Weeknight Meals

Cooking the noodles in mushroom broth brings umami and oomph that other vegetable broth can’t compete with.

Yogurt does double duty as a marinade that tenderizes the chicken and as a sauce for the finished dish.

Just when we were starting to run out of ideas for what to make for lunch at home, these melty broccoli toasts appeared.

Chaat masala adds salty-tangy flavor to this pan-fried fish, and balances the sweet and herby tamarind sauce and cilantro chutney.

Green curry paste adds heat and lots of complex flavor to this 30-minute lentil soup.

Hetty McKinnon’s creamy, crunchy, salty-sweet peanut noodles with cucumbers are busting up our what’s-for-lunch blues.

Grate your tofu on a box-grater (it works!) and the rest of this satisfying lunch bowl is only minutes away.

Silky Swiss chard, briny pops of mustard-macerated onions, sharp cheddar, chunks of sausage, and crushed pretzels mingle in this ode to the flavors found at beer gardens. 

A riff on Chinese American sesame chicken, this recipe is super sesame-y from the sauce up: Tahini (an untraditional but logical addition) adds richness, and sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds hit the flavor home.

Chewy noodles, umami-packed mushrooms, and garlicky chicken, all coated in a spicy, sweet, and savory sauce.

Shrimp tossed in garlic mayonnaise and griddled on thick bread—as good as a late-night snack, as a handheld appetizer, or a quick weeknight dinner. 

A beloved Hong Kong dish with approximately one billion variations, this soup—which relies heavily on fridge and pantry staples—is meant to be a little sweet and a touch sharp. 

Dry vermicelli is toasted in lots of butter to create extra nutty flavor and richness, a method used in pilaf traditions across communities.

This cream of broccoli soup (without the cream) gives the classic a run for its money.

This salad uses ancient grains to create a dish that reflects Mexico and the American South. For chef Maricela Vega it meshes both of their histories while making the most of the foods she is surrounded by.

Herbaceous, aromatic, fresh, and—maybe most importantly—simple, this Trini-inspired recipe from Brigid Washington is just the cure for those January blues.

Crisp tostadas topped with cheesy sautéed poblanos and mushrooms, charred cherry tomato and serrano salsa, and fried eggs.

The soul of this recipe comes from the ginger and tamari marinade that gives crispy tofu a sweet and savory winter coat. 

Tinned sardines add briney flavor (and protein!)—leave them whole or break them up and fold them into the soup.

Might you mistake this vegan cream for actual alfredo sauce? Maybe. Maybe not. It’s delicious either way.