Weeknight
3487 recipes found
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.
Pasta Salad With Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Sun-dried tomatoes take center stage in this pasta salad that tastes just as delicious at room temperature as it does chilled. The dressing (combining elements of pesto rosso, pesto alla Trapanese, and pesto alla Genovese) leans on oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to yield a sweet and tart base. A combination of toasted pine nuts, fresh basil and garlic round out the pesto, providing that characteristic nutty, sharp, herbaceous flavor. To bring it into dressing territory, a splash of red wine vinegar laces the pesto. That gentle punch is accentuated by a generous squeeze of lemon juice over the pasta, yielding a salad that’s undeniably savory and bright. For the best tomato flavor, avoid oil-packed sun dried tomatoes that contain vinegar as the tomatoes can take on too strong of a vinegary bite.
Seared Scallops With Tomato Salad
A perfectly seared scallop needs little more to taste complete. A squeeze of lemon is sufficient, but if you want a stellar partner to balance the sweet saline bite of caramelized sea scallops, make this tomato salad of tomato salads dressed with an acidic, savory vinaigrette inspired by mignonette, the classic accompaniment to raw oysters. It’s dotted with minced shallot to carry tomatoes and earthy spring mix — and scallops, of course — to umami heights.
Chile-Garlic Steak and Zucchini
Umami-rich rich steak and mild yet hearty zucchini are paired with a simple sauce that works to enhance both. First the steak is sliced thin, then cooked hot and fast. One side is cooked a little longer to brown and caramelize, while the other has just brief contact with the skillet to keep the steak medium-rare. The zucchini is cooked similarly, steaming in its own moisture until tender yet still somewhat firm. A bright, slightly spicy, tangy sauce is drizzled over, with a handful of refreshing mint to finish. Serve as is, or pair with chunks of baguette, roasted potatoes or a lightly dressed green salad.
Corn Quesadillas
Loosely inspired by the flavors of elotes and esquites, these vegetable-forward quesadillas are sweet thanks to peak-season corn, slightly smoky, and gently spiced, making for the most satisfying of summer meals. Fresh, plump corn (save the frozen stuff for another day) is quickly sautéed with poblano and jalapeño chiles until crisp-tender, helping to maintain its texture in the quesadilla. Creamy Monterey Jack cheese mellows the heat of the corn mixture, bringing its earthy savoriness to the forefront. The filling can hold for up to 3 days, meaning you can have fresh quesadillas on demand. To contrast with the richness of the cheesy, savory filling, a zesty lime dipping sauce brings brightness and rounds out each bite.
Balsamic Roasted Chicken With Peaches
Boneless chicken thighs, shallots, peaches and cherry or grape tomatoes are coated in a simple balsamic marinade and roasted until crispy, sweet and juicy. After roasting, extra marinade is added to the pan to simmer with the juices, creating a thick, tangy sauce that begs to be drizzled over everything or sopped up with a crusty hunk of bread. In addition to a sprinkling of fresh basil for serving, a ball of broken burrata or crumbles of feta would also be delicious. This recipe works well with any peaches, even those that may not be perfectly ripe or sweet, and can be made with other stone fruits like nectarines or plums, as well.
Kenai Dip (Smoky Jalapeño Cheese Dip)
Slathered on burgers and sold by the tub in grocery store delis across Alaska, this cold, smoky jalapeño-cheese dip is most authentically consumed within earshot of a 4-stroke outboard motor while fishing for salmon on the Kenai (keen-EYE) River. The original dip, also known simply as jalapeño cheese dip, has been sold by Echo Lake Meats, a butcher shop in the fishing town of Kenai south of Anchorage, since the 1970s. Its recipe remains a closely guarded secret, but copycat dips abound. This tasty, quick-to-make version for home cooks was adapted from the chef and recipe developer Maya Wilson’s recipe in “The Alaska From Scratch Cookbook” (Rodale, 2018). It’s important to use freshly grated cheese to get the correct texture.
