Sheet-Pan Harissa and Orange Chicken with Chickpeas

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Look, I don’t make the rules, but I do make this chicken, and it’s a top contender for Best Chicken Recipe Alive. The marinade—harissa, honey, orange, warm spices—does all the heavy lifting while you do basically nothing except dirty one pan. Harissa, a North African spice, is the ringleader: smoky, fiery, and completely unwilling to be subtle (unless you use a mild version).

There’s something undeniably satisfying about a sheet-pan meal: the ease, the minimal cleanup, and the way flavors meld together on just one pan in the oven to create something so much more flavorful than the sum of its parts.

This recipe is a perfect example of this. It’s vibrant, bold, and aromatic from a flavorful marinade of harissa, fresh orange zest and juice, and warm spices, including cumin, coriander, turmeric, and ginger, which coats every element of the meal. It takes just a few minutes to prepare before cooking completely hands-off in the oven.

The spicy harissa balanced with the sweet orange juice and honey brings layers of heat and complexity to the dish. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are ideal here, as they stay juicy and tender while the skin crisps up in the oven. Meanwhile, the chickpeas roast underneath the thighs, soaking up all the flavorful chicken juices as the chickpeas turn golden and slightly crispy on the edges.

Generously coating everything in the marinade creates this dish’s bold, bright flavor, which sets it apart from other basic weeknight sheet-pan chicken dinners. The addition of red onion and garlic further deepens the dish’s flavor, creating a meal that’s both comforting and exciting to eat.

Adaptability? You bet! You can adjust the spice level by choosing a mild or spicy harissa and using less or more as desired, swap chickpeas for small potato chunks or cauliflower, or even add a handful of olives for a briny punch.

Because the marinade is like liquid gold, you may want to add another can of chickpeas or serve over steamed rice to help sop up all that lusciousness.

Sheet-Pan Harissa and Orange Chicken with Chickpeas

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 chicken thighs)
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided; for table salt use half as much by volume
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock
  • Zest of 2 oranges plus 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp. harissa paste, according to taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 lb. red onions (about 2 medium), thinly sliced
  • 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup briny pitted olives (optional)

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
  2. For the Marinade: In a large bowl whisk to combine stock, orange zest, orange juice, oil, 1 tablespoon harissa, honey, garlic, cilantro, coriander, turmeric, ginger, cumin, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Taste marinade and add up to 1 tablespoon more harissa if needed for desired heat level.
  3. To a rimmed baking sheet, add onions, chickpeas and olives (if using), pour half of marinade over top, and use hands or a large spoon to toss to coat and spread into an even layer.
  4. In bowl with remaining marinade, add chicken and use hands or a large spoon to thoroughly coat chicken with marinade. Place chicken, skin side up, on top of onions and chickpeas. Pour leftover marinade around the chicken in the sheet-pan. Roast until onions are tender, chicken skin is browned and crispy, and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 175°F, about 40-45 minutes.
  5. Garnish chicken and chickpeas with cilantro and serve immediately.

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Adapted from a recipe by Nargisse Benkabbou for Serious Eats

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

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Most of us (of a certain age) remember Salisbury steak as a foil-wrapped frozen TV dinner that spent a little too long in the heat of an oven. But made from scratch, it’s an entirely different animal — tender beef patties, blanketed in a glossy gravy built on just the right balance of Worcestershire sauce and ketchup (we omitted the brown sugar).

Mix the patties gently. Ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, a little grated onion, salt and pepper, brought together with a light hand rather than a workout. Overmix and they turn springy and dense — nobody’s ideal texture, and certainly not Salisbury steak’s.

Sear hard, then step back. Two or three minutes a side in a hot pan, undisturbed, until a deep brown crust forms. The inside doesn’t need to be fully cooked yet; it’ll finish in the gravy later, like a nap before the big finale. Pull the patties and leave the pan exactly as messy as it is.

The trick worth caring about is the fond. All that browned, stuck-on stuff left behind after searing the patties is concentrated flavor doing its best impression of a stubborn stain — and deglazing it is basically flavor archaeology. A splash of stock, a determined scrape with a wooden spoon, and suddenly the pan is speaking in beef and mushroom instead of just sitting there looking scorched.

Mushrooms go in next, spread out and left alone until they stop steaming and start browning — mushrooms in a hurry never get any color, so don’t rush them. Onions follow, then a flurry of flour to thicken things, then beef stock, a little Worcestershire, and a good grind of pepper, whisked until smooth and glossy.

Nestle the patties back into the gravy, spoon it over the top like you’re tucking them in, and let everything simmer together for ten minutes or so, until the patties finish cooking and the gravy clings to the spoon. Serve over mashed potatoes (or rice), which exist mainly so this gravy has somewhere to go. The gravy is sooo good, you may want to double it!

