Skip to main content

Lunch Nachos With Spiced Cauliflower

Image may contain Food Food Presentation Snack and Plate
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou

Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco relies on some version of these lunch nachos at least once a week as he brainstorms what to feed his two young kids. It’s worth it to commit the formula to memory: a bag of chips, a can of refried beans, maybe some leftover meat or roasted veg from the night before, shredded cheese, and some kind of quickly cooked, spiced veg like cauliflower or brussels sprouts. It’s a lightning-fast lunch (or dinner) that can be tweaked to suit anyone’s preferences.

Read More
Braising canned chickpeas in chicken stock and olive oil makes them unbelievably tender and buttery. This is worth the effort of peeling 40 cloves of garlic.
Roasted poblanos, jalapeños, and red onion are coated with a melty sauce—warm with the flavors of pepper jack, and stabilized with a block of cream cheese.
This riff on the Italian classic comfort food gets its verdant color from kale two ways: blended into the base, and wilted among the pasts and white beans.
Herby chickpea falafel gets the veggie burger treatment with harissa mayo and pickled onion.
A flavorful one-pan meal featuring baked pierogies, roasted beets, and a poppy seed dressing. Frozen pierogies and pre-cooked beets make this extra easy.
Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.
Inspired by Korean pajeon, this shrimp-studded pancake features fresh snap peas as a spring-y addition.
Store-bought dumplings, fresh tomatoes, butter, and soy sauce simmer away for dinner in a flash.