Starter

A heap of basil, tossed through just to wilt, adds a punchy, cooling element to this dish of chile- and garlic-marinated shrimp. Spoon it over a fluffy pile of white rice for a fuss-free summertime dinner.

This vibrant dip of toasted walnuts and roasted red peppers pairs perfectly well with fresh pita bread.

This creamy, crunchy breakfast dish also pairs well with vegetables, fish, or lamb come dinnertime. The canned chickpeas pick up some flavor from a quick simmer with garlic.

If you don’t have a grill or a gas stovetop, you can broil the eggplants in the oven, turning occasionally, until charred and tender.

Originally, this curried soup was served cold. Given the winter chill in the air, however, we tried it hot and discovered it to be even better.

Get all the flavors of falafel with crispy roasted chickpeas, crunchy crouton-like pita chips, crisp cucumber, and a lemon-tahini dressing.

Inspired by the flavors of kefta, these protein-packed vegetarian bites are equally good tucked into a pita or served on their own.

Your favorite creamy dip—but in a form you (and your kids) can happily eat for dinner. Serve with a salad of bitter greens and a bright vinaigrette.

Made with leftover risotto, these rice balls are stuffed with prosciutto, Parmesan, and parsley. Serve them as an appetizer at your next cocktail party.

Think: bacon and cheddar sandwich, but on a crouton. These bite-sized snacks with crispy crusts will leave all the other hors d'oeuvres in the dust.

The secret to this super-flaky pastry is to grate frozen butter into the flour before incorporating it into the dough. Serve these hand pies warm, either as an appetizer or as dinner with a big green salad on the side.

This riff on the Greek classic swaps out potatoes for parsnips, which gives the dip a touch of sweetness that pairs well with the feta and chiles.

Served alongside boozy martinis, this is the classic cheese ball of yesteryear. A few updates make it perfect for family get-togethers and retro-chic parties alike.

There may be no better way to stretch odds and ends around the kitchen than to make a frittata: there’s no crust to fuss with, the eggy matrix can handle almost any savory inclusions, and the frittata itself can be enjoyed hot or at room temperature.

Shallow-fried scallops get extra crispy on the outside and super tender inside when double-dredged in an Old Bay–seasoned cornmeal mixture. Bonus: they’re gluten-free.

Radishes, contrastingly crunchy and peppery to tender and sweet pears, take rather well to modern pickling, the sort that is less about preserving and more about making something to shake other flavors from their shyness.