What you’ll love about this recipe:

• Homemade kummelweck rolls. Made with just 3 ingredients, these rolls will take your sandwich to the next level.
• Perfect for game day. Keep the meat warm in your slow cooker and your guests can keep coming back for more.
• Slider-sized. For built-in portion control!

Game day is coming up, and it’s time to make an important decision: what to eat?

No matter what team you’re rooting for, you can’t go wrong with grilled chicken sliders, wings or chili. But if you want to add something more to your spread, you need to try this Beef on Weck recipe.

The homemade kummelweck roll will knock your socks off, and you’ll get bonus points for serving up an authentic taste of Buffalo.

These sandwiches are simple, but they have all of the essentials: savory meaty goodness, crunchy bread with the perfect amount of salt, and touch of heat.

This is a recipe that you’ll have on repeat all season long.

What is Beef on Weck?

Beef on weck is a specific type of warm roast beef sandwich that’s popular in Buffalo, New York.

It’s made with thinly sliced, slow roasted roast beef served on a kimmelweck roll.

To make a beef on weck sandwich, you slather a roll with horseradish, pile it high with rare roast beef warmed in au jus, and dip the top of the roll in even more au jus before placing it on top of the sandwich.

Beef on weck can be found pretty easily in Western New York (Charlie the Butcher is a must-visit in the area, but I’ve also had decent sandwiches right at the Bills Stadium)

It’s hard to find these sandwiches once you venture out of upstate New York, but thanks to this recipe you can make great beef on weck at home.

What are Kimmelweck rolls?

Kimmelweck rolls (also known as kummelweck rolls or weck) are kind of like pretzel rolls’ older, cooler cousin. They’re a little softer – similar to kaiser rolls – and topped with coarse salt and caraway seeds.

They’re so good.

They’re also nearly impossible to find, so I had to take matters into my own hands.

Kimmelweck rolls look like they’d be really difficult to make, but trust me: they’re not!

I made these super easy homemade weck rolls by shaping store bought Italian bread dough into slider rolls. It’s so easy, and you’d never be able to tell if you didn’t see the wrappers in the trash.

They’re also great for making ground beef sliders and other mini sandwiches!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Bread dough. You can buy a pound of pizza dough or use 2 tubes of Pillsbury French bread dough.

Flaky Kosher salt. Flaky salt is key to proper kimmelweck rolls. Whatever you do, don’t try swapping this for regular table salt.

Caraway seeds. It wouldn’t be weck without it!

Roast Beef. Make your own (these sandwiches are a great way to use up leftover holiday roast!) or buy a pound of roast beef from the deli counter.

Prepared horseradish. For that spicy kick that goes so well with roast beef. If you like a little less heat, you can use horseradish sauce or mix the horseradish with a little plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise.

Beef Stock. This forms the base of the au jus.

Red Wine. Use a dry red wine.

Worcestershire Sauce. To add extra richness and depth to the gravy.

How to make kimmelweck rolls

Divide the dough into 24 pieces. It’s helpful for them to be roughly the same size, but don’t worry about them being super exact.

Roll each piece of dough into a ball.

Press the top of each dough ball into a mixture of kosher salt and caraway seeds.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toasty and golden brown.

Slice the rolls using a serrated bread knife.

How to assemble the sandwiches

Make the au jus by heating the beef stock, wine, and Woerchestershre sauce. Season with black pepper.

Dip the roast beef into the au jus.

Layer one piece or roast beef onto the bottom of each roll.

Top the roast beef with horseradish sauce.

Dip the cut edge of the top roll into au jus, then place it on top of the sandwich.

Commonly asked questions

For more football food

• Parmesan-herb party pretzels
• Baked Buffalo chicken taquitos
• Spicy Cranberry Meatballs
• Smoky and Sweet Turkey Chili

You’ll also love these other New York inspired recipes:

• Chicken riggies
• Chicken spiedies
• Buffalo chickpeas
• Buffalo chicken lettuce wraps
• Buffalo street corn
• Buffalo chicken meatball subs

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Beef on Weck Sliders

Prepared bread dough adds to the laid back nature of these sandwiches, but if you're feeling ambitious you can use your favorite from-scratch Italian or white bread recipe.

Course Appetizer, Beef Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword beef on weck

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 24 sliders

Calories 76kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

For the Kimmelweck Rolls

• 2 tubes Pillsbury French Bread or similar bread dough
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• ½ teaspoon flaky kosher salt

For the Beef

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup low sodium beef stock
• ⅛ cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• cracked black pepper
• 1 pound sliced roast beef
• 3 teaspoons prepared horseradish

Instructions

To make the rolls

• Divide the dough into 24 portions. Roll each dough portion into a ball.
• In a small dish, combine the caraway and salt. Lightly press the top of each dough ball into the salt mixture.
• Arrange the rolls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until crusty and beginning to brown.
• Let the rolls cool, then slice in half using a serrated bread knife.

