With its silky ribbons of egg swirling through a rich, savory broth, this classic favorite is simple, satisfying, and surprisingly easy to make at home.

If you’ve ever ordered it alongside your favorite takeout, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can recreate that same delicious flavor in your own kitchen.

This easy egg drop soup recipe comes together in just 15 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights, light lunches, or whenever you’re craving something warm and soothing. With simple ingredients, which usually means no extra trips to the store.

A flavorful broth, eggs, and a few seasonings are all it takes to create this comforting dish.

The key to perfect egg drop soup is all in the technique. Slowly pouring the beaten eggs into the hot broth gently creates those signature delicate ribbons.

Do not add the egg while it’s boiling, remove it from the stove, and then stir the soup in a circular motion while adding the eggs to help achieve that classic texture you know and love. It’s a simple step that makes a big difference in the final result.

Another reason to love this recipe is how customizable it is.

Add in frozen corn, shrimp, or mushrooms, slivers of water chestnuts are another great option

The classic Asian flavors in the broth are irresistible; the combination of chicken broth or bouillon along with garlic, ginger, and sesame is a winning flavor combination you’ll find comforting.

Adding green onions on top brings in that fresh flavor. Add some crushed red pepper flakes to give it a little kick, and add a few drops of soy sauce for more flavor, along with a drizzle of more sesame oil and some fresh cracked black pepper.

Why you’ll love this

Not only is egg drop soup quick and easy, but it’s also budget-friendly. With just a handful of affordable ingredients, you can make multiple servings for a fraction of the cost of takeout. It’s a great option when you want something homemade without spending a lot of time or money.

This soup is also incredibly versatile. Serve it as a starter alongside your favorite Asian-inspired dishes, or enjoy it on its own as a light and satisfying meal.

It’s especially perfect when you’re feeling under the weather or just need something warm and comforting to lift your mood.

Having the right-sized pot is really helpful when making a small batch. I have a round-bottom pot, similar to this one. The one I have doesn’t seem to be available anymore, if I were to buy a new one, I think I’d get orange... I already have green and blue, and the round-bottom pot I have is pale yellow. And these trivets come in the prettiest colors. I might have to get some to match the post I have. And I’m putting these utensils on the list too.

Looking for more Asian Recipes…

• Pork Lo Mein
• Beef with Snow Peas
• Szechuan Chicken and Vegetables
• Pork Wontons 
• Find more Asian Recipes here!

Once you try making egg drop soup at home, it may just become a regular in your recipe rotation. It’s quick, simple, and delivers that cozy, restaurant-quality flavor every time. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or your family, this recipe is sure to become a go-to favorite.

And don’t miss seeing this GREAT Egg Holder, say goodbye to flimsy cardboard or plastic clamshell containers!

You’ll find my favorite items here.

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Egg Drop Soup

better than restaurant egg drop soup. With its silky ribbons of egg swirling through a rich, savory broth, thsi classic favorite is simple, satisfying and surprisingly easy toa make at home.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword Asian, soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cups of soup

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or ginger paste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 large eggs (using 1egg + 1 egg white)
• 1 green onion, diced
• 1/3 cup frozen corn
• optional 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• optional chili paste
• pinch turmeric for bright yellow color

Instructions

• In a small bowl crack the whole egg, then add one egg white. Mix then set aside.
• In a medium pot bring chicken broth, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and cornstarch to a boil.
• Remove from heat and with a fork whirl soup in a circle and add the egg mixture in a circle to create ribbons.
• Add corn and green onion.
• If you prefer it spicy add some chili oil, or crushed red chili flakes or chili paste, and for another option add some soy sauce.

The post How to Make Egg Drop Soup Like Chinese Restaurants first appeared on Created by Diane.

Easy Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Light, Flavorful, and Better Than Takeout!

