Weeknight
3431 recipes found
Basil and Olive Pasta Salad With Tomato Dressing
Ripe summer tomatoes are transformed into a fragrant, fruity dressing for this pasta salad. Giving the tomatoes a quick salt bath encourages them to release their tangy juices and further intensifies their flavor before they are blended with basil and garlic. While this dish is best with summer tomatoes, this salting technique makes it possible to use out-of-season ones, too. This dressing is thicker than most, so use a robust short pasta with lots of crevices, curves and swirls to hug and carry the sauce. Eat this pasta salad as is, or dress it with a creamy fresh cheese such as mozzarella, burrata or ricotta, or stir through some leafy baby spinach or arugula for freshness.
Old Bay Shrimp and Macaroni Salad
If a shrimp boil dove into a bowl of macaroni salad, you might end up with something like this: a crowd-pleasing, lemony, peppery, glossy shrimp-and-pasta salad. To infuse all the elements with the flavors of a seafood boil, season the water that cooks the pasta, peas and shrimp with lots of Old Bay. The peas add sweetness to balance the pep (though corn kernels would also be great), while celery and red onion lend crunch, and herbs freshen things up. Eat warm, or refrigerate the salad for up to 6 hours. If the mixture stiffens, thin with water and toss until silky.
Lazi Ji (Chongqing Chicken With Chiles)
Lazi ji, a specialty of the sweltering city of Chongqing in southwestern China, might appear at first glance to be all chiles, spilling rim to rim in reckless abundance. But you’re not meant to eat them. They’re fried briefly, just long enough to give off their fragrance and lend a little sting to the cooking oil. Part of the fun of the dish is hunting for the small, crispy nubs of chicken, which in Chongqing are served with the bones left in, for happy grappling. (If you prefer to use boneless chicken thighs, cut them into pieces no bigger than popcorn.) You’ll want your ingredients premeasured at the start, since everything comes together quickly at the end: garlic and ginger turned golden and toasty, Sichuan pepper with its tickling buzz. The culinary scholar Fuchsia Dunlop advises staying away from the most powerful chiles; instead, seek out the long, slender, medium-hot variety sold by the bag at Chinese groceries. Be careful they don’t blacken in the wok. You want that red, untainted, unextinguished, blazing on the plate.
Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)
All over Spain, gambas al ajillo and its various versions (made with camarones, or shrimp, or mushrooms for a vegetarian twist) are beloved. And what’s not to love? Sweet, briny prawns (or larger shrimp in the United States) are sautéed with lots of garlic and olive oil, finished with a touch of hot pepper, and ready in less than half an hour. Don’t leave behind the flavorful extra-virgin olive oil, which is perfect for sopping up. Quick! Someone get a crusty loaf for just that purpose.
Simple Summer Salad With Feta
This refreshing, seemingly everyday green salad has a surprise at the bottom: A layer of creamy feta stirred into yogurt awaits, giving tangy richness by the forkful. Its base of greens, radishes and avocado is dressed with a simple lemon-Dijon vinaigrette, making this salad endlessly adaptable, depending on the season and your pantry. For crunch, you could add a handful of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds or broken bits of toasted pita, inspired by fattoush. If in need of protein, some chickpeas or white beans will do the trick. You could even turn this into a more filling summertime snack or meal by layering the feta-yogurt sauce on top of crunchy store-bought tostadas and piling the salad on top.
Fresh Lemon and Chile Pasta
This quick, deeply comforting pasta is creamy, but balanced by the zing of fresh lemon. Loosely based on Italy’s pasta al limone, this simple recipe combines butter, Parmesan and lemon juice with some reserved pasta water to form a velvety sauce that comes together in the pasta pan along with everyday heroes: garlic, green chile and some cream. To squeeze as much tang from a single lemon as possible, zest is also added to the vibrant sauce, giving the dish a wonderful, sunny scent. The lemon cuts through the richness and keeps your fork twirling for more. Serve this bright and easy pasta dish on its own to perk up a weeknight or with chicken piccata or simple roast chicken for a special dinner, ideally eaten outside in the late-setting sun.
