Simple Cooking

The combination of salty water and salty Parmesan puts this pasta at risk of becoming oversalted. If that happens, throw in a knob of unsalted butter at the end to mellow it and add a smooth finish.

You probably already have everything you need to make this pasta in your pantry.

An craveable slaw with sweetness from the fresh coconut and sneaky, creeping heat from the chiles. This recipe is from Bad Saint, one of Bon Appétit's Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

This sandwich can be lunch, a snack, or a late-night thing. Eat it with potato chips and lemonade; it's also great with a simple green salad for dinner.

Sometimes all your body wants is a vacation from intense eating. That's where this feel-good (but fill-you-up) broth comes in.

Make any modifications that suit you and the preferences of your eaters: Onions in place of shallots; carrots for fennel; add garlic; omit the cayenne; a splash of cream instead of butter, as you wish.

This has become a Staplehouse all-star. We simplified it a bit, setting it in jars rather than the buttery pastry crust it’s served in at the restaurant. Don’t worry: We didn’t mess with the shamelessly high ratio of butter and cream to liver.

Chef Rob Ray of Belly Acres in Memphis created this recipe as part of the Blended Burger Project™, a partnership with the James Beard Foundation that invites chefs to create delicious, nutritious, and sustainable burgers by blending mushrooms with meat. For his burger, Ray combines button mushrooms with beef for a juicy patty, then tops it with a zesty Ginger-Lime Mayonnaise.

These tacos are great any night of the week, not just Tuesday.

This simple gravy can be made in advance to avoid a last minute scramble before serving your Thanksgiving feast. Or use the rendered turkey fat and pan juices to make the gravy after roasting your bird for maximum flavor.

If you have jumped on the Sriracha bandwagon, this is the salt for you. Use it on anything that could use a spicy punch— popcorn, fried potatoes, ramen noodles, grilled seafood, and sliced tropical fruits. I like to use a big flaked salt for this one, but it works with any salt you choose.

This chili pleases all palates in my house—it's not too spicy or too mild, but it's loaded with flavor. I love the combination of black beans and chickpeas, but you can use any type of legumes you like. What really makes the chili, in my opinion, are the toppings! Some sharp cheddar, a dollop of cumin-cilantro sour cream, and diced red onions are a must. Sometimes I even add some crushed tortilla chips.

This healthier falafel dinner brings the Middle Eastern platter home with a tangy tahini sauce and an easy cabbage and tomato salad.

Like your desserts extra-salted? Just keep adding more and tasting the butterscotch until you reach your personal sweet-salty threshold.

If you like lox, bacon, or anchovies, you should thank salt—and time. That's all that it takes to turn supermarket limes into this pleasantly salt-tart-funky pantry staple, the sibling of preserved lemons.

You'll have your hands free for about 15 minutes while the chicken bakes in the oven—just enough time to whip up an arugula salad with a mustardy dressing.

When you're ready to serve, dip each pop mold in cold (not hot) water to help loosen the pops.

Serve this creamy mousse with gingersnaps instead of spoons.

A hot knife is the easiest way to cut dense or frozen treats: Dip a sharp blade in hot water (or run under a hot faucet) and wipe dry before cutting. Repeat before slicing each piece for extra tidy edges.

Dukkah, an Egyptian nut and spice mix, creates a deeply flavorful crust for salmon fillets when tossed with puffed amaranth.