Weeknight
3510 recipes found
Pork Tenderloin With Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Oregano Vinaigrette
This easy sheet-pan meal starts by roasting pork, cherry tomatoes and chickpeas with nothing more than oil, salt and pepper. No need to brown the meat first; you’ll get plenty of flavor from the punchy combination of oregano, garlic, oil and vinegar that is poured over everything after roasting. As the pork rests, its juices mingle with the vinaigrette and roasted tomatoes to form a sauce for the tender meat and plumped chickpeas. Serve it alongside a green salad, grains or orzo, a spoonful of Greek yogurt, crumbled feta or a pita warmed in the hot oven.
Broccoli Rice With Eggs
This simple one-pot broccoli rice is a cozy weeknight option that will delight both adults and children alike. When cooking a simple bowl of rice, adding oil and salt to the cooking water is an easy way to bring indulgence, and, in Cantonese home kitchens, this is often a way to repurpose oil previously used for deep-frying. Oil imparts a silky mouthfeel to the rice while preventing the rice from sticking, resulting in slick, pearly, separated grains. Finely chopped, crisp-tender broccoli adds a fresh, subtle sweetness and hearty texture to the rice. Complete the dish with a hearty fried egg, drizzled with an easy soy sauce and oil seasoning to add savoriness that is not overly salty. If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover broccoli rice, it can easily be repurposed into fried rice.
Tomato and Egg Noodles
Inspired by the beloved, homestyle Chinese dish stir-fried tomato and eggs, this recipe takes a fresh approach by using uncooked tomatoes. While the kid-friendly, sweet-and-salty flavor profile of the original dish is present here, the seasoning of salt, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil also doubles as a quick pickling liquid for the tomatoes, softening them and drawing out their tangy juice. The ginger is recommended, but is optional to accommodate picky palates. Soft eggs are the key, so cook them quickly and briefly, and add them straight to the tomatoes as soon as they are ready to stop them from cooking further. The tomatoes can be marinated up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator, which can draw out even more flavor. (If doing this, bring the tomatoes back to room temperature for 30 minutes before adding the eggs and noodles.) This dish is best served at room temperature.
Cheesy Gnocchi With Corn and Pesto
Tasty and effortless, store-bought gnocchi offers a much-needed shortcut for busy weeknight dinners. You can bypass boiling a pot of water for the gnocchi, and instead simply give them a quick sear over high heat, which creates perfectly crispy edges. Toss the crispy gnocchi with lots of sweet, fresh corn kernels, prepared pesto and a hefty sprinkle of grated cheese, and broil until the cheese gets bubbly, gooey and slightly charred in spots. The molten cheese brings all the ingredients together, but a high ratio of corn to dumpling and the bright basil in the pesto keep this dish light enough for summer.
Chicken Mazemen
Quick and flavorful, mazemen is a brothless ramen that was created in Japan as a quick bite that is both easy to eat and satisfying. This homemade version is simple and easy, thanks to fast-cooking ground chicken and some everyday pantry ingredients that effortlessly create a rich sauce. Swirling tahini into the noodles at the end creates the silky texture. Fresh ramen noodles give a more authentic texture to the dish, but dried ramen also works nicely. A fresh topping of bean sprouts and grated radishes wakes up the dish; chopped cucumbers would be great, too. Enjoy the mazemen warm or at room temperature.
Vegan Dan Dan Salad
Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), as the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and chile oil transforms nicely into an assertive dressing. Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the sauce, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles. Adapt this salad throughout the year by adding seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach or green beans.
Turnips With Whipped Pistachio Feta
Tender and juicy hakurei turnips, sometimes known as Japanese turnips, always feel like a treat. With a crisp flesh that is reminiscent of apples, they can be eaten raw, sliced thinly and adding a nice crunch to salads, or cooked, which coaxes out a buttery flavor. That said, if you can’t find hakurei turnips, radishes will do, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories” (Knopf, 2025). Pan-frying turns turnips juicy, tender and extremely easy to eat. The whipped pistachio feta is joyous: creamy and nutty, a perfect base for not only these turnips, but also for just about any roasted vegetable. If you can find a vegan feta that you like, use it here, as it works just as well as dairy-based feta. If your turnips have tops, reserve them to use in this salad. Turnip greens are mild and crisp, similar in taste to bok choy, and can also be stir-fried, so never throw them away.
Dan Dan Noodle Salad
Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), as the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and chile oil transforms nicely into an assertive dressing. Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the sauce, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles. Adapt this salad throughout the year by adding seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach or green beans.
