Main Course

8665 recipes found

Lemony Hummus Pasta
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Jan 17, 2025

Lemony Hummus Pasta

Hummus, with its nutty and garlicky flavor, makes a fantastic dip, spread or even a salad dressing, but it can also be a great base for a pasta sauce. A little garlic and shallot sizzled in olive oil, along with fresh lemon juice and zest, help amp up premade hummus. With a little water, the hummus thins out enough to become a creamy sauce to fully coat noodles. You can add chickpeas, fresh herbs, za’atar or almost any roasted or fresh vegetable to this pasta and it will feel like your own.

30m4 servings
Roasted Mushroom Soup
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Jan 16, 2025

Roasted Mushroom Soup

You don’t need fancy mushrooms to make a rich soup, you just need to brown them. To do that, spread creminis — save fancier mushrooms for another recipe — on a sheet pan and roast them until they’re juicy. Pour off and save the umami-heavy juices — they’ll provide a savory backbone to the soup — then keep roasting the mushrooms until they’re glistening brown. Blending so many mushrooms with plain water (or stock, if you have some) creates a thick soup, not to mention one with a deeply earthy flavor. For a more substantial meal, top with croutons, farro or sautéed spinach, or serve alongside buttered toast, roasted sausage or a green salad.

1h4 servings (about 5 cups)
Roasted Eggplant With Crispy Chickpeas and Cashew Sauce 
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Jan 16, 2025

Roasted Eggplant With Crispy Chickpeas and Cashew Sauce 

This vegan main dish, both simple and delicious, is a guide to the art of slow-roasting eggplant to a tender, custardy texture and creating a flavorful, protein-rich sauce. Eggplant halves are gently scored, coated in oil, and slowly cooked at a high heat with chickpeas that become crispy and super nutty. Roasted cashews are pureéd with lemon, orange and a little garlic, transforming them into a super flavorful, buttery spread that pairs really well with delicate eggplant. While roasting, keep in mind that the eggplant will brown quickly, so be keen to check in on it.

40m4 to 6 servings
Salmon With Avocado and Cilantro Salad
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Jan 15, 2025

Salmon With Avocado and Cilantro Salad

For nights when you need a sparkle of color, this dish is just that, in both appearance and taste. First, roast a side of salmon, rubbed with coriander and garlic, and topped with lime slices to infuse it with flavor. As it cooks, prepare this simple and bright avocado salad, spiked with lime juice, jalapeños and scallions, and tossed with gentle greens, to balance the richness of the salmon. Serve with lightly oiled pearled couscous or orzo, plain rice or cilantro rice, or crusty bread.

35m4 servings
Ultimate Veggie Meatballs
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Jan 14, 2025

Ultimate Veggie Meatballs

On busy weeknights when you crave comfort, these vegetarian meatballs are the answer. Texture is the star of this recipe. The combination of halloumi, zucchini and couscous creates the perfect balance, as the mixture is dry enough to be formed into balls and fried; it’s also light and fluffy yet sturdy enough to be cooked in rich tomato sauce. Fresh herbs add a vibrant touch, enhancing the dish’s overall lightness. For a classic “Lady and the Tramp” moment, serve these over a tangle of spaghetti. They also pair beautifully with couscous or bulgur, or a fresh green salad. This crowd-pleasing vegetarian dish just might make you forget its more traditional meaty predecessor.

1h4 to 6 servings
Creamy Butternut Squash and Coconut Noodle Soup
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Jan 14, 2025

Creamy Butternut Squash and Coconut Noodle Soup

Sweet, savory, and full of flavor, this easy weeknight noodle soup takes a cue from the warmly comforting northern Thai dish khao soi, with a curry-spiced coconut broth and toppings that offer crunch and contrast. First, the butternut squash is simmered in the fragrant broth until very tender. Then the squash is mashed, becoming one with the coconut milk before stock and sweet and savory seasonings are added (to keep the soup vegetarian, use soy sauce instead of fish sauce). You can use any type of egg noodles here, from wide dried egg noodles to flat fresh egg noodles (sometimes labeled as wonton noodles). Ladle the flavorful squash broth over the noodles and garnish with as much garnish as your heart and stomach desires. Those toppings can be — but are not limited to — a lot of lime juice to cut the richness, cilantro, sliced fresh shallots, crispy shallots, fried noodles, chile oil or pickled mustard greens.

