59 Recipes Epi Readers Are Relying on Right Now
We're all in the kitchen, cooking through another week of isolation. But what's for dinner? When we look at what you're looking at on Epicurious these days, some themes become clear. You're whipping up your favorite comfort foods, but also picking up new cooking strategies—and in some cases, going back to essential cooking techniques you’d like to master. Below you'll find the top recipes you've been visiting again and again lately, including simple pantry meals and bigger projects. Because while now is the time to practice cooking with whatever you've got, it’s also a great time to master the art of homemade bread, tempered chocolate, and silky béchamel. Whatever you find yourself getting into these days, you’ll surely find a recipe below to put to good use.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson1/59Simple One-Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo2/59Sourdough Biscuits
Think twice before pouring your excess sourdough starter down the drain. This recipe puts every bit of your sourdough discard to good use, taking place of buttermilk and adding a nice tangy element to these biscuits.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Dana Bonagura3/59Sausage and Greens Sheet-Pan Dinner
Thirty minutes is all you need to make this highly-customizable sheet pan dinner. Use any sausage you like (plant-based sausage counts, too!), any potatoes you'd like, and any hearty greens you have in your fridge. The secret is in the sweet-tart mustard dressing that you'll drizzle on top.
Photo and Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin5/59The Very Best Black Beans In The World
You don't need a recipe to make really great beans from a can. You just need to use the whole thing—liquid and all—plus a little onion, garlic, and some spices. Finish it off with a little honey and vinegar and you're good to go. Smear some across a tortilla before building a taco; load up a burrito bowl with spiced rice, onions, and peppers; top a scoop with fried eggs and cheese; or eat the whole thing with chips and call it dinner.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone6/59Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken With Tangy Green Sauce
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton9/59Old-Fashioned
Making this cocktail is as simple as mixing sugar, bitters, and whiskey in a glass. Even better news: You can riff with whatever spirit you have on hand. (Okay, maybe save the vodka for some other drink.)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone11/5922-Minute Coconut Chicken Curry
This 22-minute chicken dinner takes store-bought curry powder to new heights with a touch of fresh ginger and garlic. The mustardy cashew topping adds a final dose of flavor and crunch.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks12/593-Ingredient Cacio e Pepe (Pasta With Cheese and Pepper)
Photo and Food Styling by Anna Stockwell13/59Spicy Tomato–Tuna Noodle Skillet Casserole With Aioli
This isn't your average tuna noodle casserole. Dried pasta gets toasted in oil until it's golden-brown before baking in a flavor-packed tomato sauce. We top it all off with a quick, creamy aioli and fresh herbs.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews15/59Cream of Asparagus Soup (Crème d'asperges)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova16/59Salted-Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell17/59Chile-Braised Short Ribs
Photo and Food Styling by Anna Stockwell19/59Lentil Bolognese
A quick vegetarian Bolognese that begins and finishes with a batch of make-ahead marinated lentils that add heft, flavor, and texture to this upgraded pantry pasta.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson20/59Swordfish Steaks With Asparagus and Frisée Salad
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou21/59Extra-Flaky Pastry Dough
Our be-all end-all recipe, this all-butter crust works with nearly any fruit that’s in season (or arm’s reach). Use it for berries in the spring, stone fruit in the summer, and apples and pears when the weather turns cool.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson22/59Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova24/59One-Pan Chicken Drumsticks with Rice and Beans
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova25/59Glazed Cinnamon-Cardamom Buns
These cardamom-scented rolls are definitely a project, but it's worth it to make these cult-favorite Paris cinnamon rolls at home.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell27/59Swirl Spice Cake
This isn't your average coffee cake. The layer of streusel in this marbled loaf gets a complex punch of flavor from a coffee spice blend that includes dried orange peel, cardamom, and fennel seeds.
Photo by David Malosh, Prop Styling by Cindy DiPrima, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich28/59One-Pot Gingery Chicken and Rice With Peanut Sauce
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell30/593-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake
You don't need AP flour to make a great chocolate cake. This recipe consists of just eggs, unsalted butter, and semisweet chocolate chips—and it comes together in less than an hour.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton31/59Shrimp Poached in Coconut Milk with Fresh Herbs
Keeping the spices subtle allows the natural flavors of the shrimp and herb-laced coconut milk to be relished to their fullest. If you'd like to make things a little more spicy, throw in more green chilies.
Photo by Alex Lau32/59Sour Candied Citrus Peels
These are like homemade sour candy and we can't stop eating them. Here’s an idea for the leftover citrus flesh: Use the juice to make curd.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food styling by Kaitlin Wayne33/59Dulce de Leche
Photo by Marcus Nilsson38/59Fresh Herb Falafel
The trick to great falafel is a coarse texture—if the chickpeas are too finely chopped, they'll be too dense. Serve them with Shredded Cabbage Salad, Spiced Green Tahini Sauce, and thick pita with pockets.
Photo by Charles Masters, food styling by Sue Li39/59Our Favorite French Onion Soup
Buy the best broth you can—or better yet, make your own for a rich, full-flavored soup. If you don't have ovenproof bowls or ramekins, you can just top your soup with melty cheese toasts.
Photo by Shutterstock44/59Béchamel Sauce
There's no better sauce for homey, creamed dishes like lasagna, gratin, or, mac and cheese. The foolproof way to attain a perfectly smooth sauce is to ensure the milk is hot when added to the butter and flour. It uses an extra pot, but as you become more proficient, this cautionary measure may not be necessary.
47/59Empanada Dough
Master this basic empanada dough, and make any kind of empanada your heart desires—like the sweet and salty combo of this Chicken Empanada with Chorizo, Raisins, and Olives or a Spiced Turkey Empanada—or even the surf-and-turf filling in these Tuna Empanadas.
Photo by Shutterstock50/59How to Temper Chocolate
What better time to master the art of tempering chocolate? Tempered chocolate has a shiny, flawless appearance. It feels firm and breaks off with a snap when you bite into it and it melts smoothly in your mouth, allowing you to fully enjoy the flavor. This technique will take your candy-making skills to new heights.
51/59Preserved Lemons
Preserved lemons are one of the indispensable ingredients of Moroccan cooking. We love them in this recipe for chicken with lemons and olives, or mixed into a simple yogurt sauce. Their unique pickled taste and special silken texture cannot be duplicated with fresh lemon or lime juice. If you are lucky enough to have a backyard tree, this is the project for you.
Leo Gong53/59Bagels
New York City isn’t the only place in the world to get decent, authentic bagels. The truth is, you can make bagels that are just as good at home, no matter where you live. They’re one of the simplest breads to make, requiring only flour, water, salt, yeast, and malt—and one secret ingredient: time (in the form of long, slow, cold fermentation).
Ma'ayan Rosenzweig57/59Homemade Yogurt
Store-bought yogurt may be convenient but it can't compare to the mild creaminess of homemade. The good news is that making yogurt is incredibly easy.
