Weeknight
3491 recipes found
Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas and Broccoli Rabe
Braising in a pool of olive oil can turn tough ingredients creamy and luxurious without any of your attention. Canned chickpeas turn buttery-soft, and broccoli rabe’s bitterness succumbs to an oil seasoned with garlic, rosemary, chile and fennel seeds. Speaking of that oil, it’s as much a reason to braise as the silky chickpeas and rabe themselves. Soak it all up with crusty bread, or ladle it over pasta, yogurt, feta or mozzarella. The underpinnings of this recipe — chickpeas, vegetables, olive oil and seasonings — also make it great to riff on. Consider simmering chickpeas and olive oil with carrots, harissa and black olives; cherry tomatoes, thyme and lemon slices; or potatoes, shallots and cumin seeds.
Linguine With Chickpeas, Broccoli and Ricotta
The broiler is an unsung kitchen hero because it imparts a flavorful char in half the time that grilling takes. In this 20-minute recipe, kale, broccoli and chickpeas crisp under the broiler while the pasta water boils. Make sure to spread out the vegetables and chickpeas so they have room to caramelize properly instead of steaming (the more crunchy bits, the better). Finish by tossing the pasta and vegetables with a quick sauce of butter, lemon zest and fresh ricotta, a rich and creamy complement to the charred vegetables. Enjoy with crusty bread, good wine and a sense of accomplishment — you just got dinner on the table in under a half hour.
Chickpea Stew With Orzo and Mustard Greens
A complex and colorful chickpea stew, this is rich with vegetables, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. You can vary the vegetables to use what you’ve got. Here, I keep to the basics, adding carrots for sweetness, fennel or celery for depth, cherry tomatoes for looks. Tender greens, wilted into the bubbling mixture at the end, are optional, but they do add a bright, almost herbal note. I particularly love using baby mustard greens, which are pleasantly peppery. But spinach, arugula and kale work well, too.
Caramelized-Scallion Noodles
The key here is the scallion dressing for the noodles and the bit of oyster sauce you drizzle on for depth and umami. Feel free to substitute in any meats, fish, tofu or vegetables you like for the toppings; this is just a template for any number of quick, delicious meals.
Rice Noodles With Garlicky Cashew Sauce
This dish is loosely based on an Indo-Chinese garlic noodle dish. Here, a combination of Italian and Chinese condiments like cashews, Parmesan, soy sauce and anchovies create a creamy, umami-rich garlic sauce. This recipe uses rice noodles, but you could use egg noodles, ramen or any type of noodle. Since Parmesan, anchovies and soy sauce tend to fall on the saltier side, taste as you go and season the sauce accordingly. Feel free to reduce the amount of garlic, as it leans toward the generous side. These noodles are best eaten warm as soon as they’re mixed with the sauce.
Curry Udon
Japanese curry bricks deserve their place in our pantries as a staple — inexpensive, with a long shelf life, and full of fast flavor. For those without easy access to store-bought curry bricks, you can make your own or opt for this recipe, in which a quick roux is made using a commercial curry powder blend. A Japanese brand like S&B is ideal, though most products labeled “curry powder” will work. If you have curry bricks in your pantry, you can use them and skip to Step 4, but note the package instructions to determine how many bricks to use. This recipe makes a thick, silky broth that clings ardently to the chubby udon noodles. Potatoes, carrots and onions are common ingredients used in Japanese curry, and while the spinach is not traditional, it adds a nice green element; substitute with broccoli, baby bok choy or kale if you prefer.
Pasta With Chickpeas and a Negroni
This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen. A drink before dinner? Make a Negroni, then pasta with chickpeas and tomato sauce. First, the Negroni: one part gin, one part sweet vermouth, one part Campari, stirred with ice then strained over ice and garnished with orange peel. Sip! Then peel and chop an onion and sauté it in olive oil with a few cloves of smashed garlic and a spray of salt and pepper. Have another hit of Negroni. When the mixture has just started to brown, add a tablespoon of tomato paste and a 28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes, along with a stick of cinnamon. Stir and simmer away for 10 minutes or so, longer if you can, then add enough cream or half-and-half so that the sauce turns softer in color, running to pink. Meanwhile, boil some salted water and prepare your favorite pasta (I like shells for this application) until it is just al dente. Drain, then toss in a 14-ounce can of drained chickpeas and stir the whole thing into the tomato sauce, topping with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes. Finish that Negroni. Eat. Sam Sifton features a no-recipe recipe every Wednesday in his What to Cook newsletter. Sign up to receive it. You can find more no-recipe recipes here.
