Main Course
8665 recipes found
Sizzled Bratwurst With Mashed Potatoes
Spiced and savory German sausages, bratwurst are a juicy secret weapon for busy workdays. When served at home, they can be pan-fried or grilled and served with mashed potatoes, warmed sauerkraut and hot German mustard, all of which balance the richness of the fatty sausages. The simple bratwurst technique in this recipe is pulled straight from German home cooking: simmer the sausages in water to plump them up first before letting that water evaporate, then sear the outsides in the bratwurst’s own rendered fat. Bratwurst are also a popular street or festival food in Germany, in which case they might be served with bread rolls called brötchen or semmel. Wash this hearty and nourishing (but surprisingly not too heavy) dish down with a cold German lager, pilsner or wheat beer such as Hefeweizen.
Japanese Curry With Chicken Meatballs
For all the impact of a complex, long simmered curry in a cinch, bring on the Japanese curry roux blocks! Unlike curry powder, these curry blocks only need to be simmered in water to add loads of flavor and body. Traditionally carrots, potatoes and onions are included, but this version smothers ginger-spiked chicken meatballs, creamy sweet potato and lots of greens in the sauce. This dish tastes even better the next day as all the flavors mellow and meld, so it’s perfect for meal prep.
Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
Egg bites are a perfect, protein-rich snack to have on hand for busy mornings. Blending eggs with cottage cheese and shredded cheese, dividing the mixture among muffin cups and baking in a water bath result in a soft, delicate texture. For the right consistency, use a blender to combine all the ingredients until just smooth and frothy. You can add any fillings that you like (leftover cooked vegetables are a great addition). Use any of the shredded cheeses suggested or a combination, and finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan if you like. The water bath creates steam, which ensures the eggs bake gently and remain fluffy (see Tip). For best results, use a silicone muffin pan, so the egg bites pop right out.
Kuku Sabzi (Herb and Scallion Frittata)
Packed with an abundance of fresh herbs, kuku is a frittata-like Persian dish with many regional and household variations. This version, kuku sabzi, is the most herb-forward, allowing the greens to take center stage. While kuku is often flipped to brown on both sides, this version skips that step and allows the egg on top to set under the broiler, which helps retain its vibrant green color. Some families mix in walnuts or tart dried barberries for added texture and flavor, but this rendition keeps it simple, letting the herbs shine. Kuku is traditionally served with flatbread and can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature or even cold. For a perfect bite, wrap it in lavash with a dollop of yogurt, slices of salty feta and crisp radishes, which balance the richness with bright, fresh flavors.
Bubble and Squeak
Bubble and squeak is a deeply caramelized, homey cake of leftover mashed potatoes and other vegetables, traditionally made the morning after a Sunday roast. This classic British dish gets its name from the cooking process: As the moisture from the vegetables bubbles away, the vegetables sizzle and squeak — especially the cabbage, a common addition. Be sure to let the bottom brown and crisp, mix those bits into the mash, then repeat until the cake is strewn with golden vegetables throughout. Eat alongside a fried or poached egg for breakfast. To make it vegetarian, replace the bacon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Miso-Butter Chicken With Grapefruit
Buttery miso pan drippings add richness to this lively combination of crunchy greens, juicy grapefruit and sticky chicken. Start by roasting boneless thighs with a sweet-savory combination of butter, miso, mirin and grapefruit zest. As the chicken rests, toss grapefruit segments in the drippings, then use that mixture to dress bitter lettuces. If you’d like, instead of grapefruit, use an orange and add white wine vinegar to the sauce to taste. To make it a heartier meal, roast bite-size pieces of winter squash, carrots or sweet potatoes on a sheet pan in the oven at the same time as the chicken, then add them with the grapefruit in Step 4.
Curried Coconut and Red Lentil Soup
In this quick-cooking and restorative soup, the key to building flavor fast is curry powder. While the spice blends vary from brand to brand, most include at least coriander, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek and black pepper. Madras curry powder, used here, is a spicier variant featuring chile powder. In the time it takes for the vegetables and aromatics to soften, the red lentils cook through, creating a creamy, velvety texture when the soup is blended. The optional addition of coconut water reinforces the flavor of the coconut milk and balances the aromatic savoriness with a hint of sweetness. The extra hydration this soup provides is especially welcome during Ramadan.
Slow-Cooked Fish With Citrus and Herbs
During Nowruz, the Persian New Year, it’s customary to serve fish alongside sabzi polo, buttery herbed saffron rice, as a nod to renewal and prosperity. Traditionally, white fish is smoked or fried, but this dish brings in many of the same key ingredients — fragrant saffron, fresh herbs and citrus — while embracing a more effortless, slow-roasted approach. A flaky white fish like cod or halibut works beautifully here, but salmon also works and tastes especially luxurious when bathed in olive oil, garlic and dill.
