Weeknight
3490 recipes found
Carrot and Orange Salad
In Morocco, when temperatures soar, this refreshing dish is often served to help combat the heat at the beginning of a meal. The crispy carrots and sweet orange juice work to cleanse the palate and refresh the senses before enjoying heartier dishes. Beyond this dish’s refreshing qualities, its vibrant flavors and simple preparation make it perfect for summertime gatherings or as a light snack any time of year. Although the dish is referred to as a salad, its light consistency is closer to a chilled soup due to the orange juice. Make sure the shredded carrots and the orange juice are both chilled before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients, and chill the serving bowls too, if you like.
Black Lime Salmon
This deceptively simple salmon dish is as striking in flavor as in appearance, and will serve just as well for a dinner party centerpiece as a quick midweek dinner. The salmon is covered in a punchy black lime marinade, then baked in the oven and topped with fresh bursts of sour cream and grated tomato. Black limes (also known as Omani or Persian limes) are limes that have been boiled in salt water before being dried and blackened in the sun. They have an intensely sweet, citrusy flavor, with a hint of bitterness. Serve this salmon alongside a bowl of rice.
Weeknight Chicken Tagine
Making a tagine might not be the most labor-intensive task, but it can definitely be time-consuming. In this non-traditional recipe, you'll enjoy all the classic flavors of a m'qualli chicken tagine but in less than an hour. Made with preserved lemon and olives, this dish is perfect for satisfying your mid-week Moroccan food cravings. M’qualli tagine refers to one of the ways Moroccan tagines are traditionally seasoned, incorporating ground ginger, ground turmeric and garlic, resulting in a rich, dark yellow sauce. Don’t hesitate to adjust the consistency of your tagine by adding a couple tablespoons of water or stock if it’s too dry, or letting it simmer for a few extra minutes for a thicker sauce. Serve it with bread for a more traditional experience (such as flatbreads or crusty breads like a baguette), but rice or potatoes will also work.
Aloo Tikki (Potato Cutlets)
Aloo tikki, or potato cutlets, are a popular South Asian street food perhaps due to the ease with which they travel and their versatility: They can be eaten as a quick, compact snack and also lend themselves to being slathered in chutney and wrapped up in naan for a full meal. The hearty, heavily spiced and textured tikki is commonly found on tea trolleys as well as at mealtimes in homes. They may be served as an appetizer, a side to many main courses or as the meal itself. Typically fried in a small amount of oil, this version calls for baking the cutlets to minimize mess and to efficiently entertain a large party or household. Make the potato mix a few days ahead, or freeze the cutlets for up to 3 months — perfect for spontaneous hosting.
Borani Banjan (Afghan-style Eggplant in Yogurt)
Traditionally in Afghan-style borani banjan, an appetizer or vegetable side, eggplant slices are soaked in salted water for 20 to 30 minutes, drained and dried, then simmered in a spiced tomato sauce before being served in layers of garlicky yogurt. This version significantly simplifies the preparation in the interest of time without compromising its appeal: varied flavors and textures from crispy, caramelized eggplant; creamy, garlicky yogurt; sweet and sour tomatoes; and juicy, bright pomegranate seeds. No soaking or simmering here, just quick pan-frying and layering for the same effect in about 30 minutes. Go back for seconds of a dish that tastes even better when it’s cold.
Grain Bowl With Sardines and Sauce Moyo
A satisfying grain bowl doesn’t need to take a lot of time, especially if you start with a quick-cooking grain like fonio. Fonio, tinier than even couscous or quinoa, takes five minutes to cook and delivers a deep nutty taste. This ancient whole grain, which is also gluten-free, is prepared throughout West Africa, as is sauce moyo, a sauce of crisp onion and pepper, juicy tomatoes, chile and lime. Here, that sauce adds crunch to the tender, sandy grains, and tinned smoked fish delivers a savory richness. You can assemble the whole thing to enjoy at home or pack up to eat as a fresh and filling desk lunch.
Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggs
Bitter melon lives up to its name. The oblong gourd is renowned for its robust health benefits and even more profound bitterness. However, when enveloped in creamy scrambled eggs and seasoned with soy sauce and brown sugar, it creates a complexity of flavor that will grow on you. This quick stir-fry is a home-cooking favorite of Chutatip Suntaranon, who is known as Nok, the chef-owner of the Thai restaurant Kalaya in Philadelphia. The recipe can easily be halved to serve one or two.
Grilled Pork Chops With Pineapple Salsa
This 5-ingredient recipe maximizes flavor by using two multitasking powerhouses — garlic and pineapple — that tag team with the grill or a grill pan. Grilling is a great way to infuse flavor and have easy post-dinner cleanup. The acidity of the pineapple acts as a quick meat tenderizer and infuses complex flavors. Garlic not only adds flavor to the marinade and salsa but also can add a bit of sass to cooked white rice to serve alongside the sweet and savory pork. Gently fry up minced garlic with neutral oil, then drizzle over cooked rice to transform it into aromatic garlic rice. It’s a simple and creative way to use what you already have on hand. Together the pineapple and garlic will inspire you to create even more quick meals with strong flavors.
