Porcupine Meatballs made easy with uncooked rice, ground turkey, eggs and without tomato sauce. Then bake, cook in slow cooker or Instant Pot, or freeze for later.

I can’t decide which I love better! These meatballs, my Thai meatballs or Mexican meatballs.

I grew up eating porcupine meatballs. My mom always made them in a clear sauce with broth and spices. Also she made meatballs large, so you eat only one or two meatballs.

This slow cooker porcupine meatballs recipe is amazing! Meatballs hold their shape while being flavorful and tender. And so juicy, saucy and filling because of brown rice and turkey’s high fiber and protein content.

Ingredients for Porcupine Meatballs

• Ground turkey: I use extra lean ground turkey because it is healthier. You can use any meat like extra lean ground beef, ground pork or ground chicken.
• Rice: We use brown rice because it contains bran and fiber. You can use white rice. The key is to use long grain rice so it sticks out. But you can use any, to be honest.
• Eggs: Eggs act as a binder although you can skip them. I tried and porcupine meatballs do not fall apart.
• Broth: Meatballs actually cook in a broth because we use uncooked rice. You can use homemade chicken broth or vegetable broth, Instant Pot chicken broth, broth from a carton or organic bouillon cubes mixed with water.
• Cornstarch: For the slurry to thicken the sauce.
• Simple seasonings like Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

How to Make Porcupine Meatballs in Slow Cooker

This recipe yields 10 large porcupine balls. You can make 20 small ones.

I decided to make porcupine meatballs in slow cooker because I thought they make a perfect candidate for “dump and go” crockpot recipe. Even brown rice is uncooked!

• Shape the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, rice, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix very well and then shape into 10 large meatballs and place at the bottom of large crock pot.
• Slow cook: Cook for 4 hours on high heat or for 8 hours on low heat. While rice is slowly expanding it acts as a binder along with eggs to keep ground turkey shaped into meatballs.
• Thicken the sauce: At the end, whisk cold water with cornstarch, add to the slow cooker, cover and cook on High for 10-20 minutes or until thickened.

How to Make Porcupine Meatballs in Instant Pot

I am absolutely in love with my Instant Pot! No surprise, I cook meatballs in Instant Pot as well.

To cook porcupine meatballs in Instant Pot:

• Follow the recipe to form the meatballs.
• Pressure cook on High pressure for 15 minutes in 8 quart Instant Pot or for 20 minutes in 6 quart Instant Pot.
• You can release pressure using Quick Release method. Open the lid and separate meatballs from each other, if necessary.
• Press Saute, whisk in a slurry and cook until sauce has thickened a bit. It helps to remove a few meatballs and then add them back.

Can I Bake Them?

Yes. Bake porcupine meatballs in a baking dish while covered in preheated oven to 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. Check for doneness and if rice is ready, uncover and pour the slurry into the liquid spots. Bake for another 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Tips for Best Results

• Don’t overwork the meat mixture: Once all ingredients are incorporated with ground turkey, stop mixing. This will ensure your porcupine meatballs turn out light and fluffy.
• Use cold ingredients from the fridge: The colder is meat and eggs, the easier it is to shape the meatballs. They also turn out more juicy because the fat melts during cooking and not before.
• For easier rolling: Dip your hands into a bowl with water in between rolling each meatball.
• Do not open the lid: During slow cooking do not lift the lid and peek inside to check on meatballs. Every time you do that, the steam escapes and cooking time increases. It’s OK to check on meatballs towards the end though.

What Do I Serve Porcupine Meatballs with?

Porcupine meatballs are a meal on their own including the meat and rice. However, if you’re super hungry you could serve it with extra starch like healthy mashed potatoes or Instant Pot mashed potatoes.

I usually make super simple cucumber and tomato salad or garlic green beans to go with meatballs. They also pair well with cabbage like this braised cabbage and apples.

On lazy days, it is a green smoothie or just some crusty bread for mopping up the sauce!

How to Store

Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze cooked: Fully cook, cool completely, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw porcupine meatballs in a refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a microwave or in the oven at 375 F for 10 minutes.

Or freeze uncooked: Form the meatballs, place on a baking sheet and freeze for up to 2 hours. Then transfer to a Ziploc bag and store in a freezer for up to 3 months.

When ready to cook, I would recommend to bake them from frozen with extra 10 minutes. For Instant Pot, no changes are necessary. And for slow cooker, you have to thaw meatballs first and then cook as per recipe.

FAQs

More Dinner Recipes to Try

• Healthy turkey meatballs
• Turkey meatball soup
• Slow cooker turkey meatloaf
• Cranberry turkey meatballs

You might also love to browse all of my healthy ground turkey recipes!

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Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine Meatballs made easy with uncooked rice, ground turkey, eggs and without tomato sauce. Then bake, cook in slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 12 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 12 minutes minutes

Servings 10 meatballs

Calories 193kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Slow cooker

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground turkey chicken, beef or pork
• 1 cup brown rice uncooked, rinsed & drained
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or 1/2 tsp dried basil + 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons green onions, parsley or dill finely chopped (for garnish)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, add ground turkey, rice, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix just enough to combine.
• Form 10 large meatballs a size just a bit shy of a tennis ball’s size. Or you can make 20 or so smaller meatballs.
• Place in a single layer on a bottom of large slow cooker. Meatballs will fit snuggly. Just pack them gently and tight. Pour broth gently over the meatballs.
• Slow cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours.
• In a small bowl, whisk cold water with cornstarch. Pour slurry over the meatballs, cover and cook on High for 10-20 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve warm.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in a refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a microwave or in the oven at 375 F for 10 minutes.
• In Instant Pot: Pressure cook on High pressure for 15 minutes in 8 quart Instant Pot or for 20 minutes in 6 quart Instant Pot. Release pressure right away and separate meatballs. Press Saute, whisk in a slurry and cook until sauce has thickened a bit.
• In the oven: Bake porcupine meatballs in a baking dish while covered in preheated oven to 375 degrees F oven for 45 minutes. Check for doneness and if rice is ready, uncover and pour the slurry into the liquid spots. Bake for another 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

The post Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are creamy, fluffy and perfect side dish to anything! Ready in 30 minutes, making mashed potatoes in Instant Pot requires no dicing or draining the spuds.

We also love these Instant Pot baked potatoes and Instant Pot potatoes for an easy side dish.

My grandma always made the most simple healthy mashed potatoes with butter and milk. Now I do the same but I turn a lot of her dishes into Instant Pot recipes!

The Instant Pot has turned my cooking style upside down. For mashed potatoes in Instant Pot, you don’t have to cut potatoes super small, drain the water after pressure cooking or heat up the milk.

It’s made in one pot, just like Instant Pot meatloaf and mashed potatoes and Instant Pot potato soup.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy: Peel or don’t peel your potatoes, and ready in 30 minutes.
• One pot: Less dishes to clean, more time to spend with your family!
• Fluffy and flavorful: Same smooth, creamy and full of buttery flavor side dish as you know.
• Make ahead: Save time at Christmas and Thanksgiving, make potatoes ahead, leave on Keep Warm and they are ready to serve at dinner time.
• Freezer friendly: Meal prep to always have some on hand for busy weeknights.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

To make creamy Instant Pot mashed potatoes, you will need 4 simple ingredients plus water, salt and pepper.

• Potatoes: Starchy russet or buttery Yukon gold potatoes work best.
• Cold water: Be sure not to use warm water or hot water because it will throw off the cooking time. The starchy, salty water from the Instant Pot is used after cooking to mash your potatoes. This means no draining!
• Whole milk: It will produce the creamiest mashed potatoes results without using sour cream or cream cheese. But you can use any milk you like to use in regular your mashed potatoes.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter or salted butter and adjust accordingly when adding additional salt.
• Garlic powder: For savory taste. You can also use grated small fresh garlic clove or omit all together.
• Simple seasonings: Salt and pepper.

How to Make Mashed Potatoes in Instant Pot

Here is a quick overview how to make Instant Pot mashed potatoes. You can find full recipe card down below.

• Combine ingredients: In any size Instant Pot, add potatoes, cold water and salt. Water doesn’t have to cover the potatoes. Adding salt before cooking helps to flavor the spuds.
• Cook the potatoes: Pressure cook potatoes on high pressure for 10 minutes Instant Pot Duo comes with low and high pressure, so pay attention. Instant Pot Lux cooks only on high pressure, so just press Manual button.
• Release the pressure: Release the pressure right away by turning valve to Venting, Quick Release. No need to drain the water as most of it should be absorbed by potatoes. But you can, if you wish.
• Season and mash: Add butter, milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper and mash potatoes with a potato masher until creamy and fluffy.

What Are the Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes?

The golden standard for mashed potatoes are starchy potatoes like russet potatoes.

However, I can’t say that you cannot use red potatoes, yellow potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. Yes, they are more waxy but, in my experience, they still yield delicious mashed potatoes in Instant Pot. It comes down to personal preference.

