French Apple Cake

This simple French cake is more apples than cake, held together with a light crumb and thin golden crust.

Invisible Apple Cake (Gâteau Invisible)

“Cake” is somewhat of a misnomer for this elegant dessert. Instead of open, airy and crumby, the texture is rich and dense, with slices of sweet-tart apples set in an egg-rich batter. During its long bake in the oven, the fruit slices and custard-like

By Hisham Ali HassanAugust 16, 2024

German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

“This is one of those slam dunks that worked, and I loved it right away."

Apple Cake (Torta Bolzano)

This rustic apple cake sports crisp, deeply caramelized edges and a custardy interior, a texture achieved by coating a heap of thinly sliced fruit in crepe-like batter. We learned it from home cook Franca Giuliani in Padergnone, in the Trentino region

By Milk StreetNovember 11, 2025

Burnt Sugar Apple Upside-Down Cake

Drenched in bittersweet caramel, these silky soft apples create a glorious topping for a dead-easy, baked-in-the-skillet cake. Be sure to cook the fruit and caramel until the syrup bubbling at the edges is practically burnt. That rich, deep color is h

By Courtney HillJanuary 29, 2025

Austrian Apple Strudel

In Austria, Eva-Maria Steinbichler and her daughter, Petra Steinbichler, showed us how to prepare a proper apple strudel. The result was a light, barely there pastry surrounding a buttery, sweet-tart filling. To build impressive gluten strength in the

Christopher Kimball’s Double-Crust Apple Pie

It’s only a minor overstatement to say that apple pie is holy for Chris Kimball. This recipe is the product of decades of study.

By Chris KimballNovember 22, 2021

Apple Pie with Sour Cream Crust

For anyone who loves a double-crust apple pie but dreads the dough: sour cream makes this pastry rich, tender and genuinely easy to roll out.

By Rose HattabaughMarch 3, 2026

Romanian Apple Pie with Cinnamon and Walnuts (Plăcintă cu Mere)

Cookbook author Irina Georgescu introduced us to Romanian plăcintă cu mere, a hybrid of slab-style apple pie bar cookie. The traditional baked treat sandwiches lightly sweetened shredded apples between two layers of tender crust. For our version, we c

By Rose HattabaughFebruary 20, 2025

Italian-Style Apple Strudel

Many associate strudel only with Austria, but it also is common in northern Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region. For this version, we were inspired by the ingredients traditionally used there: golden raisins, citrus zest, pine nuts and, of course, appl

By Rose HattabaughSeptember 12, 2024

Tarte Tatin

Tarte tatin is made by baking apples in sugar under a blanket of pastry, then inverting the tart out of the pan for serving to reveal a stunner of a dessert: velvety, caramel-soaked fruits atop a tender, buttery crust. Said to have been invented by ac

By Hisham Ali HassanSeptember 11, 2024

Ricotta-Semolina Cake with Caramelized Apples

Adapted from “Summer Kitchens” by Olia Hercules, this cake-cheesecake hybrid is inverted out of the baking pan to reveal a layer of silky, buttery, golden-hued apples. The ricotta-based cake is deliciously rich but whipped egg whites folded into the b

By Wes MartinDecember 3, 2021

Gnocchi in an Instant with Arugula-Pistachio Pesto

Our search for a better way to make gnocchi brought us to an unexpected place: instant potato flakes. Not only do we get more consistent results, but there also is no need to peel, boil and rice potatoes. We sauce the gnocchi with a peppery green arug

Pasta with Sage, Walnut and Parmesan Pesto

Sage, rather than basil, makes for a bold, woody pesto that’s beautifully complimented by gentle ricotta and parsley.

