has enough fat to be flavorful but not so much that your enchiladas turn out greasy.

Ingredients shown are used to prepare ground beef enchiladas.

White Onion and Garlic – white onion is the classic flavor you want in enchiladas, and to be honest most Mexican cuisine. Two tips about the garlic – 1 use as much garlic as you like, and 2 add the garlic after the onions and let them sautรฉ for about 1 minute. It makes for a more pronounced garlic flavor.

Seasonings – a mix of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and kosher salt. The enchilada sauce does a lot of the heavy lifting here.

Red Enchilada Sauce – If you have a store bought red enchilada sauce that you love, go for that one, we like things EASY around here. If not you can make your own, promise it’s not hard! This is our favorite red enchilada sauce recipe.

Cheese – as always when you are melting cheese, we recommend fresh shredded cheese. It melts creamier! I usually use a Colby Jack cheese but you can use cheddar, pepper jack, or Monterey Jack.

Using Corn Tortillas

We highly, highly recommend using corn tortillas over flour tortillas for your Beef Enchiladas. First off, the flour tortillas are not as traditional for enchiladas. And second, the flour tortillas can tend to get soggy in all the red chile sauce.

Now the question is – are we using yellow corn or white corn tortillas? I’m going to give you my OPINION… this is not science based. USE YELLOW CORN TORTILLAS!!! I have found that yellow corn tortillas are a bit sturdier and have WAY better/more flavor than the white ones. When you are in the grocery store give the two a sniff and then buy the yellow ones because they actually have flavor!

Prepping the corn tortillas is a whole other topic. They can tend to be fragile divas. One wrong move and they will crack and tear. You need to give them a little TLC before they will roll right. There are a couple methods to prep the corn tortillas, choose the one that is right for you:

  1. MY PREFFERED METHOD – wrap about 6 tortillas in a wet paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds, flip them and microwave another 30 seconds. Then repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  2. Add a little oil to a skillet and pan fry each tortilla about 15 seconds per side.
  3. Place the tortillas in a steamer basket over a little simmering water and cover the pot. Steam for a couple minutes.

And if in the end you feel like you can’t take on the corn tortillas, pop over to this recipe for Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole, no tortilla prep in that recipe, but you get the same flavor profile!

Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

Like I said, if you have a store bought red enchilada sauce you like, use that one! You will want to grab a 20 oz. can/bottle. If you don’t have one you like, and you have a well stocked spice cabinet, you can definitely make the one linked below and it’s super easy to make.

a mason jar full of red enchilada sauce

Red Enchilada Sauce

A little vegetable oil, a mixture of flour and spices, chicken broth, and finished with a splash vinegar and lime juice to enhance flavors.

Recipe

How To Make Beef Enchiladas

This is just a quick picture over-view of how to make Ground Beef Enchiladas. For more detailed instructions and ingredient amounts, pop down to the recipe card below.

Ground beef and sauteed onions in a frying pan.

Step 1

Cook the ground beef, drain excess grease. Add the onion and sautรฉ, add the garlic and warm 1 min. Sprinkle in the seasonings and some enchilada sauce.

Red enchilada sauce coating the bottom of a glass baking dish.

Step 2

Make the enchilada sauce (or grab your fave store bought sauce). Pour about ยพ cup in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Red sauce covering a yellow corn tortilla.

Step 3

Prep the corn tortillas. Set up an assembly line with beef filling, tortillas, sauce, cheese, prepped pan.

Spoon a little sauce onto the warm tortilla.

Red sauce, ground beef and shredded cheese topping a yellow corn tortilla.

Step 4

Top with a tablespoon or two of beef filling, and a sprinkle of cheese.

Corn tortillas being wrapped up with ground beef mixture.

Step 4

Roll the enchilada up. (like a cigar)

Place it into the prepped pan, seam side down so it stays rolled.

Red enchilada sauce covering corn tortilla wrapped ground beef enchiladas in a glass baking dish.

Step 4

Repeat with all the remaining tortillas. If you have extra beef mixture leftover, spoon it into the pan.

Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top.

Shredded cheese sprinkled over ground beef enchiladas wrapped in corn tortillas in a baking dish.

Step 4

Top with the rest of the cheese. Cover with foil and bake 20 mins.

Fork resting in a freshly baked pan of beef enchiladas with melted cheese coating the enchilada sauce.

Step 4

Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes. Let cool and serve!

Recipe Variations

If you take one tip from me… make this recipe your own! Add the ingredients that your family will love, so you can feel like a success at the dinner table.

You can definitely add extra ingredients in the enchiladas with the meat mixture. Just use ยฝ lb. of ground beef then mix in any or all that you like:

  • Rice (Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice)
  • Black beans
  • Refried beans
  • Corn
  • Diced chilies (Poblanos) or jalapenos
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Sauteed peppers and onions
A pan of ground beef enchiladas with cheese melted over top

Garnishes are also a great way to customize this recipe:

  • Diced avocados or guacamole
  • Sour Cream
  • Tomatoes
  • Cilantro
  • White or green onion
  • Jalapenos or Black Olives
  • Queso fresco

Freezer Instructions

Freezing Uncooked Enchiladas:
Prep the enchiladas completely, but don’t bake. Pop them into a freezer-safe pan (foil pans work like a charm). Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Freezing Cooked Enchiladas:
Bake and cool the beef enchiladas, then wrap the whole pan tightly in foil. They'll keep up to 3 months.

Reheating Frozen Enchiladas:

  • Uncooked & frozen: Bake covered at 350ยฐF for 30-40 minutes, then uncover and bake 10-20 minutes more.
  • Uncooked & thawed in fridge overnight: Just bake like normal!
  • Cooked & frozen: Bake uncovered at 350ยฐF for 30-35 minutes until hot in the center.

Recipe Tips To Remember

  1. Make sure you prep your corn tortillas, by warming, so they don’t tear or rip.
  2. Use fresh shredded cheese for the best melting.
  3. Garnish with cilantro, tomatoes, and diced avocados.

Side Dishes For Serving

A pan of ground beef enchiladas with cheese melted over top

Ground Beef and Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

Dig into these beef and cheese enchiladas smothered in rich red sauce. Topped w/ melty cheese and all your favorite fresh fixings.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 580kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 small white onion - finely chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic - chopped
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon onion powder and garlic powder - each
  • 10-12 yellow corn tortillas
  • 8 oz fresh shredded cheese - pepper jack, colby jack, or cheddar cheese
  • 20 oz canned or bottled red enchilada sauce - OR make your own red enchilada sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350โ„‰.
  • Pour about ยพ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the 9×13 pan. Set aside.

