Vegetarian
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Japanese Sweet Potatoes With Maple-Tahini Crème Fraîche
Compared to garnet sweet potatoes and other types of sweet potatoes, the flesh of the Japanese variety is pale in color, sweeter and somewhat drier. This means that after cooking, they become pleasantly fluffy and creamy, as opposed to watery, and are ready to take on copious amounts of dairy and salt. Here they are topped with a super-simple tahini crème fraîche. Feel free to use sour cream as a substitute for the crème fraîche, but you may want to adjust the lemon juice as sour cream has a bit more tang. If you don’t have a steamer basket or colander that can accommodate 2½ pounds of potatoes, simply roast them.
Cabbage With Spiced Rum Butter and Scallions
Steamed cabbage is easily the unsung hero of any Jamaican takeout container. This recipe mimics the well-seasoned Caribbean side dish with a few additions and subtractions. Regardless of its edits, this particular steamed cabbage is a top choice to nestle next to rice and peas, brown stew chicken, fried plantains or all three. A spiced butter enriched with rum adds a few extra layers of flavor, and an entire bunch of scallions, along with onion and garlic, provide plenty of savory allium notes. Instead of including a more typical blend of carrots, bell peppers and other vegetables, the cabbage takes center stage as the star of the dish. Steaming the cabbage with the least amount of added moisture takes some attention and monitoring, but the concentrated flavors are worth the effort.
Beet Salad With Celery and Pomegranate
It’s nice to make this beet salad in winter when pomegranates are available. For the best result, cook your own beets — simply boil or roast them any time you have a free moment, even a day or two ahead. Then, slip off the skins while the beets are still slightly warm. Slice them just before you make the salad. Sumac, available in Middle Eastern grocery shops, adds tartness, as would a spoonful of pomegranate molasses. To serve, toss with chopped celery and mint, then garnish with pomegranate seeds. It’s a feast for the eyes.
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.
Leafy Greens With Turmeric Dressing and Spicy Pistachios
If there’s going to be a salad at any celebration, it deserves to feel as festive as the rest of the menu — but it should also be simple. Golden turmeric dressing will add brightness to any greens you choose, but it works especially well with bitter ones. The quick candied nuts add crunch, plus a dose of heat that keeps guests coming back for another forkful. If you tend to snack on what you’re cooking as you go, make a double batch of nuts so there will be enough to go around.
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.
Yamitsuki (Addictive Cabbage)
In Japanese, “yamitsuki” means addictive — a precise description of this seemingly humble side dish of cabbage, gently torn and simply anointed with sesame oil and seeds, garlic, black pepper and a fingerprint’s worth of salt. So few ingredients, so little time required, and you can’t stop eating it. Often served at izakayas, the Japanese equivalent of pubs, the cabbage is especially good for refreshing the palate and easing the stomach between bites of richer, fattier foods. Aiko Cascio, an instructor for the New York-based League of Kitchens cooking school, prefers tearing the leaves by hand rather than using a knife because the rougher edges absorb more of the sesame oil. This recipe, from “The League of Kitchens Cookbook” (Harvest, 2024) by Lisa Kyung Gross, Rachel Wharton and the women of the League of Kitchens cooking school, calls for flathead cabbage, also known as Taiwanese cabbage, which is soft and tender, with space between the ribs. If you can find only green, Ms. Cascio advises cutting it into smaller pieces and letting it rest a little longer in salt, for greater pliancy.
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.
Pão de Queijo (Chewy Cheese Buns)
Brazil's pão de queijo stands out among Latin American cheese breads for its simplicity and irresistible chewiness. The secret lies in tapioca starch, extracted from cassava root (also known as manioc or yuca) native to Brazil, which gives these buns their distinctive texture. Pão de queijo is traditionally made with queijo minas, a cow’s milk cheese with a mild flavor, plus sweet or sour tapioca starch (or both), but this adapted version uses more readily available cheeses and omits the sour tapioca starch without compromising that addictive chewy texture. The straightforward nature of this recipe is a great way to highlight your favorite cheese's flavor. While pão de queijo is traditionally enjoyed on its own, the optional tangy, sweet-heat guava dipping sauce pairs perfectly with it, offering a Caribbean twist on that classic guava and cheese pairing. You can freeze the buns for future meals and bake them off as needed, as they are best eaten the same day they are baked.
Vegan Latkes
You don’t need to use an egg substitute like flax seeds or aquafaba to make excellent vegan latkes. The key is to use flour to bind the potato strands together, then leave the latkes alone in the pan as they cook thoroughly on the first side before flipping them. (Too much flipping can cause them to fall apart.) Once the latkes form a golden-brown crust on the first side, carefully turn them over to finish cooking. For the crispiest result, you can add the potato starch lost in squeezing back into the batter (see the Tip for details). It does add an extra step and 15 minutes to the process, but it’s easy and worth it for latkes lovers who live for the crunch.
Vegetarian Miso-Mushroom Sausage Rolls
The art of a delicious vegetarian sausage roll is in creating a filling that is just as moist and juicy as the original. This recipe turns to mushrooms to achieve that feat. Naturally packed with water, mushrooms keep the filling moist while imparting an immense savoriness that is reinforced by miso paste. Using two different types of mushrooms — a combination of cremini or button mushrooms and shiitake, oyster or other wild mushrooms — adds more flavor and texture, but feel free to experiment with other varieties. These bite-size mini rolls are perfect for sharing and can be made ahead of time and frozen (see Tip), so are well suited to potlucks, picnics or any holiday table. A tip: The mushroom mixture doubles as a great vegetarian burger; simply shape into patties and pan-fry until golden.