Pasta and Pickles Salad
This recipe is your invitation to the pasta and pickle party. Dill pickles work double time here: The brine is added to the creamy dressing to bring acidity, while a generous amount of pickles are used in the salad, bringing crunch and saltiness. The sourness of the pickles and the punch of the quick-pickled shallots really cut through the heaviness that is often found in creamy, mayonnaise-laden pasta salads. (This one skips mayo for lighter crème fraîche or sour cream.) An emphatic handful of dill reinforces the grassy notes of the pickle; if you have parsley or scallions lying around, you could throw those in too. Experiment by adding other pickles — sauerkraut, beets, radish, daikon would all work — or bulk this pasta salad up with some chopped romaine, chickpeas or hard-boiled eggs.
Chilled Tofu With Gochujang Sauce
This silken tofu, draped in a tangy, savory, chile-sweet gochujang sauce, is a warm weather epiphany: No cooking whatsoever. The sauce is essentially a chojang, a portmanteau of the Korean words for vinegar, cho, and for gochujang, the fiery fermented red chile paste, one of South Korea’s most delicious exports. Often served alongside salted boiled broccoli with sesame, this sauce is also excellent with tofu or on cold, crisp lettuce or hydrating cucumber and pepper. Make a double batch of the sauce, if you like, to keep in the fridge for last-minute crisper-drawer raids. Enjoy this on its own or with a bowl of cooked rice.
Mapo Tofu Scramble
The bold, savory, spicy flavors of mapo tofu are paired with the creamy richness of scrambled eggs in this hearty and comforting anytime-of-day meal. The dish comes together quickly and all in one skillet: Ginger, scallions and spiced pork are first sizzled and simmered, making way for eggs that are soft-scrambled then folded into the tofu mixture. Round out this superfast meal with a sprinkling of freshly sliced scallions or chopped herbs and some buttered toast.
Avocado Hand Rolls
A fresh pot of perfectly steamed white rice is always a good place to start any meal. Though you could use leftover rice for this recipe, there is no greater comfort than just-cooked rice, especially when it’s seasoned like sushi rice with salt, sugar and acid. Build a meal around that pot: Sushi rice tastes great when stuffed into sheets of roasted seaweed with rich, creamy avocado. You can also tuck sliced cucumber, imitation crab sticks or sushi-grade raw fish into these rolls. If you have an extra 10 seconds, don’t hesitate to whip up the spicy soy sauce and lime juice dipping sauce (see Tip).
Harissa-Grilled Steak With Juicy Tomatoes
What makes this steak so great is that it’s just as delicious warm for dinner as it is cold and eaten for lunch. When choosing harissa for the marinade, look for it in a tube or can, which will have a thick, paste-like consistency (we want that explosive, concentrated red chile flavor), rather than jarred harissa, which tends to be saucier and has less potent flavor. Yogurt is the actual secret ingredient here, because the sugars will caramelize and help the meat develop a beautiful brown crust. If you have time, let the steak marinate in the yogurt mixture for a few hours or overnight to let it tenderize the meat, but if you only have 15 minutes while the grill heats up (see Tip), it’ll still be delicious.
Tamarind Chicken Stir-Fry
Tamarind, the bright and tangy fruit often used in South Asian cuisine, takes center stage in this easy, weeknight stir-fry. This recipe takes direct inspiration from Filipino sinigang, a tamarind-based soup. A dry sinigang builds a complex, tangy sauce from tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger and tamarind concentrate. A super versatile ingredient, tamarind concentrate can bring depth to savory recipes like rasam or doubles, or can be used in sweeter applications, like leveling up a standard margarita by swapping the lime juice for tamarind. Here, thinly sliced chicken breast is seared then tossed in the sauce and bulked out with green beans and peppery baby bok choy, but you could substitute the chicken with shrimp or omit altogether. Serve with steamed rice or fried noodles.
