Main Course
8665 recipes found
Cauliflower Satay
In this party-friendly appetizer, roasted cauliflower is paired with a shortcut version of the rich, creamy coconut and peanut butter satay sauce often served with chicken. To coax out deep, nutty flavor from the cauliflower, first roast it simply slicked with oil to help it caramelize, then coat it in a blended mixture of coconut milk, shallots, lemongrass and spices to bump up moisture and flavor and roast until tender. While your cauliflower roasts, you’ll prepare a supersimple peanut sauce by simmering coconut milk with red curry paste and peanut butter. (The salt and heat levels in store-bought curry pastes vary widely, so season your satay sauce accordingly.) Intended as an appetizer, this recipe is hearty enough to work as a main course when served with rice, but also pairs well with crispy or grilled tofu, grilled chicken or steamed vegetables, and can dazzle as the centerpiece for a main-course salad.
Turkey Meatloaf With Parmesan and Red Wine
Adapted from Renee Erickson, the Seattle chef and restaurateur, this meatloaf has more verve than most. The ground meat (in this case turkey, but you can substitute beef or pork) is seasoned with grated orange zest, garlic and Parmesan for maximum oomph. But the real secret lies in the tomato sauce that stripes the center and top of the loaf, which is spiked with red wine. The tangy sauce adds color and complexity to the loaf and helps keep it extra juicy as it bakes. Serve this with mashed potatoes and peas for a classic, comforting meal, then tuck leftover slices into buttered toast the next day for the best meatloaf sandwiches imaginable.
Pastina Soup
Often referred to simply as pastina, which means “little pasta” in Italian, this is Italy’s answer to the comforting cure-all chicken soup. Variations of pastina soup abound, but most include chicken broth, vegetables (in the form of sautéed onions, carrots and celery) and tiny pasta. The miniature star-shaped pasta most commonly used in this dish is sold as “stelline” — or “tiny stars” — in Italy, and simply as “pastina” in the United States. Acini de pepe works well, too, if pastina is unavailable. A tiny shape is key here, as the pasta continues to absorb broth after it cooks, giving the soup an almost creamy, porridge-like consistency. Some versions even call for puréeing the cooked vegetables and stirring them back into the soup to further thicken the broth. Homemade chicken broth would be an excellent choice here, but for those who need comfort in a hurry, this recipe uses the handy shortcut of reducing store-bought chicken broth and adding a Parmesan rind to the pot, to enrich and maximize the soup’s flavor.
Butter-Basted Chicken Breasts
For juicy, bronzed and flavorful chicken breasts, all it takes is a butter-baste. Spooning hot butter and aromatics over steak is a common technique, but applying that method to lean, quick-cooking proteins like boneless chicken breasts is particularly beneficial because the butter keeps the white meat from drying out while imparting the flavor of whatever ingredients are sizzling in it. Here, that’s garlic and woodsy herbs, but you could also use ground or whole spices or finely chopped ginger or scallions. Serve with rice pilaf or lemon linguine, and a green vegetable like roasted brussels sprouts or stir-fried green beans.
Baked Mostaccioli
In this easy yet irresistible baked pasta recipe, a simple, meaty tomato sauce is layered with mostaccioli pasta and a creamy cheese mixture and baked until both melty (the cheese) and crisp (the pasta). Mostaccioli is identical to penne, but without the ridges. As a baked pasta dish, mostaccioli is similar to a traditional baked ziti and most commonly found on menus throughout the Midwest. Mostaccioli, like penne and ziti, is a favorite pasta shape for baked pasta dishes since the sauce and cheese easily find their way inside their long tubes, creating perfect bites. Adding cooked vegetables into the pasta mix is a welcome addition, and kale or broccoli work especially well. Skipping the sausage altogether and replacing it with cooked vegetables is also delicious and just as satisfying. And of course, swapping the mostaccioli with penne or ziti is always an option.