Ground Beef Mixture

  • Brown and crumble the ground beef, drain excess grease. Add the onion and saute for about 5 mins.
    1 lb ground beef, 1 small white onion
  • Add the garlic and saute another minute. Sprinkle in the seasonings and add 3 tablespoon red enchilada sauce. Give it a good stir. Set aside.
    2-3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt, ยฝ teaspoon onion powder and garlic powder
    Ground beef and sauteed onions in a frying pan.

Tortilla Prep

  • Warm the tortillas using your preferred method:
    – wrap 6 tortillas in a wet paper towel, microwave 30 seconds, flip and microwave another 30 seconds (my preferred method). Repeat with remaining tortillas.
    – pan fry each tortilla in a little oil for about 15 seconds per side.
    – place the tortillas in a steamer basket over a little simmering water. Let steam for a minute or two to warm.
    10-12 yellow corn tortillas

Assembly

  • Set up an assembly line with the prepped pan, warmed tortillas, beef mixture, cheese, and sauce.
    Red enchilada sauce coating the bottom of a glass baking dish.
  • Spread a small spoonful of sauce over a tortilla, then a couple spoonfuls of beef mixture, then a pinch of cheese. Roll it up and lay it seam side down in the prepared pan.
    Red sauce, ground beef and shredded cheese topping a yellow corn tortilla.
  • Continue until all the tortillas are used. If you have extra beef filling leftover just sprinkle it into the pan.
    Corn tortillas filled with seasoned ground beef and wrapped up, resting on some red enchilada sauce.
  • Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Top with the rest of the shredded cheese.
    Shredded cheese sprinkled over ground beef enchiladas wrapped in corn tortillas in a baking dish.

Baking

  • Cover the pan tightly w/ foil and bake at 350โ„‰ for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melty and bubbly.
    Melted cheese over beef enchiladas.

Freezing Instructions

  • Uncooked Enchiladas: Prep the enchiladas completely in a freezer safe pan (foil pans are great for this, but don't bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Cooked Enchiladas: Bake and cool the beef enchiladas, then wrap the whole pan tightly in foil. They'll keep up to 3 months.
  • Reheating Frozen Enchiladas:
    Uncooked & frozen: Bake covered at 350ยฐF for 30-40 minutes, then uncover and bake 10-20 minutes more.
    Uncooked & thawed in fridge overnight: Just bake like normal!
    Cooked & frozen: Bake uncovered at 350ยฐF for 30-35 minutes until hot in the center.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

  • Make sure you prep your corn tortillas, by warming, so they don’t tear or rip
  • Use fresh shredded cheese for the best melting
  • Garnish with cilantro, tomatoes, and diced avocados.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1589mg | Potassium: 449mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1451IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 382mg | Iron: 4mg

Instant Pot Spaghetti with Frozen Meatballs

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This is a super simple recipe for Instant Pot Spaghetti using your family’s favorite frozen meatballs. It’s so easy that it makes a GREAT weeknight dinner, even when you are short on time! The prep time is about 5 minutes, the cook time is 3 minutes plus a 5 minute natural release, and dinner is ready!

Spaghetti topped with meatballs on a plate.

Frozen meatballs can be a great way to make a really good, yet simple weeknight dinner. A LOT of Mom’s Dinner readers love this Meatball Sub recipe that uses frozen meatballs also. I hope this recipe helps you feel like a success in the kitchen on a busy night.

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Ingredient Details

Spaghetti Pasta- just a plain old spaghetti is what works in this recipe. If you choose to use a different pasta shape or thickness it will change the cook time, so I do recommend that you stick with “spaghetti”.

Frozen Meatballs -use your family’s favorite frozen meatball or homemade meatballs that you have in your freezer! Turkey, Pork, Sausage, Beef… whatever you like. They will cook up right along with the pasta!

Marinara – just like the meatballs… use your family’s favorite store bought marinara sauce. we love the Rao’s Marinara or Tomato Basil Marinara.

Ingredients shown are used to prepare meatballs from frozen and spaghetti in the instant pot.

Chicken Broth – this imparts the MOST flavor into your pasta! If you don’t want to use chicken broth you can definitely just sub water.

Spices/Seasonings – a combo of onion, garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, dried basil and oregano season everything perfectly!

Instant Pot

We LOVE LOVE LOVE our Instant Pot. It can make dinner such a breeze. We have 2 styles of Instant Pot in our kitchens – The Duo Plus 7-in-1 and the Duo Plus 9-in-1. If I am being honest I will probably never use all 9 functions (or really all 7), so I just recommend buying the one that is least expensive.

Instant Pot

Just make sure you buy a 6 quart, I find that is the size that is appropriate for most recipes, without being difficult to store.

Step By Step

Instant pot with pasta added to liquid over the sauteed onions and garlic.

Step 1

Start by sautรฉing the onions and garlic in oil. Turn off sautรฉ mode, stir in the kosher salt. Then pour in the chicken broth and scrape up bits from the bottom.

Sauteed onions topped with uncooked spaghetti added to the instant pot in criss cross pattern.

Step 2

Divide the spaghetti into about 5 portions. Break the noodles in half and then crisscross it in the pot

Marinara sauce topping the frozen meatballs.

Step 3

Top with the frozen meatballs, spices and half the marinara.

Cooked meatballs and spaghetti after cooking finishes in the instant pot.

Step 4

Set to cook for 3 minutes, do a 5 minute natural release and then finish with a quick release. (the photo shows what the spaghetti will look like when you open the pot).

Tongs resting in the cooked meatball and spaghetti mixture.

Step 5

Use tongs to toss the spaghetti in the sauce and liquid. Give it a minute to thicken up if it is watery at all.

Additional marinara added to the cooked spaghetti in the instant pot.

Step 6

Pour in the remaining sauce and toss with tongs. Optionally stir in some parmesan cheese.

Recipe Tips To Remember

  1. Make sure you scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, reducing the chance of getting the burn notice.
  2. Divide the spaghetti into about 5 sections, break them in half, and then crisscross them in the pot so the noodles don’t cook together.
  3. Pour half of the sauce in for the cook time, add the rest after the cook. Makes for a more flavorful spaghetti.
  4. Use chicken broth instead of water for max flavor.
  5. Use your family’s favorite store bought sauce and frozen meatballs.

More Instant Pot Recipes

Spaghetti and meatballs with fresh basil served on a plate.

