Vegetarian

It's better than anything you could get at the drive-thru

Ready the vanilla ice cream.

It's a great little staple to have in your summer cooking repertoire.

A loaf of tender, warm bread in less than an hour? It's not magic — it's no-time bread!

Congee, jook, okayu. Asian-style rice porridge has many names and countless variations, but in every instance it is a simple, comforting dish for breakfast or any time of day. This extra nutritious version includes brown rice, shiitake mushrooms, handfuls of greens, and warming ginger. I grew up with the Vietnamese version, called cháo, which my parents made using white rice and lots of water in a big, simmering pot. (It can also be made in a rice cooker or slow cooker.

It's foolproof!

Thanks to a preheated baking sheet and a drizzle of honey, these sprouts are extra caramelized and extra crispy.

Feels goods, right?

Make soft, creamy steel-cut oats in under 20 minutes.

One of my most enduring childhood memories is watching my bà nội, or grandmother, shaving corn – the clean, confident stroke of her knife, and the tumble of sweet, juicy kernels released from the cob. If we were lucky, she’d stir the kernels into a pot of coconut milk with tapioca pearls to make chè, a delectable Vietnamese pudding. I can think of few better treats than chè on a summer afternoon.

This breakfast casserole was made for summer.

Just saying.

This recipe ushers in a fresh start for cabbage soup.

Fast, flavorful, and super easy.

Make it once and eat all week.

All the smart home cooks are doing it.

With winter out of the way, one vegetable I’ve been seeing in abundance at Bay Area farmers markets is the sputnik-like vegetable with the funny name, kohlrabi. Eaten raw, it’s fresh, crisp, and the ideal ingredient for a summer slaw. This kohlrabi slaw is actually one of my favorite summer recipes. Quick and easy to make, it’s a nice cool side dish to eat after a long, warm day of working in the garden, or at a sunny picnic under flowering fruit trees.

The result is easy, lightened-up, and still oh-so-crunchy.

This fabulous egg bake starts with those convenient pre-cut veggies from the produce section.

Big-batch sangria that won't break your budget.

I'll never get tired of it.

They're also vegan.

No zucchinis were squeezed in the making of this dessert.

It's the high-protein, make-ahead breakfast you need.

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

This New Orleans classic is given a weeknight makeover.

One pantry staple makes it extra nutty and delicious.

It's way easier than apple pie.

These fajitas have roasted sweet potato slices dusted in cumin and smoked paprika. Stuff them into warm tortillas and drizzle with a tangy yogurt and lime crema.

It's summer in a bowl.

Fried okra is the best okra.

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

It's no less creamy or flavorful.

And you only need four ingredients.

You'll want to make room at your next potluck or barbecue for this fast side.

Of course Ina has the smartest way to make lasagna ahead!

Some soups work well in polite company — a light bisque or a boeuf bourguignon, for instance, are the stars of a dinner party menu. But then there are other soups that are really just for you, just for those days when you need something simple and nourishing without much fuss. That’s this kale and potato soup. It’s humble, unassuming, and best enjoyed alone at the kitchen counter with the last hunk of some sourdough bread.

Sweet, salty, and sour, and perfect with everything you're grilling this summer.

And it comes together with three basic ingredients.

It uses 2 pounds of zucchini.

A refreshing, light slaw fragrant with roasted peanuts you can serve on a weeknight or on a buffet.

Potatoes are dreamy — there's no way around it. But dreamiest of all is when their tender innards are spiked with salt and vinegar.

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

Do you really need a reason to bake a single dark, chocolatey brownie? One that requires only pantry staples and a toaster oven? A brownie that you don’t have to share? Fine, I’ll give you a few — it’s better than a box mix and only takes about 20 minutes total to make, bake, and cool. Brownies are the champions of chocolate cravings, and this one is chewy, chocolatey, and fast. Baking in a toaster oven has a few benefits.

Just remember this simple ratio.

Dutch crunch is the delightful sandwich bread you didn't know you needed.

A crock of slow-cooked grits is a dream to wake up to and an easy, no-fuss base for weeknight dinners.

It's a classic frittata meets French onion soup mash-up that is dressed to impress.

Who said cakes have to be sweet?

So crispy, so golden, so good.

This creamy, comforting dish is calling your name.

Stash these in your freezer ASAP.

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

Take your pick: the adorable squash is delicious sautéed, roasted, or grilled.

Everybody loves creamed spinach, even folks who hate spinach! Here’s a luxurious baked version that I love serving with oven-roasted pork tenderloin, though it pairs just as well with steak, pork chops, or any other protein on your plate. Splurge on a little mid-week comfort food and make this with your dinner tonight! This spinach bake is a cross between creamed spinach and a spinach soufflé, and in my opinion it’s the best of both worlds.

Or cookout side ... or light dinner.

It steals the scene at every party.

Exactly how you want to eat carrots with a steak dinner.

Based off a soup so good, its memory outlasted the memory of the person I ate it with.

File under: Another trick we learned from Alton Brown.

No, it's not feta.

My grandfather's recipe has a secret ingredient that makes all the difference.

If you can't get enough of Mexican street corn, we combined all the flavors in one sweet, salty, and crispy fritter.

This faster take on pizza won't heat up the house.

Pro tip: Add extra-creamy burrata as soon as it comes out of the oven.

It's as rich and creamy as you could ever hope for.

You only need two ingredients.

Eat them straight from the sheet pan, or make spicy, saucy tacos.

This is the one potato salad to know.

It's a one-bowl affair that'll happily play sidekick.

Spoiler: It levels up so much more than salad.

Yes, it is really that quick.