We were a little skeptical that one pound of ground beef would produce up to six servings, but with mashed potatoes and a side veggie, one per person was plenty when made into 6 patties. If serving 4 adults, create either 4 larger or 8 smaller patties. (And we didn’t miss the brown sugar one bit!)

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

FOR THE STEAKS

  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 tsp. packed dark brown sugar (if using)
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • Olive oil, for searing

FOR THE GRAVY

  • 8 oz. cremini mushrooms
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and brown sugar, for seasoning (optional)
  • Finely chopped fresh chives, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions

  1. Prepare the steaks: Grate about a quarter of the onion into a medium bowl (you should have about ¼ cup of pulp). Set aside the remaining onion for the gravy. Add the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, brown sugar (if using) and egg; season generously with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the ground beef and panko, and with a spoon or fork, gently stir the mixture to combine without overmixing. Form into 6 to 8 small, oval-shaped patties about 1 inch thick, place on a plate and into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.
  2. Meanwhile, finely dice the remaining onion. Using a wet towel, wipe the mushrooms clean and thinly slice them.
  3. Cook the steaks: Heat a large skillet over medium and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Remove the patties from the freezer, add them to the hot oil and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Prepare the gravy: To the same skillet, add the onion and mushrooms, season with salt and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally until deeply browned but not burned, 8 to 10 minutes. The vegetables will release their water before starting to brown, so be patient. Add more oil if the pan looks dry.
  5. Sprinkle over the flour and cook, stirring, until you can no longer see streaks of white and the raw flour taste cooks out, about 30 seconds.
  6. Stir in the beef stock and milk. Season generously with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Taste the sauce and season to taste with ½ to 1 teaspoon Worcestershire if you’d like more savoriness, 1 tablespoon ketchup for tanginess and a pinch of brown sugar for a little sweetness. Add the seared steaks to the gravy and reduce the heat to continue simmering, basting the steaks once or twice, until the gravy is thicker and reduced to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately and sprinkle with chives, if you’d like.

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Adapted from a recipe by Eric Kim for NYTimes Cooking

Rigatoni with Kale and Sausage

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Okay, we need to talk about this pasta. Fennel sausage and tender kale are having a full-on romance with mezze rigatoni in a glossy white wine sauce, and garlic breadcrumbs crashed the party in the best way.

Rigatoni didn’t just show up for this dish, it trained for it. Those sturdy tubes and deep ridges are basically flavor magnets, grabbing onto every crumble of sausage, every wilted kale leaf, every last drop of that glossy sauce. The fennel sausage is doing the heavy lifting (with a sneaky sweet anise twist), crushed red pepper brings just enough heat to keep you on your toes, and lacinato* kale swoops in with earthy bitterness to keep things from getting too indulgent. Balance, baby.

Here’s the move: brown that sausage and then walk away. Don’t touch it. Don’t stir it. Let it sit there getting caramelized and gorgeous while it builds a pan full of golden fond, aka the flavor foundation your sauce didn’t know it needed.

And then, the mic drop: a ridiculously generous shower of crispy garlic breadcrumbs on top. Crunch city. Texture heaven. Add a flurry of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a few cracks of black pepper, and congratulations, you’ve built a pasta that’s spicy, savory, bitter, and crunchy, all at once, all in one bowl.

NOTE: While we did use all 7 tablespoons of the butter in the pasta as directed, we felt it was way too much and could easily be reduced without comprising the richness of the dish. Depend on your comfort zone as to how much, or little, you want to add.

*Unable to source lacinato kale at the supermarket, we went with curly kale. It just needs to be cooked a few minutes longer in Step 2.

Rigatoni with Kale and Sausage

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

Garlic Breadcrumbs

  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 cup panko
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Pasta

  • 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 8 garlic cloves, chopped (about 2 1/2 Tbsp.), divided
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, divided
  • 1 large bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 4 packed cups)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 lb. mezze rigatoni pasta
  • 7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided (see head note)
  • 1 1/2 lbs. fennel sausage (about 4 links) or Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock
  • 3 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3/4 cup), divided
  • Fennel pollen (optional) and black pepper, for garnish

Directions

  1. Make the garlic breadcrumbs: Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium until butter is melted. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Stir in panko and salt; cook, stirring often, until panko is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in oregano and garlic powder. Transfer to a medium bowl, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
  2. Make the pasta: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium. Add half the chopped garlic (about 3 3/4 teaspoons) and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add kale; toss to coat. Add 1/2 cup water; cover and cook, undisturbed, until kale is tender but still bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Transfer kale to a medium bowl, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid.
  4. While pasta cooks, heat 3 tablespoons butter and remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high in skillet. Add sausage to pan in a single layer; cook, undisturbed, until sausage is browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, breaking up sausage into small crumbles using a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
  5. Add remaining chopped garlic (about 3 3/4 teaspoons) and remaining 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, until wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Simmer until stock is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in reserved kale until combined.
  6. Add drained pasta and remaining 1/4 cup butter to skillet, and heat over medium; toss until butter melts, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed to form a glossy sauce. Remove pan from heat; gradually stir in 1/2 cup grated cheese, tossing constantly until sauce clings to pasta. Top with reserved garlic breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 cup cheese, fennel pollen (if using), and black pepper. Serve immediately.