Instant Pot Spaghetti with Frozen Meatballs

A super simple recipe for Instant Pot Spaghetti using your family's favorite frozen meatballs. This is such an easy recipe, making it a GREAT weeknight dinner, even when you are short on time!
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Natural Release Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 436kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Start with your Instant Pot on sautรฉ mode and add the olive oil. Once it is hot add the onions and sautรฉ for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sautรฉ another minute. Stir often, making sure they don't burn.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small yellow onion, 2-4 cloves garlic
  • Turn off the sautรฉ mode and stir in the kosher salt. Then pour in the chicken broth (or water) and scrape up and browned bits from the bottom.
    ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt, 3 cups chicken broth
    Instant pot with pasta added to liquid over the sauteed onions and garlic.
  • Break your spaghetti noodles in half and layer them in aย crisscross pattern (in about 5 layers)ย in the liquid.
    Mom's Tip: Do not stir the noodles at this point. You can nudge them down into the liquid, but don't stir.
    1 lb. dry spaghetti noodles
    Sauteed onions topped with uncooked spaghetti added to the instant pot in criss cross pattern.
  • Top with t he frozen meatballs. Sprinkle the basil, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder over the top.
    15-20 frozen store bought meatballs, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
    Seasonings placed over the uncooked pasta inside the instant pot.
  • Pourย HALF OF THE 24 oz jar of marinaraย over the meatballs/noodles.
    Marinara sauce topping the frozen meatballs.
  • Pop the lid on, turn the pressure valve to seal, and set to cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Do a 5 minute natural release and the finish with a quick release.
  • Toss the spaghetti and sauce. Don't be alarmed if there is liquid still in the pot, everything will thicken as it cools a little.
  • Pour in the other half of the spaghetti sauce and toss with tongs. Optionally stir in some parmesan cheese.
    Additional marinara added to the cooked spaghetti in the instant pot.
  • Let it sit for about 5 minutes to cool and thicken.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

  1. Make sure you scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, reducing the chance of getting the burn notice.
  2. Divide the spaghetti into about 5 sections, criss-cross them in the pot so the noodles don’t cook toghether.
  3. Pour half of the sauce in for the cook time, add the rest after the cook. Makes for a more flavorful spaghetti.
  4. Use chicken broth instead of water for max flavor.
  5. Use your family’s favorite store bought sauce and frozen meatballs.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 1193mg | Potassium: 661mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 503IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg

Fruit & Berry Cheesecake Trifle

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This Berry Trifle is the ultimate “took almost no effort” dessert, that just happens to be a total showstopper! With just a few simple ingredients layered up in a pretty glass dish, it looks like something you'd find in a bakery window-but comes together in under 20 minutes. It's the kind of dessert that gets all the oohs and ahhs, and you didn’t even have to turn on the oven.

A berry trifle in a footed trifle bowl, topped with whole berries and mint
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What Is A Trifle

A trifle is a traditional English layered dessert. It generally has multiple sponge cake layers, pudding or custard layers and fruit layers. This Berry Cheesecake Trifle recipe isn’t necessarily traditional. Here we are subbing some of the traditional layers for a different flavor profile:

  1. A mixture of cream cheese, sour cream, and whipped cream flavored with almond extract and orange are layered in place of the custard/pudding.
  2. We are using a delicate store bought angel food cake in place of a traditional sponge cake.
  3. A mixture of fresh berries and mandarin oranges pair perfectly with the “cheesecake” style layer.

Ingredient Details

Angel Food Cake – we keep this recipe super simple and grab a store bought one from the local grocery baker.

Cream Cheese and Sour Cream – mix together to make a lightly flavored cheesecake cream filling for the trifle. Make sure to use full fat- and make sure the cream cheese is at room temp so it will blend smooth! (pictured are 2 blocks of cream cheese, but you just need 1)

Orange- the juice and zest of a fresh orange flavor up the whipped cream perfectly!

Almond Extract – also flavors the trifle cream. If you don’t love almond extract you can sub vanilla extract.

Ingredients shown are used to prepare the Berry Trifle.

Heavy Cream – use COLD heavy cream to make the best whipped cream. The whipped cream lightens up the texture of the cream filling, so it isn’t a “heavy” cheesecake filling.

Powdered Sugar – this is the perfect sweetener for the cream filling. It blends into the mixture without making it gritty.

Fruit and Berries – we have found our very favorite combo is strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and mandarin oranges. Sweeten it up with a little sugar to make the berries juicy and sweet.

How To Make Berry Trifle

This is a quick overview of how to make each component of the trifle – cake, cheesecake cream, and the fruit/berries. For more details and ingredient amounts, pop down to the recipe card.

a bowl of fruit and berries for a trifle

Step 1

Wash and cut your fruit, drain the mandarin oranges. Mix with the sugar and set aside.

cut angel food cake

Step 2

Cut the angel food cake into ยฝ-1 inch pieces. I like to divide it into 3 equal piles to make layering more even.

a cheesecake cream mixture for a berry trifle

Step 3

Whip the cream with the orange juice and zest. Then set aside. Mix the sour cream, cream cheese, powdered sugar and extract. Fold the whipped cream and cream cheese mixtures together.

Fresh berries and orange sliced into small pieces combined in a bowl, angel food cake cut into small pieces and cream cheese mixture in a mixing bowl.

Step 4

Now you have all the 3 parts to layer your trifle!

a footed glass trifle bowl

Step 5

Grab your trifle bowl and it is time to layer this up!! Skip down to the next section for exact instructions on how to layer a trifle.

Layering a Trifle

The traditional way to layer a trifle is cake, cream, fruit, and repeat until it is layered to the top. If you need a visual representation of this, check out the photos below:

layer of cream and cake in a trifle bowl
  1. Step 1: Start with a layer of ยผ of the cream on the bottom of the bowl, then โ…“ of the cake cubes.
three layers in a trifle bowl - cream, cake and fruit
  1. Step 2: Top with โ…“ of the fruit mixture.
fresh fruit mixture layered on top of cake and cream in a trifle bowl
  1. Step 3: Repeat the layering – ยผ of the cream mixture, โ…“ of the cake and โ…“ of the berries/fruit.
Last layer of cake, cream and berries in the trifle bowl
  1. Step 4: Then the final layering- ยผ of the cream mixture, โ…“ of the cake and โ…“ of the berries/fruit.
Finished Berry Cheesecake Trifle with garnishes on top
  1. Step 5: Finish the top with the remaining cream. Then you can garnish with whole fruit and mint.

Recipe tips to remember

  • Choose a clear glass trifle bowl so you can see all the stunning layers of this dessert!
  • Make sure your cream cheese is at room temp.
  • If almond extract isn’t your jam, sub in vanilla extract.
  • Use a store bought angel food cake to make this recipe super easy.
  • Cube the cake into ยฝ-1 inch pieces.
  • Choose ripe fruit, but add sugar to sweeten it up a little.
  • Also choose your favorite combo or berries.
  • Refrigerate for 1-3 hours before serving.