Craving something fresh, fast, and full of flavor? These easy ground chicken lettuce wraps are your new go-to! Made with simple ingredients and packed with bold Asian-inspired flavor, they’re low-carb, high-protein, and totally delicious. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or impressing guests—no fork required!

Protein-rich, crunchy, and delicious. This is a recipe you’ll reach for be able to enjoy a quick meal in minutes.

Truth be told, my husband does not want to eat anything wrapped in lettuce. So I plate his in a bowl, and that is how I meal prep this as well.

Placing this over rice is a great way to take it from an appetizer or lunch item to a filling, cozy dinner. It freezes well, too.

You decide how you want to serve it!

The cooked filling is spooned into crisp lettuce leaves, commonly butter lettuce, romaine, or iceberg, creating a refreshing, hand-held wrap. They’re great as an appetizer, light meal, or party dish. Topping options: chopped peanuts, green onions, or a drizzle of sriracha for extra texture and flavor.

Wrap crunchy lettuce or softer butter lettuce around this tasty chicken, mushroom, and water chestnut filling.

Then top it with green onions, cilantro, and peanuts.

Or serve it over rice…

Let’s make rice!

Saute jasmine rice in a little oil to coat the rice. Stir and cook the rice until half of it is opaque and hot. Next, add the water and salt. Bring it to a boil, and simmer on low. This method produces rice that is not sticky, starchy, or clumped together. Jasmine rice portions on water to rice ratio are different, so be sure to read the directions for proper portions. For jasmine rice, it’s 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cups water.

More on how to make rice if you want more options.

Give some of these other Asian recipes a try…

• Sesame Eggplant
• Chicken and Sausage Fried Rice
• Chicken Pho
• Simple Chicken Curry
• Crab Rangoon DIP
• Brown Sugar Soy Glazed Chicken

This recipe is kid-friendly- serve it in a bowl, it’s naturally gluten-free- using gluten-free items, and make it spicy by adding as much spice as you prefer. Add some crispy wonton strips to add more texture and crunch!

I like making these for meal prep, they freeze and reheat well. They are great over rice, or just place the filling in containers in the fridge or freezer, heat, then place the filling in lettuce.

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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ground chicken, mushrooms, and water chestnuts sauteed in a silky sauce, perfect for wraps or over rice in a bowl, and is great for meal prep and freezes well, too.

Course Appetizer, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword Asian, chicken, lettuce, mushroom

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork can also use chicken breast, or chicken thighs diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 8 oz canned water chestnut, drained and sliced
• 1 medium carrot, julianned
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup peanuts

Sauce

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili paste, Sambal Oelek
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1-2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

Serve with

• butter lettuce
• cooked rice

Instructions

• Prepare the sauce in a measuring cup or glass jar so it's easy to pour.
• Heat a large skillet, and add a little oil.
• Saute the ground chicken.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer on low, stirring occasionally.
• Add in the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and carrot.
• Place a lid on until the chicken reaches 165°.
• Move off the burner.
• Prepare the lettuce or have the rice ready, and plate the chicken on top of the lettuce or rice.
• Top with green onion, cilantro, and peanuts.

The post Chicken Lettuce Wraps first appeared on Created by Diane.

As delicious as pasta and meat sauce with a yummy Asian twist!

Making this a new way to serve up a pound of pasta and ground beef.

I add plenty of chili oil, chili pasta, and crushed red pepper, reduce some if you do not like it so spicy.

The sauce is a collection of Asian items easily found in the grocery store.

A balanced mix of flavors this recipe checks all the boxes, under 30 minutes to make, full of flavor, and can be adjusted to your liking.

Sauce Ingredients

• chicken broth
• cornstarch
• minced garlic
• chili paste, Sambal Oelek
• chili onion crunch
• soy sauce
• sesame oil
• chicken bouillon, knorr
• hot chili oil
• dry crushed red pepper flakes

Mixing all the sauce ingredients in a measuring cup makes it easy to pour into the pan.

