Vegetable

Let’s be clear: If you’re hosting the dinner party to end all dinner parties—Grandma’s good china is out of storage, the napkins have been ironed, and you’re polishing the silver—this is the ultimate first course. At first glance it may resemble a basic pear-and-arugula salad, but look closer and you’ll find that everything about it is just a little bit special, from the Champagne vinaigrette, to the creamy, salty ricotta salata, to the rich and savory pancetta. The ingredients do cost a little more, but it’s worth it.

Crisp, tender asparagus spears get friendly with hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and avocado in this lovely starter salad from Epicurious member Theonike. A simple mustard-and-garlic-infused vinaigrette serves as dressing, while a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts gives this dish some crunch. Use soft, ripe avocados but wait to peel and dice them until just before serving so they retain their beautiful pale green hue.

“Vegetarian taco” is typically code for a taco with a black or pinto bean filling. But you can use heart-healthy lentils instead. Standard brown lentils are easy to find, but if you opt for French green lentils, they will take a bit more time to cook. If you’re craving lentil burritos—just add rice and tortillas.

Adapted from a recipe by Chez Panisse alum and Top Chef Masters veteran Jonathan Waxman, this delicate, fuss-free dish proves that Brussels sprouts can be just as tasty raw as they are roasted. Use a food processor or mandoline to shave the sprouts, unless you’re really confident with your knife skills. The slaw also makes an incredible pizza topping; just wait to add the walnuts until the dough is out of the oven and the pecorino has melted.

Iceberg-wedge salads have been a restaurant staple, but this simple starter begs to be made at home. Hot pepper sauce adds zing to the blue cheese dressing, which is easy and delicious enough that you’ll want to save any extra and use as a dip for veggies or toss with cold cooked pasta for lunch. Serve with a grilled fillet of fish or steak, and you’ve got yourself an at-home meal that trumps anything you’d find on a menu.

With tender acorn squash, salty pancetta, a pungent and tart vinaigrette, and bitter chicory, this hearty salad is layered in flavor and texture. It will take you through all of winter, and would fit perfectly on most holiday buffets. You can use other winter squashes, including butternut, and bacon or prosciutto can easily stand in for the pancetta.

Forty-five minutes is all the time you’ll need to make this hearty, creamy chowder with bacon, salmon, and corn. A family-pleasing favorite for a winter night, the recipe also holds up to health-conscious variations. Sub in turkey bacon and low-fat milk, or swap in yams for the red potatoes for an extra dose of beta-carotene.

A homemade chicken stock spiced with a Scotch bonnet or habanero chile lays the foundation for this tropical dish. Coconut powder and sweet potatoes add to the island feel. “It’s a sweet soup and is more appropriate as an appetizer than an entrée, though I have to admit I’ve indulged in several bowls for dinner,” Epicurious member JTucci says. Although Tucci calls it a soup, the coconut chicken broth will be scant—just enough to cover the chicken and cabbage at the bottom of the bowl.

While this recipe calls for the common butternut and acorn squash, you can also use other varieties, such as kabocha, delicata, and pumpkin—just avoid stringy spaghetti squash. If you aren’t comfortable peeling uncooked squash with a paring knife, just cut the squash into quarters, drizzle with some olive oil, toss with a few garlic cloves, and roast until soft enough to scoop out the flesh. Lastly, don’t forget the croutons, which make the soup a standout.

Chances are if you’ve ever eaten at a Korean restaurant, you’ve already had a variation of this specialty served to you as one of the banchan, or small dishes that accompany your meal. Traditionally, the tofu is lightly fried, but gentle simmering preserves the soft tofu’s smooth delicacy. Using firm tofu won’t yield the same texture, but the slices will maintain their shape a bit better. Considering how easy this dish is to prepare, it’s amazing that such complex tastes abound. Serve with a hot bowl of rice for a simple meal.

Creamy, tangy, cheesy, and easy, this time-tested recipe for a party dip from Epicurious member Kristen Warner of Stamford, Connecticut, might just be the reason pita chips were invented. But it’s just as delicious with salty tortilla chips, which stand up well to the chunky bits of artichoke and deliciously gooey spinach.

Too often chips and dip are left out as a makeshift hors d’oeuvre at cocktail parties. Here’s a deliciously unconventional version of an entertaining favorite. The dip highlights the rich flavors of sweet caramelized Vidalia or Maui onions with cinnamon-like garam masala and tangy crème fraîche or sour cream. Homemade pita chips are cooked in extra-virgin olive oil infused with garlic and cilantro.

This fusion pizza was inspired by one that Wolfgang Puck created years ago. Traditional Asian ingredients—Chinese five-spice powder, hoisin sauce, scallions, and black sesame seeds—are an excellent change of pace from your usual pizza seasonings. Bonus: At fewer than 150 calories per serving, these mini pizzas, or pizzettes, are a low-fat alternative to traditional tomato and cheese pies. Just 3 inches across, they are designed to be canapés or hors d’oeuvres, but you can, of course, easily bake one large pizza for a family-style meal.

The ultimate beer-hall food is also quite possibly one of our most versatile recipes. Arrange the pickles on a board with Gouda and a soft, dark loaf of rye from the bakery for a satisfying ploughman’s lunch. Whip up a batch to present in an attractive jar for a delectable edible gift that comes together in minutes. Or just serve alongside sandwiches in a buffet—the tart, lightly spicy crunch of the cucumber is a refreshing complement to most cheeses, from Cheddar to goat.

Rich chocolate brownies get jazzed up with fresh or canned pumpkin. Epicurious member Sharon Perry Murphy of Fort Knox, Kentucky, often bakes hers with fresh pumpkin, which is runnier. (To achieve the desired consistency with fresh pumpkin, Murphy recommends adding a little extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, or substituting 1 egg for 1/4 cup pumpkin.)

Foolproof and moist, this cake is suitable for birthdays or other celebrations. Tip: It’s better to underbeat the frosting than overbeat it for a frosting that’s easier to spread.

While several hours are required for the dough to rise twice, this top-rated bread recipe demands little more than 20 minutes of active time. If you prefer milder heat, omit the chile seeds and ribs, as that’s where the majority of their fire resides. A shopping note: Always purchase extra yeast. If it doesn’t foam when combined with water, it’s past its prime and you’ll need to start over with new. Active dry yeast will keep for about a year, but with this recipe in your repertoire, you’re likely to use it much sooner than that.

Enjoy this rustic salad as a palate-opening starter or as a hearty side—the combination of robust beets, salty feta, sweet onions, and toasted pine nuts pairs particularly well with the lamb and beef recipes in this book. If you prefer fresh beets, roast them ahead of time and toss them in the dressing once they’ve cooled. Use a combination of red and yellow beets for a more colorful presentation, and to trim some fat and calories, seek out light feta; you’ll never notice the difference.

If you’ve ever made polenta, you know about the “polenta dilemma.” Freshly made polenta is so filling and luscious that there are almost always leftovers, but reheated polenta is disappointing: it’s never quite as creamy. Happily, this satisfying side dish, courtesy of the much-loved Roy’s restaurant on Hawaii’s Big Island, offers a great solution. Dredging firmed-up polenta in a little bit of flour and then frying it ever so lightly results in a divine finger food—and the accompanying roasted red pepper ketchup is a recipe you’ll want to use for turkey burgers and beyond.

Epicurious member Eileen La Mendola tells us that her husband’s family preferred their sweet potatoes roasted and topped with melted marshmallows. But it was her husband who inspired this revamped version of the family classic featuring bourbon and pecans. It’s been a hit ever since.