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Adapted from a recipe by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo for Food & Wine

Miso Chicken Piccata

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This dish takes the bright, briny Italian classic and gives it a playful Japanese-inspired twist, trading the traditional white wine for mirin’s gentle sweetness and building a deeply savory sauce with white miso in place of the usual flour-thickened base.

Halving the chicken breasts lengthwise into thin cutlets, then slicing them into smaller pieces, creates quick-cooking planks with plenty of surface area to soak up all that flavorful sauce. A light dredge in cornstarch does double duty: it helps the chicken turn beautifully golden and crisp in the skillet, while also lending the finished sauce a silky, clingy body.

The pan sauce comes together by whisking miso and mirin into chicken broth, then simmering the mixture right in the skillet, scraping up all those browned, flavor-packed bits left behind from searing the chicken — the result is a sauce with real umami depth.

Chopped capers and a generous hit of fresh lemon juice bring the tang that piccata is known for, while a bit of lemon zest stirred in adds a bright, aromatic lift that keeps the richness from feeling heavy.

Finally, a swirl of butter off the heat brings the whole sauce together into something glossy, silky, and irresistible — perfect spooned generously over the chicken and finished with sliced scallions for a fresh, savory bite.

Miso Chicken Piccata

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 (8- to 10-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • 3 Tbsp. mirin
  • 2 Tbsp. white miso
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 Scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
  • 1 Tbsp. capers, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • Steamed white rice, for serving

Directions

  1. Halve 2 trimmed chicken breasts horizontally to create 4 cutlets. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to even ½-inch thickness, then slice each cutlet into 3 pieces. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. (When sliced in half horizontally, our breasts were 1/2 thick or less, so there was no need to pound them.)
  2. Spread cornstarch in shallow dish. Coat chicken lightly with cornstarch, shaking off excess.
  3. Whisk chicken broth, mirin, and white miso together in bowl until miso is dissolved; set aside.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.( If necessary, sear in two batches so as not to steam the chicken.)
  5. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and thinly sliced whites of scallions to now-empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  6.  Add miso mixture, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chopped, capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest and simmer for 30 seconds longer. 
  7. Off heat, whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until sauce is smooth and glossy. Return chicken to skillet and toss to coat. Serve over hot steamed rice and sprinkle with thinly sliced scallion greens.

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Adapted from a recipe by Maggie Zhu for America’s Test Kitchen

Seared Flatiron With Shallot Sauce (Steak à l’Échalote)

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A French bistro classic that turns a humble but flavorful cut into a restaurant-worthy dinner. Flatiron steak is seared hard and fast in a screaming-hot skillet to build a deep, caramelized crust, then rested while the same pan becomes the base for an irresistible shallot sauce.

Sweet, softened shallots and fresh thyme are deglazed with sharp red wine vinegar, mellowed with a beef broth reduction, and finished off the heat with butter, Dijon mustard, and fresh parsley for a sauce that’s silky, tangy, and richly savory all at once.

Sliced thin against the grain and draped in that glossy sauce, this is steakhouse-quality comfort food that comes together in well under an hour — perfect for a special weeknight dinner or an easy way to impress guests without much fuss.

We decided to go heavy on the shallots and used 3 large. For sides, we paired ours with some homemade mac ‘n cheese and a side salad.

Seared Flatiron With Shallot Sauce (Steak à l’Échalote)

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 (1-lb.) flatiron steaks, at room temperature
  • Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup minced shallots (from 2 large shallots)
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked (about 1 tsp.)
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
  • Watercress or baby arugula microgreens, for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Add broth to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high until reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Place a wire rack inside a baking sheet and set aside.
  3. Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron or carbon steel and big enough to fit both pieces of steak) over medium-high. Add olive oil and heat until oil is shimmering, about 1½ minutes. (Note: If you do not have a skillet large enough to accommodate both steaks, use two skillets, adding 1 teaspoon of oil to each. Then use one of the skillets to prepare the sauce in Step 5.)
  4. Sear steaks on both sides until browned and cooked to desired doneness (2½ to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Ours took longer due to its thickness). Transfer steaks to the prepared rack to rest and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
  5. Reduce heat to low and add the butter and shallots to the same skillet. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until shallots have begun to soften but are barely colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in thyme leaves. Add the vinegar, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has nearly evaporated, 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley, mustard and reserved reduced beef stock. Simmer until shallot mixture is soft and the sauce looks silky, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Pour any juices that have escaped from the steaks during resting into the skillet.
  6. Using a sharp knife, slice the steaks across the grain on the bias. Arrange the slices on a platter. Spoon the shallot sauce over, garnish with greens if desired, and serve.

