Leading up to this tax day, it’s been an interesting few weeks that have caused me to stop checking my retirement account (deep breath) and to consider even more how much to spend on food. I was raised to be frugal and remain a lover of good deals — but also a lover of good things, like dinners at home that don’t cost much in dollars or time but taste like fun restaurant meals.
This week especially, I need low-effort dinners with hardly any dishes to wash afterward so I can squeeze in some Easter baking.
The weeknight dishes below live at that beautiful intersection of dining-out vibes and the discount of cooking at home. They take less time to throw together than it takes to choose a restaurant, get there and be seated. And they call for the kind of low-key, low-energy chopping, stirring and simmering that’s calming after a long day (because I’m so exhausted, and I don’t think I’m alone).
1. Citrus-Soy Chicken Ramen
Bright and zippy, rich and savory, this streamlined take on ramen wakes your palate like a sunbeam streaming through the curtains on a lazy morning in bed. It’s superfast, yet it tastes as if you’ve just spent hours simmering it. Simply make a quick garlicky broth enriched with soy sauce and enhanced by the bones and skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Cook noodles right in the broth and then add the shredded chicken, fresh citrus juice, cilantro, sesame and a little more soy. If you’d like, serve with the juiced lime and lemon halves in the bowl to add more vibrancy to this satisfying meal.
By Christian Reynoso
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 (2-pound) rotisserie chicken
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or other oil of your choice
- 3 heads garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 large yellow onions (about 1 pound), unpeeled, quartered
- 1 small bunch cilantro, thick stems cut off and reserved
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more for serving
- 6 to 8 ounces thin dried noodles (such as ramen, lo mein or soba)
- 2 limes, cut in half
- 2 lemons, cut in half
- Sesame seeds or toasted sesame oil, for serving
Preparation:
1. Pick and shred the meat off the chicken (you should have about 3 1/2 cups), season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside; save the bones and skin.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken bones and skin, cilantro stems, soy sauce and 8 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, and let cook until flavorful with a distinct chicken essence, 15 to 20 minutes. Using a spider or fine-mesh sieve, lift or strain out the vegetables and chicken pieces and discard.
3. Bring the broth back up to a simmer. Add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions, then turn off heat.
4. To serve, ladle the broth into bowls (tongs work well for the noodles) and add as much chicken as you’d like. Squeeze in lime and lemon juice to taste, then, if you like, toss in the spent citrus halves to let the oils from the peels subtly infuse the broth. Top with cilantro leaves and tender stems, along with sesame seeds or sesame oil and more soy sauce, if desired.
2. Salmon With Radicchio and Anchovy Sauce
An edible bouquet of pinks and purples, this one-pan dinner for two serves up bitter and silky radicchio leaves against crispy-skinned salmon. Pan-roasting starts on the stove to give each a head start on caramelization, then finishes in the oven at a low temperature to cook through gently. The flavors are brought together by a sweet and punchy dressing of honey, mustard and anchovy, which is whisked up quickly as the oven does its thing and even allows for time to clean up. Substitute or mix in other bitter greens or chicories for the radicchio, like Treviso, Castelfranco or escarole. If you like, serve this with buttery mashed potatoes.
By Cybelle Tondu
Yield: 2 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound skin-on salmon fillet, preferably center cut
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small shallot, sliced
- 1 head radicchio (about 3/4 pound), cut into 8 wedges
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pat salmon very dry and season all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add shallot and a pinch of salt, and cook until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add radicchio and cook, turning the radicchio occasionally, until it begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add half the lemon juice, another pinch of salt and a bit of freshly ground black pepper. Give it all a stir, then push the radicchio to the sides of the pan.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into the center of the pan and nestle in the salmon, skin side down. Cook, undisturbed, until the skin is golden and releases easily from the pan, about 3 minutes.
4. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until salmon is just cooked through and radicchio is tender and lightly charred in spots, about 10 minutes. (If your salmon is on the thinner side, it may cook faster.)
5. Meanwhile, use a fork to mash the anchovies in a small bowl (or pound to a paste with a mortar and pestle). Whisk in honey, mustard, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.
6. Plate the salmon on a large plate or platter, skin side up, and tuck the radicchio wedges around it. Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve.
3. Spicy, Creamy Weeknight Bolognese
This pasta sauce captures the soul-soothing essence of a long-simmering Bolognese even though it cooks quickly. Searing ground beef gives it a caramelized taste that mimics the depth of slow-cooked meat. Adding a few spoonfuls of red curry paste doesn’t make it taste like curry, but gives it instant nuance and depth. Some rich cream at the end rounds the sharp heat to an enveloping warmth. To save even more time, you can chop the vegetables while the meat is cooking. The sauce tastes great on any type of pasta, but it’s especially nice with varieties that can capture it in their curves.
