Recipes

Tejal Rao · NYT Cooking

This recipe for a vivid, vegetarian pasta sauce, made from blanched kale leaves and loaded with good olive oil and grated cheese, comes from Joshua McFadden, the chef at Ava Gene’s in Portland, Ore., and was inspired by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers of The River Café in London. The technique is absurdly simple and quick from start to finish, but the result is luxurious and near-creamy. Feel free to play with the pasta shape, but no matter what you choose, be sure to let the blender run for a while at a powerful setting: You want the kale to completely break down into a smooth, bright, airy green puree. Tejal Rao

Tejal Rao · NYT Cooking

This recipe for hot-water gingerbread — using an old but reliable technique for a moist, tender cake that starts with a base of molasses and boiled water — comes from the cookbook author and culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris, who included it in “A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook” (Scribner), updated in 2024 after its first 1995 edition. Here, the dessert is part of a six-course menu celebrating Nia, or purpose, the fifth principle of the holiday, though Dr. Harris bakes the simple cake throughout the season. The gingerbread, as well as the barely sweetened cream you should dollop generously on top, are both simple to make, and rich with the smoky, complex flavor of molasses. Tejal Rao

Toni Chapman · NYT Cooking

Pernil is everything to me. It was the heart of the table at most family gatherings, the beautifully roasted pork shoulder that everyone waited for. This version, from my cookbook, “Everything Good” (Clarkson Potter, 2025), is exactly how it should be —­ juicy, full of flavor, with that perfect cuerito, the crispy skin. But to nail it, there are a few things you need to know: 1. Marinate it overnight. There’s no getting around this —­ some dishes just take time. 2. Be generous with the marinade and make sure every part of the pork is covered. 3. Don’t rush cooking it —­ no shortcuts. (Watch Toni make this recipe on Instagram.)

Toni Chapman · NYT Cooking

Zesty with sage and citrus, this cozy soup brings together some of the best parts of a creamy white lasagna: Browned Italian sausage, sautéed mushrooms and a touch of cream all simmer with broken lasagna noodles until tender. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything. (Watch Toni make this recipe on Instagram.)

Toni Chapman · NYT Cooking

This creamy pasta takes inspiration from French onion soup, relying on slow-caramelized onions, pasta starch and melted Gruyère to create a rich, glossy sauce, no flour required. All of these elements come together to create a rich and comforting pasta. The onions take time to caramelize, but the process is easy and 100 percent worth it. The recipe is wonderful as is but you can use whichever short pasta you have on hand. For a heavy cream substitute, use half-and-half or even whole milk. For cheese, while Gruyère is the classic soup topping, mozzarella is lovely too. (Watch Toni make this recipe on Instagram.)

Toni Chapman · NYT Cooking

Out of all the recipes in my cookbook, “Everything’s Good” (Clarkson Potter, 2025), this is the recipe that I keep coming back to. With its soft, flavorful and creamy Yukon Gold potatoes and crispy Parmesan-topped chicken that’s juicy with hints of lemon and dill, somehow, some way, it does so much with very little. It’s perfect for date nights when you want to impress, or lazy nights on the couch when you barely want to lift a finger. Whatever the setting, I know it’s one of my favorites — ­and soon, it’ll be one of yours, too. Watch Toni Chapman make this dish in this video.

Toni Chapman · NYT Cooking

This sweet, creamy, zesty dessert feels much fancier than it actually is. Based on a classic British dessert, it’s honestly something anyone can make without overthinking. The texture is what makes it special, almost like a soft, delicate curd, and the key to getting that right is using full fat heavy cream. Anything lighter will throw off the balance. It’s simple, it’s practically foolproof and it’s perfect for entertaining or when you just want something that looks beautiful with very little effort. Instead of (or in addition to) the mint, fresh raspberries or blueberries on top work really well here too. Watch Toni Chapman make this dish in this video.

Toni Chapman · NYT Cooking

These pork ribs are braised low and slow in a sweet-savory mix of pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic and onion until the meat surrenders, then finished under high heat with a glossy ketchup-honey glaze that caramelizes into something sticky and a little smoky. Because the ribs are cut apart instead of being cooked as a rack, each one gets perfectly seasoned and completely glazed all over. The braise does most of the work of building deep flavor and the finishing glaze handles the rest. Serve with white rice or cornbread and a sharp slaw to cut the richness.

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

If there is a sign at the farmers’ market saying corn is on sale, I am coming home with at least six ears. While I always have the best intentions of turning my first haul into a salad, I love making a dent in my stockpile with this creamy pasta. Summer corn has a nice sweetness that plays with the saltiness of the Parmesan, but don’t worry, frozen corn will get you great results. The main thing is to make sure to blend your sauce as smoothly as possible, so the corn can thicken into the creamy yellow, slightly cheesy sauce it is meant to be. (Watch Justine make this recipe on YouTube.)