More Trifle Recipes

Finished Berry Cheesecake Trifle with garnishes on top

Fruit and Berry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe

This Berry Cheesecake Trifle is the ultimate no-fuss dessert that still steals the show! Made with layers of angel food cake, fluffy cheesecake cream, and fresh berries-it's beautiful, crowd-pleasing, and easy to put together.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
refrigeration: 2 hours
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 637kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

Ingredients

Trifle Cream

Cake

  • 1 store bought angel food cake - cut into 1 inch cubes

Fruit & Berries

  • 3 ยฝ cups thick cut fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
  • 15 oz mandarin oranges - in juice, drained
  • 1-2 tablespoon Sugar - depending on how sweet your fruit is

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, add all the fruit, mix with the sugar and set aside while you make the trifle cream cheesecake mixture.
    3 ยฝ cups thick cut fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
    a bowl of fruit and berries for a trifle
  • Cut or tear the angel food cake into smaller pieces, approx. ยฝ-1 inch each. I like to divide them into 3 even piles so layering is equal.
    cut angel food cake on a platter.
  • In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or a bowl with a handheld mixer, add the cold heavy cream, orange zest and orange juice. whisk until it forms med/firm peaks, this will take a few minutes most likely. Remove to a separate bowl and set aside.
    2 cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • In the now (mostly) empty bowl, add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, almond extract. Blend until it is mixed together. Slowly pour in the powdered sugar and blend until it is smooth.
    8 oz cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar, ยฝ teaspoon almond extract, ยฝ cup sour cream
  • Fold the orange whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
    A cheesecake cream mixture for a berry trifle
  • Time to layer:
    ยผ Trifle Cream, โ…“ย  Cake, โ…“ Fruit Mixture
    ยผ Trifle Cream, โ…“ Cake, โ…“ Fruit Mixture
    ยผ Trifle Cream, โ…“ Cake, โ…“ Fruit Mixture
    Finish with the Remaining Cream.
    1 store bought angel food cake
    Last layer of cake, cream and berries in the trifle bowl
  • Cover and refrigerate for 2- 3 hours, until it is time to serve. Optionally garnish with large whole strawberries/berries and mint.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 637kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 329mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 1748IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Crave-Worthy Chicken Lo Mein

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Next time you get a craving for a little take-out, bee bop back into your kitchen and whip up this Chicken Lo Mein. It is quick, flavorful, and totally satisfying. Noodles, veggies and chicken are tossed in that classic savory lo mein sauce. It comes together in about 40 minutes and it's super flexible-toss in whatever veggies you have on hand and make it your own.

Green onions garnished over a large bowl of chicken chow mein.
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Ingredient Details

Lo Mein Noodles – Look for them fresh in the refrigerated section or dried near other Asian noodles. If using dried, be sure to cook them per package instructions just until tender and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.

Chicken Breast – Boneless, skinless chicken breast is a lean protein that cooks quickly and evenly. For lo mein, slice the chicken thinly against the grain. See tips below for getting even, thin slices.

Napa Cabbage – this mild, slightly sweet cabbage adds volume and a tender crunch. It wilts down quickly in a hot pan, so slice it thinly so it cooks evenly and blends well with the noodles. If you have an Asian market nearby I highly recommend checking it out for these veggies – they will tend to be less expensive there.

Carrots – keep it simple here and buy shredded/julienned carrots at the store!

Ginger – as always I recommend buying the frozen grated ginger cubes at the grocery store! I buy the Dorot Gardens Frozen Minced Ginger.

Oyster Sauce – A thick, savory sauce made from oyster extract, it adds rich umami flavor and a slight sweetness to the dish. It helps create the glossy, flavorful coating you expect in lo mein. A good-quality brand makes a noticeable difference.

Dark Soy Sauce – is darker in color, thicker, and slightly sweeter than regular soy sauce. It is used to add a deeper, richer flavor and a darker color. Your regular soy sauce is used more for seasoning and flavor as it is thinner and tends to be saltier.

Shaoxing wine - is a type of Chinese cooking wine, and is alternatively spelt Shao-hsing or Shaohsing. It is a type of rice wine. If you can’t find this you can sub white wine or dry sherry.

Sesame Oil – this is a very strong oil but adds such a nice nutty, umami flavor to the lo mein! Don’t skip this ingredient.

Optional Substitutions or additions

  • Chicken breast - You could use chicken thighs, but getting even slices may be more challenging.
  • Shaoxing wine - Dry sherry or a dry white wine will also work.
  • Napa cabbage - Using a regular green cabbage is possible but it may take a little longer to cook down.
  • Granulated sugar - Honey makes a good substitute.
  • Veggies – If you would like to add extras like mushrooms, snow peas, broccoli or peppers to the dish, you can do that as well.

Tip for Getting Thin & Even Chicken Slices

To get evenly thin slices on the chicken breast you want to ensure that you have a very sharp knife. That will help tremendously, but be careful not to cut yourself.

Marinated chicken breast slices in a bowl.

Another trick is that you can pop your chicken breast in the freezer for 30-45 minutes so that it starts to freeze up slightly. This will make it firmer and hold its position so that when slicing, it is not moving as much, allowing for a cleaner cut. Remember, you do not want to freeze it; you just want it to start to freeze.

How To Make Chicken Lo Mein

Chicken breast slices in a bowl with marinade and cornstarch being combined.

Step 1

Marinate the chicken for 10 mins in the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and pepper.

Meanwhile prep the lo mein noodles per package instructions.

Hot wok with chicken breast slices added.

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large skillet, cook the chicken until it turns golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Veggies added to a hot wok.

Step 3

Add more oil to the empty pan and sautรฉ the napa cabbage, white parts of the green onions, and carrots for 2-4 minutes.

Add garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds.

Lo Mein sauce added to wok.

Step 4

In a glass measuring cup whisk together the water, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil, and pepper. Pour into the pan.

Lo mein noodles added to sauteed veggies and chicken pieces.

Step 4

Toss in the noodles, cooked chicken and collected juices with the sauce, cooking until the sauce thickens.

Serving Ideas

This is a pretty filling dish that has your veggies, starch and protein all in one, so it is totally acceptable to serve this on it’s own. However if you want to bulk the meal up a tad, here are some fun side dishes to think about:

  • Egg Rolls
  • Potstickers
  • Crab Rangoons
  • Sushi
  • Salted Edamame

More Asian Inspired Dishes

Green onion slices topping chicken lo mein in a wok.

