Vegetarian

The secret’s in the sauce.

No zucchinis were squeezed in the making of this dessert.

Yes, you really only need one pot. And no, you don't need to drain the pasta!

One pantry staple makes it extra nutty and delicious.

It's summer in a bowl.

You don't even need any measuring cups for this recipe.

My secret to getting dinner on the table every weeknight is a new sous chef — the air fryer. When I put this countertop appliance to work, I’m free to attend to the main dish while it works, virtually unattended. All I have to do is wait for that delightful “ding,” telling me the food needs a flip or is ready to eat.

Fried okra is the best okra.

Hot mulled cider is a must-have at all our fall and winter shindigs. It’s a great non-alcoholic drink option for holidays like Thanksgiving — guests of all ages never seem to turn down a mug, but grown-ups can also take the opportunity to do a little self-spiking and mix with their alcohol of choice. Slow-cooker mulled cider is the easiest way to serve a crowd.

Should we all just agree that we really go apple picking for the warm cider donuts and freshly pressed apple cider? Eating those fried donuts is one of my fondest food memories from the two years I lived on the East Coast, but unfortunately they’re harder to find now that I’m back in California. The best solution was to head into my kitchen and make a batch myself.

It's bright, fresh, and a breeze to whip together.

And you only need four ingredients.

It uses 2 pounds of zucchini.

It’s even better than the original — seriously.

Just add garlic bread.

It's tangy, it's sweet, and it pops (literally).

The Goldilocks of scrambled eggs.

It uses a full pound of zucchini.

It's all about knowing the right ratio for the best texture.

It tastes like fall in every bite.

You barely need a recipe.

It's like a cloud.

Of all the things I make in my Instant Pot, there’s nothing more convenient (or versatile!) than a batch of sweet potatoes. Topped with a pat of butter and flaky salt, Instant Pot sweet potatoes are a quick side dish to partner with whatever I’m cooking. They’re also incredibly versatile. Loaded with beans and greens, they make a wholesome vegetarian dinner. Filled with Greek yogurt or nut butter, and fruit, I have a nutritious breakfast.

And it’s actually way easier to make than it looks.

It’s all about the beans.

Save room for seconds.

Use fresh or frozen peaches.

Trust me — they’re not dry.

It’s all about the fresh herbs.

Even if the arrival of PSL season has you rolling your eyes, there’s no denying the deliciousness of a pumpkin spice latte. But you can do better than Starbucks. Our homemade pumpkin spice latte is even better than what you can get at the coffee house chain. Here’s how to make an easy extra-frothy pumpkin spice latte at home. You’ll have enough to share with someone you truly love. Our homemade recipe is better than Starbucks.

The harissa vinaigrette is everything.

Yes, you really can make baked ziti (well, “baked” ziti) in your slow cooker. And the result isn’t just good — it’s amazing. What it lacks in the crispy-edges department it gains in the ooey-gooey comfort-food department: tender noodles coated in marinara sauce and mixed with a double dose of melty cheese. Pasta in the slow cooker has a reputation for being overcooked and soggy — a result of too much liquid in the slow cooker or too long of a cook time.

Sipping icy-cold sweet lemonade on a blazing-hot summer day is one of life’s finest pleasures, which is why we think making lemonade from scratch should be the easiest drink you make this summer. After all, it is just three ingredients: lemon juice, sugar, and water. To make this lemonade-from-scratch recipe, juice the lemons and strain them, use the lemon juice to dissolve the sugar, then add cold water to taste. It’s that simple.

There’s no better way to eat a tomato.

Esquites + creamed corn = heaven on a tortilla chip.

Here’s how to use up that bumper crop.

As the days get longer and the weather warms up, my excitement for zucchini season grows. I love zucchini in any and all forms; whether they’re grilled, added to pasta, or shredded into savory pancakes.But my absolute favorite way to enjoy zucchini is when it’s breaded and fried into crisp, golden-brown batons. There’s just something about the crunchy outside contrasting against the tender zucchini center that can’t be beat.

It's probably in your pantry.

The star of any summer celebration.

You’ll want to make it on repeat.

It's caprese's hearty cousin.

Ruby-red tomatoes may be the crown jewel of summer, but I say that fried green tomatoes are the season’s unsung hero. Turn stubbornly unripe green tomatoes into a crunchy Southern specialty. You can make the ultimate fried green tomatoes by dipping in tangy buttermilk, coating in cornmeal, and then frying until golden. Once you taste them warm with a spicy remoulade sauce, you may never wait for tomatoes to ripen again. These fried green tomatoes are extra crispy.

It’s dangerously delicious.

It’s so fresh.

Better than anything you'll buy at the store.