Laksa
While chicken curry laksa is a popular restaurant dish across Southeast Asia, making it at home is entirely doable. It’s as simple as blending a spice paste, cooking it off and poaching some chicken thighs. It gets its complexity from rempah, a fragrant spice paste made with ingredients such as lemongrass and galangal (which can be swapped for ginger). This recipe calls for making your own rempah, but to save time, you can buy a good-quality paste and enhance it with fresh lemongrass, ginger and garlic (see Tip 2). The coconut milk-based broth is spicy, savory and rich, but not heavy, based on the curry laksa found at hawker centers in Malaysia and Singapore. The flavor improves over time, so it’s a dish worth making in advance.
Galbitang (Short Rib and Korean Radish Soup)
This traditional Korean soup features fall-off-the-bone tender braised short ribs and Korean radishes in a clear and soothing broth. Seasoned with onion, garlic and ginger, the radish releases its own sweet and savory juices to create a layered soup that is an elixir for cold winter months. Soaking the beef for 30 minutes beforehand helps remove impurities for a clear broth; there aren’t too many ingredients involved in making this soup so attention to detail pays off. A tip on easy degreasing, if time permits: Make the soup a day ahead and chill completely in the refrigerator; the fat will rise and solidify on top, making it a breeze to remove (and thereby yielding an even clearer and cleaner-tasting broth).
Chicken Stew
This creamy, cozy chicken stew is fast enough for a weeknight meal yet satisfying enough for a long Sunday dinner. Boneless chicken thighs are used instead of breasts, as they stay juicier longer. Simmering them in the stew along with sweet paprika, chicken stock and a touch of apple cider vinegar adds surprising depth of flavor alongside dried herbs and plenty of vegetables for dimension and texture. Heavy cream is in the mix as well, wrapping everything in a silky blanket. This stew is as versatile as it is easy to make, so feel free to add in other vegetables like mushrooms or peppers and replace the heavy cream with coconut milk, or leave the cream out altogether.
Yuzu-Miso Soba Noodle Soup
Sour like lemon, bitter like grapefruit, sweet like mandarins and tangy like oranges, yuzu might be the consummate citrus — and it brings all of that complex magic to this light, clean noodle broth. Miso pairs harmoniously with yuzu, bringing savory notes to balance the tartness. Yuzu juice is sold at Japanese and Asian grocery stores (or online), but if you are not able to access it, you can substitute with lemon juice for a broth that is equally impactful. Lemon tends to be more sour than yuzu, so add the fresh juice incrementally until you achieve your desired balance. A squeeze of lemon juice and the thinly sliced lemon slices inject a further jolt of freshness to the yuzu broth, brightening yuzu’s floral and herbal flavors.
Kālua Pork
Tender, juicy and kissed with a touch of smoke, kālua pork is an iconic and revered Hawaiian dish dating back to the earliest settlers of the islands. Kālua, meaning “to cook in an underground oven,” is a cooking method brought by the Polynesians to what is now the Hawaiian islands. Traditionally, a whole pig is seasoned with Hawaiian sea salt, wrapped in locally grown ti leaves (which are also used to weave leis) and cooked in a pit oven called an imu for hours to serve at luaus and potlucks. While it’s not possible to replicate those traditional flavors and cooking techniques at home, you can still prepare a succulent and flavorful kālua pork using a handful of ingredients. Here, boneless pork shoulder (or Boston butt) is drizzled with hickory liquid smoke, seasoned with Hawaiian salt, wrapped with more widely available banana leaves, and slowly cooked to tenderness in a low oven. (You can also use a slow cooker; see Tip.) Serve kālua pork with rice and mac salad for a Hawaiian-style lunch plate.
Porcini Ragù
As a child living in Tuscany, Ixta Belfrage fell for a pasta rich with dried porcini mushrooms, served at the lone restaurant in the tiny mountain village of Acone. In her cookbook, “Mezcla” (Ten Speed Press, 2022), she pays homage to the power of porcini mushrooms, which are typically gathered from the wild and taste of it, luscious and nutty. They offer a shortcut to glory in this ragù that almost defies the name, because it doesn’t demand hours on the stove and attains a velvety intensity in practically no time at all. Leave the porcini to soak and swell back to life; chop; gently fry with tomato paste, garlic, chile and parsley; rain down black pepper; melt in some Parmesan; swirl with pasta water and porcini broth and let it bubble. A dab of cream, then a slicking and coating of the pasta, and it’s on the table.