Simple Chicken Lo Mein Recipe

Whip up this Chicken Lo Mein for a quick, flavorful, and totally satisfying meal that comes together in about 30-40 minutes. Savory noodles, veggies and chicken are tossed in that classic savory lo mein sauce.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 436kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

Chicken

Lo Mein

  • 14 oz lo mein noodles - could also use ramen noodles with seasoning packet discarded
  • 2 tablespoon olive or canola oil - divided
  • 2 cups Napa cabbage - thinly sliced
  • 4 green onion - whites and greens separated and cut into ยฝ-1 inch pieces
  • ยฝ cup carrots - julienne (store bought shredded carrots work great!)
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger - grated
  • ยผ tablespoon water
  • 3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions
 

  • Add chicken breast, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and pepper to a medium mixing bowl, toss to coat. Cover and marinate for 10 minutes.
    1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, ยฝ teaspoon pepper
    Chicken breast slices in a bowl with marinade and cornstarch being combined.
  • Meanwhile prepare the lo mein noodles according to the package directions, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
    14 oz lo mein noodles
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and any liquid to the hot pan, cook until it begins to turn golden brown and is cooked through. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
  • Add the remaining oil to the pan and stir in the Napa cabbage, white parts of the green onions, and carrots**. Cook for 2-4 minutes until the carrots start to soften and the cabbage wilts.
    ** at this point add any extra veggies you want to use too!!
    2 cups Napa cabbage, 4 green onion, ยฝ cup carrots
  • Add garlic and ginger to the pan, stirring and allowing them to cook for 30 seconds.
    4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger
    Veggies added to a hot wok.
  • In a bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the water, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil, and pepper. Pour into the pan.
    ยผ tablespoon water, 3 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    Lo Mein sauce added to wok.
  • Toss in the cooked noodles and cooked chicken with the sauce, cooking until the sauce thickens.
    Lo mein noodles added to sauteed veggies and chicken pieces.
  • Garnish with the green parts of the green onions, and enjoy.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

  • Shaoxing wine - Dry sherry or a dry white wine will also work.
  • Napa cabbage - Using a regular green cabbage is possible but it may take a little longer to cook down.
  • Granulated sugar - Honey makes a good substitute.
  • Veggies – If you would like to add extras like mushrooms, snow peas, broccoli or peppers to the dish, you can do that as well.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1514mg | Potassium: 534mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2371IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

Fresh Fruit Salad with Citrus Glaze

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This Fresh Fruit Salad with a super easy Citrus Sugar Glaze is everything you want in a side dish-bright, juicy, and just sweet enough to feel special. What really sets it apart is the simple citrus glaze made with fresh lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, and lemon zest-it coats and infuses the fruit with a sweetness.

A large bowl of fruit salad topped with a sprig of mint
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Ingredients Details

  • 1 small pineapple - Core it and cut into ยฝ to 1-inch chunks. A ripe pineapple should smell sweet at the base. If you're short on time, the pre-cored ones from the store work great too.
  • 16 oz container strawberries - Hulled and halved. If they're large, go ahead and quarter them. Try to pick strawberries that are fully red (not white at the tips) for the sweetest flavor. However the sugary/citrus glaze will help with underripe fruit.
  • 2 (6 oz) containers blueberries - Rinse and gently pat dry. You want them plump and deep blue; skip any shriveled ones.
  • 2 cups green grapes - Cut in half for easier eating and better glaze absorption.
fresh fruit to make fruit salad on a table ; pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, clementines, etc...
  • 3-4 clementines/mandarins - Peeled and segmented. These add a lovely citrus pop.
  • ยผ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice - Brightens everything and balances the sweetness. Don't skip fresh-it makes a difference!
  • โ…“ cup orange juice - You can use bottled, but if you're already juicing lemons and peeling mandarins, fresh-squeezed orange juice will really shine here.
  • 3 tablespoons sugar - Just enough to sweeten the citrus glaze.
  • ยฝ teaspoon grated lemon peel - Adds depth and zing. Use a microplane to zest just the yellow part (not the bitter white pith).
  • Fresh mint (optional) - Totally optional but highly recommended for that pop of color and fresh herbaceous note.

How To Make Fruit Salad

a top view of fruit salad layered in a bowl

Step 1

Prep the fruit by washing and cutting.

a glass measuring cup with a sugar citrus glaze

Step 2

Make the citrus glaze.

pouring a citrus glaze over a bowl of fresh fruit

Step 3

Pour the citrus sugar glaze over the fruit and gently toss everything together.

fresh fruit salad in a bowl

Step 4

Let the fruit salad hang out in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours. This helps the flavors meld and makes it extra sweet.

Making Ahead

I recommend not making this recipe days ahead, a 2-4 hour window or serving it right away is the best option.

However if you need to make it ahead I would recommend prepping all the fruit and layering it in a bowl, being sure to layer the most delicate fruit on top (ie: raspberries, blueberries and strawberries). Then prep the citrus glaze and store that separate in the fridge. Two to four hours before serving mix it together.

Recipe Tips To Remember

  1. Any fruit will work in this fruit salad. Variety in color is key (red, orange, yellow, green and blue/purple).
  2. Other fruits that work well are raspberries, mangoes, melon – cantaloup or honeydew, and kiwi.
  3. Don’t refrigerate for more than 2-4 hours or some of the fruit can become soggy/mushy.
  4. Store leftovers in the fridge and use to make really great smoothies the next day.
  5. Taste and adjust – Depending on how sweet or tart your fruit is, you might want to add a little more sugar or a splash more lemon. Don't be afraid to adjust!

More “Fresh” Side Dishes

A large bowl of fruit salad topped with a sprig of mint

Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe

This Fresh Fruit Salad is bright and just sweet enough. A simple citrus glaze made with fresh lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, and lemon zest that coats the fruit and makes it perfectly sweet and juicy.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Refrigerate: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 94kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

Fresh Fruit

  • 1 small pineapple - cored and cut into ยฝ – 1 inch chunks
  • 16 oz strawberries - cut in half
  • 2 – 6 oz containers blueberries
  • 2 cups green grapes - halved
  • 3-4 clementines - or mandarins, segmented

Citrus Glaze

  • ยผ cup lemon juice - fresh squeezed
  • โ…“ cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoon sugar
  • ยฝ teaspoon lemon peel - grated
  • fresh mint for garnishing - optional

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl combine the pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, grapes and mandarin sections.
    1 small pineapple, 16 oz strawberries, 2 – 6 oz containers blueberries, 2 cups green grapes, 3-4 clementines
  • In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, orange juice, sugar and lemon peel. Whisk together until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
    ยผ cup lemon juice, โ…“ cup orange juice, 3 tablespoon sugar, ยฝ teaspoon lemon peel
  • Pour the juice mixture over the fruit and toss thoroughly to combine and coat the fruit with the mixture.
  • Garnish with fresh mint.
    Optionally, chop the mint and stir it into the fruit for an extra fresh flavor. Do it right before serving so the mint doesn't brown in the fruit salad.
  • Pop back in the fridge for 30 minutes, up to 4 hours, until ready to serve.
    If you are refrigerating for closer to 4 hours, give the fruit a toss a couple times to redistribute the citrus glaze.
    Can also be served right away, the fruit just won't have time to completely absorb the citrus glaze.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

  1. Any fruit will work in this fruit salad. Variety in color is key (red, orange, yellow, green and blue/purple).
  2. Other fruits that work well are raspberries, mangoes, melon – cantaloup or honeydew, and kiwi.
  3. Don’t refrigerate for more than 2-4 hours or some of the fruit can become soggy/mushy.
  4. Store leftovers in the fridge and use to make really great smoothies the next day.
  5. Taste and adjust – Depending on how sweet or tart your fruit is, you might want to add a little more sugar or a splash more lemon. Don't be afraid to adjust!
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1Cup | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Tuna Melt Sandwich

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If you're already a fan of my Classic Tuna Salad recipe, you're going to love this next-level comfort food: the Tuna Melt. It's everything you love about tuna salad-creamy, tangy, and satisfying-but sandwiched between golden, crispy bread and melty cheese (or served open faced!).

