Sarah Copeland

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

It’s always a shame to let precious vegetables go to waste. Once they pass their prime, they can form the foundation for a tasty stir-fry. Wrap mature greens like kale, Swiss chard and spinach in a damp towel and refrigerate them and they will keep for about seven days. Once they start to become limp, they may no longer shine raw in salads but they are perfect for stir-frying. This recipe works with what you've got, building an easy stir-fry with any combination of toasted nuts, crunchy vegetables and sturdy greens.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

The French long ago mastered eggs en cocotte —slightly coddled eggs baked at high heat with butter and cream, which thicken to a gravy as it cooks. There’s no finer way to enjoy an egg. To pull this off for a crowd, a large casserole dish coated with butter and partly filled with heavy cream acts as a bath in which to gently cook the eggs. To dress them up, add smoked salmon, a handful of kale or spinach leaves, thinly sliced ham, halved cherry tomatoes or sliced, cooked mushrooms to the mix before you crack in the eggs. Really anything goes here, but keep the accoutrements light and let the eggs take center stage. Finish with flaky sea salt (those large crystals melt on your tongue in just the right way) and any fresh herb you love.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

This takeout classic is beloved for a reason: It’s mild, satisfying and dependable. The chewy noodles and tender beef make for a weeknight dinner that won’t send you back to the fridge, snooping for a snack before bedtime. What makes this version better than the one from your neighborhood spot? A few things: It’s fresher, hotter and arguably faster. In this version, smaller florets ensure that the beef and broccoli cook quickly, and are easily scooped up with chopsticks. The florets' size also lowers your chances of overcooking them before they're crisp and tender. To finish, add sesame oil, if you have it, but don’t sweat it if you don’t.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

There’s no reason to reserve fish tacos for vacation or a night out. Put your broiler to work, and make them an easy weekly affair. Paprika and coriander give meaty white fish like mahi-mahi or halibut tons of impact, but the real star here is the lime-laced herb salad, which makes every bite pop. Make sure to start with the best corn tortillas you can find. And don't worry about loading the tacos up with cabbage and pico de gallo: There’s no need here. These are at their best (and easiest) when they're pared down.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

The secret to keeping lean turkey juicy as a burger? Adding fat. The burgers in this recipe, stuffed with cheese and a bit of butter, are moist, flavorful and, best of all, hold together and flip easily. These are best cooked on a flat-top griddle, burger-joint style, or you can use a large, wide skillet (like cast-iron) if that’s what you have. Both give the outside of these burgers an irresistible sear that keeps the juice and flavor inside the burger, not dripping through grill grates. Finally, Hawaiian buns are a must. Their softness and subtle sweetness give these burgers a universal appeal.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Cheesy grits are a filling, versatile vegetarian staple. They can be dressed up or down, and topped with heaps of your favorite things. If you have it, Manchego provides creaminess and rich, salt flavor, but a combination of Cheddar and Parmesan works equally well. If you’re using a vegan cheese, opt for one with the creamiest texture like a soy mozzarella, Cheddar or Cheddar Jack. To finish, let your favorite taco toppings guide you—avocados, radish and scallions are a surefire trifecta, but a spoonful of pico de gallo or salsa would be welcome here, too. You could also amp up the beans big time, adding chopped garlic, ground cumin or oodles more heat, but don’t go so crazy that you can’t pull this off on a weeknight with ease.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

If you’ve had the pleasure of a cheesy polenta dinner, topped with a creamy-yolked egg, you can imagine how good that combination is at breakfast. This quick casserole for a crowd is exactly that, made elegant and easy so you can have a perfectly cooked portion for each person with very little work. Layer your polenta with anything you desire, whether salami or ham — or keep it vegetable-centric with spinach or oven-roasted tomatoes. Make nests between your toppings and the polenta where the eggs will cook slowly, giving you a soft-cooked finish that’s loaded with flavor.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