Fettuccine with Miso and Kale Pesto

Bold, salty-sweet white miso forms the backbone of this vegan earthy kale and basil-based pesto. For richness and body, we add walnuts, echoing miso’s umami punch (pine nuts are a good stand-in for those who aren’t fans of walnuts). A few splashes of

Pasta with Pistachio–Aged Gouda Pesto

Aged Gouda is a different cheese than the mild, semi-firm variety. With a firm, dry texture similar to Parmesan and a nutty flavor that hints at caramel and chocolate, aged Gouda is an excellent choice for making pesto. In this recipe, we pair the che

Pasta with Fennel, Green Olive and Pistachio Pesto

Olives and Parm, balanced with sweet pistachios and herbaceous parsley, make for a potent, umami-rich pesto.

Peruvian Pesto

In Peru, tallarines verde is made with spinach, not basil

Miso Pesto Pasta

Inspired by kinome ae, a miso and sansho leaf sauce we learned in Japan: rich miso replaces the cheese for a creamy, umami-packed pesto.

Pasta with Trapanese Pesto

We hear “pesto” and see shades of green, but the word refers to prep, not pigment. It stems from pestare, to pound—this Italian sauce traditionally was made with a mortar and pestle. The basil-heavy, and therefore green, version we know best comes fro

Pesto alla Genovese

We learned to make pesto alla Genovese in its birthplace—Genoa, Italy. It traditionally is made in a mortar and pestle of nothing more than basil, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, salt and olive oil, emphasis on the basil. We use a food processor for conven

Rigatoni with Ricotta-Sage Pesto

Sage can be either too bitter or too faint, but satisfyingly bold when gently cooked with creamy ricotta.

Pesto Potato Salad

A no-mayo potato salad you can assemble in under an hour. Dress the potatoes while they’re still warm so they soak up the pesto.

Spaghetti with Lemon Pesto

This zesty, lightly perfumed lemon pesto is inspired by the world-famous lemons of Amalfi, Italy.

Pasta with Pesto Rosso

Rich red pesto, a balance of savory and sun-dried tomatoey sweetness.

Pasta with Pesto Calabrese

Pesto calabrese, from the Calabria region that forms the “toe” of Italy‘s boot, is a simple puree with a base of sweet red peppers, tomatoes and ricotta cheese. It often includes nuts for richness and, on occasion, cooked eggplant for added creaminess

Pasta with Evergreen Pesto

Basil is pesto’s essence and also its liability. Peppery arugula, lemon juice and a slick of oil keep this one bright green for days.

Chicken with Caramelized Garlic Confit

In London, Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, the chef-owners of the Honey & Co. restaurants and award-winning cookbook authors, taught us a simple chicken dish that gets robustly savory—but not overwhelming—flavor from four heads’ worth of garlic con

Parthian Chicken

“De Re Coquinaria,” also referred to as “Apicius,” is a collection of Roman recipes believed to have been compiled in the 5th century. Pullum parthican, or Parthian chicken, was delicious enough to document in ancient Rome and makes a fine dinner even

Crisp-Skinned Chicken Thighs with 1-1-1 Sauce

Equal parts soy sauce, sake and mirin: an izakaya formula from Osaka that caramelizes into a savory-sweet glaze under the broiler.

Filipino Chicken Adobo with Coconut Broth

Thousands of islands make up the Philippines. And there probably are as many recipes for chicken adobo, the classic Filipino dish that turns handful of ingredients—loads of garlic, black pepper and vinegar—into a bright and tangy meal. We tailored our

Piri Piri Chicken Thighs

Piri-piri can refer to a finger-staining chili pepper sauce—usually spiked with garlic, sugar and plenty of cayenne, lemon and paprika—or to whatever the sauce douses. Its origins are Portuguese, but it's found today in South Africa, Mozambique and Na

Korean Fire Chicken

Buldak-inspired chicken thighs get huge, complex flavor from four pantry ingredients and a 15-minute marinade; the broiler chars it into a sticky glaze.

Jalapeño-Apricot Glazed Chicken Thighs

These glazed chicken thighs feature an addictive combination of sweet, savory and spicy flavors. We first roast the thighs in a hot oven, then finish them under the broiler to caramelize the glaze. Use either apricot or peach preserves—whichever you p

Braised Chicken with Apricots and Pistachios

Dried fruits, shallots, spices and nuts create a sweet-savory flavor for meaty bone-in chicken thighs.

Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage)

This chicken boasts tangy, bright flavors and delicate crispness, thanks to a quick ginger-spiked marinade and seasoned cornstarch coating. “I can finally bring fried chicken to the table that makes my family's eyes roll in delight!" one reader writes

Indonesian Chicken Soup (Soto Ayam)

No matter where you are in the world, there is a soup that serves as both sustenance and salve. Home cook Erida Wahyuningsih and chef Degan Septoadgi taught us that in Indonesia, the chicken soup called soto ayam is that dish. The flavor base is a tur

Malaysian Twice-Cooked Turmeric Chicken with Lemon Grass and Sweet Soy

The Malaysian dish called ayam masak kecap translates as “chicken cooked in soy sauce,” but it’s commonly referred to as “bachelor’s chicken” because it’s quick and easy to throw together. It also happens to be irresistibly delicious. Pieces of turmer

Yucatecan Chicken and Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

Sopa de lima is a classic Mexican soup from the Yucatán Peninsula. Brothy, spicy and usually chicken-based, it counts as a key ingredient the juice of limas, or Mexican bittersweet limes, a variety of citrus that is difficult to find here in the U.S.

Oaxacan Green Mole with Chicken

When we think of mole, we most often think of mahogany-colored mole negro, flavored with chocolate, dried chilies and nuts. But as we learned from Oaxaca chef Olga Cabrera Oropeza, there is a wide variety of moles, each with a unique character. Mole v

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Souvlaki translates from the Greek as “skewer,” but for this easy weeknight rendition, we forgo the skewers and cook individual pieces of chicken. And instead of firing up the grill, we simply turn on the broiler. A quick marinade of olive oil, garlic

Georgian Chicken with Walnut-Cilantro Sauce

This chicken doused in rich, creamy walnut sauce is our shortcut version of satsivi, a decadent walnut chicken stew we were served in Georgia.

Brown Butter-Cardamom Banana Bread

Two simple changes, and zero additional effort, make banana bread holiday-worthy, and we now only make it this way.

Paul Hollywood’s Lemon Drizzle Cake

This light, airy Lemon Drizzle Cake with a crispy lemony topping is Paul Hollywood's “favorite cake of all time.”

Pistachio-Cardamom Cake

Baking a cake can be daunting. Enter the loaf cake, as easy as a quick bread but with more polish. Rose Bakery in Paris, created by Briton Rose Carrarini and her French husband, Jean-Charles, has elevated the style to an art form, producing tempting l

Yogurt Cake with Citrus and Spice

Citrus and spice mingle beautifully in our take on France’s gâteau au yaourt—a simple cake, perfect for using up extra yogurt and eating at any time.

By Diane Unger & Courtney HillNovember 16, 2022

Lemon-Almond Pound Cake

Plush Lemon Pound Cake

Banana-Hazelnut Bread

Buttery hazelnuts, ground in the food processor, take banana bread to a new level—adding more moisture to the crumb and playing off the bananas’ sweetness.

By Rose HattabaughOctober 12, 2020

Upside-Down Cardamom-Spiced Plum Cake

Peak-season plums mean plum cake—and we can do no better than this enchanting recipe, inspired by Claire Ptak’s upside-down fig cake.

By Rose HattabaughAugust 9, 2023

Tahini Banana Bread

Earthy, nutty tahini is as at home in cookies, brownies and cakes as it is in savory hummus. Here, it replaces some of the butter in banana bread, lending the crumb an especially plush, tender texture. Banana slices, arranged on the batter, followed b

By Lawman JohnsonNovember 14, 2025

Zucchini Bread with Orange Zest and Chocolate Chunks

Unlike the basic (and often boring) zucchini bread, this quick bread is saturated with citrusy orange flavor thanks to a simple step of rubbing orange zest into the sugar. This draws out the zest’s essential oils and evenly distributes them for bright

Browned Butter and Coconut Loaf Cake

This moist, dense, buttery loaf cake comes from Briana Holt of Tandem Coffee + Bakery in Portland, Maine. It's baked until the exterior is deeply browned, developing rich, toasty flavors and an amazing aroma. A coconut syrup is brushed on while the ca

Carrot-Tahini Quick Bread with Candied Ginger and Pistachios

We turn carrot cake into moist, tender quick bread for any time of day.