For a gluten-free recipe

Use gluten-free noodles or rice noodles. The sauce can easily be made gluten-free as long as the soy sauce and other items are gluten-free.  

I added mini red peppers and bok choy.

What other vegetables go well in this dish?

Green beans, broccoli, mushrooms, celery, carrots, and asparagus are all great options.

Choose the noodles style you prefer and let’s get cooking I like spaghetti and rotini best.

I’m all about spicy ground beef noodle recipes, I often order pad sew ewe when ordering out. 

My top 4 Asian recipes:

• Pork Lo Mein
• Beef with Snow Peas
• Szechuan Chicken and Vegetables
• Pork wontons 

So grab a pound of ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken,n and let’s get cooking!

Looking for more recipes that use a pound of ground, this post is great for easy meals!

More Asian Recipes:

• sesame eggplant
• Simple chicken curry
• Saucy pork fried rice
• Szechuan chicken and vegetables
• Polynesian meatballs with egg noodles
• Bacon and egg fried rice
• Crab Rangoon DIP
• Vermicelli bowls

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Asian Beef Noodles

An Asian twist on the classic Italian pasta and meat sauce, a new meal to your table in minutes.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword Asian, beef, ground beef, pasta,, vegetables

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Cost $16

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta, spaghetti, rotini or your favorite shape
• 1 lb ground beef
• 4-6 mini bok choy
• 6-8 mini red peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• optional vegetables, broccoli, celery, carrots, water chestnuts

Asian Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili paste, Sambal Oelek
• 1 tablespoon chili onion crunch
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon, knorr
• 1 teaspoon hot chili oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper flakes
• other flavor options, dehydrated garlic slices, Asian hot mustard

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Prepare sauce in a 2-cup measuring cup for easy pouring
• In a 4 qt deep fry pan, saute the ground beef until it reaches 135°.
• Add the vegetables and saute until half tender (you'll want the vegetables to not be mushy, have a bite)
• Add the cooked pasta.
• On medium-high heat, pour on the sauce and stir until all the ingredients are well coated.
• Garnish with black sesame seeds, additional cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

The post Asian Beef Noodles first appeared on Created by Diane.

Crisp, cool, crunchy, salty-sweet, and full of flavor.

This Chinese chicken salad will be on repeat from now through summer, so be sure to bookmark it, print it, share it, tell your friend, or whoever. Heck, invite them over and have a party.

It’s warm and sunny out and no better time to gather all the ingredients, fry up some crisp wonton,s and enjoy.

Add in vermicelli noodles if you prefer, or fry them for the crunch. I myself like fried wontons on top. They take only a couple of minutes to make, and they are crunchy and addictive in the best way possible!

Now onto the chicken. I like chicken breast for this salad. I also like it shredded. But you can easily served dice, chopped, or large strips of chicken if you prefer.

You can bake, boil, steam, pressure cook, slow cook, use rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, leftover cooked chicken, cast-iron cooked chicken, and grilled chicken. I also have an Asian Chicken recipe that would go great in this.

Pretty much… any way you want to prepare the chicken, it’ll go well in this salad.

OMG, I love going to Chinese food restaurants and having them with spicy Asian mustard and a little duck sauce. the spicy-sweet combo is my favorite.

Which leads me to the wontons, dipping them in the duck sauce and mustard, made going to the restaurant all the more fun, but I was so happy that if you ordered takeout, they packed them up too.

How to cook the crispy wontons

To make the wonton strips, buy square wonton wrappers in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, slice them 1/2″ thick, then separate them so they don’t stick together. They are typically well cornstarched and will easily be separated.

Heat an inch or so of oil in a small pot, a 2-quart pot works well with high sides to avoid splashing and oil going everywhere, but small enough that you don’t need a ton of oil either. You’ll heat the oil to 350°, drop in some wontons to cover the bottom of the pot, and give them a toss, they’ll fry up quickly, about 2-3 minutes. Use tongs and keep moving them.

