Bean and Legume

Mashing some chickpeas into the sizzling chorizo adds heft while keeping this meal light on the meat

This stick-to-your-ribs stew gets heft from creamy white beans and winter squash; we opted for acorn, but kabocha or delicata squash would work great too.

Red split lentils cook even more quickly than other types, making them ideal for weeknight dinners. Turn them into a meal by pairing with savory spiced greens.

Nachos can stand an ingredient riff, but to make sure that the cheese is melted throughout and that each bite has the requisite combination of tastes and textures, follow this plan.

Serve this dish of mashed beans wrapped in flatbread and pan-fried until crisp as a appetizer, or alongside a big green salad for lunch or dinner.

Toasting the pine nuts until they’re properly golden brown to the center and not just on the surface is key in coaxing out maximum flavor. That said, pine nuts are expensive and can burn, so keep a close eye on them as they cook.

Shirataki noodles are made from the fiber of the konjac plant. Here their tossed with vegetables and an almond-butter-based sauce for a quick low-carb, vegetarian weeknight dinner.

This recipe picks up speed by calling for (slightly) wet greens. The water that clings to the leaves will help the greens cook; the fact that you don’t have to haul out the salad spinner is a time-saving bonus.

When roasted at high temperature, humble cabbage becomes sweet and incredibly satisfying. In this recipe, the cabbage ‘steaks’ are a base for crispy chickpeas, herby croutons, and a rich and lemony garlic sauce.

This one-skillet meal is ideal for both chilly evenings and weekend mornings when hot melted cheese and comfort is all you want. Leave a handful of chips undressed to tuck into the skillet at the last minute. Their salsa-free points add the perfect layer of crunch.

Take crispy chickpeas to the extreme with this recipe of battered, fried garbanzos spiked with Thai basil, Sichuan peppercorns, and a host of fragrant spices including cumin and five-spice powder.

Coconut milk and curry powder lend comforting warmth and spice to this simple vegetarian dinner.

Smashing raw green beans breaks them open and allows them to fully absorb a tangy, citrusy Thai-inspired dressing.

When 5:15 p.m. hits and there’s still no dinner plan, Deb Perelman makes this Instant Pot soup. While the beans cook you can prepare the taco fixins, manage life’s last-minute chaos, and take a load off.

This dish is triply aggressive, with sweet, sour, and spicy tastes strung together in an intense interplay. To make it your own, experiment with the balance of those three elements—you might make it more sour, or very, very spicy, depending on your palate and preferences.