Marinated Chickpeas
These marinated chickpeas are great on their own, but even better for bulking up salads into a full meal. Because the chickpeas soak in vinaigrette, there’s typically no need to add any extra dressing when you combine them with other vegetables; they come with enough seasoning to flavor everything. Combine a cup of the dressed chickpeas with a cup of cooked whole grains (such as farro, barley, wheat berries or quinoa), a half cup of shredded carrots, a handful of minced fresh parsley, a pinch of cumin, plus some cayenne or harissa for heat. You could also stir together equal parts marinated chickpeas and diced fresh cucumber with some slivered red onions and chopped fresh dill, or massage some chopped kale with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then toss in a big scoop of marinated chickpeas and some crumbled feta or Cotija.
Dirty Rice With Mushrooms
This vegetarian version of Southern dirty rice replaces the traditional ground beef and chicken livers with hearty mushrooms, creamy black-eyed peas and flavorful spices for a satisfying one-pot meal. The recipe starts with the classic Cajun holy trinity — onion, green bell pepper and celery in equal parts — to create a flavorful foundation. Mushroom broth adds even more depth and reinforces the earthy cremini mushrooms, while a drizzle of hot sauce adds tang and kick. Serve with simple leafy greens or chopped salad.
Longevity Noodles With Chicken, Ginger and Mushrooms
During Chinese New Year, long noodles are eaten in all corners of China. “Longevity noodles,” also presented at birthday celebrations, are never cut or broken by the cook, and if they can be eaten without biting through the strands, it’s considered even more auspicious. Longevity noodles are usually stir fried, presenting challenges to the home cook. Noodles should be stir-fried alone and lightly oiled so that they don’t clump together in the wok, and all ingredients must be completely dry so they sear properly.
Chile-Oil Noodles With Cilantro
In this 20-minute recipe, a mixture of savory condiments coats bowlfuls of wide noodles chilled slightly by a quick rinse in cool water. While you cook the udon, take the time to prepare the sauce, abundant with contrasting flavors, and the fresh herbs. The sauce can be made in advance, but make sure it’s at room temperature before tossing it with the noodles and the cilantro at the last minute. Substitutions are welcome: Swap in chile crisp in place of the chile oil with crunchy garlic, or scallions in place of garlic chives. Sichuan chile oil brings a citrusy flavor that is hard to replicate, so don’t skip it. It can vary in spice level: For a milder sauce, use only the liquid oil, or add Sichuan peppercorns from the bottom of the oil for extra tingle. Fried shallots are here for texture, but omit them if you use chile crisp.
Vegetable Yakisoba
Yakisoba is a Japanese stir-fried noodle dish with a rich Worcestershire-flavored sauce. This veggie-packed version combines carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms and kale for a fun mix of textures and flavors. The key in this dish is to sauté the yakisoba noodles first, creating a dryer, firmer noodle that won’t fall apart in the sauce. (Fresh ramen noodles would also work well here.) The tangy-sweet sauce consists mainly of pantry condiments and can be made the day before. Leftovers can be enjoyed the traditional street food way: reheated and served in buttered hot dog buns topped with Japanese mayo and pickled ginger.
Marcus Samuelsson’s Quinoa with Broccoli, Cauliflower and Toasted Coconut
Quinoa “might be the new kale,” said Marcus Samuelsson, the chef and owner of Red Rooster in Harlem. The ancient grain is the star of this quick one-bowl dish, which Mr. Samuelsson created to be an easy weeknight meal. Quinoa, steeped in coconut milk, becomes a rich canvas for vegetables and bold flavors like ginger and Aleppo pepper.
One-Pan Coconut Curry Rice With Chicken and Vegetables
Baking rice is a fail-safe way to a fluffy bowl of grains — and a quick route to a fragrant, hearty dinner. Red curry paste, coconut milk and peanut butter spice the chicken, rice and vegetables in this hands-off, one-pot recipe. Chunky peanut butter adds nuttiness, crunch and creaminess all at once. Feel free to swap out the carrots and broccoli for vegetables with similar cooking times, like sweet potato or snap peas. Drizzle your red curry rice with lime-spiked coconut milk for brightness just before digging in.
