Spreads and Flavoring Recipes & Ideas

Starbucks who?

Skip the tomato sauce and put milky mozzarella front and center.

I always have this Puerto Rican staple ready to add to stews, stir-fries, and any other dish that needs a quick burst of flavor.

Sit back, relax, and let a box of puff pastry do all the work for you.

It goes from salads to veggies to meat without blinking an eye.

The recipe is part of Chef Tom Strake'sr "All Things Butter" series on social media.

Tahini, or sesame seed paste, is a staple of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It’s perhaps most notable for its essential role in making hummus, although its uses go far beyond that iconic dip. But tahini can get pricey at the grocery store, and it’s sometimes bitter or rancid after its long wait on the shelf. The good news is you can make this pantry staple at home for a fraction of the cost — and chances are it will taste better, too!

It was born out of pure laziness.

The dukkah is optional, but highly encouraged.

It's a dish that connects my Mexican heritage with Korean culinary tradition.

For me, there’s not much better than an ice-cold coffee on a hot summer day. One problem though: if you want to sweeten your coffee you only have a few options. Option one is to use sugar, which is hard to dissolve and can result in a pile of sugar gunk at the bottom of your glass. Option two is using a store-bought coffee syrup, but those tend to be cloyingly sweet and flavored with junk. The hidden third option is to make your own syrup at home.

The Japanese seasoning is salty and savory.

As long as you have some shredded coconut in your pantry and a few eggs in your fridge, a batch of sweet macaroons can be yours in less than half an hour.

Here's how.

If you like store-bought tempeh, just wait until you try fresh nutty-tasting homemade tempeh. You might never go back! Plus, when you make it yourself, you can go way beyond soybeans and customize your tempeh with whatever kinds of legumes and grains you want. To make tempeh at home, you just need some beans, a spoonful of tempeh starter, and a warm spot in your house. Today we’ll walk you through each step of the process, from preparing the beans to cooking it for dinner.

This is why you should buy that two-pound bag of cherries.

You can use it on burgers, grilled chicken, or just eat it with cheese and crackers.

Pretty pink ginger (and the color is all-natural)!

Puddles of mozzarella in a meaty marinara tossed with tender rigatoni pasta.

This West Coast sauce is about to become your go-to condiment.

Did we mention that they also have a cinnamon, five-spice, and miso filling?

The simplest — and tastiest — way to elevate your dinner at home.

Let us introduce you to the luxurious dairy-free substitute for whipped cream, cheese dip, alfredo, and even sour cream. Dairy-free cooks love it; vegans rely on it. You will too.

You'll want to spread it on EVERYTHING.

It's like a warm hug.

It's a condiment that doesn't hold back.

If you bake one thing with apples this fall, it should be this.

The delicious twist you didn't know you needed.

It's as luxurious rich and creamy as you'd expect.

The lime vinaigrette is key.

The kale and herb pesto is herby and bright.

It's hearty, satisfying, and feeds four for less than $10!

A plant-based take on the street-food classic.

It's so easy but will make you feel fancy.

It's everything we want to eat right now.

I've been making this version for years.

If your goal is to make just one really great and memorable summer salad, this is the one!

Ice cream, waffles, and even oatmeal.

Long live the Queen — and long live happy accidents that turn into delicious recipes!

Here, the mellow melon mingles with grapes, avocado, and mint.

Sweet, savory, and oh-so summery.

Rethink the summer classic.

A food processor or blender does all the hard work.

It makes for a sunny lunch or light dinner.

It's a classic recipe with two secret ingredients that make it the best.

Simple and refreshing.

Easy and comforting.

Your burgers and hot dogs will thank you.

Here's your reason to go pick up a pint of fresh blueberries!

Move over, blueberries.

Peas and cheese? Yes, please!

Bacon crumbles are good, but this is better.

Better than Popeye's.

It's bright, tangy, and full of herby kick.

A cuter form of the classic cake.

A fresh, crunchy slaw, typically served with the classic Salvadoran dish pupusas.

Move over, bacon (but don't worry — there's bacon in here, too).

Just listen to the word. Chimichurri. It dances right out of your mouth. I bet you’ve already paused and said it in your head more times than I’ve written it. If the word alone feels this good in the mouth, wait until you taste it. Chimichurri is an Argentine sauce that is traditionally used on meats, although I can think of about fifty other ways to eat it. It’s used in Argentina the way we use ketchup in the U.S.

What is it about lemons and summer? If you happen to live in a citrus-growing region, you know that it’s possible to find ripe lemons on trees year-round, but that they are actually in peak season in the dead of winter. I think it’s thanks to the summertime tradition of lemonade stands that makes me associate the tangy flavor with the hot months.

I love this time of year when my kitchen is brightened by piles of citrus. Meals take on an experimental air as I find new ways to relish these oranges, grapefruits, citrons, and kumquats. So, naturally, when my mom mentioned having “no fruit” to eat with our morning yogurt, I had to come up with a citrus solution. By themselves, oranges and grapefruits may be too acidic to pair with plain yogurt. Steep them in honey, however, and it’s a different story.