Weeknight
3490 recipes found
Roasted Chicken Thighs With Blueberries
This easy roasted chicken dinner packs a bright, puckery blueberry punch. The whole-grain mustard gives the sauce spice and a satisfying pop that plays off the jammy blueberries. Patting the thighs dry and starting them in a cold pan allows the skin plenty of time to render brown and crisp. The most important thing is to ensure the skins are getting full contact with the skillet’s surface. (If your thighs are large and crowd a medium pan, use a large skillet instead, so they brown rather than steam.) Save any leftover sauce as a mustardy sandwich condiment.
Strawberry Pudding Cake
Studded with jammy strawberries, this pudding cake requires just one easy batter but yields three pretty, textured layers: crisp golden topping, tender cake and a saucy, pudding-like layer. It’s like a (delicious) science-class experiment: As it bakes, cake batter rises above a surface of hot, syrupy liquid to brown and create a crust, while that liquid forms a custardy sauce below. Every oven is a little different, so baking time is an approximation, making it important to consider doneness by looks, too — overbaking this will result in a firmer, bread pudding-like texture. This cake is best enjoyed within a couple hours of baking. Though this dessert begs to be eaten directly out of the skillet, served warm, family-style, with a handful of spoons, it’s also delicious in a bowl with whipped cream.
Taco Salad
This Mexican American classic has roots at Disneyland. Charles Elmer Doolin, a cofounder of the Frito Company, created an edible cup out of Fritos and served it at his Disneyland restaurant, Casa de Fritos, in 1955. It was the size of a teacup, filled with ground beef, beans and sour cream, and called the Ta-Cup (a portmanteau of taco and cup). The creation was a hit, with recipes for taco salad made with various corn chips proliferating in the ’60s, becoming a staple in school cafeterias, and eventually growing into the jumbo version added to the Taco Bell menu in 1984. (The menu item was retired in 2020.) You can use any corn chip for this recipe, and there’s no need for it to be in cup form, but opt for Fritos, if you want that authentic taste.
Grilled Tofu Tacos
Inspired by zesty Baja tacos, which typically feature fried fish, these quick vegetarian tacos are filled with tofu that has been marinated in a spicy adobo sauce, then grilled for smoky flavor. All of the typical toppings work perfectly here: Shredded cabbage adds crunchy texture and a creamy, cilantro-spiked crema tames the heat. If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, the tofu can be cooked indoors on a lightly greased cast-iron skillet for charred flavor that’s enhanced by the adobo sauce.
Pepper Steak
The Chinese American stir-fry dish, pepper steak, celebrates the oft-maligned green bell pepper in all its savory, vegetal glory. In this version, thin slices of flank or skirt steak, marinated in a flavorful mix of soy sauce, honey and black pepper cook up beautifully tender yet burnished and caramelized at the edges. Be sure to chop all of your vegetables before you start cooking, since time at the stove is hot and fast with this easy recipe.
Goat Cheese and Dill Dutch Baby
This savory Dutch baby, typically a sweet dish, is made by pouring a light, eggy batter into a heated pan of hot melted butter. The herb-flecked batter begins cooking on contact, and when baked, puffs and crisps and develops a tender, custard-like center. Adorned with crumbled goat cheese, fresh dill and crunchy watercress, this is also finished with a drizzle of honey plus a sprinkle of lemon juice. When served as breakfast or brunch, this one-pan meal is about as quick and straightforward as you can get.
Italian Beef Sandwiches
These classic Midwestern sandwiches, which are thought to have originated in Chicago in the early 1900s, are made from slow-roasting tougher cuts of beef in a flavorful broth until tender. The cooked beef, which can be thinly sliced or shredded, is piled on soft rolls and layered with pickled hot peppers, provolone and tangy giardiniera. You’ll often find this sandwich doused in the cooking jus (or gravy, as Chicagoans call it) or with the jus alongside, for dipping. (This is a streamlined riff, but for a classic version, rub the meat with a mixture of 2 teaspoons coriander, and 1 tablespoon each dried oregano, dried garlic powder, smoked paprika, and fennel seed along with the salt and pepper in Step 1. Rub into the meat and keep covered for up to two days before cooking.) Pickled green hot peppers are traditional, but any kind of pickled pepper will bring a welcome bit of heat and crunch.
Classic Mentaiko Spaghetti
Mentaiko spaghetti is a staple of wafu cuisine, or Japanese adaptations of foreign ingredients. At its simplest, mentaiko spaghetti is made with nothing more than mentaiko (the salt-cured roe of Alaskan pollock), cream, butter and some simple umami seasonings like soy sauce or Parmesan. They’re whisked together in a bowl and tossed with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water, as with any sauce that is best served warm but uncooked (like pesto or carbonara). Adding an egg yolk to the base gives the dish a glossier, creamier texture, and using crème fraîche in lieu of regular heavy cream brightens the flavors. So does a bit of lemon zest and juice. The minty flavor of Japanese shiso leaves is a nice finish, but mint, basil, parsley, chives or even torn nori all work.