Tips for Best Results

• Peel or don’t peel the potatoes: You can leave the skin on or peel it on any thin skin potatoes like red potatoes, yellow potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. I recommend to always peel russet potatoes because their skin is quite thick.
• Do not use blender or food processor: To mash the potatoes. They will turn out sticky like glue. I have not tried an electric hand mixer but I know it is often used.
• To prevent lumpy potatoes: Mash right after cooking, while potatoes are still hot and the most starchy.
• To double the recipe: Perfect for serving a crowd. Double all ingredients, except water, in 5, 6, 8 or 10 quart Instant Pot but keep same cook time.
• Salt potatoes during cooking: Potatoes absorb salt and become more flavorful during cooking. If you salt potatoes after, there is a risk of overworking the potatoes, making them gooey.

Variations

• Milk: You can replace milk with buttermilk or plain yogurt. Both have more tang, especially yogurt. You can also use unsweetened non-dairy milk but keep in mind that taste will be different.
• Butter: You can use olive oil or vegan butter to make this Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe dairy-free. Remember to use plant-based milk then as well.
• Sour cream or cream cheese: Add a small amount for loaded mashed potatoes. And might as well add freshly grated cheese and bacon bits at this point!
• Fresh chives: As a garnish to add fresh onion taste.
• Fresh herbs: Finely chopped parsley, dill, sage, thyme or rosemary add a special touch for a holiday dinner. 

What to Serve with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes?

There are a million ways to serve mashed potatoes! They go just about with any protein, especially meat dishes with juice or sauce.

Making mashed potatoes in Instant Pot is super convenient for Holidays because they free up room on the stove. You can keep potatoes warm in your pressure cooker, right after cooking, until everyone is ready to sit down for a meal.

• Ground meat: With juicy turkey meatloaf or turkey meatballs.
• Chicken: With oven baked chicken thighs or creamy chicken and asparagus.
• Lamb: With saucy braised lamb shanks or succulent lamb roast.
• Thanksgiving: With turkey breast roast, drizzled with gravy, cranberry sauce, healthy green bean casserole and Instant Pot steamed vegetables on a side.

How to Store and Reheat

Storing: Refrigerate Instant Pot mashed potatoes leftovers for up to 3 days.

Reheating: You should try my favorite way to reheat mashed potatoes – on a skillet with oil or butter. They get a bit of an irresistible crust. Or warm up on the stove on low heat with a splash of milk.

Freezing: Unlike potato cubes, mashed potatoes freeze well because they are mashed with dairy products. Freeze the mash in portions with future use in mind, in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for 4-5 hours or in the fridge overnight.

Make ahead by refrigerating peeled and cubed potatoes in a bowl covered with cold water for up to 2 days. Cook as per recipe.

FAQs

More Mashed Potato Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot potato salad
• Cauliflower mashed potatoes
• Healthy mashed sweet potatoes
• Slow cooker cauliflower mashed potatoes
• Instant Pot sweet potato casserole
• Instant Pot chicken and potatoes

Also I recommend you browse this collection of 45 healthy Instant Pot recipes.

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, fluffy and buttery Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes made in one pot, no dicing, no draining and hassle free thanks to pressure cooker.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Pressure Up & Down Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 209kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 3 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes peeled & cut into large rounds
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chives, parsley, dill or green onions for garnish (optional)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• To Instant Pot, add potatoes, cold water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Liquid will not and should not cover the potatoes.
• Close the lid, move pressure valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 10 minutes.
• After, release pressure immediately by turning pressure release valve to Venting. No need to drain the potatoes but you can, if you wish.
• Add butter, milk, garlic powder, remaining 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until creamy and fluffy.
• Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot as a side dish.

Video

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Unlike potato cubes, mashed potatoes freeze well because they are mashed with dairy. Freeze in portions with future use in mind in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for 4-5 hours or in the fridge overnight. Warm up on the stove on low with a splash of milk.
• Watch sodium: If using salted butter, add less salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 333mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g

The post Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Instant Pot White Chicken Lasagna Soup with chicken breasts, spinach, and sundried tomatoes in savory creamy broth. Perfect for a cozy night in with your family!

If you love lasagna, you’ll also like Instant Pot lasagna soup and Instant Pot lasagna.

Collection of Instant Pot soup recipes here on iFoodReal just got better with this Instant Pot white chicken lasagna soup.

It tastes just like white chicken lasagna without all the extra work! Tender cheesy noodles, rich taste, and lots of garlic, all in a warming bowl of soup.

This delicious soup recipe comes together in less than an hour and is also veggie packed!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One pot meal: You saute veggies and cook the soup all in same pot, Instant Pot!
• Crowd pleaser: Just like with my healthy white chicken chili, kids and even their friends go crazy for the creamy goodness. It’s one of my 3 top favorite soups I’ve made this year!
• Delicious: Loaded with tender noodles, juicy chicken, cheese, and the perfect blend of seasonings. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love creamy soup?!
• Lighter: There’s no mozzarella cheese and you can reduce amount of heavy cream too.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This hearty Instant Pot white chicken lasagna soup is filled with simple, easy to find ingredients. The list looks lengthy but you’ll probably find most of them in your kitchen right now.

• Onion: Finely chopped yellow onion or white onion.
• Garlic: We’re adding lots of freshly minced garlic for flavor.
• Vegetables: Fresh baby spinach and grated carrots.
• Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are easy to shred once cooked.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: A small amount of sun dried tomatoes with a bit of their oil adds a punch of sweet-tart tomato flavor.
• Chicken broth: Look for low sodium chicken broth. You can also use homemade chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth, if you have some.
• Heavy cream: Makes the broth rich and creamy.
• Lasagna noodles: Break 9 sheets into small pieces. You can choose from regular lasagna noodles or mafalda pasta.
• Spices: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Olive oil: A small amount for frying.
• Parmesan cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you can, it has the best flavor.
• Fresh herbs: I used fresh parsley but basil is great too.

How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Lasagna Soup

Making white chicken lasagna soup in Instant pot is so easy, here’s a quick overview with photos.

There’s also a full recipe card below.

• Sauté aromatics: Press Sauté on your Instant Pot and once it says Hot swirl oil to coat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Next, add Italian seasoning and sauté for another 30 seconds, then press Cancel.
• Combine ingredients: Add carrots, chicken breasts, sun dried tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, lasagna noodles, salt and pepper to the pot. Stir well so noodles separate.
• Pressure cook: Tightly close lid, set valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 4 minutes. Wait 5 minutes, then turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
• Shred chicken: Carefully remove chicken and place on a cutting board, the shred thinly or chop into small cubes. 

• Finish the soup: Return shredded chicken to the Instant Pot. Add spinach, Parmesan cheese, and parsley or basil, and stir.
• Garnish and serve: Divide into individual bowls and garnish with more Parmesan cheese, if you’d like. Enjoy hot with a slice of bread.

Tips for Best Results

These helpful tips are what make this chicken lasagna soup the best, you’ll be making it year-round!

• Break noodles into small pieces: Smaller than you think since pasta is absorbent and become much larger. It will be much easier to eat. Of course you can always “cut” noodles with a spoon in your bowl.
• Stir the soup: Unlike with other Instant Pot recipes, here you want to stir before pressure cooking, so noodles don’t stick.
• Don’t release pressure right away: Once it’s done pressure cooking, it’s important to wait 5 minutes, otherwise the soup will splatter through the venting valve. Don’t do Quick Release.
• Shred or cut chicken small: Because of the short cook time, the chicken won’t be as tender, which is fine if we cut it after. So shred it into small pieces or cubes.
• If soup thickens too much: This is normal as every hour passes by because pasta will soak up more moisture. Thin it out only with broth to avoid diluting the flavor with water. I usually add 2 cups more after a few hours, then adjust seasoning to taste.

Variations

Customize Instant Pot white chicken lasagna soup to fit your diet with these simple variations.

• Dairy-free: Use a can of coconut milk instead of cream or 2 cups dairy-free milk and add 1/2 cup nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese.
• Gluten-free: Choose gluten-free brown rice pasta and you can keep the same cook time because of the chicken.
• Vegetarian: Skip chicken and add 3 cups of chopped zucchini, 2 cups sweet potatoes, and more carrots. Also be sure to use vegetable broth.
• Lighter: Make it less heavy by using only 1/2 cup heavy cream, or add 2 cups of milk instead.
• Chicken thighs: Feel free to use 6-7 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cook time will be the same.

Can I Make It on the Stove or in Slow Cooker?

Yes, if you don’t have a pressure cooker you can still enjoy this creamy white lasagna soup.

Stovetop method: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook on both sides until almost cooked through, set aside. Follow the same steps to sauté aromatics and add ingredients, including chicken, to the pot.

Give it a stir, cover with a lid and simmer soup on medium heat for 15-20 minutes until noodles are tender. I would check once and give it a stir. Then shred chicken and finish the soup.

Slow cooker method: Saute veggies in a skillet and transfer to a large crock pot. Add carrots, chicken breasts, sun dried tomatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours.

Remove chicken to shred or chop and return back to the pot. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, spinach, and lasagna noodles, cover, and cook for another 30-45 minutes until noodles are cooked to your liking.