A tuna melt sandwich cut in half and stacked on top of eachother

This is a totally easy and inexpensive lunch or dinner. The nice thing is you can make the tuna salad ahead to it is ready when you are.

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Ingredients Details

  • Tuna - buy cans of high quality canned chunk white albacore tuna for the best results.
  • Mayonnaise - The base for a creamy tuna salad.
  • Celery and Red Onion- Adds crunch and freshness. Dice it small so nobody is getting huge chunks of celery or onion. Also if your onion seems to be really strong, rinse a cut piece in cool water before dicing.
  • Relish - This gives that punchy briny bite.
  • Seasonings – a combo of garlic powder, onions powder, kosher salt and black pepper is all you need.
  • Dijon Mustard – Just like the relish, it gives your tuna salad a tangy punch of flavor.
  • Cheese - Go for a melty cheese like cheddar, American or provolone.
  • Bread - Sourdough, white or wheat sandwich bread, or even a sturdy whole grain will work. For an open faced tuna melt opt for an English Muffin!

Step by Step How To Make The Recipe

Tuna Salad in a bowl with bread and fruit in the background

Step 1

Mix your drained tuna with the tuna salad ingredients. Taste and tweak!

Step 2

Butter two pieces of bread and spoon on the tuna salad, top with a slice or two of cheese.

Step 3

Heat a skillet over medium low heat, add the sandwich, buttered side down, and grill the tuna melt, flip and continue until the sandwich is golden and the cheese is melty.

a toasted tuna melt sandwich on a cutting board

Step 4

Serve it up!

Serving Ideas

  • Pair it with tomato soup for that classic diner feel.
  • Serve with kettle chips for crunch.
  • Add a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to balance the richness.
  • Slice it into strips for kids or serve open-faced on an English muffin for brunch
an open faced tuna melt on a piece of parchment paper

Recipe Tips To Remember

  • Use a high quality canned tuna packed in water, either a chunk white or whole white albacore tuna.
  • Make sure to press all the water out of the tuna before mixing the tuna salad, this will prevent your tuna melt from getting soggy.
  • Low and slow is key. You want the cheese to melt before the bread burns.
  • Don't overfill the sandwich or it'll spill out everywhere. Keep it to about โ…“ cup tuna salad per sandwich.
  • If your cheese isn't melting fast enough, cover the pan with a lid for 30 seconds to trap some heat.

More Easy Sandwich Recipes

A tuna melt sandwich cut in half and stacked on top of eachother

Tuna Melt Sandwich Recipe

An excellent recipe for tuna melt sandwich made with a flavorful homemade tuna salad, perfectly melted cheese, and golden, crispy bread.
No ratings yet
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 Sandwiches
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 4 - 5oz cans chunk white albacore tuna - packed in water - drained really well
  • โ…” cup mayonnaise
  • ยพ cup celery - finely diced
  • ยผ cup (heaping) red onion - finely diced
  • ยผ cup sweet pickle relish - drained of liquid
  • 1 ยฝ tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยผ teaspoon black pepper

Assembly

  • Bread or English Muffin
  • Butter
  • Cheddar or American Cheese Slices

Instructions
 

  • Place the tuna in a fine mesh sieve and drain as much liquid from the tuna as possible.
    4 - 5oz cans chunk white albacore tuna
  • In a medium size bowl combine the remaining tuna salad ingredients and stir to thoroughly combine.
    โ…” cup mayonnaise, ยพ cup celery, ยผ cup (heaping) red onion, ยผ cup sweet pickle relish, 1 ยฝ tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon onion powder, ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt, ยผ teaspoon black pepper
  • Add in the drained tuna and fold it into the mayo mixture until combined.
  • Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Butter two slices of bread on one side. Scoop the tuna salad on one piece of bread (on the unbuttered side), then top with a slice or two of cheese. Top with other buttered slice of bread.
  • Place in hot skillet, buttered side down. Grill until golden, flip and grill until other side is golden and the cheese is melty.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Complete Easter Brunch Menu

by Leave a Comment

Spring has sprung, and that means it's time to plan one of the best meals of the season-Easter Brunch. Truly Easter is one of our favorite meals of the year! Whether you're hosting a big family gathering or keeping things more low-key, a delicious Easter brunch spread can make the day feel extra special.

a table scape that has tulips, plates, and wine glasses with text overlay that says Easter Brunch

This menu is full of fresh flavors, make-ahead dishes, and comforting classics that everyone at the table will love. A lot of the dishes can be made ahead, making YOUR Easter even better!

We’re keeping parts of this menu classic with a tender brown sugar glazed ham and broccoli bacon salad. Then we add a brunch element with a fluffy egg frittata and fresh fruit salad. A holiday menu wouldn’t be complete without a potato and we’ve added crispy herbed roasted potatoes for a super Spring-y taste. Finally instead of a full dessert you will make these Morning Glory Muffins which are more brunch appropriate but are like cake in a muffin-package!!

Full Easter Brunch Menu with Recipes

spiral cut smoked ham with glaze cooked in a baking dish
How To Cook Spiral Ham
EVERYTHING you need to know to make a flavorful and juicy bone-in spiral cut smoked ham. From reheating to cutting and serving, plus a video for 3 ham glazes!
Check out this recipe
glass measuring cup with brown sugar and mustard ham glaze. A spiral cut ham in the background
Brown Sugar and Mustard Ham Glaze Recipe + Video
A really great recipe for a Brown Sugar and Mustard Ham Glaze perfect to amp up the flavor of your Spiral Cut Smoked Ham.
Check out this recipe
Egg frittata baked in a cast iron pan.
Classic Egg Frittata Recipe + Video
A classic egg frittata is the ultimate easy, no-fuss meal that works for breakfast, or even a light dinner. It's packed with fluffy eggs, melty cheese, and shallots.
Check out this recipe
broccoli bacon salad in a white bowl
Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe + Video
A classic Broccoli Bacon Salad recipe that has raw broccoli, crispy bacon, sweet raisins and sunflower seeds with a sweet and tangy dressing. Makes a great side dish for any holiday or barbecue.
Can also be prepped a day ahead!
Check out this recipe
Herb roasted potatoes being scooped up on wooden serving spoon.
Herb Roasted Potatoes Recipe + Video
These Herb Roasted Potatoes are over-the-top! Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes are tossed with a mixture of olive oil, Dijon, lemon, garlic, chives, dill, parsley and rosemary then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. They make a great side dish or breakfast/brunch potato.
Check out this recipe
a morning glory muffin cut open to show all the fruits, veggies and nuts
Apple Carrot Morning Glory Muffins (Healthy Recipe)
Super tender & moist Morning Glory Muffins are filled with wholesome ingredients like; carrots, apple, orange, pineapple, raisins, and nuts.
Check out this recipe
A large bowl of fruit salad topped with a sprig of mint
Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe
This Fresh Fruit Salad is bright and just sweet enough. A simple citrus glaze made with fresh lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, and lemon zest that coats the fruit and makes it perfectly sweet and juicy.
Check out this recipe