This comfort food classic is streamlined for weeknight ease, giving you a complete one-pot meal in just a few steps. You’ll find all the cheesy, creamy notes of the childhood favorite without the long prep time, and there’s no need to make a roux. Here, the chicken stock, half-and-half and shredded cheese create an instant sauce without the need to stir a pot on the stove. For a quicker version, trim the chicken cutlets into bite-size pieces before stirring in, then reduce the second cooking time to 15 minutes. Serve with a side salad, if desired.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Chicken potpie is a classic American comfort food that may prompt visions of long labor and many dirty dishes, but it can be a rewarding one-pot meal with the use of store-bought dough. This quick version uses mirepoix, a flavor base traditionally made from celery, carrots and onion, with mushrooms added for depth and body. Flour, stock and heavy cream are added to create gravy, though you can substitute sour cream or half-and-half for the cream, depending on what you have on hand. The chicken simmers gently in the gravy before being topped with puffed pastry and baked. For the puff pastry, don’t worry too much about the size of the store-bought pastry; just make sure that it covers the top with some room to spare, as it will shrink as it cooks.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

If making chicken schnitzel sounds hard, perhaps it’s because you’ve never tried. The technique itself is so simple, effective and addictive that you might find yourself turning to it all the time. For the crispest crust, you'll want to keep the hot oil circling the schnitzel as it cooks, creating a little space between the crust and the chicken. As for the side, giving your cucumbers and green beans a good whack with the rolling pin opens them up and creates crevices that soak up the harissa and garlic. Be generous with the squeezes of lemon at the end. They'll bring the chicken and spiced cucumbers to their fullest flavor.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Sometimes you want dinner to be cold. For those evenings, there's this make-ahead pork and rice noodle dish, offering a robust infusion of zing from garlic, fish sauce and tons of fresh herbs plus plenty of flexibility. Add more peanuts and basil, or go heavy on the mint and lime. Use pork tonight, and ground turkey or chicken the next time; it’s your choice. This basic formula is easily adapted, and the components pack up easily for a work lunch or another night’s dinner. To make this vegetarian, substitute semi-firm tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes, for the pork, and substitute a few tablespoons of soy sauce for the fish sauce.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

This French classic needs little introduction, but if you haven’t had it in baked form, you’re in for a treat. Think upscale ham sandwiches drenched in egg custard and cheese, melted to a deep golden-brown. There are no tricks here, save for the addition of two extra yolks for maximum French-toast tenderness. Serve it warm, or at room temperature — a fitting breakfast feast that's welcome any time of the day.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

If you love quiche, get to know this crustless version, dotted with cheese, mushrooms and herbs (and no fussy pastry to chill or roll). Once you master the perfect dairy-to-egg ratio, you’ll find this recipe to be as much of an ally to the Friday fridge clean-out as it is to a brunch for friends. Pay close attention to the baking time: The center should be a touch wiggly when you remove the quiche from the oven. The end result is a quivering, spoonable custard that melts in your mouth, to be served with a bracing salad. Crisp greens with mustardy vinaigrette, or a citrus laced endive and radicchio number — anything in that vein will do.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Of the many bean soups in Hungary, two prominent ones include this creamy ham-and-bean soup, thickened with a roux of fat, flour and paprika, and babgulyás, with a rich, paprika-hued broth akin to gulyás (known in America as goulash). Though every region’s recipes have their nuances, csülkös bableves is always satisfying. Its flavor relies on smoked pork, though the bulk of the soup is made with cost-friendly beans, onion, celery and carrots. Most versions call for dried pinto or cranberry beans, which turn creamy and rich when slow simmered, but any similar dried bean may be used. Hungary is a pork-producing country where lard would have once been the fat used for the roux, but this version can be made with olive oil and bacon for added smokiness. Using smoked paprika as the garnish on the finished soup also amps up the flavor.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Want a juicy steak dinner on the fly? Skirt steak is fast, flavorful and forgiving. With a searing-hot grill and a quick marinade (30 minutes does the trick), you can yield a deeply charred, flavor-packed crust with a tender inside. Make sure not to overcook this; medium to medium-rare is ideal. The equally fast side of shaved kale, fennel and crumbled feta is a willing accompaniment to any steak dinner, and just as at home with a pork tenderloin or chops. Raisins, a subtle addition, add a bit of natural sweetness, but skip them if you’re raisin-averse.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

For a decade, swordfish was dangerously overfished. Over time, the North Atlantic swordfish stock has been rebuilt, and swordfish caught by American vessels are now sustainably fished. One thing hasn’t changed: Handled incorrectly, swordfish can be tough or dry. Searing, then steaming with the moisture that comes from braising greens and ripe, on-the-vine tomatoes, yields a moist and succulent steak. Make sure to use small grape or cherry tomatoes. When the tomatoes burst, the juices meld with the curry powder and the fat (ghee or oil) for a flavorful, spoonable sauce. Drizzle any extra over garlicky bread with a generous squeeze of lemon. If you don’t have ghee, cook the fish in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil, which will give you all the high-heat flexibility of ghee with the rich, flavorful finish of butter.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