To make the sandwiches

• While the rolls bake, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the beef stock, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, until warmed through.
• Spread the bottom of each roll with a thin layer of horseradish.
• Dip the roast beef into the au jus, then place one piece of beef on each roll.
• Dunk the cut edge of the top rolls into the au jus, then place on top of the sandwiches.
• Serve warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slider | Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 499mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe was originally posted in March 2014 and was updated with an improved recipe and new photos in September 2021.

Vegetarian poutine

I’ve been post (and eating!) so many delicious Mexican-inspired recipes lately that I figured I’d switch things up and feature our neighbors to the north for a change.

OK, that’s a total lie, but it makes a good story, right?

The truth is that I saw poutine on a menu a few weeks and got an instant craving that hasn’t gone away. That happens a lot – there’s just something irresistible about the combination of salty fries, squeaky cheese curds, and warm gravy that I can’t turn down.

The thing is, I rarely order it because I’m really picky about my gravy.

To satisfy my poutine craving, I came up with this mushroom gravy that’s rich, delicious, and just about perfect poured over oven fries.

This mushroom gravy is SO GOOD! It’s also great over mashed potatoes, stuffing, or any of your other gravy needs.

If you’re looking for a meatier gravy, you can also try my homemade chicken gravy without drippings.

Ingredients for mushroom gravy:

This vegetarian gravy comes together really easily with simple ingredients. The vegetables and spices get strained out to make a traditional, smooth gravy but I like to add a few of them back onto my fries for good measure.

You could also serve the cooked mushrooms on a burger or stuffed into a grilled cheese sandwich. Whatever you do, just don’t let them go to waste – they have a ton of flavor!

To make the gravy, you’ll need:

• Cremini mushrooms. These have a more robust flavor than their white and I love the earthy flavor they give this gravy
• Unsalted vegetable stock. Since the stock will reduce as the gravy thickens, I like to use an unsalted version. Otherwise, your gravy can wind up way too salty. You can always add mroe salt to taste at the end!
• White Wine. I use white wine to deglaze the pan before adding the broth. It gives the gravy a nice flavor, and adds a touch of acid to brighten it up. If you don’t have any or if you avoid alcohol, you can use water instead.
• Sage. Sage is an herb that tastes peppery and slightly sweet. It’s commonly used in sausage, sauces, stuffing, and many other types of food and I love the way it seasons this gravy!
• Peppercorns. I add whole peppercorns right into my gravy as it simmers. This gives it a beautiful peppery flavor! You’ll strain them out at the end but don’t worry if a few remain; they’ll soften up and become less intense in flavor as they cook.

Tips for making the best vegetarian gravy

If your gravy is too thick, add more vegetable stock to thin it out.

If your gravy is too thin, whisk together 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with a little warm water. Whisk it into the gravy and bring it to a boil to thicken things up.

To prevent lumpy gravy, whisk it constantly while you pour in the stock. This will prevent the flour from clumping. You can also strain through a sieve or colander to get rid of any lumps.

Are all cheese curds vegetarian-friendly?

Not all cheese is vegetarian, since some is processed with enzymes derived from animals. If you’re making this poutine for a vegetarian friend, here are some tips on choosing vegetarian cheese. I’m a big fan of Yancy’s Fancy cheese curds, which are made with vegetarian rennet.

You can also use your favorite American or mozzarella fries for a fresh take on cheese and gravy fries or disco fries!

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Poutine with Mushroom Gravy

Course Vegetarian Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 370kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 24 ‌ ‌ounces‌ ‌frozen‌ ‌shoestring‌ ‌fries‌ ‌
• 1 ‌ ‌Tablespoon‌ ‌olive‌ ‌oil‌ ‌
• 1 ‌ ‌small‌ ‌onion ‌ ‌chopped‌ ‌
• 8 ‌ ‌ounces‌ ‌sliced‌ ‌crimini‌ ‌mushrooms‌ ‌
• 1 ‌ ‌garlic‌ ‌clove ‌ ‌minced‌ ‌
• 1 ‌ ‌teaspoon‌ ‌whole‌ ‌black‌ ‌peppercorns‌ ‌
• ¼ ‌ ‌cup‌ ‌all‌ ‌purpose‌ ‌flour‌ ‌
• ¼ ‌ ‌cup‌ ‌white‌ ‌wine‌ ‌or‌ ‌water‌ ‌
• 2 ‌ ‌cups‌ ‌vegetable‌ ‌stock‌ ‌
• 10 ‌ ‌fresh‌ ‌sage‌ ‌leaves‌ ‌ ‌
• 8 ounces vegetarian cheese curds such as Yancy’s Fancy

Instructions

• Bake or air fry the fries according to the directions on the package.
• While the fries cook, prepare the gravy: Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided saute pan. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, or until they soften and the color deepens. Add the garlic and peppercorns; cook 1 minute.
• Stir in the flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute, until no white remains.
• Deglaze the pan with white wine (or water), scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the vegetable stock and sage. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, until thickened.
• Strain the gravy through a mesh strainer to separate out the solids.
• Add the fries to a bowl or serving dish. Toss with cheese curds. Pour gravy over top. If desired, top with some of the mushrooms and onions that were strained from the gravy.