• Pork Lo Mein
• Beef with Snow Peas
• Szechuan Chicken and Vegetables
• Pork wontons 

You can find more of my Asian Recipes Here.

I love the cold orange pieces, use fresh slices or canned mandarin orange segments.

Other fun toppings for this salad are cashsews or sliced almonds.

Add some sesame seeds as well.

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Chinese Chicken Salad

A tasty, satisfying, crunchy salad with a salty-sweet flavor combination. Filled with chicken, vegetables, and topped with a delicious dressing and crunchy wonton strips.

Course Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Asian, chicken, Chinese, vegetables

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Cost $15

Ingredients

• 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1 very large head or 2 smaller heads of lettuce
• 4 cups green cabbage, shredded , napa cabbage is another option
• 2 cups red cabbage, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, julianned
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro , start with a small bunch
• 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast , options in post
• 1 11oz can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/3 cup cashews or sliced almonds
• 1-2 cups fried wonton strips , instruction in post
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds , toasted and black can both be used

Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing

• 1 tablespoon oil, avocado , I use avocado oil
• 1 tablespooon sesame oil , I use toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar , or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar , honey or maple syrup
• 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, or 1/4 tsp dry ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice , orange juice or lemon juice
• pinch salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place all cut salad items into a large bowl.
• Mix the dressing in a measuring cup or glass jar with a whisk, allowing the sweetener is dissolved and the dressing is well-blended.
• Pour the dressing over the vegetables and chicken and toss to uniformly distribute the dressing.
• Top with nuts, wonton strips, sesame seeds, and mandarin oranges.

The post Chinese Chicken Salad first appeared on Created by Diane.

This quick and easy eggplant recipe will have your enjoying your veggies in no time.

I love eggplant, but I never like the recipes where it takes so many steps to prepare it. This is so simple it’s ready so fast you won’t believe it.

If you’re an eggplant fan be sure to check out these other eggplant recipes as well.

This recipe will also work with zucchini, squash, mushrooms, or cauliflower.

First, grab some eggplant, I used the smaller lavender-colored variegated eggplant. Asian eggplant will work too, and so will larger purple eggplants.

Cut the eggplant into thick slices (like big steak fries). Don’t make them too thin or they will become too soft when cooked.

This recipe is great baked, you can alternatively cook them in a pan, or air fry them,

Next, mix up the sauce to pour over the eggplant.

The sauce consists of sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic.

Pour the sauce over the eggplant and give it a good toss to coat all the cut edges of the eggplant.

Then place toasted sesame seeds in a shallow dish, dip one edge of the eggplant into sesame seeds.

Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, sesame side up.

Bake until tender 15-20 minutes.

While the eggplant is baking, mix up the delicious Thai Peanut Sauce.

I often use some coconut milk when making the peanut sauce. When I open a large can of coconut milk and don’t use it all.

I put the remaining amount in a bag in the freezer… And I love it when I take it out of the freezer. It only needs a few minutes to thaw place the bag in water or remove it from the bag and microwave on the defrost setting. Then make the sauce, OMG it’s so yummy!

Once the eggplant is finished cooking you’ll be ready to dip it in the peanut sauce, or pour the sauce over top of the eggplant.

Grab some chopsticks or a fork to in dive into the deliciousness. Dip the sesame-crusted eggplant in the sauce and enjoy!

• More Asian Recipes
• Chicken Lo Mein
• Chicken Pho
• Beef with Snow Peas
• Chicken and Sausage Fried Rice
• Beef Bowls
• Szechuan Chicken and Vegetables

Don’t you just love all those delicious sesame seeds!!!!

Be sure to print this sauce recipe!

