Quick Cook: 15-Min Pantry Girl Dinner (‘cuz You're better than just Cereal)

There are nights when you can’t be bothered to cook, but if you eat one more bowl of cereal or lifeless bagged salad, you might actually scream. Enter: the 15-minute pantry girl dinner. It’s hot, comforting, full of flavour, and honestly kind of impressive for a meal that started with "what the hell do I have in my freezer?"

So, let’s make an Asian-inspired soup that feels takeout-worthy but costs less than your oat milk latte.

The Vibe: Fast. Frugal. Flavour-packed. This isn’t authentic ramen or pho, but it is a damn good way to use up affordable pantry staples and freezer bits without feeling like you’re eating single-girl sad soup.

You’ll Need:
From the pantry or freezer (mix & match based on your stockpile):

• Chicken broth (boxed, bouillon, or homemade hero)

• Soy sauce

• Garlic (fresh, jarlic, or powdered)

• Ginger (same deal)

• Oyster sauce (optional but yum)

• Sesame oil (and Mirin/Shaoxing wine for a glow-up)

• Long rice noodles (the cheap kind from the dollar store? You betcha.)

• Frozen dumplings or gyoza

• Frozen broccoli crowns or Asian veg mix

• Optional: chili garlic oil, sesame seeds, green onion (fresh or dried)

PRO TIP: If you don’t keep a lot of Asian staples in your home, I highly recommend it. This way, you can whip up tons of satisfying meals in minutes.

How to Make This Soup Like a Pantry Goddess | Double this up if you want work lunch (or a late night snack):

Broth Base

• Chicken broth: 500 ml / 2 cups

• Soy sauce: 15 ml / 1 tablespoon

• Oyster sauce (optional but it’s the bomb): 5 ml / 1 teaspoon

• Garlic:

  • Fresh: 1 clove, minced

  • OR Garlic powder: 1 ml / ¼ teaspoon

• Ginger:

  • Fresh: 1 tsp grated

  • OR Ground ginger: 1 ml / ¼ teaspoon

• Shaoxing cooking wine or dry sherry (optional): 5 ml / 1 teaspoon

• Toasted sesame oil (for sautéing and finishing):

  • Cooking: 2 ml / ½ teaspoon

  • Garnish: 2 ml / ½ teaspoon

Noodles

• Rice noodles (flat or vermicelli): ~50–60g dry / 1.5–2 oz
  (About a generous handful)

Dumpling & VEG Party

• Frozen dumplings/gyoza: 4–5 pieces (or more if you're emotionally snacky)

• Frozen vegetables: ½ cup / 75g

  • Good options: edamame, peas, carrots, broccoli, or stir-fry mix

  • Fresh veg (like broccoli, carrots, or spinach)? Use ~¾ cup / 100g, chopped

Toppings (All Optional but tasty AF)

• Green onions: 1 stalk, sliced thin

• Chili garlic crunch: to taste (start with 1 tsp if unsure)

• Toasted sesame seeds: a pinch

• Dried green onion or herb flakes: a sprinkle

• Lime wedge or splash of rice vinegar (if you like zing)

Instruction deets

1. Broth First, Always.
   In a small-ish pot, bring your chicken broth to a low boil. Toss in soy sauce, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, and a splash of cooking wine. Taste as you go. Be bold. If you’re fancy fresh and have “real” garlic and ginger, you can saute it lightly first with a tiny bit of sesame oil and the cooking wine, before adding the broth and the other ingredients listed in this step.

2. Noodle It Up.
   In another pot, cook those rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Pretend you’re on a cooking show.

3. Dumpling & Veg Party.
   In your seasoned broth, drop in a few frozen gyoza or dumplings, plus your frozen veg. Let everything simmer over medium until dumplings are tender and the veg stops looking sad and icy iceberg. Again, if you’re fancy and have fresh broccoli, then cook in the broth until it’s tender.

4. Assemble Like a Queen.
   Place noodles in a big cozy bowl. Ladle broth, veggies, and dumplings over top. Finish with chopped green onions (or shake those dried flakes like fairy dust). Drizzle over a bit of sesame oil, add some chili garlic crunch and sesame seeds if you’re feeling extra.

5. Eat With Joy (and Chopsticks If You Feel Like It).
   And don’t forget to slurp the broth like no one’s watching. Because they aren’t. You live alone (or your partner is no where to be seen tonight)… and that’s the point.

Why This Soup Slays:

• Fast AF (15 mins, tops)

• Turns crap you probably already have into something delicious

• Makes you feel like a capable, cozy, spicy noodle warrior

This is the LouLou LIFE approach to solo meals: minimum effort, maximum style, and a side of sass. You deserve better than cereal. Always.

THE FINE PRINT: Estimated calories 500. This can give or take a bit, depending on your optional add-ons, how many dumplings you add, etc.. And for those that wanna know… cost!

🥣 Ingredient Cost Breakdown – Vancouver, BC

Estimated Cost (CAD): Chicken broth 500 ml (about 2 cups) $1.00, Soy sauce 1 tbsp $0.10, Oyster sauce1 tsp $0.10, Garlic (1 clove) 1 clove or 1 tsp jarred $0.15, Ginger (1 tsp grated) 1 tsp fresh or ¼ tsp ground $0.15, Rice noodles 75g (dry) $0.75, Frozen dumplings (gyoza) 3–5 pieces$1.25, Frozen vegetables ½ cup $0.50, Green onion (1 stalk) 1 tbsp chopped $0.15, Sesame oil 1 tsp $0.10, Chili garlic crunch (opt) 1 tsp $0.15, Sesame seeds (opt) ½ tsp $0.08

✅ Total Cost Per Serving: ~ $4.68 CAD. And we checked, the cost is just a bit less in USD if you're grocery shopping in Seattle, WA at only US$4.43.

THE FINER PRINT: This reflects retail pricing from Vancouver-based grocers like Save-On-Foods, No Frills, and T&T, assuming you already have basic condiments and you're only measuring cost per portion, not full product prices. The more ya know ;)

#QuickCook #PantryGirlDinner #LouLouLifeEats #SoloMealGlowUp

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