Chicken Satay
Bursting with warming flavors and scents of spices like coriander, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric, this is a weeknight-friendly Thai chicken satay adapted from Canadian cookbook author and YouTube chef Pailin Chongchitnant. Satay, a popular street food of skewered marinated meats, made its way to Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries from Indonesia. Though it was originally prepared with beef, pork is now the most popular meat for satay in Thailand (and chicken is used more commonly outside of Thailand). In this version, adapted from Ms. Chongchitnant’s cookbook “Sabai” (Appetite by Random House, 2023), skewers of boneless marinated chicken breast are cooked on the grill or stovetop. A rich and sumptuous satay dipping sauce is prepared with roasted peanuts, coconut milk and red curry paste. Serve chicken satay with ajaad (tangy and crisp quick-pickled cucumbers) and a side of rice.
French Onion Orecchiette
This baked pasta highlights caramelized onions in a riff on French onion soup. French onion soup is about slowly caramelized onions with deep flavor. Always make extra caramelized onions and store them in the freezer for whenever you need to add more oomph in a flash. Coaxing the onions to caramelize does indeed take time, but shortcuts don’t create the same depth. The onions really need to spend time slowly sweetening over a low flame. If you feel like the bottom of the pan is scorching before the onions have caramelized sufficiently, add a splash of water to release the fond and incorporate it into the onions before continuing.
Khoresh Gheymeh (Meat and Split Pea Stew)
In the canon of iconic Iranian stews, khoresh gheymeh holds a top spot alongside classics like ghormeh sabzi. A seemingly humble dish of gently spiced meat and split peas, khoresh gheymeh can be served as a cozy home-cooked meal or a celebratory dish; in big batches as a means of giving alms to those in need; or during religious ceremonies. “Gheymeh” refers to the size of the meat, which should be cut into small pieces. Traditionally, lamb is used, but you can also use beef. The stew is enriched with starchy Iranian yellow split peas called lappeh (see Tip). In this version, the split peas are parcooked separately so their texture and cooking time can be controlled. The split peas finish cooking in the stew, becoming tender but holding their shape. Limoo Ammani, or dried limes, lend the stew its distinctly rich and earthy tang, but if you can’t find any, use lime or lemon juice. Khoresh gheymeh is famously topped with either fried matchstick potatoes (see Tip) or fried eggplant; this version uses potatoes. Spoon the stew over rice and serve, if you like, with Shirazi salad.
Boulèts (Epis-Spiced Meatballs)
A favorite of the chef Elsy Dinvil, these tender fried beef meatballs were a common sight on her childhood dinner table in Jérémie, Haiti. Comforting yet complex thanks to epis, a Haitian seasoning blend made with herbs and spices, they’re a great addition to rice or even some crusty bread. You can enjoy them as is or with the piquant onion and tomato sauce below. If you like heat, be sure to break open the Scotch bonnet chile after it’s tender from stewing, and it’ll give the sauce a hot, fruity flavor.
Cashew Butter Chicken Korma
South Asian korma is typically a nutty, creamy and comforting meat or veggie curry, mildly spiced and prepared with yogurt and cream. This version calls for chicken and instead of a homemade paste of crushed cashews, includes cashew butter, saving time and adding another layer of luxury to the dish. The end result is an efficient yet decadent meal in about 30 minutes, with a hint of heat from chile powder. Riff on it by adding quick-cooking veggies if you like, and serve with rice or roti.
Lo Han Jai (Buddha’s Delight)
On Lunar New Year’s Day, many Cantonese families will make a pot of lo han jai, also known as Buddha’s delight. The vegan dish is rooted in Buddhist tradition, which prescribes that a meat-free diet be observed during the new year as a form of self-purification and to welcome good luck. Delicious any time of year, Lo han jai has transcended Lunar New Year and is nowadays enjoyed as an everyday dinner dish. There is no single recipe for lo han jai — families are likely to have their own versions — but the key is to create a textural dish by bringing together dried and fresh vegetables. Swap out any of the ingredients you cannot find and consider substituting with other vegetables such as carrot, sugar snap peas, lotus root, baby corn or cauliflower.
