Recipes

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

As its name suggests, this creamy no-bake cheesecake indulges your dessert cravings without the need to turn on the oven. If you find baking a traditional cheesecake daunting, this version comes together without having to fuss with a hot water bath, or worry about the finished cheesecake cracking. For the crust, graham crackers are combined with butter and brown sugar, with the food processor doing all the work for you. A combination of cream cheese, sour cream and whipped cream makes for a lighter, more airy cheesecake that holds its structure. To ensure the filling is smooth with no lumps, start with very soft bricks of cream cheese, removing them from the fridge at least 2 hours before making the filling. Give the cheesecake 24 hours to chill and set; your future self will thank you for it as you slice into it. Serve simply as is, or top with fresh fruit and additional whipped cream, if you like.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Crunchy, sweet and salty kettle corn is a nostalgic childhood reminder of fairs, farmers markets and snack shacks. A feel-good anytime snack that is hard to walk away from, homemade kettle corn can be prepared easily with a handful of ingredients. Use a large (6-quart), tall and wide pot so the kernels have plenty of room to pop and the sugar doesn’t burn. A lighter-weight pot is also helpful to minimize the workout your arms will be getting with all the shaking. A glass lid is useful to better keep an eye on the kernels as they pop. You’ll be tempted to keep popping every last kernel, but it’s best to lose a few kernels than risk scorching the kettle corn and ruining the whole batch. Err on the side of caution, and remove the pot from the heat sooner than later. Kettle corn is best served right away but will keep, covered, for up to 5 days.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

A soothing bowl of broth and wheat vermicelli is popular among many cuisines, and often the go-to soup at the first signs of a cold or ailment. Available at many grocery stores and at Middle Eastern and Latin markets, the vermicelli noodles are packaged already broken or sold in nests which you can break by hand. (Note: These are not rice vermicelli noodles.) The finely chopped vegetables and chicken, along with a bit of tomato paste and turmeric, make for a satisfying and savory broth. The soup will thicken as it sits; you can adjust the consistency to your liking by adding more water when reheating.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

The origins of Persian love cake, a fragrant and tender cake adorned with rose petals, are shrouded in a romanticized story of unrequited love. Set in bygone lands with the scent of cardamom and rose wafting through the air, the tale tells of a Persian prince and the girl who won his heart by baking him this magical cake. It’s unclear from where this tale first sprung, but the timeline is certainly recent: The earliest mentions of Persian love cake do not date back to ancient or even modern-day Iran, but possibly to a chef in Australia in the early 2000s who prepared an almond flour-based cake and called it Persian love cake. Perhaps the combination of almonds, cardamom and rose water, ingredients typically used in Iranian baked goods, inspired the name. This version uses a combination of almond flour and all-purpose flour, which makes for a delightfully light crumb. The perfume of lemon and rose water in the cake is echoed in the syrup that drenches the cake, as well as in the icing t

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Bursting with warming flavors and scents of spices like coriander, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric, this is a weeknight-friendly Thai chicken satay adapted from Canadian cookbook author and YouTube chef Pailin Chongchitnant. Satay, a popular street food of skewered marinated meats, made its way to Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries from Indonesia. Though it was originally prepared with beef, pork is now the most popular meat for satay in Thailand (and chicken is used more commonly outside of Thailand). In this version, adapted from Ms. Chongchitnant’s cookbook “Sabai” (Appetite by Random House, 2023), skewers of boneless marinated chicken breast are cooked on the grill or stovetop. A rich and sumptuous satay dipping sauce is prepared with roasted peanuts, coconut milk and red curry paste. Serve chicken satay with ajaad (tangy and crisp quick-pickled cucumbers) and a side of rice. Naz Deravian

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

In the canon of iconic Iranian stews, khoresh gheymeh holds a top spot alongside classics like ghormeh sabzi. A seemingly humble dish of gently spiced meat and split peas, khoresh gheymeh can be served as a cozy home-cooked meal or a celebratory dish; in big batches as a means of giving alms to those in need; or during religious ceremonies. “Gheymeh” refers to the size of the meat, which should be cut into small pieces. Traditionally, lamb is used, but you can also use beef. The stew is enriched with starchy Iranian yellow split peas called lappeh (see Tip). In this version, the split peas are parcooked separately so their texture and cooking time can be controlled. The split peas finish cooking in the stew, becoming tender but holding their shape. Limoo Ammani, or dried limes, lend the stew its distinctly rich and earthy tang, but if you can’t find any, use lime or lemon juice. Khoresh gheymeh is famously topped with either fried matchstick potatoes (see Tip) or fried eggplant; this v

