Kendra Vaculin
Contributor
Originally from the San Francisco East Bay, Kendra has worked in food media (Epicurious, Eater, Food52) and test kitchens (Blue Apron) across New York City since 2014, as a writer, recipe developer, food stylist, and producer. She was Bon Appétit's Test Kitchen Editor until 2025, where she thought a lot about what you should make for dinner, developing recipes for her monthly column Speedy Does It and overseeing the Dinner Is Served section of the print magazine. Outside of weeknight cooking, she loves back-pocket desserts, produce-centric picnic food, and stuff to make for a party. She likes ice cream more than vegetables, but it's much closer than you'd think.
Cooking
What Should I Bring to a Dinner Party? (That Isn’t Wine)
Nobody’s mad at an extra bottle of Pinot Noir, but these other items might be more helpful to the host.
Recipes
Flourless Chocolate-Orange Cake
Party-ready and delightfully simple, this fudgy cake will become your go-to hosting dessert.
Cooking
How to Throw a Dinner Party With Just $60
Test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin shares her dream menu and tips for hosting on a budget.
Recipes
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup
Transform a box of white cheddar mac and cheese into something new with this cozy, creamy, veg-studded soup recipe.
Recipes
Five-Spice Beef Noodle Soup
Inspired by the flavors of Vietnamese pho, this ground beef and rice noodle soup comes together in just 20 minutes.
Recipes
Pork and Tomatillo Udon
Two pantry sauces—hoisin and green tomatillo salsa—join forces to form a deliciously balanced sauce for udon noodles.
Cooking
This Microwaveable Chana Masala Regularly Saves Dinner
Tasty Bite is the flavorful convenience food our test kitchen editors can’t get enough of.
Recipes
Spanish Shrimp and Rice with Saffron Mayo
Use the dregs of that jar of marinara in your fridge to cook rice and shrimp in this one-skillet weeknight dinner.
Recipes
Spiced Chickpea and Spinach Pockets
Using store-bought pizza dough and pre-made chana masala to make these flavorful stuffed pockets, dinner comes together in a snap.
Recipes
Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls
Spicy tinned salmon (or tuna!) is a fast track to flavor in these simple hand rolls—particularly when mashed with some oil from the can and a slick of mayo.
Cooking
A Nourishing Chicken Noodle Soup for Sick Days
Cold season is here. January’s Feel-Good Food Plan will help.
Recipes
19 Delightfully Briny Capers Recipes
From cauliflower with caper salsa to chicken piccata, these are our favorite caper recipes.
Recipes
Orange-Glazed Roast Pork
A jar of orange marmalade and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary pack a ton of wintry flavor into this celebratory meaty centerpiece.
Recipes
Carrot Wellington
This vegetarian main highlights roasted carrots two ways: glazed as the center of the Wellington, and blended to form the tender filling.
Recipes
Golden Hour
Pleasantly bitter Suze pairs with ginger syrup, sparkling wine, and a piece of candied ginger that fizzes and bubbles from the bottom of the glass.
Recipes
Chicken Meatballs With Sesame Green Beans
Baking meatballs and green beans on two sides of the same sheet pan streamlines the cooking process for this saucy, savory dinner.
Recipes
Back-Pocket Caper-Butter Chicken
A simple marinade, made with caper brine, becomes a punchy pan sauce, with melted butter for a velvety texture and whole capers for pops of tang.