Lunch
2842 recipes found
Baked Tofu
This recipe delivers crispy baked tofu that's perfect for salads, stir-fries, curries or rice bowls topped with sauce. Both firm and extra-firm tofu work well, though extra-firm has more bite. Since tofu quality varies significantly between brands, try a few to find your favorite. While you can press tofu between towels and weights, a tofu press makes the process easier if you cook tofu often. Skip lining the sheet pan here: Direct contact with the metal pan creates more crispiness. For a shortcut, freeze your tofu first to skip the pressing step entirely.
Pesto Chickpea Soup
If you constantly find yourself searching for the next no-fuss pantry meal to make after a busy day at work, this pesto chickpea soup is for you. It requires just a handful of ingredients and minimal effort; slicing two shallots is the most difficult thing this 20-minute recipe will require. The modest but mighty recipe relies on store-bought or homemade pesto as its main flavor source. The steps are as simple as can be: The shallots cook in the pesto’s fragrant oil until softened. Next, canned chickpeas are added to the pot and crushed, then simmer in vegetable broth until thickened. Finally, a second dose of pesto gets swirled in the stew alongside fresh spinach, preserving their radiance for a bright boost of flavor.
Make-Ahead Egg, Spinach and Feta Wraps
Packed with protein, enough baby spinach to make Popeye proud, and punchy umami from sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese, these wraps are ideal for make-ahead breakfasts. Feel free to customize by adding herbs like dill, parsley or cilantro, or a small handful of chopped roasted red peppers or pitted olives. The frittata-like egg mixture is baked in the oven in a baking pan and sliced into rectangles to fit easily on lavash wraps or burrito-size flour tortillas. If you don’t want to make wraps, you can simply serve the tender frittata by itself.
Noodle Okonomiyaki (Cabbage and Egg Pancakes)
These hearty, vegetarian main-meal pancakes have it all: noodles, eggs and big umami flavors. Loosely inspired by Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, this weeknight-friendly recipe is a shortcut version, with cabbage and instant noodles tossed with seasoned eggs to make a thick, satisfying pancake. It provides a good chance to use up that leftover wedge of cabbage in your fridge, as a little cabbage goes a long way here. There’s room to experiment with other vegetables, too, such as carrots, bean sprouts, potato or broccoli. The egg seasonings — soy sauce, scallions and sesame oil — are also flexible: Try adding a dab of miso paste, a drizzle of chile crisp, Maggi seasoning or a spice paste like gochujang. For a gluten-free alternative, opt for glass noodles. This recipe shows that the best weeknight recipes are the ones that work with what’s available in your pantry.
Jalapeño Grilled Chicken Breasts
These might be the juiciest chicken breasts you’ll ever cook. The fresh, peppery, neon-green brine — imbued with fresh onion, jalapeños, garlic and sake — results in irresistibly succulent meat with the clearest, most straightforward pepper taste. Bolstered by the barbecue’s fire taste, this grilled chicken is great alongside freshly steamed jasmine rice and your favorite hot sauce. If you don’t have an outdoor grill, an indoor grill pan works well; just be sure to ventilate your space well by turning on the hood vent and leaving a nearby window or door open. If you’re cooking this on an indoor grill pan, feel free to cover any empty spaces with thickly sliced onion and extra jalapeños: This prevents the pan from scorching and also gives you a free vegetable side dish.
Atole de Grano (Savory Corn Porridge With Chicken)
Atole is often thought of as a sweet, drinkable corn-based beverage, but in parts of Mexico, it also refers to this hearty, savory porridge made with masa harina and hominy. This version, inspired by the traditional atole de grano, is thick, creamy and deeply comforting — perfect for showcasing the variety of textures and flavors that different forms of corn can bring. Here, sweet corn kernels and chewy hominy add dimension to the velvety base, while a topping of roasted chicken and caramelized poblanos brings savory depth. A final flourish of lime, chicharrones and hot sauce adds brightness and crunch. Quick to come together and endlessly adaptable, this dish is a warm embrace in a bowl.
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This Classic Loco Moco Recipe Brings Hawaiian Comfort to Your Table
This comforting and beloved Hawaiian dish features a stacked tower of fluffy rice topped with a ground beef patty and a crispy fried egg, all smothered in a savory gravy.
Tuna and Broccoli Fried Rice
Perfect for kids and adults alike, this fried rice comes together with the help of a can of tuna and some fresh broccoli, along with a few pantry staples, such as onion, garlic, rice, soy sauce and sesame oil. Despite the easy availability of its ingredients and the simplicity of the recipe, it's flavorful enough to impress company. While tuna is the heart of this fried rice recipe, the broccoli could easily be interchanged with other vegetables such as bok choy, kale or brussels sprouts. The chile-garlic sauce adds the slightest hint of heat, but can also be left out or served on the side, to accommodate any eaters with an aversion to spice. Save this recipe for those nights when you crave takeout-style fried rice but don’t want to spend takeout money.
