Weeknight
3431 recipes found
Mákos Tészta (Poppy Seed Noodles)
This four-ingredient one-pot meal takes 25 minutes to complete, so it’s easy to understand its wide appeal. Freshly cooked long, flat noodles are tossed in butter (sometimes oil) with ground poppy seeds and sugar. The results are pleasantly sweet, nutty and comforting. This dish of poppy seed noodles, also known as mákos tészta in Hungarian, originated as early as the 16th century as a humble meal beloved by peasants. Its affordability and appeal caused it to quickly grow in popularity until it was adopted across Hungary and certain parts of Eastern and Central Europe. The dish is enjoyed as a sweet main course, served on its own, or paired with a soup or salad.
White Bean Salad With Crispy Cheese
This hearty, no-cook salad has a range of textures and flavors that make it particularly satisfying, all without much effort from the cook. The canned white beans are dressed in a bracing red wine vinaigrette that enlivens their soft earthiness with a welcome tang. Slivers of fennel lend sweetness, while arugula and basil add pleasingly green and bitter notes. Then, just before serving, crumbled store-bought Parmesan crisps make the whole thing crunchy, salty and very fun to eat. Just be sure not to add the Parmesan crisps until right before serving; they soften quickly and may lose their snap.
Smoky Confit Tomato and Lemon Pasta
This tomato pasta is a testament to simplicity: Just toss all the sauce ingredients into a roasting pan and let the oven — and pool of olive oil — gently simmer and “confit” the rest while you prepare your pasta. The stars of this dish are the ancho chile, slowly releasing a subtle smoky spice as it softens in the oil, and the strips of lemon peel, which sweeten as they cook. Heirloom tomatoes add wonderful fragrance and variety, as some break down into the sauce while others remain firm, adding textural contrast. This recipe is incredibly versatile: Swap the ancho chile for a long red chile and a teaspoon of smoked paprika, for example, or use other types of tomatoes if they are easier to come by. Foolproof in method and bursting with flavor, this dish is a perfect addition to any midweek repertoire.
Tomato and Peach Salad With Berkoukes
This refreshing summer salad of tomatoes, peaches and olives nestled in arugula, mint, cilantro and parsley comes together in less than 30 minutes and gets its sweet tang from a simple honey-vinegar dressing. While almonds provide crunch, it’s the berkoukes that bring that fun, chewy textural surprise. Also known as berkoukech or m’hamsa, it is a traditional North African ingredient particularly popular in Morocco and Algeria that consists of small, round pellets similar to large couscous pearls or tiny pasta balls. Typically made from semolina flour and water, the spheres are dried and then sometimes steamed before use; here they’re quickly toasted in oil, boiled and cooled. Though they’re traditionally added to fragrant stews and soups, this recipe showcases their versatility. The light, satisfying texture of berkoukes perfectly complements the fresh, juicy fruits and peppery arugula, creating an eclectic dish that is great on its own or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken, shrimp or fish. If berkoukes is not available at your local markets or conveniently online, swap in pearl couscous.
West Indian Kedgeree (Coconut Curry Rice With Cod)
Rice plumped in spiced coconut milk, delicate steamed cod and fudgy egg yolks unite in this tropical take on kedgeree. A British derivative of South Asia’s ever popular khichdi, kedgeree keeps the golden spiced rice and swaps lentils for fish in a dish that’s one of many culinary byproducts of England’s former colonization of India. This interpretation begs for yet another leap across the ocean to the West Indies, where coconuts, scallions and curry abound. Traditionally, kedgeree calls for smoked haddock, but fresh cod is milder and requires less preparation, saving cleanup time. Salting the cod ahead of time lightly cures it, enhancing flavor and texture and giving a nod to salt cod, a popular ingredient in the West Indies.
Miso Shrimp and Corn Couscous Salad
A delightful blend of bright, sunny colors and flavors shine in this summery salad. A lemony dressing coats the tender, slightly chewy, pearled couscous, which helps to cut the richness of the miso-butter mixture that coats the shrimp and charred corn. While this salad is best with fresh corn — at its sweetest scraped straight off the cob — frozen corn makes an excellent substitute any time of year, even though it won’t char quite as visibly. Serve at room temperature or warm for a picnic or outdoor dinner, pairing it with an herby green salad or grilled broccoli.
Seared Chicken Thighs With Cherry Tomatoes and Olives
In this one-pan meal, freshly seared chicken thighs simmer in their own schmaltz alongside bursting tomatoes and salty olives. Those sweet and bright tomato juices serve as a starting point for a delicate sauce. To make the most of the leftover olive brine, this recipe uses it in lieu of salt to season the sauce, as well as to deglaze the pan and extract the rich flavors that stick to the bottom when you sear chicken. Tarragon sprigs add their irresistible peppery aroma. If tarragon is impossible to find, fresh rosemary or marjoram make equally tasty alternatives.