Chicken Thighs With Fresh Plum Agrodolce
Agrodolce means “bittersweet” in Italian and usually refers to a tangy sauce made with honey or sugar along with vinegar. This summertime riff is inspired by the Italian classic but uses fresh plums to add an additional sweet tart element. Simmered with sherry vinegar and honey, the softened plums make a beautiful sauce to top simple chicken thighs making this a weeknight meal that’s lovely enough for company. Round out the meal with some rice and roasted asparagus.
Spaghetti Sauce
A crowd-pleaser for all ages, this classic spaghetti sauce is thick, meaty and, most importantly, perfectly coats each strand of spaghetti. Garlic, tomato and ground beef are the foundation of this simple sauce, and a mix of dried fennel seeds and herbs adds savory depth. Red wine and a bit of sugar bring out the sweetness of the tomato. The flavors of the sauce intensify with time, so feel free to make it in advance, refrigerate and reheat later. The sauce also freezes well so you can have it on hand for future meals. Don’t tell spaghetti, but this sauce is also delicious layered in a lasagna or stirred into a cheesy baked pasta dish.
One-Pot Tuna Orzo With Zucchini
Sweet, savory and super-simple, this dish is made mostly from pantry staples and cooked all in one pot. Chewy raisins add an unexpected sweetness tempered by a bit of acidic red wine vinegar. Canned tuna is a great protein choice for weeknight dinners but be sure to buy the oil-packed variety for cooking — it’s much more tender. If you find it, high-quality oil-packed jarred tuna is even tastier. That said, jarred and canned tuna is fully cooked, so it’s best added at the end to warm the tuna through without overcooking it.
Spinach One-Pot Pasta
This shockingly simple dish achieves success thanks to a small yet mighty powerhouse: Salty, umami-rich anchovies melt into the cooking oil, giving the dish subtle complexity and oomph. This pasta uses only a few ingredients and just one pot, and the method is smart and streamlined: As you boil your pasta, you set your spinach in a colander then drain the cooked pasta directly on top. You’ll dissolve the anchovies in olive oil in the empty pot, then return the cooked pasta and wilted spinach to the pot, along with cheese and red-pepper flakes, stirring to form a glossy sauce that is aided by the moisture released by the spinach. A great back-pocket recipe for nights when prep work seems impossible, this recipe is a satisfying meal all on its own, but feel free to stir in some white beans if you’d like to bulk it up.
Pesto Beans
Part quick and rustic bean stew and part deconstructed pesto, this pesto-inspired one-pan meal requires no blender and minimal slicing. It all starts out by sizzling nuts with a little turmeric in olive oil until golden. The Parmesan cheese makes a creamy base for softened shallots and tender beans; then freshly torn basil leaves and lemon juice are stirred in at the end so they stay vibrant and fresh. Top with the beautifully toasted nuts, golden olive oil and a bit more Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread on the side.
Grilled Hasselback Kielbasa With Jalapeño Honey
Sweet, spicy and crisp, these grilled sausages and onions are a good reason to fire up the grill. Instead of leaving the sausages and onions plain, coat them with a mixture of honey, whole-grain mustard and pickled jalapeños beforehand. When hit with the heat, it will caramelize into a sticky glaze. Cutting deep slits in the sausage creates more crispy bits and area for the glaze to settle, and ensures that the sausage won’t explode or shrivel. The pickled jalapeños cut through the richness and can be nestled between the slits on the kielbasa for surprising pops of heat. Pile the sausage and onions into buns, eat alongside coleslaw and potato salad or cut the jalapeno-studded kielbasa into small pieces to serve with toothpicks for an appetizer.
