Recipes

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

In this weeknight recipe, perfectly browned chicken breasts are smothered in a creamy spinach sauce that comes together with ease, all in one skillet. The highlight of this recipe is the buttery white-wine sauce, which is enriched and thickened with a secret ingredient: cream cheese. The sauce nicely coats the wilted spinach, though you can use sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms or canned artichokes instead of, or in addition to, the spinach. A side of mashed or roasted potatoes would round out this dish well, but some crusty bread to sop up every last bit is a must.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Panzerotti, a fried variety of Italian street food, are often mistaken for small calzone. The name comes from the Neapolitan word “panza,” which derives from the Italian word for “belly” because their shape resembles a rounded stomach. While they are commonly filled with a simple and satisfying mixture of sweet tomato purée and melted mozzarella, you can also use cooked sausage, ham, bacon or anchovies. Remarkably crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside, panzerotti are best served freshly fried and still warm, ideally with a side of marinara for dunking.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

This snappy, tangy and super easy recipe for Italian marinated beans makes a perfect side dish, salad or addition to an appetizer spread. The green beans are cooked briefly in salty boiling water just to turn them bright green, then tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, grated garlic and fresh herbs and left to marinate. Gently cooking the beans and marinating them while they are still warm allows them to soak up more flavor from the dressing. They are delicious served cold or at room temperature, and you can add a little kick to them with crushed red pepper, if you like. Green beans are available year round, which means this side dish is ready to become a staple in your kitchen.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Contrary to its name, Russian dressing was invented in New Hampshire in the early 1900’s and may have gotten its name because the original recipe included a staple of Russian cuisine: caviar. Often used as a dip or a salad dressing, it is perhaps best known as a spread on the iconic Reuben sandwich. Pink in color from a combination of ketchup and mayonnaise, it is frequently mistaken for its sweeter sibling, Thousand Island dressing, but Russian dressing is spicier thanks to the addition of horseradish. This recipe is flexible: Grating the onion releases more of its flavorful juices, but mincing works just fine. Swap the onion for shallot, if you like, or use smoked paprika instead of sweet. For an extra-spicy kick, add a dash of hot sauce.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Destined to be the star of your next cookout, this potato salad is loaded with thick, crispy bacon, shredded Cheddar cheese, jammy eggs and crunchy scallions, all wrapped in a tangy, herby hug of ranch dressing. If feeding a crowd isn’t in the cards, this recipe is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, and lasts for days in the refrigerator. Feel free to add more vegetables to the mix, like tomatoes, cucumbers or celery; just be sure to add them right before serving to keep the bacon nice and crunchy.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Often called for in recipes to add an earthy and sweet flavor, Italian seasoning blend is widely available at the grocery store, but it’s just as easy to make with pantry items you already have at home. Dried oregano is the star player here, supported by a variety of other dried herbs most often used in Italian cooking. Feel free to tweak to your liking, inviting other herbs to join as well. This mix is handy to have on hand for a variety of Italian and Italian-American recipes. Try rubbing it on meats, sprinkling it on vegetables, or using it in soups and salad dressings to boost flavor.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Caesar salad meets pasta salad in this comfort food mash-up. Crisp and sturdy kale leaves hold their own alongside al dente pasta when tossed in a thick and creamy Caesar-inspired, mayonnaise-based dressing. Crunchy, lemony breadcrumbs and salty Parmesan shavings are added just before serving, for extra texture and flavor. Served cold, this recipe is perfect for make-ahead entertaining or meal prep. For those looking for extra protein, cooked chicken or crispy chickpeas are welcome additions. Of course, feel free to swap in romaine lettuce and croutons, if preferred.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Boneless chicken thighs, shallots, peaches and cherry or grape tomatoes are coated in a simple balsamic marinade and roasted until crispy, sweet and juicy. After roasting, extra marinade is added to the pan to simmer with the juices, creating a thick, tangy sauce that begs to be drizzled over everything or sopped up with a crusty hunk of bread. In addition to a sprinkling of fresh basil for serving, a ball of broken burrata or crumbles of feta would also be delicious. This recipe works well with any peaches, even those that may not be perfectly ripe or sweet, and can be made with other stone fruits like nectarines or plums, as well.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

