Weeknight Meals

Mackerel, a lovely oily fish, is delightfully hard to overcook. It’s often sold frozen, especially in Japanese markets, so allow a day for defrosting if you’ve purchased it in that form. If you can’t find mackerel, choose another oily fish: Black cod and wild sockeye salmon will both work, though they require a longer cooking time. You may want to try cooking them in steaks with this broiling method; the bones lend extra flavor and keep the fish from falling apart, too.

Seasoning the chicken with a bit of apple cider vinegar beforehand helps tenderize the chicken before roasting.

“The grapefruit brightens everything in this dish.” —Eleanore Park, BA recipe tester

Get the pan smoking hot so the halibut won’t stick. Let it get a good sear on the first side, which will also help it release.

For this cod recipe, you want to cook it at a lazy simmer; it will make all the difference between buttery, flaky fish and rubbery, tough fillets.

If the idea of cooking skin-on fish makes you nervous, do this in an ovenproof nonstick pan. The skin won’t get quite as crisp, but you won’t have to worry about it sticking.

With slices of celery root and chefs’ new favorite cheese, scamorza, pizza night just got a lot more fun.

In this hamburger recipe, adding onion delivers moisture; forming thicker patties prevents them from cooking too fast and drying out. Both steps are key when working with grass-fed ground beef.

Make extra grains on Sunday and use them for this lightning-quick weeknight dinner.

Harissa is a great shortcut ingredient to flavor, but no two jars (or tubes) are the same. Taste first—if it seems very spicy, use a bit less. You can always stir more into the chickpeas when the dish is finished. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.

It might look like a lot when the greens are raw, but add them all anyway. They’ll quickly wilt down to a silky texture.

If you think mackerel is too fishy, this is the recipe that will change your mind. And if nothing else, you'll love the crispy potatoes.

Fresh herbs, such as parsley and cilantro, can be subbed for the microgreens.

You have a can of beans? You’ve got a meal. In this kale soup recipe, they take the place of traditional dried beans.

Serve this flatbread-style pizza as an appetizer for six, or with a few fried eggs as a main course for four.

The tart sweetness of the pomegranate relish cuts through the richness of the lamb.

Chermoula, a spice and herb sauce popular in Morocco and Tunisia, can be used as a marinade or condiment for these crispy chicken breasts over escarole.

This Mustard-Crusted Branzino is great butterflied—a quick and easy method for cooking a whole fish. Ask your fishmonger to do it for you.

This spinach is great on its own, but paired with a quick-cooking protein like flounder, you have dinner in about 20 minutes.

Asian pears are worth seeking out if you can find them—their crunch is unparalleled. Regular apples will do as a substitute in a pinch.

This cut of pork can be very lean, so take care not to overcook it or it will be dry. Ideally, it should still be a little pink in the center.

Basil is wilted like a leafy green in this thai beef stir fry recipe, then added raw at the end for a double dose of its aromatic flavor.

The super-healthy pairing of fish and greens gets a welcome hit of richness and flavor from spicy, smoky chorizo. We love the combo so much, we’ve been cooking Swiss chard and beet greens the same way.