By Margaux Laskey, The New York Times
I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s hard to believe that 2025 is already coming to a close. When the ball drops Dec. 31, New York Times Cooking will have developed, tested and published more than 1,000 recipes this year. You loved so many, and for that, we are delighted.
Below are your four favorites, ones you took the time to rate, comment on, share with friends and come back to again and again. No surprise here, but easy weeknight recipes that can be on the table in 45 minutes or less were among the top choices this year. Cook one, cook all, then come back and tell us all about it at NYT Cooking. (The rest of the Top 50 is at nytcooking.com.)
“Made as written with no regrets. This is one of those recipes that tastes so much greater than the sum of its parts.”
1. Smashed Beef Kebab With Cucumber Yogurt
Drumroll, please! This spectacular 25-minute recipe from Zaynab Issa is as easy as can be while still feeling special. Ground beef is hard-seared in a pan to which turmeric, raisins and walnuts are added. It’s piled atop a bed of cucumber yogurt, then served with soft pita for swiping and scooping.
“I cooked this today in the middle of a snowstorm. It was the perfect dish for me as I live alone in my 80s, and this will be three or more good meals. It was delicious.”
2. One-Pot Beans, Greens and Grains
Ali Slagle’s smart recipe works with practically any grain, bean and green. If you want more protein, add leftover cooked chicken or any other meat on top during the last few minutes of cooking.
“This is my favorite soup!! I make it roughly every two weeks since it’s so tasty and nutritious (fiber, protein, fat).”
3. Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt
Packed with protein and fiber, this wholesome soup from Andy Baraghani is perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather, physically or otherwise. Plenty of pepper and lemon juice adds brightness, while turmeric gives it earthiness and lovely golden color.
“I finally pulled this out of my ‘want to cook’ folder and wish I had done so sooner! Made exactly as written, served with coconut rice.”
4. Honey Garlic Shrimp
In this 25-minute dish from Lidey Heuck, honey-garlic sauce does double duty, serving as a sweet-and-savory marinade and as a pan sauce for the tender pink shrimp. Shrimp cook in a flash, so if you can, use larger shrimp to avoid ending up with the texture of old tires.
Recipe: Smashed Beef Kebab With Cucumber Yogurt
This quick skillet dinner of spiced, seared ground beef over cooling yogurt combines elements of two Persian classics: kebab koobideh (grilled kebabs) and mast-o-khiar (cucumber yogurt). The creamy yogurt base keeps close to the original, while the ground beef is hard-seared on one side like a scallop for a crisp texture. Walnuts and raisins, traditionally toppings for mast-o-khiar, get toasted in the beef fat, adding crunch and sweetness to balance the savory meat and tangy yogurt.
By Zaynab Issa
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups full-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt (about 16 ounces)
- 2 mini cucumbers (about 1/2 pound), grated on the large holes of a box grater
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped mint, plus mint leaves for serving
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 pound ground beef (preferably 80% lean) or ground lamb
- 1 small yellow onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater (see Tips)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup walnut halves or pieces, or both (see Tips)
- 2 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries
- Pomegranate molasses, optional, for serving
- Warmed pita or white rice, for serving
Preparation
1. Add the yogurt, cucumbers, chopped mint and garlic to a medium bowl. Mix well to combine. Chill until ready to serve.
2. Add the beef, onion, turmeric, 1 teaspoon of salt and lots of black pepper to a second medium bowl and mix well to combine.
3. Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (or other large heavy-bottomed pan) over medium-high. Once the skillet is very hot, divide beef into large, irregular chunks by using two spoons or your hands and drop into the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until charred and crisp on the underside and browned at least halfway up the sides, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Using a wooden spoon, toss the meat, breaking up any very large pieces. Add the walnuts and raisins and continue to cook, stirring often, until the meat is cooked to desired doneness and the walnuts are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes more.
5. Remove the yogurt from the fridge and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Spread the yogurt on the bottom of a serving platter and top with the crispy meat. Finish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, if using, and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with warmed pita or rice.
Tips
— To minimize eye irritation while grating, use a chilled onion.
— 2 tablespoons of pistachios or pine nuts can be substituted for the walnuts.
