Dinner

Hearty, flavorful meals to close the day—ranging from quick weeknight fixes to leisurely weekend feasts. Discover comforting, balanced recipes that bring people together around the dinner table.

Arepas

By Rick A. Martínez

These chicken and avocado-stuffed arepas, which are known as reina pepiada (or curvy queen), were created in honor of Susana Dujim, a Venezuelan beauty queen who was crowned Miss World in 1955. The 1950s also marked the invention of precooked corn flour, now known as masarepa, by a Venezuelan engineer. But arepas were around for hundreds of years throughout Latin America before that, the corn patties sometimes served whole or split, then filled with countless combinations. Preparing them used to be labor-intensive, but masarepa gives arepas a light and creamy texture without a lot of effort. Unlike cornmeal used for cornbread or muffins, which is ground dried uncooked corn, masarepa is ground from cooked corn and conveniently sold as dried corn flour. Masa harina is ground uncooked corn treated with other ingredients and is used to make tortillas and other dishes. Neither cornmeal nor masa harina can be substituted for masarepa, which is available online and in many supermarkets.

1 hr

Chili Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo

By Iram Mansoor

Creamy fettuccine Alfredo kicked up with smoky spices and chili oil, topped with pan-seared chicken. Rich, silky sauce with a hit of heat makes an indulgent weeknight dinner that comes together quickly.

1 hr

Smoked Salmon Pasta

By Jesse Szewczyk

Creamy, tangy, and bright, this one-pot pasta with hot-smoked salmon, lemon, capers, and dill is weeknight comfort and easy elegance all rolled into one.

Chicken and Rice Meatballs

By Chris Morocco

Gluten-free meatballs are as easy as adding cooled cooked rice instead of bread to ground meat.

Spicy Chicken Curry

By Neelam Batra

This flavorful Indian chicken dish features bone-in drumsticks and thighs in a rich, spicy curry sauce made with chiles, garlic, ginger, and more.

1 hr 30 min

Creamy Lemon Pasta

By Andrew Zimmern

This Creamy Lemon Pasta is an ode to the sweet, fragrant lemons that grow all along Italy’s Amalfi Coast. It’s a signature dish of L’Antica Trattoria in Sorrento. Get the recipe at Food and Wine.

20 min

Garlic Butter Chicken Parm Sandwich

By Lalada.

Crispy breaded chicken cutlets layered with marinara and melted cheese, served on garlic-butter-toasted rolls. A comforting, easy sandwich with rich garlic butter, melty mozzarella (or provolone) and a sprinkle of Parmesan.

35 min

Cheesy Beef Pockets

By Iram Mansoor

Savory, melty beef and cheese folded into crispy baked tortilla pockets — great for a quick dinner or party snack. Spiced ground beef with bell pepper and optional Serrano gives these pockets a bold, comforting flavor.

50 min

Za’atar Roast Chicken

By Zachary Engel

This juicy roast chicken recipe is finished with za’atar, a fragrant Middle Eastern spice blend and paired with tangy sumac-pickled onions and savory black garlic tahini.

2 hr 20 min

Beef Ragu Recipe

This Big Batch Beef Ragu with Pasta easily feeds 8 people. You can make the ragu ahead of time and reheat just before serving!

4 hr 20 min

French onion soup traybake

By GBC Kitchen

This take on the traditional French onion soup is both convenient and delicious, perfect for midweek lunch or dinner alike. Caramelised onions are the star of the dish, cooked to perfection with garlic, thyme and Calvet Muscadet White Wine. Topped with sliced baguette and Gruyère cheese, then baked in the oven until golden and bubbly and served with fresh sprigs of thyme.

50 min

Chicken Tinga Tacos

By Jenn Louis

Chicken gets fabulous Mexican flavor with tinga, an easy-to-make smoky tomato sauce. This delicious tinga chicken taco recipe uses only a few simple ingredients.

2 hr 30 min

Sheet-Pan Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

By Shilpa Uskokovic

Inspired by Greek lemon potatoes, this sheet-pan dinner features garlicky chicken thighs roast to a crisp and blessing the potatoes with flavor and shine.

Weeknight Harissa Eggplant Parm

By Kendra Vaculin

No coating or frying here! Toasted breadcrumbs and a blanket of melty cheese replicate the flavors and textures of eggplant parm in a fraction of the time.

Sheet-Pan Salmon and Potatoes

By Kendra Vaculin

Give sheet-pan salmon and potatoes the salad treatment with crisped jarred artichokes, lemon-dressed herbs, briny olives, and sweet pickled peppers.

Arctic Char with Spinach Butter

By David Tanis

Darina Allen, known as the Julia Child of Ireland, has run the Ballymaloe Cooking School on an organic farm in east Cork for more than 30 years. Here’s a lovely dish from her repertoire, a whole fish wrapped in a foil package, seasoned with nothing more than salt, pepper, butter and a sprig of tarragon. The fish emerges moist and juicy, ready for a creamy butter sauce packed with chopped spinach and herbs. Ms. Allen makes it with pink trout, which are plentiful in Ireland, but this recipe calls for Arctic char, which is more widely available in the United States. But you could substitute pink trout (also called coho trout) if you can find it, or large wild trout, or even thick fillets of steelhead trout or salmon.