Greek Meatballs
These meatballs are inspired by keftedes, a traditional Greek meatball made with beef and sometimes pork or lamb and seasoned with a mix of herbs and spices. While variations of keftedes abound, many include fresh bread crumbs, grated onion and tomato, along with lots of fresh mint and parsley. The tomato lends the meatballs a hint of sweetness and acidity, and also helps make them incredibly moist and tender. While not traditional, this recipe opts for panko instead of fresh bread crumbs, for ease. Rather than being softened with milk to form a panade, the bread crumbs go into the meatball mix on their own and soak up the flavorful juices from the onion and tomato. Serve these meatballs with homemade tzatziki, a simple salad and pita on the side, or in tomato sauce for a hearty, comforting dinner.
Charred Corn and Chickpea Salad With Lime Crema
Charred corn is a bankable foundation for a simple and satiating summer meal. Just a few minutes in a hot pan will turn the kernels from starchy to sweet, while delivering smoky notes. A light dusting of ground cumin and smoked paprika reinforces these scorched flavors. In a loose nod to esquites, this salad is dressed with a simplified version of Mexican crema, tangy from the lime and spiked with garlic. If you like, add some heat with some sliced jalapeños or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. Spoonable and transportable, this is the perfect salad to take on picnics.
Peach, Cucumber and Mozzarella Salad With Gochujang Vinaigrette
The theory that opposites attract is confirmed in this unlikely pairing of peach and gochujang. The sweet and spicy notes of gochujang dance with the fresh fruitiness of peach, enhancing its sweetness and elevating its floral notes. Crunchy, juicy cucumbers and creamy mozzarella provide a welcome counterpoint to the boldness of the vinaigrette. Keep this game-changing salad dressing in your back pocket for any time you are looking to liven up a dish; it would work well drizzled over grilled or roasted veggies or even pan-fried tofu. The peaches can be swapped for any summer stone fruit; try nectarines, plums or apricots. If you’d like to add some greens, opt for baby spinach or arugula.
Paprika Chicken and Potatoes
This cheery, sheet pan chicken twist is inspired by patatas bravas. Here, mayonnaise and smoked paprika coat boneless chicken thighs, which cook on a layer of thinly sliced potatoes. They’re served with a paprika-tinted, lime-scented mayonnaise dip for a tangy, acidic touch — but you could also sprinkle the mixture with crumbly cheese like feta or queso fresco to try out other routes to richness. If you don’t think your knife skills are up to slicing the potatoes thinly, you can make fast work of the task with a mandolin, or cook thicker slices for 5 to 10 minutes first before layering the chicken on top.
Chan Chan Yaki (Miso Butter Salmon)
Chan chan yaki, or miso butter salmon, is a classic dish from Hokkaido, Japan, a place known for its excellent salmon. The fish-and-vegetable dish is frequently made on a teppan (a large grill), with everything chopped and mixed with two metal spatulas that make the onomatopoetic “chan chan” sound. (Other possible “chan chan” derivations include “cha cha,” used to describe something that’s quick, and “otō-chan,” meaning “dad,” since it’s often prepared by patriarchs.) This clever version from Marc Matsumoto, the Tokyo-based blogger behind No Recipes, streamlines the dish for home cooking, calling for a lidded skillet and keeping the salmon in one large piece for easier preparation and presentation. You can replicate the chan chan action in your own bowl or plate, composing perfect bites of salmon, veggies and the miso butter sauce. And the vegetables are flexible: Shimeji mushrooms, bell peppers, corn or negi (long green onions) would all be delicious.
Chicken Cutlets
In this simple recipe for Italian-American style chicken cutlets, chicken breasts are sliced thinly, pounded even thinner, then breaded with a mixture of panko, Parmesan, garlic and Italian herbs. The breaded cutlets are wonderful served simply with a few lemon wedges, topped with a vinegary, green salad, or even used to make chicken Parm. The trick to ensuring your cutlets come out perfectly crunchy is to wait until the oil is very hot before adding them to the pan. Doing so will prevent the chicken from sticking and the bread crumbs from becoming soggy. Take your time cooking the cutlets, moving them around in the hot oil with tongs and pressing them gently for evenly browned, perfectly golden results.