Notes

Nutrition information is based on Alexia fries with sea salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcal | Protein: 10.2g | Fat: 18.1g | Fiber: 3.9g

Below are the original photos that appeared in this post!

Old Fashioned Cabbage Soup

By now, you all know how much I love soup. It’s literally my favorite. And I do mean literally, none of this literally means figuratively nonsense. 

Usually, I like hearty, stick-to-your-ribs soup. Chicken and Sweet Potato. Miso Potato. Roasted Tomato with Goat Cheese. 

This healthy cabbage soup is on the other end of the spectrum. It’s light and brothy, and chock full of vegetables. On its own, it’s more of a snack than a complete meal. 

But there’s beauty in simplicity and this low carb soup is the perfect example of that. It’s deliciously savory and really warm. Exactly the kind of soup you want to sip when you’re snowed in. 

I’ve been really into cabbage in soup ever since I developed a cabbage roll soup recipe for my cookbook. It softens up and gets almost noodle-y in texture, which is great if you’re trying to keep your carbs down. It also adds some heft to this soup, making it feel more substantial than it is. 

Low Carb Cabbage Soup Ingredients

This beauty of this white cabbage soup recipe is that it’s made with really simple ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. 

Besides cabbage, you’ll need:

• Olive oil
• Vidalia onion
• Garlic
• Vegetable broth
• Carrots
• Celery
• Canned plum tomatoes

That’s it! 

Cabbage Soup Variations

Of course, you can always doctor it up depending on what you’re in the mood for or if you have any other vegetables hanging around the fridge that need to get used up. It’s great with green beans, peas, or even some kale.

You can also add a can of chickpeas or white beans to up the protein and make this a complete meal. Or brown some ground beef along with the onions for a hearty “unstuffed cabbage roll” soup. Cabbage soup with sausage is also fantastic!

Really, the options to adapt this recipe are endless. Have fun with it!

Can cabbage soup be frozen?

Yes, absolutely! Raw cabbage doesn’t freeze well for obvious reasons, but stewed cabbage and cabbage in soups like this one freezes really well. Since it’s already soft, you don’t need to worry about it wilting. 

I like to freeze cabbage soup in individual portions. It’s great when I need something for lunch in a pinch!

How to make cabbage soup in the crock pot

This soup is so easy to make on the stovetop that I don’t usually bother pulling out my slow cooker for it. But if you want to cook it that way, you definitely can. 

Since the vegetables release a lot of water and no evaporation occurs when you use a crock pot, reduce the broth to 6 cups. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a very brothy soup. 

What should I serve with cabbage soup?

If you ask me, no soup is complete without bread and butter. You could also serve it with homemade potato rolls or a grilled cheese sandwich. 

It’s also great topped with garlic croutons or crispy chickpeas for a little crunch. 

Or keep things low carb by serving it with crispy roasted radishes or rutabaga fries.

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Easy Cabbage Soup

This flavorful cabbage soup comes together in just about a half hour. It’s a great way to warm up on a chilly day!

Course Soups and Stews

Cuisine Italian

Keyword cabbage soup, cabbage soup recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 99kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small sweet onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 can 14.5 ounces plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• ½ small head cabbage sliced
• 3 carrots peeled and sliced
• 3 celery ribs sliced
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions and cook 3-5 minutes, until softened and transparent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Pour in the broth, cabbage, carrots, celery, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. 
• Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 590mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g

Instant pot oatmeal is a great way to get your morning started on the right foot. Making oats in a pressure cooker doesn’t save much time, but you can set it and forget it. That means you don’t need to fuss over the stove or worry about the oats boiling over.

It also means you can start them and let them do their thing while you get dressed and take care of your other morning tasks. If you aren’t ready when they’re done, they’ll stay warm in the pot without overcooking. I love a breakfast that waits for me!

How to make Instant Pot steel cut oats

To make steel cut oats in your instant pot, start by combining 5 cups of liquid and 2 cups of steel cut oats. They come out deliciously creamy when made with all water but, if you prefer, you can use 3 cups of water and 2 cups of milk or nondairy milk.

For the best flavor, I also stir in a half teaspoon of kosher salt and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Lock the lid in place (make sure the vent is set to sealing!) and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Then, let the pressure release naturally. This whole process will take about 30 minutes, about the same amount of time it takes to cook them on the stove top.
Finally, remove the lid and stir in a pat or two of butter. Enjoy your oats plain or get creative and mix things up with fun toppings to fit your mood!