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

For weekday meals, well-seasoned chickpeas are a wonderful thing. They can sometimes wind up a bit dry when pan-fried, but an easy fix is cracking an egg on top. Plus, it’s an excellent way to take advantage of all those crispy chickpea edges. What you’re left with is a zippy, quick high-protein meal that can partner with rice, grain bowls or a big swipe of Greek yogurt. Watch Justine Doiron make this dish in this video.

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

What’s the difference between a baked salad and a regular old bowl of roasted vegetables? The easiest answer is that the leafy green ratio in a baked salad is high, and I only hope that makes the satisfaction factor high, too. Now the difference between a baked salad and your typical salad is that instead of crunching through the raw stuff in a typical salad, you dress the greens (and in this case, cabbage) in a bit of olive oil and salt before roasting them down into tender, softened bites. Roasting the vegetables is a precursor to coating them with dressing, giving them their first coat of olive oil before a highly acidic vinaigrette rounds it all out. I usually say you can skip herbs if they aren’t in your fridge, but the parsley is really helpful here: It freshens up the salad so you don’t get any flavor fatigue. Watch Justine Doiron make this dish in this video.

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

Honeynuts are no longer the new squash on the block, but their sweet, custardy flavor is still one of my favorites for baking. This classic pumpkin muffin turns not-so-classic when you swap canned pumpkin for homemade honeynut purée, but either will work just fine. The fun part of this recipe is the light, crispy brown butter cornmeal crumble, which gives the muffins a toasty nostalgic note. There’s a good ratio of crumble-to-muffin here (and by good, I mean high). (Watch Justine make this recipe on Instagram.)

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

Around the holidays, there always seems to be a surplus of eggnog — and ditto cranberry sauce. Luckily, they make a stellar combination. This tender, moist coffee cake balances the cozy flavors of eggnog with the tartness of sharp cranberry sauce. Grating cold butter makes the crumble topping a breeze to put together. I love using Sarabeth’s jarred cranberry relish (if you can find it) for its bright, citrusy notes, but the canned kind or a homemade version are excellent, too. Watch Justine make this cake on YouTube here.

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

This is a brothy bean dinner at its finest, and works for cooking fast (with canned beans) or slow (with dried ones). With either method, no bean broth goes to waste. The orzo absorbs the bean cooking liquid, becoming naturally creamy as it cooks. And everything creamy needs a crispy counterpart, so quickly cooked kale comes in as a much-needed topping (and as some much-wanted greens!). (Watch the video of Justine Doiron making Creamy Orzo, Butter Beans and Greens here.)

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

This bowlful of creamy farro, springy greens and lemony salmon is a great example of what to make when the weather is signaling spring, but warmer temperatures might not be here just yet. Plus, it helps justify scooping up all the herbs, spinach and snap peas when the farm stands finally have them. The salmon roasts in the oven, taking care of itself while you do the rest of the prep. A big pot of water is your workhorse here: It boils the farro, blanches the greens and serves as our “pasta water” when it’s time to make everything creamy, so don’t skimp when you fill up the pot the first time. Giving the herbs a quick blanch makes them tender and silky, a good counterpart to the nutty farro. The usual “boil then dunk in ice water” technique for blanching vegetables sounds like a big ask, but this lazy method cools the ingredients with water from the sink instead (feel free to swap in an ice bath if that’s more your style). Watch Justine Doiron make this dish in this video.

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

Around April 15th, you can always count on two things: ramps and taxes. Okay, maybe not the former, depending on where you live, but those of us who do have access to ramps can’t deny what an absolute delight these herby, garlicky greens are. Also known as wild garlic, ramps sprout and multiply around March and April, and taste like a bright, fresher cousin of garlic: Think less earthy but equally aromatic. This pasta shows them off with minimal fuss: You blend the ramps with lemon pulp and miso and then lightly caramelize the mixture in olive oil, making sure not to bury their coveted ramp-y flavor. If you can’t track down ramps, you can also make this with scallions and be equally happy. Watch Justine Doiron make this dish in this video.

Justine Doiron · NYT Cooking

To properly call this crispy tofu dish “schnitzel,” there needs to be some tenderizing of the tofu. But seeing as tofu is tofu, there’s no need to pull out a mallet here. Instead, use a gentle rolling technique to flatten the tofu and create some nice cracks. While flattening makes the tofu a bit more delicate to handle, it gives it craggily fried edges and a plush and flavorful center as the brine seeps into all the crevices. The buttermilk slaw is the cool counterpart to freshly fried cutlets, and while it’s tempting to throw any vegetables in here, I vote for you to stick with the blend of cabbage and fennel. Both have the right amount of sweetness to stand up to the creamy, salty dressing. Watch Justine Doiron make this dish in this video.

Carolina Gelen · NYT Cooking

Sweetened with dates and honey, this caramel-scented noodle kugel will be the perfect addition to your Rosh Hashana menu. While many noodle kugels are typically made with sour cream and cottage cheese, this one uses cream cheese and milk in the custard for a creamy and rich result that can easily be made pareve, meaning it uses no meat or dairy products (see Tip). Toss the chewy noodles with the spiced date and honey custard and jammy chopped dates. Bake until the custard is just set and the noodles develop crispy edges. Serve cold, with a hefty drizzle of honey on top.