A classic French dip sandwich traditionally starts with high-heat roasting or slow-simmering a sirloin or ribeye loin in aromatics for several hours. For a quicker version that is no less delicious, use premium deli roast beef. A simple jus, or gravy, made of beef broth, soy sauce and Worcestershire seasoned with onions, garlic and thyme, is served alongside for dipping so you can enjoy this classic any day of the week. The jus can be made up to four days ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container and rewarm on a warm stove.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Fried eggs are a simple vegetarian staple. But set them on top of garlicky kale- and herb-flecked rice, and they form a deeply satisfying supper. This recipe is endlessly customizable: Go with what you have — reheated leftover rice works equally well as a fresh pot — or use any whole grain you have. The secret here is locking flavor into the grains by stirring in garlic herbs while the rice is warm. To finish, be generous with the lime — the acid brings all the flavors up a notch — and play around with your tolerance for garlic and heat. Lastly, don't be afraid to raid your fridge: Avocado or leftover beans would be right at home here, too.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Any steak benefits from a quick marinade, but especially a flank steak. Fairly tender on its own, it becomes its best self when bathed in oil laced with lemon, garlic and coriander. The trick here is to set aside a teaspoon of this potent marinade to stir into yogurt, to dollop or serve alongside. This marinade and the garlic yogurt also work well on chicken or pork, tossed with almost any grilled vegetable or even drizzled over toast. The salad, made from long strips of carrots, is a light, sophisticated side that's as at home on your Tuesday night table as it is at weekend brunch.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

A sheet pan and a broiler are the secret to many easy weeknight meals. In this particularly vibrant dish, they impart a complex grill-like flavor to salmon and potatoes, which are broiled simultaneously on the same sheet pan. While they cook, you’ll blend together a lively green goddess dressing of fresh herbs, yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic and anchovies. When the oven timer chimes, toss the roasted potatoes with raw cucumbers and snap peas. Serve alongside the just-flaky salmon and dollop with the verdant dressing. The crunchy vegetables, warm potatoes, tender fish and creamy dressing make for an unexpected though delightful combination. (For the dressing, tarragon, dill, parsley or cilantro will provide a familiar flavor to this classic sauce, but mint or arugula will work, too.)

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

This easy twist on classic North African shakshuka (traditionally eggs baked in tomato-pepper sauce, with cumin, paprika and cayenne) starts with an onion-garlic-chard sautéed until gently wilted: a nest of sorts for steam-poaching eggs. Once the eggs go in, be sure to keep the flame low and keep the pan covered while cooking, so the eggs stay soft and almost oozy at their yolk, and the Cotija melts a bit. The chard and the half-and-half create a sort of light broth at the bottom of the shakshuka, which holds so much flavor and is one of the dish’s charms. Lastly, be daring with smoked hot sauce at the end: It’ll push the creamy avocado, cheese and eggs to their peak.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Don’t mask salmon, or cook it to bits in a hot oven. Let it shine by grilling it on a bed of kale. The technique gives you quick, crisp chips, and a soft, perfectly cooked piece of fish that won’t stick to the grill. Then smother it in herbs: basil, mint, dill, cilantro, even sorrel, if that’s what came in your farm box. You can serve this with potatoes, corn, salad or toasted bread, or any simple side you can throw together quickly.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Soups and stews are the stalwart of Hungarian cuisine, and none is more famous than gulyásleves, or goulash, a shepherd's soup of beef, peppers, vegetables and loads of paprika. Long beloved by Hungarians, a once nomadic culture, because meat could be dried, transported, then rehydrated in soup over an open fire in a bogrács, or giant kettle. Unlike American goulash, traditional gulyásleves is more soup than stew with a deeply burnished orange broth that is its hallmark. Use the freshest paprika you can get your hands on, and blend both sweet and smoked paprika for depth and richness. (If you like heat, you can also add 1 teaspoon of hot paprika.) Caraway seed, while nearly undetectable in the finished dish, is also vital. Searing the beef chuck in larger pieces before cubing it is not traditional, but doing so, then finishing it in the oven, where temperatures remain constant while the meat and vegetables soften, yields deep flavor and particularly tender meat. Serve this classic with