Topping ideas for Instant Pot oatmeal

• Diced Apples, Cinnamon, and Brown Sugar
• Instant Pot Apple Butter
• Pumpkin Puree and Walnuts
• Bananas and Chocolate Chips
• Homemade Lemon Curd and Toasted Walnuts
• Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Gingerbread Oats (Molasses, Grated Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, and Nutmeg)

Meal prep oatmeal

Instant pot steel cut oats are great right away, but they’re also awesome for meal prep!

Double this recipe and divide the oatmeal into single-serving containers. I like these Glad containers (affiliate link). It will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days. For longer term storage, you can also freeze oatmeal in airtight containers. You can add toppings at this stage, or keep the oats plain for now and decide what toppings your in the mood for later on. But keep in mind that some toppings, like bananas or jelly, will break down if you reheat them.

Add a splash of milk or water to loosen the oats up and pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Give them a good stir and microwave another 30 seconds or so until they’re warm.

Of course, they’re also delicious straight from the fridge! If you like them this way, be sure to check out my overnight oats recipe too!
For another grab-and-go breakfast idea, try these nut butter and jelly baked oatmeal cups!

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Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Instant pot steel cut oats are one of my favorite healthy breakfast recipes. They’re rich and creamy and practically foolproof! Steel cut oats are higher in fiber than rolled oats and have a coarse, chewy texture that I love!

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot oatmeal, instant pot steel cut oats

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 29 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 221kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Instant Pot Duo 

Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Instructions

• Add the water, oats, vanilla, and salt to your Instant Pot.
• Lock on the lid (make sure the vent is set to sealing!) and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
• Let the pressure release naturally.
• Stir in the butter and top as desired.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 203mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash: The Perfect Fall Meal

Acorn squash is a popular fall side dish. It’s usually served with lots of butter and maple syrup and while absolutely delicious prepared that way, I also love stuffing it with a savory filling and serving it as the main event. 

This sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe seems too good to be true.

It’s made with just a few simple but flavor-packed ingredients that I almost always have in my fridge or freezer.

And cooking the squash in an Instant Pot means it’s ready in just a few minutes. 

And it’s SO GOOD. 

Most people expect acorn squash to be sweet since they’re so used to pairing it with syrup, but it really isn’t a super sweet squash at all. To me, it tastes a lot like butternut squash, but with a deeper, more intense flavor. I love pairing acorn squash with unexpected flavors like a honey-chipotle glaze or creamy risotto. 

For this comforting dinner recipe, I stuffed them with Italian sausage and spinach. Then I added caramelized onions and diced apples to add a little bit of that sweetness people expect. 

How to make Instant Pot acorn squash

Instant Pot acorn squash is an absolute game-changer! 

The one thing that keeps me from making winter squash more often is that it takes so long to bake.

But with a pressure cooker, you can make acorn squash in literally 13 minutes. It takes longer than that for my oven just to heat up! I can’t tell you how much I love this recipe. 

To make acorn squash in the Instant Pot, start by cutting your squash in half and scooping out the seeds. If you want, you can save the seeds and roast them. 

Place the trivet in the bottom of your Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of water.

Then add the squash. It doesn’t matter what direction that face or anything like that – just pile them in!

Depending on how big they are, I can fit 3 to 4 acorn squash in my 6-quart pot. 

Lock the lid in place and cook the squash for 5 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.

It takes about 3 minutes for the pot to come to pressure and 5 minutes for the pressure to release, which means your Instant Pot acorn squash is ready in 13 minutes.

You really can’t beat that! 

(If you get an Instant Pot burn message, don’t worry. It’s easy to troubleshoot!)

How to Make Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

You have a few options for making the sausage filling for these acorn squash.

If your priority is limiting the number of dishes you have to wash, you can wait until the squash is cooked, remove it from the Instant Pot, and make the stuffing in the pot using the sautee function. 

Or you can do what I usually do and cook the stuffing on the stove while the squash cooks.

It dirties an extra pan, but multitasking gets dinner on the table a few minutes faster.

Stovetop Method

Start by cooking a sliced onion until it softens and begins to caramelize.

Then, add crumbled Italian sausage and cook through.

Finally, stir in some baby spinach and diced apple. Cover the pan and cook for a few minutes, until the spinach wilts and the apple softens. I also like to add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to balance out the sweetness of the apple. 

This sausage stuffing is so simple to make, but it has great flavor. I’ve tried adding rice or bread to the mixture, but it honestly doesn’t need it – and adding too much bulk makes too much filling anyway. 