What to Serve White Chicken Lasagna Soup with?

You can keep things simple or add as many toppings as you like to add flavor.

Garnish soup with more cheese like shaved Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, or shredded mozzarella cheese. I skipped ricotta cheese because I felt that heavy cream has added enough creaminess.

Dust with your favorite dried or fresh herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, or thyme. Then serve with whole grain bread, crusty bread, or garlic bread!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: I’ll refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Technically, soup could last for 3 – 4 days, but I find the pasta becomes soggy after 2 days.

You can also thin out the soup with more broth and spices as it will thicken with time.

Freeze: I do not freeze lasagna soup because the noodles do not thaw well, they become mushy.

Reheat: It’s best to reheat only what you will eat, reheat in the microwave or small pot on the stove. If you are planning to consume all the leftovers you could also reheat right in the Instant Pot on Sauté mode.

FAQs

More Lasagna Recipes to Try

• Chicken lasagna roll ups
• Zucchini lasagna rolls
• Zucchini lasagna

More Instant Pot Soup Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot zuppa toscana
• Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
• Instant Pot chicken and rice soup
• Instant Pot chicken and noodle soup
• Instant Pot Thai chicken soup
• Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup

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Instant Pot White Chicken Lasagna Soup

Instant Pot White Chicken Lasagna Soup with chicken breasts, spinach, and sundried tomatoes in savory creamy broth. Perfect for a cozy night in!

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes minutes

Pressure Up&Down Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 44 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 387kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup carrots shredded or grated
• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes thinly sliced, with a bit of their oil
• 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 9 lasagna noodles broken into small pieces
• 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup parsley or basil finely chopped

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Press Saute and wait until Instant Pot says Hot. Swirl oil to coat and add onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Italian seasoning and saute for another 30 seconds, stirring once. Press Cancel.
• Add carrots, chicken breasts, sun dried tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, lasagna noodles, salt and pepper. Stir well to separate the noodles.
• Close the lid, set valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 4 minutes.
• After wait 5 minutes and then turn pressure release valve to Venting to release remaining pressure, called Quick Release.
• Remove chicken breasts on a cutting board and shred thinly with 2 forks or chop into small cubes. Return to the Instant Pot along with spinach, Parmesan cheese and parsley or basil, and stir.
• Garnish individual bowls of soup with more Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with a slice of bread.

Video

Notes

Store: Refrigerate soup leftovers for 2 days. Soup can last for 3-4 days but I find pasta becomes too soggy after 2 days. You can also thin out the soup with more broth and spices as it will thicken with time.

I don’t recommend to freeze this soup because noodles will become mushy upon thawing.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 407mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g

The post Instant Pot White Chicken Lasagna Soup appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Sautéed Garlic Green Beans is healthy, easy vegetable side dish ready in under 15 minutes. Fresh green beans are tossed with olive oil and savory garlic, then ready to be enjoyed year round or at Holidays.

Looking for more side dishes? We also love this healthy green bean casserole.

This easy garlic green beans recipe will change your perspective on bland string beans. Perfectly cooked until firm but tender string beans, then quickly sauteed with lots of garlic in butter or olive oil, they are slightly crisp with so much flavor!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple ingredients: 5 ingredients plus water is all you need for these green beans with garlic.
• Quick and easy: Ready in under 15 minutes and in one pan.
• So much flavor: Quickly cooked garlic adds sharp flavor to otherwise bland green beans.
• Versatile: Enjoy these green beans year round whether with a sirloin tip roast, Instant Pot lasagna or grilled salmon.
• Healthy: As per Healthline, green beans are a low calorie vegetable loaded with vitamins A, C and K. A single serving size can also provide you 1/3 of your daily intake of folate!
• Diet-friendly: When using olive oil, this green bean recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, whole 30, paleo and keto friendly!

Ingredients for Garlic Green Beans

• Green beans: You can use fresh green beans or frozen green beans.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is the all star ingredient in this garlic green beans recipe. I don’t recommend to use garlic powder.
• Olive oil or butter: Extra virgin olive oil will add a light nutty undertone to the beans, whereas butter is creamier and sweeter and will result in perfect garlic butter green beans.
• Salt and pepper: To season and taste.

How to Make Garlic Green Beans

Here is a quick overview how to make garlic green beans. There is a full recipe card below. 

• Wash frozen or fresh green beans: Sadly, they are on the dirty dozen list which means they are high in pesticides. Washing helps to remove them, so wash well and then drain thoroughly too. Pat with paper towels, if you wish.

• Cook green beans: In a large preheated skillet, add beans along with 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook for 4 minutes. Beans should be “al dente”. If you are using frozen beans, cook on the skillet without water. After 3 minutes, check to see if they need more water or time to cook.
• Season sauteed green beans: After pushing the beans to one side of the skillet, add butter or olive oil and minced garlic, then saute for about 30 seconds. Sauteing garlic makes it more flavorful and less spicy.
• Combine it all together: Finally, mix string beans, garlic, salt and pepper together and cook for 30 more seconds. Serve warm.

Variations

There are so many ways to change up this recipe and add a different flavor. Here are some of my favorite things to add:

• Lemon: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the sauteed garlic string beans.
• Parmesan cheese: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese after cooking.
• Bacon: Cook up 3 slices of diced bacon in a skillet then stir into the sauteed green beans. This gives the beans a salty, smoky taste just like in Ukrainian skillet potatoes.
• Almonds: 1/4 cup of skillet toasted slivered or sliced almonds is the perfect addition to this side dish. Other nuts would be delicious, too! Try toasted walnuts, pecans or even mixed nuts like I use in grilled chicken salad.
• Ran out of garlic? Try a shallot! Use half a teaspoon to a whole teaspoon of minced shallot in place of one clove of garlic.
• Bourbon: Add just a splash at the end, then saute for an extra minute or two to give them an extra special holiday flair.
• Maple syrup: It contrasts well with the savory garlic. Add just a small amount near the end of cooking time.
• Balsamic vinegar: Adds some depth and sweetness, add just a splash at the end and stir.
• Fresh herbs: Toss with a few tablespoons of fresh minced herbs at same time as garlic. Savory thyme, rosemary or fresh parsley would work best.
• Chinese garlic green beans: Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and red pepper flakes, it pairs well with cauliflower fried rice.

Tips for Best Results

• Freshly minced garlic: Mince your own garlic clove for truly garlicky green beans. Do not use jarred minced garlic, granulated garlic or garlic powder.
• Olive oil substitution: You can use avocado oil or coconut oil, they might lend a different taste to end results though.
• Get the pan hot: For best results, you will want your pan hot so you can quickly cook garlic, then toss with the beans. It helps to infuse oil with more garlic flavor and not burn it.
• Sauté garlic long enough: Use the full 30 seconds to saute the garlic to get the delicious garlic flavor without the garlic bite.

Serving Recommendations

For everyday healthy side dishes, serve easy garlicky green beans with:

• Salmon: They pair well with honey garlic glazed salmon or sweet chili salmon.
• Chicken: Green beans and chicken are a perfect match! Try them with baked chicken breast or healthy chicken parmesan. Kids love air fryer chicken drumsticks!
• Side dishes: Mashed potatoes or cauliflower mashed potatoes.

Sauteed green beans with garlic will also add a vibrant punch of color to your Holiday table along with:

• Turkey: Roasted bone-in turkey breast or boneless turkey breast.
• Side dishes: Healthy sweet potato casserole and beet salad with arugula and pecans.
• Roast: Crock pot sirloin tip roast or boneless leg of lamb.

Making This Recipe in Advance

Prep green beans: You could trim your green beans in advance then store them in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend making this recipe in advance, as green beans do go somewhat limp in storage.

Store: Green bean leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Freeze: Do not freeze.

FAQs

More Side Dish Recipes to Try

• Sauteed brussels sprouts
• Sauteed zucchini
• Broiled asparagus
• Sauteed garlic broccoli and tomatoes
• Honey garlic pan fried butternut squash

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Garlic Green Beans

Sauteed Garlic Green Beans are a healthy, easy vegetable side dish in under 15 minutes. Fresh green beans are tossed with olive oil and savory garlic, then ready to be enjoyed year round or at the holidays.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 6 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Total Time 12 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 71kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Ceramic skillet

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds fresh string green beans ends trimmed
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 3-4 large garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add green beans and 3 tablespoons of water.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 4 minutes. Remove the lid and if there is any water left, cook green beans until water has evaporated.
• Push beans to the side and add butter or olive oil and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds and then stir with green beans.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper; and sauté for another 30 seconds.
• Serve warm.

Notes

Store: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Do not freeze.

How to use frozen green beans:

• Wash frozen beans well with cold water to remove dirt and pesticides. No need to thaw. Skip this step if you washed vegetables before freezing.
• Then add to the skillet without water, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat. Frozen green beans will release their own water during cooking.
• Check after to see if they need more water or more time to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 235mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

The post Garlic Green Beans appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Broth is flavorful, easy and so budget friendly. Making it in your electric pressure cooker is completely hands-off method.