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Adapted from a recipe by Daniel Boulud for NYTimes Cooking

Skillet Chicken with Peppers and Tomatoes

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This one-pan dinner is coated in a sauce anchored by onion and garlic and a summery mix of bell peppers. A splash of sherry vinegar and squeeze of honey balance the mild flavors of the peppers with a little acidity and sweetness, while cherry tomatoes simmered into the sauce at the end add bright, tangy pops to the meal.

A shower of fresh herbs is optional, but go with basil if you’d like a more assertive aroma. Serve everything over steamed rice or orzo for soaking up the sauce; or with crusty bread for dipping.

One issue we found was that the garlic was not cooked enough. We suggest adding the smashed cloves back with the chicken before it’s covered and simmered as noted in Step 4.

Skillet Chicken with Peppers and Tomatoes

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (4 to 8 thighs)
  • Salt
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 medium bell peppers (any color or a mix of colors), diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • ½ to ¾ tsp. red-pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup chicken stock
  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

Directions

  1. Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently until just starting to soften, 2 minutes. Add the peppers and cook until just beginning to soften, 1 minute. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are beginning to brown slightly, 2 minutes. Move the cooked vegetables to a plate.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Place the chicken skin-side down and sear without moving until the skin is golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan.
  4. Add ½ cup chicken stock to the skillet and stir and scrape to loosen any stuck bits. Stir in the sherry vinegar and honey. Place the garlic cloves back in the pan and cover with a lid or foil, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until the meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften and burst, 3 to 4 minutes, smashing open if needed. Return the onion-pepper mixture to the skillet, stir to coat in the pan sauce and cook, uncovered, until warmed through. Taste and add more salt if needed and remove from heat. Drizzle more olive oil over the top and garnish with a shower of basil or parsley, if using.

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Adapted from a recipe by Yewande Komolafe for NYTimes Cooking

Goulash

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For some, it’s pure nostalgia — a bubbling pot on the stove, the smell of paprika drifting through the house. For others, it conjures up a school-cafeteria flashback best left in the past. Either way, if it has been years since goulash made an appearance on your table, this recipe is worth the reunion.

Today’s American goulash shares little more than a name with its Hungarian ancestor, yet it has carved out its own beloved place for many at the dinner table: a humble, stick-to-your-ribs meal that comes together in a single pot with minimal fuss.

This version leans into ground beef, sweet bell peppers, diced tomatoes, and tender macaroni, landing somewhere in the delicious overlap between a hearty beef chili and a comforting bowl of meaty pasta. Warm spices like paprika, oregano, and thyme build a deep, savory backbone, while a generous handful of sharp Cheddar—stirred in right at the end—melts into the sauce, lending it a silky thickness and an extra layer of richness.

It’s the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with good smells and asks very little of the cook in return: brown the meat, simmer everything together, and let the pot do the work. Simple, satisfying, and endlessly adaptable, this goulash is just as good eaten on its own as it is rounded out with a green vegetable on the side or a wedge of buttery cornbread for soaking up the extra sauce. It’s weeknight cooking at its most comforting—unfussy, filling, and guaranteed to please a crowd.

Goulash: the dish that divides dinner tables. Feast or forget-it, we’re betting this version wins you back.

In the end, we felt that 1 1/4 cups of elbow macaroni was not enough, due to the fact that the finish was a bit soupy, even simmered for the full 20 minutes. We suggest increasing the amount to at least 1 1/2 cups as noted below.

Goulash

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 green or red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 ½ tsp. sweet paprika
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 lb. ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 3 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
  • 1 (14-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14-oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 ½ cups uncooked macaroni 
  • 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar, more for serving
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for serving 

Directions

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
  2. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Pour in the broth, crushed and diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is cooked and the liquid in the pan has thickened considerably, 18 to 20 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in bowls, topped with fresh parsley. (The goulash will continue to thicken as it sits. If desired, add a splash of beef broth when reheating.)

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Adapted from a recipe Lidey Heuck for NYTimes Cooking

Fried Rice Noodles with Beef and Broccolini

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Savory, sweet, slippery and chewy fried rice noodles with beef is a Hong Kong staple. To approximate the wide fresh rice noodles that are traditional, use ½-inch dried rice sticks. We only had thinner rice sticks on hand, so that’s what we used. For the greens, opt for broccolini.

A 12- to 14-inch wok provides room to easily toss the ingredients; a 12-inch skillet is tighter, but also works. Either way, pour the seasoning mixture down the sides of the pan—not onto the food—to speed cooking and promote caramelization.