More healthy winter squash recipes to enjoy

• How to roast acorn squash
• How to Bake Spaghetti Squash
• Roasted Butternut Squash
• Miso Maple Roasted Carrots + Squash
• Honey Chipotle Roast Acorn Squash
• Curried butternut squash soup with shrimp
• Chicken Carbonara Spaghetti Squash Boats (Paleo, Whole 30)
• Butternut Squash Bisque with Maple Whipped Cream

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Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Need a new go-to winter dinner? This easy sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe is made with just 7 simple ingredients and can be on the table in under 15 minutes!

Course Gluten-Free

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot acorn squash, sausage stuffed acorn squash, stuffed acorn squash

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 246kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion sliced
• 4 sweet Italian sausage links casing removed
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 apple diced
• 1 generous pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. 
• Add the trivet to your instant pot and pour in 1 cup of water. Place the squash on the trivet. Lock the lid in place and turn the pressure valve to the sealing position. 
• Cook under high pressure for 5 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. 
• While the squash cooks, heat the oil in a skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, or until light golden brown. 
• Stir in the sausage and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook 4-5 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through. 
• Add the spinach and apple. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the apple is soft.
• Spoon 1 cup of the sausage mixture into each squash half. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1squash half | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 496mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g

Leftover Turkey Casserole: The Most Delicious Way to Use Up Your Leftovers

I’m not usually a big casserole person, but I recently made a few classic casseroles for one of my freelance clients and I finally understand the appeal.

They’re cozy as can be, super easy to make, reheats well (perfect to prep for lunches!), and can even be made ahead and frozen for later.

I’m officially a casserole convert. 

This leftover turkey casserole is seriously so good.

Have you ever finished a really good dinner and immediately started looking forward to having leftovers for lunch the next day? This recipe gives you that feeling. 

Leftover turkey casserole is a classic after Thanksgiving for obvious reasons. But, unfortunately, most turkey casserole recipes are pretty bland and have a muddy flavor from things like canned cream of mushroom soup. 

This low carb turkey casserole doesn’t have any of that. Instead, I spiced things up with cajun seasoning and jalapeno pepper.

I also added red bell pepper and green beans to keep things tasting fresh and vibrant. Casserole not your thing? Try using up your leftover turkey with this turkey rice soup.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

• Low Carb – Made with cauliflower rice!
• Made with fresh ingredients – Step away from the can of “cream of soup.” We’re using fresh, wholesome ingredients in this turkey casserole!
• Reheats well – Perfect for meal prep! If you’re tired of turkey, you can even freeze it for later.

Ingredients in Cajun Turkey Casserole

• Cooked turkey. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey is ideal, but I grabbed a package of roast turkey breast from Trader Joes that was perfect in this recipe. Just be sure not to use deli meat turkey. You could also use a rotisserie chicken or sautee turkey tenderloin. 
• Green Beans. I prefer to use fresh green beans in this recipe, but frozen beans are also ok. If you use fresh beans, be sure to trim the ends! 
• Red Bell Pepper. I know red peppers cost a little more than green peppers, but they have a sweeter flavor than green peppers. They also add a pop of color that this leftover turkey casserole really needs. 
• Jalapeno Pepper. Jalapeno pepper adds a little extra spice to this casserole. Add more or less, depending on how spicy you want your casserole to be. 1 small jalapeno is a good starting place. 
• Cajun seasoning. Cajun seasoning is what gives this casserole it’s flavor, so you don’t want to skimp here. Store-bought cajun seasoning can be hard to find, so here’s my cajun seasoning recipe. 
• Cauliflower Rice. Cauliflower rice keeps this casserole low carb, and means it’s easier to make since you don’t have to mess with boiling rice! I love cauliflower rice, but in this recipe, you can barely notice the cauliflower flavor with all of the other ingredients. 
• Sharp White Cheddar. I strongly prefer to grate my own cheese. It melts better than pre-shredded cheese and has better flavor.
• Eggs. Eggs help bind everything together. Be sure to take the pan off the stove before you add the eggs – you don’t want them to scramble!

More leftover turkey ideas

A big pot of soup and a leftover turkey casserole or two should easily take care of any leftover Thanksgiving turkey you have. But if you have more, or if you’re looking for some other ideas, I also suggest:

• Baked turkey sliders with cranberry mustard
• Turkey Panini Sandwiches with Apple Butter
• Grilled turkey and kimchi melts
• Turkey apple cheddar rolls
• Turkey cassoulet
• Turkey gumbo
• Turkey pot pie

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Cajun Turkey Casserole

Low carb turkey casserole, made with cauliflower rice, green beans, and cheddar cheese can be on the table in under 45 minutes. It’s the PERFECT way to use up your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, but you can easily make it any time of year. 