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

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.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Classic Italian wedding soup is beloved for its simplicity and satisfaction. This turkey version is lean, while meatballs stay moist by simmering in broth. Start with the most flavorful broth you can get your hands on (homemade is ideal, but store-bought works well too), then pack the meatballs with flavor (garlic and parsley) and staying power (egg, panko and cheese, to gently bind them together). Traditionalists may be tempted to add a small grated onion to the meat mixture, and sweat celery and carrots into the broth, but for a quick weeknight meal, you won’t miss them here. If speed is your game, roll the mixture into 12 large meatballs—or opt for 20 smaller ones if serving kids (mini meatballs will cook through even faster). Either way, finish with a healthy dose of olive oil, lemon, cheese and dill, or any fresh Italian herb you may have on hand.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

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.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Spaghetti in the dead of summer, when tomatoes are at peak ripeness and break down quickly to coat any pasta in irresistible flavor, is the best time to eat spaghetti. You won’t need a lot of time to make this, just one big pan (use your largest and deepest) and the resolve not to eat the whole pile of noodles yourself. You'll want a slightly larger cast-iron skillet here — either a 12-inch version, or a deep 10-inch — to avoid spillage. Make sure to cover the pasta with a lid or foil so it cooks faster, and to stir from time to time. Since you’re not draining the noodles as you would in a traditional pasta dish, it’s good to know that different noodle shapes, sizes and brands may soak up liquid differently and that some tomatoes may be juicier than others. Simmer as long as needed get the sauce to a consistency that’s just right for you.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

If the only thing holding you back from making enchilada verde tonight is the idea of standing over the countertop, stuffing and rolling tortillas, read on. These layered lasagna-style enchiladas cut your work in half. Instead, put all your effort into making a nearly effortless verde sauce with pan-roasted tomatillos, jalapeño and onion. Once that’s done, there is little to do but layer and simmer: The shrimp cooks in minutes in the tomatillo bath. For the best flavor, look for wild-caught Gulf or Argentine shrimp. Then, the only challenge here is deciding how to portion fairly for four people (hint: be generous). If you make this in cast-iron, store any leftovers in glass or plastic in the fridge — the sauce is too acidic to spend a long time in a cast-iron pan — and reheat lightly over a very low flame. (Note, too, that the sauce can be made up to two days ahead, and refrigerated.)

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

For better weeknight chicken, dredge it in flour loaded with freshly grated Parmesan and shallow-fry it. The cheese works to create a sort of frico, so you don’t need bread crumbs for a deeply flavorful crust. While you could make this entirely on the stovetop, you risk overcooking the Parmesan, and under- or overcooking the meat. Instead, finish it in the oven, which yields a juicy, tender breast and keeps the Parmesan from getting too dark. Serve with perfectly ripe beefsteak and cherry tomatoes, jumbled together with salt and herbs and a splash of vinegar to make the tomatoes pop.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

As any true pumpkin lover can attest, there’s more than one way to get your pie fix, and a milkshake just might be the most winning substitution: It’s creamy and has the same whipped-cream topper. Add the spices you most like in your pie — go heavier on the ginger if that’s your thing, or load up on cinnamon — and adjust the sweetness to your crowd’s tastes. Even if you don’t drink whisky, there’s a time and a place for bourbon, and this is it. Add a splash or two for the adults; they’ll thank you.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

If you’re curious about cooking Hungarian food at home, chicken paprikas, or paprikás csirke, is a great place to start, delivering the bold flavor you expect from the country’s cuisine. An old-world classic with deep paprika flavor and a creamy finish, it has been a staple in Hungarian-American families for generations. Traditionally made with whole chicken legs, boneless chicken breasts are used in this easy version, making a classic comfort food dish doable any day of the week. Sour cream, used by Hungarians the way the French use heavy cream, gives the sauce a tangy richness that’s hard to beat. When sweating the onions, ghee (though not traditional) is used for its rich flavor and high smoke point, but if you don’t keep ghee at home, use equal parts canola or vegetable oil and butter.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Meat ragù traditionally requires a long simmer over low heat, but this 45-minute version owes its slow-cooked flavor to a hefty dose of red-pepper or chile paste, which yields a complex, hearty sauce. (This recipe calls for sambal oelek, which is easy to find, but Calabrian chile or Hungarian paprika paste would work well, too.) Spoon the ragù over cooked, broken lasagna noodles and top it with a dollop of creamy ricotta, a sprinkle of toasted fennel and a few curls of lemon zest. This recipe uses beef, but you could also prepare it with spicy Italian sausage, or ground pork or turkey — though you may want to amplify the flavor by tossing in a little fennel seed and red-pepper flakes with the onion and garlic in Step 1.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