35m4 servings
Chukandar Chicken (Tangy Chicken Curry With Beets)
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Jan 14, 2025

Chukandar Chicken (Tangy Chicken Curry With Beets)

Typically prepared with beef and sometimes chicken, this version of the traditional Pakistani dish uses canned beets instead of fresh ones. That cuts down on both cooking time and cleanup while achieving the same results: a comforting earthy, sweet and spicy curry with a dramatically deep purple appearance. Sourness from yogurt and lime juice balances the sweetness of the beets, while ginger and garlic add layers of flavor and complexity. Riff on the recipe by adding leafy greens like spinach a few minutes before adding the spices. Serve with rice or roti.

1h4 servings 
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Tofu With Chile Lime Dressing
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Jan 10, 2025

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Tofu With Chile Lime Dressing

Roasted brussels sprouts and tofu come alive when tossed with this sweet and spicy nước chấm-inspired chile lime dressing. The crispy edges of the sprouts and the firm texture of the tofu provide a perfect contrast to the tangy, umami-rich sauce. Pile on the soft herbs such as Thai basil, mint and cilantro, which add freshness and aromatic complexity to the dish. Serve alongside steamed rice for a flavorful and satisfying weeknight dinner that balances textures and tastes in every bite. For added crunch and flavor, top with chopped peanuts and crispy fried shallots. If you crave more heat, don't hesitate to add a generous serving of sriracha to kick things up. To make this vegetarian, swap out the fish sauce for a vegan one, or add tamari to taste instead.

50m4 servings
Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt 
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Jan 10, 2025

Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt 

If you’re feeling a bit worn down, one bowl of this hearty lentil soup will bring you back to life — or at least fool you into thinking so. The broth is simply (and deeply) flavored with charred onions and six garlic cloves, plus a generous pinch of turmeric that stains the soup gold. As they cook down, the lentils melt into the broth, making it thick and rich. A healthy dose of black pepper brings gentle heat to clear your head, and the final sprinkle of fresh dill and parsley adds a bright, herbal finish. This soup is soothing and satisfying on its own, but feel free to add a few extras: hearty greens like kale or spinach to wilt, a soft-boiled egg, or even chile oil for some heat.

1h4 servings  
Sheet-Pan Gnocchi With Sausages and Peppers
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Jan 8, 2025

Sheet-Pan Gnocchi With Sausages and Peppers

Roasting gnocchi on a sheet pan gives the potato dumplings an irresistible, chewy-crisp texture with lovely browned edges. Here, the gnocchi are cooked with sausage and peppers, the classic sandwich combination, to make a rich and very savory one-pan meal. A handful of cherry tomatoes melt in the pan alongside everything else, adding a juicy element that’s almost like a sauce. Hearty and satisfying, this dish needs no accompaniment, though spooning it on top of a bed of arugula or baby spinach would add even more vegetables to the mix.

55m3 to 4 servings
Herbed Rice in Chard Leaves
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Jan 8, 2025

Herbed Rice in Chard Leaves

This savory dish echoes the flavors of stuffed grape leaves, but this large-format version is easier. (Of course, if you prefer to make smaller dolma-like packages, that’s fine, too.) It’s best served warm with a good dollop of tart yogurt on top, but if your yogurt isn’t sufficiently sour, add a little lemon juice or sumac. Though this is a happy main course side by side with a beet salad, it could also be an accompaniment to roast chicken or grilled fish.

1h 30m6 to 8 servings
Fragrant Coconut Chicken and Sweet Potato 
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Jan 7, 2025

Fragrant Coconut Chicken and Sweet Potato 

This deeply flavored saucy skillet meal comes together quickly thanks to rich coconut milk and fast-cooking ground chicken (though ground pork would also work well). Sweet potatoes get a head start in the skillet, where they’re speedily cooked until golden and tender; the simple act of covering the skillet with a lid expedites the process. The meat is browned with plenty of scallions, garlic and ginger, which impart lovely aromatic fragrance and depth to the dish. Coconut milk is added at the end to maintain its creamy texture and fresh flavor, while a finish of lime juice and chopped cilantro brightens and balances the sauce. 