Course Low Carb

Cuisine American

Keyword cajun turkey casserole, leftover turkey casserole, low carb turkey casserole, turkey casserole

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 332kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 jalapeno minced
• 12 ounces green beans trimmed
• ½ to 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 16 ounces cauliflower rice
• 2 cups cooked turkey diced (can also use cooked chicken)
• 6 ounces shredded white cheddar divided
• 2 eggs beaten
• Parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 350F. Spray a 9×11-inch casserole pan with cooking spray.
• Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeno; cook 3-4 minutes, until beginning to soften.
• Stir in the green beans and Cajun seasoning; cook 1-2 minutes.  Stir in the cream cheese until melted.
• Remove from heat and stir in the cauliflower rice, turkey, and all but ½ cup cheese. Stir in the eggs.
• Pour into the prepared casserole pan. Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Notes

Add more or less jalapeno and Cajun seasoning depending on how spicy you want your casserole. I use one medium jalapeno and a full Tablespoon of seasoning for a casserole with a pretty good kick to it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g

Chicken Sweet Potato Soup is the cozy winter recipe you didn’t know you needed. 

It’s part soup, part stew. Curry-ish, except totally not curry so don’t let that scare you away! Warm, cozy, nourishing and basically like a giant hug in a bowl. 

In short, it’s perfect for chilly fall and winter nights when the sun sets way too early and you want a warm, cozy dinner that will cheer you up without weighing you down.

It was also the first thing I made when I got back from a trip from Italy, where pretty much the only vegetables I saw were on top of a pizza and I was craving good food with actual nutritional value.

What goes in chicken sweet potato soup?

So, what goes into chicken sweet potato soup? Well, chicken and sweet potatoes to start. Duh. But also so many other good, wholesome foods. Like fire-roasted tomatoes, coconut milk, lemongrass, and tons of warm, anti-inflammatory spices like ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and allspice. 

And then there’s the secret ingredient that makes it extra delicious: miso. I’m OBSESSED with miso, which is funny because I actually don’t like traditional miso soup at all. It gives the broth in this soup a really full savory flavor and an incredible richness. If you’ve ever tried to put your finger on what exactly “umami” tastes like, this is it. It’s so, so, good. I always have a tub of miso in my fridge – I use it for this chicken sweet potato soup, and also for miso potato soup and miso-glazed salmon. If you have my cookbook, I also use it in an amazing recipe for red curry ramen that’s hands-down one of my favorite recipes ever. 

But back to the basics. I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they’re my favorite. I love how they stay juicy and don’t dry out like white meat chicken can. If you want to use chicken breasts for this though, that’s totally fine. 

About lemongrass

Recipes that call for lemongrass can stress me out because I never know if I’ll be able to find it when I need it. It can be pretty hit or miss at the grocery store! I lucked out this time and found a huge bundle of fresh lemongrass at the local farmers market for $3. Score! I used what I needed for this chicken sweet potato soup and then froze the rest. I should have more than enough to last me through the winter.

If you aren’t so lucky, you can sometimes find small blister packs of lemongrass in the produce section, near other spices like rosemary or fresh sage. I’ve also had really good luck using lemongrass paste, which is a little easier to find. Gourmet Garden has a nice one that’s sold in tubes in the produce section – you can freeze it for longterm storage.  You can also find shelf-stable lemongrass paste (affiliate link) on Amazon, but it can be a little pricier. 

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Chicken Sweet Potato Soup

Warm, cozy chicken sweet potato soup gets a ton of flavor from warm spices, coconut milk, and miso. This is the ultimate snow day soup!

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Asian

Keyword chicken sweet potato soup, chicken sweet potato stew, soup, sweet potato soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 334kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Cambodian Lemongrass Paste

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 generous pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 1 sweet potato sliced
• 2 cups fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 stalks fresh lemongrass or 1/2 teaspoon lemongrass paste
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• ¼ cup white miso
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 
• Add the onion and salt. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Stir in the ginger, garlic, turmeric, and allspice and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes, coconut milk and 2 cups of water. Return the chicken to the pot and add the cinnamon sticks and lemongrass. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
• Remove the lemongrass stalks (if using) and cinnamon sticks from the pot and discard them.
• Whisk in the miso. Cook 1-2 minutes, until heated through.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g

Do you ever make a huge meal, eat it for dinner one day and heat up leftovers for lunch all week and then immediately make it again because you’re so sad that the leftovers are gone? 

That’s what happened when I made this zucchini and sausage in tomato cream sauce.

It’s just so good! And that’s coming from someone who usually gets burned out on leftovers after a day or two. 

I served this creamy tomato sauce over broiled sausage and zucchini for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner.

Instead of spiralizing the zucchini like I usually would, I cut it into big chunks. It held up to the hearty tomato cream sauce better that way.

The bigger pieces of zucchini also mean that you can broil them right on the same pan as your sausages. Everything gets toasty and charred and has an extra layer of flavor. 

This dinner is so warm and cozy. I’m definitely looking forward to eating it all fall and winter long!

What is pink sauce? 

Pink sauce, also known as tomato cream sauce or rosario sauce, is basically a combination of marinara sauce and alfredo sauce. It’s similar to vodka sauce, except even richer and creamier.