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Tender, juicy and kissed with a touch of smoke, kālua pork is an iconic and revered Hawaiian dish dating back to the earliest settlers of the islands. Kālua, meaning “to cook in an underground oven,” is a cooking method brought by the Polynesians to what is now the Hawaiian islands. Traditionally, a whole pig is seasoned with Hawaiian sea salt, wrapped in locally grown ti leaves (which are also used to weave leis) and cooked in a pit oven called an imu for hours to serve at luaus and potlucks. While it’s not possible to replicate those traditional flavors and cooking techniques at home, you can still prepare a succulent and flavorful kālua pork using a handful of ingredients. Here, boneless pork shoulder (or Boston butt) is drizzled with hickory liquid smoke, seasoned with Hawaiian salt, wrapped with more widely available banana leaves, and slowly cooked to tenderness in a low oven. (You can also use a slow cooker; see Tip.) Serve kālua pork with rice and mac salad for a Hawaiian-style

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Biting into freshly prepared, pillowy soft pączki is among the joys of life well worth indulging in. Pączki (pronounced ponch-key) are Polish doughnuts typically filled with plum or wild rose jam and dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with glaze, and sometimes topped with candied orange peel. In Poland, they are a traditional food eaten on Tłusty Czwartek (Fat Thursday) — the Thursday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Pączki are less sweet but richer than typical doughnuts. They are also a deeper brown in color with a light ring around the middle. It takes time, patience and a little practice to prepare pączki at home. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, it will do most of the dough work for you. It is important to watch the oil temperature when frying pączki to ensure they cook through on the inside without turning too dark on the outside. Traditionally, spirytus, a high-proof alcohol with a neutral taste, is used in the dough so the pączki don’t absorb too

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

A popular street food originally from Mumbai, pav bhaji is a flavorful and colorful mashed vegetable curry served with toasted and buttered dinner rolls or buns. Pav means “dinner roll” and bhaji “vegetable dish.” Typically, a mix of boiled potatoes, cauliflower, carrot and green peas are mashed and cooked with sautéed aromatics like onion, green bell pepper and tomatoes. The flavors are jolted awake with green chile, Kashmiri chile powder and the warming spices in the pav bhaji masala. You can purchase pav bhaji masala at Indian markets, or prepare your own blend. Look for pav at Indian markets, or use any dinner roll or slider bun. Salted butter should be used generously for a luscious, rich and comforting pav bhaji. To serve, squeeze lemon or lime over the bhaji to brighten everything up, sprinkle with fresh onion and use the pav to scoop up a glorious bite.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Desserts for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year that is also celebrated in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and beyond, are symbolic of a sweet year to come. In the days leading up to the first day of spring, which marks the New Year, home kitchens become a festive hub, busy with the preparation of baked goods to share with friends and family. Shirini gerdui, also known as pofaki gerdui, are one of many traditional Nowruz cookies. Here, they also are scented with vanilla. Made with only a handful of ingredients, they are light and delicately sweetened, crisp around the edges, chewy and slightly hollow on the inside with welcome bites of walnut. Serve with a cup of tea to welcome a sweet new year.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Egg bites are a perfect, protein-rich snack to have on hand for busy mornings. Blending eggs with cottage cheese and shredded cheese, dividing the mixture among muffin cups and baking in a water bath result in a soft, delicate texture. For the right consistency, use a blender to combine all the ingredients until just smooth and frothy. You can add any fillings that you like (leftover cooked vegetables are a great addition). Use any of the shredded cheeses suggested or a combination, and finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan if you like. The water bath creates steam, which ensures the eggs bake gently and remain fluffy (see Tip). For best results, use a silicone muffin pan, so the egg bites pop right out.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