Ash Reshteh (Greens, Beans and Noodle Soup)
Among ash, a beloved category of thick soups in Iranian cuisine, ash reshteh is the most famous. Packed with legumes, a mountain of greens and reshteh, thin, flat noodles similar to linguine, it’s a hearty dish traditionally eaten on Chaharshanbe Suri, the Festival of Fire that falls on the Wednesday before Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The soup is finished with sizzled mint, crispy onions and kashk, an Iranian dairy product akin to a funkier sour cream. Kashk has a bold, umami-rich salty-sour flavor that’s unlike anything else. It’s worth trying to buy at a Middle Eastern market, but since it can be hard to find, a mix of lemon juice and sour cream or Greek yogurt makes a great substitute.
Cabbage Steaks
Tender and crisp cabbage “steaks” are indeed vegetarian, similar to cauliflower steaks, but achieve remarkable complexity from the way they are sliced into thick planks and roasted, which chars the outer edges and makes the inner leaves rippled and buttery for a balance of textures. The key is using plenty of olive oil: Some gets blended with spices and brushed all over the steaks, and even more is drizzled on top just before roasting. Serve these cabbage steaks as a simple side with a sprinkle of dill, alongside a pile of pierogi, a spatchcocked chicken or roasted salmon, or serve them as a main, with a spoonful of romesco and some fresh bread.
Lemony Roasted Mushroom Pasta
A mélange of mushrooms, roasted with aromatic garlic, sweet red onions and warming woody herbs, brings elegance to this easy weeknight pasta. Roasting mushrooms is a wonderful hands-off cooking technique, giving them the time to soften and become golden around the edges while staying moist and plump. Lemon wedges are roasted, too, which unlocks their sweetness and coaxes out a deeper citrus flavor. A dash of soy sauce is just enough to intensify the umami of the dish. While using a single variety of mushrooms is just fine, incorporating different types will deliver more texture and flavor. To make this vegan, simply use nondairy butter and opt for nutritional yeast rather than cheese.
Baked Sweet Potato With Blue Cheese and Bacon
Give sweet potatoes the steakhouse wedge salad treatment in this comforting dinner for one. Sweet potato halves roast until silky and caramelized alongside strips of bacon, whose crisp texture and smoky flavor accentuate a creamy blue cheese butter. Chopped walnuts provide additional crunch, while lemon and chives brighten it all up. This recipe can easily be scaled up to feed a crowd, or even popped into a toaster oven for a party of one.
Spiced Chicken Breasts in Pastry
These chicken breasts baked in pastry may sound impossibly fussy, but they’re quite simple to prepare. The only tedious part is making sure the chicken breasts are the same size and thickness. Small boneless chicken breasts work well, and will need only a little trimming, but if all you can find are large ones, you’ll need to cut them into four 6-ounce pieces, an easy butchering project. (Save leftover scraps for a stir-fry or freeze them to add to a future chicken stock.)
Chicken Jalfrezi
Originally created as a way to add flavor to roasted meats, chicken jalfrezi is a tangy, spicy stir-fried curry with origins in Bengal. “Jalfrezi” translates to "hot fry," and the dish typically features meat coated in a thick tomato-based gravy — a defining characteristic of the Anglo-Indian version that became popular through British curry houses in the mid-20th century. This recipe uses both Kashmiri chile powder and fresh serrano chiles to deliver its signature spicy kick.
Stir-Fried Cabbage and Pork in Fish Sauce Butter
This quick, weeknight cabbage and pork stir-fry is humble in ingredients yet packed with flavor, thanks to briny fish sauce, rich brown butter and potent aromatics (ginger, garlic and red-pepper flakes). Chopped cabbage gets a nice char in butter that browns as it cooks, adding richness to the lean vegetable. Fast-cooking ground pork is infused with garlic, ginger and scallions, and the final addition of salty fish sauce, bright lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro creates a punchy sauce. If you like a jolt of heat, use a thinly sliced bird’s-eye chile in place of the crushed red pepper.
Spiced Pea Stew With Yogurt
Inspired by a warmly spiced Persian stew traditionally made with peas and tomatoes, this version allows the sweetness of the peas and the warmth of onions, ginger, cumin and turmeric to lead. It tops the pea stew with a fresh pea topping made from a portion of the just-cooked peas, plus crushed sesame seeds and chopped cilantro, all of which add vibrant color and texture when sprinkled over the stew just before serving. A drizzle of yogurt on top brings a cooling contrast. Serve the stew alongside steamed rice, pita or other fresh warmed flatbreads.
