Weeknight
3429 recipes found
Chile-Lime Crispy Rice With Roasted Vegetables
Cool-weather eating can mean heavy flavors and dishes that rely on richness to wake up your palate. This recipe makes a sharp left by combining sweet, caramelized vegetables with an ultrabright, spicy dressing and unexpected pops of crunch and chew from skillet-crisped rice. Serve as is, or toss in chopped peanuts, cooked shrimp, ground pork or shredded chicken for added protein.
Chicken, Leek and Potato Soup
Hearty and almost stew-like, this comforting soup is filled with potatoes and tender leeks (including the green parts) and gets a jolt of freshness from lemon and dill. For a zesty kick, stir in some finely grated garlic at the end, which preserves its bright flavor. Don’t skip the sour cream — its dairy tang adds an essential richness. A fresh crusty baguette or some garlic bread is all you might need to complete the meal.
Coconut Curry With Potatoes and Greens
This hearty dish comes with many possibilities: Part chunky chowder, part saucy curry, it can be eaten as a soup, with crusty bread on the side, or ladled over steamed rice or rice noodles. The flavor foundation of this aromatic, vegetable-laden dish comes from store-bought Thai curry paste, an undisputed weeknight pantry hero that delivers complex spices straight from the jar. Frying the paste until it turns a darker shade makes it even more special by intensifying its flavors. Different brands of curry paste will vary in water content, saltiness and spice, so keep that in mind when deciding how much to add. While any variety of potatoes could be used here, starchy Yukon Golds will hold their shape best, with a lovely creaminess that pairs harmoniously with the greens. Make this meal even heartier by adding diced extra-firm tofu or chickpeas.
Citrus-Soy Chicken Ramen
Bright and zippy, rich and savory, this streamlined take on ramen wakes your palate like a sunbeam streaming through the curtains on a lazy morning in bed. It’s superfast yet it tastes as if you've just spent hours simmering it. Simply make a quick garlicky broth enriched with soy sauce and enhanced by the bones and skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Cook noodles right in the broth and then add the shredded chicken, fresh citrus juice, cilantro, sesame and a little more soy. If you’d like, serve with the juiced lime and lemon halves in the bowl to add more vibrancy to this satisfying meal.
Sizzled Bratwurst With Mashed Potatoes
Spiced and savory German sausages, bratwurst are a juicy secret weapon for busy workdays. When served at home, they can be pan-fried or grilled and served with mashed potatoes, warmed sauerkraut and hot German mustard, all of which balance the richness of the fatty sausages. The simple bratwurst technique in this recipe is pulled straight from German home cooking: simmer the sausages in water to plump them up first before letting that water evaporate, then sear the outsides in the bratwurst’s own rendered fat. Bratwurst are also a popular street or festival food in Germany, in which case they might be served with bread rolls called brötchen or semmel. Wash this hearty and nourishing (but surprisingly not too heavy) dish down with a cold German lager, pilsner or wheat beer such as Hefeweizen.
Japanese Curry With Chicken Meatballs
For all the impact of a complex, long simmered curry in a cinch, bring on the Japanese curry roux blocks! Unlike curry powder, these curry blocks only need to be simmered in water to add loads of flavor and body. Traditionally carrots, potatoes and onions are included, but this version smothers ginger-spiked chicken meatballs, creamy sweet potato and lots of greens in the sauce. This dish tastes even better the next day as all the flavors mellow and meld, so it’s perfect for meal prep.
Bubble and Squeak
Bubble and squeak is a deeply caramelized, homey cake of leftover mashed potatoes and other vegetables, traditionally made the morning after a Sunday roast. This classic British dish gets its name from the cooking process: As the moisture from the vegetables bubbles away, the vegetables sizzle and squeak — especially the cabbage, a common addition. Be sure to let the bottom brown and crisp, mix those bits into the mash, then repeat until the cake is strewn with golden vegetables throughout. Eat alongside a fried or poached egg for breakfast. To make it vegetarian, replace the bacon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Miso-Butter Chicken With Grapefruit
Buttery miso pan drippings add richness to this lively combination of crunchy greens, juicy grapefruit and sticky chicken. Start by roasting boneless thighs with a sweet-savory combination of butter, miso, mirin and grapefruit zest. As the chicken rests, toss grapefruit segments in the drippings, then use that mixture to dress bitter lettuces. If you’d like, instead of grapefruit, use an orange and add white wine vinegar to the sauce to taste. To make it a heartier meal, roast bite-size pieces of winter squash, carrots or sweet potatoes on a sheet pan in the oven at the same time as the chicken, then add them with the grapefruit in Step 4.
