20 Zaynab Issa Recipes to Cook ASAP
In her time working in the Bon Appétit and Epicurious Test Kitchen, Zaynab Issa developed almost 100 recipes. But the one she’s most proud of are these Chewy Date and Dark Chocolate Cookies, spiked with olive oil and tahini. They “flip traditional chocolate chip cookies on their head, but in the best way,” she says.
Issa is a food media powerhouse. She runs a thriving Substack where she drops thoughtfully tested recipes, travel recommendations, and essays. She creates viral videos (including this swoon-worthy banana cream latte). And last year, she published a cookbook, Third Culture Cooking (which made our best cookbooks of spring 2025 list). Her work has been featured on Buzzfeed, Food52, The New York Times, and, of course, Bon Appétit and Epicurious.
With so many wonderful recipes in our archive, it’s hard to know where to start. How about these Ultra Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes? When I spoke to Issa, she claimed this recipe was her Achilles’ heel. “Pancakes are technically challenging as is—you want a tender crumb, a good rise, and a crisp exterior. Then, when you factor in managing the extra liquid and weight from canned pumpkin, you’ve got an additional challenge,” she says. “After lots of trial and error, I knew I got there when Andy Baraghani took the plate of pancakes off the pass and brought them to his station to have for lunch.” We would do the same!
Keep scrolling for more of Issa’s delightful archive.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Gerri Williams1/20Halal Cart Chicken Salad
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks2/20Ultra Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
“Pancakes are technically challenging as is—you want a tender crumb, a good rise, and a crisp exterior,” Issa says. “After lots of trial and error, I knew I got there when Andy Baraghani took the plate of pancakes off the pass and brought them to his station to have for lunch.”
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk3/20Always-Tender London Broil
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams4/20A Perfect Tuna Melt
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker5/20Sheet-Pan Orange Tofu and Broccoli
Photograph by Yudi Ela Echevarria, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Sean Dooley, Special thanks to Frank's House6/20Sparkling Tangawizi
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker7/20Masala Skillet Scramble
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson8/20Black Bean Smash Burger
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker9/20Gingery Chicken Noodle Soup
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh10/20Preserved-Lemon Tea Cake
Photograph by Yudi Ela Echevarria, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Sean Dooley, Special thanks to Frank's House11/20Seared Salmon Paka
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers12/20Slicked and Spicy Lamb Noodles
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca13/20Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore14/20Chewy Date and Dark Chocolate Cookies
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker15/20Coconutty Beans and Greens Stew
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Dayna Seman.16/20Gochujang-Sesame Noodles
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore17/20Shawarma-Spiced Carrots With Date and Herb Salad
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Heather Greene19/20Jammy Onion and Miso Pasta
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua20/20Extra-Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Frosting