50 min

Rosemary and Dried Cherry Pork Chops

By Kendra Vaculin

Rehydrating dried cherries in hot water turns them plump and juicy—exactly what you want scattered throughout a rosemary-scented pan sauce for pork chops.

Greek-Style Pork Spareribs with Grilled Lemons

By Michael Symon

Michael Symon’s Greek-style pork spareribs are the perfect combination of crusty, meaty and nicely charred. They’re even better with a squeeze of grilled lemon.

3 hr

Gluten-Free Fried Chicken

By Sohla El-Waylly

We really went for it here, drawing on the flavor and texture of idli podi (a coarsely ground spice mixture that also goes by the name “gunpowder spice”) to create a gluten-free version of craggy-crunchy fried chicken. Our version swaps chickpea flour and sesame seeds for wheat flour, and, once fried, we dust it with lime zest, coconut, and crushed red pepper flakes. Be sure to fry the chicken to a deep brown to create superior crunch and coax out the nutty flavors of the chickpea flour and sesame seeds. And don’t skip the honey: It will balance out all the bold flavors.

Sheet-Pan Peppers and Chickpeas With Ricotta

By Kendra Vaculin

Glazed sweet-sour peppers meet their match: a textural medley of crispy chickpeas, crunchy croutons, and a creamy swoosh of ricotta cheese.

Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew

By Regina Schrambling

This rich, comforting stew was brought to The Times by Regina Schrambling in 2001, in the dark days immediately following the attacks on the World Trade Center. The accompanying article was an ode to the therapeutic benefits of cooking and baking: "Whoever said cooking should be entered into with abandon or not at all had it wrong. Going into it when you have no hope is sometimes just what you need to get to a better place. Long before there were antidepressants, there was stew." This one, while complex in flavor, is not difficult to prepare, but it cannot be rushed. Make it when you have the time to indulge in the meditative qualities of chopping, sautéing, reducing, braising, waiting and tasting. You will be rewarded with an exceptionally flavorful dish that is just as satisfying to eat as it was to cook.

3 hr

Chicken Afritada

By JOCELYN

A warm, tomato-based Filipino chicken stew simmered with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Comforting and family-friendly, it’s best served hot with steamed rice to soak up the savory-tangy sauce.

1 hr

Coconut Milk Chicken Adobo

By Angela Dimayuga

When I left home, adobo was a dish I could cook off the top of my head. The name was bestowed by Spanish colonizers, referring to the use of vinegar and seasonings to preserve meat, but the stew existed long before their arrival. It is always made with vinegar, and often soy sauce, but there are as many adobo recipes as there are Filipino cooks. In this version, coconut — present in three forms: milk, oil and vinegar — brings silkiness and a hint of elegance. Every ingredient announces itself; none are shy. The braised whole peppercorns pop in your mouth.

1 hr 45 min

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Grapes, Garlic, and Rosemary

By Angie Mar

Angie Mar's Pan-Roasted Chicken with Grapes, Garlic, and Rosemary recipe brings together a crispy-skinned chicken and juicy grapes for a simple yet elegant dinner.

45 min

Psites Patates (Lemony Roasted Potatoes with Oregano)

By Kate Winslow

Golden potato wedges and lemon slices are roasted together until crisp and fragrant, a perfect accompaniment to lamb chops or roast chicken.

55 min

Moussaka With Roasted Mushrooms

By Martha Rose Shulman

In this Balkan style Moussaka I have substituted the roasted mushroom mix for half the meat. But you can also make a vegetarian version with no meat at all. It is delicious either way, with a complex, slightly sweet Eastern Mediterranean sauce spiced with a little cinnamon, a pinch of allspice and a few cloves. Greek moussaka is topped with béchamel, which can be heavy, even gummy. But this one has a light, fluffy topping made with yogurt and eggs. There are a few steps involved here and the sauce is a long-cooking one, but you can get that started while the eggplant is roasting in the oven to speed things along or make the sauce the day before.

3 hr

Crispy Chicken Caesar Sandwich

Crispy panko-breaded chicken breasts served on toasted mini loaves with creamy homemade Caesar dressing and a tossed romaine salad. A crunchy, savory sandwich finished with freshly grated Parmesan — perfect for lunch or a casual dinner.

1 hr 40 min

Skillet Gnocchi With Leeks and Bacon

By Nina Moskowitz

Inspired by the flavors of potato leek soup, chewy gnocchi, tender leeks, and crisp bacon mingle together in a sumptuous cream sauce.

Swordfish Sicilian-Style

By Marcella Hazan

This quick grilled swordfish gets bright herbal flavor from an easy lemon-oregano sauce. The recipe comes from the late, legendary cookbook author Marcella Hazan, who joined Food & Wine as a contributing editor in 1992. In 2018, F&W named this dish one of our 40 best recipes ever.

20 min

Fennel Sausage Pasta

By Joe Kindred

Fresh pasta, quick fennel sausage, tomato, and a silky butter and cheese sauce make up this 35-minute fennel sausage pasta. Serve as a main dish on a weeknight for a fast and easy meal, or as a first course for an Italian feast.