Dishes To Prep Ahead

There are a couple dishes that can be made ahead so you can enjoy Easter instead of cooking in the kitchen all morning!

  1. The ham glaze can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the fridge until it is time to bake the ham.
  2. Prep all the components of the broccoli bacon salad a day ahead and store in the fridge – dressing separate from the salad, and I like to store the onions separate too. About 30 minutes before brunch, mix it all together.
  3. The Morning Glory Muffins can be make WEEKS ahead and kept in the freezer (I do this at Christmas when we have house guests), they thaw at room temp. perfectly.
  4. Wash, cut and prep all the fruit the day ahead, storing in the fridge, making sure you layer the more delicate fruit on the top (strawberries and blueberries). Then mix everything together with the citrus glaze up to 2 hours before brunch.

Set Up A Buffet

Brunch can be a little more casual than a full blown dinner. A buffet set up with plates, utensils, napkins, all the dishes/recipes with serve ware is perfectly acceptable!

I also recommend setting up a drink station; hot coffee, iced tea, water and 1-2 juices. Possibly add some prosecco if guests want to make a mimosa or just have a little bubbly. Don’t forget the ice, ice scoop and glassware.

Room Temp is Okay

Do not stress about getting chaffers and catering equipment to keep everything warm. ALL of these dishes, including the ham and potatoes, are totally acceptable warm or at room temp.

Add a Special Touch

Set the mood with some spring flowers, pastel napkins, dyed eggs, bunnies, or a simple centerpiece. If it is an all adult celebration, a fun touch to the morning would be an adult Easter egg hunt. Fill plastic eggs with “adult friendly” items like airplane bottles of wine or liquor, a $1 bill, or course candy, lottery scratcher tickets, travel size items, etc…

More Easter Recipes

We take Easter very seriously at Mom’s Dinner… it is Susie’s favorite meal of the whole year! So you can be sure that whether you make the Easter Brunch menu above or any of the additional Easter Recipes below, they will be spectacular.

Easter Dinner Table with white flowers and candles

Easter Dinner for 10 People

Everything from ham, cheesy potatoes, to deviled eggs and carrot cake. All the recipes you need.

Get the recipes

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Sign up for the Mom’s Dinner Newsletter, delivered every Sunday morning, straight to your email inbox. It includes all the new recipes, videos, dinner ideas for the week and fun kitchen tips and tricks.

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Old Fashioned Cake Mix Coffee Cake

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If you have a box of yellow cake mix in the pantry, you're already halfway to making this Cake Mix Coffee Cake! The yellow cake mix is prepped with sour cream, eggs and vanilla, then it gets layered with a SUPER flavorful cinnamon, butter and pecan swirl. After it bakes you will drizzle a vanilla glaze over the top. No one will know it started with a box mix-this one tastes and looks completely homemade.

Slice of cake mix coffee cake showing the cinnamon and brown sugar swirl baked in as its removed from the pan.

This Cake Mix Coffee Cake makes a great sweet breakfast or brunch bread (especially when you have house guests!), or a mid-afternoon snack with a cup of coffee!

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Ingredient Details

There are three parts to this coffee cake recipe; the cake mix, the cinnamon pecan streusel and the icing glaze. Here are the ingredients that make up these parts:

Yellow Cake Mix – any store bought yellow cake mix will work. I have made it with Duncan Hines, Pillsbury and Aldi. You will not prepare the cake mix, you will use the dry mix and blend with the ingredients in the recipe card below.

Eggs – three large eggs combine with the yellow cake mix to make the cake batter.

Sour Cream – using sour cream for the cake batter makes for a really tender, rich and moist cake!

Vanilla –a little vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the cake.

Pecans – chopped pecans create a wonderful texture in the coffee cake streusel layers!

Butter – melted salted butter brings the streusel together.

Cinnamon – it is not a typo, you will need 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon! I promise it gives the most amazing cinnamon flavor without being overpowering!

Icing – the icing is a classic vanilla glaze. You will need powdered sugar, melted butter, milk and vanilla.

Watch The Recipe

How To Make Cake Mix Coffee Cake

Brown sugar mixture with cinnamon and pecans combined in a small mixing bowl.

Step 1

Make the cinnamon streusel layer by combining the pecans, โ…” cup yellow cake mix, melted butter and cinnamon. Set aside.

Coffee cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Mix the batter by blending the sour cream, remaining cake mix, vanilla and eggs.

Hand sprinkling brown sugar mixture over the coffee cake batter.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 325ยฐF. Prep a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. Pour half the cake batter in, top with a layer or streusel, top with remaining cake batter, then remaining streusel.

Freshly baked cake mix coffee cake before a vanilla glaze it added for the finishing touch.

Step 4

Bake for 30 minutes, until set and golden. While it bakes, stir together the icing.

Simple vanilla icing being drizzled over a cake mix coffee cake in a baking dish.

Step 5

Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes, then drizzle with the icing. Cut into squares and serve!

Recipe tips to remember

  • Any brand of yellow cake mix will work!
  • Don’t prepare the cake mix, you will use it dry with the ingredients in the recipe card.
  • Yes, it is 2 tablespoon of cinnamon, it looks like a lot, but it is perfect!
  • Using an offset spatula to spread the batter in the pan can make the task a little easier.
Fork being used to serve a slice of coffee cake with vanilla icing on top.

More Sweet Baked Treats

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

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Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
A slice of cake mix coffee cake topped with a vanilla icing, being served out of the baking pan.