By Rose HattabaughApril 26, 2021

Double Chocolate Loaf Cake

A velvety, deeply chocolatey cake from renowned baker Claire Ptak, of Violet Cakes in East London.

By Malcolm JacksonJanuary 22, 2024

Meringue Cradle Cake

A lost 1950s Bake-Off winner: a chocolate-hazelnut meringue “cradle” that fuses to the crumb as it bakes, working as both shell and frosting.

By Hisham Ali HassanMarch 18, 2026

Three-Citrus Tea Cake

A triple hit of citrus brings bright flavor, while a technique called "reverse creaming" gives this cake an impossibly tender crumb.

By Lawman JohnsonAugust 10, 2026

Clementine Blender Cake

We blitz whole, unpeeled clementines in a blender and use them to flavor the batter and finishing syrup in this fragrant, bright orange cake.

By Hisham Ali HassanFebruary 9, 2024

Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowls (Teriyaki Donburi)

Tender and glossy, with a sweet-­savory glaze, this perfected chicken donburi was served to us by cook and philosopher Elizabeth Andoh.

Paprika-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

“I found myself wanting to lick my plate to get every last bit of sauce."

Chinese Chili and Scallion Noodles

These spicy Chinese scallion noodles have quickly become one of our back-pocket dinner ideas—the kind of recipe you throw together, top with a fried egg, and still look forward to every time.

Two-Cheese Orzo with Cauliflower

“You guys killed it coming up with this,” a reader writes about this creamy, cheesy “orzotto” with cauliflower.

Stir-Fried Masala-Spiced Pork with Peas

This pea-studded pork-and-rice bowl, inspired by southwestern Indian flavors, uses few ingredients for maximum pizazz.

Coconut Chicken Curry with Potatoes

A brothy weeknight curry that balances rich coconut milk with umami and bright ginger and lime.

Pan-Seared Steak with Smoky Miso Butter and Watercress Salad

Miso compound butter ups the umami; peppery watercress salad keeps things light.

Moroccan-Style Braised Lemon Chicken (Tangia)

This simple chicken braise loaded with high-flavor ingredients is modeled on tangia, a slow-cooked lamb dish from Marrakech. We got a lesson in cooking tangia the traditional way from taxi driver Youssef Boufelja. For our simplified version, we used b

Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Aleppo Pepper Oil

This toss-in-the pot lentil soup proves the transformative power of spices, which give hearty lentils potent flavor and heat.

Spicy Peanut-Sesame Stir-Fried Shrimp

Chunky peanut butter and toasted sesame oil bring two layers of nutty flavor to this simple stir-fry.

Vietnamese-Style Meatball Lettuce Wraps

Meatballs, carrot salad and a dipping sauce? Seems like a lot of work. But not so with these Vietnamese-style meatballs.

Chorizo and Potato Hash

Guisado de chorizo con papas, or Mexican chorizo and potato stew, inspired this simple, hearty one-skillet dish. Chorizo sausage is spicy, so if you’re sensitive to chili heat, you may want to remove the seeds from the jalapeño before slicing. Serve w

Udon Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms and Spinach

A full pound of fresh shiitake mushrooms and a good dose of soy sauce give this quick vegetarian supper lots of meaty flavor, while thick, chewy Japanese udon noodles give it satisfying texture. Though udon also is sold fresh and frozen, we use dried

Greek Chicken and Potato Traybake

The Greek dish known as kotopoulo skorthato typically is called “Greek garlic-lemon chicken” in English, but the ensemble also includes potatoes, making it a delicious complete meal. For our take on the classic, we use our trusty traybake technique—we

Milk-Poached Chicken with Tarragon Salsa Verde

We love the Italian trick of gently simmering pork and chicken breasts in milk for extra-tender, succulent meat.