Don’t use boiling water to hydrate the noodles; they will end up too soft. Hot tap water is best. The noodles should not be fully tender after soaking; they will absorb additional moisture in the pan.

Here are some recommended changes, especially if you expect to get 4 servings from this dish. Increase the rice noodles to 12 ounces, and the scallions from 4 to 6. Double the broccolini to one pound; and increase the sauce ingredients by half. The end result color-wise will depend if you use light or dark molasses. (Changes NOT noted in recipe below.)

Fried Rice Noodles with Beef and Broccolini

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 10 oz. dried rice stick noodles (see headnote)
  • 3 Tbsp. neutral oil, divided
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 2 Tbsp. white sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. light or dark molasses
  • 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
  • Kosher salt and ground white pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 12 oz. flank steak, cut with the grain into 2- to 3-inch pieces, then sliced against the grain about ⅛ inch thick
  • 8 oz. broccolini, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 4 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
  • 1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

Directions

  1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and add warm water to cover. Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes; the noodles will become pliable but not fully tender. Drain in a colander, then shake to remove excess water. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss; set near the stove.
  2. As the noodles soak, in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, molasses, fish sauce, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon white pepper. Measure 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a medium bowl, stir in the cornstarch, then stir in the beef.
  3. In a 12- to 14-inch wok over high or a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. Add the beef in an even layer and cook, stirring only once or twice, until well browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  4. In the now-empty pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. Add the Broccolini and cook, stirring, until spottily charred, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles and toss. Pour the soy sauce mixture down the sides of the pan, around the circumference; it should bubble immediately. Cook, tossing and moving the noodles in a circular motion against the sides of the pan, until the liquid is absorbed and the noodles are just shy of tender, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add the scallions and cook, tossing, until beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the beef and accumulated juices; cook, tossing, until the noodles are tender, about 2 minutes. Taste the noodles; if they are still too firm, drizzle in water 2 tablespoons at a time and cook, stirring, until tender. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and season with additional soy sauce and white pepper.

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Recipe by Hisham Ali Hassan for Milk Street

Chicken and Mushroom Stir-Fry

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For a superfast dinner that relies heavily on pantry staples, look no further than this deeply savory, scallion-studded stir-fry. Chicken pieces and torn bits of meaty mushrooms team up to form the base, well browned separately to maximize color and flavor.

The sauce, thickened with a smidge of potato starch or cornstarch, is built with aromatics (ginger and garlic, the classics), soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey, as well as one addition that may surprise you: balsamic vinegar. In the mix, it plays a bit like Chinese black vinegar, providing depth, complexity, and a touch of sweetness.

While you could omit the starch in this recipe, it works in two ways to nail the textures you’re looking for in a stir-fry. First, it coats the chicken pieces to aid in their browning, and also provides a protective barrier, ensuring they stay tender and moist without overcooking (easy to do with such small pieces). Second, it thickens the sauce, to create the sticky, viscous texture you expect alongside a scoop of steamed rice.

Chicken and Mushroom Stir-Fry

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 4–6), cut into 1½” pieces
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. cornstarch or potato starch
  • 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 10 oz. mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, oyster, and/or king trumpet), torn into bite-size pieces
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 3″ piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; plus more for serving (optional)
  • 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1½” pieces
  • Steamed rice (for serving)

Directions

  1. Vigorously stir skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 4–6), cut into 1½” pieces, 1 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a large bowl until starch is dissolved into soy sauce (you want to create a sticky coating, which will help ensure the meat stays tender). Set aside.
  2. Stir 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon honey, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining ½ teaspoon cornstarch, and ⅓ cup water in a small bowl or measuring glass to combine and set sauce aside.
  3. Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add mixed mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in a pinch of kosher salt and continue to cook, stirring often, until mushrooms release their moisture and it evaporates and mushrooms are deeply browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in same pan over medium-high. Arrange reserved chicken in pan in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic cloves, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved sauce and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1½” pieces, and return mushrooms to pan; cook, stirring often, until combined and chicken is cooked through, 1–2 minutes.
  5. Transfer stir-fry to a platter and top with more red pepper flakes if desired. Serve with steamed rice.

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Recipe by Kendra Vaculin for Bon Appétit

Orecchiette with Corn, Tomato, Jalapeño, Feta and Basil

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There’s something almost magical about corn at the peak of summer — sweet, snappy, and bursting with flavor straight off the cob — and this pasta puts it front and center. Butter-softened kernels form the base of a quick, no-fuss sauce, while a finely chopped jalapeño, or two, weaves in just enough heat to keep things interesting without overwhelming the corn’s natural sweetness.