Cake Mix Coffee Cake Recipe + Video

This delicious Coffee Cake is made with a yellow cake mix, layered w/ a cinnamon, butter and pecan swirl, and topped with vanilla glaze! So easy to make!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 389kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs - lightly beaten
  • 1 ยฝ cups sour cream
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 3 Tbsp. butter - melted
  • ยฝ cup brown sugar
  • ยฝ cup chopped pecans
  • nonstick spray

Vanilla Icing

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×13 inch pan by spraying with baking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine โ…” cup of the dry yellow cake mix with the cinnamon, melted butter, brown sugar and chopped pecans. Mix with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand. Set aside.
    (Yes, it is 2 tablespoon of cinnamon, not a typo)
    2 Tbsp. cinnamon, 3 Tbsp. butter, ยฝ cup brown sugar, ยฝ cup chopped pecans
    Brown sugar mixture with cinnamon and pecans combined in a small mixing bowl.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry yellow cake mix with the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer until just combined. Then mix for 1 minute on medium speed.
    3 eggs, 1 ยฝ cups sour cream, 2 tsp. vanilla
  • Time to layer the coffee cake, an offset spatula can make this a little easier!
    Pour half of the batter into the prepared 9×13 inch pan. Spread evenly.
    Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture over the batter.
    Hand sprinkling brown sugar mixture over the first layer of coffee cake batter added to a baking dish.
  • Top with the rest of the batter and try to spread as evenly as possible.
    Butter knife used to swirl the brown sugar mixture into the coffee cake batter in a baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture over the top.
    Hand sprinkling brown sugar mixture over the coffee cake batter.
  • Bake at 350โ„‰ for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown and when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
    Freshly baked cake mix coffee cake before a vanilla glaze it added for the finishing touch.
  • While the cake is baking prepare the icing. Mix all the icing ingredients in a bowl and stir until it becomes a thick drizzling consistency.
    1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoon milk
  • Let the coffee cake cool for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle the frosting over the top and serve immediately.
    Simple vanilla icing being drizzled over a cake mix coffee cake in a baking dish.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1slice | Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 1mg

How To Make A Frittata

by Leave a Comment

This is a super classic recipe for an Egg Frittata. It is simple to make and is a great addition to a breakfast or brunch. Start by softening shallots, stir together eggs, heavy cream, seasonings and cheese. Add the shallots to the mix and bake in a skillet for 25-30 minutes. Slice it into wedges and serve!

Freshly baked egg frittata topped with chopped chives with a bowl of fresh strawberries, crispy bacon and bagels.

It is so easy to customize with herbs, veggies, or protein to match the event, holiday or season. You can also mix up the cheeses for a different flavor profile.

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Ingredient Details

Butter and Oil – It is important to have enough butter and oil for your frittata pan. It helps sautรฉ the shallots and it helps provide a non-stick surface for the eggs to bake.

Shallots – These are a more mild onion, smaller in size and purple/pink in color. If you don’t have a shallot I would recommend using a sweet yellow onion.

Eggs – You will need 8 large eggs for this recipe, this is the main ingredient!

Heavy Cream – Don’t skimp on the heavy cream in this recipe. The cream helps the frittata have a creamier texture.

Ingredients for a frittata

Gruyere Cheese – This cheese is a bit expensive, but it has a very distinct flavor that is perfect for a frittata. But if you want to sub, you could use just about any cheese that will melt into the frittata; fontina, swiss, parmesan, white cheddar…

Seasonings – A combo of kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder is all you need!

Chives/Green Onion – This is an optional ingredient to garnish the top of the frittata after it cooks.

How To Make A Frittata

This is a quick overview of how to make an Egg Frittata. For more detailed instructions and ingredient amounts, pop down to the recipe card:

Thinly sliced shallots sauteing in a cast iron pan.

Step 1

Start in a 10 inch oven safe skillet. Sautรฉ the shallots in the butter and olive oil.

Fork whipping eggs together with the onion mixture.

Step 2

Meanwhile whisk the eggs, cream and seasonings together.

Add in the cheese and sautรฉed shallots.

Whipped egg onion mixture added to a cast iron pan.

Step 3

Wipe the pan with the additional 1 teaspoon olive oil. Pour the egg mixture in and bake.

A cast iron skillet with a sizzling egg frittata fresh out of the oven.

Step 4

The frittata will come out of the oven all puffed and set. It will deflate a little as it cools.

Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Cut into wedges and serve.

Recipe tips to remember

  1. Fresh grate your cheese – it will melt better and be creamier
  2. Grease the skillet really well before adding the egg mixture.
  3. Loosen the edges of the frittata after baking with a sharp knife or spatula before cutting into slices.
  4. This recipe is very customizable – you can add 1-2 cups of any veggie or protein. Just be sure to sautรฉ it with the shallots.

Brunch Menu

I love a good brunch menu! This Frittata is the perfect addition to an Easter Brunch. Here is a great brunch menu for any time:

Brunch or Breakfast Menu

Classic Egg Frittata, Oven Cooked Bacon, Overnight Pecan Sticky Buns, and a Fresh Fruit Salad

More Egg-y Breakfast Recipes

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

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Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
Egg frittata baked in a cast iron pan.

Classic Egg Frittata Recipe + Video

A classic egg frittata is the ultimate easy, no-fuss meal that works for breakfast, or even a light dinner. It's packed with fluffy eggs, melty cheese, and shallots.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 248kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • 10" Oven Safe Skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil - + 1 tsp, divided
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large shallot - thinly sliced
  • 8 large eggs
  • ยฝ cup heavy cream - scant cup
  • ยพ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยผ tsp. pepper
  • ยฝ tsp. onion powder
  • โ…› teaspoon garlic powder
  • 7 oz Gruyere cheese - grated
  • chives - chopped, or green onion, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet or an oven proof non-stick skillet. Sautee the thinly sliced shallot over low heat for approx. 4-5 minutes until translucent and soft but not brown. Set aside
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 large shallot
    Thinly sliced shallots sauteing in a cast iron pan.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
    8 large eggs, ยฝ cup heavy cream, ยพ teaspoon kosher salt, ยผ tsp. pepper, ยฝ tsp. onion powder, โ…› teaspoon garlic powder
    Whipped eggs in a glass measuring cup.
  • Add the onions and the grated cheese to the eggs and fold the mixture to incorporate the ingredients.
    7 oz Gruyere cheese
    Fork whipping eggs together with the onion mixture.
  • Add 1 teaspoon oil to the empty skillet, to coat the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour the mixture back into the 10 inch skillet.
    Whipped egg onion mixture added to a cast iron pan.
  • Transfer the pan to the middle rack of the oven and bake the frittata for approx. 25-30 minutes, until puffed in the middle and set to the touch.
    A cast iron skillet with a sizzling egg frittata fresh out of the oven.
  • Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chives or green onion. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan so the frittata slices come out easily. Cut into slices and serve immediately.
    chives

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Fresh grate your cheese – it will melt better and be creamier
Loosen the edges of the frittata after baking with a sharp knife or spatula before cutting into slices.
This recipe is very customizable – you can add 1-2 cups of any veggie or protein. Just be sure to sautรฉ it with the shallots.
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 212mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 736IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 289mg | Iron: 1mg