Milk Street 7.5-inch Everyday Pan with Trivet

Milk Street Közmatik

Milk Street 11-inch Everything Pan with Magnetic Trivet

Milk Street 3-Piece 13-Inch Hammered Carbon Steel Wok

Milk Street 3-Piece 10.5-Inch Small Hammered Carbon Steel Wok

Milk Street Widebody Dutch Oven with Griddle Lid and Trivet

Otoshibuta Adjustable Stainless Steel Drop Lid

Kim's Cook Sandwich Press

Wahei Freiz Saisyokuan Stainless Steel Pot and Sieve Set

Wahei Freiz Fry Pot

Iwachu Cast-Iron Omelet Pan

AirHood Portable Induction Cooktop

The Baking Steel Mini Griddle

Wahei Freiz Deep Frying 3-Piece Set

Milk Street Enamel Roasting Pan

Tikka Masala Cauliflower

Ditch the cream, not the creamy flavor. This vegetarian spin on chicken tikka masala uses pureed cashews instead of dairy to create a rich and creamy tomato-based sauce. It’s a trick we learned in Mumbai. Be sure to use roasted cashews, which have dee

Indonesian-Style Stir-Fried Red Chili Tofu with Peanuts

In Jakarta, at Warteg Gang Mangga, we loved the spicy, savory-sweet kering tempeh. Crisply fried nuggets of tempeh were tossed with bumbu dasar merah, a red spice paste made by pureeing aromatics, that was cooked to a thick, glaze-like sauce that coat

Cheese-Crisped Pinto Bean Quesadillas

For easier, crispier quesadillas, skip the skillet

Zucchini Carbonara

Is it possible to get a vegetarian carbonara that’s still meaty and rich? Yes—with the added benefit of garden freshness.

Pasta with Smothered Tomatoes and Sweet Peppers

Cook tomatoes and peppers all the way down until jammy and the peppers turn creamy—with olive oil and starchy pasta water, a luscious sauce seasoned with nothing but salt.

Pasta with Cremini Mushrooms and Miso

A meaty-yet-meatless cremini mushroom pasta, cooked directly in the sauce.

Arrabbiata Slab Pizza

This slab-style pizza features a puffy, crisp-bottomed, focaccia-like crust and a spicy, garlicky tomato sauce inspired by pasta all’arrabbiata. We like mild, buttery fontina cheese for the way it counters the intensity of the sauce, but if you want b

Two-Cheese Orzo with Cauliflower

“You guys killed it coming up with this,” a reader writes about this creamy, cheesy “orzotto” with cauliflower.

Polenta Soup with Kale and Parmesan

Soft polenta takes on a brothy quality in our take on comforting polentina alla toscana.

Sri Lankan Winter Squash and Coconut Curry

In Colombo, Sri Lanka, home cook Mallika Fernando and her husband, Allan, taught us to make poosanikai kootu, an easy one-pot pumpkin curry in a rich, fragrant coconut base. Butternut squash works well in this recipe, but if kabocha is available, it’s

Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil

Fettuccine Alfredo

In Rome, fettuccine alfredo is totally unlike gloopy American versions—silky-smooth, buttery, and light.

Spaghetti al Limone

Lemony freshness and light creaminess pair beautifully in this simple, vibrant pasta from Italy’s Amalfi coast.

Spaghetti with Lemon Pesto

This zesty, lightly perfumed lemon pesto is inspired by the world-famous lemons of Amalfi, Italy.

Gemelli Pasta with Chevre, Arugula and Walnuts

We get optimal creaminess in this goat cheese-sauced pasta, with the perfect duo of peppery arugula and soft walnuts.

Japanese-Style Chicken Meatballs

“Perfect recipe!” wrote one reader of our savory-sweet chicken meatballs, based on Japanese tsukune.