A sweet and savory combination of rich dates and eggs, gheysava is an energizing breakfast dish popular in Tabriz, the capital of Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province. The dates are first soaked in hot water to soften, and then cooked in butter alongside walnuts until caramelized and luscious. Some variations cook the dates down until smooth and creamy and the eggs are then scrambled in, but here the dates retain their form and the eggs are simply cracked right into the pan. Juicy, meaty dates such as medjool dates are best here. Gheysava warms you from within and fills you with vitality and strength to take on the day. Serve with bread and a hot cup of tea.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Comforting, nourishing and budget-friendly, mujadara (which has a variety of spellings) is a humble lentil and rice dish beloved across Levantine cuisines. This version uses rice, but it can also be prepared with bulgur. Either way, deeply browned onions are the star and foundation of the dish, so make sure to cook them until they are a rich golden brown. Be sure to save the cooking water from the lentils, as it provides a flavorful broth to cook the rice. This version of mujadara is spiced with cumin, but feel free to add other spices, such as coriander. The crunchy fried-onion topping is optional, but highly recommended for a joyful party of flavors and textures. Serve mujadara with a side of plain yogurt and a simple green salad, cucumber and tomato salad, fattoush salad or fresh herbs like mint.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Packed with protein, enough baby spinach to make Popeye proud, and punchy umami from sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese, these wraps are ideal for make-ahead breakfasts. Feel free to customize by adding herbs like dill, parsley or cilantro, or a small handful of chopped roasted red peppers or pitted olives. The frittata-like egg mixture is baked in the oven in a baking pan and sliced into rectangles to fit easily on lavash wraps or burrito-size flour tortillas. If you don’t want to make wraps, you can simply serve the tender frittata by itself.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Refreshing, earthy and lightly sweetened, tepache is a popular fermented drink from Mexico. Traditionally, the main ingredients are piloncillo (a Mexican variety of raw cane sugar), pineapple peels (and sometimes the core) and water. For best results, use a very ripe pineapple. You can also add spices like cinnamon, cloves or fresh ginger. Fermentation time depends on the environment: In warm weather (75 to 85 degrees), it could be ready in 2 to 3 days; in cooler weather, it can take 5 to 7 days. Taste the tepache regularly; when ready, it will be frothy on the surface and slightly fizzy on the tongue, and will taste and smell pleasantly fermented. (Be mindful that if the tepache ferments for too long, it will turn into vinegar.) You can serve tepache on ice as is, or dilute and sweeten it to taste by adding water and sugar.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Ideal for a quick, grab-and-go breakfast or snack, chocolate chia pudding is a nutritional powerhouse that takes minimal effort to prepare. Flavored with cocoa powder and warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom and a pinch of nutmeg, this cooling pudding can be prepared with your milk of choice, no cooking required. It does need an overnight rest in the refrigerator to set: For the best texture, stir the pudding mixture together in the evening for breakfast or a snack the next day. The longer the pudding rests, the more the chia seeds will expand and absorb the liquid. Add a splash of milk to thin out to desired consistency when serving, and top with any combination of fruits, nuts and granola.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Roasting a large salmon fillet that’s been covered with a sweet and spicy paste of chile crisp, mayonnaise and honey makes for a dish that’s worthy of a celebration, but also can make a weeknight feel like a special occasion. Use your favorite jar of chile crisp or make your own. Using one large piece of salmon (rather than several smaller fillets) makes it easier to spread the paste over the fish, helps it bake more evenly, and makes for a dramatic presentation. For a lighter meal, serve with a simple arugula salad; or round it out with a side of roasted potatoes or rice.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Lifting spirits with a medley of flavors and vibrant hues worthy of a spring garden, khorak-e loobia sabz is equal parts cozy and comforting, and also perfect for entertaining without much effort. Green beans, loobia sabz in Persian, are the seasonal star of the dish with carrots and potatoes filling it out. This version uses chicken, but you can also use stewing meat, or omit the meat altogether and serve as a vegetarian dish. Saffron, the flag bearer of many Iranian dishes, is added at the end for its distinct perfume, earthy and floral notes, and rich pop of color, but you can also leave it out without the need to substitute with any other spices. Serve khorak-e loobia sabz with rice or bread; salad-e Shirazi and mast-o khiar.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