Smoky Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos
The smoky heat of chipotle chiles, combined with the sweetness of sweet potatoes and the heartiness of saucy beans come together in a chewy flour-tortilla burrito that’s ready to be your meal prep darling. Inspired by Mexican tinga, a classic guisado that builds off of the complex sweet and tangy flavor of chipotles en adobo, these burritos can be served fresh for dinner with a big green salad or Mexican rice, or wrapped up for easy lunches throughout the week. Feel free to get creative with your add-ins: Leftover rice makes them extra hearty, sliced avocado adds richness and pickled jalapeños bring spicy brightness. The filling alone is delicious served over rice and topped with greens as a tinga bowl. Best of all, these burritos freeze beautifully, giving you a stash of satisfying desk lunches that reheat in just 5 minutes.
Tofu and Broccoli
Salty with soy sauce and spiced with fresh ginger, this tofu and broccoli dish captures the comforting flavors of your favorite takeout, but can be made fresh, with minimal effort, at home. It comes together in no time and is incredibly satisfying. Tofu lightly tossed in cornstarch and then crisped up absorbs the simple soy-and-sugar glaze to create the most satisfying texture. And the lightly charred broccoli only deepens the flavor. Serve it over a bed of steamed rice for an inexpensive dinner that is as quick as it is delicious.
Roasted Cabbage and Butter Beans
Ribbons of cabbage are roasted until they are sweet and caramelized then tossed with butter beans, garlic and anchovies and finished with fresh parsley; the details make this dish surprisingly flavorful for such a simple ingredient list. An easy and affordable way to get dinner on the table, this recipe makes a hearty main dish served with hunks of crusty bread, or a hardworking side dish next to your favorite protein. If you cannot find butter beans, cannellini beans make a perfect (though smaller) substitute. If you are seeking a vegetarian alternative, a few tablespoons of chopped capers make a great substitute for the flavor that the anchovies add.
Coconut Creamed Spinach With Chicken Thighs
In this creamed spinach skillet dinner, the nostalgic steakhouse side takes center stage. For a lighter, streamlined version, canned coconut milk replaces the rich dairy elements like cream cheese, milk or heavy cream. The sauce follows in the footsteps of a classic béchamel sauce, with some ingredient changes made along the way, like using schmaltz instead of butter for the roux and replacing the whole milk with creamy coconut milk. Enriched with shallots and garlic, and spiced with a dash of nutmeg, the sauce is then mixed with thawed frozen spinach. After simmering the seared chicken thighs in the coconut creamed spinach, they get broiled with a sprinkle of coconut flakes, which bring a boost of texture and cohesiveness to the dish. Serve with toasted bread for a comforting weeknight meal.
Miso Eggplant Salad With Chickpeas
The flawless flavor pairing found in the popular Japanese dish miso-glazed eggplant serves as inspiration for this bold and textural salad. For high-temperature roasting, cutting the eggplant into chunky pieces optimizes golden, crisp edges with a buttery and silky interior. The vinaigrette is a standout, punchy from the ginger, intensely savory from the miso, with a sweet hum from the mirin. The simplicity of a salad founded on just eggplant and chickpeas makes this an excellent weeknight option, but there are also many ways to add more heft: Incorporate a few handfuls of spinach, add some pan-fried or baked tofu, or toss with some cold soba noodles.
Eggplant Chickpea Salad With Olive Dressing
This roasted vegetable salad combines caramelized, smoky vegetables with a simple, punchy sauce made of green olives, lemon, shallots and olive oil. The vegetables develop deep, rich flavors, while the bright, tangy sauce and feta cheese ties everything together. The salad is great on its own as a vegetarian main, or alongside some pan-roasted sausages if you want to make it a little more hearty. If you’re meal prepping, keep the sauce separate and drizzle it on last so that the vegetables stay vibrant and fresh.
Crispy Beans and Juicy Tomatoes Over Tahini Yogurt
Pantry ingredients – canned beans, garlic and olive oil – turn into a satisfying plant-forward weeknight dinner thanks to the magic of a hot oven. Roasting beans transforms them from soft to shockingly crisp while cherry tomatoes, even out-of-season supermarket ones, morph into glistening, juicy pops of sweetness. While the oven works its charm, whip up a creamy tahini-yogurt sauce brightened by lemon and garlic. The cooling yogurt with warm tomatoes and crispy beans makes for a fun contrast of textures and temperatures. Top it off with arugula dressed with the sweet, garlicky tomato juices and scoop up everything with crusty bread. If you don’t have good yogurt, this meal is also excellent served over Whipped Tofu Ricotta. (Watch Nisha make this recipe on YouTube.)
Braised Lemon Pepper Chicken Legs
This bright and brothy braise makes a big impact with only a handful of pantry staples thanks to a trick borrowed from Bangladeshi cooking, where chicken is gently simmered in blended onion and garlic. The allium purée caramelizes lightly, adds body to the sauce and offers a delicate aroma which grounds the perky lemon and cracked pepper seasoning. Round out the meal with a crusty baguette and simple leafy salad.