Grilled Pork Chops With Dill Pickle Butter
Save your pickle brine to swirl into margaritas, whisk into salad dressings and brine pork chops for the grill. Marinating pork chops in dill pickle brine renders them juicy, thoroughly seasoned and redolent of dill, garlic, black pepper and whatever other spices were in the jar. After the golden chops come off the grill, top them with a spoonful of butter that’s studded with chopped pickles and chives. The butter will drape the chops, adding richness, tang and crunch to each bite. Serve alongside grilled asparagus and a green salad. Save extra pickle butter for ham sandwiches, burgers and baked potatoes.
Salmon With Freshly Grated Tomatoes and Butter
With a minimal list of ingredients and prep, this light, flavorful salmon and tomato dish is an excellent contender for the perfect summer dinner. When tomato season is in full swing, this one-pan recipe makes the most of all those ripe, tender, bursting tomatoes. For fresh tomato flavor, the tomatoes are coarsely grated, yielding a delicate, low-effort sauce that is sweet and tangy, an ideal accompaniment for buttery seared salmon. Simple aromatics like freshly grated garlic, black pepper and thyme sprigs are simmered alongside the fish to round out the flavor. A piece of crusty toast to absorb all those juices completes the meal, along with an optional glass of white wine.
Cheesy Potato Breakfast Tacos
Inspired by Mexican guisados, when proteins are sautéed in a sofrito of tomato and chiles, these cheesy breakfast tacos showcase Mexican home cooking at its best. Potatoes, poblanos and onions are cooked simply with a grated tomato that caramelizes as it cooks down, giving an earthiness that combines with the smokiness of the poblano for an umami-packed medley. Mixed into scrambled eggs, topped with cheese and served family-style in a skillet alongside fresh corn or flour tortillas, this is a hearty, crowd-pleasing, vegetarian breakfast (or breakfast for dinner!) that’s endlessly satisfying.
Angel Hair Pasta
This simple yet satisfying pasta recipe is made with just a few pantry staples. It comes together quickly and with ease, as angel hair is one of the fastest cooking pastas. The classic combination of olive oil, butter, garlic and herbs is enough to coat the thin, delicate strands of pasta, but the addition of soft, bursting cherry tomatoes really sweetens the deal. Be sure to serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan for the ultimate bowl of comfort.
Fresh Tomato, Basil and Prosciutto Pasta
This summertime pasta of lightly sizzled garlic and tomatoes with torn basil is satisfyingly easy and delicious. It’s also a reminder that with really great ingredients, not a lot of cooking is necessary to create a stand-out meal. Melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto and dollops of ricotta add a little richness to contrast with all the freshness, leaving you with a colorful main that doesn’t really need much else, but a sprinkle of crushed red-pepper flakes or a few thin rings of jalapeño or sweet red pepper could be welcome additions.
Zucchini Pasta With Tuna and Chile Paste
Spaghetti with tuna is one of those adaptable pantry dishes that you can dress up with whatever you have on hand. Just cook alliums (garlic, onion, scallions or shallot) in plenty of olive oil, add pasta water and al dente pasta to the pan, and finish with a can of tuna flaked on top. This version adds zucchini, fresh herbs and any kind of chile paste you like (gochujang, harissa, aji amarillo, sambal oelek or Sriracha) for brightness and heat. Just note that some chile pastes are more fiery than others, so if you’re unsure how much to add, gradually dab it in it, tasting as you go. Then make this in summer when zucchinis are abundant, or substitute other vegetables (eggplant, peppers, greens) as they come into season. Simple, thrifty and very satisfying, it’s an afterwork dish to make on repeat.
Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad
This bright green pasta salad wants an invite to your next picnic or desk lunch. Parmesan or pecorino are aged cheeses that typically contribute acidity, brininess and nuttiness to pesto, but here, tomatoes, lemon, capers and lots of nuts do the same. This pesto recipe, which makes 1 cup, can also be used on grilled fish or over beans, and can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. (Pour some oil on top to keep it from browning.)
Pearl Couscous Salad With Shrimp and Feta
Bright lemon, mint and cilantro offset creamy feta and sweet corn in this crisp and crunchy salad. Pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous, is made of small pearls of chewy pasta that are a great base for so many flavors. Make sure to thoroughly drain the couscous after cooking to avoid a soggy salad. Sautéed shrimp make this into a meal, but feel free to add chopped chicken or your protein of choice.
Easy Turkey Meatloaf
There’s really no reason not to celebrate meatloaf — it’s simple, budget-friendly, cleanup is a breeze and there are almost always leftovers for next-day sandwiches. While beef is often the go-to choice for the meat, turkey is a flavorful alternative that can take on a slew of mix-ins. Here, seasoned bread crumbs, garlic powder and Worcestershire do the work, but a teaspoon of Italian seasoning or a palmful of fresh, chopped thyme or sage can be added for an extra boost. Grated apple ensures the meatloaf isn’t dry; use any variety you have on hand. A sweet, slightly vinegary sauce is spooned over the meatloaf after it’s formed, caramelizing when baked (if you have a favorite bottled or from-scratch barbecue sauce feel free to use 2/3 cup of it instead). Serve this meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.