By Genevieve Ko
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef (at least 20% fat)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 to 3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 pound short, curled pasta, such as pipettes
- 1 cup heavy cream
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high until very hot. Add the beef, and smush and spread in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring, to break into tiny bits and cook through, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Push the meat to one side, and add the onion and carrots to the beef fat on the other side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally with the beef, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the curry paste, 2 tablespoons for a mild spiciness and 3 for more heat, and stir until darkened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce, then fill the can a third of the way up with water to swish out the rest of the sauce into the pot. Stir, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer while the pasta cooks.
5. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Save 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and add to the simmering sauce.
6. Stir the cream into the sauced pasta, taste and season with salt and pepper. For a thinner sauce, stir in a bit of the pasta water. Serve hot.
4. Narjissiya With Asparagus, Halloumi and Sumac
Narjissiya refers to any of several dishes found in medieval Arab cookery books made with sunny-side-up eggs. The word itself means “like narcissus,” a name likely chosen for the dish’s vibrant white and yellow colors, just like the narcissus (daffodil) flower. The ancient variations and ingredients were endless, from meat and broad beans to chickpeas and yogurt, but the choice of ingredients here — and bright flavors — are inspired by spring, and asparagus, which grows wild in the fields of the Levant. The citrusy sumac and olive oil complement asparagus and eggs, but their flavors do stand out, so use the best you can find.
By Reem Kassis
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
For the pita croutons:
- 75 grams pita bread (about 1 medium pita), cut into bite-size pieces (or simply use a handful of pita chips)
- For the sumac oil:
- 1 tablespoon good-quality sumac
- 2 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
For the yogurt:
- Scant 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the eggs:
- 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 to 6 ounces halloumi, cut into bite-size cubes (about 1 cup) and dried well on paper towels
- 1 (14-ounce) bunch asparagus (see tip below), woody ends trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 2 heaping cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press or minced
- 4 eggs
Preparation:
1. Prepare the pita croutons: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the pita pieces on a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake until the squares are completely dry and crisp, and starting to darken in color, about 10 to 15 minutes. (This step can be done a couple of days in advance, and the bread stored in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Or you can do it while you prep the rest of the dish. Skip this step if using the pita chips.)
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sumac oil: Combine the sumac and olive oil in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Prepare the yogurt: Mix together the yogurt and salt with 1 to 2 tablespoons water, just enough to get a thick drizzling consistency. Set aside.
4. In a medium cast-iron (or nonstick) frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium. Add the halloumi pieces in a single layer. Do not move them around or flip them over until any released water evaporates and pieces start to brown, about 2 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another minute until the other side is browned. Transfer to a small plate and set aside.
5. To the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium. Add the asparagus and salt and cook, tossing around, just until bright green and glossy, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute or so, just until fragrant.
6. Crack the eggs over the asparagus. Return the halloumi cheese to the pan, dispersing it evenly over the whites and the asparagus, then cover the pan and cook until your desired level of doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. To serve, scatter the pita croutons over the dish, then drizzle with the yogurt and sumac oil.
Tip: If you do not like asparagus, you can substitute it with an equal quantity (weight) of another spring vegetable, like fava beans, green beans, English peas or even spinach.
5. Garlicky Shrimp Tacos
A nod to gambas al ajillo, the immensely popular Spanish tapas dish of garlic prawns, this recipe tucks garlic shrimp into festive tacos that can be on the dinner table in 30 minutes. There are very few ingredients involved, but they all pack a punch. The quick-cooking shrimp are seared and finished in olive oil that’s infused with lots of fragrant garlic and rich smoky paprika. Be sure to save the robust oil that’s left in the skillet and enjoy it drizzled over your tacos. Dress them up with crisp sliced radishes, creamy avocado, spicy pico de gallo and fresh, herbaceous cilantro, plus a final squeeze of lime to brighten all the flavors.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges for serving
- Salt
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 2 dozen)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Warm corn tortillas, sliced avocado, sliced radishes, pico de gallo and cilantro leaves, for serving
Preparation:
1. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and lime juice; season with salt. Mix well and set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Season shrimp with salt and add half to the skillet; sear for 1 minute on each side and transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the remaining shrimp.
3. Adjust heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the garlic and paprika to the skillet and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add shrimp (and any accumulated juices) and cook, turning and basting, until opaque, just cooked through and nicely coated in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a shallow serving bowl.
4. To build tacos, pile a few shrimp in the center of each tortilla and drizzle with some of the garlic oil. Top with avocado, radishes, pico de gallo, cilantro and lime crema. Serve with lime wedges.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.