Grilled Tofu Salad
Perfect for simple summer grilling, this vegetarian salad makes a great weeknight meal or easy-to-transport picnic fare. Grilled tofu and zucchini pick up smoky notes and light char from the grill in just 10 minutes. They’re dressed in a rich and tangy lemon-miso vinaigrette that does double duty as basting sauce and dressing. The grilled salad is brightened by a final shower of fragrant herbs, plus a raw snap pea topping that adds fresh, crisp bites. Leftovers turn into a fantastic pasta salad the next day; simply toss with cooked short pasta and finish with more olive oil and grated Parmesan.
Caramelized Zucchini and White Bean Salad
This flavorful and hearty salad makes use of one of summer’s most abundant vegetables, zucchini. You start with a big pile of shredded zucchini and onions, then might marvel at how much it cooks down as it browns and caramelizes. Next, you’ll toss that potent blend with creamy white beans and herbs to make an easy, flavorful side or main. The mint adds brightness, and it pairs well with other soft herbs, like parsley, dill and basil. The caramelized zucchini mixture makes a great base for bean salad, but it is so versatile it can be used in many other ways: Make a big batch and toss it with pasta, serve it on top of ricotta-slathered toast, or top a flatbread with it; you really can’t go wrong.
Gingery Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Most meatballs in tomato sauce rely on canned tomatoes for the kind of heady, garlicky recipe that’s typically spooned over spaghetti. But this recipe is made from briefly cooked fresh tomatoes for something lighter and brighter, seasoned with ginger, cilantro, lime juice and a dusting of cumin. It’s a perfect place to use up those overripe summer tomatoes, and it works well with just-ripe tomatoes, too. Feel free to use any kind of ground meat here: pork, beef, turkey, chicken, lamb or vegan meat. Then, serve it with crusty bread or rice to catch all of the zippy, fragrant sauce.
Dumpling Tomato Salad With Chile Crisp Vinaigrette
Harness the crowd-pleasing power of dumplings in this hearty yet light main course salad. The base is simple and summery: Ripe tomatoes are lightly touched with salt, garlic and basil, providing a perfectly fragrant canvas for pan-fried potsticker dumplings. Salting intensifies the tanginess and fruitiness of tomatoes, while also coaxing out some of the juice, which becomes a light sauce for the dumplings. (Salting also works wonders for out-of-season tomatoes, meaning you could eat this salad all year round.) Use your favorite chile crisp as it is the dominant flavor in the dressing and will greatly impact the final dish; all brands of crisp will have different levels of saltiness and spice, so season accordingly.
Tofu and Asparagus With Frizzled Leeks
This almost-no-cook vegan meal is a spunky mix of flavors and textures: Fried leeks add crunch and sweetness; asparagus provides snap and pleasant bitterness; miso lends savoriness; and tender, mild tofu balances it all out. The leeks get frizzled in oil, then the mixture is poured over the miso-dressed tofu and asparagus for an aromatic finish, similar to techniques common in Chinese and Indian cooking. (You could also swap in juicy, crunchy snap or snow peas, cucumbers or celery.) Serve over rice, soba or rice noodles, or spring lettuces drizzled with lemon or lime juice.
Roasted Gochujang Salmon
Quick and easy, this five-ingredient weeknight recipe yields flavorful, flaky fish with minimal effort. If gochujang (spicy Korean fermented soybean paste) or doenjang (a milder bean paste) are not available, feel free to substitute with harissa paste or miso. Because salmon is already an oily fish, it doesn’t need extra fat to protect it from overcooking in the oven. Once cooked, the salmon fillets can hold up to 4 days, refrigerated, and are equally great eaten at room temperature. Enjoy warm with rice, torn into salads, or tucked into a sandwich.
Charred Green Beans and Lemony Yogurt
Everyone needs a simple summer side dish formula and this one is very adaptable. Broil or grill a pile of bright, snappy green beans until just charred but still crisp-tender, then set over a bed of well-seasoned lemony yogurt. Top with a flurry of herbs plus a squeeze of lemon juice and you have the foundation for endless summer lunches and dinners. This recipe is equally delicious with broccoli florets, small peppers, sliced eggplant or halved carrots. You can char the green beans under your broiler or on a grill, but make sure to use a basket if you are grilling, otherwise the beans may fall through the grates. Serve the veggies and yogurt with a quickly grilled protein, like chicken, tofu, or shrimp, or simply with bread.
Chorizo Taquitos
Chorizo taquitos are quick, filling and endlessly customizable. While a taquito’s more traditional iterations involve frying the filled and rolled tortilla until crisp, this recipe is styled after a fast-casual version from the Whataburger restaurant chain. It’s made with flour tortillas (rather than corn tortillas) and skips the frying process. The chorizo filling is cooked with aromatics and seasonings, then mixed with scrambled eggs, ladled across tortillas with cheese, rolled and garnished with salsa. The dish retains its Mexican origins while adapting to the flavor profiles and preferences of its many locales. The taquito is as straightforward or complex as you’d like it to be — which is another joy of this delicious dish.