Ras el Hanout Chickpea and Spinach Stew
This warming one-pot stew delivers the depth and comfort of a long-simmered meal in a fraction of the time. Chickpeas and spinach braise in a richly spiced tomato base, creating layers of warmth and complexity. Ras el hanout, a fragrant Moroccan spice blend, gives the dish its signature aromatic depth; gently toasted tomato paste intensifies its flavor even further. A splash of soy sauce provides an unexpected but welcome hit of umami, rounding out the dish with a richness that mimics a stew that's been bubbling away for hours. Served with a generous spoonful of yogurt (or a squeeze of lemon) and a drizzle of harissa oil to cut through the richness, it's perfect with crusty bread or spooned over grains like rice, barley, bulgur or quinoa.
Spicy Gazpacho
This bright and vegetal gazpacho is a cooling summertime soup or even a refreshing drink, straight from a glass. Red Fresno chile imparts lively heat (remove some or all of the seeds for a milder soup) along with nice fruity notes that complement the other veggies. Olive oil is simply whisked in at the end to ensure a velvety texture that eats silkier than fully blended gazpacho, which is more aerated and frothy. This gazpacho is best served cold, so make it a few hours ahead and keep chilled, or try this speedy solution: Serve it over ice.
Spice-Rubbed Grilled Turkey Tenderloins
While the sweet and smoky, barbecue-esque rub of this recipe would work just as well on mild-mannered chicken, it pairs particularly well with the meatier, richer taste of turkey. Though turkey is far too often relegated to just once a year, turkey breast tenderloins cook quickly, they’re just as lean as chicken and make great sandwiches. You’ll typically find them in packs of two, so grill them both, eating one now and saving the other for later, for meal prep made simple. Throw some peppers, onions, corn or zucchini on the grill to serve alongside the turkey for an easy, one-and-done dinner.
Spicy Jalapeño Cheeseburgers
It takes years to become a master burger flipper, and it’s worth the practice for incredible smash burgers at home. This special recipe and technique, from 7th Street Burger in New York City, teaches you that the best burgers are griddled hot and fast on a flat surface. A large skillet works well for two burgers. A stainless steel pan gives you the best browned crust, but cast iron is good too. Restaurant chefs have meat presses to flatten the patty, but at home you can use any heavy pot or saucepan with a handle and flat bottom. The richness of the thin, flat and crispy patty is cut by fresh jalapeño slices that turn bright green from the heat of the burger. Use your favorite mayonnaise or secret sauce, or make your own. At 7th Street Burger, they add a ghost pepper hot sauce that pairs well with the fresh chiles.
Sheet-Pan Ravioli With Burst Tomatoes
Transform store-bought ravioli and a mélange of tomatoes into this low-effort, high-reward sheet pan dinner. Roasting the ravioli at high heat gives the pasta pockets crispy edges and delivers bursting tomatoes that collapse into a rich, tangy sauce. Use whatever tomatoes you have on hand: Small cherry, Sungolds or grape varieties can be left whole, while larger ones like beefsteak or Roma can be cut into irregular chunks to help them fall apart. The ravioli and tomatoes are finished off with grated pecorino and lots of black pepper, reminiscent of cacio e pepe.
Tomato and Burrata Salad With Chile Crisp
Tomato and burrata couple up nicely for a light summer meal, and they get an instant makeover with the addition of chile crisp. A powerful weeknight tool, the condiment is made with a heady mix of spices suspended in a fiery red oil, brimming with complexity and umami. In this recipe, the chile crisp both seasons and dresses the salad. Every brand of chile crisp will vary in spice, heat and saltiness, so vary the amount accordingly. The spicy oil is tamed by the milky, buttery burrata, though you could also substitute with fresh mozzarella or ricotta. Be generous with the cilantro, as it brings a bright, floral note to the tomatoes. This makes an excellent main-meal salad served with bread, or can be enjoyed with noodles or pasta.
Chicken, Cucumber and Nectarine Salad
This light yet satisfying summery salad is meant to be flexible and adaptable, the kind of easy weekday recipe that helps you turn the odds and ends in your fridge into a quick and healthy meal. Consider swapping in torn mozzarella or goat cheese for the feta, using basil instead of mint, or using any roasted nuts you’ve got on hand. If you can’t find a ripe nectarine, a peach, a plum or a handful of juicy berries would work great, too. The key is to keep the ingredients fresh and bright, and to dress the salad just before eating it so everything stays crisp. Serve with a cold glass of white wine and a nice hunk of bread on the side.
Skillet Pork Cutlets With Fresh Peach Butter
Thin pork cutlets are perfect for fast weeknight meals: They cook in less than 10 minutes and readily take on the flavors of the brown butter sauce they’re topped with. The rich sauce gets a bright lift from fresh summer peaches, coarsely grated so they release all of their fruity sweet juices. (The step also skips the trouble of peeling them.) Steamed or grilled corn is a perfect accompaniment for both the juicy pork and sweet-tart peach butter.