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Sesame Eggplant

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 3 small eggplant about 1 lb, any variety
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar apple cider or white vinegar can be used
• 1 tablespoon galic paste or minced garlic
• 1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, diced

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Cut the eggplants into wedges and place them in a medium bowl.
• Mix the sauce by whisking the sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic together until smooth and well combined.
• Pour the sauce over the eggplant, toss well to coat all cut sides.
• Plce the sesame seeds in a shallow dish and dip one edge of each piece of eggplant into sesame seeds.
• Place the cut side down onto the baking sheet with the sesame seed side up.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tender and well heated.
• Prepare the peanut sauce while baking the eggplant. Mix soy sauce, coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, chili sauce, garlic, and ginger until smooth. The exact recipes are linked in this post.
• Top with green onions.
• Dip the eggplant into the peanut sauce and enjoy!
• Leftovers reheated well in the microwave to enjoy for a quick lunch or snack.

The post Sesame Eggplant first appeared on Created by Diane.

These salmon wontons get baked in the oven but can be air-fried if desired.

Wonton wrappers come in round or square, but if square is all you can find and you want the rounded edge look, simply cut the corners off into a round shape!

Continue reading: Salmon Wonton Appetizer

The post Salmon Wonton Appetizer first appeared on Created by Diane.

I often purchase a large package of boneless pork chops, marinade them, and then dice them to use in dishes like fried rice, lo mein, or serve with our favorite side dishes.

This quick marinade for pork chops on the grill is mouth-watering! 

Grill the pork chops to a golden color, serve with your favorite side dish, grilled vegetables, and I’ll give you some more ideas!

Continue reading: Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

The post Marinated Grilled Pork Chops first appeared on Created by Diane.

I love pork fried rice. It’s easy to make and is suitable as a main dish, as well as a side dish. And even though it takes no time to make, you can still do a little bit of prep beforehand to make your cooking time almost nothing! With the balance of life and work, I find having a few of these quick recipes on hand are a lifesaver.

Let’s take a closer look at this amazing dish.

Fried rice has its origins in Asia of course, but it has become a much-loved dish all over the world, most of all in the United States. We’ve adopted it as one of our own, and thus, you can find recipes for it all over the internet.

My recipe takes all the best-loved elements of fried rice sesame, red pepper flake, and peas–and then elevates them with some tender pork which has been sauced to add a boost of yum!

The ingredients combine to create a sensational flavor.

Continue reading: Saucy Pork Fried Rice

The post Saucy Pork Fried Rice first appeared on Created by Diane.

Lo mein means stirred noodles, and oh are they delicious.

One of my all-time favorite Chinese take out foods is lo mein. The noodles, the sauce. It’s irresistible!

This recipe is so easy you can make it any time you get a hankering for Chinese take out and it’s not oily as take out can be.

If you love noodles, you might want my Noodle Ebook, just sayin’

One of my all time favorite noodle dishes is Peanut Noodles, delicious hot or cold!

Continue reading: Chicken Lo Mein

The post Chicken Lo Mein first appeared on Created by Diane.

It’s no secret Chinese take-out is really popular, but you can easily make some at home…

I often buy chicken without a clue as to what I’m going to make with it. But rest assured if you do too, this is a great recipe to whip up. And don’t forget about my Szechuan chicken recipe.

I often buy bean sprouts and use them in these great Beef Bowls and Chicken Pho recipes.

Every week I buy a bunch or two of cilantro so I’m sure I always have some in the fridge, I keep a little water in a glass jar and it stays nice all week,  I keep a plastic bag over it to loosely cover it.

The other items I typically have on hand are shredded carrots, for the endless meals I put them on, and some fresh limes, oh fresh-squeezed citrus is always a good idea!

Asian food holds a special place in my heart. I love going to Asian markets to pick up fun flavors and ingredients for recipes. The colors and varieties of foods that these food stores offer bring so much to the table…literally!

I love picking up rice paper wrappers for Asian Spring Rolls and these Egg Salad Spring Rolls. And I usually pick up some Curry while I’m there for my go-to curry recipes.

Continue reading: Chicken and Bean Sprouts

The post Chicken and Bean Sprouts first appeared on Created by Diane.