It’s pretty much the best sauce ever. 

You can eat it on pasta or tortellini, use it on a pizza, or ditch the carbs like I did here and serve it over broiled vegetables. It’s delicious paired with sausage, chicken, or even shrimp.

If you love creamy tomato sauce, you’ll also love penne al baffo or tomato and mascarpone sauce.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Butter. I use unsalted butter when I cook so I have more control over the seasoning.

Heavy Cream or Whipping Cream. In a pinch you can also use half and half.

Fresh Garlic. Lots of it!

Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese.

Crushed Tomatoes. For even more flavor, use fire-roasted tomatoes! If you’re really dedicated, you can crush your own fresh tomatoes. I use canned tomatoes here. They’re just as tasty and the flavor is more consistent, especially when tomatoes aren’t in season. 

Fresh Basil. There’s nothing else quite like it; dried basil just won’t do in this recipe.

Red Pepper Flakes. If you like a little bit of spice.

How do you make it? 

The first time I had tomato cream sauce was way back in college when one of my roommates mixed together a jar of marinara sauce and a jar of alfredo sauce. We were instantly hooked at ate it pretty regularly. 

Of course, that’s not how I make it anymore.

These days I make this pink sauce recipe entirely from scratch – and it barely takes any more time than opening those two jars did. Of course, this homemade version tastes a million times better!

Saute the garlic in butter. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, but don’t let it brown or it will get bitter. Low heat is key here. 

Whisk in some heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Stir in some parmesan cheese to form a thick, creamy Alfredo sauce. 

Add the ingredients for classic marinara: crushed tomatoes and fresh basil.

Add a little water to thin the sauce if it’s too thick, season to taste with a little sea salt and some crushed red pepper, and there you have it! My absolute favorite thing to eat right now. 

Just look how luscious that tomato cream sauce is! It’s definitely rich, but a little goes a long way.

You can make a big batch and freeze it if you want, but it’s so quick to make that I usually just make it as I need it.  

Commonly Asked Questions

Here are some more low carb Italian comfort food recipes you’ll love!

• Lightened-Up Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Mussels with Saffron Tomato Sauce
• Roasted Tomato Soup with Goat Cheese
• Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Zucchini Boats
• Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

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Tomato Cream Sauce with Broiled Zucchini and Sausage

Tomato Cream sauce is packed with classic Italian flavor and take just 15 minutes to make. Swap classic pasta in favor of roast sausages and zucchini for a low carb, keto, and gluten-free dinner.

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 467kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 6 garlic cloves crushed
• ¾ cup grated parmesan
• 14 ounces crushed tomatoes about 1.5 cups
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the Broiled Zucchini and Sausage

• 3 medium zucchini
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 Italian sausages

Instructions

For the Sauce

• Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned.
• Whisk in the cream. Increase heat and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until reduced by about half.
• Stir in the parmesan cheese until smooth. Add the tomatoes and basil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• If desired, whisk in 1/4 cup of water to thin the sauce. Season to taste with salt and red pepper.

For the Zucchini and Sausage

• Heat your broiler to high.
• Cut each zucchini crosswise into 4 pieces. Cut eat of those pieces lengthwise into four wedges. Drizzle with oil.
• Arrange the zucchini wedges and sausages on a baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes, until the sausages are cooked through and the zucchini is lightly charred.
• Slice the sausages into rounds. Stir the sausage and zucchini into the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g

This creamy chickpea soup, made with Swanson® Chicken Broth and topped with crispy bacon and fresh herbs, is the perfect easy dinner for blustery winter nights. 

It’s snowing. Again. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I really thought we were done with snow for the year. Luckily, I already had a warm, cozy soup planned for dinner. There’s just something about soup that makes winters in upstate New York a little more bearable. Especially when it’s as luscious as this creamy chickpea soup topped with fresh herbs and crispy bacon. 

This recipe is super easy to make and comes together in under a half hour. I especially love that it uses really simple, staple ingredients that I almost always have in my kitchen. At it’s most basic, this soup is nothing more than mirepoix (a fancy word for onion, carrot, and celery), garlic, canned chickpeas, and a carton of Swanson® Chicken Broth.

I love that their chicken broth is 100% natural, and it has a clean, balanced flavor that makes it no surprise it’s America’s #1 broth. Besides using it as the base for quick soup recipes like this one, Swanson broth is great to have on hand for adding flavor to rice or poaching chicken for flautas. There are a ton of recipes on their web site, so be sure to check them out for inspiration!

How to make creamy chickpea soup:

To make this creamy chickpea soup, start by sauteeing garlic and onion in a little olive oil until it’s fragrant. This is pretty much the best smell in the whole world if you ask me. Next, add diced carrot and celery and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Then add the chicken stock, two cans of chickpeas, and a few sprigs of rosemary, and simmer everything until the vegetables are soft. 