Instant Pot chicken noodle soup and Instant Pot chicken and rice soup are just a few favorite recipes to use homemade chicken broth.

As you may know, Instant Pot recipes make quite a large chunk of recipes on iFoodReal, and Instant Pot chicken broth along with Instant Pot beef bone broth are the ones I make almost weekly!

Because it’s so easy to throw in any meat or bones along with whatever vegetables I have going in my fridge drawers, and end up with a giant pot of “liquid gold” at the end. Kids love it and healthy dinner is taken care of for about $15.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Budget friendly: Use affordable cuts of chicken, chicken necks, bones or even put leftover carcass from cooking whole chicken in Instant Pot to use. Chicken broth is also a great way to use up veggie scraps, just collect them in the freezer over time.
• Hands off cooking method: Unlike stovetop chicken broth recipe, with chicken broth in Instant Pot you don’t have to wait for it to boil and then skim the foam.
• Control the sodium level: Store bought chicken broth, whether bouillon cubes, carton or in a can, can come with a lot of sodium in a shape of added salt or MSG. When you make it at home from scratch, you have complete control over the ingredients.
• More flavorful: Pressure cooker really does a good job extracting the flavor from meat, skin and bones of the chicken. Homemade chicken broth is much more flavorful than store-bought.

What Is the Difference Between Chicken Broth and Chicken Stock?

When it comes to cooking chicken with water, there are 3 main types of the end result to expect:

• Chicken broth: It is usually made with bone-in and some skin on chicken meat, vegetables and seasonings. Simmered for not as long, chicken broth has a lighter consistency and weight to it but more flavor than chicken stock.
• Chicken stock: Making a stock always involves the bones of the chicken, not the meat. A stock isn’t always seasoned but can be made with an optional mirepoix of onions, celery and carrots.
• Chicken bone broth: Then there is also bone broth which is simply chicken stock simmered over a long period, sometimes up to 24 hours. Apple cider vinegar can be used to draw out the collagen from bones. With the Instant Pot, these 24 hours are drastically reduced to just under 3 hours. You can use it for cooking, however, traditionally it has been sipped on and enjoyed for all of its nutrients and healing properties.

All 3 have similarities and each one has a place in our food and our bodies!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Broth

To make Instant Pot chicken broth, all you need is almost any chicken, veggies and cold water.

• Chicken: You will need 2-3 pounds of bone-in chicken but not chicken breasts. Use chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings, necks, raw chicken carcass with some meat on it, or whole raw chicken or what’s left from cutting a whole chicken.
• Vegetables: Have you been collecting veggie scraps in the freezer? This is a great time to toss them in here. Or if you don’t have any, use carrots and celery stalks. I also added a few leeks. Then one garlic head and a whole onion.
• Seasoning: Bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and salt.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Here is a photo overview how to make chicken broth in Instant Pot. You can find full recipe card below.

• Add chicken and veggies: In 6, 8 or 10 quart Instant Pot, add chicken, vegetables, bay leaves and peppercorns. Don’t add salt yet, we season chicken broth at the end.
• Add cold water: Now pour cold water up to 2/3 max fill line. It’s important not to use warm or hot water to avoid cloudy broth.
• Pressure cook: Close the lid and set vent to Sealing. Pressure Cook chicken broth on High pressure or Manual for 30-45 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 30 minutes to come to pressure.
• Release: Let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes. This means don’t do anything to it until the pin drops. After turn valve to Venting position to release remaining pressure.
• Drain and season: Open the lid and strain the stock into a mesh strainer over a large bowl or clean pot. Remove cooked chicken into a bowl and separate later into meat and bones. Do a little taste test and season to your liking, I like to add 1-2 teaspoons of salt for low sodium chicken broth.

Tips for Best Results

• Start with cold water: Do not add hot water or warm water along with chicken and vegetables. It will make the broth more cloudy.
• Use only some chicken skin: Some chicken skin in chicken broth adds flavor. But if you add too much, broth will turn out too rich. If I am using chicken drumsticks or bone-in chicken thighs, I like to remove chicken skin by holding onto it with paper towel from about half of the meat.
• Avoid chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are white meat which is lean, it does lack flavor and fat. I don’t suggest you use them to make chicken broth as it will come out quite thin and flat.
• Add other seasonings: Feel free to add dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, Italian seasoning, or spices like cayenne, or turmeric before or after pressure cooking.
• If using frozen chicken or veggies: If your vegetable scraps and the chicken are frozen, no need to thaw anything ahead of time. Your Instant Pot will just take a bit longer to come up to pressure.

Ways to Use Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Other than many soups and stews, Instant Pot chicken broth can be added to other recipes like Instant Pot rice for more flavor, as a base for gravies, chicken chili, chicken stew, and Instant Pot soup recipes.

Here are a few of my favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes that call for chicken broth:

• Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
• Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup
• Instant Pot Thai chicken soup
• Instant Pot chicken breast

Substitute Instant Pot chicken broth in any recipe that calls for water to add additional flavor!

How to Store and Freeze

Store: Chicken stock in an Instant Pot is perfect to make in big batches. It can be stored in jars or resealable gallon size bags for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Freeze: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer-friendly container, leaving room for expansion. Or portion out between the ice cube trays to use when recipe calls for a small amount of chicken stock.

Reheat: You can reheat chicken broth on the stovetop. You want to thaw it in the fridge overnight or simmer on low heat in a pot while covered.

FAQs

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Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Broth is flavorful, easy and so budget friendly. Making it in your electric pressure cooker is completely hands-off method.

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Pressure Up & Down Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cups

Calories 11kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Mason jars
• Strainer

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bone-in chicken like chicken drumsticks, thighs, carcass or whole chicken
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large whole onion peeled
• 1 head of garlic halved
• 2 large celery stalks
• 1 cup veggies scraps
• 5 bay leaves
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 10-12 cups cold water
• 1-2 teaspoons salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add chicken, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, veggie scraps, bay leaves, peppercorns and cold water not exceeding 2/3 PC Max line.
• Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 45 minutes. After let pressure come down on its own for 30 minutes and then turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
• Open the lid and first discard the vegetables with a mesh strainer. Then remove chicken and bones onto a large plate, let them cool down and remove meat from the bones. Season broth with salt and then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
• Add meat back in or use in other meals. Use broth for making soups or drink hot with fresh herbs and freshly cracked pepper.

Notes

• Store: Let cool completely and refrigerate in Mason jars or resealable silicone bags for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Let cool completely, transfer to Mason jars or resealable silicone bags (leaving some room for expansion) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or simmer in a covered pot on low heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.05g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 407mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

The post Instant Pot Chicken Broth appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry is vegan and healthy stir fry recipe with portobello mushrooms, peas, walnuts and brown rice. It’s easy, filling, and drenched in flavor.

We also love this chicken and broccoli stir fry and cauliflower stir fry!

This might not be a traditional stir fry recipe but it’s delish! It’s my version of broccoli mushroom stir fry with tons and tons of green veggies and nuts. I was going to say it is vegetarian but I just realized it’s vegan. Even better!

This gluten-free, healthy dinner recipe is perfect for any occasion and rivals any takeout.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Naturally flexible: Stir fries are great for using up those lingering vegetables in the fridge. Also gives you the chance to use up any type of rice or noodles you have in your pantry.
• Easy: No need to make separate stir fry sauce. Everything is sautéed to perfection in coconut oil, then seasoned with soy sauce for a delicious stir fry taste.
• Healthy: No store-bought sauce plus broccoli is high in fiber and vitamin C, and mushrooms are low in calories and a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Delicious: This stir fry was delish! Crunchy, with satisfying umami flavor and filling!

Ingredients for Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry

You might not need an extra trip to the grocery store, the ingredient list for this broccoli mushroom stir fry recipe is very simple.

• Portobello mushrooms: They are meaty and add a lot of flavor. You’ll need to chop 2 large mushrooms.
• Broccoli: Chop up 2 fresh heads of broccoli with stalks.
• Walnuts: Coarsely chopped, or you can buy pieces for a less expensive option.
• Frozen peas: You can add frozen peas straight from the freezer or use fresh peas.
• Onion: Finely chopped onions add delicious flavor. I recommend yellow onion, it’s the perfect balance between sweet and sharp.
• Soy sauce: Choose from regular soy sauce, liquid aminos or tamari.
• Coconut oil: I highly recommend not to substitute, it adds flavor.
• Toasted sesame oil: This oil adds stir fry flavor. It is an optional ingredient, so be sure to use only toasted sesame oil. Regular sesame oil does not have that special flavor.
• Green onion: A garnish of finely chopped green onion adds a nice chive flavor to the dish.
• Brown rice: I used long grain brown rice. Brown basmati rice or jasmine brown rice will work too.
• Salt: Just a pinch to flavor the rice.

How to Make Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry

Broccoli and mushroom stir fry is an easy weeknight dinner you’ll be dishing up in less than an hour.

Here’s a quick overview, there is a recipe card with full measurements and instructions below.