Stir-Fried Chicken With Mushrooms and Snow Peas
This classic stir-fry recipe, adapted from “The Key to Chinese Cooking” by Irene Kuo, calls for velveting chicken breast, a process of marinating the meat in a mix of egg white, cornstarch, salt and Shaoxing wine, and then blanching it. The extra steps help ensure that the lean chicken stays very tender and silky, even when seared at very high heat. You can use this basic recipe as a template for any chicken stir-fry, varying the vegetables depending on the season and what’s available. Serve it piping hot, with rice on the side.
Sage and Walnut Pasta Nada
Earthy, elegant and possessed of a Zen-restraint, this is an ideal — perhaps the ideal — last-second, I-can’t-cope-with-the-stress recipe. It even works for dinner parties. Everyone will like it and have thirds. Serve with a salad and a baguette. Crack a few good chocolate bars into pieces on a plate for dessert. Keep an eye on the walnuts while you are roasting them in the oven. They go from golden to burnt in seconds. This meal is worthy of nearly any bottle of red wine.
Puttanesca Pasta Nada
“In normal life, ‘simplicity’ is synonymous with ‘easy to do,’” Bill Buford wrote in “Heat,” his 2006 book, “but when a chef uses the word, it means ‘take a lifetime to learn.’” That’s true much of the time. But if you take care, a dish as simple as pasta with finely chopped black olives and anchovies can have a chef-like impact with minimum learning and minimum fuss. This dish resets your taste buds. No fancy shopping needed.
Shrimp Pullao
When Madhur Jaffrey first published her cookbook, “An Invitation to Indian Cooking,” in 1973, Americans had a hard time finding Indian staples like garam masala and basmati rice in local supermarkets, and dishes like her fragrant shrimp pullao were considered special occasion fare. Much has changed, and these days pullaos are easy to throw together on any given weeknight, often straight from the pantry. This one is gently spiced, letting the delicate flavors of the rice and shrimp shine. Ms. Jaffrey suggests serving it with a yogurt-based vegetable dish. But even simpler, a little dollop of salted yogurt on the side adds a cool and creamy contrast.
Succotash
Typically a combination of corn, lima beans and other vegetables, succotash was first introduced to colonial immigrants in the 17th century by Native Americans. The name succotash is derived from the Narragansett word “msickquatash,” which refers to corn (and a variety of other ingredients) cooked together in a pot. Using frozen corn and lima beans that have been defrosted make this recipe incredibly simple and evergreen, but opt for fresh versions when in season. Cook the vegetables in stages, starting with the longer-cooking ones, then toss in a tablespoon of butter when they’re all cooked for a layer of silkiness. To keep the tomatoes crisp, remove the pan from the heat before adding them, but if you want them a bit softer, toss the tomatoes in with the corn and lima beans. This dish easily adapts to preference and availability.
Green Bean Salad With Dill Pickles And Feta
Green beans, feta and dill are old friends, but using dill pickles instead of dill contributes acid, crunch and verve to the classic combination. For maximum flavor, use pickles that are brined with fresh dill or dill seeds, and chill the salad for at least 30 minutes for refreshing, snappy bites. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days to dole out alongside roast chicken or hot dogs, or on top of salad greens or grain bowls.
One-Pot White Beans With Prosciutto and Dates
Humble in process but fancy in feel, this single-skillet recipe dresses up white beans with crisp, salty prosciutto and caramelized, squidgy dates. The combination is reminiscent of bacon-wrapped dates, but prosciutto is more delicate in flavor and more easily shatters into chips for topping bowls. Topping with raw celery gives the rich beans some freshness, but if straight comfort is what you seek, skip the celery and just add the vinegar to the beans. Or for more plushness, add Parmesan, goat cheese, ricotta or blue cheese to servings. Eat alongside a green vegetable, like roasted broccoli or an arugula salad.
Linguine With Zucchini, Corn and Shrimp
This super fast and super easy summer pasta recipe barely cooks peak-season corn and zucchini, maintaining their freshness and crunch while highlighting their vibrant flavor. This same quick-cooking method is applied to the shrimp, which keeps its bite by spending little time in the pan. (While corn and zucchini turn mushy if overcooked, shrimp turns tough and rubbery.) Finishing off this summer pasta is a shower of fresh basil and mint, which cling to each glossy strand of linguine. Feel free to add whatever vegetables and herbs catch your eye at the market. This pasta is best eaten al fresco.
