Simmer

If you want to make this split pea soup but you don’t have a ham bone, use two ham hocks instead.

Tart-sweet cranberries and sour kumquats make this relish taste bright and bracing.

Losing the mashed potatoes would just be insane, but even classics can be tweaked. The tang of sour cream gives the illusion that this recipe is not as rich as the cream, butter, and milk would imply. The next day? Form leftover potatoes into cakes and fry them up—in butter, of course.

If you like your carrot soup extra spicy, pass some chili sauce at the table. The coconut balances out the heat.

Aptly named beluga lentils look like little beads of caviar. They cook quickly, and they hold their shape. Use them in this recipe, or substitute.

Both the wild rice and the farro can be cooked a day in advance; let them cool separately on baking sheets, then cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before dressing.

Sugar will crystallize if you stir it while it cooks, so be patient and stick with using the pastry brush while you wait.

For the best fish stock, make your own, even if you can't exactly match the proportions suggested below. The main idea is to make a light, flavorful broth. Use the bones of white-fleshed fish—most fishmongers will give you bones for free.

In this creamy, risotto-like side, arborio rice is replaced with healthier whole-grain farro.

Make a big batch of this ragù on Sunday, serve it with pasta and a big green salad that night, then send the family off with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Customize the flavor profile of the finished dish by stirring some curry powder or Dijon mustard into the cooking liquid. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Don’t be put off by the sugar in this recipe—it’s balanced by the vinegar and soy sauce.

A light yet flavorful “stew” of tender leeks that comes together practically à la minute.

To prevent the pasta from getting too soft, we cook it separately and toss it with olive oil and chopped parsley, then spoon it into each bowl of soup.

Red onions add sweetness and lend color to this chutney, but any onion will work.

Named for a region in Normandy known for its apples (and Calvados), this traditional recipe combines both in a rich, creamy sauce. Afraid to flambé? Buy a long-reach lighter at a hardware store.

Strisce means strips—any long pasta will work—and Chiantigiana refers to the Tuscan wine used to flavor the sauce.

Most fish markets will sell you the bones you need to make the rich broth, but avoid those from oily fish like mackerel or bluefish, which will overpower the stew’s flavor.

This complexly flavored pudding owes its smooth texture to a quick spin in the blender.

Everyone has a favorite, but we think you'll agree this is the best chicken and biscuits recipe you've ever tried.

This oxtail soup recipe is the ultimate dead-of-winter warmer.

This Italian vegetable stew recipe is a perfect way to use day-old bread. Recipe by Brandon Jew, Bar Agricole, San Francisco

This rich and cheesy broth is satisfying on its own, but goes main course with the addition of seared kielbasa sausage. Recipe by Chris Shepherd, Underbelly, Houston