Vegetarian
6938 recipes found
Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Rolls
Tangy and bright, these phyllo rolls make for a great appetizer when you’re preparing food to entertain or to share. The star here is the sumac onion filling, which adds a wonderfully sharp surprise inside crispy phyllo. Though these rolls gain complexity from feta, halloumi, toasted pine nuts and fresh spinach, mint and parsley, they’re also quite forgiving in that you can always use different cheeses, herbs or nuts. Feel free to play around with different phyllo shapes; thicker cigars or even triangles both look great.
Simple Slaw
Clean and simple. Eight ingredients — apple cider, cider vinegar, cabbage, mustard seeds, celery seeds, sugar, salt and pepper to taste — combine into what ought to be a staple of your repertoire. You’ll need to cook the cider down by half before using it, but everything else goes in raw, and the combination matures over the course of a few hours into a side dish that can accompany just about anything grilled or roasted, pulled or hacked.
Yogurty Butter Beans With Pistachio Dukkah
This is the kind of mezze you’d want to serve at the first sign of spring, when the days are a little brighter, the air a little lighter and the cooler temperatures are finally behind us (we made it!). Of course, it’s delicious all year round. This dish is all about the layering of crunchy dukkah over tender butter beans with peas and herbs coated in a creamy, garlicky yogurt dressing for the perfect bite. Serve with crisp lettuce, or bread if you like, as a light lunch or as part of a mezze spread.
Pesto Pasta With White Beans and Halloumi
This vegetarian weeknight dinner comes together in half an hour and is made super special with the addition of halloumi. It looks like a fluffy cloud when grated, and it gives the pasta just the right amount of salty tang. Be sure to use a very fine grater, like a Microplane, when you prepare the halloumi, as it will only add to the fluffy effect (which is what you’re after). This is a full meal in its own right, but you can also serve it alongside a big green salad.
Watercress, Pistachio and Orange-Blossom Salad
Tarragon, basil, dill and cilantro are elevated from garnish to the centerpiece of this dish from Yotam Ottolenghi.
Smashed Cucumbers With Cumin Tahini
Cool, watery cucumbers and warm, rich sesame oil are a classic combination in Asia, and the chef Danny Bowien builds on that tradition here by using sesame paste and smashed cucumbers, which have even more crunch and juice than sliced ones. The lime, oregano and cumin in the dressing can lean either Middle Eastern or Mexican, but in any case they are a perfect pairing for cucumbers. Mr. Bowien adds a pinch of sugar to the strainer; it does wonders for transforming the color and taste of the cucumber peels, which can be bitter. He serves this dish with a funky, fiery drizzle of chorizo oil with dried shrimp and XO sauce, but a little chile paste and vinegar is a fine accent, too.
Beans Marbella
This recipe started as a wisp of an idea in The Veggie, our weekly newsletter about vegetarian home cooking, inspired by that iconic dish chicken Marbella, made famous in “The Silver Palate Cookbook.” Instead of chicken, a pot of thin-skinned, creamy beans and their rich cooking liquid form the base, which are then added to a pan of fried garlic and reduced red wine with plenty of olive oil, prunes and olives. They’re then topped with a simple roasted potato salad, dressed with vinegar-soaked shallots, capers and parsley. It’s not an exact replica of chicken Marbella, but it’s a beautiful and satisfying way to enjoy its familiar flavors — the tangy, briny sharpness of vinegar, capers and olives, set against the sweetness of prunes. You can serve the dish as is, but it’s even more luxurious with some thickly sliced and toasted bread, brushed with olive oil and garlic.
Southern Macaroni and Cheese
There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place.
Ginger Beer-Glazed Butternut Squash With Gremolata
While most winter squash recipes call for roasting the firm vegetable until nutty and caramelized, this recipe highlights the vegetable’s creamy texture and sweet notes by simmering it in ginger beer until supple. Like many glazed recipes, this one showcases the beauty of great timing: When the squash is done cooking, the liquid will have reduced to a glossy sauce (provided you’ve cut the squash into 1-inch pieces). Topping the mixture with a confetti-like gremolata of chopped ginger, garlic, parsley and orange zest turns this into a cold-weather side that sparkles.
Chard Cakes With Sorrel Sauce
Sweet Plantain Fries
Like maduros or dodo, these feature ripe plantains, but the cut here gives even more room for crisp, caramelized outsides and sweet, tender insides. You want very ripe plantains, which are high in sugars that will caramelize in the hot oil. For some brightness, you could also finish this with citrus salt, or take a cue from dodo and squeeze lime juice over. Pair these with something light and spicy, like jerk salmon or a citrusy roast chicken, or something light off the grill, like a salmon or turkey burger.
Mushroom Toast With Pea Purée
This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen. Take a bag of frozen organic peas and heat them in a little bit of boiling water for a couple of minutes to get them warm and cooked through, then drain them off and whiz them in a food processor with a hit of olive oil, some lemon juice and, if you have any, some tarragon leaves, until it resembles a thickish purée. Next, sauté a bunch of thick-sliced portobellos (count on about two mushrooms per person) in a lot of butter with a little bit of garlic. Really cook those down. Finally, make toast from hefty slices of your favorite bread, spread them with the pea purée, top with the mushrooms and — dinner! Sam Sifton features a no-recipe recipe every Wednesday in his What to Cook newsletter. Sign up to receive it. You can find more no-recipe recipes here.
Mushroom and Beet Borscht
This lighter, vegetarian version of hot borscht has the depth of flavor that a meaty backdrop provides, without overpowering the winelike, heady flavor of the beets.