Juicy halved cherry tomatoes add little bursts of acidity, and torn basil leaves brighten the whole dish with their fresh, herbaceous perfume. The real finishing touch is the feta*: tossed in while everything is still warm, it softens and melts just slightly at the edges, coating the pasta in a creamy, tangy sauce that never feels heavy.

*TIP: Choosing a block of feta stored in brine is generally better than buying pre-crumbled feta because it offers superior creaminess, freshness, and value and contains pure cheese and brine without extra additives. And just tastes so much better!

As for the pasta itself, it’s worth going out of your way for orecchiette. Its little cupped shape is practically designed to scoop up corn kernels and bits of feta, so every forkful lands perfectly balanced. That said, if orecchiette is hard to track down, fusilli or farfalle make fine stand-ins — their curves and folds do a similar (if slightly less charming) job of holding onto the sauce.

This is a summer weeknight dinner at its most effortless: everything comes together in the time it takes the pasta to boil, and there’s no oven required to heat up the kitchen. Round it out with a crisp, simple green salad and a bowl of ripe seasonal fruit for dessert, and you’ve got a meal that tastes like the season itself.

Our changes (noted below) to the original recipe included: cutting back on the pasta to a half pound, increasing the jalapeños to two, adding cherry tomatoes, and garnishing with freshly grated parmesan.

Orecchiette with Corn, Tomato, Jalapeño, Feta and Basil

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • ½ pound orecchiette
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 jalapeños, finely chopped; more to taste
  • 5 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 3 ½ to 4 cups kernels)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • ½ cup torn basil leaves, plus more for serving
  • Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
  • Grated fresh parmesan for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until it is just short of al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
  2. While pasta cooks, make the sauce: In a 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add jalapeño, and cook until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook until it begins to brown in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt. Add ¼ cup of pasta water and bring to simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add pasta to skillet, tossing to coat with sauce. Add halved tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and an additional pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, tossing until pasta is slick and glossy with sauce. If needed, add in another ¼ cup pasta water. Stir in basil. Transfer to a large bowl and scatter with remaining basil. Season with flaky salt and garnish with grated parmesan, if desired.

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Adapted from a recipe by Colu Henry for NYTimes Cooking

Buttermilk Spice Cake

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There’s something about a spice cake that feels like it’s letting you in on a secret. Underneath the warm hit of cinnamon and cloves, this buttermilk version has a crumb so soft and tender it practically dissolves — the buttermilk keeps every bite moist for days (not that it’ll last that long).

And then there’s the frosting: a thick, tangy layer of cream cheese icing that cuts right through the sweetness and makes the whole thing taste a little bit like fall, no matter what month it actually is. It’s the kind of cake that shows up at a potluck and quietly disappears first, no fanfare required. Simple ingredients, a few pantry spices, and about an hour and a half of your time — that’s really all it takes.

Buttermilk Spice Cake

  • Servings: 9-12
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ⅛ tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. heavy cream

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
  2. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice in a bowl until well combined.
  3. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Add in half of the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Pour in buttermilk, and mix until just combined. Add in remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven until the middle of the cake springs back lightly when touched, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
  5. For the frosting, cream butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until thoroughly combined. Mix in confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until smooth after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add in heavy cream and beat until frosting is smooth, about 2 minutes. Frost cooled cake as desired.

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Here’s the recipe scaled down for an 8×8 pan. A 9×13 pan has about 117 sq in of surface area vs. 64 sq in for an 8×8, so this uses a scale factor of about 0.55 (roughly a bit over half the original).

Buttermilk Spice Cake — 8×8 pan

  • 1 cup + 1½ Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp. ground allspice
  • ½ cup + 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup + 1 Tbsp. firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup + 1 tsp. white sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature (see note)
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup + 1 Tbsp. buttermilk, at room temperature

Notes for 8×8 pan:

  • Eggs: 3 eggs × 0.55 ≈ 1.6 eggs. Rather than guessing with a partial egg, use 1 whole egg + 1 yolk — this gets you close to the right amount of both structure and moisture. Save the extra white for another use.
  • Baking time: Since the batter will be a bit deeper in an 8×8 than in the original 9×13, start checking for doneness around the same time as the original recipe calls for, but expect it may need a few extra minutes. Test with a toothpick in the center.
  • All the small-quantity spices (cloves, nutmeg, allspice) rounded to ¼ teaspoon since anything smaller is hard to measure accurately — this keeps the flavor balance intact without fussy fractions.

Braised Chicken with Marinated Artichoke Hearts

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This Food & Wine recipe pairs crispy-skinned chicken thighs and drumsticks with a briny, sun-bright mix of buttery olives, marinated artichokes, and lemon. The pan sauce does the heavy lifting: sherry, fish sauce, thyme, and garlic simmer together into a savory, herb-flecked broth that’s begging to be mopped up. Pure magic in the mouth!