Brussels Sprouts Gratin With Blue Cheese
Brussels sprouts are shredded and baked in a rich Gorgonzola cream topped with crushed, crispy fried onions in this lush casserole; its silky sauce is built in a blender to prevent clumps. To “shred” the brussel sprouts, discard any wilted or dark outer leaves, and using a sharp knife, trim off the ends, then thinly slice the sprouts across the core. But you can also slice them in a food processor equipped with a slicer blade or buy them pre-shredded.
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.
Cheese Puff
Cheese puff is a scene-stealing side dish in which gooey grilled cheese meets cloudlike soufflé, defining itself as the ultimate comfort food. White bread, salted butter and cheese get bound together by a simple egg-and-milk mixture that coalesces these humble ingredients into a savory bread pudding. Stale bread works best for this recipe, as it absorbs the milk mixture better, but if you’re using fresh sandwich bread, simply dry it out in a low oven for about 10 minutes until stale to the touch (but not browned). Don’t be alarmed if your cheese puff deflates when you take it from the oven, as it’s normal and makes for a more custardy bite. While sharp Cheddar is a key component, any mix of firm, well-melting cheese, such as Gruyère, Gouda or provolone, will work nicely.
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.
Kettle Corn
Crunchy, sweet and salty kettle corn is a nostalgic childhood reminder of fairs, farmers markets and snack shacks. A feel-good anytime snack that is hard to walk away from, homemade kettle corn can be prepared easily with a handful of ingredients. Use a large (6-quart), tall and wide pot so the kernels have plenty of room to pop and the sugar doesn’t burn. A lighter-weight pot is also helpful to minimize the workout your arms will be getting with all the shaking. A glass lid is useful to better keep an eye on the kernels as they pop. You’ll be tempted to keep popping every last kernel, but it’s best to lose a few kernels than risk scorching the kettle corn and ruining the whole batch. Err on the side of caution, and remove the pot from the heat sooner than later. Kettle corn is best served right away but will keep, covered, for up to 5 days.
Olive-Oil Mashed Potatoes With Bay Leaves
These simple but profoundly delicious mashed potatoes, from the chef Nick Anderer of Anton’s in Manhattan’s West Village, highlight the power of fresh bay leaves and their woodsy bouquet. Milky, peppery and umami-accented, these spuds achieve the perfect balance of starch, liquid and fat, and are special enough for a holiday dinner but easy enough for Sunday supper. Mr. Anderer uses a gentle folding motion to distribute the milk, fat and cheese so that, in his words, “every bit of potato is moistened and seasoned.” Feel free to halve the amounts if you’re not cooking this for a holiday crowd, and yes, they can be made ahead of time (see Tip).
Ginger Sesame Granola
Anchored by earthy tahini, oats and almonds, this just-sweet-enough mixture pops with each bite of vibrant candied ginger. A touch of zippy ground cardamom and floral vanilla and a generous dose of flaky salt further enhance the complex aromas. The addition of egg whites helps to bind the ingredients together and provide an extra boost of morning protein, although they are easily omitted to accommodate dietary restrictions. Make a big batch in the evening to warm and perfume your home, then enjoy it sprinkled over yogurt for an easy breakfast.
Hot Honey Baked Sweet Potatoes
Goat cheese and honey are a tried-and-true dream flavor pairing, but goat-cheese whipped cream and hot honey turn simple baked sweet potatoes into a veritable party. The combination of rosemary and nuts atop these plush orange babies is reminiscent of bar nuts.
Caramelized Kimchi Baked Potatoes
In this otherwise classic baked potato, kimchi is stepping in for bacon. It’s cooked down in a hot pan with butter and sesame oil to mellow its sharp, tangy edges while concentrating its salty savoriness. A pinch of sugar, though optional, helps the kimchi caramelize. Piled high on a fluffy baked potato, the umami-rich kimchi tastes fabulous with melted extra-sharp Cheddar and cooling sour cream. With such simple ingredients, it helps to really pile them on for maximum flavor impact.
Aglio e Olio Baked Potatoes
The classic Italian combination of aglio e olio (garlic and oil) finds a melodic expression in these Parmesan-festooned baked potatoes. Underneath the fluffy mounds of cheese is garlicky mayonnaise, which, when stirred into a hot pillowy spud, brings a comforting reminder of potato salad. In this recipe, it’s the little things that make a big flavor impact: Use fresh parsley or chives, crushed red pepper that smells fruity and looks jewel-bright, black peppercorns that you’ve toasted and cracked yourself (if you have the patience) and a flavorful extra-virgin olive oil that’s bold, bright or peppery. As in the simple but impactful pasta dish aglio e olio, these baked potatoes pack the biggest punch when each piece plays its part.
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.
Green Beans Almondine
This classic French dish of green beans or haricots verts is an all-star holiday side. The French name for the preparation, “amandine,” means “cooked or served with almonds” and, going back to its Latin origins, also means “worthy of love”. Luckily, this recipe translates to both. It comes together fast and is easy to get on the table while cooking a big meal, plus the more time-consuming steps can be done in advance. Haricot verts are often preferred because of their crunchiness, but any green bean will shine just as bright when tossed in butter, shallots and garlic and topped with toasted slivered almonds.
Simple Boiled Greens
Greens, boiled in properly salted water, make an ideal companion to almost any dish. Served with spiced duck, or a similar saucy braise, they provide soft, nourishing relief to every eater and gallantly soak up what’s on the plate. Dinosaur kale (also known as lacinato or Tuscan kale), Savoy cabbage and brussels sprouts are particularly suitable during winter. Let the greens drain and steam dry fully before drizzling with olive oil or topping with a knob of butter.