35 min

Brussels Sprout Pasta

By Kendra Vaculin

This brussels sprout pasta recipe taps nutty brown butter, crunchy pecans, and hot Italian sausage to create an easy dinner bursting with fall flavors.

Basil Chicken Stir-Fry

By Shilpa Uskokovic

A savory, spicy explosion of flavor that takes less than 30 minutes to make. Plus, a game-changing technique to make lean ground meat juicy and tender.

Chicken Pot Pie With Biscuit Crust

By The Gourmet Test Kitchen

Gourmet’s best chicken pot pie recipe makes the ultimate comfort food with a creamy filling topped with puffy, flavorful cheddar biscuits.

Nigerian Beef Stew

By Ozoz Sokoh

A mainstay of many Nigerian meals, there are countless ways to make this stew.

3 hr 30 min

Oyakodon

By Kendra Vaculin

This classic Japanese comfort food is a combination of chicken and egg (oyako means "parent and child") simmered in sweet-savory broth and served over rice.

Salmon Sinigang with Miso

By Jujumao

A savory-sour Filipino soup featuring salmon belly and heads simmered in a mellow yellow miso broth brightened with tamarind. Packed with radish, vegetables and long green chilies, this comforting sinigang is hearty and perfect with steamed rice.

1 hr 20 min

Roasted Chicken Provençal

By Sam Sifton

This is a recipe I picked up from Steven Stolman, a clothing and interior designer whose “Confessions of a Serial Entertainer” is a useful guide to the business and culture of dinner parties and general hospitality. It is a perfect dinner-party meal: chicken thighs or legs dusted in flour and roasted with shallots, lemons and garlic in a bath of vermouth and under a shower of herbes de Provence. They go crisp in the heat above the fat, while the shallots and garlic melt into sweetness below. You could serve with rice, but I prefer a green salad and a lot of baguette to mop up the sauce.

1 hr 15 min

Pressure Cooker Beef Barley Soup Recipe

By Daniel Gritzer

Beef barley soup is a winter staple, but it takes a while to cook. But if you use a pressure cooker, you can get a deeply flavorful beef barley soup on the table in about an hour.

1 hr 20 min

Vermicelli Chicken and Rice With Cardamom and Cinnamon

By Noor Murad

This one-pot chicken and rice is a dinner-time winner. It gives you everything you need really: protein power, carb comfort, and joy in the form of crispy edges.

Spicy Chicken Caesar Wrap

By Iram Mansoor

Crispy panko-fried chicken cutlets wrapped with a spicy Calabrian-style Caesar dressing and crisp lettuce for a bold, satisfying lunch or dinner. The homemade spicy Caesar balances creamy Parmesan, garlic and chili paste for a kick-packed, crunchy wrap.

35 min

Slow-Roasted Lamb

By Meliz Berg

Tender, fall-apart lamb slow-roasted on a bed of onions, garlic and fresh herbs, finished with a bright mint-coriander sauce. A hands-off roast perfect for a festive dinner—pop it in the oven and come back hours later to incredible, shreddable meat.

4 hr 45 min

General Tso's Chickpeas

By June Xie

You know the OG dish featuring chicken, but how about a veggie-forward one that features chickpeas? We've got you covered with this super savory stir-fry.

50 min

Chicken Vesuvio Pasta

By Andee Gosnell

Chicken Vesuvio Pasta brings seared chicken thighs, peas, and linguine together in a bright white wine and lemon cream sauce in just 45 minutes. It’s the flavors of an iconic Chicago specialty in the form of a pasta dish that could wow guests but also rescue a hectic weeknight.

45 min

Cashew Chicken and Asparagus

By Shilpa Uskokovic

Savory cashew chicken meets tender asparagus in this lightning-fast weeknight stir-fry. Deeply roasted cashews provide a satisfying crunch.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

By Chris Morocco

Recipes from Cook’s Illustrated and Antonella at Krumville Bake Shop in N.Y.C. both deserve big shout-outs for helping us develop this approach.

Chicken Piccata

By Kendra Vaculin

The best chicken piccata makes sure the classic Italian recipe for chicken cutlets gets an ample serving of lemony white wine and caper sauce.

Kung Pao Chicken

By Diana Kuan

The balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors in classic kung pao chicken is beguiling, but that tingling sensation is easy to recreate at home.

Asparagus and Marinated Artichoke Galette

By Rebecca Firkser

This simple galette calls for a store-bought puff pastry crust and jarred marinated artichokes, so you can focus on the tangy-creamy filling.

Mayan Pepita Chicken Stew

By Maricel Presilla

Chef Maricel Presilla's hearty Mayan Pepita-Chicken Stew gets a hit of spicy flavor from a sprinkle of ground chiles and cacao just before serving.

3 hr 30 min

Salad Lyonnaise

By GBC Kitchen

Our version of this classic bistro salad is dressed with a lemony shallot dressing, moreish pieces of fried pancetta and is finished with an irresistible poached Freshlay Farms Golden Yolker®.

45 min