Simple Cooking

Want to make eggs ahead of time? Bake them in a sheet pan, slice and chill for up to three days, and serve in breakfast sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, and more.

Cool romaine lettuce and barbecue-flavored chickpeas combine to create great flavor and texture in this hearty pita sandwich. This pairs well with many simple companions—potatoes or sweet potatoes, fresh corn, a simple quinoa salad or pilaf, or a light soup. And steamed green veggies are always welcome, too.

Though I’m all for high-quality prepared sauces and such to use as shortcuts, I’ve never found a bottled vegan barbecue sauce I really like. But this nearly instant sauce is so easy that I’ve ended the search. It’s especially good with tofu, tempeh, and seitan.

I’ve already admitted that I’m usually too lazy to make pizza dough from scratch, what with good, natural brands of prepared crust so widely available. Once in a blue moon, though, I like to indulge; it’s really not that difficult. This is a recipe I’ve relied on for years when those blue moons come along.

If you want boozier pops, increase the gin to 1/3 cup. They will still freeze but not quite as hard, and they will get slushy quickly once unmolded.

There’s no need to roll these super-thin. In fact, a little heft keeps them moist.

Don’t fuss with the salmon too much once it’s on the grill: Let the flesh naturally release from the grate before attempting to turn it. You can also use the tare marinade for any cut of salmon.

To make these cakes, I use the reverse creaming method, as opposed to the more common creaming method. Instead of beating air into the sugar and butter, adding the eggs then stirring in the dry ingredients, the reverse creaming method requires the butter to be rubbed into the dry ingredients, followed by milk and eggs. As well as being simpler, with fewer stages, I think this method produces a better textured, more even sponge. When you rub the butter into the flour and sugar, the flour particles get coated in fat, which minimizes gluten formation in the cake. Gluten is the essential component in bread, but in cakes too much can produce a tough and chewy sponge.

The ingredients for a meringue are very simple; you need double the weight of sugar to egg whites. It is easy to make any quantity of meringue if you follow this 2:1 ratio.

Make this salad ahead of time to allow the flavors to become bolder. This is delicious in a bowl as a refreshing summer meal. Or serve this on top of a plate of assorted greens or bowl of cooked grains, rolled up in a tortilla, or as a topping for baked potatoes.

Packaged baked tofu is tasty and not all that expensive, but homemade baked tofu is even better. The trick to this chewy, savory transformation of bland white tofu is to make sure it’s well pressed and to let it marinate for plenty of time.

Large jagged sheets of chicharrón, or pork crackling, can be found at any Mexico City market. Homemade chicharrón is wonderful with pico de gallo, any salsa, guacamole, or cooked in green sauce and served in a taco when soft.

When you have a chocolate glaze recipe that’s as versatile and simple as this one is, it’s easy to rely on it time and again. It’s so quick to prepare that you can wait until the last minute to mix it up. Or you can make it ahead and reheat it to a pourable consistency when you need it. This makes a hefty amount, so if you don’t use all of it, just store the leftovers in a sealed container and refrigerate until needed.

A quick toss in sweet, softly spicy Korean red pepper sauce makes these wings irresistible, while sliced scallion adds a fresh finish.

Combine garlic and your favorite hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano, for a marinade that's quick, easy, and oh-so-delicious on these grilled wings.

Fragrant, complex curry powder and creamy, tangy yogurt create a tenderizing marinade for these easy grilled wings.

A simple Buffalo-style hot sauce delivers a big punch of flavor to these grilled wings. Brush a little sauce on the wings at the end of grilling for caramelized flavor, then toss them in more sauce before serving for full spicy saturation.

Crisp-tender grilled green beans on a bed of creamy whipped ricotta is the ultimate simple summer side.

Turn the classic iced tea and lemonade combo into a frozen cocktail for all of your backyard parties. Freeze the drink components into ice cubes before blending for an icy drink that isn't watered down.

A creamy Italian vinaigrette acts as both the marinade and the dressing for this super-easy grilled chicken and tomato number.