Sour Cream
Cheddar and Horseradish Spread
This one is cheesy, tangy, and a little spicy. Serve with plenty of crackers.
By Andrew Knowlton
Miso-Tofu Ranch Dip
Umami-loaded ingredients (tofu and miso) make this the most addictive ranch ever.
Sloppy Tacos
The only thing better than Sloppy Joes for dinner is taco night. This hybrid is the best of both worlds.
Wedge Salad
We think our wedge salad recipe is the ultimate iteration, but we're not opposed to innovation—like these embellishments and swaps.
By The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
Cheesecake Ice Cream With Strawberry Sauce
The only thing better than a favorite dessert is two faves in one— without twice the calories, of course.
By Adeena Sussman
Green Goddess Dressing
Green Goddess Dressing is a perfect example of the magic of anchovies—they amplify and deepen the herbal flavors in this sauce without ever announcing their presence. For more recipes and tips, see our Homemade Salad Dressing Primer.
By Kemp Minifie
Strawberry Pazzo Cake With Herbed Crème Fraîche
Twelve years ago, I made a simple bowl of "strawberries pazzo"—pazzo means "crazy" in Italian — for my friend Ann Spivack (this book's co-writer). The combination of strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper has been part of my repertoire for decades. Ann thanked me by baking me this pazzo cake.
This dessert—while easy to make—is a cut above a standard strawberry shortcake. The cake batter is very forgiving and comes out well when baked on your grill or in your oven. Bake this in a standard 8-by-8-inch baking pan in your oven; if baking inside a covered grill, pour the batter into a cast-iron skillet, enameled cast-iron baking dish, or Dutch oven.
The key to the herbed crème fraîche is a light touch with the fresh herbs. You don't want to overwhelm the cake. We used rosemary but small tender basil leaves are delicious too.
We dressed up this cake for our Harvest Dinner by drizzling on a balsamic glaze, spooning Roasted Strawberries onto the plate, and finishing with an herbed crème fraîche. You can serve all three with the cake, any one of them, or forget all three of them and just serve the cake simply with a light dusting of confectioners' sugar.
By Michael Chiarello, Ann Krueger Spivack , and Claudia Sansone
Laurie Osteen's Coconut Cake
Osteen likes to frost these cakes while they're still warm. They'll absorb some of the frosting, which takes on the consistency of a glaze.
By Laurie Osteen
Buttermilk Panna Cotta With Rhubarb-Strawberry Jelly
The slight tang of this dessert is complemented by the sweet and sour flavor of the vibrant topping. Because the panna cotta can be made so far in advance, it's an ideal choice for a party.
By April Bloomfield
Smoked Salmon Smørrebrød
Smørrebrød only sound complicated. "You can put whatever you want on them," says chef Nicolaus Balla, who serves the Scandinavian open-face sandwiches at San Francisco's Bar Tartine. Simply slather a creamy spread like butter or sour cream on dense rye bread. Top with classic combos like roast beef and crisp onions, or smoked salmon and scallions—and since they're on view, make sure they look good. Finish with herbs, lemon zest—anything, really, except a second piece of bread.
By Nicolaus Balla
Minty Pea Soup
This is a far cry from army-green split pea soup. Cooking the peas briefly retains their vibrant color, and the addition of fresh herbs keeps the finished soup looking and tasting bright. Delicious warm or chilled, it's a springtime staple.
By Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer
Nachos With All the Fixings
For the ultimate nachos, layer tortilla chips with beer-braised carnitas, black beans, and shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack. Bake until the cheese is melty, then serve it with all your favorite toppings.
By Chris Morocco
Mushroom, Leek, and Fontina Frittata
Frittatas are excellent served warm or at room temperature, which means that this meatless main is a perfect do-ahead dish.
By The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
Ultimate Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes cooked in chicken broth are mashed with just the right amount of butter, cream, chives and bacon to make an irresistible side dish.
Ultimate Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes cooked in chicken broth are mashed with just the right amount of butter, cream, chives and bacon to make an irresistible side dish.
Caramelized-Onion Dip with Cilantro-Garlic Pita Chips
Too often chips and dip are left out as a makeshift hors d’oeuvre at cocktail parties. Here’s a deliciously unconventional version of an entertaining favorite. The dip highlights the rich flavors of sweet caramelized Vidalia or Maui onions with cinnamon-like garam masala and tangy crème fraîche or sour cream. Homemade pita chips are cooked in extra-virgin olive oil infused with garlic and cilantro.
Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup with Serrano Cream
This roasted vegetable duo represents an unconventional combination of vibrant colors, rich aromatics, and sensual tastes. The soups are served as equal partners in one bowl—try each one separately, but be sure to stir them together to get the full experience.
Beet and Carrot Pancakes
Made with shredded beets and carrots, these pancakes are substantial enough to be a vegetarian main course but mild enough to play second fiddle to roast chicken or pork. Pull out the food processor to shred the carrots and beets in minutes. Or pick up a bag of shredded carrots from your supermarket to save time. Luscious crème fraîche can take the place of the sour cream garnish, if desired, and both can be dressed up with chopped fresh chives or dill.
Delicata Squash Sformato
A sformato is essentially a soufflé that doesn't rise because there isn't any air or egg white whipped into it—foolproof! I serve it in place of mashed potatoes, since it has a great flavor without an excess of butter and cream. If I have people over, I'll bake it in individual gratin dishes with a few fresh thyme leaves on top for presentation's sake.
Delicata squash has a flavor similar to that of butternut, but the skin is much thinner—edible, in most cases—and the squash is more delicate overall (hence the name). The flesh of a butternut or acorn squash would be a fine substitute. Cooking with squash in the fall and early winter months will yield the best results with this recipe. I find that out of season the squash become a bit waterlogged. You can do everything but bake the sformato in advance. Bring the dish to room temperature before baking.
By Sara Forte
Caramelized Onion and Shallot Dip
Roasting the onions and shallots takes this dip way out of the box.
By The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen