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Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

By 3 Comments

With red wine vinegar and Worcestershire Sauce, this tomatillo salsa verde is just right spicy, fresh and robust in flavor. Don’t reach for another jar of green salsa from the grocery shelf until you try making your own. Always better, less expensive and healthier. And did I mention easy?

Looking for more homemade salsa recipes? Try Essential Mexican Restaurant Style Salsa. A salsa recipe that tastes just like you’d find at your favorite Mexican Restaurant.

This recipe was first published January, 2018 and updated October, 2020

Making Homemade Salsa and Why This Recipe Works

Where would we be without salsa? Game day would be less zesty, and our corn chips would be very sad and lonely.

I’ve started making my own Salsas.  About time don’t you think?

As many Mexican and Southwestern meals that come out of this kitchen, it seems silly to reach for those jars at the store.

Plus, it seems I’m always trying a new brand every chance I get to find a flavor profile that I love. Jarred salsas always come up short handed, with something not being quite right.

So I’ve taken to my own test kitchen, researched recipes and ideas and after a few experiments have come up with a Homemade Tomatillo Green Chile Salsa recipe.

One that I think tasted like a classic salsa verde recipe.

One can call this Salsa Verde Mexicana or Green Salsa using fresh tomatillos. But with the addition of Worcestershire and Red Wine Vinegar, I’d call this delightful.

What Is A Tomatillo?

And by the way, whats a tomatillo anyway? A tomatillo is a small round fruit that’s encased in delicate paper husk.

Tomatillos are indigenous to Mexico and Central America, they’re also known as husk tomatoes or tomatoes verdes.

They’re related to the tomato and widely used in Mexican cooking lending a tart zesty flavor to sauces and salsas. Their tangy citrusy flavor turns slightly sweet when cooked.

To prepare, just remove the paper husks and rinse.

What Goes Into This Recipe – Ingredients

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

Ingredients used to make homemade roasted tomatillo salsa.
  • Fresh Tomatillos, The star of the show and the backbone of this recipe, look for tomatillos in the produce section. I find them next to the tomatoes. Their flavor is slightly acidic and tart.
  • Onions, One simply can’t make salsa without onions. Sweet or yellow onions work best for this recipe.
  • Jalapeno, We always need to bring a little heat to any salsa recipe. Control that heat by removing the veins and seeds of a jalapeno pepper, or leave them in for hot spicy salsa.
  • Limes, Fresh lime juice, a staple in many salsas, not only brings that tropical flavor, but brightens the overall flavor.
  • Sugar, Sugar will balance out the tartness of the tomatillos.
  • Worcestershire Sauce, I love what the flavor does to this salsa. Savory, sweet and salty, it adds a dynamic layer of goodness.
  • Red Wine Vinegar, Vinegar with a touch of sweetness. Red Wine Vinegar is a robust choice for this combination of ingredients.

Ingredient Swaps:

  • Pickapeppa Sauce: If you’ve got a bottle of Pickapeppa sauce in the fridge, don’t hesitate to substitute it for the Worcestershire. Similar to Worcestershire, but mildly spicy, it’a a great alternative.
  • If you don’t have Red Wine Vinegar, a great substitute is Apple Cider Vinegar or even White Wine Vinegar.
  • Add a squeeze of honey in place of the sugar.
  • With the same pale green color and similar crunch, Green Tomatoes are a good substitute for tomatillos.
  • Green Chile Peppers: Make this tomatillo salsa more of an authentic Southwest recipe by replacing jalapeno peppers with two medium roasted green chile peppers or one 4-ounce can of Hatch chile peppers. Poblano peppers are a good choice if you like your salsa less spicy.

 How To Make This Recipe – It’s Easy!

Roasting tomatillos in a pan with garlic to make Tomatillo Salsa Sauce.
  • Roasting Tomatillos For Salsa: Start by removing the husks from the tomtillos, rinsing them and slicing them in half. In a frypan, stovetop, cook the tomatillos over medium heat until they start to brown on each side and start to soften.
  • The tart tomatillo gets a sweet caramelized flavor when pan seared.
Making tomatillo salsa in a food processor.
  • Then simply add all ingredients in your food processor. Pulse until the salsa is the consistency you’d like. Depending on what you’re using it for, chunky or thin is your choice.
How Do You Choose A Good Tomatillo?

Choose the smaller greener tomatillos. They come with a more tart flavor, which makes this tomatillo salsa unique with flavor. Avoid the larger more ripe tomatillos. They are softer and more ripe.

Do You Have To Wash Tomatillos?

Tomatillos have a sticky waxy film on their surface. Rinse them well and scrub them gently to remove the film.

Do You Have To Roast The Tomatillos?

No. If you leave them raw and simply chop them, you’ll have a fresher, tarter and a salsa that is crisper in texture. Try this recipe both ways. Experiment and enjoy.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Homemade salsa verde using fresh tomatillos

How To Use It

Tomatillos are very common in Mexican cuisine, but have found their way into our Southwestern recipes over the years. Tomatillos and green chile peppers are great partners for those who want a good green-chile salsa without so much spicy heat.

Try it on everything! It’s basically just a different flavor profile than your favorite red tomato salsa. Thick in texture you could almost consider this a pico de gallo.

Besides a dip for tortilla chips, here are some recipe I’ve used this green salsa for:

More Homemade Salsa Recipes

  • Chipotle Peach Salsa, A very special salsa recipe for fresh peach season.
  • Chipotle Black Bean Corn Salsa Easy using canned black beans, load up those corn chips with this tasty appetizer salsa.
  • Freezer Salsa: Your tortilla chips will thank you when you have a stash of this fresh salsa to keep you warm all winter long.
  • Salsa Macha Salsa Macha is a rich chile infused oil condiment that's easy to make and complex in flavor. It adds texture and depth to anything it touches. 

And if you’re looking for a queso recipe for those chips, don’t miss my Queso Blanco Recipe. So easy.

And if you love Mexican Food as much as we do, take a look at my Mexican-Southwestern Category. You’ll find a ton of ideas for your next fiesta. Including the most popular recipe on my site for Hatch Green Chile with Pork.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Make your own zesty fresh Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. Your tortilla chips, tacos and burritos will thank you. Easy recipe loaded with flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time13 minutes
Total Time28 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Southwestern Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 27kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 6 tomatillos peeled, rinsed, halved and pan roasted
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 jalapeno pepper stemmed, seeded, cut in half. Or one 4-ounce can Hatch Green Chile Peppers.
  • ⅓ cup cilantro rough chopped
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon Pickapeppa Sauce or Worcestershire
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ medium onion fine chopped

Instructions

  • Remove the stem, seeds and veins from jalapeno pepper. Or leave the seeds and veins in for some good heat. Cut the jalapeno and half and with skin side up, with your hand flatten the pepper so it will roast in the fry pan.
  • Heat a 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Lay in the garlic, jalapeno and the halved tomatillos. The tomatillos should be cut side down.
  • When the tomatillos are well browned (3-4 minutes) with tongs, turn everything over and brown the other side. The tomatillos should be soft.
  • Scrape the tomatillos, jalapeno and garlic into a food processor and let cool to room temperature. 
  • Add the cilantro, sugar, vinegar, Pickapeppa and water. Blend to a coarse puree, easily spoonable consistency.
  • Pour into a salsa bowl and add the diced onion.  Note, Once the onion has been diced, put it in a strainer and rinse under cold water. This will temper the onion flavor. 
  • Add and season with a little salt and a little more sugar if you wish.

Notes

Green Chiles
The amount of green chile peppers you use is totally dependent on your heat tolerance. How hot the chile pepper is and hot how you want the salsa to be. If you want a very mild chile pepper, try Poblano Peppers.
Tomatillos have a sticky waxy film on their surface. Rinse them well and scrub them gently to remove the film.
Pickapappa sauce is a great condiment to have in your pantry. Great for soups. A flavorful substitute for when any recipe calls for Worcestershire.

Nutrition

Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 186IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde … It’s what’s for tortilla chips and beyond.

Easy Pork Pad Thai Noodles With Peanut Sauce

By 27 Comments

Skip eating out for this easy Pork Pad Thai peanut sauced noodles. Pad Thai noodles are are covered in a flavorful Thai peanut sauce. Crunchy with cabbage and carrots you’ve got a wonderful meal with simple ingredients that are addicting in flavor.

Pork pad thai noodles with peanut sauce served in a white bowl.

What Is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a popular is a popular stir-fry noodle dish made with rice noodles and a protein. It’s a common street food in Thailand and a popular dish offered in Thai restaurants in the United States.

Easy Pork Pad Thai Recipe

Who knew a big scoop of peanut butter could transform rice noodles and pork into such a delicious meal. Simply whisked with a few Thai seasonings, some colorful veggies and browned ground pork makes a hearty and oh-so flavorful dinner.

I’ve made many Pork Pad Thai Recipes and there are some can be quite hard to make. I even tried one recipe from an authentic Thai cookbook, and once completed, I was so frazzled, I scribbled on the page “best left for the professionals”

This is a version that is easy enough for a beginning cook, yet flavorful enough for the seasoned home cook.

  • Americanized Authentic vs. Quick: Traditional Pad Thai recipes use Tamarind Paste and other specialty sauces, like Thai soy sauces. Condiment that you would need to seek out at an Asian specialty store. For this recipe, you’ll find ingredients you can easily find on the Asian aisle at your local grocer. This easy Pad Thai recipe does differ a bit in flavor from an authentic recipe, but I think you’ll find the flavor to be amazing. If you’re looking for an Authentic Pad Thai recipe, head over to one of my favorite Asian food blogs, Woks of Life, their Pad Thai Recipe will guide you through authentic ingredients.
  • Ground Pork: Choosing ground pork over sliced pork tenderloin or pork strips from chops, make this an easier fix that more complicated recipes.
  • No Wok: I have a small kitchen and have to be very choosy about what kitchen gadgets I purchase to fill my space. I loved my wok, but currently don’t own one. This recipe works very well using a large skillet.

Simply stated you’ve got an addicting and amazing plate of noodles.

Even though this recipe doesn’t exactly fit into my Rustic Colorado Comfort Food Niche, as I’m typing this, I want to eat it everyday.

Sweet, nutty, savory, spicy, creamy and crunchy. Let’s take a look at what goes into making this recipe.

Ingredients

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

Ingredients to make spicy thai peanut noodles with pork
  • Ground Pork, Just pick up a package from the grocery store. Ground pork is usually made from pork shoulder, or pork BUTT.
  • Coconut Milk, A staple in Thai cooking, don’t confuse coconut milk with coconut water. Coconut milk is made by grinding the meat of a coconut. Rich floral and nutty, it adds great flavor to any dish.
  • Shredded Carrots and Cabbage: Adds the crunch to this beautiful meal. They’re not cooked, they’re added raw.
  • Fish Sauce, Sweet, salty, fish and funky, fish sauce brings some show-stopping flavor to any Thai recipe.
  • Toasted Sesame Oil, Made from toasted Sesame Seeds, earthy and nutty, I recommend you use toasted sesame oil over regular sesame oil. The pronounced flavor rocks this dish.
  • Seasoned Rice Vinegar, is regular rice vinegar seasoned with sugar and salt. I always prefer it over regular rice vinegar.
  • Peanut Butter, Any brand will do, and preferably creamy.
  • Rice Noodles, An Asian noodle made from rice flour and water, has a very mild flavor and chewy texture. Look for Thai rice noodles or Pad Thai noodles.
  • Jalapeno Pepper: Jalapeno pepper is used to add some spicy heat. Keep the jalapeno seeds and veins in tact for a pure spicy heat. Remove the seeds and veins to tame the heat if you’re sensitive to spice.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Want to make this an even easier Pork Pad Thai weeknight meal, purchase a package of coleslaw mix from the produce department. A mix that includes shredded carrots.
  • Substitute Ground Pork with Ground Chicken. Just use your food processor to grind chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Or purchase a package of ground chicken from the market.
  • Substitute Napa Cabbage for regular green cabbage.

How To Make This Recipe

Start by stirring together the easy peanut sauce with coconut milk.

Thai peanut sauce for thai noodles
  1. Step 1: Simply combine the peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fish sauce and coconut milk. Using a whisk, stir until well mixed. Use a large bowl because you’re going to add the rest of the ingredients to finish the dish.
How to make pad thai noodles with peanut sauce
  1. Step 2: Grab a large fry pan and cook the ground pork. While the pork is cooking, cook noodles according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the starchy noodle water, then drain noodles in a colander.
  2. Step 3: Drain any access grease from the pork. Then stir in the cooked noodles, cabbage, carrots and some sliced jalapenos.
  3. Step 4: Take this mixture and add it to the large bowl of peanut sauce along with the reserved noodle water. Stir gently until well combined and serve.
Eating Pad thai noodles with peanut sauce with chop sticks.
  1. Step 5: Garnish with cilantro (optional) and don’t forget that squeeze of fresh lime. It brightens the flavor of this dish.

Grab those chopsticks and dig in. You’re going to love these noodles with pork. And it’s easy!

FAQ’s And Tips

Can I make Noodles and Pork ahead?

Yes. You can make the spicy Thai peanut sauce a day ahead of time, and you can fry the ground pork in advance and then easily finish the dish.

Is Pork Pad Thai Easy To Reheat?

This is one of those recipes that once those flavors marry is even better the next day. To reheat, just place a portion in the microwave and gently reheat in increments of 1 minute at 50% power. You don’t want to dry it out, so go slowly. This recipe for easy peanut sauce for noodles, is actually ver good served at room temperature.

Can I substitute Spaghetti Noodles?

Absolutely. Just cook the noodles according to package directions.

Recipe for Easy Pork Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce and Ground Pork

This Easy Pork Pad Thai brings all the bold, crave-worthy flavors of your favorite takeout dish straight to your kitchen, and with no wok skills required. Tender noodles, savory pork, and a peanut-y sauce come together in perfect balance of flavors. Pad Thai doesn't have to be complicated. Serve it hot, pile on the cilantro and lime, and enjoy every bite of this irresistible Thai-inspired classic.

More Noodle Recipes You Might Like

And if you’re pasta fans like us, don’t miss my category for Pasta Recipes. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular on my site for Flemings Steakhouse Macaroni and Cheese.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Pork pad thai noodles served on a white plate.
Print Recipe
4.29 from 7 votes

Easy Pork Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce

Ready in about 45 minutes, packed with flavor, this is a great weeknight quick fix meal. Easy Asian Noodles with Ground Pork and Peanut Sauce = delicious and addicting.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course Pork
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 6
Calories: 522kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • ½ cup peanut butter creamy
  • ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
  • ¼ Cup coconut milk
  • 8 ounces Pad Thai Noodles
  • 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
  • 1 pound ground pork browned
  • 2 jalapeños stemmed, seeded and sliced into thin rounds
  • 2 medium carrots grated
  • 2 cups green cabbage very thin sliced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ¼ cup starchy water from cooked noodles
  • Cilantro for garnish
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk the peanut butter, vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil, coconut milk until smooth. Set aside. Use a large bowl, because you're going to add vegetables, pork and noodles later.
  • Heat a fry pan over medium high heat. Add the ground pork and cook, stirring to break up the meat. Cook until cooked through. Set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Pad Thai noodles and cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 5 minutes or according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the starchy water before draining noodles.
  • Add the drained noodles, pork, jalapeños, carrots, cabbage, and toss gently with the peanut sauce. Add the reserved starchy pasta water and red pepper flakes stir well.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

  • Jalapeno Pepper: Jalapeno pepper is used to add some spicy heat. Keep the jalapeno seeds and veins in tact for a pure spicy heat. Remove the seeds and veins to tame the heat if you’re sensitive to spice.

Nutrition

Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 701mg | Potassium: 522mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3470IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

Pork Pad Thai …It’s what’s for Dinner.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage

By 15 Comments

This creamy Curried Butternut squash soup becomes even more decadent topped with beautiful little jewels of pomegranate seeds and crumbles of browned sausage. Beautifully spiced with cumin and cayenne pepper, you’ve got a comforting and luxurious bowl of soup. You’ll want to make this one over and over again.

Another creamy hearty soup you might enjoy is this one for Cream of Chicken Soup with Wild Rice.

Curried butternut squash soup topped with Jimmy Dean Sausage, pomegranate seeds and cotija cheese

This recipe was first published in February of 2017 and updated October 2024.

About This Recipe and Why It Works

Not high on my list of things to do is peeling a butternut squash. But once you’re done with the laborious task of peeling, seeding and hacking away at that uncooked gourd, this beautifully flavored soup is your reward.

Do you buy already prepped cubed butternut squash at the grocery store? Or are you a purist and risk losing an appendage to cut your own?

Let me say right up front, and even though I’m pretty good at wrestling that squash with my chef’s knife, I’m in full support of that prepped plastic wrapped butternut squash.

There are just too many great butternut squash recipes, that become easy butternut squash recipes, if you purchase it pre-cut and cubed.

Like this Curried Butternut Squash Sausage Soup. Not to mention, this is hands down the best butternut squash soup recipe that we've ever had. EVER.

And sprinkling on some shiny red pomegranate seeds = love.

This soup is full of flavor, savory and just a little bit sweet. The salty toppings chime in so that every bite is heaven.

What Goes Into This Soup – The Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make butternut squash soup with curry
  • Onions and Garlic, would soup be soup without onions and garlic? Use sweet or yellow onions for this recipe. And please chop the garlic with a knife for a more pure garlic flavor. Using a garlic press brings out the oil in garlic and makes it stronger in flavor.
  • Cubed Butternut Squash, If you can find peeled and cubed butternut squash soup at the market, go for it. It will save you time and angst.
  • Dairy, Sour cream and cream make this soup simply decadent.
  • Spices for butternut squash soup, Curry, cumin and cayenne are the backbone to the luscious flavor of this soup.
  • Honey, adds a touch of sweetness to the overall flavor.
  • Jimmy Dean Sausage, crumbled, browned and used as a topping. The perfect seasoned breakfast sausage adds a salty savory flavor to each bite.
  • Feta Cheese, a sprinkling on top of the soup brings even more personality to this recipe. Salty, tangy and somewhat lemony = perfect.
  • Pomegranate Seed, the deep beautiful red color of these crunchy seeds, adds a complimentary color, a bit of crunch and a sharp flavor.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Dairy, For a more tangy end flavor result, feel free to switch out the sour cream for Greek Yogurt. If you’re worried about fat content, swap out half and half for the cream.
  • Honey, Use agave syrup instead of honey. I always have some on hand. It’s thinner and easier to manage.
  • Sausage, We truly love the classic flavor of Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage for this recpe. Use whatever brand you prefer. Also, Italian Sausage would be a fun substitute.
  • Feta Cheese, I always have Cotija cheese on hand. It’s crumbly, salty and would work great for this soup. Grated Parmesan cheese would also be nice here.
  • Pomegranate Seeds, Substitute pepita seeds. They’re crunchy, salty and would make a festive fall topping for butternut squash soup.

Step by Step Instructions

sauteeing onions in butter to make soup
  1. Start by adding butter to a large (6-quart) Dutch oven.
  2. When the butter is melted and bubbly, add the onions and saute until tender. About 5 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.
Cooking curried butternut squash soup stovetop
Using an immersion blender to puree curried butternut squash soup
  1. Add in the chicken broth, butternut squash cubes and seasonings.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
  3. In the meantime, cook the sausage until browned.
  4. Stir in the cream, honey and sour cream. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.
  5. Ladle soup into bowls and add toppings.

Expert Tips and FAQ’s

Can I Use Prepped Peeled and Cubed Butternut Squash From The Store

Absolutely yes! Peeling and cubing a butternut squash can be a big job. Purchasing prepped butternut squash from the produce section turns this into an easy butternut squash soup recipe.

Can I Use A Blender or Food Processor to Puree the Soup?

Yes. If you don’t own an immersion blender, just puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Be careful, the soup is hot. If using a blender, don’t secure the lid, as the heat of the soup may pop it off. Simply place the lid slightly ajar on top of the blender and hold it in place with your hand. Only fill the blender or food processor half full before running.

What Kind Of Curry Powder Should I use?

Just use that spice blend curry powder that you find on the spice shelf at the supermarket. If you want to play around with curry pastes, I suggest using Thai Yellow Curry as not to compromise the beautiful color of this soup.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage

Butternut squash soup topped with crumbled breakfast Breakfast sausage, pomegranate seeds and feta.

I hope you give this Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage a try. It’s truly one of our favorite soups to make when the weather gets cooler.

I consider soups my specialty, so don’t miss my category for Soup Recipes. You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular soup recipe on my site for Giada’s Ground Chicken Chili.

Similar Soup Recipes You Might Like

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Curried butternut squash soup topped with Jimmy Dean Sausage, pomegranate seeds and cotija cheese
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Curried Butternut Squash Sausage Soup

Creamy curried butternut squash soup topped with feta and sausage.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 346kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1- pieces
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ cup cream Heavy whipping cream.
  • 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ½ pound Jimmy Dean Sausage cooked and crumbled
  • ½ cup Feta Cheese Crumbled
  • ¼ cup Pomegranate Seeds

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Stirring often. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.
  • Add chicken broth, squash, curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper into onion mixture. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in cream, honey and sour cream into squash mixture.
  • Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Or pour squash mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down. Pulse until smooth. Puree in batches until smooth.
  • Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with sausage and feta. Dot with pomegranate seeds (optional). Or pepita seeds work well as garnish.

Notes

If you don’t own an immersion blender, just puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Be careful, the soup is hot. If using a blender, don’t secure the lid. Simply place the lid slightly ajar on top of the blender before running. The heat of the soup may pop the lid off. Only fill the blender and food processor half full before running.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1399mg | Potassium: 872mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 16436IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 2mg

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage … It’s what’s for Dinner

Easy Gumbo Recipe With Shrimp And Sausage

By 38 Comments

This Easy Gumbo Recipe has the flavor of a gumbo that you’ve spent hours preparing. Ready in about 45 minutes, this is a straight forward, simple weeknight dinner recipe you’ll want to keep on your meal plan rotation. Bold with flavor this shrimp and sausage gumbo recipe will become one of your favorites.

A bowl of shrimp and sausage gumbo. An easy gumbo recipe.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

The weekend is over and lazy lingering meals will be replaced with quick work-week dinners. Cue this easy gumbo recipe.

The reason I like this gumbo recipe is because a true-blue gumbo is a process that can span over of a couple of days.

Someday when I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll take the time to do that. But in the meantime I wanted to challenge myself to come up with an easy gumbo recipe version that reminds me of the wonderful flavors we enjoyed on our trip to New Orleans.

Depending on how fast your can slice and dice, I’d say this is a 45 minute start to finish meal.

Okra, shrimp, red and green bell peppers swim in a broth colored with roux and flavored with onions, bay leaves, garlic and Cajun spice.

And with a side of steamed white rice, you’ll be digging out your Louie Armstrong CD’s.

Let’s take a look at this easy shrimp sausage gumbo.

The Key To This Recipe Is The Roux

A roux is made with two ingredients, flour and oil. The flour and oil are cooked together until the mix becomes a dark color. It provides the deep rich flavor to gumbo and thickens the broth. The darker the roux the richer the flavor.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

Ingredients to make shrimp and andouille sausage gumbo
  • Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Onions and Celery are key ingredients to any gumbo soup recipe. They create a “sofrito” style beginning for this soup.
  • Okra: Gumbo wouldn’t be gumbo without sliced okra.
  • Chicken broth, oil and flour to make that traditional gumbo roux.
  • Andouille Sausage. Please seek out a quality well flavored andouille sausage. It’s a French smoked sausage with a wonderfully spicy flavor.
  • Shrimp: Shelled, deveined and tails removed.
  • Red Chile Pepper: Cayenne would be traditional, or red pepper flakes would work well here.
  • Cajun or Creole Seasoning.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Don’t have shrimp on hand? Swap out shrimp for bite-sized chunks of chicken. Just add those uncooked chicken pieces to the gumbo at the same time as you add the sausage.
  • You can swap out Andouille Sausage for any smoked sausage. Kielbasa is a good choice here.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

making a roux to make gumbo
  1. Sautee chopped vegetables in a fry pan until tender and set aside. In a large sauce pan, prepare the roux by combining flour and oil. cooking and stirring until roux becomes a beautiful dark red-ish brown. This will take about 30 minutes.
Stirring chopped vegetables into a roux to make shrimp and sausage gumbo
  1. Stir in cooked vegetables, red chile pepper, and Cajun seasoning.

Pro Tip Knife Skills: Always keep the hand that’s gripping the knife clean and dry. A wet hand could cause slips resulting in nicks or worse a nasty slice on your hand. 

Cooking okra to make gumbo
  1. Add chicken broth, sausage, okra and bay leaf.
  2. Bring to a good simmer and let cook 15 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, cook the rice.
  4. Drop in the shrimp and let them cook for two-three minutes.
  5. Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.

Common Questions About This Easy Gumbo Recipe

How Do You Know When the Roux is Done?

Once you start cooking the roux, stir it often. The flour and oil mixture will turn to a red brown color and will take on a nut-like odor.

Whats The Difference Between Gumbo and Jambalaya?

It all has to due with the roux and the role of the rice. Gumbo builds its flavor upon the roux, and the roux will thicken it to a stew like texture. Gumbo is served with rice on the side, while with jambalaya, the rice is simmered in the soup.

Can This Be Made Ahead?

The roux can be made 3 – 5 days in advance stored in an airtight contained.

Can I Use Different Seafood For This Recipe

Shrimp is a typical seafood ingredient in Gumbo. You can also use crab, white fish or crawfish.

What To Serve With Gumbo

Rice is a traditional partner for gumbo. Start with this beautiful New Orleans recipe for Louisiana Sunburst Salad. A popular recipe made famous by the Palace Cafe in New Orleans. You could also serve it with Cornbread or try this Herbed Tomato Bread. And why not make a Chile Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Bourbon Frosting for dessert.

Storage and Leftovers

With just the two of us, this easy gumbo recipe made plenty of welcome leftovers for next evening’s dinner.  

  • When storing leftovers in the refrigerator, place rice and soup in separate containers, reheat separately and then bring them back together in the soup bowl. The texture of the rice is much happier that way. And only a gentle reheat of the soup is needed, we don’t want rubbery shrimp.
  • Because this gumbo contains shrimp, we don’t recommend keeping in the refrigerator for over two days.
  • You can freeze gumbo for up to six months. I like to use a gallon zip lock back. Just fill the bag with the gumbo to about two inches to the top. Squeeze the air out and make sure the bag is sealed well. Lay flat in freezer for maximum storage.
  • To reheat, let the gumbo thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then gently reheat in a saucepan, over low heat.

Recipe for Easy Gumbo

easy gumbo recipe with shrimp and andouille sausage

I can’t claim this gumbo to be 100% authentic, there’s not even any file powder in it, but it’s delicious and easy to make with ingredients found at your local supermarket. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to gumbo, and as I learned during my visit to New Orleans, each restaurant has their own version.

The only necessity is to make a good roux (pronounced “roo”) which is the mixture of fat and flour cooked stovetop until it becomes a dark caramel color.

I hope you give this easy Louisiana gumbo recipe a try. This hearty gumbo is a true melting pot meal that will transport you to Louisiana in just one bite. A top notch flavorful creole stew with origins from West Africa, Germany, French and Choctaw and has become a staple of Southern cooking.

So whether you’re looking for a dish to celebrate Mardi Gras, or just a fun weekend meal, you and your family will find this easy gumbo recipe very satisfying.

Explore More Easy Soup Recipes

If you like robust shrimp style recipes, don’t miss my recipe for Shrimp Stew.

And if you love soups as much as we do, you won’t want to miss my Soup Category. You’ll find tons of great soup recipes, including the most popular on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Style Chili.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Shrimp sausage gumbo with rice.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Easy Gumbo Recipe with Shrimp and Sausage

This Easy Gumbo Recipe Has the Flavor of a gumbo that you've spent hours preparing. Ready in about 45 minutes, this is a weeknight dinner recipe you'll want to keep on your meal plan rotation.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Creole
Servings: 4
Calories: 954kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Neutral Oil canola or vegetable oil will work well here.
  • ½ cup sweet onion chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped, about two good sized stalks.
  • 1 cup green bell pepper chopped, 1 medium pepper
  • 1 cup red bell pepper chopped, 1 medium pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup neutral oil vegetable or canola work well here.
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon ground red chile pepper Cayenne, or red chile pepper
  • ½ – 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning or Cajun seasoning. Start with ½ tablespoon, some brands can be quite spicy.
  • 1 ½ cups fresh okra sliced. Or one 10 ounce package frozen cut okra
  • 8 ounces andouille sausage fully cooked, sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ pound large shrimp shelled, deveined and tails removed
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice
  • Tabasco sauce

Instructions

  • In a skillet heat the two tablespoons oil. Add onion, celery and peppers. Cook, stirring until softened. About 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  • For roux, in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven combine flour and oil, stir till smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook and stir about 15 minutes or till roux is dark reddish brown and has a nutty aroma.
  • Gradually stir in chicken broth, stirring.
  • Add cooked vegetables, creole seasoning, bay leaf and ground red pepper, sausage and okra.
  • Bring to simmer. Cook covered for about 15 minutes or until okra is tender.
  • Stir in shrimp and cook until done, about 3 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve in bowls with rice. Finish with a few shakes of Tabasco Sauce.

Notes

How do I know when the roux is done? Once you start cooking the roux, stir it often. The flour and oil mixture will turn to a red brown color and will take on a nut-like odor.
Can I freeze this gumbo? Yes, simply place the soup (minus the rice) in an airtight container. The gumbo will keep in the freezer for 4 – 6 months. Gently reheat it on the stovetop in a saucepan when ready to eat. Freeze rice separately.
Ingredient Swaps: Switch out the shrimp with chicken. You’ll just have to add the chicken a little sooner, as it will take a bit longer to cook. Small chunks should take about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 954kcal | Carbohydrates: 126g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 1606mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 4mg

Shrimp and Sausage Easy Gumbo Recipe …It’s What’s for Dinner.

Homemade Baked Italian Meatballs

By 5 Comments

Homemade Baked Italian Meatballs are so easy to make. Skip the messy frying process for this no-fuss, classic recipe.

And if you’re looking for more easy meatball recipes, take a look at my recipe for Ground Pork Meatballs. Seasoned with peaches, basil and lime, they’re a fresh take and a recipe for meatballs without sauce.

Baked Italian Meatballs in a Colorful pasta bowl with spaghetti and spaghetti sauce

This article was first published December, 2015 and updated October 13, 2020

What To Expect From This Recipe

This is a baked Italian Meatball recipe that produces juicy, tender, oven baked Italian Meatballs without red sauce. They’re so tender and juicy without sauce, you’ll want to eat them right off the pan.

The meatballs turn out so melt-in-your-mouth tender by mixing cream and buttermilk into the ground beef mixture.

And even though those bags of frozen Italian Meatballs can seem awfully tempting, making your own homemade meatballs is easier than you think.

The seasoning is simple using garlic and Italian Seasoning purchased from the spice aisle at the grocery store.

Quick prep, easy to bake and the texture and flavor superior. Making Italian meatballs without sauce, means that you have the option to use them for a variety of recipes like this recipe for Honey Sriracha Meatballs. Or use them to make a meatball sandwich.

However, once they’re cooked, a classic pairing like spaghetti and meatballs is truly a beautiful thing. This is a meatball recipe dense enough to hold up in a long simmer in your favorite Italian sauce.

Gather your loved ones around a big plate of meat, sauce and pasta and you’ve got the perfect family meal.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s take a look at the ingredients that go into homemade Italian Meatballs.

Ingredients for Italian Meatballs

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

  • Ground Beef: The base for these easy homemade Italian meatballs is a lower fat ground beef. 85% lean and 15% fat works well here, and will produce a less greasy meatball and one that won’t fall apart while cooking. A combination with not enough fat, such as a 95% lean and 5% fat, will result in meatball that is too dry. And save that 20% fat ratio for burgers.
  • Onions: Sweet or yellow onion works well here.
  • Bread Crumbs: This recipe uses two types of crumbs. The crispy crunchy nature of Panko bread crumbs absorbs less moisture. I simply like using them for baked Italian meatballs. The finer and seasoned Italian Bread Crumbs will aid in the sturdiness of the meatballs. I simply like using both for baked meatballs.
  • Eggs: How to keep meatballs from falling apart? You simply can’t make meatballs without eggs. While they cook, the eggs bind all the ingredients together. For this recipe and the ratio of breadcrumbs, we’re using two large eggs.
  • Cream and Buttermilk: To finish the panade, I like using both cream and buttermilk. Cream for the obvious reason of its rich buttery flavor. And Buttermilk’s acidic nature adds lightness and tenderness.
  • Italian Seasoning Spice Blend: In a perfect world, we would always use fresh Italian herbs. But for ease, I keep a premium quality brand of dried Italian Herbs in my pantry. It contains the best of classic Italian herbs, thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram and rosemary. Easy and flavorful.
  • Parmesan Cheese: My secret ingredient. Adding grated parmesan cheese to the meatball mixture adds not only one more creamy component, it also brings that savory, nutty/fruity flavor to the overall flavor of those meatballs.

Ingredient Swaps

  • The Meat: You can use a 50/50 combination of ground beef and ground pork. Or you can use ground veal in the mixture. If using ground pork, remember it’s usually higher in fat and the overall experience may seem a little greasier, but totally delicious. I like sticking to a 100% ground beef meatball.
  • Dairy: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, use all cream. You can also use half and half. Just make sure you have ½ cup of thick rich milk product for this recipe. You can also use milk, but I would recommend using full fat milk. No reason to skimp on fat calories at the risk of flavor and texture.
  • Italian Seasonings: If you want to substitute fresh herbs for the dried mix, please know the ratio rule of thumb: One tablespoon fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs. This recipe calls for two tablespoons dried herbs. There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon, so you will use a total of 6 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs.

Tips For Succcess

This is a good time to practice those knife skill. Keeping the onion diced in small pieces is insurance that a meatball that won’t fall apart. Too large of chunks will compromise the stability of a meatball while it cooks. Cut the onion into a small dice, about ¼ inch. If you’re really serious about honing those knife skills, have some fun and order this handy tool, a Mercer Cherf Ruler. Culinary School provided me with one and I’m always surprised at the number of times I use it. I’ve provided an Amazon link for your convenience. I’m an Amazon Affiliate and if you purchase through this link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

How To Cook Baked Italian Meatballs Without Sauce

Combing ingredients to make homemade meatballs in a large bowl.
  1. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and milks to combine. Then simply place all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together. The light touch of your hands is a perfect tool for this job. Using a spoon will crush ingredients together rather than combine, and you risk mashing the ingredients into a paste. Full pieces of ground meat should be visible for a perfectly textured meatball.
  3. Roll the meat into balls: Again, use your hands. Grab a chunk of the mixed meat mixture and using the palms of your hands roll into a golf ball sized meatball. About 15 gentle rolls will form a good solid meatball.
Homemade meatballs on a sheet pan ready to bake.
  1. Place the meatballs on a sheet pans.
Baked Italian Meatballs on a sheet pan.
  1. Bake the meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

FAQ’s, Baked Italian Meatballs

Can I Make These Meatballs Ahead of Time?

Absolutely yes. You can cook the meatballs a couple days in advance. Just cook and store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also make the meatballs in advance and cook them later. Just place on a sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap and foil and store them flat in the refrigerator up to two days before baking.

Can I Freeze These Meatballs?

Yes, you can freeze meatballs either in their cooked or uncooked stages. Just place meatballs on a sheet pan so they’re not touching. Place the sheet pan in the freezer. Once the meatballs are frozen, transfer them to a gallon zip-lock bag for easier storage. They will keep in the freezer for 2 months. When ready to use, unthaw the meatballs in the refrigerator then bake, or if they’re baked they’re ready to cook in sauce.

Can I simmer these meatballs in sauce for a long period of time?

Yes, that’s the beauty of this meatball recipe. It’s designed to be sturdy enough to simmer in your favorite Italian Sauce even for hours.

Can I Use Pre-shredded Parmesan Cheese?

Don’t be tempted by the tasteless powdered Parmesan that comes in a green can. When a recipe calls for grated Parmesan cheese, purchase a block of Parmesan and grate it yourself. Use the finest setting on your grater, or even use a zester. Or purchase the grated parmesan that comes in plastic bags or deli containers in the specialty cheese section.

How To Use These Meatballs

Now that we’ve finished cooking our meatballs here are some ideas on how to use them for dinner.

  • Spaghetti and Meatballs. A perfect family meal.
  • Use these meatballs in your Sunday Gravy Italian Feast. Combine Italian Meatballs, Italian Sausage Links and Braciole in your favorite recipe for Italian Red Sauce. I follow the method I found years ago from this video called Sunday Gravy…That’s Right Its Called Gravy on YouTube courtesy of Diana DeLaFuente. Very Italian and very East Coast. Watching you’ll see why I trust hers to be a great version.
  • Homemade Italian Meatballs are perfect to make an Italian Sub Sandwich
  • Serve them at your next party as an appetizer. Just serve hot meatballs along side a dish of warm marinara sauce. Provide toothpicks for dipping.
  • Toss cooked meatballs in with your favorite mac and cheese recipe. Yum.
  • As you can see in the photo, I always make a couple of “giant” meatballs. Why? for an appetizer recipe. A tip from one of my favorite pizza restaurants in South Denver, who serves a single large meatball a fun appetizer, topped with tomato sauce.

Recipe For Baked Italian Meatballs

Homemade Italian Meatballs over spaghetti with red sauce, garnished with parmesan cheese and chives

I hope you give this baked Italian meatballs recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and scroll down and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you’re looking for more beef recipes, don’t miss my Beef Category. You’ll find lots of recipe ideas, including the most popular on my site for Beef Tagliata, Italian Steak.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Baked Italian Meatballs in a Colorful pasta bowl with spaghetti and spaghetti sauce
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Easy Baked Italian Meatballs Without Sauce

Perfect in Texture and Flavor. Easy Baked Italian Meatballs are perfect for your favorite spaghetti sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 26 meatballs
Calories: 62kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and diced
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup cream
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 1 pound lean ground beef 85% lean to 15% fat
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning or 6 Tablespoons fresh Italian herbs
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Peel and dice onion and garlic. In a medium bowl, slightly beat the eggs, milk and buttermilk together.
  • In a large bowl add all ingredients and mix well with your hands. Using the palms of your hands, form into golf ball sized balls. About 15 gentle rolls will form a meatball.
  • Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • This is a meatball recipe dense enough to hold up in a long simmer in your favorite Italian sauce. Simmer in sauce for at least 30 minutes and serve with spaghetti noodles.

Notes

  • Use your hands to mix the ingredients together. The light touch of your hands is a perfect tool for this job. Using a spoon will crush ingredients together rather than combine, and you risk mashing the ingredients into a paste. Full pieces of ground meat should be visible for a perfectly textured meatball.
  • Roll the meat into balls: Again, use your hands. Grab a chunk of the mixed meat mixture and using the palms of your hands roll into a golf ball sized meatball. About 15 gentle rolls will form a good solid meatball.
  • Italian Seasonings: If you want to substitute fresh herbs for the dried mix, please know the ratio rule of thumb: One tablespoon fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs. This recipe calls for two tablespoons dried herbs. There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon, so you will use a total of 6 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs.
Nutrition facts are for 1 meatball

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

Baked Italian Meatballs without Sauce …It’s what’s for dinner.