Dairy Free
Fish Tacos al Pastor
Pork tacos al pastor may get the fame, but this fish al pastor deserves plenty of glory. A potent chile marinade adds lots of flavor before the fillets hit the grill, and a pineapple salsa is the perfect finishing touch.
Nut Butter Granola Bars
Bound together with honey and nut butter, these just-sweet-enough bars are sturdy enough to throw in a beach bag and substantial enough to power you through til sunset.
Tropi-Cobb Salad
Tender lettuces get topped with juicy spiced chicken, ripe mangos, soft avocado, and cherry tomatoes. There's so much flavor and texture going on that there's barely a need for a dressing: just a hit of lime juice, salt, and EVOO, and dinner is done.
Pork Chops and Padrón Chiles en Escabèche
Escabèche translates to “marinade,” which is exactly what you’re making here: a bright, tangy marinade full of pickled vegetables that also makes an ideal sauce for juicy, thick-cut pork chops.
Doenjang Jjigae
This fermented-soybean stew is the quintessential representation of Korean jang. The soft tofu, the dashi, and the sweetness of the vegetables work together to mellow the intensity of the doenjang so that your palate can discern the different facets of flavor.
Dakgangjeong
These sweet, crunchy Korean fried chicken wings will stay crispy for hours. Covered and refrigerated, they will even stay audibly crispy until the next day.
Thai Muslim–Style Grilled Chicken
This recipe is inspired by the grilled chicken served at Jeerapan, a 77-year-old restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. Their version is baked in a tandoor-like oven, but I've adapted it for a grill or oven. The two-stage cooking method is essential: The initial roasting at moderate heat partially cooks the meat while dehydrating the skin, getting it ready to crisp up later on and allowing all the scattered bits of fresh aromatics and dried spices in the marinade to adhere. The final stage of cooking is hot and fast, using saffron-infused coconut oil as a basting liquid. The end result is a juicy, fragrant, and intensely flavorful bird, tinted canary gold—its skin smoky, charred, and crisp. The pineapple-chile dipping sauce lends its sweet tang and a mild kick of heat to round out the meal.
Coconut Rice
This coconut rice recipe appears in Leela Punyaratabandhu's cookbook, Bangkok, as part of a meal that includes green papaya salad, sweet shredded beef, and chicken red curry.
Salsa Verde o Roja Cruda
When tomatoes are at their best, we recommend making the salsa roja. During the rest of the year (even in winter), tomatillos still have plenty of flavor and can be your go-to salsa base.
Vegan Pie and Pastry Dough
Use refined coconut oil for a vegan pie crust that's flaky without a noticeable coconut flavor.
Melted Broccoli Pasta With Capers and Anchovies
The truth is, there’s a time and a place for whole-wheat pasta. Its nutty, earthy flavor isn’t the best match with a light tomato sauce, but it works quite well with bolder ingredients like capers and anchovies, which can stand up to the pasta’s wholesomeness. Hearty vegetables pair well, too. Here, broccoli is cooked down and transformed into an extra-chunky, extra savory sauce. For even more texture, grated cheese is swapped for toasted bread crumbs. In Italy, they’re known as pan grattato, or “grated bread,” as peasants once used them as a cheese replacement on their pasta because they couldn’t afford the real deal. Nowadays both are easily within reach, but the crunch they add here makes it easy to leave the Parmesan behind.
Dashi
This versatile dashi has earthiness, depth, and is full of glutamates from shiitake mushrooms, dashima seaweed, and dried anchovies.
Ginger and Tamarind Refresher
While it is not uncommon to find ginger blended into limeades, lemonades, and fresh sugarcane juice in India, it also pairs nicely with tamarind. Serve cold and give it a good stir before drinking.
This recipe is made with tamarind pulp, which contains large seeds that you will need to remove. Avoid the temptation to use concentrates. They’re more convenient because they don’t have seeds, but they don’t taste nearly as fresh.
Farmers Market Farro Bowls
Set yourself up for success: The farro, tofu, eggs, dressing, and pickles can all be made up to five days ahead.
Chicken Thighs With Tomatoes and Feta
This one-skillet chicken gives you the best of both worlds: crispy skin atop tender dark meat that gently cooks in the bubbly sauce underneath.
Charred-Peach Panzanella With Pickled Pepper Vinaigrette
Peaches and tomatoes might not sound filling, but hear us out. Crisp some bacon, char the peaches (and some bread) in the rendered fat, toss the tomatoes in a garlicky, spicy brine, and you’ve got dinner.
Golden Fried Rice With Salmon and Furikake
Chef Lucas Sin of Junzi taught us this technique for fried rice in which every single grain is coated in egg yolk and fries up perfectly distinct and chewy.
Chicken Meatballs With Molokhieh, Garlic, and Cilantro
This zesty dish sits between a stew and a soup and is flavored with garlic, cumin, chile flakes, and tons of fresh herbs. Serve it with rice or crusty bread for a hearty, comforting dinner.
Instant Pot Bisibelabath
Bisibelabath is kitcheree’s spicier cousin. The name means “hot lentil rice,” so consider yourself warned—this is a spicy dish of vegetables, rice, and lentils straight out of South India. I like to serve it with raita to cool things off.
Salad Ramen
Fresh ramen noodles become a dreamy throw-together summer meal thanks to a kaleidoscope of crunchy veggies and a tangy pantry-staple dressing.