Lentils

If you think you detect a hint of chocolate in your chili, you're not wrong.

Ready in 2 days.

This classic Cuban soup is inexpensive, hearty, and guaranteed to warm you up.

This recipe ushers in a fresh start for cabbage soup.

One time during fall, I tagged along with my husband on a work trip to Toulouse, France (as one does when one’s spouse has meetings in such nice places). It was our first time in Toulouse, and it was stressful. I feel like the first trip to any new city is a kind of sacrifice to the travel gods, seasoned with blunders and bad maps and jet lag, especially when you don’t speak the language or have a credit card with the right kind of chip inside.

With your favorite cut of cured pork, molasses, canned beans, and a secret ingredient, you can be eating creamy beans suspended in a velvety sauce in just 30 minutes.

They're also vegan.

Red beans and rice for Mardi Gras at home.

You'll have a wholesome meal to reach for all winter long.

Stash these in your freezer ASAP.

Layers of sweet potatoes and black beans amped up with smoked mozzarella and smoked paprika make for one seriously satisfying dinner.

This meal is all about how much flavor you can pack in one pan.

Ready the rice!

Skip the store-bought stuff — making it yourself is so easy and will be far tastier.

How do you take a pita pocket full of deep-fried falafel — handed to you by a street vendor and devoured on sight — and turn it into a reasonably healthy, everyday affair that you can make at home? The power of the oven. And to make these Middle Eastern baked falafel, all you need is canned chickpeas, onion, garlic, a handful of fresh herbs, and a few spices. These baked falafel have been in my lunch and dinner meal rotation for years now.

A fragrant dal for those who love lentils and spice.

Pile this mix onto bruschetta or eat it straight from the bowl.

It's the perfect cure for cold, snowy days.

Short on time, big on flavor.

It's easier than you think.

Grown-ups and kids alike will love this taco-meets-casserole mash-up.

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.

It cooks while you're at work!

One of the best ways to guarantee perfectly cooked beans — ones that emerge creamy and tender instead of crunchy or mushy — is cooking them ever so gently over low, steady heat. Hmm … low and steady heat, you say? Sounds to me like a job for the crock pot or slow cooker. For small batches of beans, a pound or less, I think a 3 1/2-quart or smaller slow cooker does the best job.

You can cook this with whatever you have on hand right now.

When you come home extra late after a crazy day at the office, it may seem like your only options for dinner are takeout, those questionable leftovers in the fridge, or scrambled eggs and toast. You’re starving and cranky and you need dinner fast, after all. Luckily there’s a fourth option: these 10-minute tacos. Yes, making tacos in 10 minutes is absolutely possible.

The electric pressure cooker is a bean-cooking dream machine.

Sweet, tangy, and completely homemade.

These also make for great leftovers.

Simple, versatile, and delicious.

The cheesy mushroom topper is so deeply satisfying.

It's ultra cozy and flavorful.

You won't believe how good it is.

Creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios and carrots, and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette tie it all together.

This chaat recipe involves making lentil fritters (wada), dousing them in a creamy yogurt (dahi) sauce, and then serving them with a variety of spicy and sweet chutneys.

A pantry-friendly recipe inspired by the Mediterranean.

You'll turn to this technique all winter long.

Topped with crispy kale chips and lemony yogurt, it's the ultimate way to usher in soup season.

From soups and chilis to enchiladas and salads, the possibilities are seemingly endless.

Calling all savory breakfast-lovers.

Serve it over greens, stuff into a pita, or enjoy straight from the pan.

Take them on a garlicky trip to Tuscany.

I knew I loved this humble bowl of soup before I ever took my first bite.

A 30-minute meal with no chopping required.

The Instant Pot does all the work for you.

The one-pot love child of chili and macaroni cheese.

Count yourself lucky if you have leftovers.

No one really knows when it became a staple in our household, but it’s a dish that I always look forward to.

This flavor-packed weeknight dinner is low effort, huge reward.

From soups to curries, salads, and even pasta.

Finally, a quick and easy veggie burger (ready in 30 minutes!) made with pantry staples.

Honey and harissa flavor this one-dish meal of saucy chickpeas and golden-brown chicken.