A pot of warm, fragrant root vegetables spooned over bright, lemony couscous is as good as gold on a winter day. Studded with chickpeas, raisins and meaty morsels of stewed tomatoes, this dish balances traditional tagine spices — cinnamon, coriander and turmeric — with a bright boost of ginger and lemon. Given a little time on the stove for the flavors to deepen and the vegetables to turn spoon-tender, this tagine is a worthwhile investment. Double it for a week of leftovers. You don’t need a traditional terracotta tagine to pull this dish off. A Dutch oven mimics the same high heat conduction and similarly traps steam to keep the vegetables tender and moist, and bathed in flavor from the broth.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Pan-seared chicken is a skill with countless rewards. (If this is your first time making chicken this way, you’ll understand why fast.) You'll want to start the chicken on the stovetop and finish it in the oven. Then, once it's perfectly cooked, you can pair it with almost anything, whether a simple green salad or a side of smashed potatoes loaded with butter, mustard, capers and chopped lemon, as it is here. The trick is to steam, not boil, the potatoes, which gets them soft and smashable quickly. You need very little water (an inch or so), so there’s no waiting around for water to boil, and, best of all, you won’t lose any of that rich potato flavor.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Chicken quarters are the unsung hero of weeknight dinners. In under an hour, they roast evenly, yielding consistently crisp skin with juicy insides. Curry powder and red-pepper flakes meld with the cooking juices, creating an effortless sauce directly in the pan, perfect for serving over the meat and tossing with greens for a fast, flavor-drenched side. The pickle brine from a jar of bread-and-butter pickles (or a splash of standard apple cider vinegar) lends a tangy finish to the greens. For this recipe, choose slightly larger and fattier chicken leg quarters to ensure enough pan drippings — and luscious schmaltz in every bite.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

If you want dinner with ease, make it a rice bowl. You can cook the rice in advance and reheat it, or employ a rice cooker. (A small one doesn’t demand much space, and it cooks perfect rice while you go about other business.) But even if you make rice on the stovetop, you’ll have 30 minutes to pull together the rest of this meal, so it’s hot and ready all at once. Kimchi is the heavy lifter here, since it has tons of crunch and tang, which gives you space to add in other vegetable without doing much to them. They could be grated and raw, or make use of yesterday’s leftovers. If shrimp isn’t your speed, try this marinade on beef chuck or tofu. Or top the rice with an egg fried in a mixture of canola and sesame oil.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Chicken shawarma, a rotisserie favorite heady with spice and flavor, is usually cooked on a spit, then shaved into sandwiches and salads. But it also belongs on a bed of rice, cooked in a pan for a filling family meal that’s easy to return to again and again. White rice does a fine job rounding out this meal, and cooks quickly. But, if brown rice is more your speed, look for the sprouted short-grain variety, which cooks faster than regular brown rice and reaches al dente just as the chicken begins to split into tender morsels. (To cook the rice even faster, soak it while you marinate the chicken.) Cooking this on the stove yields crisp rice bits along the bottom of the pan, especially nice against the tender, flavorful chicken. Since even the best shawarma is only as good as its bright flavors, be generous with mint, parsley, yogurt and lime: the more, the better.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Chicken and orzo is timeless combination, simple and satisfying. In this recipe, you could use chicken thighs, but drumsticks make this dish super family-friendly. Of course, if you have a crowd that doesn’t love the classic feta-dill pairing, feel free to change the toppings. Mint or parsley work just as well for the herbs, and any salty, crumbly cheese is lovely here. You can dress this up as you like with cucumbers or cherry tomatoes, or green olives, served alongside or pitted, chopped and tossed in instead. Besides the obvious perk of its being a one-pot dinner, this recipe yields great leftovers. For the next day’s lunch, pull any remaining chicken off the bone, chop it, skin and all, and toss with the remaining orzo, vegetables and cheese. Know that the orzo — a very small pasta, not rice — soaks up all the liquid and flavor as it sits and cools, so you may need a drizzle of oil and lemon juice over the top to serve it the second day.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Lasagna in the summer? It’s fine food for those long, breezy summer days when you need to fill your belly without turning on the oven. This one-pan stovetop lasagna is a true crowd-pleaser, with rich tomato, oozing cheese and just enough squash and spinach to skip salad for the night. Using no-cook lasagna, you can cook this entirely over a low flame, covered. (Use foil if you don’t have a lid that fits your pan.) Be sure to start with a well-seasoned cast-iron pan, and never let the tomato sauce boil, which can be hard on your pan and on the flavor of your sauce. If your cast-iron seasoning isn’t in tip-top shape, try this in a stainless-steel skillet instead; you’ll still get all the depth and aroma, and that same stove-to-table ease that will make this a repeat meal all year long.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