Phyllo Triangles With Squash and Mint
When you make these baked Greek phyllo bites, you have to take care that the pastry does not dry out, which will cause it to crack when you fold the triangles. Keep the sheets and strips you are not working with covered with a damp towel to avoid this. If you do have a problem with cracking, wrap each triangle in another strip of phyllo.
Crunchy Spring Iceberg Salad
A big plate of greens may feel virtuous, but this one is also luxurious. This is a very green salad, with chunks of crisp iceberg lettuce serving as a bed for briefly blanched peas and asparagus, topped with a cooling-yet-spicy cilantro yogurt. Tearing the iceberg into bite-size chunks makes this an easy-to-eat salad, no knife required. It’s particularly great for outdoor dining or for those who need to eat with one hand. (We see you, new parents.) The feta adds lovely hints of tang and saltiness that work well with the herbaceous yogurt. The peas and asparagus bring freshness; you could also use other springtime staples such as snow peas, sugar snap peas or sliced radish. Serve with jammy boiled eggs for something heartier.
Savory Thai Noodles With Seared Brussels Sprouts
Isa Chandra Moskowitz runs a vegan restaurant in Omaha, Neb., so she knows how to make plant-based food that meat-eaters will also like. This one-pot noodle dish, loosely based on pad Thai, has lively textures (like shredded brussels sprouts and chewy rice noodles) and super-satisfying flavors.
Fettuccine With Ricotta and a Fistful of Mint
This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen. Set a pot of nicely salted water over high heat to boil. When it does, add the fettuccine, then get the rest of your dinner ready as it cooks to al dente. Chop up a fistful of mint and a small shallot if you have one (half a small onion if you don’t), mixing them into a cup or two of fresh ricotta, then loosening the mixture with a healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add some salt and pepper to taste, perhaps a shake of red pepper. When the pasta’s done, which’ll be about the same time as you’re done with the sauce, drain it in a colander and add it to a big warm bowl, then fold the cheese into it, mixing gently. Serve to adoration. Sam Sifton features a no-recipe recipe every Wednesday in his What to Cook newsletter. Sign up to receive it. You can find more no-recipe recipes here.
Roasted Delicata Squash and Mushrooms With Whipped Ricotta
Delicata squash has a delicate, edible skin, which eliminates the need to peel the fruit before roasting. The roasted flesh becomes golden, creamy and naturally sweet, balancing the earthy and meaty caramelized mushrooms. Ricotta cheese is transformed into a cool, creamy sauce with flavors reminiscent of ranch dressing; a quick spin in the food processor renders the grainy ricotta smooth and silky. Leftover sauce thickens in the fridge and makes a tasty spread for sandwiches, avocado toast or bagels and lox.
Spicy Red Pesto Pasta
Today, pesto describes many sauces that don’t necessarily adhere to the traditional formula of cheese, basil, nuts and olive oil. This red version, which is inspired by pesto alla Siciliana, the scarlet cousin of green pesto Genovese, leans on sun-dried tomatoes, nuts and tangy roasted red peppers and uses basil as a garnish only. Though pesto is traditionally pounded by hand, a food processor simplifies the effort. This pasta sauce is versatile: Crown it with lemon zest for brightness, or stir in heavy cream for extra richness. Should you find yourself with extra pesto, drizzle it over steak, slather it on sandwiches or serve it alongside a cheese board or crudités.
Fried Okra With Rémoulade
“Fresh, never frozen” — that’s Joseph J. Boudreaux III’s motto when it comes to making the best fried okra. The Tipping Point Coffee co-owner and Houston home cook believes fried okra relies on fresh okra pods and a righteous cornmeal breading. Paired with a creamy rémoulade that’s infused with a bit of heat, Mr. Boudreaux’s fried okra recipe pays homage to his father, who grows the flowering plant right in his backyard in Texas. It captures all that the South adores about the quintessential summer side: simplicity, ease and plenty of flavor. If you'd rather not deep-fry, you also can pan-fry okra or stir-fry it.
Quick Pickles
Keep this easy recipe in your back pocket for when you want to add crunchy, zingy punch to whatever you're serving. The flavor of the rice vinegar creates a pickle that goes particularly well with Asian dishes.
Cabbage and Potato Gratin
Like slow-cooked onions, slow-cooked cabbage takes on color, becoming meltingly tender and sweet. Because of the bulk of the potatoes, this gratin makes a satisfying vegetarian main dish, though it certainly works just as well as a side.
Grits and Greens
This weeknight dinner is the perfect homey and rustic dish. Quick-cooking grits become extra flavorful because they are simmered in vegetable stock and get a creamy bite from the combination of milk and sharp Cheddar that’s stirred in once the grits are tender. Using both collard greens and Swiss chard lends more interesting and varied tastes and textures. Because the leaves are cooked just until wilted, apple cider vinegar is added at the end to help balance out any bitterness. A little hot sauce splashed on just before serving helps tie the entire dish together, awakening the flavors in both the greens and grits.
Pan-Fried Okra
As one of the most respected cooks in America’s Lowcountry region, Emily Meggett knows a thing or two about taking humble ingredients and transforming them into an irresistible plate of food. Such is the case for the matriarch’s pan-fried okra, from her cookbook “Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes From the Matriarch of Edisto Island” (Abrams, 2022), a book that I co-wrote. Her recipe is constructed around the use of fresh, seasonal okra pods. Mrs. Meggett dismisses what she views as the excessive use of dairy-based cornmeal batters in restaurant versions of fried okra; instead, she lightly coats her okra, allowing the beauty and taste of the vegetable to shine in each mouthful.