• Prep the rice: Get your rice cooking while prepping other ingredients. I made brown rice in Instant Pot, you can also cook it on the stove. In any case, you want rice to be al dente.
• Toast walnuts: Add walnuts to a hot non-stick wok and cook on medium heat until golden brown. I toasted mine for 2-3 minutes, then in the last 30 seconds, stirred in 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Sauté onion: Add 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil to the same wok and sauté onions until translucent, stirring occasionally. Then add them to the bowl with the walnuts.
• Stir fry mushrooms: In the same wok on high heat, add coconut oil and mushrooms, and cook until golden brown. Stir in soy sauce and transfer to the same bowl with walnuts and onion.

• Cook broccoli: Add remaining coconut oil and cook broccoli until soft but not overcooked. Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
• Combine: Add walnuts, onion, and mushrooms back into the pan. Fluff rice and pour into the wok. Toss in the peas along with the remaining soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir and sauté on high heat until heated through.
• Garnish and serve: Stir in green onions, remove from heat and enjoy!

What Is the Best Way to Prep Broccoli?

I like to use both broccoli crowns and broccoli stalks because they’re highly nutritious, add crunchy texture, and eliminates waste.

First remove the stalks, peel their thick skin with a vegetable peeler and slice into bite-size pieces.

Then cut broccoli florets into uniform size pieces.

More Tips for Best Results

These simple tips are what make this broccoli and mushroom recipe incredibly flavorful.

• Season each vegetable with soy sauce: Important to add a splash of soy sauce at the end of toasting nuts and each vegetable. It adds a lot of flavor without using store-bought stir fry sauce or other sauce ingredients such as cornstarch and rice vinegar, making this recipe healthy and simple.
• Use al dente brown rice: For the best taste and look, make sure rice is al dente when adding to the wok to prevent mushy rice.
• Don’t skip coconut oil: Coconut oil has a high smoke point and adds a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. If you use a different oil, the taste will not be the same.
• Use brown mushrooms: Baby Bella mushrooms or brown mushrooms such as cremini mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms are OK, but not white mushrooms. Brown mushrooms have a deep, earthy flavor where white mushrooms are much milder in taste.
• Have all ingredients ready to go: Use that 10 minutes prep time and have everything ready. Then you can quickly stir fry on medium-high heat stirring constantly for the perfect stir fry.
• Type of wok: I have this ceramic non-stick wok which allows me to use less oil. You can use a regular wok but you might have to add more oil.

What to Serve Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry with?

This delicious stir fry is a meal on its own but if you would like to add protein, these easy recipes can be cooked at the same time as stir fry:

• Air fryer shrimp
• Baked boneless chicken thighs
• Air fryer chicken breast

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Stir fry is best served fresh but will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, if stored in an airtight container.

Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish because walnuts and veggies become soggy once thawed.

FAQs

More Broccoli and Mushroom Recipes to Try

• Sauteed broccoli
• Ground turkey and broccoli pasta
• Ground turkey, broccoli and potato skillet
• Healthy chicken broccoli casserole
• Mushroom and bean soup

More Stir Fry Recipes to Try

• Healthy chicken stir fry
• Buckwheat stir fry
• Chicken asparagus stir fry
• Beef stir fry recipe
• Cabbage stir fry
• Shrimp and vegetable stir fry
• Chicken and mushrooms

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Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry

Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry is vegan and healthy stir fry recipe with portobello mushrooms, peas, walnuts and brown rice. It's easy, filling, and drenched in flavor.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 377kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Ingredients

For Brown Rice:

• 1 cup long grain brown rice uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Pinch of salt

For Stir Fry:

• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 large portobello mushrooms coarsely chopped
• 2 large broccoli stalks including stems, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or liquid aminos divided
• 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil divided
• 1 1/2 cups peas frozen or fresh
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil optional
• 4 green onion sprigs finely chopped

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add rice, water and salt to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Rice should be al dente. Or cook brown rice in Instant Pot or any other proven al dente method.
• Meanwhile, preheat non-stick wok on medium heat, add walnuts and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. In the last 30 seconds, stir in 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
• Return wok to medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl with walnuts.
• Increase heat to high, add 1/2-1 tablespoon coconut oil, mushrooms and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently. In the last 30 seconds, stir in 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce and transfer to the same bowl with walnuts.
• Add remaining 1/2-1 tablespoon coconut oil, broccoli and cook for a few minutes until softer but not overcooked. In the last 30 seconds, stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
• Transfer all ingredients from a bowl to the wok with broccoli. Fluff rice with a fork and add to the wok. Add peas, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and sesame oil (if using). Stir and saute stir fry on high heat for about 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
• Add green onions, stir gently, remove from heat and serve hot.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• I don’t recommend to freeze this stir fry because vegetables and nuts will become soggy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.67cups | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 344mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g

The post Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Easy Instant Pot Lasagna Soup recipe with all the comforting flavors and far less work. Ready to serve in just over 30 minutes, this hearty soup is a quick weeknight dinner!

We also love this Instant Pot white chicken lasagna soup and Instant Pot lasagna!

Kids love this Instant Pot lasagna soup! And busy cooks love it because it’s easier to make than chicken lasagna roll ups, zucchini lasagna, and zucchini lasagna rolls.

Plus the cheesy topping makes it extra delicious, I call that a winner!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Satisfy your lasagna fix: Loaded with ground beef, tender noodles, Italian seasoning, rich tomato broth, and cheese, this recipe is full of traditional lasagna flavor packed in a delicious Instant Pot soup.
• No need to pre-cook the noodles: You can add uncooked pasta right to your electric pressure cooker.
• Quick and easy: Lasagna soup in Instant Pot is fully ready in 33 minutes!
• One pot meal: I love Instant Pot recipes because you can saute and cook all ingredients in same pot!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

The ingredients for Instant Pot lasagna soup are very simple, here’s what you’ll need.

• Onion: Yellow onion, finely chopped.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic cloves is best for flavor, jarred minced garlic can be used in a pinch.
• Ground beef: I like using extra lean ground beef, a fattier ground beef will have more grease and drippings.
• Diced tomatoes: Aim for a can of low sodium diced tomatoes to avoid added sodium.
• Marinara sauce: Homemade marinara sauce is my top choice for lasagna soup, you can use your favorite store-bought variety.
• Chicken broth: Really any broth will add a rich flavor to your soup. Choose from low sodium chicken broth, Instant Pot chicken broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth.
• Lasagna noodles: You’ll need 8 sheets uncooked and broken into pieces.
• Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Parmesan cheese: If possible, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for best flavor.
• Fresh herbs: Finely chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil for classic lasagna flavor.
• Garnish ideas: Ricotta cheese, more parmesan cheese, parsley, and basil.

How to Make Lasagna Soup in Instant Pot

Here are the step-by-step directions for making this lasagna soup recipe in Instant Pot. It’s really simple and everything is done right in your Instant Pot, anyone can make it!

You’ll also find a full recipe card below.

• Preheat: Press the Sauté button and wait until the display says Hot, it takes a few minutes but you want it to be Hot before adding anything to it.
• Add meat and aromatics: Add onion, garlic, ground beef and cook for 7-10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break it into small pieces, once it’s mostly cooked through press Cancel.
• Combine remaining ingredients: Now add in the diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, broth, lasagna noodles, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Then stir, making sure the noodles are separated.
• Pressure cook: Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 3 minutes.
• Release pressure: After pressure cooking, let soup stand for 5 minutes and then turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
• Finish soup: Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, parsley or basil and stir. If you have time, let it sit for up to 15 minutes for flavors to mingle.
• Garnish and serve: Add a dollop of ricotta cheese, more Parmesan cheese and herbs, and serve hot.

Tips for Best Results

These easy tips help make this the best Instant Pot lasagna soup! It will jump up to the number one spot of your soup recipes list.

• Separate lasagna noodles: After adding all ingredients, give it a gentle stir. You want the pasta submerged in liquid, so it cooks evenly but separated. This way it won’t stick while cooking.
• To thin out the soup: It’s normal for soup to thicken as it sits and especially the next day. Thin it out only with broth to avoid diluting the flavor with water. I added 2 cups more in a few hours. You can also season it more with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Don’t release pressure immediately: Don’t do Quick Release. Wait 5 minutes, otherwise soup will splatter a lot through the venting valve.
• Let it stand: Just for 10-15 minutes to let flavors marry each other.

What Are the Best Noodles to Use?

You can use any wavy lasagna noodles. This time I used regular pasta.

Whole wheat lasagna noodles or Kamut noodles can be used, I would cook soup for 4 minutes then.

For brown rice or gluten-free lasagna noodles, you’ll want to pressure cook soup for 2 minutes. Also they will fall apart a bit more.

You could also use other short noodles like farfalle (bowtie pasta) and penne pasta.

Other Variations

We love this twist on lasagna, it’s super versatile too. Here are some fun variations to try.