A few keys to get there: pat the chicken bone-dry before it hits the pan, so the skin actually browns instead of steaming. Weighing it down with a heavy lid or grill press (or a smaller cast-iron skillet, if that’s what you’ve got) keeps the skin flush against the heat for a deeper, more even crust. Then braise covered for most of the cooking time to keep the meat fall-apart tender, and uncover it for the last 15 minutes to let the skin crisp back up.

Serve it with crusty bread, couscous, or orzo for sauce-sopping duty. Turn it into a full one-pan dinner by tucking halved baby potatoes and/or sliced fennel (our choice) into the dish before it goes in the oven.

SUBSTITUTES: If you don’t have dry sherry, substitute dry white wine and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey to mimic sherry’s subtle sweetness. If you don’t have fish sauce, replace it with 1 to 2 teaspoons of soy sauce for a similarly savory, umami-rich finish. Cerignola olives are buttery and mild, manzanilla olives add a brinier bite, and kalamata olives contribute a deeper, more robust flavor. Any of these will work well, so use your favorite.

Braised Chicken with Marinated Artichoke Hearts

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks and thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup Castelvetrano olives
  • 6 Thyme sprigs
  • 1 large garlic head, halved crosswise
  • 1 Lemon, thinly sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, cored, sliced into thin wedges
  • 3 cups drained marinated artichoke hearts, plus 1/4 cup brine from jar, divided
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz.) dry sherry
  • 1 Tbsp. fish sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet or black carbon steel skillet over medium-high. Add half of the chicken, skin sides down; place a heavy pot lid on top of chicken pieces to weigh them down. (Do not cover skillet.) Cook, undisturbed, until browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove lid; transfer chicken, skin sides up, to a 12- x 9-inch oval baking dish or a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Repeat cooking process with remaining chicken. Scatter olives, thyme, garlic (cut sides down), lemon, fennel slices and artichoke hearts around chicken in baking dish.
  2. Brown the fennel wedges in hot empty skillet for about 2 minutes per side. Move to casserole dish with chicken.
  3. Add stock, sherry, fish sauce, and artichoke brine to skillet; bring to a boil over medium-high, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt; pour mixture around chicken in baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil; braise until chicken is very tender, about 1 hour.
  4. Remove foil from baking dish; increase oven temperature to 400°F. Turn garlic halves cut sides up. Roast chicken until skin is crisp, about 15 minutes.
  5. Discard thyme sprigs. Either discard garlic (not us!), or remove cloves from skins and mash into sauce. Transfer to individual plates, and serve in shallow bowls.

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Adapted from a recipe by Naomi Pomeroy for Food & Wine

Tuna-Macaroni Salad

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This tuna-macaroni salad starts with a pound of elbow macaroni, boiled in well-salted water until tender. While it cooks, two cans of tuna are drained and three hard-boiled eggs are peeled, two are chopped, one is sliced for garnish, ready to fold in for protein and richness.

The dressing comes together easily: a cup and a half of mayonnaise (adjustable to taste) mixed with half a cup of dill relish or chopped cornichons for tang, a tablespoon of yellow or Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of onion powder, and half a teaspoon of black pepper. This creamy, well-seasoned base ties everything together.

For crunch and color, a cup of chopped celery and a chopped sweet onion for extra sweetness and texture are stirred in, along with optional additions like one chopped red bell pepper and frozen peas. Once the macaroni is drained and cooled slightly, everything gets combined — pasta, tuna, egg, dressing, and vegetables — until evenly coated.

To finish, the salad is dusted with paprika for a pop of color and, just before serving, brightened with an optional squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The optional ingredients make it easy to customize, whether you prefer it simple or loaded with extra crunch.

When we made it again, we added in 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, quartered.

Tuna-Macaroni Salad

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 lb. elbow macaroni
  • 2 (5-oz.) cans tuna in water, drained
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, two chopped, one sliced for garnish
  • 1 ½ cup mayonnaise, plus more or less to taste
  • ½ cup dill relish, or chopped cornichons
  • 1 Tbsp. yellow or Dijon mustard, more to taste
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped celery, from about 3 stalks; leaves saved for garnish
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped, (optional)
  • ½ cup frozen peas, (optional)
  • Paprika, for garnish
  • Squeeze of lemon juice before serving, (optional)

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, and cook the macaroni according to package instructions, until slightly pasta al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water until the pasta is cool and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, tuna, eggs, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion powder, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Add chopped celery, onion, (red bell pepper and peas, if using), and toss gently with a spoon to combine.
  3. Taste and adjust salt and mayonnaise as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to overnight. Top with sliced egg and celery leaves. Squeeze lemon juice (if using) and sprinkle with paprika for garnish before serving cold.