Tuna and Tomato Salad
Tuna, tomatoes and onions dressed with oil and vinegar hit all the notes of a summer salad: rich, refreshing, crunchy and fast. It’s no wonder the combination is common throughout the Mediterranean (especially in Spain and Portugal). As with all few-ingredient, no-cook dishes, the deliciousness will depend on your ingredients, so use summer-ripe tomatoes, fruity olive oil and quality tuna. (You could also add green or Kalamata olives, capers, cucumbers, white beans or herbs such as parsley, basil or oregano.) The tomato juices will blend with the oil and vinegar to make a vinaigrette you’ll want to sop every drop of, so serve this dish alongside crusty bread, grains, potatoes or eggs.
Rhubarb Roasted Salmon
In this speedy, rosy weeknight dinner, a tart ginger-rhubarb sauce lends brightness to rich, buttery roasted salmon fillets. It’s used in two ways here. First, it’s spooned over the fillets before roasting, allowing the bits of rhubarb to singe and caramelize in the oven’s high heat. Then, more sauce is served alongside for a fresher, zippier bite. To balance the rhubarb’s astringency, a few tablespoons of sugar are stirred into the sauce, but feel free to adjust the amount to taste. It should strike a balance between tangy and sweet. For the pinkest, prettiest sauce, seek out the reddest rhubarb stalks you can find.
Cauliflower Pasta With Anchovies and Bread Crumbs
This simple pasta, named pasta alla Paolina con cavolfiore, from Palermo, Italy, layers flavor upon flavor: It begins with oil-packed anchovies melted in a hot pan, then combines them with tomato sauce and a blend of cinnamon and cloves, pantry staples in Sicilian cuisine. It’s finished with a crunchy, almond-studded bread crumb mixture that comes together while the pasta cooks. The dish was created centuries ago in a Sicilian monastery, by one of the friars of the order founded by San Francesco di Paola. This popular variation adds cauliflower. While this dish traditionally includes anchovies, capers can be substituted.
Chile Con Queso
This deliciously messy chile con queso from the chef John Lewis pays homage to the version he grew up eating at Chope’s Town Bar & Cafe in La Mesa, N.M. Chope’s closely guarded queso comprises thin, roasted Hatch green chile salsa topped with melted cheese and served with fresh flour tortillas for pinching. Mr. Lewis tinkered for years to get this simple assemblage right, which he serves at his restaurant, Rancho Lewis, in Charleston, S.C. Heat the Hatch chiles in their liquid with a few umami-rich shakes of bouillon powder. Don’t boil; you’re after a loose, stewlike consistency. Stir in lime juice to brighten the flavors, top with cheese and broil until melted. Serve with hot flour tortillas. If chile juice drips down your arm, you’re doing it right.
Orecchiette Salad With Halloumi Croutons
Crispy, salty, chewy cubes of sautéed halloumi add great texture and heartiness to this bright pasta salad filled with veggies, herbs and tomatoes. The tomatoes are marinated with red wine vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, which infuses them with flavor and helps them release their juices for the punchy dressing. Crunchy cucumbers, lots of fresh herbs and some optional arugula round out this hearty salad. When seasoning the pasta and vegetables, keep in mind that the halloumi is quite salty. This salad is best enjoyed the day it’s made, while the halloumi cubes are still warm.
Çilbir (Turkish Eggs With Yogurt)
This traditional Turkish egg dish of garlicky yogurt with poached eggs and a drizzle of spicy butter is rich, luscious and faintly smoky. Typically served as a meze among a spread of other dishes, it makes a light lunch or brunch that comes together in the time it takes to poach eggs. For your base, opt for Greek yogurt to mimic the thicker yogurt common in Turkey. Next, bloom Aleppo pepper in butter or olive oil. Also known as pul biber, it delivers about as much heat as chipotle, with smoky notes and a fruity flavor. This version of çilbir is adapted from Özlem Warren, a cookbook author and blogger. Though the dish is traditionally served without herbs, she recommends dill or parsley for a modern flourish.
Roasted Red Peppers With Beans and Greens
In this one-dish recipe, charred peppers pair with garlicky beans and greens for soft but satisfying bites. The benefit of roasting bell peppers whole is that their sweet juices concentrate, but those flavorful juices don’t evaporate in the oven as they would if cut into slices. Better yet: This recipe’s format is endlessly adaptable. For instance, roast white beans with feta and eat with pita, or cook chickpeas with ground turmeric and cumin then dollop with yogurt.
Green Salad With Sour Cream and Onion Dressing
This playful recipe borrows the flavors of sour cream and onion dip and reimagines them into a bright, punchy salad with a creamy dressing. Onion powder is used without restraint here, highlighting the virtues of the reliable pantry staple. Tossing the dressing with a mountain of crisp lettuce leaves tames its intensity and creates a well-balanced salad that makes the perfect accompaniment to any meal. If you like, garnish it with crushed potato chips right before serving for an additional pop of texture and a nod to its inspiration.