Nut-Free

This cheesy layered casserole is the ultimate sweet-and-savory mash-up, thanks to ground beef simmered with sofrito and tomato, melty mozzarella, and fried plantains to top it all off. 

A classic yakhni pulao is meticulously prepared by simmering basmati rice in an aromatic chicken, lamb, or goat broth. In this version, chicken thighs are simmered in a spiced tomato base along with rice and whole spices like cinnamon and bay leaf. 

If making bread has long intimidated you, start here. Parathas come in many shapes, textures, and flavors across Asia—they are perfect for dipping into dals and stews or eating alongside assorted condiments. This take, which Priya Krishna learned from her aunt Rachna, is really simple: a basic wheat-based dough stuffed with silky spiced potatoes.

Crisp, peppery radishes take center stage in this fresh limey Salvadoran salsa.

These “like a thousand times fried” beans are a crucial part of a Salvadoran breakfast.

This herby, peppery blend is used as a seasoning for many traditional dishes from Trinidad and Tobago.

In this Trinidadian dish chopped onions, peppers, and chiles get sizzled in hot oil before they’re poured over broiled peak-season tomatoes.

A simple and refreshing Trinidadian chow made with pineapple or mango.

Sfenj, hand-pulled, no-knead doughnuts dripping in honey, are best eaten immediately—and with a lot of napkins.

An ultralight and puffy Thai omelet with crispy golden brown edges.

Thinly sliced flanken-cut short ribs, packed with rich flavor, are the key to this Thai stir-fry.

A rebellious take on a Thai classic from chef Parnass Savang of Atlanta’s Talat Market.

This cake is the kind of baked good that you can whip together without a whole lot of planning or special equipment.

In this recipe, spiced ghee becomes a rich poaching liquid that cooks shrimp to perfection.

Tomato slices are salted ahead and then set into a garlicky, somewhat spicy olive oil bath with Cotija, a dry-aged Mexican cheese. 

My grandma used to make a version of this dish using pork and showers of Parmesan. I have updated it to include ground chicken and miso for a lighter, late-summer dish with equally deep flavor,  but feel free to use whatever ground meat you prefer. Gently poaching the meatballs is not only faster than roasting, but means none of their flavor is lost to a baking sheet.

“My mother (like many Puerto Rican mothers) has always had a copy of Yvonne Ortiz’s A Taste of Puerto Rico in our kitchen,” writers chef and recipe developer Gabriella Vigoreaux. “I can tell which dishes she’s made the most because the book just naturally falls open to those recipes. Only during quarantine have I started using it myself, marking new territory with soffritto stains on the pages my mother managed to keep pristine all these years. I turn to it when I want to taste my grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s cooking with half of the effort. One of my go-tos is Ortiz’s guava barbecue sauce. It’s a wildly simple (four-ingredient) recipe with a single sentence procedure: ‘Thoroughly combine all the ingredients.’ It takes about five seconds to make but instantly conjures memories of childhood trips to the island, stopping at a kiosko for a pincho de pollo (chicken skewer) and licking the sticky sweet sauce from off my little fingers. My version is nothing like Ortiz’s, but it brings me back just the same. I’ve slathered this sauce on ribs and whole fish and used it as a glaze for pork belly, but I will always like it best with chicken. This is just to say, you might want to double it.”

Short ribs aren’t just for braising. Make sure to grill them to medium doneness, just long enough to render fat and tenderize, without letting them overcook or toughen.

Pickling is an ideal way to reap the benefits of summer vegetables long after the season is gone. 

This pungent, spicy, and garlicky broth is inspired by rasam, a South Indian soup.

Rick Martinez’s shrimp gorditas are inspired by his months of quarantine in Mazatlán, Mexico.

Top these creamy, beany enfrijoladas with a fried egg, chorizo or roasted vegetables, and queso fresco!

These Bangladeshi sweet fritters are fluffy and tender on the inside, crispy and craggy on the outside.