40m4 servings
Roasted Cauliflower With Nước Chấm Sauce 
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Jan 3, 2025

Roasted Cauliflower With Nước Chấm Sauce 

Hearty slabs of cauliflower are deeply caramelized in the oven on high heat then dressed with a riff on the traditional Vietnamese nước chấm sauce — an umami-rich mix of fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and chiles. Fish sauce and garlic add pungency, vinegar brings a touch of sourness (in place of more traditional citrus), sugar rounds out these strong flavors with some sweetness, and chiles bring the heat. Mild, subtly sweet cauliflower benefits a great deal from getting burnished in the oven, and again from the sauce, while crushed roasted nuts add texture and bring out the vegetable’s nuttiness. Serve this dish as a starter or side, or supplement with rice to make it a main.

40m4 servings
One-Pot Beans, Greens and Grains
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Jan 2, 2025

One-Pot Beans, Greens and Grains

Many filling, flavorful and flexible meals are within reach with this technique: It produces fluffy grains, just-soft-enough greens and creamy and garlicky beans all in one pot. Customize your mix based on your cravings and your pantry: Use any dark leafy greens and any cooked legumes. Use quinoa, rice or a mix of the two for a variety of textures; for other grains, refer to the cooking instructions on their package and add the greens in the last 5 to 7 minutes. You can infuse the grains with flavor by stirring ground spices or other seasonings into the pot. Add brightness with lemon and garnish wildly — or not at all. This meal can be eaten warm or cold, which means lunchtime grain bowls are now easier to pull off.

40m2 to 4 servings
Tobiko Pasta
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Dec 23, 2024

Tobiko Pasta

When you’re craving the dynamic flavors of sushi and the warmth of creamy pasta, this speedy meal hits the spot. It stars tobiko, the delightfully briny and slightly sweet flying fish roe that often coats the outside of a California roll. Other roes such as ikura (from salmon or trout) and masago (from capelin) work well too. They all lend rich seafood flavor with zero effort, not to mention fun pops of texture. The only thing you have to cook is the spaghetti, which gets tossed with cream cheese, Cheddar and pasta water to become a lovely sauce. Creamy but light, the sauce gains dimension from the tried-and-true combination of soy sauce and the horseradish bite of wasabi paste, which mellows out once combined with the hot pasta. Enjoy with your favorite sparkling wine or sake.

20m4 to 6 servings
Sheet-Pan Eggs With Croissant Bread Crumbs
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Dec 20, 2024

Sheet-Pan Eggs With Croissant Bread Crumbs

For an effortless way to prepare a full breakfast for a crowd, turn croissants into golden, crispy crumbs to serve as a bed for oven-baked eggs, fresh spinach and tangy feta. The crumbs toast as the eggs cook and the spinach wilts. If you prefer your eggs over easy, bake them for only 9 minutes, just until the whites have set. Scale the recipe up or down depending on the number of guests, or vary the toppings to suit your preferences.

30m6 to 12 servings
Lobster Mac and Cheese 
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Dec 20, 2024

Lobster Mac and Cheese 

This lobster mac and cheese harnesses the deep lobster flavor found in the head and shells to infuse the milk used to make the cheese sauce. As a result, a delightful undercurrent of intense lobster flavor runs throughout the dish, instead of just in random morsels. The lobster is very lightly cooked, ensuring that it doesn’t turn rubbery while it bakes in the cheese sauce. Though many lobster-studded mac and cheese recipes bake for an extended period of time, in this recipe, the cooked pasta, cream sauce and lobster are tossed together, topped with a seasoned panko mixture then briefly broiled just before serving. Perfect for company, this dish can easily be made ahead of time as part of a larger holiday spread; just ensure that the cheese sauce, pasta and lobster meat are cool before combining.

2h 30m6 to 8 servings
Bacon, Egg and Cheese Strata
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Dec 19, 2024

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Strata

The classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich is turned into a crowd-pleasing breakfast strata. Chunks of sandwich rolls are soaked in a chive and egg mix, then topped with thick slabs of bacon and grated Cheddar, then baked in the oven until soft and fluffy inside and melty and crispy on top. Halfway into baking, whole eggs are nestled into the top of the strata then baked until perfectly set, for a runny yolk that, for some, is crucial to any good B.E.C. Fresh chives are sprinkled on the strata before serving, plus a splash of hot sauce, if that's your thing. The strata can be prepared and refrigerated a day in advance, then baked right before serving.