Mujadara (Lentils and Rice With Fried Onions)
Comforting, nourishing and budget-friendly, mujadara (which has a variety of spellings) is a humble lentil and rice dish beloved across Levantine cuisines. This version uses rice, but it can also be prepared with bulgur. Either way, deeply browned onions are the star and foundation of the dish, so make sure to cook them until they are a rich golden brown. Be sure to save the cooking water from the lentils, as it provides a flavorful broth to cook the rice. This version of mujadara is spiced with cumin, but feel free to add other spices, such as coriander. The crunchy fried-onion topping is optional, but highly recommended for a joyful party of flavors and textures. Serve mujadara with a side of plain yogurt and a simple green salad, cucumber and tomato salad, fattoush salad or fresh herbs like mint.
Herbed Cucumber-Yogurt Salad
A cucumber salad dressed with tart yogurt and lots of chopped dill and mint makes a cooling, pleasantly refreshing saucy accompaniment to grilled meat. This is a handy brightly flavored salad to make all summer long, and so simple.
Tomato-Feta Salad
Cherry tomatoes make a colorful zesty salad that’s good on its own or very welcome as a picnic side dish. They are halved and tossed with a garlicky vinaigrette, roughly chopped olives, cilantro and parsley and a shower of crumbled feta, an ideal accompaniment to grilled meats.
Easy Chicken Tacos
Tender chicken tacos using boneless, skinless thighs make a flavorful weeknight meal that, if you warm up your tortillas while the chicken cooks, will be ready in about half an hour. After browning the chicken, add water to release the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the pan, letting it simmer in the rich gravy that forms, then serve directly from the pan for easier cleanup. The marinade works with any vinegar-based hot sauce, which you can also offer as a topping. Serve taqueria-style with minced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and hot sauce, or if you have more time, add guacamole, salsa verde or pico de gallo to your spread. For a heartier meal, serve alongside rice or beans, or both.
Tuna Pasta Salad
A pasta for tuna salad lovers, this recipe combines elements of a classic deli-style tuna salad with pasta, peas and fresh green herbs. It makes for a hearty picnic side dish or lunch, and keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, making it ideal for start-of-the-week meal prep. Chopped celery and red onion add crunch and color, and the tangy Greek yogurt dressing, flavored with lemon juice, mustard and garlic, comes together right in the serving bowl. Any small pasta shape works well here; just be sure to run the cooked pasta under cold water to cool it down before tossing with the dressing.
Asparagus Gomaae With Chilled Tofu
The classic Japanese side dish gomaae typically features blanched spinach coated in a sesame dressing, but here, the nutty sauce pairs beautifully with earthy asparagus. The asparagus is seared just briefly to unlock its buttery sweetness and juiciness; make sure the pan is hot when the asparagus makes contact to ensure the outside chars, even with a short cook time. The asparagus goma-ae is served atop chilled tofu, which serves as a creamy, refreshing backdrop for the bold umami of the sesame sauce. Eat this as a light meal, or partner it with rice or noodles.
Dill Pesto Pasta With Tuna
Tuna noodle casserole went on vacation to Italy and returned as this fresh weeknight pasta. The traditional egg noodles are swapped for chewy gemelli, with ridges that capture all the bright dill pesto that replaces the classic creamy sauce. Cubes of celery bring crunch, peas impart sweetness and the tuna positively melts into the pasta, giving it deep savoriness. Cheesy, buttery and spiked with smoked paprika, the crumbled cracker topping may be the true star of this recipe — and it’s equally delicious dusted on top of other pastas, braises and salads.
Chickpea Fatteh (Crispy Pita, Chickpeas and Yogurt)
Every family has its own way of making chickpea fatteh, but the layers of toasted pita, chickpeas and yogurt sauce always deliver a contrast of creamy and crunchy, warm and cool, sharp and earthy. This version, adapted from Sawsan Daana, the Palestinian chef of Matbakhi restaurant in Kuwait City, includes a layer of hummus in addition to the whole chickpeas, as is typical in Amman as well as Jerusalem, where she was born. Lebanese and Syrian versions skip the hummus and lean more heavily on tahini in the yogurt sauce (see Tip). Whichever route you take, this impressive dish is far easier to pull off than it looks, since the steps are straightforward and many ingredients repeat. If you like, you can prep everything but the toppings one or two days in advance and assemble when ready to serve.