Maroulosalata (Green Salad With Feta and Dill)
Although the iconic Greek salad, colorful with tomatoes, feta and olives, might spring to mind when contemplating Greek salads, monochromatic maroulosalata (which translates to “lettuce salad”) is arguably the more popular option in Greece. The salad is simple and effortless: Toss sliced romaine hearts, fresh dill, crumbled feta and sliced scallions with olive oil and fresh lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper, no separate dressing required. The key to this refreshing chopped salad is slicing the lettuce into delicate shreds, then soaking them in ice water to get them extra-crisp before draining, drying and tossing with the rest of the ingredients. Serve with grilled seafood, such as shrimp or fish, or as a sunny side salad with souvlaki or roast chicken. But this salad can also stand alone, as a light, summery supper on the hottest of days.
Curry Tomatoes and Chickpeas With Cucumber Yogurt
Much like the combination of chana masala and raita, this dish’s appeal lies in the contrasts: soft and warm chickpeas and tomatoes rest atop a layer of cool and crunchy cucumber yogurt. The cooking happens quickly; sauté small tomatoes and chickpeas just until softened and fragrant with spices, then pile the mixture onto a swirl of yogurt that’s zesty with chopped cucumbers, garlic, lemon and herbs. The yogurt will loosen under the topping’s warmth and weight, so serve with rice, focaccia or flatbread such as roti or doubles to sop up the lushness.
Chile-Crisp Tofu, Tomatoes and Cucumbers
With cucumbers, tomatoes, browned tofu and a punchy dressing, this recipe’s combination of hot, cold, juicy and snappy makes for a refreshing lunch or light dinner. Inspired by Chinese smashed cucumber salads, many of which include dried chiles or chile oil, this recipe’s piquant and spicy dressing uses chile crisp as well as lemon juice, raw garlic and soy sauce. The only cooking that’s required is searing the tofu, which helps it drink up more of the dressing. Eat it over rice or salad greens, and feel free to embellish with thinly sliced snap peas or celery, cilantro and sesame oil, seeds or paste.
Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
This hands-off path to pulled chicken results in a juicy, saucy tangle of meat for a crowd. The combination of boneless chicken thighs and breasts creates a mix of feathery and hearty shreds, while cooking the meat slowly in barbecue sauce ensures it won’t dry out. To emulate some of the smoke and savoriness created by cooking meat over smoldering coals, chipotle chiles in adobo, Worcestershire sauce and onion powder are also added. Serve the pulled chicken between buns with pickles and slaw, or make a barbecue chicken pizza; leftovers keep well for a few days in the fridge.
Easy Chicken Salad
This simple chicken salad makes great use of leftover chicken, though you can certainly use a rotisserie chicken or roast or boil chicken breasts for this recipe. The recipe calls for classic crunchy mix-ins such as grapes, celery and pecans, but feel free to make it your own: Use a diced tart apple in place of the grapes, or toss in a handful of dried cranberries. Chicken salad gets better as it sits, so make this at least a few hours in advance if you can, or make it on Monday to have on hand for lunches all week long.
Pasta Primavera
This vegetarian pasta is a great way to use all of your fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market (or even the ones still hanging on in your fridge). The vegetables are cooked until they are just tender and still crisp, then coated in a delicate, lemony cream sauce and sprinkled with fresh Parmesan and herbs. Originally, this recipe was made with spaghetti, but a shorter pasta shape that’s the same size as the vegetable pieces provides a more enjoyable bite. “Primavera” means spring, but any vegetable from the spring and summer season is welcome in this dish. Feel free to add asparagus, cherry tomatoes, carrots and more — just note which vegetables cook faster than others and adjust as needed.
Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob
Next time you’re thinking of boiling water for corn on the cob, consider this flavorful oven method instead. Ears of corn are brushed with a garlicky herb butter, then wrapped in foil and roasted until tender and just starting to brown. The butter flavors the corn as it roasts, and a spoonful spread on each ear just before serving delivers a little extra richness. For corn on the cob with a kick, consider adding a pinch of chili powder or ground cayenne to the butter mixture.
Grilled Chicken Salad
Next time you fire up the grill, throw on a few extra chicken breasts to use in this make-ahead salad, which is perfect for lunches all week. The yogurt dressing is light and tangy, spiced with turmeric, coriander and everything bagel seasoning, and packed with lots of crunchy celery and fresh cilantro. (If your everything bagel seasoning includes salt, add less salt to begin with and season to taste.) Top a pile of greens with a scoop of the grilled chicken salad, serve it in lettuce cups or on top of crackers.