Pav Bhaji
A popular street food originally from Mumbai, pav bhaji is a flavorful and colorful mashed vegetable curry served with toasted and buttered dinner rolls or buns. Pav means “dinner roll” and bhaji “vegetable dish.” Typically, a mix of boiled potatoes, cauliflower, carrot and green peas are mashed and cooked with sautéed aromatics like onion, green bell pepper and tomatoes. The flavors are jolted awake with green chile, Kashmiri chile powder and the warming spices in the pav bhaji masala. You can purchase pav bhaji masala at Indian markets, or prepare your own blend. Look for pav at Indian markets, or use any dinner roll or slider bun. Salted butter should be used generously for a luscious, rich and comforting pav bhaji. To serve, squeeze lemon or lime over the bhaji to brighten everything up, sprinkle with fresh onion and use the pav to scoop up a glorious bite.
Sausage and Barley Soup With Greens
This simple, satisfying soup relies on sausage as its flavorful base. Start by cooking raw sausage, rather than precooked links, since it generally has better texture and flavor for soup. Pearled barley adds heartiness and a wonderful chewy texture. Stir in a handful of greens at the end, plus a little vinegar for brightness, and you have a cozy meal in less than an hour of mostly hands-off time. To make this soup gluten-free, you can substitute French green lentils for the barley. If you are making it ahead of time, wait to add the greens until you’re ready to serve to preserve their bright, fresh flavor.
Bourbon Beef and Farro Stew
Reminiscent of a soothing beef and barley soup, this bourbon-scented short rib and farro stew brings much-needed comfort during the cold season. As with many beef stews, you’ll start by searing the short ribs. Beef short ribs are not the cheapest cut, but they are prized for their marbled fat, which builds complexity, and they simmer up deliciously fork-tender. Making the most of the flavor-packed fat rendered from the short ribs, the onions get lightly caramelized in it, then showered in splashes of smoky, sweet bourbon. Next, everything goes in the pot: The short ribs are gently simmered in beef stock alongside paprika and cumin-spiced onions, carrots and farro. A splash of balsamic finishes the stew, balancing out the rich, meaty flavors.
Broccoli Rabe Pesto Pasta
Blitzing pungent broccoli rabe into a creamy, nutty pesto (along with walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice) helps mellow any bitterness in this verdant weeknight pasta. Start by quickly boiling the broccoli rabe and garlic, which takes the edge off. Fans of broccoli rabe will enjoy extra bites of the greens throughout this pasta dish, and those looking to round the flavors out further would do well to add cooked Italian sausage, cannellini beans or a dollop of ricotta cheese. The broccoli rabe pesto can also be used as a topping for crostini or pizza, and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Rumbledethumps (Potato Mash With Cabbage and Cheddar)
A traditional Scottish potato-cabbage mash, rumbledethumps is named for the sound a spoon makes as it rattles along the sides of the pot as you mash all of the ingredients together. This version is adapted from Ali Stoner (or “Roving Haggis” as she is known on Instagram and YouTube), who updates traditional Scottish recipes for the modern palate. She takes a few liberties, replacing cabbage with brussels sprouts and boosting flavor and texture with caramelized onions, fresh chives, punchy mustard and a crunchy panko topping. This humble mash invites variation, whether you prefer it chunky, creamy or topped with extra cheese and cream. It is complex enough to stand alone, with a sharp green salad, but it also pairs well with beef tenderloin, a simple roast chicken or a good pot of beans.
Eggless Pancake Recipe
This breakfast startles in the best way: It tastes like cozy, steaming porridge, but looks and feels like delightful buttermilk pancakes. Tiny quick oats soaked in buttermilk, along with flax and honey, lend a unique tenderness. Biting into a round, crackly with butter and caramelized from honey on the outside, reveals the pleasant, familiar creaminess of oatmeal in the center. Flax meal softens alongside the oats, amplifying their nutty flavor and binding the batter, eliminating the need for eggs. The pancakes are flavorful enough to enjoy on their own, but also taste great with toppings like fresh berries.
Curry Shrimp and Sweet Potato
Inspired by the charms of Caribbean curry shrimp, this recipe provides a quick and adaptable path to dinner. Once the base recipe has been memorized, any number of substitutions can be made for the shrimp and supporting vegetables. The formula is simple: While shrimp marinate in curry powder, a medley of onions, bell peppers, garlic and chiles sweat their way to succulence. Sliced onions are added in two steps — once at the beginning and again at the end, with the shrimp — to offer both a mellow sweetness and a more pungent bite. This curry can be served on its own, but prefers to be spooned over freshly steamed rice.
Cod With Brown Butter and Pine Nuts
This easy baked cod takes your weeknight cooking to wonderful heights, in just 15 minutes. While the fish bakes, you’ll make a browned-butter topping that offers richness and crunch from the pine nuts, as well as a welcome acidity thanks to the sumac and lemon juice. Serve this with some lightly steamed greens or boiled new potatoes for a complete meal.