• Add veggies: Load up soup with vegetables and feel good about serving your family one of healthy Instant Pot recipes. 2-3 cups of chopped zucchini, carrots, celery, mushrooms, or bell peppers are just a few ideas.
• Use ground turkey: Make soup healthier by swapping beef for ground turkey. You could even use ground chicken. Don’t forget to use oil for sauteing the meat then.
• Add Italian sausage: Use half ground Italian sausage and half ground beef. There is the possibility you would have to drain some fat.
• Stir in cheeses in the pot: Get more cheesy and creamy taste by slowly mixing in up to 1-2 cups of freshly shredded mozzarella cheese or ricotta cheese.
• Make it dairy-free: Omit Parmesan cheese and top with dairy-free ricotta cheese.
• Add spinach: Boost nutrition and add more color with 2-3 cups of fresh baby spinach.
• Make it lighter: Use a leaner meat such as ground turkey and skip the ricotta cheese, or top with cottage cheese or shredded mozzarella.

How to Top and Garnish Lasagna Soup

It’s all about the toppings! I like to keep things simple and use what I have on hand. You can add all or any of these ingredients on top to add flavor to the soup:

• Ricotta cheese: My personal favorite, I love the rich creaminess.
• Parmesan cheese: Shaved or grated parmesan cheese is always a popular choice for Italian dishes.
• Mozzarella cheese: For a mild, salty taste plus it melts into gooey deliciousness.
• Fresh herbs: Add extra flavor and make your soup beautiful with parsley or basil.

And of course serve pressure cooker lasagna soup with crusty bread or whole grain bread!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Refrigerate soup leftovers for 2 days. Technically it can last for 3-4 days but I find pasta becomes too soggy after 2 days.

Reheat: In a microwave or small pot on the stove. You can also reheat right in Instant Pot on Sauté mode if you are planning to consume all the leftovers. It’s best practice to reheat only what you will eat.

Freeze: I don’t recommend to freeze this soup as noodles become mushy once thawed.

FAQs

More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes

• Instant Pot bolognese
• Instant Pot ground beef stroganoff
• Instant Pot chicken pasta
• Instant Pot spaghetti
• Instant Pot goulash

More Instant Pot Soup Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot zuppa toscana
• Instant Pot vegetable soup
• Instant Pot minestrone soup
• Instant Pot potato soup

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Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

Easy Instant Pot Lasagna Soup recipe with all the comforting flavors and far less work than a lasagna. On your table in just over 30 minutes!

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Pressure Up&Down Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 278kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound ground beef extra lean
• 15 ounces can diced tomatoes low sodium
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 8 lasagna noodles broken into pieces
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1/4 cup parsley or basil finely chopped
• Ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley or basil for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Press Saute and wait until Instant Pot says Hot. Swirl oil to coat and add onion, garlic and ground beef. Saute for 7-10 minutes, stirring often and breaking meat into small pieces. Meat should not be browned. Press Cancel.
• Add diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, broth, lasagna noodles, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well to separate the noodles.
• Close the lid, set valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 3 minutes.
• After wait 5 minutes and then turn pressure release valve to Venting to release remaining pressure, called Quick Release.
• Add Parmesan cheese, parsley or basil, stir the soup and I recommend to let it sit for 10-15 minutes uncovered or half way covered to allow the flavors to meld, if you have time.
• Garnish individual bowls of soup with more Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese and more parsley or basil. Serve hot with a slice of bread.

Notes

Store: Refrigerate soup leftovers for 2 days. Soup can last for 3-4 days but I find pasta becomes too soggy after 2 days. You can also thin out the soup with more broth and spices as it will thicken with time.

I don’t recommend to freeze this soup because noodles will become mushy upon thawing.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 539mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g

The post Instant Pot Lasagna Soup appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

In this Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes recipe juicy, tender meatloaf and creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes cook at same time in an electric pressure cooker. It’s classic comfort food at its best!

It’s turkey meatloaf meets Instant Pot mashed potatoes in one pot!

If this Instant Pot meatloaf recipe doesn’t convince you to buy an Instant Pot, I don’t know what or who else will! You can make so many one pot meals in it!

This meatloaf in Instant Pot comes out mind blowing and kids gobble it up. I just love healthy Instant Pot recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy: You will skip turning on the oven, stove and washing a few bowls. You mix, cook, slice and serve entire dinner in same 2 pans in your Instant Pot! You can even refrigerate leftovers in the same 2 pans. And then reheat them in the same 2 pans in Instant Pot.
• Juicy meatloaf: Meatloaf can be made with any ground meat and it always comes out juicy thanks to captured steam inside.
• Creamy mashed potatoes: Mashed potatoes in Instant Pot always come out extra tender and creamy.
• It can be made ahead: You can make it in the morning and press Keep Warm for hot dinner later. I often make it on the weekend and go shopping.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

There are two parts to the ingredients for this Instant Pot meatloaf recipe – for meatloaf and for mashed potatoes.

For the meatloaf you will need:

• Ground meat: Use ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork or ground turkey like me. It turns out delicious either way. For red meat, I recommend to go for extra lean ground beef or ground pork.
• Egg: For binding meatloaf ingredients. You can try to replace it with one flax egg or chia egg.
• Oats: We use oats in place of breadcrumbs (forgot to picture it). I like to use rolled oats but you can also use quick oats, quick cooking steel cut oats or even steel cut oats. You can use equal amount of regular breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs as well.
• Garlic powder: To add flavor. Onion powder works just as well.
• Dried oregano: For more flavor. Also use your favorite dried herbs like dried thyme, dried basil or Italian seasoning.
• Salt and pepper
• Ketchup: For the glaze. I like to keep meatloaf recipe simple and it turns out delicious!

For the mashed potatoes you will need:

• Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes are the best choice for mashed potatoes since you don’t have to peel them, just cut into large chunks. You can also use russet potatoes but be sure to peel first.
• Water: Cold water to cook the potatoes in.
• Milk: Classic ingredient to make mashed potatoes creamy. I use whole milk but any milk works.
• Butter: To add another layer of flavor and creaminess to the potatoes. You can also use ghee.
• Salt and pepper

How to Make Instant Pot Meatloaf

To cook meatloaf and mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot, I’m using these two stainless steel pans. They are stackable, fit 6 quart and 8 quart Instant Pots and you can buy them on Amazon.

But don’t worry, if you don’t have them, below I share how to cook meatloaf with tin foil.

While this Instant Pot meatloaf recipe might seem hard and labor intensive, I assure you it’s one of the easiest Instant Pot recipes! There is also detailed recipe card with video below.

• Prep the potatoes: To the bottom pan, add chopped into large pieces potatoes and cold water.
• Prep the meatloaf: To the top pan, add ground meat of choice, egg, oats and spices. Mix with your hands and shape meat mixture into oval or round shape. Do not add water.
• Close and stack the pans: Stack the pans with meatloaf on top, making sure the lids cover them tightly. Then secure the easy-lift handle around them.

• Cook meatloaf and potatoes: Into 6 quart or 8 quart Instant Pot, add 1 cup cold water. Pressure cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes. You will either press Manual or Pressure Cook button. After release pressure right away, called Quick Release, by turning the valve to Venting position.
• Open the pans: They are hot and full of steam, so do it carefully wearing the oven mitts.
• Bottom pan with potatoes: Drain water. Add butter, milk, salt and pepper and mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
• Top pan with meatloaf: Squirt some ketchup on top and spread with a mini spatula or pastry brush.

That’s it! Your Instant Pot meatloaf and mashed potatoes are ready! As an option, you can place the meatloaf on a baking sheet and broil under the oven’s broiler to brown the top.

Tips for Best Results

• Do not overwork the meat: When mixing the meat mixture, mix just enough to combine. Otherwise, your meatloaf might turn out tough and rubbery.
• If you would like to use 2 pounds of meat: The question I get asked the most about this Instant Pot meatloaf recipe. I would recommend to shape it into a round shape instead of oval shape to make sure it cooks through. Pressure cooking time will not change.
• To cut recipe in half: Cut all ingredients in half but keep same cooking time. Just use same 1 cup of cold water added to the bottom of pressure cooker.
• With 3 quart Instant Pot: You will need to use smaller mini pans or the foil method. Use half the amount of ingredients, keeping the same cook time.
• If using ground beef or pork: If the meat you use is not lean, I recommend to drain the extra fat from the pan after cooking the meatloaf.

Can I Make Meatloaf in Instant Pot Using Foil?

If you do not have or do not wish to buy stainless steel pans, you can use aluminum foil to cook meatloaf and potatoes in Instant Pot. You will create “a pan” for the meatloaf to place on top of the potatoes.

Here is a quick photo visual with instructions:

• Add potatoes: Add chopped potatoes and cold water in the Instant Pot.
• Place trivet on top: Then put trivet that came with Instant Pot on top of the potatoes. Doesn’t matter if it has handles or not.
• Shape meatloaf in a foil “pan”: Mix and form meat mixture into an oval meatloaf on top of double layered foil and then shape foil into “a bowl”.
• Pressure cook: Cook as per recipe.

What to Serve with Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes?

While this is a one pot dinner, adding a few colorful vegetable side dishes is always a good idea!