Microwave Rice
The microwave is for more than just popping popcorn or heating leftovers. It can also make an excellent bowl of rice. Unlike a stovetop, which can create hot spots on a pan that result in scorched rice, microwaves provide even heat on all sides, creating uniformly textured grains. This method is also very practical: You don’t have to babysit the grains, and you won’t have to clean a pot with stuck-on bits of rice. It may take a few attempts to figure out the exact timing for your microwave as machines differ in wattage and efficiency in air circulation. If you want to jazz up your rice, try adding a pat of butter, a drizzle of olive oil or even a pinch of a spice blend like ras el hanout before microwaving.
Rice Noodles With Seared Pork, Carrots and Herbs
Vietnamese-style marinated pork chops are often served whole with rice noodles, herbs and a dipping sauce. This version mixes all the components, infusing the noodles, sliced meat and vegetables with the sauce and keeping the noodles tender even after a day in the fridge. Dark, robust maple syrup takes the place of the traditional dark caramel in a nod to autumn (and as a weeknight shortcut to save you the hassle of browning sugar). The pork takes only a few minutes to cook, the noodles about 3, so this whole dish comes together really fast.
Kimchi Rice Porridge
A combination of pungent chopped kimchi, toasted scallions and ginger, and rice that's been bolstered with a hit of kimchi brine, this porridge is fiery and sinus-clearing. The rice isn’t perfectly fluffy; instead, leftover rice simmers until it breaks down from kernel to stew. (You can, of course, use raw rice, too: Cook it in Step 2 for about an hour, partly covered and stirring occasionally.) You'll want to cook the scallions and ginger until nearly burned, and top the whole thing with a fried egg (or make it soft-boiled). Take note that most kimchi gets its funk from shrimp, anchovies and-or fish sauce, so if you’d like to make this dish vegetarian, make sure to use a vegetarian kimchi.
Salmon Soba Noodles With Ponzu-Scallion Sauce
Quick-cooking, earthy soba noodles, made entirely from buckwheat or a combination of buckwheat and wheat flour, are perfect for easy weeknight dinners and can be enjoyed either chilled or in warm dishes. In this speedy noodle soup, dashi powder — an instant soup stock made from dried powdered bonito (skipjack tuna) that functions similarly to bouillon cubes — and subtly sweet cabbage help create a flavorful broth quickly. Salmon is thinly sliced and poached in the broth just before serving. A tangy and vibrant ponzu-scallion sauce balances the rich fatty fish, while grated daikon adds freshness, texture and a subtle bite.
Crisp Quinoa Cakes With Pine Nuts and Raisins
Hearty Quinoa and White Bean Soup
Soup doesn't have to be loaded with meat to be deeply satisfying. This one from Mary McCartney, devoted vegetarian, cookbook author and a daughter of Paul, is proof of that fact. Quinoa adds a lovely bit of texture, and beans – practically any variety will do – add heft and a wonderful creaminess as they break down in the broth. This recipe begs to be tampered with, so feel free to add more beans, vegetables, quinoa or fresh herbs. One reader even added a few cups of cooked pasta. It's almost impossible to mess up, so don't hold back.
Quinoa With Roasted Winter Vegetables and Pesto
This combination of sweet vegetables with pungent pesto is great for a simple grain and vegetable bowl.
Risotto
Creamy and complex, classic risotto requires only a handful of simple ingredients to transform into a luxurious meal. In this most basic version, the dish is finished with just enough butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano to add rich creaminess while still allowing the rice flavor and texture to shine. Though it’s delicious on its own, this dish can serve as a blank canvas. For quick, easy upgrades, stir in 1 cup of frozen peas or 1 pound of cleaned shrimp during the last few minutes of cooking, or top the risotto with whatever cooked seasonal vegetables you desire.
One-Pot Turmeric Coconut Rice With Greens
No matter how you modify this one-pot rice, it can’t help but simultaneously comfort and enliven: The rice is cooked with turmeric, black pepper and rich coconut milk, which is all brightened by a mix of coconut, sesame seeds and lime. The greens, which conveniently cook on top of the rice, can be swapped out for anything that steams in 10 minutes, such as frozen peas or edamame, green beans, broccoli, grated carrots or sliced fennel. While a meal all on its own, this rice would also be great accompanied by tofu, white fish, chicken thighs or stewed black beans. Prepared as written, this dish has a relatively pure, mild flavor, so if you want more oomph, add more turmeric and saffron and season with plenty of salt and pepper as you cook.