Curried Coconut and Red Lentil Soup
In this quick-cooking and restorative soup, the key to building flavor fast is curry powder. While the spice blends vary from brand to brand, most include at least coriander, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek and black pepper. Madras curry powder, used here, is a spicier variant featuring chile powder. In the time it takes for the vegetables and aromatics to soften, the red lentils cook through, creating a creamy, velvety texture when the soup is blended. The optional addition of coconut water reinforces the flavor of the coconut milk and balances the aromatic savoriness with a hint of sweetness. The extra hydration this soup provides is especially welcome during Ramadan.
Cabbage Steaks
Tender and crisp cabbage “steaks” are indeed vegetarian, similar to cauliflower steaks, but achieve remarkable complexity from the way they are sliced into thick planks and roasted, which chars the outer edges and makes the inner leaves rippled and buttery for a balance of textures. The key is using plenty of olive oil: Some gets blended with spices and brushed all over the steaks, and even more is drizzled on top just before roasting. Serve these cabbage steaks as a simple side with a sprinkle of dill, alongside a pile of pierogi, a spatchcocked chicken or roasted salmon, or serve them as a main, with a spoonful of romesco and some fresh bread.
Lemony Roasted Mushroom Pasta
A mélange of mushrooms, roasted with aromatic garlic, sweet red onions and warming woody herbs, brings elegance to this easy weeknight pasta. Roasting mushrooms is a wonderful hands-off cooking technique, giving them the time to soften and become golden around the edges while staying moist and plump. Lemon wedges are roasted, too, which unlocks their sweetness and coaxes out a deeper citrus flavor. A dash of soy sauce is just enough to intensify the umami of the dish. While using a single variety of mushrooms is just fine, incorporating different types will deliver more texture and flavor. To make this vegan, simply use nondairy butter and opt for nutritional yeast rather than cheese.
Baked Sweet Potato With Blue Cheese and Bacon
Give sweet potatoes the steakhouse wedge salad treatment in this comforting dinner for one. Sweet potato halves roast until silky and caramelized alongside strips of bacon, whose crisp texture and smoky flavor accentuate a creamy blue cheese butter. Chopped walnuts provide additional crunch, while lemon and chives brighten it all up. This recipe can easily be scaled up to feed a crowd, or even popped into a toaster oven for a party of one.
Chicken Jalfrezi
Originally created as a way to add flavor to roasted meats, chicken jalfrezi is a tangy, spicy stir-fried curry with origins in Bengal. “Jalfrezi” translates to "hot fry," and the dish typically features meat coated in a thick tomato-based gravy — a defining characteristic of the Anglo-Indian version that became popular through British curry houses in the mid-20th century. This recipe uses both Kashmiri chile powder and fresh serrano chiles to deliver its signature spicy kick.
Stir-Fried Cabbage and Pork in Fish Sauce Butter
This quick, weeknight cabbage and pork stir-fry is humble in ingredients yet packed with flavor, thanks to briny fish sauce, rich brown butter and potent aromatics (ginger, garlic and red-pepper flakes). Chopped cabbage gets a nice char in butter that browns as it cooks, adding richness to the lean vegetable. Fast-cooking ground pork is infused with garlic, ginger and scallions, and the final addition of salty fish sauce, bright lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro creates a punchy sauce. If you like a jolt of heat, use a thinly sliced bird’s-eye chile in place of the crushed red pepper.
Spiced Pea Stew With Yogurt
Inspired by a warmly spiced Persian stew traditionally made with peas and tomatoes, this version allows the sweetness of the peas and the warmth of onions, ginger, cumin and turmeric to lead. It tops the pea stew with a fresh pea topping made from a portion of the just-cooked peas, plus crushed sesame seeds and chopped cilantro, all of which add vibrant color and texture when sprinkled over the stew just before serving. A drizzle of yogurt on top brings a cooling contrast. Serve the stew alongside steamed rice, pita or other fresh warmed flatbreads.
Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes and Cabbage)
Colcannon is a comforting Irish dish of fluffy mashed potatoes mixed with tender cabbage or kale, often with scallions and usually with plenty of butter. While it has become a tradition to enjoy colcannon on Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival from which Halloween is drawn, it's also a fine dish to celebrate any Irish holiday, including St. Patrick's Day. For Samhain, treasures would be buried in the dish; depending on what you found in your portion, your fortune for the coming months would be revealed. In some cases, a ring suggested marriage, while a coin promised future wealth. Use russet potatoes for a fluffier mash or Yukons for a creamier texture. Omit the cabbage and kale entirely and you've got a different Irish classic: champ! Fry tablespoons of leftover colcannon the next day for wonderful potato pancakes to serve under a runny egg.