Aguachile Shrimp Salad
Aguachile, the fiery dish from Mexico’s Pacific coast, means “chile water,” a reference to the bold sauce, which blends lime juice, dried chiles, fresh serranos, cilantro and cucumbers. Fresh raw shellfish, such as shrimp or scallops, are marinated and lightly cooked by the acid. Here, the aguachile sauce is swirled into sour cream with just a touch of mayo to turn it into a silky and electric dressing for quickly boiled shrimp, and thinly sliced tomatillos add a crisp, gooseberry-like freshness. Since the shrimp is cooked, the dish travels well, making it the perfect centerpiece for a picnic or a summer get-together. Feel free to use shell-on shrimp if you prefer and peel them after cooking.
Zucchini Butter Pasta
Make a dent in your glut of summer zucchini with this weeknight-friendly pasta. Grating the zucchini, a technique embraced by Julia Child, allows it to become so tender that it melts into the buttery, cheesy sauce. Cooking the zucchini with vegetable stock over low heat highlights the fruit’s sweetness and prevents it from caramelizing, giving the sauce a creamy rather than charred finish. Once the butter and Parmesan are added, give the mixture a good stir to encourage the zucchini to melt into the liquid. As always with zucchini, its mellow earthy flavor lays dormant until it is seasoned, so be generous with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Cucumber-Tomato Salad With Sesame Whipped Tofu
Silken tofu can be an incredible creamy base for sauces, dips and even soups. It’s packed with protein and is a great way to enhance a simple light salad. The neutral flavor of silken tofu makes it a flexible blank canvas to highlight strong flavors like toasted sesame oil. Here, whipped tofu is a pedestal for simple peak summer tomatoes and cucumbers that are roughly chopped and salted. The simplicity of this salad means that everything needs to be well seasoned. Serve the salad with some crusty sourdough bread, creating a DIY tomato toast situation.
Turmeric-Butter Pasta With Tomatoes
Resembling an endless summer sunset, this pasta’s sauce is golden and warm and packed with flavor from just a handful of ingredients: Rich butter, citrusy turmeric, sweet tomatoes and zesty garlic. The sauce comes together simply, too. Sizzle turmeric, garlic and black pepper in butter until the aroma fills the air, then simmer cherry tomatoes until they start to burst, sweetening and brightening the sauce before tossing with pasta. That’s it. To finish, feta cheese is highly recommended to add bursts of tangy richness. For added heft, stir in chickpeas or other beans, or serve with grilled chicken.
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Chicken (Super-Savory Grated Tofu)
Grating super-firm tofu is one of the best party tricks in the kitchen. It makes tofu not only quicker to prepare (no pressing required!) but also deceptively meaty. In this recipe from my book “Big Vegan Flavor” (Avery Books, 2024), the grated tofu is pan-fried until golden, then coated in an extremely good, flavor-rich sauce featuring some of my favorite pan-Asian condiments: fruity yet smoky gochugaru, nutty toasted sesame oil, plus umami-rich Chinese black vinegar and soy sauce. The result is delightfully crispy, chewy and super-savory tofu that is shockingly meaty. It’s been described as “spicy ground chicken,” “larb-esque,” and “I can’t believe it’s not chicken.” It’s delicious for dinner, but also tastes great at breakfast. Serve with stir-fried or steamed green beans or broccoli for a quick yet delicious meal. To make ahead, you can grate the tofu and prep the aromatics the night before.
Vegetarian Tomato Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu, the classic Sichuan dish that is now a Chinese American staple, receives a summery twist with the addition of tomatoes. Its signature tingly and assertive flavors are intensified by the umami tanginess of tomatoes, which also add a hint of fresh acidity. When you add the tofu, it will look like there’s not enough liquid, but rest assured, the tomatoes do break down during the cooking process, providing a soupy base. Not all brands of doubanjiang are created equal, so look for ones that come from Pixian, in Sichuan, as they tend to be the most flavorful thanks to a long period of fermentation under sunlight, resulting in a reddish-brown color with a deep and complex umami.