Try to serve meatloaf and potatoes with quick and simple garlic green beans, sauteed broccoli or Instant Pot steamed vegetables (make them in 3 minutes after cooking the meatloaf).

As for the salad, I think this arugula feta salad, cucumber tomato feta salad or bell pepper salad with pair nicely.

If you have time, try your hand in making Ukrainian garlic bread.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Refrigerate leftovers in the same pans you cooked meatloaf and potatoes in for up to 2 days. Or transfer them into two separate airtight containers.

I personally find that mashed potatoes do not taste fresh after 2 days but you can store them another 1-2 days, if you wish.

Reheat: I recommend to slice leftover meatloaf for even reheating. To reheat, pop covered stainless steel pans into the Instant Pot, add 1 cup water and press Pressure Cook or Manual button for 1 minute.

Or reheat in a microwave for 2 minutes, check back and see if it needs more time.

FAQs

More Instant Pot Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot chicken and potatoes
• Instant Pot potatoes
• Instant Pot ground beef stroganoff
• Instant Pot meatballs
• Instant Pot pork chops

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Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

In Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes recipe juicy, tender meatloaf and creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes cook together in one pot, in your electric pressure cooker.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Pressure Up & Down Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 servings

Calories 413kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Stackable stainless pans
• Trivet
• Mini spatulas

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf (Top Pan):

• 1 pound ground meat beef, turkey or chicken
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup oats any
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano basil, thyme or Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons ketchup

For the Mashed Potatoes (Bottom Pan):

• 2 pounds potatoes cubed
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

How to Make Meatloaf in Stackable Pans

• Bottom pan: Add potatoes and water.
• Top pan: Add ground turkey, egg, oats, balsamic vinegar, dried herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Using your hands mix well. Shape meat mixture into oval or round meatloaf shape. Do not add water.
• Place lid on a pan with meatloaf. Then stack it on top of pan with potatoes. You want top pan to sit comfortably. If too many potatoes, remove some and save in a bowl with cold water for another recipe.
• Into 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add 1 cup water. Place both pans in a trivet (sling) that came with pans, secure it and place inside Instant Pot.
• Close the lid, set pressure release valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High Pressure or Manual for 25 minutes. After release pressure using Quick Release method – turn valve to Venting immediately after cooking.
• With a mitt on, remove pans from Instant Pot on a towel and open them.
• Bottom pan with potatoes: Drain the water and add butter, milk, salt and pepper. Mash.
• Top pan with meatloaf: Squirt some ketchup on top and spread with a mini spatula or brush. Slice meatloaf right in a pan and serve!

How to Make Meatloaf Using Foil

• Potatoes: Place potatoes and water at the bottom of Instant Pot. Then put trivet that came with Instant Pot on top. Doesn't matter if it has handles or not.
• Meatloaf: And then shape meat mixture into a meatloaf on top of double layered foil and then shape foil into a bowl. Place on a trivet.
• Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual button for 25 minutes. After release the pressure immediately.
• Drain and mash potatoes with butter, milk, salt and pepper. Glaze loaf with ketchup. Slice and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate leftovers in the same pans for up to 2 days. Or transfer to an airtight container. Mashed potatoes do not taste fresh after 2 days.
• Reheat: Slice loaf for even reheating. To reheat, pop covered stainless steel pans in Instant Pot, add 1 cup water and press Pressure Cook or Manual for 1 minute. Or reheat in a microwave for 2 minutes, check back and see if it needs more time.

Nutrition

Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 886mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g

The post Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash gives you all the rich, creamy flavors of the classic Indian dish with a lighter twist and extra vegetables.

We also love chicken alfredo spaghetti squash boats and tex mex spaghetti squash boats for delicious low carb dinners.

If my Ukrainian grandma could make a yellow chicken curry with sour cream, onions and curry powder back in the 90’s, why can’t I make some butter chicken and spaghetti squash pretending squash is pasta?!

I still think spaghetti squash doesn’t replace spaghetti, but tastes very good indeed!

If you are craving the traditional recipe, check out this Instant Pot butter chicken or slow cooker butter chicken and serve it with delicious Instant Pot basmati rice.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Healthy: The simple pasta alternative makes chicken spaghetti squash lower in carbs and gluten free.
• Full of flavor: Tender chicken and creamy coconut sauce, you’ll be amazed by how much flavor is packed into this delicious dish!
• Everyone loves: Family friendly, crowd pleaser, and kid-approved, these squash boats will disappear fast.
• Versatile and make ahead: You can bake spaghetti squash halves or cook spaghetti squash in air fryer ahead of time, and even make the butter chicken as well. Then assemble, heat in the oven, and dinner will be on the table in no time.
• Leftovers for easy dinner or special occasion meal: Heat up your leftovers on a busy weeknight or enjoy a super cozy meal that’s fun to eat for date night or special gatherings.

Ingredients for Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash

Chicken spaghetti squash is an easy dinner idea with a short list of simple ingredients.

• Spaghetti squash: This recipe calls for 4 small spaghetti squash roughly 1.5 pounds each. If you can’t find small ones then 3 medium ones around 2 pounds each will work.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Dice chicken into small bite size pieces.
• Aromatics: Onion and freshly minced garlic cloves add deep flavor to the sauce. You can use white onion or yellow onion.
• Oil: I recommend olive oil or avocado oil for sautéing the onion and garlic.
• Spices: Easy to find spices for butter chicken include garam masala, dried ginger, curry powder, salt, and pepper.
• Tomato paste: I like to go with low sodium or no salt added tomato paste to control saltiness. If you have regular tomato paste, I recommend decreasing salt.
• Coconut milk: Use full-fat coconut milk from the can, it yields a more rich and creamy sauce.

How to Cut Spaghetti Squash

Prep time! Before you cut the spaghetti squash preheat your oven to 375 F.

• Cut spaghetti squash: Grip one end of the squash with a kitchen towel to prevent slipping, then use a sharp knife to cut it in half lengthwise. Here’s a full step-by-step guide on how to cut spaghetti squash easily and safely.
• Remove seeds: Scoop out the seeds using a big spoon, tablespoon, ice cream scoop, or a cookie scoop.

How to Make Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash

Now that you’ve prepped your squash, here’s a quick overview of how to make spaghetti squash with chicken.

You can find a full recipe card below.

• Cook spaghetti squash: Set each spaghetti squash half cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a fork and randomly pierce the skin. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Make the sauce: Meanwhile, add oil to a hot skillet and swirl to coat. Sauté garlic and onion for 3 minutes, then add garam masala, ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir frequently and sauté for 30 seconds. Mix tomato paste with onion and spices, then add coconut milk and stir to combine.
• Cook chicken: Add diced chicken to the pan, gently stir so chicken is coated with sauce, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Shred spaghetti squash: Remove cooked squash from the oven, flip it and let cool for 10 minutes. To make spaghetti squash noodles you’ll need an oven mitt and a fork, hold one half and separate the flesh into strands.
• Assemble boats: Divide butter chicken mixture between squash halves, bake for another 10 minutes and serve warm.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my tried and true tips on how to get chicken and spaghetti squash on the table with beautiful presentation and loads of flavor.

• Don’t cook spaghetti squash whole: I don’t recommend to cook spaghetti squash whole or make Instant Pot spaghetti squash when making squash boats. They’ll turn out too watery and be harder to cut.
• Don’t over bake the squash: I cook small ones for 30 minutes, medium ones might need 35-40 minutes. Remove when the skin is glossy and flesh is not watery inside.
• Roast spaghetti squash in advance: You can speed up this dinner by roasting the spaghetti squash up to 1 day ahead, shred strands, and reheat when ready.
• Swap for other winter squash: Butternut squash and acorn squash are a bit sweeter but would be great for this recipe. Here’s how to roast butternut squash halves or make acorn squash halves, then add the same filling.
• Make a skillet meal instead: If you’d like to skip the boats and serve it like a plate of pasta simply scoop the spaghetti strands out, add them to the skillet with butter chicken, and gently stir to combine.
• Use rotisserie chicken: Add shredded rotisserie chicken to the skillet and cook it in sauce for less time, about 5-7 minutes.

What to Serve with Chicken and Spaghetti Squash?

A lot of times I’ll serve this chicken spaghetti squash recipe on its own and garnish with fresh parsley, a small or medium sized squash makes the perfect individual serving that’s quite filling.

For a complete meal for those who want more carbs, I like to serve with Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot jasmine rice or Instant Pot long grain white rice, with a side of naan bread of course.

Our favorite low carb side dishes are cauliflower rice, air fryer cauliflower, or air fryer broccoli topped with grated parmesan cheese.

How to Store

Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Freeze: In my experience spaghetti squash doesn’t freeze well so I don’t recommend freezing.