Carolina Gelen · NYT Cooking

Any Romanian gathering or celebration will inevitably contain an eggplant dish, the most common ones being salată de vinete (eggplant salad — a charred eggplant dip that’s similar to baba ghanouj but uses mayonnaise instead of tahini) and zacuscă (a charred eggplant and pepper dip, similar to ajvar). This family recipe, adapted from “Pass the Plate” by Carolina Gelen (Clarkson Potter, 2024), falls somewhere between the two: The charred eggplant is sweetened with shallots, brightened with tomatoes and spiced with paprika and cumin (sometimes caraway). It’s not as heavy as the mayonnaise-laced dip and not as labor-intensive as zacuscă, making it a faster, lighter alternative to whip up on any occasion. Get ready for one of the most inviting smells you will experience in the kitchen.

Carolina Gelen · NYT Cooking

In Romania, and many other European countries, fermenting cabbage at home during winter months is a common practice. As temperatures start dropping, massive bags of shaved cabbage start popping up across farmers’ markets. Home cooks bring them home to make sauerkraut, roughly massaging the cabbage with salt and starting the fermentation process in their kitchens. They later store their giant sauerkraut-filled barrels outside, on patios and balconies throughout winter. The sauerkraut-consumption comes in many forms, from sauerkraut-stuffed flatbreads, cabbage rolls and sautéed sauerkraut with various meats, to soups like ciorbă de varză acră, a sour cabbage soup. There are as many versions as you might imagine: Some use cream, and some use sausage or smoked meats, but this recipe, adapted from “Pass the Plate” by Carolina Gelen (Clarkson Potter, 2024), delivers a bowl of comfort using paprika-spiced vegetables. When cooking with sauerkraut brine, taste the broth as you go to ensure a ba

Carolina Gelen · NYT Cooking

This traditional Hungarian pepper stew recipe delivers a flavor-packed one-pot meal that’s perfect for any busy weeknight. Every family has their own version, but at its root, lecsó is a paprika-spiced stew with melting onions, peppers and tomatoes. The vegetables are simmered together until saucy, jammy and glossy; the sweetness of the onions and peppers is offset by tomatoes, making this an irresistibly balanced dish that is light but satisfying. Hungarian peppers would be ideal. Typically enjoyed at their yellow stage, they are sweet and savory with a mild heat level. Red bell peppers are more modest, with their predominantly sweet flavor, but make a delicious option for this recipe. The dish, adapted from “Pass the Plate” by Carolina Gelen (Clarkson Potter, 2024), is vegan as written, but you can use this foundational recipe to make it your own. Some people serve it with fried or scrambled eggs, some with sausage or other meats, some use animal fat to cook the vegetables. Each vers

Carolina Gelen · NYT Cooking

For the cozy fall days when a half-empty can of pumpkin purée is a common occurrence in the kitchen, it’s worth noting that you’re always a few steps away from enjoying homemade dumplings for dinner. Reminiscent of spaetzle, gnudi or galuska, this bright orange, freeform dumpling uses canned pumpkin purée for its foundation. Nutmeg adds an inviting warmth and savory Parmesan complements the sweetness of the pumpkin. There’s no kneading or resting involved in making this rustic dumpling. To shape the dumplings, simply scrape bits of batter directly in the salted water using a soup spoon. Tossed in thyme-infused brown butter, the dish promises simplicity with an elevated feel. Offset its richness with a salad with bite, like this bitter greens salad with lemon-mustard dressing, or this radish salad with Meyer lemon.

Carolina Gelen · NYT Cooking

Rather than counting on homemade stock for its flavor source, this vegan gravy highlights the sweetness of caramelized shallots, pairing them with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs for a perfectly balanced gravy. Though the process coaxes similar complexity from the allium, caramelizing shallots is a little different than caramelizing onions. To prevent the shallots from burning and becoming bitter as they cook, aim to deglaze them with water as soon as they reach a light golden-brown color rather than awaiting the rich, dark brown spots you’d aim for when caramelizing onions. Keep the gravy rustic and serve it as is, or go smooth and blend until creamy. Perfect for party planning, this gravy will last up to 5 days in the fridge.

Carolina Gelen · NYT Cooking

Think of this dessert as a more colorful, autumnal version of banana pudding. This pudding uses cranberries in place of bananas as its main flavor component. With layers of tart, silky cranberry curd, dollops of sweetened whipped cream and soft vanilla wafers tucked between, it’s a dessert to remember. At first glance, the number of steps might seem intimidating, but all you’re really making from scratch is the cranberry curd, which simply involves blending the simmered cranberries, mixing them with eggs and butter, then cooking until thickened. Serve the pudding cold, scooped into dainty little serving bowls.