The combination of pasta, garlic and olive oil has long been one of the best ways to feed many mouths with ease. Here, that garlicky pasta is joined by browned chunks of chicken, tender and bitter broccoli rabe and spicy cherry peppers. Browning boneless, skinless chicken breast takes little effort if done right — the key is to not overcrowd the pan. The chicken cooks through quickly, so sautéing it in batches adds minimal time and maximum flavor to this recipe. Feel free to use broccolini instead of broccoli rabe, sweet cherry peppers instead of spicy or even another short pasta instead of cavatelli — just don’t skip the freshly grated Parmesan on top.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Ribbons of cabbage are roasted until they are sweet and caramelized then tossed with butter beans, garlic and anchovies and finished with fresh parsley; the details make this dish surprisingly flavorful for such a simple ingredient list. An easy and affordable way to get dinner on the table, this recipe makes a hearty main dish served with hunks of crusty bread, or a hardworking side dish next to your favorite protein. If you cannot find butter beans, cannellini beans make a perfect (though smaller) substitute. If you are seeking a vegetarian alternative, a few tablespoons of chopped capers make a great substitute for the flavor that the anchovies add.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

It can be difficult to find a nonalcoholic version of the classic Negroni that captures the complex flavor notes without involving the use of pricy nonalcoholic spirits. This recipe, adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025), cracks the code by using a common pantry ingredient: hibiscus tea. It features grapefruit juice for bitterness, tea for floral and tannic notes, a little sugar for sweetness and black peppercorns for that subtle, satisfying tingle.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025), this recipe is a celebration of charring food to extreme crispiness, embracing the briny flavor of anchovies and eating giant chunks of cheese. Peeling the tough outer layer from the broccoli allows you to cut extra-long florets that reach about halfway down the stem; deeply charring them gives them an almost smoky flavor. Cutting the Parmesan into large chunks instead of grating it gives the dish bulky, textural bites. A bold anchovy vinaigrette gives everything a bright and briny coating.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

When it comes to squash recipes, butternut tends to get most of the attention. This recipe, adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025), is an unabashed celebration of the lesser-used members of the squash family: delicata, acorn and kabocha. When roasted, all three have a dense and creamy texture, with stunning orange flesh that looks gorgeous stacked on a platter. Roasted chickpeas add a crispy crunch, and a mixture of lightly pickled shallots, cooling mint and salty feta will make you see squash in a whole new light.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Pignoli cookies are the royalty of Italian cookies, not only because they’re encrusted in toasty pine nuts on the outside and feature next-level chewiness on the inside, but also because pine nuts (spelled pinoli in Italian) and almond paste aren’t the cheapest ingredients on the shelf. They’re worth the investment, though, especially in a recipe as simple as this one, which is adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025).

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Salmon is perfect for roasting because it’s such a forgiving fish. The key is salting the fillet ahead of time, which seasons the flesh all the way through and helps it stay juicy, even if you overcook it a little. In this recipe, adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025), the salmon is roasted just until cooked then is immediately doused in a floral, herby and briny mix of fresh orange juice, olive oil, roughly chopped olives and parsley, further ensuring that every bite is moist and flavorful.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

This recipe has all of the delicious comfort of a cheeseburger served in a bowl — you won’t even miss the bun. Chunks of ground beef, carrots, celery, onions and potatoes all swim in a seasoned beef broth that is thickened with a roux made with flour and butter. Cheddar is melted straight into the broth, further thickening the soup, and making each bite more delicious. Everyone tops their own burger to their liking and this soup is no different, though extra Cheddar, diced fresh tomatoes, chopped scallions, crumbled bacon and a dollop of sour cream are a great place to start.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