Eggplant Fatteh (Crispy Pita, Eggplant and Yogurt)
There’s no single way to make eggplant fatteh, a layered dish of crispy pita, tender eggplant and yogurt-tahini sauce that is beloved across the Levant. In this version, adapted from Salam Dakkak, the chef of Bait Maryam restaurant in Dubai, the eggplant is roasted instead of deep fried, a perfectly tasty compromise that requires less cleanup. The contrast of temperatures and textures — crunchy, creamy, hot and cool — makes the dish unforgettable. Fatteh is best served immediately, so the pita chips stay crisp. To make this easier, all components can be prepared ahead, with the eggplant roasted last (or simply reheated) and the dish assembled just before serving.
Kale, Couscous and Tofu Salad With Carrot-Ginger Dressing
This satisfying no-cook salad demonstrates that taking cooking shortcuts need not come with any compromise when it comes to taste. Shortcut number one: You can skip massaging the kale; tearing it vigorously softens the leaves sufficiently. Shortcut number two: Save time with store-bought baked tofu, as it has been pre-cooked, which results in a firmer texture that stands up well in salads. And, lastly, shortcut three: Rather than actively monitoring couscous on the stovetop, you can simply season it and rehydrate in boiling water (or even hot vegetable stock, for even more flavor). The punchy, golden-hued carrot and ginger dressing takes cues from the simple salads served at Japanese American restaurants. This version adds miso, which softens the heat of the ginger.
Lemon-Pepper Chicken Breasts
This beginner-friendly chicken recipe uses both store-bought lemon-pepper seasoning and fresh lemon for fast weeknight flavor. The lemon pepper does much of the work here, adding acidity, salt and mild heat to the chicken, while the fresh lemon juice adds the perfect hit of brightness to the buttery, garlicky pan sauce. Serve the chicken right out of the skillet, or transfer the breasts to a plate and drizzle every last drop of the butter-lemon sauce on top. Serve with rice and a simple green vegetable, such as roasted broccoli or sautéed green beans.
Panzerotti (Fried Tomato and Mozzarella Pockets)
Panzerotti, a fried variety of Italian street food, are often mistaken for small calzone. The name comes from the Neapolitan word “panza,” which derives from the Italian word for “belly” because their shape resembles a rounded stomach. While they are commonly filled with a simple and satisfying mixture of sweet tomato purée and melted mozzarella, you can also use cooked sausage, ham, bacon or anchovies. Remarkably crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside, panzerotti are best served freshly fried and still warm, ideally with a side of marinara for dunking.
Berbere Meatballs
These meatballs, enhanced with both Parmesan and berbere seasoning, the fenugreek-and-chile-laced spice mix at the heart of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisines, are neither Italian nor Ethiopian, but indisputably delicious. The addition of fresh cilantro offers a unique taste that pairs well with the heat of the berbere and the umami of the Parmesan. These meatballs freeze very well, to be baked off whenever the craving hits, or they can be enjoyed right away, paired with rice and salad or vegetables.
Loose Meat Sandwich
The sandwich of choice around Sioux City, Iowa is the loose meat sandwich — think Sloppy Joes without the tomato-based sauce. Here, ground beef and onions are cooked into intensely flavorful crumbles with a few seasonings, then piled high on a hamburger bun with dill pickles and yellow mustard. Sometimes known as a Maid-Rite (named after the restaurant chain that popularized it), a “tavern” or a “canteen,” this is the nostalgic sandwich of a million Iowan childhoods. The recipe easily satisfies a crowd: Just make a double batch of the beef filling, then scoop onto buns until you run out.
French Lentil Salad
Bright with flavor, dynamic and crisp with a combination of roots and chicory, and fresh with major herb appeal, this is a hearty, friendly, anytime salad that will work well with any grocery or farmers’ market haul. It can easily become a staple in your home: You can make it on Sunday and eat it throughout the week, its flavors changing as it marinates. Because of this, it’s also a salad you can adjust as days go by, adding more lemon here and there, maybe some cheese to change up its flavors after a day or two. Sturdy enough to stand alone as a light meal in and of itself, this lentil salad also makes a fantastic side served with roasted chicken or fish. This is one special and easygoing recipe to have on hand for all occasions.
Tostadas de Tinga de Pollo (Shredded Chicken and Salsa Tostadas)
Rotisserie chicken can be a secret weapon when you’re busy. If you have a flavorful salsa on hand, just pull the meat and warm it in the salsa to make a quick tinga. A typical tinga has a guajillo salsa, but don’t let that limit you. A salsa verde, or any chipotle salsa, would be wonderful, and if you use aguacate ahumado salsa, it will create a rich, creamy sauce for the shredded chicken. Homemade bacon-y refried beans offer a comforting contrast.