This hearty vegetarian mash-up of burritos and seven-layer dip is a crowd favorite for good reason: It’s easy, it’s fast and it encourages diners to gather around the table and fill their tortillas however they wish. Canned refried beans seasoned with a dash of cayenne are heated through on the stovetop, then topped with a generous sprinkling of cheese. Before serving, lots of cool, crunchy toppings like avocado, grated Cotija cheese, snap peas, radishes and romaine lettuce are piled on top. The toppings make it feel like a proper meal, though you could serve it with tortilla chips as a snack or with eggs for brunch.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Burrata — a cousin of mozzarella with a creamy core — is a splurge, but it does all the heavy lifting in this simple dish, adding a rich finish that renders a basic bowl of whole-wheat noodles sophisticated. A spicy-sweet seasoned oil made by sautéing fennel, garlic and red-pepper flakes in good-quality olive oil over low heat is drizzled over the top, complementing the velvety texture of the cheese and the nuttiness of the noodles.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

If you don’t cook tofu often (or even if you do), this unfussy tofu dish is for you: There’s no flour-dredging or shallow-frying, and no marinating at all. As long as you pat the tofu dry (a bit fussy, but not by much), the vegetable oil’s high smoke point will yield crisp edges, while the sesame oil imparts flavor, putting you well on your way to making tofu taste great. What’s more, a ginger-and-garlic-laced soy sauce coats noodles and tofu alike, giving you chopstick after chopstick of toothsome pleasure. Serve these warm or cold, and be generous with the cool, crispy vegetables on top, especially for summer picnics where you can stretch this to serve 6 or even 8 as a side.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

This recipe is a vegetarian riff on butter chicken, or murgh makhani, a classic Indian dish in which chicken simmers in a rich, dairy-laden tomato sauce that’s seasoned with heady spices like turmeric, cumin, garam masala and cardamom. This weeknight-friendly version has a toned-down ingredient list, and the tofu doesn’t require hours of marinating, which means you can get everything on the table in under an hour if you start the rice as the tomatoes are cooking down. Heavy cream gives this dish a rich finish, but full-fat coconut milk makes a fine substitute. Whatever you do, don’t substitute anything for the butter or ghee (sorry, vegans) — it’s the signature ingredient.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

Scrambled eggs lend themselves to customization because they're a blank, breakfast- or brunch-friendly canvas. Almost any stir-in works: Add cheese or butter for richness, vegetables for heft and herbs and spices for flavor. If you like a little bit of everything in yours, then menemen –– the traditional Turkish egg dish loaded with peppers and tomatoes –– is for you. This version uses plump olives, crumbled feta and a pile of fresh herbs -- and comes together in less than 30 minutes.

Sarah Copeland · NYT Cooking

This nourishing, three-vegetable soup is thick and creamy, even without dairy. It takes very little skill and only 25 minutes to make, but success lies in proper blending: Use a high-powered blender for the creamiest soup, or let it go a few minutes longer in a standard blender. Fennel and celery provide welcome depth, and the quick cashew cream feels luxurious spooned over the top or stirred right in. Save any extra to drizzle on other blended soups or even roasted vegetables. Finish this vibrant bowl with celery leaves, parsley or dill, and two basic but crucial ingredients: an extra drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of freshly ground pepper.