Small Plates

41 Easy, Kid-Friendly Recipes From Around the World

Use this list to plan your weeknight dinners.
Photo of two bowls of butter paneer with white rice and sliced almonds on the side.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
  • Photo by Peden & Munk
    5/41

    Salmon Teriyaki

    Luscious salmon glazed in a mixture of sake, mirin, and soy sauce.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    6/41

    Paneer Butter Masala

    Golden paneer with crushed tomatoes and warming spices like ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and cloves.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
    7/41

    Pork Wontons With Sesame Sauce

    Making wontons is a fun family activity. Whipping an egg into the filling of these simple, folded dumplings makes them fluffy and moist.

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  • Photo by John Lee
    8/41

    Classic Chicken Pho (Phở Gà)

    Easier to make than the beef version, chicken pho requires fewer ingredients and takes less finesse for superlative results.

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  • Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
    11/41

    Easy Hummus With Canned Chickpeas

    A simple trick gets silky-smooth results from canned chickpeas—no rinsing or overnight soaking required.

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  • Photo by Ed Anderson
    12/41

    Candy Pork

    Large chunks of pork shoulder are braised in a Vietnamese-style caramel sauce (made from a combination of fish sauce and palm sugar) that’s laced with Thai chilies, ginger, garlic, and shallots. Serve the fork-tender meat with rice and whatever greens you have in the fridge.

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  • Photo by Martin Poole
    13/41

    Paneer and Broccoli Masala

    Frying the paneer in a little oil before stirring it through the masala not only makes it crispy—it also adds loads of flavor.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    14/41

    Khara Huggi or Pongal

    This one-pot dish, called khichdi in some regions, is made from rice, yellow lentils called moong dal, which are split mung beans without skin, and black pepper and cumin seeds fried in ghee or butter. The lentils and rice cook together, making for a creamy, rich bowl of comfort food.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege
    15/41

    Summertime Sōmen Noodles

    Serve these classic Japanese noodles family-style, in a pool of ice water. Dip the noodles in a sauce made with dashi, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, or fill a bowl with noodles and scatter the sauce on top.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
    16/41

    Crispy Taiwanese Pork Cutlets

    Flattening pork chops with the dull edge of a cleaver or heavy knife gives the surface an almost fluffy texture and helps the potato starch coating adhere.

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  • Photo by Jonathan Lovekin
    19/41

    Shakshuka With Red Peppers and Cumin

    This particular version of shakshuka is our go-to in summer and early autumn. (Potatoes are used during the winter and eggplants in spring.)

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    20/41

    Arctic Char Tostadas

    A gingery fish sauce vinaigrette brightens every bite of these crunchy, creamy, vibrant tostadas.

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  • Lara Ferroni
    21/41

    Chicken Tikka Masala

    This recipe from Chicken Tikka Masala comes from cooking instructor and cookbook author Julie Sahni. According to Sahni, the dish originated in Amritsar, a city in Punjab in the northwestern part of India.

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  • Photo by Andy Sewell
    22/41

    Solterito De Quinua (Quinoa Solterito)

    This Peruvian quinoa salad is packed with corn, fava beans, tomatoes, and queso fresco.

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  • Photo by David Malosh, Prop Styling by Cindy DiPrima, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    23/41

    One-Pot Gingery Chicken and Rice With Peanut Sauce

    Gingery chicken and fragrant rice, with a creamy, peanutty sauce.

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  • Photo by Linda Xiao
    24/41

    Double-Pork Carnitas

    Let this pork cook low and slow for a few hours, then it will be ready to crisp in a pan for tacos. This is the kind of dish you'll want to braise in a big batch, then freeze or serve over the course of several easy weeknight dinners.

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  • 27/41

    Stir-Fried Egg and Tomato

    Juicy tomatoes mingle with softly scrambled eggs in a saucy dish that's delicious over rice.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    28/41

    Gyoza

    You can pan-fry, steam, boil, or deep-fry these gyoza, or simply add a couple to your noodle soup. These dumplings also freeze well for future easy dinners.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Mindy Fox
    29/41

    Pasta With 15-Minute Ham, Pea, and Cream Sauce

    Grated lemon zest and freshly shelled peas gives this creamy, Italian-inspired classic a hit of bright flavor and a little added flair.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    30/41

    Easy Fried Rice With Chicken and Broccolini

    Fried rice is one of the fastest, easiest meals you can make, and a great way to use up leftovers. This vegetable-packed version calls for freshly cooked broccolini, snow peas, edamame, and chicken, but feel free to substitute any quick-cooking or leftover vegetables and protein.

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  • Photo and Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    31/41

    Sourdough Crepes

    Crispy on the edges, with an airy softness in the middle, these are really more blini than crepe. Top with jam or fruit or go savory with an egg on top.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele
    32/41

    Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

    These crispy chicken wings cook in the oven on a baking sheet.

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  • Photo by Quentin Bacon
    33/41

    Challah

    Start a tradition of baking this braided bread with family, and you might find that you go through it fast. It's delicious as a base for French toast, grilled cheese, and croutons.

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  • Photo by SANG AN
    34/41

    Spinach Shakshuka

    A tomato-free version of the North African poached egg dish, shakshuka, is creamy, cheesy, and pretty.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens
    35/41

    Cashew Chicken

    Oyster sauce gives this chicken stir-fry rich flavor and helps thicken the sauce.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    36/41

    Korean Fried Chicken

    In this recipe, juicy, boneless chicken thighs are dipped in a light batter to form an extra-crispy crust, then lacquered with a gingery sauce.

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