It’s no secret that Bon Appétit editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, entertain our friends, satisfy a sweet tooth, use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
December 5
Just-keeps-getting-better lentil salad
Sarah Jampel is a genius. If you’ve had the pleasure of baking her iconic No-Knead Focaccia, then you know. The Jampel-made recipe of the moment for me is her aptly named Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad. In it she combines kale with warm French lentils, which absorb the dressing as they cool. From there, infuse olive oil with crushed garlic, long strips of lemon peel, and chopped scallions. Eventually, cumin seeds and crushed red pepper flakes are added to the mix, which further round out the flavor. The result is a deeply savory, aromatic salad (that surely does keep getting better). —Carly Westerfield, associate manager, audience strategy
Wipe-the-plate-clean butter paneer
This week, Bon Appétit’s best new cookbooks of the year went live—a project I had been working on for months. Alongside the meaningful blurbs from staff and contributors, we published a collection of recipes from the cookbooks featured. I had been eyeing this Baked Butter Paneer ever since dog-earring it in Meera Sodha’s Dinner, and this week, I finally got around to making it. Cubes of salty paneer get coated in Greek yogurt, aromatics, and lemon juice before they’re scorched in the oven. Then, canned tomatoes along with spices like Kashmiri chile powder and garam masala join the paneer and form the base of a robust sauce. Finishing with a good amount of heavy cream, kasoori methi, and a knob of butter makes for a creamy curry; I scooped every last bit up with warm garlic naan (the plate was sparkly clean). —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
Endlessly comforting brussels sprout pasta
As darkness in the Northeast falls at 4 p.m. and the constant chill in the air becomes unbearable, the only thing I want to eat is pasta. My latest go-to is former BA staffer Kendra Vaculin’s super simple and endlessly comforting Brussels Sprout Pasta. I had the joy of eating the pasta months back when Kendra started development (which was during the warmer summer months), and looked forward to making it once winter came around. Now that the cold weather is here, I can attest to the pasta’s ability to make even the darkest nights feel just a touch cozier. The buttery walnuts combined with tender-yet-slightly-crisp brussels sprouts and little nubbins of Italian sausage is pure comfort, and a flavor profile I can’t get enough of. —Jesse Szewczyk, senior test kitchen editor
This brussels sprout pasta recipe taps nutty brown butter, crunchy pecans, and hot Italian sausage to create an easy dinner bursting with fall flavors.
Mushroom ragù that tastes slow-cooked
I agree with Jesse—this was a pasta week. After hours of holiday cooking, I wanted a warm and cozy, but not labor-intensive, weeknight dinner. Food director Chris Morocco’s Pasta With Creamy Mushroom Ragù, full of rich umami notes, satisfied that craving. Coarsely chopped creminis combine with a savory base of onions, garlic, and tomato paste to create a tender sauce that feels slow-cooked and complex but cooks in record time. I suggest leaving shiitakes in bigger pieces for a more meaty toothsome bite. Finishing with lots of ground black pepper adds a zingy finish. —Jaia Clingham-David, research fellow
This weeknight-friendly recipe for vegetarian mushroom ragù turns out a rich tomatoey sauce that tastes like it simmered for hours.