While the soup simmers, fry a few slices of bacon until they’re nice and crisp and chop some fresh parsley and chives. 

Discard the rosemary and transfer everything else to a blender; puree until smooth and season with salt to taste. Top the soup with more chickpeas, the crispy bacon, and herbs. 

Tips for the best creamy chickpea soup:

• Rinse your chickpeas well and remove any loose skins. The skins can sometimes get gritty, so this will ensure a silky smooth puree. You don’t need to go crazy with this step, but taking an extra mixture to discard any that are already loose can make a huge difference.
• Use great quality chicken broth. When you make a recipe this simple, the quality of the ingredients that goes into it really matters – you’ll taste every single thing, so there’s no hiding. As mentioned above, I love the rich but clean flavor of Swanson® chicken broth.
• Don’t skimp on your toppings. The best part of pureed soups like this one is loading them up with toppings, right?! I love the contrast of crisp, smoky bacon with this chickpea soup. It only takes a little bit to give your bowl a rich, meaty flavor. I also like to add some whole chickpeas. You can use them straight from the can or, if you’re feeling extra fancy, roast them until they’re crispy. Finally, don’t forget to add fresh herbs – they add a light, fresh element and the soup just isn’t the same without them. 

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Creamy Chickpea Soup with Bacon and Fresh Herbs

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 233kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 2 cans garbanzo beans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth
• 2 large sprigs rosemary
• 2 slices bacon preferably sugar-free
• 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
• 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped chives

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook 304 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Add the carrots and celery and cook 5-7 minutes, until beginning to soften.
• Stir in all but 1/4 cup of the chickpeas and all of the chicken broth; add the whole sprigs of rosemary to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
• While the soup cooks, cook the bacon in a skillet set over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then crumble.
• Transfer the soup to a blender, working in batches if needed. Blend 40-60 seconds, or until the soup is smooth. Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve the soup topped with crumbled bacon, fresh herbs, and reserved chickpeas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 184mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g

When I think about all of the recipes in my new Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook, there are two that jump out as being my favorite: Instant Pot Red Curry Ramen and Cranberry Oatmeal Bars. Both of them were instant hits, and I’ve been making them all winter. Even though these recipes only have 10 ingredients each, they have complex, layered flavors that make them seem much more complicated than they actually are. 

When I asked people on facebook which recipe they’d like me to share, I wasn’t sure which recipe I was rooting for. It was a close call, but Cranberry Oatmeal Bars won by a super narrow margin. I’m sharing that recipe here today – if you want the ramen you’ll need to check out the book! 

I’m completely obsessed with these vegan cranberry bars. They’re sweetened with maple syrup and flavored with vanilla extract and a hint of cinnamon. The crumbly oat topping is buttery and sweet, which balances the tart berries perfectly. 

These bars are crisp straight from the oven but will soften overnight if kept in an airtight container. Either way, they’re fantastic. The recipe makes six big, bakery-style bars, but if you’re looking for a treat that’s lower in calories you can easily cut them into nine or even twelve portions and still be satisfied. 

Tips for making cranberry oatmeal bars:

The best way to make these oatmeal bars is with fresh cranberries, but frozen berries work too. I couldn’t find either variety last weekend, so I made this batch with sugar-free raspberry preserves. Raspberries are pretty tart, so they make a great stand-in for cranberries in this recipe. The bars will be thicker and more colorful if you use whole berries, but they taste great either way.

This is actually a swap that I suggest in the book. One of my favorite parts of the book is that every single recipe has a tip that will help you pick the best ingredients, make smart swaps, or repurpose your leftovers. The book has 101 recipes in it, but when you include the variations from the tips there are really so many more! 

I put these cranberry oatmeal bars in the dessert chapter of the book but, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be tempted to sneak one for breakfast!

If you love cranberry desserts, you also love this cranberry orange shortbread!

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Cranberry Oatmeal Bars from my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook (Vegan)

I’m obsessed with these cranberry bars. The crumbly oat topping is buttery and sweet, which balances the tart berries perfectly. These bars are crisp straight from the oven, but will soften overnight if kept in an airtight container. Either way, they’re fantastic. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be tempted to sneak one for breakfast.

Course Healthy Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 373kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil
• ¾ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats
• 1 ½ cups white whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups fresh cranberries chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, whisk the coconut oil and maple syrup until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda to form a crumbly dough. Press half the dough onto one side of a sheet pan, forming a layer about 1/2 inch thick.
• Spread the chopped cranberries over the dough and sprinkle with the sugar.
• Crumble the remaining dough over the berries. Sprinkle the top with the almonds.
• Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until light golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Cut into 6 bars to serve.

Notes

If fresh cranberries aren’t in season, use frozen. Or, swap them for whole-fruit raspberry preserves and omit the sugar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Fiber: 5g