3h 35m6 to 8  servings
Scrambled Eggs for a Crowd
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Dec 19, 2024

Scrambled Eggs for a Crowd

Making fluffy, tender and creamy scrambled eggs for a crowd is easier than you might think — and it doesn’t require learning a totally newfangled method. This recipe makes just a few tweaks to a common technique to accommodate two dozen eggs. Trade the skillet for a Dutch oven and add the eggs to a warm, not hot, pot. As you slowly scrape in long sweeps, the eggs will begin to clump. Once you see the bottom of the pot behind your wooden spoon, take the pot off the heat and add cold butter, which will drop the temperature to prevent overcooking. Flip the curds until the still-runny egg and melting butter form a creamy, obviously buttery, coating.

25m6 to 12 servings
Tortitas de Espinaca (Spinach Fritters)
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Dec 18, 2024

Tortitas de Espinaca (Spinach Fritters)

Tortitas are Mexican fritters that are great as an appetizer or as a meal served with a vegetable side or salad and are always enjoyed with a spicy hot salsa to dip and pour over. They can be made with whatever you like or have: mashed potatoes, shredded chicken, chorizo, sautéed mushrooms, squash, greens. They’re a great way to use up leftovers; just throw them in a bowl with eggs, cheese and flour or bread crumbs and fry them up. These spinach and cheese tortitas are incredibly comforting and come together fast enough for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

50m4 servings (about 12 fritters)
Miso-Marinated Pork Roast
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Dec 17, 2024

Miso-Marinated Pork Roast

This pork roast tastes and smells like the holidays, savory with the scent of rosemary, cozy with a caramelized crust and warming with black pepper. Even though the marinade has only four ingredients, the finished roast has the wow factor of a restaurant dish. The best part about this centerpiece? You can’t mess it up. And though the accompanying cranberry sauce is optional, it brings a welcome fruity tang and pop of red to the table. The sauce can be made up to a week ahead of time and the pork can be marinated the morning you plan to roast it.

8h 45m12 to 16 servings
Kasha Varnishkes (Buckwheat, Bow Ties and Onions)
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Dec 16, 2024

Kasha Varnishkes (Buckwheat, Bow Ties and Onions)

In the 1880s, this simple yet beloved dish of buckwheat (kasha), onion and bow tie noodles (varnishkes) came to New York’s Lower East Side with Eastern European Jewish immigrants. At the time, it was made with homemade egg noodles that were rolled out, cut into squares and painstakingly pinched into bow ties. Nowadays, store-bought bow tie egg noodles are traditional, but any hardy pasta, like gemelli or fusilli, will also work well. Lola Landa, chef and owner of Kafe Jerusalem in Lviv, Ukraine, suggests using European-style whole buckwheat groats for this dish. (The more broken-up varieties tend to get mushy unless toasted first with beaten egg.) What really makes this dish, however, are the onions. While Ms. Landa deep-fries thin slices of onion, I prefer to caramelize them in a skillet. To really gild the lily, add mushrooms before tossing everything together.

50m4 to 6 servings
Rice and Squash Bombe
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Dec 13, 2024

Rice and Squash Bombe

This pita-crusted rice and squash bombe is a celebratory showstopper, capable of upstaging any roast or standing alone as the centerpiece of a vegetarian feast. The technique of encrusting pilaf in crisp bread is inspired by fruit-studded Azerbaijani shakh plov and Persian polo ba tahdig. It’s a bit fiddly, with three components to prepare — rice, cumin-roasted shallots and squash, and saffron butter — but none of them are complicated. Cook them in advance, but assemble the bombe when you’re ready to bake it off. Make sure to butter the baking bowl heavily and overlap your pitas without gaps. If in doubt, arm yourself with more pitas than the recipe calls for, in case yours are a bit dry when you take them out of the packet — you may need spares for patching.

2h 15m6 servings
Spiced Orange Duck
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Dec 13, 2024

Spiced Orange Duck

These braised duck legs — spiced with ginger, thyme, anise and orange — are festive and ideal to cook ahead. Unlike traditional orange duck, which is cooked pink and served in a syrupy sauce, this version is savory, fragrant and confit-tender. Make sure to top up the pot with stock if it looks like it’s drying up at any point (don’t be fooled into thinking your pot has enough stock just because you see plenty of the fat that will render during the braise). And do save the duck fat for something specialwhen you spoon it off at the end. If you’re making the dish ahead and reheating it, add the fresh orange juice right before you serve.

3h 30m6 servings