For a fantastic meal that can be ready in 20 minutes, toss together seared gnocchi and sautéed brussels sprouts with lemon zest, red-pepper flakes and brown butter. The key to this recipe is how you cook the store-bought gnocchi. No need to boil. Just sear them until they are crisp and golden on the outside, and their insides will stay chewy. The resulting texture is reminiscent of fried dough. Shelf-stable and refrigerated gnocchi will both work here, but the shelf-stable ones do crisp up a bit better.
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts (or cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower or even cabbage)
- 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 (18-ounce) package shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 6 pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
Trim and halve the brussels sprouts. Using a vegetable peeler, peel thick strips of lemon zest, then coarsely chop. (You should have about 2 teaspoons chopped zest.)
In a large (preferably 12-inch) skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add the brussels sprouts, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, then arrange the brussels sprouts in an even layer, cut side down. Scatter the lemon zest over the top and cook, undisturbed, until the brussels sprouts are well browned underneath, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes, stir and cook until the brussels sprouts are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high. Break up any gnocchi that are stuck together, add them to the pan and cook, covered and undisturbed, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the butter and honey, season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper, and cook, stirring, until the butter is golden, nutty smelling and foaming, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the brussels sprouts until warmed through. Serve with grated Parmesan.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Submitted by: Unknown
Lentils and rice scented with warm spices and strewn with fried onions is a classic Persian dish with infinite variations. This minimalist take, from Nasim Alikhani, the owner of Sofreh restaurant in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, keeps things quick and simple, and uses just a few pantry-friendly ingredients. The lentils and rice are cooked together in the same pot, then layered with a mixture of caramelized onions and plump, sweet dates, as well as chopped fresh herbs for brightness. A dollop of yogurt on top adds a tart and creamy touch. Feel free to riff on this basic recipe, adding nuts for crunch, stirring in other spices like cardamom, ginger and saffron, and substituting the likes of raisins, dried apricots or dried cranberries for the dates. At Sofreh, the dish is finished with a dash of rosewater and melted butter for extra richness and perfume.
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), more as needed
- 2 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, dill, mint or a combination
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, for serving (optional)
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter, plus more for serving (see Tip)
- 2 yellow onions, finely diced
- 12 fresh Medjool dates, pitted and diced
Instructions
Bring 4 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the lentils, cinnamon, turmeric and 2 tablespoons salt. Stir well to combine, breaking up any clumps. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until the lentils are cooked but still have a bite, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside.
Using the same medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the rice, cooked lentils, 1 teaspoon salt and enough hot water to cover the rice by 1 inch. Cook, uncovered, until all the water is absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, wrap the pot lid in a clean kitchen towel, cover the pan and let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork; taste and add salt if needed.
While the rice is cooking, prepare the onion-date mixture: In a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons oil or clarified butter until hot but not smoking. Add onions and a pinch of salt, and cook until the onions are dark golden and a little crispy, 9 to 14 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and return the skillet to the heat.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and, once hot, add the dates and warm them through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir dates into the bowl with the onions.
To serve, spoon a layer of rice and lentils into a warmed serving bowl, then add a layer of onion-date mixture and sprinkle with chopped herbs. Keep alternating layers, ending with the onion-date mixture and a final sprinkling of herbs. Drizzle with more oil and top with a dollop of yogurt if you like.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Submitted by: Unknown
Vegan, gluten-free baked jalapeño poppers with tons of flavor, cheesiness, and the perfect crispy top. Less than 10 ingredients and 30 minutes required.
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours or overnight*, then drained)
- 1/2 medium white or yellow onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth (plus more as needed)
- 1 4-ounce can green chilies (optional)
- 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
- 10 medium jalapeños (halved and seeds/stem removed)
- Olive oil
- 1/2 cup crushed toasted tortilla chips
- Red pepper flake
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and prep your jalapeños, splitting in half, removing the tops, and then spritzing or brushing them with a bit of olive oil. Place in rows facing up (see photo).
If you’re using crushed tortilla chips as a topper (recommended), toast them while prepping your cheese sauce by spritzing them with olive oil and baking them for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, watching closely as they can burn fast.
To a small saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic with a bit of olive oil and cook until just softened and fragrant – about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Add soaked cashews, garlic, onion, nutritional yeast, cumin, vegetable broth, green chilies, and salt to a high-speed blender and blend until creamy and smooth, using the “liquify” or “puree” option if you have it. If the sauce is too thick, thin with more vegetable broth. If too thin, add a handful of raw cashews and blend again. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt to taste, nutritional yeast for more cheesiness, or cumin for smokiness.
Spoon or pipe the cheese mixture into the jalapeños, generously filling. You’ll have leftovers, which you can reserve for nachos or just dip. Top with crushed, toasted tortilla chip crumbs and bake for 15 minutes or until the jalapeños are soft and the cheese has deepened in color.
Place the pan on the top rack and broil for the last minute or two for an even more intense color/flavor.
Serve immediately, sprinkling with a bit of red pepper flake for garnish (optional). Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a few days, reheating in the microwave or a 350-degree F (176 C) oven until warmed through (though best when fresh).
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Total time: 85 minutes
Submitted by: Unknown
I don’t say this lightly… This is the BEST and EASIEST vegan lasagna recipe! Layered with a rich marinara, creamy ricotta, spinach, noodles and topped with ooey-gooey vegan mozzarella cheese. No need to pre-cook the noodles!
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- (2) 25-ounce jars marinara sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 14.5 ounce firm tofu (patted dry)
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 box lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles) (regular, gluten free or whole grain)
- Double recipe Easy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese (or 2-3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella)
Instructions
Cook the red lentils. Add 1 cup dried red lentils and 3 cups of water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils in a fine strainer, and then add back to the pot and stir in the marinara sauce. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Make the Cashew-Tofu Ricotta: Add the cashews to a food processor and process until fine and crumbly. Then add the tofu in chunks, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, basil, oregano and garlic powder to the food processor. Pulse until well combined and pretty smooth. If it’s too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to blend. Set aside.
Assembling the lasagna: Add about 1 cup of lentil marinara to the bottom of a large 9x13 inch casserole dish. Spread it around evenly. Next add 4-5 lasagna noodles (uncooked). Spread half of the ricotta on top of the noodles. Top with half of the spinach. Add about 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the spinach, then place 4-5 lasagna noodles on top. Spread the rest of the ricotta over the noodles, then the rest of the spinach. Place 4-5 more noodles on top of the spinach, and then pour the rest of the sauce over the top, evenly.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
While the lasagna is cooking, make your Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, if using. Alternatively, use 2-3 cups store bought vegan mozzarella cheese.
After 40 minutes, remove the foil and spoon on the mozzarella (or sprinkle the cheese all over). Place the lasagna back in the oven and bake for 20 more minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven, let cool for at least 15 minutes and serve.
Leftover lasagna will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator. See notes for freezing instructions.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 14 minutes
Total time: 29 minutes
Submitted by: Rachel
This simple green salad is light, refreshing, and delicious! It's a perfect side salad, as it pairs well with almost anything.
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 small heads of soft lettuce, butter lettuce or similar
- Lemon Vinaigrette, half recipe
- 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons pepitas
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup microgreens
- Flaky sea salt, optional
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ tablespoon tamari
Instructions
Roast the almonds: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the almonds on the sheet and toss with tamari. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
Assemble the salad. In a large bowl toss the lettuce with a few spoonfuls of the lemon vinaigrette. Add the cucumber, parmesan, pepitas, avocado, and tamari almonds. Drizzle with more dressing and top with microgreens. Season to taste with flaky sea salt, if desired.