Cool, briny pickles straight from the fridge are one of the simplest pleasures of summer. Quick pickling is also a brilliant solution for preserving a plethora of summer vegetables from the market or your garden. Quick pickling doesn’t require canning or a bushel of vegetables. Best of all, you can adapt this simple formula for any fresh vegetables; try a mixture of vinegars and spices for a truly custom pickle pleasure. Here’s how to make these easy quick pickles in just 20 minutes.

If there’s a food that’s not improved by grilling, I’ve yet to find it. The open flame and sizzling grill grates add flavor, complexity, and gorgeous grill marks to meat, veggies, fruit, and extra-firm tofu (what we’re talking about today!). With just a few smart steps — including dredging the planks in a simple spice rub and finishing them with a punchy herb sauce — tofu can be one of the most flavorful foods to come off the grill.

My grandmother kept a tidy little vegetable garden outside her New England home. While she did a decent job of growing summer squash, cucumbers, and some tomatoes, her best results always came out of her snap bean plants. This also meant my annual August trips to visit her were filled by snapping beans on her porch (a job reserved strictly for grandchildren) and putting jars of quick-pickled green beans in her refrigerator.

Get your toast ready.

It’s so delicious.

No special ingredients needed.

It puts the yee-haw in every dish.

When summer heat floods the farmers markets and groceries stores with green zucchini and yellow squash, it also brings pattypans, the darling of the summer squash family. These small, adorable, disk-shaped squashes with their sometimes scalloped edges come in all shades of green and yellow, and are just as delicious as their bigger counterparts.

The grill has the ability to elevate sweet, juicy peaches from over-the-sink snack to the most stunning dessert or a side dish with nothing more than heat. Grilled peaches are the kind of magic that happens in a hot grill’s twilight, when dinner is nearly done, and sweet fruit is the best pairing for the cold wine and ice cream destined for dessert. Here’s how to pull it off with grace and ease in only four simple steps. They’re incredibly easy to grill.

When the sun is shining and you’re contemplating grilling outside, don’t forget that easy grilled sweet potatoes can be a delicious addition to the summer dinner plate. All you have to do is toss thick slices with some oil and salt, and after just 10 minutes on the grill they’ll be sweet and tender with a hint of smokiness from the flames. To up the ante, toss the still-warm grilled sweet potatoes in a sweet-and-spicy dressing. Heat the grill.

As a Midwestern gal, born and raised, I do love my corn on the cob. What I don’t love, however, is standing over a boiling pot of water waiting for the cobs to cook on a sweltering summer day. Boiling has also always felt to me like a lot of labor for what amounts to a few minutes of actual cook time. Enter: the microwave. Ever since we first talked about this method, the microwave has become my favorite tool for quickly cooking a few ears of corn for a weeknight summer dinner.

I’m visiting family in Texas this summer, and I did a triple-take upon seeing the price of Hatch green chiles from neighboring New Mexico: three pounds for a mere dollar! There are only so many chile peppers one can eat in a sitting, but that didn’t stop me from buying them in bulk and roasting them to put up in my family’s freezer.

It’s so good.

Bonus: a zippy lemon frosting!

Gotta love salad on a stick!

Creamy, dreamy, cold, crunchy perfection.

It has the fluffiest biscuit topping.

It’s shockingly simple.

You’ll never guess these aren’t fried.

It's the no-cook dish of my dreams.

Ice cream is great and snow cones are good, but for me the ultimate summer dessert is halo-halo. The refreshing, multi-layered, shaved-ice-based Filipino dessert is packed with incredible flavors and textures — icy, creamy, chewy, crunchy, sweet, syrupy. I’ve been lucky to eat halo-halo here in the United States and all over the Philippines and it still thrills me every time.

It’s summer, which means that not only is your grill hot, but corn on the cob is also finally juicy and sweet. The two need to meet. While I’d like to tell you it’s as simple as throwing the cobs on the hot gas grill or charcoal grill and letting the two mingle, there is some work that must be done to get the corn and its husk ready for the grill. Get to know which corn to buy, steps for grilling, and the essentials to achieve a grilled corn perfection.

You’ve never tasted pasta salad like this before.

It takes just 15 minutes to prep.

I firmly believe a good 4th of July meal is as much about all the summery sides that fill up the plate as it is about the grilled burgers and grilled hot dogs. Whether you’re having a big backyard cookout or keeping things small, your outdoor feast is worthy of the all the best side dishes that you can possibly handle⁠—just don’t forget the dessert! When it comes to side dishes to round out the meal, there are so many delicious options to choose from.

If you love margaritas, this one’s for you.

It’s sweet, tart, and so creamy.