Spinach and Gungo Pea Soup
When the winter soup rotation starts to feel a bit stodgy, reach for this more-green-than-bean recipe. Also labeled as pigeon peas, gandules or whole toor, depending on where you may purchase them, gungo peas are earthy and starchy, with a flavor similar to black-eyed peas. Bacon, in the form of both rendered bacon fat and crumbled bacon bits, offers smoky and savory notes to the soup. Seemingly endless piles of baby spinach finish the soup just before a portion of it is blitzed with an immersion blender, which adds body and encourages even more melding of flavors than the long simmer.
Shake and Bake Pork Chops
This homemade version of the nostalgic seasoned bread crumbs from the supermarket yields pork chops that cook up almost as easy and fast — and even juicier. The recipe also gives your spice cabinet a workout with a delicious blend of spices. Start by brushing a thin layer of mayonnaise on boneless pork chops to lock in moisture and add flavor. Then coat the chops in a heavily seasoned sweet and savory bread crumb mix and bake until perfectly crispy and moist. Served with applesauce on the side, these pork chops are perfect for quick weeknight dinners. In fact, the bread crumb mix can be made in large batches so it is always on hand.
Creamy Cauliflower-Cashew Soup
Creamy and comforting, this cauliflower soup happens to be vegan, and takes its silky texture from being simmered and thickened with roasted cashews. The nuttiness of the cauliflower and the cashews is balanced by the addition of a tart apple. The preferred thickness of creamed soups varies, so if the soup feels too thick, just adjust it to your ideal level of creaminess, adding more stock or water — and an additional sprinkle of salt — as needed.
Gombaleves (Creamy Mushroom Soup)
This hearty, warming soup is a Hungarian version of creamy mushroom soup, with a good dose of Hungarian paprika and fragrant dried herbs imparting its unique, earthy hue and flavor. Although any mix of wild mushrooms can be used, common white button or cremini mushrooms are wonderful here (or use a combination); the key is to lightly caramelize them to maximize their complexity. A final swirl of tangy sour cream and lemon juice brightens the rich, creamy soup.
Roasted Spiced Squash With Whipped Feta and Pistachios
Sweet and nutty, squash never fails to bring quiet luxury to the plate. Here, a generous dusting of cumin and coriander accentuates its earthiness and tempers its sweetness. (The cumin and coriander could easily be replaced with a spice blend like ras el hanout, baharat, garam masala or five-spice powder). Thin-skinned varieties of squash such as butternut, honey nut or delicata are easy to prepare (as they need no peeling), and the skin adds an essential textural bite to this dish. The velvety whipped feta is adaptable and versatile; you can add a handful of herbs to inject some color or drizzle in a tablespoon or two of olive oil for a richer finish. For an even heartier dish, roast some chickpeas alongside the squash. Have some bread or flatbread on hand to mop up the whipped feta.
Miso-Maple Sheet-Pan Chicken With Brussels Sprouts
Doused in a sweet and salty marinade, this roasted maple-miso chicken with Brussels sprouts is as doable as it is delicious. With less than 15 minutes at a high temperature, the cubed chicken develops a sticky, shiny, slightly charred exterior, while maintaining a tender and juicy interior. Brushing the chicken mid-bake with marinade might seem a little fussy, but those sweet, caramelized pockets of flavor on top of the chicken are a worthy reward. If you’re looking for some additional brightness, top the chicken with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of rice vinegar. Serve over a bowl of rice or polenta.
Sardine and Egg Sandwich
In 1939, New Orleans chef Lena Richard self-published a cookbook to meet the demand for her recipes. She was the first Black person to host a cooking show and also owned restaurants, had a line of frozen foods and founded a catering company and cooking school. In addition to showcasing the Creole dishes of New Orleans, “Lena Richard’s Cook Book” included a whole chapter on sandwiches for luncheons and tea time. This four-ingredient mix comes together easily and tastes both complex and comfortingly simple. The recipe below reflects her book’s version and the tips added here offer guidance for cooks today.