Recipe: One-Pot Beans, Greens and Grains
Many filling, flavorful and flexible meals are within reach with this technique: It produces fluffy grains, just-soft-enough greens and creamy and garlicky beans all in one pot. Customize your mix based on your cravings and your pantry: Use any dark leafy greens and any cooked legumes. Use quinoa, rice or a mix of the two for a variety of textures; for other grains, refer to the cooking instructions on their package and add the greens in the last 5 to 7 minutes. You can infuse the grains with flavor by stirring ground spices or other seasonings into the pot. Add brightness with lemon and garnish wildly — or not at all. This meal can be eaten warm or cold, which means lunchtime grain bowls are now easier to pull off.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups water or broth
- 1 cup quinoa, long-grain white rice or a mix of the two, rinsed
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 (14-ounce) can of any beans
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch collard greens, kale, spinach or other hearty dark leafy green
- 1 lemon
- Toppings (optional): toasted nuts or seeds, fresh herbs, grated or crumbled cheese, soft-boiled egg, avocado, hot sauce or other sauces and so on
Preparation
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring the water, quinoa and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper to a boil over high. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes.
2. While the quinoa cooks, drain and rinse the beans, then transfer to a small bowl. Finely grate the garlic over the beans, then add the oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Set aside. Remove and discard any tough stems from the greens, then roughly chop the leaves.
3. After 13 minutes, arrange the greens on top of the quinoa and season well with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. (When the quinoa is tender, it’s also translucent and has a thin white tail.) Remove the pot from heat, scrape the beans over the greens, then cover the pot and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Finely grate some of the lemon zest over the beans and greens, then cut the lemon into wedges. Eat the beans, greens and grains with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and any toppings you like.
Recipe: Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt
If you’re feeling a bit worn down, one bowl of this hearty lentil soup will bring you back to life — or at least fool you into thinking so. The broth is simply (and deeply) flavored with charred onions and six garlic cloves, plus a generous pinch of turmeric that stains the soup gold. As they cook down, the lentils melt into the broth, making it thick and rich. A healthy dose of black pepper brings gentle heat to clear your head, and the final sprinkle of fresh dill and parsley adds a bright, herbal finish. This soup is soothing and satisfying on its own, but feel free to add a few extras: hearty greens like kale or spinach to wilt, a soft-boiled egg, or even chile oil for some heat.
By Andy Baraghani
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped mix of parsley, dill and mint
- 1 cup plain full-fat regular or Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until deeply charred around the edges and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the chicken, lentils and turmeric, and season generously with salt and lots of pepper. Toss everything a few times so that the turmeric can coat the other ingredients.
3. Pour in 8 cups water, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then, adjust heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have split and collapsed into the broth in a golden mush and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Using tongs, remove the chicken thighs, let them cool slightly, then shred and return to the pot. Sprinkle in the herbs, taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary.
5. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and lemon juice and season with salt. (If using Greek yogurt, thin with water until it reaches a runny consistency.)
6. Ladle the soup into bowls, then spoon the lemony yogurt over before serving.
Recipe: Honey Garlic Shrimp
This speedy dinner comes together in less than 30 minutes and relies on pantry staples like honey and soy sauce for easy weeknight flavor. The honey-garlic sauce works double-time, serving as a sweet-and-savory marinade and as a pan sauce for the crustaceans. While large shrimp work best for this recipe (and are the most forgiving when it comes to cooking time), smaller shrimp will work, too. If your shrimp cook through before it’s time to add the sauce to the skillet, transfer them to a serving dish and reduce the sauce on its own before pouring it over the shrimp. Serve with steamed rice, and a simply cooked green vegetable or cucumber salad.
By Lidey Heuck
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from 2 large cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- Thinly sliced scallions, for serving
Preparation
1. Place the shrimp in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper; whisk until smooth. Pour 3 tablespoons of the marinade over the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 1 hour in the fridge.
3. While the shrimp marinate, combine the cornstarch with the remaining marinade and set aside.
4. Lift the shrimp from the marinade to paper towels and pat dry; discard any marinade remaining in the bowl.
5. Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. (A cast-iron skillet will help the shrimp brown more deeply than a nonstick skillet.) Add the oil, swirling to coat the pan, then arrange the shrimp in the skillet in one layer. Cook for 2 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip the shrimp and cook for 1 more minute.
6. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pan sauce thickens. (If your shrimp are on the smaller side and already cooked through before it’s time to add the sauce, transfer them to the serving dish and reduce the sauce on its own. Pour the sauce over the cooked shrimp.)
7. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a serving dish, sprinkle with scallions and serve.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.