Sausage and Barley Soup With Greens
This simple, satisfying soup relies on sausage as its flavorful base. Start by cooking raw sausage, rather than precooked links, since it generally has better texture and flavor for soup. Pearled barley adds heartiness and a wonderful chewy texture. Stir in a handful of greens at the end, plus a little vinegar for brightness, and you have a cozy meal in less than an hour of mostly hands-off time. To make this soup gluten-free, you can substitute French green lentils for the barley. If you are making it ahead of time, wait to add the greens until you’re ready to serve to preserve their bright, fresh flavor.
Broccoli Rabe Pesto Pasta
Blitzing pungent broccoli rabe into a creamy, nutty pesto (along with walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice) helps mellow any bitterness in this verdant weeknight pasta. Start by quickly boiling the broccoli rabe and garlic, which takes the edge off. Fans of broccoli rabe will enjoy extra bites of the greens throughout this pasta dish, and those looking to round the flavors out further would do well to add cooked Italian sausage, cannellini beans or a dollop of ricotta cheese. The broccoli rabe pesto can also be used as a topping for crostini or pizza, and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Fried Cabbage
Southern fried cabbage smartly marries lean cabbage with pork in the form of rich, meaty bacon. First, you chop bacon into small pieces and cook until crispy. Next, the cabbage cooks right in the bacon fat with onion and garlic, quickly soaking up tons of smoky flavor. Covering the cabbage as it cooks helps it soften quickly and evenly, achieving a uniquely silky texture. A touch of stone-ground mustard gives a tangy lift. This easy side pairs well with roasted chicken, fried chicken, pork chops and grilled sausages.
Curry Shrimp and Sweet Potato
Inspired by the charms of Caribbean curry shrimp, this recipe provides a quick and adaptable path to dinner. Once the base recipe has been memorized, any number of substitutions can be made for the shrimp and supporting vegetables. The formula is simple: While shrimp marinate in curry powder, a medley of onions, bell peppers, garlic and chiles sweat their way to succulence. Sliced onions are added in two steps — once at the beginning and again at the end, with the shrimp — to offer both a mellow sweetness and a more pungent bite. This curry can be served on its own, but prefers to be spooned over freshly steamed rice.
Cod With Brown Butter and Pine Nuts
This easy baked cod takes your weeknight cooking to wonderful heights, in just 15 minutes. While the fish bakes, you’ll make a browned-butter topping that offers richness and crunch from the pine nuts, as well as a welcome acidity thanks to the sumac and lemon juice. Serve this with some lightly steamed greens or boiled new potatoes for a complete meal.
Potato Wedges
These oven fries are a deeply satisfying and nostalgic side dish that comes together with ease any night of the week. Seasoning the wedges with spices, grated Parmesan and garlic, and roasting them with more freshly grated cheese on top, ensures plenty of flavor in every bite. Soaking the cut potatoes in cold water before baking releases extra starch which leads to crispier outsides and creamier insides. Equally essential to that textural contrast is drying the potatoes fully before seasoning and baking them. Enjoy as-is, or serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Little Gem Salad With Crispy Halloumi
Meet halloumi crumbs, a best-of-all-worlds garnish for salads, pastas and more. They’re crisp like toasted breadcrumbs, salty like Parmesan and still maintain some of halloumi’s signature chew. To make the crumbs, grate the sturdy cheese on the large holes of a box grater, then sizzle the strands in an oiled skillet. Here, pistachios and whole spices, like fennel or coriander seeds, are also added for a boost of flavor and even more textures. Even the simplest salad of crunchy, lemon-dressed lettuces can wow when these crumbs are showered on top. To make it a meal, serve it with roasted root vegetables, lentil soup or a grilled or roasted protein.
Skillet Cornbread
This cornbread recipe from photographer, documentarian and writer Pableaux Johnson is a simple and rustic standard. Baked in a hot skillet to encourage crispy edges and a substantially toasty bottom, cornbread is traditional to many regions in the South. This recipe was passed down by Mr. Johnson’s grandfather, Achille Leon Hebert from Baton Rouge, La., and it was served every Monday at Mr. Johnson’s legendary red beans and rice community table at his home in New Orleans. It traveled with him across the country on his Red Beans Roadshow, where he collaborated with local chefs and served dozens of communities over the span of almost a decade.