Vietnamese-Style Chicken Meatballs

These flavor-packed, quick-and-easy meatballs were inspired by traditional Vietnamese pork meatballs. They can be served with lettuce leaves for wrapping, piled onto cooked rice to make rice bowls, added to Southeast Asian soups or tucked into a bague

Spaghetti and Meatballs

What makes the perfect spaghetti and meatballs? We looked to Naples, though the combination isn’t actually served in Italy.

Spiced Chicken and Cashew Meatballs

Roasted cashews ground in a food processor with a few seasonings add richness and bold flavor to these oven-cooked meatballs. Ground cardamom lends subtle citrus, mint and floral notes, while garam masala adds a warm, well-rounded spiciness; use which

Spanish-Style Meatballs

These tapas-style meatballs, called albondigas, are rich and satisfying. Smoked paprika not only spices the meatballs, it also flavors the sauce and helps thicken it to a glaze-like consistency. For this recipes, look for firm, meaty green olives such

Neapolitan Meatballs with Ragù

Naples is best known for pizza—but we went for the generously-sized, ultra-tender meatballs.

Turkish Meatballs with Lime Yogurt Sauce

There are many variations (and spellings) of kofta across the Middle East and North Africa, but essentially they’re seasoned patties, often made from ground lamb or a blend of beef and lamb. It’s the rest of the world’s answer to the Italian meatball.

Pecorino “Meatballs” in Tomato Sauce

At Checchino dal 1887, a restaurant in Rome’s Testaccio neighborhood, we were introduced to pallotte cacio e ova, or cheese and egg balls. The dish exemplifies the cooking of cucina povera, which takes simple, local ingredients and transforms them int

Curried Chicken and Cashew Meatballs

Dried out, flavorless ground chicken? Just add cashews! In these super tender meatballs, the fatty nuts fix both problems. Meanwhile, torn-up bread mashed with yogurt further helps with tenderization while also binding the mixture. Either dark- or whi

Greek Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

These Greek cigar-shaped meatballs are known as soutzoukakia smyrneika. The spicing reflects the dish’s origins in Smyrna, a former Greek settlement and now the Turkish city of Izmir. Soutzoukakia often are made with beef or a combination of beef and

Greek Meatballs with Tomato Sauce (Soutzoukakia)

These tender-sweet, all-pork meatballs are seasoned with cumin and simmered in a garlicky honeyed tomato sauce.

Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce (Albondigas Enchipotladas)

These Mexican meatballs are served in a tomato sauce laced with spicy, smoky chipotle chilies. Canned fire-roasted tomatoes are an easy way to give the sauce flavor that accentuates the smokiness of the chipotles. Instead of browning the meatballs on

Baked Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce

A go-to pantry flavor solution does double duty when we add it to both meatballs and sauce. Depending on your mood and what you have on hand, give the dish a Mexican flair with smoky-spicy chipotle chilies in adobo, or use the spice paste harissa for

Belgian Meatballs (Boulets à la Liégeoise)

This recipe was inspired by “a torrent of 700 foil-wrapped meatballs” we saw rain from balconies in Belgium.

Turkey Meatballs in Tomato-Chipotle Sauce

Albóndigas en chipotle, or meatballs in chipotle sauce, is a Mexican classic. We use ground turkey (dark meat is best for flavor and texture, but white meat works, too), and we bind it with both breadcrumbs and pepper jack cheese. Additional cheese go

Otoshibuta Adjustable Stainless Steel Drop Lid

Pure Indian Foods Alphonso Mango Puree

Kinto Pickling Jar

Dreamfarm Fluicer

Villa Jerada Za’atar

The Baking Steel Mini Griddle

Work Sharp Rolling Knife Sharpener

Straight Type Mentsuyu (All Purpose Soup Base)

GIR Ultimate Whisk

Blank Slate Kitchen Sichuan Chili Oil

Suncraft Brunch Knife

Oak Pasta Board with Roller

Blackthorn 100% Scottish Sea Salt Flakes

Skeppshult Waffle Iron

New Metro Metal Bowl Pouring Chute