Vegetarian

These homemade onion-flavored chips just might be more addictive than the store-bought versions.

The only thing more crowd-pleasing than cheese is marinated cheese. If Manchego isn’t your thing, go for any semi-firm cheese like white cheddar, Gouda, or Monterey Jack.

These quick pickles have just the right amount of sweet, salt, and tang going on. The brine can work with any crunchy veg, but we like them best with cucumbers. We guarantee they'll be the sleeper hit of your next party spread.

Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

Two rimmed baking sheets and a hot oven mimic a giant panini press, making grilled cheese for a crowd a super quick and easy prospect.

Cutting leeks into large pieces gives them a presence equal to disks of potato, while cooking the vegetables separately before combining—the leeks are braised in butter, the spuds are simmered in milk and cream—preserves their distinct flavors.

It doesn’t take much to make slender, tender green beans memorable—lemon zest and orange zest warmed in olive oil provide sensational sparkle.

A basket of unusual breadsticks will vanish in no time. The fact that you scatter the strips of dough on baking sheets rather like pick-up sticks results in great texture: they’re chewy where the strips overlap and crisp where they don’t.

Fuyu persimmons, which resemble tomatoes in shape, are best enjoyed while still firm and slightly crisp. The sweet, meaty wedges make a gorgeous counterpoint to the tangle of peppery greens.

Popovers are an appealing alternative to Yorkshire pudding (the same batter is used for both), and embellishing with dried porcini mushrooms imparts an unexpected woodsy dimension. You’ll want to make these all winter long.

Crisp pickled vegetables go brilliantly with cocktails (or with sandwiches, a hunk of cheese, a juicy steak...the possibilities are endless). Fresh ginger and dried chiles give them a bracing boost and orange juice plays up their natural sweetness.

A simmer and soak in sugar syrup glazes kumquats and liquifies their interiors so they taste like delicious shots of marmalade.

This spicy Ethiopian dipping sauce is made from whisking berbere spice blend honey wine, beer, arak, or even just a mixture of water and honey.

Who says oatmeal needs to be sweet? Prepare the oats as you traditionally would, but instead of adding berries and sweeteners, toss in greens and kimchi, then top with an egg, hemp seeds, and avocado.

Butternut squash is one of my all-time favorite ingredients. It has a beautiful orange color, is very filling, is great for heart health, and perhaps best of all, it’s great for healthy skin and eyes. An ingredient that’s beautiful and makes you beautiful? Yes, please!

Crunchy tender carrots tossed in a tangy-sweet dressing meet soft and blackened dates for literally everything you want in one bite.

It’s hard to know if a parsnip will have a woody core, but generally speaking, small ones are tender throughout. Worst case scenario? Trim the tough centers before cooking.

Blanching the chopped orange in boiling water before cooking it with the cranberries removes any bitterness from the peel and pith.

The most labor-intensive part of this recipe involves coring and separating the leaves of each brussels sprout—a perfect activity for those lazybones watching the game. Delegate!

Harissa lends both a spiciness and an earthiness to this savory alternative to the usual sweet potato casserole.