FAQs

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes to Try

• Spaghetti squash casserole
• Spaghetti squash breakfast with avocado
• Spaghetti squash quiche
• Spaghetti squash quiche with vegetables

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Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash

Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash gives you all the rich, creamy flavors of the classic Indian dish with a lighter twist and extra vegetables.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 496kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 4 small spaghetti squash 1.5 pounds each
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 ounces tomato paste
• 14 ounces can coconut milk full fat

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Poke skin randomly with a fork and bake for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat large skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and onion; sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala, ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper; sauté for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
• Add tomato paste and mix it well with onion and spices. Add coconut milk and stir until combined. Now add chicken, stir, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Remove cooked squash from the oven, its skin should be shiny and strands easily separate with a fork. Flip it and let cool for about 10 minutes. To make “spaghetti”, hold one squash half at a time, wearing an oven mitt, and separate the flesh into strands with a fork.
• Divide butter chicken mixture evenly among the squash halves, return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
• Serve warm with a salad or veggies of choice.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Do not freeze.
• You can use 3 medium squash about 2 lbs each as I understand small spaghetti squash is hard to come across. I bought mine at the farmers market.
• I didn’t have fresh ginger on hand but you can definitely replace dried ginger with about 1-2” piece of grated fresh ginger.

Nutrition

Serving: 1squash (2 halves) | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 676mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 17g

The post Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

These Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups are made with lighter sauce, artichoke hearts and spinach filling, then wrapped in your choice of lasagna noodles. Topped with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked until gooey perfection.

We also love these zucchini roll ups!

What Are Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups?

I’m not going to pretend it’s your next 30 minute dinner idea, but chicken lasagna roll ups are quite easy. That’s why if 12 roll ups is too much, just freeze the leftovers and save time. Plus, most lasagna pasta comes in a package of 12.

Lasagna roll ups turn a layered dinner into individual servings with just as much flavor. The filling is rolled into each pasta sheet, then topped with sauce and bubbly cheese. They’re fun, bake faster, and easier to serve!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Delicious: The mix of pasta, cheese, and meat add layers of flavor everyone will love.
• Extra veggies: I gave this healthy lasagna a vegetable boost with the addition of spinach and artichokes.
• Versatile: Pasta recipes are known for their versatility. These lasagna roll-ups are not only cozy and delicious, but incredibly easy to make your own. From the noodle, sauce, meat, and veggies, the options are endless!
• Can be made ahead: With back to school in full swing, you can never have too many quick and easy meals. These chicken lasagna rolls are a freezer-friendly, healthy dinner you can count on.

My family already loves my Instant Pot lasagna, so I’m not surprised they love this too.

And if you would like to skip pasta but enjoy the taste of lasagna, try my zucchini lasagna!

Ingredients for Chicken Lasagna Rolls

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make these fun chicken lasagna roll ups.

• Lasagna noodles: You can choose from regular, whole wheat or brown rice pasta.
• Chicken: I often use Instant Pot shredded chicken breast. You can also use pan fried chicken breast or slow cooked chicken breast, or store bought rotisserie chicken can really save time but I would add less salt to the sauce for that option.
• Artichoke hearts: I used canned artichokes in water. If they are packed in oil be sure to drain well. Frozen artichokes work too, but thaw first.
• Spinach: I recommend fresh baby spinach. You can use frozen spinach, allow it to thaw and squeeze all the excess liquid.
• Aromatics: Onion and freshly minced garlic help make the sauce rich and flavorful.
• Flour: Added to thicken the sauce. Regular, whole wheat or gluten-free flour can be used.
• Milk: Use your milk of choice, regular or plant based.
• Tomato sauce: I used plain tomato sauce from a can. You can also add marinara sauce or another pasta sauce you like.
• Mozzarella cheese: I love mozzarella cheese for this dish, but cheddar cheese works well too.
• Spices: Salt and pepper.
• Oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado oil or olive oil to sauté aromatics.

How to Make Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

This chicken lasagna roll ups recipe has a few steps to it, but I promise it’s easy! Here’s a quick overview complete with pictures.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Cook lasagna noodles: Follow package instructions and cook lasagna noodles al dente. Drain, carefully lay noodles flat on parchment paper, and cover with a towel. Set aside.
• Make sauce base: Heat a large skillet and coat with oil. Sauté garlic and onion on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add flour and stir to combine.
• Finish the sauce: Add milk, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir, bring to a light boil then simmer on low until sauce has thickened.

• Add chicken and artichokes: Add artichokes and shredded chicken to the sauce and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes uncovered.
• Stir in spinach: Turn off heat, add spinach, and stir to combine.
• Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 F. Use a spatula to evenly spread 1 cup of tomato sauce over the bottom of a large baking dish. Set aside.

• Add filling mixture to lasagna noodles: Scoop 1/3 cup of chicken artichoke mixture onto one end of each pasta sheet, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling.
• Roll: Starting with the filled end, carefully roll each chicken lasagna roll. Place the roll, seam-side down, tightly in the prepared baking dish. I had 2 rows of 6 rolls each.
• Add toppings: Pour remaining tomato sauce and cheese on top, distributing evenly among all rolls.
• Bake: Leave the dish uncovered and bake for 30 minutes. Then let them rest covered for 10 minutes, serve hot and enjoy!

Tips for Best Results

Here are some pro tips for the best chicken lasagna rolls.

• Don’t overcook lasagna noodles: Boil lasagna sheets until al dente, even slightly undercooked is OK. They will continue to cook in the oven and you don’t want them mushy!
• Be cautious with salt: From sauce, to cheese, to chicken, to artichokes, everything has sodium. Taste test the sauce first and then add salt, especially if you use rotisserie chicken.
• About rolling the noodles: Roll them not too lose so roll-ups fall apart but not too tight so you squeeze out the filling.
• Don’t skip resting: It’s always good to let Italian recipes rest for a few minutes, the sauce will thicken and the noodles will soak up more sauce. For this recipe, resting also allows your roll ups to firm up a bit.
• If you have filling leftovers: You can spread leftover filling on the bottom of the dish around the roll-ups, or cook spaghetti, mix with the filling, and enjoy another delicious meal!
• Using raw chicken: My original recipe called for diced raw chicken. I updated the recipe and shortened the cooking time so you can use pre-cooked chicken or leftover chicken. You can use fresh chicken and cook the sauce for 20 minutes if you’d like.
• Using alfredo sauce: Make chicken alfredo lasagna rolls using my healthy alfredo sauce. It may curdle during prolonged baking because it’s made with yogurt, therefore bake roll ups for only 15 minutes. Let them stand covered longer, about 15 minutes as well.

Serving Recommendations

I love serving these lasagna roll-ups with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables and crusty bread.

For salads, we love the classics like healthy Caesar salad, a simple butter lettuce salad, or cucumber and tomato salad. Or add more Italian flair with an Italian chopped salad.

Green veggies make a great side dish for lasagna. Sautéed broccoli with tomatoes, oven roasted asparagus, and garlic green beans are super easy to make. But really, the sky is the limit so serve with your favorite seasonal vegetables.

Can I Make Them Ahead of Time?

Up to 2 days ahead: Prepare as per recipe but don’t bake, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature and bake. You may need to bake it 10-15 minutes longer since it’s cold.

As a freezer meal: Assemble, tightly wrap with one layer of plastic, then a few layers of aluminum foil. You can freeze them for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as per instructions adding 15 minutes.

How to Store

Store: Cooled roll ups can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Leftover lasagna rollups will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Need even more dinner ideas? Check out these roundups with healthy chicken recipes and healthy pasta recipes!

More Pasta Recipes to Try

• Healthy chicken alfredo
• Healthy Tuscan chicken pasta
• Healthy baked chicken parmesan
• Kale turkey pasta bake
• Instant Pot lasagna soup
• Instant Pot white chicken lasagna soup

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Artichoke Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

These Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups are made with lighter sauce, artichoke hearts and spinach filling, then wrapped in your choice of lasagna noodles.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 roll ups

Calories 228kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Ceramic skillet
• Baking dish

Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles regular, whole wheat or brown rice pasta
• 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or chopped
• 2 cups artichoke hearts well drained and chopped
• 2 cups spinach chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons flour regular, whole wheat or gluten-free
• 2 cups any milk regular or plant-based
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups tomato sauce divided
• 1 3/4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded & divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cook lasagna noodles as per package instructions, drain and lay flat on parchment paper. Cover with a towel to prevent drying out and set aside.
• Preheat large skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and onion, saute for 3-4 minutes. Add flour and stir until combined. Then add milk, salt and pepper; stir well and bring to a boil. Simmer it on low heat for 1 more minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.
• Add artichoke hearts and chicken and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 2-3 minutes uncovered, while stirring often. You can also add raw cubed chicken and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, add spinach and stir to combine.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce at the bottom of large 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
• Fill each pasta sheet with 1/3 cup of chicken artichoke mixture and top with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. Roll each chicken lasagna roll and place tightly in a baking dish. I ended up with 6 rolls in 2 rows.
• Top with remaining 1 cup of tomato sauce and 1 cup of cheese, distributing evenly among all rolls. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Then remove from the oven, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables and crusty bread.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
• Freezer meal: Assemble, tightly wrap with plastic, then few layers of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as per instructions adding 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 roll up | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 292mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

The post Artichoke Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups appeared first on iFoodReal.com.