Simple Cooking

This homemade version of a popular Chipotle restaurant menu item livens up plain white rice with lime juice and tons of cilantro. Serve it as a side dish or top with cooked vegetables and salsa to make a quick burrito bowl.

This dish is so simple, but I would award it numerous stars and accolades. Just find excellent mushrooms, really good eggs, some aromatics, and a tiny bit of spice, and you have a beauty of a dish.

Step aside, cornbread. In Pennsylvania Dutch country, dried sweet corn is an essential part of the Thanksgiving table. Soak it in milk and cream for at least 4 hours (or up to overnight), then simmer it with a bit of sautéed onion for a luscious side dish that's as sweet as summer corn—and even more irresistible.

Give this American comfort food classic an Italian-American twist with ground beef, Parmesan, basil, and tomato sauce.

There are some flavors that beg to be paired, and sweet potatoes and ginger are in that category. This smooth, puréed soup is rich and comforting, ideal for fall evenings.

This popcorn is a take on the Indian snack chiwda, a sweet and savory mix often made with puffed rice, dried fruit, nuts, spices, and herbs. It's a mainstay during Diwali, much like you'd have Chex Mix during the American holiday season.

Toss steamed turnips in a double dose of lemon before showering them with Parmesan and garlic-infused panko for a bright and savory winter side.

Truth: Garlic sizzling in olive oil is the greatest smell in the world and the only base needed to transform everything from spaghetti to shrimp to these collards into something that’s both simple and spectacular.

The classic tomato and mozz summer salad gets a roasty cold-weather makeover.

If using different-colored beets, remember to toss them separately so they don’t stain one another.

These easy-to-assemble cocktail party hors d'oeuvres add a festive touch to any holiday party.

What happens when you cook with a lot of oil? Magic. Because oil conducts heat much more efficiently than air, foods that are confited in it, like these chicken thighs, come out incredibly moist and infused with the oil’s flavor.

Instead of serving everyone individually, cook two giant pork chops (perfumed with garlic and thyme), then slice them up and serve family-style for an easy, elegant presentation.

Bite-size and crispy, these mushrooms are always a crowd favorite. The star ingredient here is the nutritional yeast, a plant-based ingredient that has the power to add a savory, cheesy flavor to basically anything.

Bake well-sauced pasta, plus plenty of cheese and a few eggs to hold things together, in a cake pan and the edges turn crunchy, crusty, chewy, and downright irresistible.

Since the base of this dip is so simple—it's mostly sweet potatoes and tahini—homemade za'atar (a Middle Eastern spice blend) really helps the flavors stand out.

Blanch chopped broccoli before cooking your pasta in the same water, then toss the whole thing with crumbled sausage and plenty of chile flakes, butter, and Parmesan.

Charred scallions add smoky depth to the creamy, double-acid (lemon and rice vinegar) dressing that pulls this salad of store-bought chicken, Bibb lettuce, avocados, and radishes together.

Because older eggs are easier to peel, this is one of those times when grocery store eggs outperform the ones from the farmers’ market.

This quick taco is simple, but full of flavor and texture. Chile paste brings a hint of spice, creamy yogurt brings a little tang, and charred tortillas bring a subtle crunch.