Orzo Salad
This colorful, Mediterranean-inspired orzo salad is a crowd-pleasing side dish for a picnic or potluck, and can be a satisfying, vegetable-packed lunch. The trick to a flavorful pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is hot, so it can soak up plenty of flavor as it cools. This recipe takes that method a step further by tossing the hot orzo and dressing with the chickpeas, tomatoes and olives, giving the ingredients ample time to marinate. If olives aren’t your thing, try adding diced roasted red peppers or marinated artichokes for a burst of briny flavor in each bite. If preparing for a larger gathering, this recipe doubles easily, and leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, making it a good choice for meal prepping.
Crunchy Noodle and Tofu Salad
With crisp noodles and vegetables coated in a tangy dressing, this salad is reminiscent of the ubiquitous Chinese chicken salad, which isn’t actually Chinese in origin. Stripped of the chicken and given a more accurate name, this vegan take is a fresh salad with lots of textures and no active cooking. Fridge stalwarts carrot and celery combine with robust cabbage to provide heart and heft, while store-bought crispy fried noodles (sometimes sold as chow mein noodles) bring mouth-watering crunch. (They’re worth keeping in your pantry to use as a fun, effortless topper for salads or soups.) Another store-bought timesaver is baked tofu, which has already been marinated and baked, and is ready to use straight from the packet. It often comes in several flavors, and any of them will work for this recipe. The dressing is sweet, savory and acidic, and can be easily adjusted to your liking. Maple syrup adds richness, but honey, agave or sugar would all make suitable substitutes.
Crispy Shrimp Tacos With Smoky Chipotle Crema
Imagine tender, sweet shrimp ensconced in a crisp and airy tempura-like batter. Now envision those shrimp lying on a warm tortilla topped with fresh cut cabbage and a smoky-spicy drizzle of chipotle crema sauce. These tacos are not just a dream: This coastal delight can be found, just like some of the best fish tacos, along the main Mexican Pacific coast and Baja Peninsula, but you can also make them a reality at home. The toppings can vary, so add sliced or smashed avocado, spicy pickled onions, salsa macha or any other salsas you may prefer.
Snap Pea, Tofu and Herb Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce
When the season gifts us sweet, juicy sugar snap (or snow) peas, use them raw in this textural salad. Slicing them in half diagonally not only unlocks their innate crispness, but also allows the inner peas to spill out, creating more texture. This salad is brazenly herb forward, and offers an excellent way to use up any leftover bundles in your fridge; mint, cilantro or basil can be used singularly or as a mix. The two-ingredient dressing is the simplest, and possibly tastiest, peanut sauce you’ll ever make: Peanut butter is whisked together with chile crisp and loosened with boiling water, which helps encourage it to emulsify, creating a smooth, creamy and intensely savory sauce. Looking for another shortcut? You can even skip pan-frying and use store-bought pre-baked firm tofu.
Palak Paneer
A vegetarian dish of fresh, unripened cheese cooked in a thick, creamy spinach purée, paneer palak originated in the northern Indian state of Punjab. Named for its two primary ingredients — spinach and paneer cheese — palak paneer is reminiscent of saag paneer (which typically uses a mixture of greens, including spinach, fenugreek leaves and mustard greens) but instead uses blended spinach as its sole source of greens. A fresh, firm, mild cheese used throughout India, paneer is prized for its texture and its ability to absorb the flavors of its surrounding ingredients, as it holds its shape without melting when heated. If you’re unable to find paneer, you can try firm tofu instead. Here, the paneer is heated in the sauce, however, you could sear the cubes in a pan before adding them to the dish. Serve palak paneer with naan or steamed basmati rice.
Creamy Miso Ramen With Shrimp
Creamy but light, this shrimp chowder-inspired ramen combines briny clam broth and heavy cream with caramelized miso to create a rich, savory broth in record time. The noodle soup brims with radishes and snap peas alongside baby potatoes for a bountiful spring veggie twist. A good dose of freshly grated ginger adds nice spice and brightness, while thinly sliced snap peas are stirred in at the end for crisp, crunchy bites.
Couscous Risotto With Tomatoes and Mozzarella
This caprese-inspired “risotto” swaps in toothsome pearl couscous for the usual short grain rice, cutting the time spent stirring in half. The result is a pleasantly chewy, creamy one-pot dish that, like true risotto, is easy to adapt. The tomatoes caramelize and concentrate in flavor when roasted, but if you don’t feel like turning on the oven, try replacing them with a heaping cup of drained and chopped roasted red peppers or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (just pat them dry if they're oil-packed). And because pesto is so flavorful, there’s no need for chicken or vegetable broth: Plain old water is the cooking liquid of choice here.
Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Simply adding pesto to chicken meatballs is a quick, easy way to infuse them with complex flavor while providing enough fat to ensure they are moist and juicy. With few ingredients, these meatballs come together fast and work well with any kind of pesto, whether homemade or store-bought. These meatballs can be eaten on their own, make a great addition to any plate and are the perfect companion to pesto pasta, of course.