Nut-Free

This spicy, velvety hot sauce works on everything from tamales to scrambled eggs, or you can add oil and vinegar to turn it into a vinaigrette.

Garlic, leeks, and chives are all you need to make this savory infused oil, great on its own or as a base for just about any sauce.

Mashama Bailey’s irresistible lemony, crispy wings need two hours to marinate—so plan accordingly.

Dry vermicelli is toasted in lots of butter to create extra nutty flavor and richness, a method used in pilaf traditions across communities.

The classic blueberry muffin gets a makeover with nutty, whole-grain spelt flour in the batter and the crispy streusel topping.

This spicy and sweet, slightly nutty, and creamy stew is worth all the tending (and time) it requires over the stove.

Herbaceous, aromatic, fresh, and—maybe most importantly—simple, this Trini-inspired recipe from Brigid Washington is just the cure for those January blues.

Crisp tostadas topped with cheesy sautéed poblanos and mushrooms, charred cherry tomato and serrano salsa, and fried eggs.

The soul of this recipe comes from the ginger and tamari marinade that gives crispy tofu a sweet and savory winter coat. 

Tinned sardines add briney flavor (and protein!)—leave them whole or break them up and fold them into the soup.

Creamy, cheesy potatoes with crispy edges, tender middles, and just a whisper of heat—need we say more?

Store-bought rotisserie chicken, puff pastry, and a simple gravy all come together to create something that tastes truly homemade.

This lightly spiced chocolate cake from Yossy Arefi's book Snacking Cakes is packed with pumpkin purée and features spices often found in Mexican chocolate. If you choose to use it, the pinch of cayenne adds a pleasing bit of warmth. 

The roasted, earthy notes of the hōjicha (roasted green tea) carry the warming toasted baking spices for a comforting low-caffeine wintertime brew.

A salty-umami chocolate chip cookie from chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Tiana Gee to add to the Great Chocolate Chip Cookie canon.

Any crunchy vegetable or fruit can live in this colorful slaw—try fennel, small turnips, or Asian pear.

In this Venezuelan holiday dish, masa is filled with a shredded chicken and beef stew, then wrapped in fragrant banana leaves and steamed—like a tiny present.

Rick Martinez’s take on the popular Mexican pig-shaped cookie goes all out with a ginger-spiced dough and tons of sprinkles.

This dish coaxes its flavor out of the piri-piri sauce, which is popular in South Africa and Portuguese-speaking Africa.

Pretend you’re on the coast—and not your house in the dead of winter—with this bright and spicy aguachile.

Blanching the citrus peel in several changes of boiling water removes bitterness while still leaving plenty of bright flavor behind.

This one-pot recipe, which makes a holiday table centerpiece with leftovers you’ll be thankful for, is adapted from Sabrina Ghayour’s book Simply. Cooking a lean cut of meat like brisket for an extended period of time in a moist environment yields meat that is, in Sabrina’s words, “ridiculously juicy [and] tender, [with] plenty of flavor.”

So you love beets but don’t love waiting hours for them to roast? Shred ’em along with some potato to make these crispy dinner fritters.