A colorful, sweet and delightful treat often part of Noche Buena feasts, Filipino fruit salad is easy to prepare and a joy to share. Variations abound, but at its heart it’s a combination of shredded young coconut (see Tip) and canned fruit cocktail mixed with condensed milk and all-purpose cream, a shelf-stable canned variety with a delicate taste and texture. This version, adapted from Ellen Tran, owner of Bahay Natin Food Mart in Los Angeles, includes sweet, chewy nata de coco (coconut gel) and kaong (candied sugar palm fruit). For a savory bite to balance all the sugary goodness, some also include bite-size cubes of cheese. Ms. Tran recommends draining the solid ingredients well and serving the fruit salad nicely chilled to keep the sweetness in check.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Festive and abundant, pancit Malabon is a celebratory Filipino noodle dish from the coastal city of Malabon. The noodles are said to symbolize a long life, and the dish is often served at fiestas like birthdays and Noche Buena. Among the variety of pancit (noodle) dishes in Filipino cuisine, pancit Malabon is known for its thicker-than-usual rice noodles, stained a bright orange hue from ground annatto seeds. In this version, adapted from Prescilla and Catherine Tolentino, the mother-and-daughter owners of Gemmae Bake Shop in Long Beach, Calif., the noodles are mixed with ground pork, crushed crunchy chicharrones and chopped eggs. Given its coastal provenance, pancit Malabon can be topped with a variety of seafood and other ingredients as well. At Gemmae Bake Shop, they use shrimp, but if you’d like to make it “special Malabon,” Ms. Tolentino suggests topping the noodles with tinapa flakes (smoked fish flakes, see Tip), blanched napa cabbage and more cooked seafood. Naz Deravian

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

Coating fish fillets in a flavorful spice mixture and cooking them in a searing-hot pan until blackened is a technique popularized by legendary Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme. In this version, center-cut salmon fillets gain a crisp, deeply seasoned crust while remaining tender and flaky on the inside. For the telltale blackened crust, you’ll need to start with a hot pan (cast-iron works best). Be sure to crack a window and turn on the exhaust fan, if possible, as there will be some smoke. Serve blackened salmon with any combination of side salad, rice and grilled or roasted vegetables; or use as a filling for tacos or fish sandwiches.

Naz Deravian · NYT Cooking

You’ll use up a full container of cottage cheese, along with a generous helping of high-fiber rolled oats, to make these gluten-free protein-rich pancakes. The batter comes together in a high-speed blender or a food processor, which pulverizes the oats and breaks up the cottage cheese curds. For extra flair, you can add a variety of flavorings, like cinnamon and nutmeg or grated lemon zest. Make a whole batch and keep any extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; or wrap each pancake in foil and store in a resealable bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in a low oven.

Tejal Rao · NYT Cooking

This recipe for a satisfying savory tart is adapted from the pastry chef Natasha Pickowicz, who makes endless variations on the dish, building it in up in thoughtful layers. You can play with the format, too, swapping out the ingredients based on what you have on hand. Start with a cold pâte brisée, then go from there: Spread a fine layer of cheese such as ricotta or mascarpone, then season it with lemon zest, salt and pepper. Now move onto a denser layer of cooked vegetables, such as cauliflower, potato, leek or squash, lightly seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. Fill the gaps in the vegetables with pieces of cheese. When the tart comes out of the oven, consider a topping of herbs, lightly dressed salad leaves or even a couple of fried eggs. Tejal Rao

Natasha Pickowicz · NYT Cooking

Everyone loves receiving a homemade gift, but how about a showstopping, two-tiered, citrus-festooned, sesame-laced wedding cake? With a little planning (and an organized freezer), it’s so much easier than you think. Thin, even layers of vanilla sponge cake, soaked with a vivid citrus syrup, are draped like lasagna sheets into pans, along with swaths of nutty sesame buttercream, charred citrus compote and a granola-adjacent sesame crunch. The cake rests while you do, then is removed from the pans, coated in buttercream, packed up and assembled the day of the wedding. There's no finer — or more delicious — way to allow the effort, care and creativity of its maker to come through. And don’t forget to save and freeze the excess cake scraps for ice cream sandwiches, trifles or snacking. For the equipment you’ll need to put this cake together, check our Wirecutter’s recommendations for baking essentials and cake decorating tools.