Maple Sausage and Egg Muffins
This riff on baked egg muffins leans on frozen breakfast sausage for fast weekday flavor. The hint of maple syrup — plus a generous amount of Cheddar cheese — makes these a hit with kids and adults alike, and the short ingredient list makes them doable even on busy mornings. Leftover muffins can be reheated in the oven or microwaved for an even faster breakfast.
Olive Oil and Chile-Fried Eggs
This is less of a recipe and more of a trick — one that ends with a deeply savory, spicy red oil you’ll want to pour over everything. The eggs are fried in olive oil until the whites puff and crisp around the edges, then you scoot them to the side and let sliced garlic, smoked paprika and chile sizzle in the oil. What you’re left with is a garlicky, brick-red oil that stains the eggs and perfumes your kitchen in the best way. Eat the eggs straight from the pan, spoon them over a bowl of yogurt with flatbread for a savory breakfast, or serve over a bowl of rice and top it with herbs and pickles — whatever you've got. That spicy oil makes the dish, and you’ll want to save every last drop.
Clams and Tomato-Garlic Rice
Clams, tomatoes and garlic come together quickly to make a simple and satisfying one-pot dinner. It tastes of the sea without being overly fishy, and the tomatoes add acidity and brightness while the chorizo gives it richness and a bit of smokiness. While some brands of tinned shellfish can be on the pricier side, consider that each 4-ounce can packs in up to 4 dozen clams without the bulk of the shells. Look for whole clams in brine and olive oil for the best flavor.
Clams and Chorizo Rice
Clams, tomatoes and chorizo come together quickly to make a simple and satisfying one-pot dinner. It tastes of the sea without being overly fishy, and the tomatoes add acidity and brightness while the chorizo gives it richness and a bit of smokiness. While some brands of tinned shellfish can be on the pricier side, consider that each 4-ounce can packs in up to 4 dozen clams without the bulk of the shells. Look for whole clams in brine and olive oil for the best flavor.
Mustardy Sheet-Pan Salmon With Greens
A punchy mix of tangy Dijon, sweet maple, sharp garlic and fresh dill is slathered onto salmon fillets here, bringing major flavor to this quick, weeknight dish. Tender greens get tucked around the fillets on a sheet pan splashed with wine, where they wilt and crisp while the salmon bakes. By the time you finish a glass of wine yourself, you’ll have dinner on the table.
Miso-Grilled Shrimp with Corn and Shishito Peppers
You could throw some shrimp and vegetables on the grill and call it dinner, but a sauce makes the whole thing sing. Here, a pantry-friendly miso-honey sauce does double duty: It coats the shrimp before grilling, helping the exterior caramelize before the delicate meat toughens. Then, once everything’s off the grill, dunk the shrimp, corn and shishito peppers into more sauce. (You get to eat this dinner with your hands!) Leave the tails on the shrimp so they don’t fall through the grates, and also because a crispy, crackly shrimp tail is a treat to eat.
Sweet and Spicy Melon Salad
This salad is all about contrast: sweet, juicy melon (honeydew or anything similar), a sharp lime dressing with garlic and shallots, and a good hit of spice from serrano and red pepper. It’s finished with roasted peanuts for crunch and lots of fresh basil to keep it bright and herbaceous. The flavors are bold, tangy and just spicy enough to keep you coming back for another bite. It’s great as a side, but also can be lunch and pairs well with a hot day, crispy tofu, noodles and pork, grilled meats or any light sandwich or lettuce wrap.
San Choy Bao (Pork and Water Chestnut Lettuce Wraps)
San choy bao literally translates from Cantonese to “lettuce wrap,” and its contours are wide: cold iceberg lettuce, a stir-fry of finely diced vegetables and protein, and sweet Chinese bean sauce like hoisin. (The deep-fried noodles here aren’t essential, but they add a fantastic crackle to the juicy filling.) Unlike soft, warm comfort food, which lulls you, san choy bao wakes you up. It feels like a duel, with jabs of hot and cold, lunging back and forth between two worlds. The crunch of icy lettuce snaps into the filling’s steaming crisp bits, and if you can find fresh water chestnuts, you’ll be rewarded with their unique woodsy crunch.