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Adapted from a recipe by Millie Peartree for NYTimes Cooking

Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Tomatoes

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This is a classic America’s Test Kitchen–style baked orzo — a Mediterranean, almost casserole-like dish built around three flavor bases (browned orzo, caramelized eggplant, and a garlicky tomato-anchovy sofrito) that all get baked together under a layer of fresh tomatoes and finished with feta.

The finished dish is savory, deeply umami, and slightly tangy, with a soft, almost risotto-like texture from the orzo (even though it’s baked, not stirred like risotto). Anchovies and Parmesan add a salty, savory backbone that you won’t distinctly taste as “fish” — they just make everything taste richer. (The Hubs snuck in an extra anchovy.)

The tomato paste and garlic bring sweetness and depth, capers add little pops of brine, and the fresh shingled tomatoes on top roast down into juicy, slightly caramelized coins. Eggplant, browned hard before baking, turns creamy and silky rather than mushy. Feta scattered on at the end adds sharp, salty, creamy contrast, and the final drizzle of olive oil ties it together. Overall: rich, cozy, savory-forward with bright acidic and briny accents — think a cross between baked ziti and a Greek vegetable bake.

Dry out the eggplant first (this is the key trick).
Salting and microwaving the eggplant on coffee filters pulls moisture out fast — much quicker than salting and waiting. This matters because wet eggplant steams instead of browning in the skillet; a head start drying it means it browns properly and doesn’t turn the final dish watery.

Shingling raw tomato slices over the top lets them roast gently while the orzo underneath finishes cooking and soaks up all the liquid. Feta (OK, so we doubled the amount) and the last bit of oregano go on after baking (not before), so the feta stays creamy and distinct rather than melting into the dish, and the oregano keeps its fresh aroma instead of turning bitter or muted from a full bake.

Instead of using 1 1/4 cups each of chicken (or vegetable) broth and water, you could include 2 1/2 cups of broth. Many of our ingredients had been picked very recently from local gardens, including our own, which amplified the taste factor; as did including chopped fresh basil along with the oregano.

Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Tomatoes

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. eggplant, cut into ¼” pieces
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 cups orzo
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tsp. minced fresh oregano OR 1 Tbsp. dried
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and minced
  • 1 ¼ cups chicken OR vegetable broth
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • 1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
  • 2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and minced
  • 4-6 tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4” thick
  • 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and hear oven to 400 degrees. Line large plate with double layer of coffee filters and spray with vegetable oil spray. Toss eggplant with ½ teaspoon salt and spread evenly on coffee filters. Microwave eggplant, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, 7-10 minutes, tossing halfway through microwaving.
  2. Toast orzo in 12” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned, 3- 5 minutes: transfer to bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 5-7 minutes; transfer to separate bowl.
  3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in again-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, 1 tablespoon oregano, tomato paste, and anchovies and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, stir in orzo, eggplant, broth, water, Parmesan, capers and ¼ teaspoon pepper. (We stirred everything together in a mixing bowl, fearing the skillet would not be large enough.) Transfer to greased 13×9” baking dish and spread into even layer.
  4. Shingle tomatoes attractively over top, then sprinkles with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake until all liquid has been absorbed and orzo is tender, 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle feta and remaining 1 teaspoon oregano over tomatoes and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.

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Adapted from a recipe by America’s Test kitchen

Rice Bowls with Harissa, Beef, Chickpeas and Olives

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This North African-inspired chili keeps the usual beef, but trades the beans for chickpeas, tender carrots, and briny olives, all simmered in a rich, glossy sauce spiked with harissa—the smoky, fiery chile paste that gives the dish its deep warmth and complexity.

Unlike traditional chili, this version leans into the aromatic spice blends of North African and Middle Eastern cooking, balancing heat with savory depth. A final drizzle of extra harissa at the table lets everyone dial up the spice to their liking, making it as customizable as it is comforting.

Harissa paste runs the gamut from mild to spicy, so be sure to adjust your recipe to your preferred level of heat. *We used a spicy New York Shuk brand harissa paste, increasing the quantity to 1/4 cup, which satisfied our craving for bold.

One notable change, next time we would add the carrots in Step 1 along with the onion because adding them in Step 2 with the olives, did not give them enough time to soften properly.

To finish, serve over rice and top with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro. We used a homemade yogurt raita instead of sour cream.

Rice Bowls with Harissa, Beef, Chickpeas and Olives

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp. table salt, divided
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 lb. 85 percent lean ground beef
  • 3 Tbsp. harissa*, plus extra for serving
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, undrained
  • ½ cup pitted green olives, chopped coarse
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • Steamed rice
  • Sour cream, dollops (optional)
  • Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef, breaking up large chunks with wooden spoon, and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in harissa and tomato paste and cook until pastes darken slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in chickpeas and their liquid, olives, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender and liquid is thickened and glossy, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra harissa separately.

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Recipe by Kelly Song and Jessica Rudolph for America’s Test Kitchen