Simple Cooking

Crisp julienned vegetables add crunchy texture to wheat-free pasta. To prep them fast, try the Oxo Julienne Peeler ($10, Oxo.com).

These croutons are very quick to make and are a great crunchy complement to both soups and salads. The bread can either be fresh or a few days old. Warning: They are so yummy they’ll make it hard for you to go back to store-bought croutons! I’ve started doubling the recipe because my husband, Drew, can happily nosh on a whole batch.

When I created this Caesar salad, I did a silly dance around the kitchen. Seriously—it is that good. And the name is perfect for it. I’m betting that this Caesar salad dressing is like nothing you’ve ever tasted. It is extremely eccentric and undeniably delicious. Who would have thought that curry powder would be the perfect addition to a Caesar dressing? Not me before I took the risk of adding it—but now I am a total convert. And the nutritional yeast gives this dressing a cheese-like flavor that could please even the most omnivorous Caesar salad connoisseur. This recipe makes extra dressing that you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Topped with our Quick Garlic Croutons, capers, avocado, and hemp seeds, this dynamic salad will delight your adventurous taste buds. —Marea

Chocolate lover alert! These brownies are sensational: very chocolaty, moist, and delectable. It's not only their taste that is rich—they're also rich in healthy ingredients: whole-grain flour, chia seeds, walnuts, coconut oil, and I'll even include antioxidant-packed chocolate on this list. Once baked, you should let the brownies cool at least 30 minutes before cutting into them. At this stage they will be warm and gooey. These brownies taste even better the second day, so they are a great make-ahead dessert. If you plan on serving them on the day they're baked, refrigerate them for an hour or two before serving. — Myra

It was a challenge for me to write a recipe for vegetable stock, because in truth, mine is different every time. I am inspired to make it whenever I am prepping lots of veggies, and I realize that what I have left over—the tops of four leeks, three parsnip stubs, carrot peels and tips, and a pile of parsley stems—is almost everything I need to make a great stock. When faced with the decision to capture these flavors so they can become the foundation for future delicious soups, stews, or beans, versus adding them to my compost pile, I try to choose the former. Once you experience how much better your recipes turn out with homemade stock (not to mention how much money you save and how many cartons you keep out of the trash), you’ll get more motivated. I usually keep a bag in the fridge where I save my veggie scraps, and when it gets big enough, I set my pot on the stove. The recipe below is simple and easy. You can also add corncobs, potato skins, mushroom bottoms, and even tomatoes. If you have a huge stockpot, as I do, you can easily double or triple this recipe. I keep as much stock in the refrigerator as I plan to use within 5 days and freeze the rest. —Myra

This is a spicy yet balanced salsa for green sauce lovers.

"The contrast of tender radish and crisp bacon is even better with a little cider vinegar." –Brad Leone, test kitchen manager

Clams are inexpensive, plentiful, easy to cook, and delicious. And you barely need a recipe—once they open, they're done.

Reason alone to save your chard stems, though thinly sliced fennel can also be used. Whole runner beans are completely edible; swap in flat beans or Romano types, or any other snap bean you like.

These crisp, fresh pickles are often offered along with fresh herbs at the table. Tuck them into a lettuce-leaf wrapper or use them to doctor brothy soup.

This ubiquitous and essential condiment is a bright and spicy mix of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors.

Squid is tender when it's either cooked quickly over high heat, or gently for a long time. This is the quick version.

Chicken thighs are appealingly fatty, but this can sometimes cause flareups when grilling. Bank the coals before igniting so that you have a cooler side, and move the chicken there if needed.

"A snappy breakfast radish is the perfect vehicle for this nut and spice blend." –Claire Saffitz, assistant food editor

Indulgent, seasonal, easy, and vegetarian—what more could you ask for?

Here's your chance to master one of Spain's classic tapas. The key is to leave the eggs slightly undercooked; that's what gives this a custardy (not bouncy) texture.

"You always want to give the option of adding heat at the table," says Tanis. These shallots deliver acidity and fire in one shot.

"Spicy, vibrant watermelon radishes need little more than lemon and herbs to make magic with salty burrata." –Alison Roman, senior associate food editor

The rich and beefy flatiron is also known as a top blade steak, but you can use any cut.