The Dark ’n’ Stormy is a festive and fiery cocktail made with spicy ginger beer, warm dark rum and a refreshing hint of lime — a welcome wake-up call for your taste buds. This cookie recipe is no different. Cayenne joins the classic spice mix of ginger, cloves and cinnamon, and candied ginger, infused with dark rum, is mixed in, adding chewiness and sweetness. It’s all finished with a tart, refreshing lime-and-rum glaze. But perhaps the best part is that, unlike the cocktail, there is no limit to how many you should consume.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Canned salmon is an easy and affordable way to get all of the delicious health benefits of salmon. It works particularly well in these meatballs, which benefit from its flaky texture and moisture. Smoked paprika, garlic, fresh dill and lemon zest add plenty of fresh and bright flavor to the meatballs, while mayonnaise ensures they crisp as they bake. For variation, try substituting olive oil for the mayonnaise, parsley for the dill and even mixing in canned tuna along with the salmon. These meatballs are delicious served warm alongside a tangy tartar sauce, an herby green sauce or a simple yogurt sauce. Perfect for meal prep, they’ll be a welcome addition to any salad, pasta or sandwich.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

This hearty recipe comes together fast, with few ingredients, but sacrifices nothing in terms of flavor. Coins of kielbasa are seared in a skillet, which brings out their sweet and smoky flavor. Then butter, garlic, onions and cabbage join in, taking on color and depth as they cook together. In the last few minutes of cooking, apple cider vinegar and mustard are added, punching up the profile of this dish with brightness. While it is certainly a full meal on its own, this recipe would welcome a starch on the plate alongside it, so feel free to serve with pasta, rice, potatoes or bread.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Pesto is the hero of this simple chicken and rice dish, infusing it with easy herby flavor. Chunks of boneless chicken thighs are browned in the pan, then removed while garlic and onion cook in its rich juices. Next, chicken stock and pesto — either lovingly made from scratch or picked up at the store — are added along with the rice and chicken before going into the oven to bake, resulting in a fusion of schmaltz and herbs. Peas are tossed into the pot once it’s out of the oven, allowing them to steam alongside the rice while maintaining their bite. A squeeze of lemon, freshly chopped basil and, of course, more pesto perfectly crown your plate.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Herby, creamy green goddess dressing is a perfect way to both flavor and fatten up chicken meatballs, ensuring they are juicy and delicious. Whether using homemade or store-bought dressing, these meatballs come together fast and would be welcome on your plate at breakfast with eggs, at lunch on a salad or sandwich, or at dinner with pasta or rice. Perhaps their peak usage, though, is as an appetizer, with plenty of extra dressing for dipping. (Watch Dan Pelosi make this recipe in this video.)

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Despite its name, Tuscan chicken is not a traditional Italian recipe, but a dish of Italian-American origin, with its roots perhaps most frequently linked to Olive Garden. While it bears similarities to Chicken Florentine, with its creamy spinach sauce, as well as Marry Me Chicken, with its creamy tomato sauce, it is best described as a combination of the two. In this recipe, a bit of cream cheese is melted into its sauce to ensure that it is extra thick and creamy. Fresh cherry tomatoes are cooked until they burst, adding a hit of acidity to the sauce that drapes over the perfectly browned chicken breasts and wilted spinach. It’s no secret that this recipe should be served over pasta or with crusty bread to sop up the sauce. For those looking for variation, sundried tomatoes can be used instead of, or alongside, the fresh tomatoes, and kale can be used instead of spinach.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

“Salsa verde” translates to “green sauce” in both Italian and Spanish. Mexican salsa verde is a spicy green sauce typically made of tomatillo, green chiles and cilantro. This Italian salsa verde is an herby, briny green sauce that is made with parsley, anchovies, capers and extra-virgin olive oil. Its bright flavors make it well suited for a variety of uses: as a topping for grilled vegetables, meat or fish, a condiment for sandwiches or a finishing touch for fried eggs. This recipe comes together fast in a blender or food processor, but if you have extra time and a sharp knife, feel free to mince the garlic, parsley, capers and anchovies by hand, creating a looser, chunkier salsa verde. To change things up, add other herbs like basil or mint, use red or white wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, and toss in crushed red pepper for some heat.

Dan Pelosi · NYT Cooking

Long slices of zucchini replace lasagna noodles in this fresh and simple take on the Italian classic. The zucchini slices are cut thin, salted to remove excess water, then cooked in a grill pan or skillet until nicely charred. Ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh tomatoes, mint and basil are all tucked in between the layers of zucchini and then baked until extra warm and melty, showing us how delicious the lighter side of lasagna can be.