Zaynab Issa
Zaynab Issa is an associate food editor at Bon Appétit. After working on a self-published zine that formalized her family’s East-African Indian recipes, she began freelancing at Buzzfeed and contributing culturally rooted recipes and stories to Bon Appétit and Food52. She’s an avid baker and carb lover. Her approach to recipe development keeps the home cook front of mind, prioritizing ease and flexibility. Zaynab grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Baruch College with a B.A. in Journalism and Marketing. She currently lives in New York and enjoys creating video content for TikTok, scouring thrift stores for platters and purses, and exploring New York’s restaurant scene in her free time.
Tortellini in Preserved Lemon Brodo
A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.
Chewy Carrot Halwa Cookies
This nutty, spiced cookie is inspired by gajar ka halwa, a beloved South Asian pudding made with carrots, sugar, cardamom, and ghee.
Steak With Preserved-Lemon-Marinated Tomatoes
Toss tomatoes in a simple preserved lemon, soy sauce, and chile marinade while you sear a well-marbled steak for a dinner for two in no time.
Cajun Chicken With Peach Salsa
Seasoned with store-bought Cajun spice mix and topped with homemade peach salsa, these weeknight chicken thighs can be on the table in under 30 minutes.
Lemony Zucchini With Sour Cream and Dill
Giving chunky zucchini pieces a hard sear develops lots of texture and color while minimizing sogginess. The dilly sour cream provides a garlicky counterpart.
Sour Cherry Crumb Cake
You’ll find a jammy swirl of sweet-tart cherries in this plush, buttery crumb cake topped with crispy, spiced streusel-y bits.
Buttery Shrimp Rolls
Gently poached shrimp are the star in this quick and simple warm weather favorite. Lean on frozen shrimp for an even faster prep.
Antipasto Niçoise
This mash-up of an antipasto spread and a niçoise salad yields a robust platter with flaky tuna, briny peppers, salty cheese, and just-tender vegetables.
Summer Roll Rice Noodles
A nutty, savory sauce made from pantry staples anchors this cold rice noodle and steak dish inspired by Vietnamese summer rolls.
Halal Cart Chicken Salad
This flavorful dinner salad—inspired by the street food favorite—is made super speedy with the addition of store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Easy, Cheesy, Almost-Carbonara Udon
Toss bouncy udon in a speedy creamy sauce reminiscent of an Italian favorite.
Get Up & Go Blueberry Date Cocoa Smoothie
Sweetened with dates and boosted with coffee, this fruity smoothie gets its creamy texture from a simple trick: puréeing the dates before adding the frozen fruit.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal
Use brown sugar to mimic the sweetness of soft white sandwich bread.
The Ultimate Tuna Melt
Everything you love about the diner classic, complete with oil-packed tuna, crunchy celery, red onion and capers for bite, and your favorite well-melting cheese.
Quick and Cheesy Omelet Roll-Up
Your favorite new breakfast on the run has plenty of melty cheese and spice.
Hot & Tangy Tandoori Buffalo Wings
These spiced wings feature both aromatic tandoori masala spice blend and Frank’s RedHot for a nod to classic Buffalo wings with a little flair.
Mishkaki-Style Strip Steak With Kachumber
Kachumber, a classic side salad in Swahili cuisine, balances out rich steak whose marinade is inspired by East African grilled beef skewers called mishkaki.
Coconut and Cardamom Cake
Aromatic and flavorful, this tender butter cake features both coconut and cardamom for a floral, tropical take on classic yellow cake.
Peppery Potato Frittata
The star of this potato frittata is the golden strips of shallow-fried russets suspended in the creamy, peppery, quiche-like filling.
Seared Salmon Paka
Quickly seared salmon takes a bath in silky, aromatic coconut curry in this inspired take on East African machi paka.