Fast dinners with big personalitiesI always want something saucy for dinner on the weeknights leading up to Thanksgiving, maybe because when I was a kid, we often had spaghetti and meatballs the evening before the holiday. I like to have flavors with giant personalities in the mix, too — chiles, olives, spices and a lot of garlic — a counterpoint to the roast turkey and mashed potatoes coming my way. The recipes below, starting with Madhur Jaffrey’s simple Goan shrimp curry, are ideal for this week, especially if you’re otherwise tied up baking pies or assembling your Thanksgiving tiramisù. We have everything you need for the holiday on New York Times Cooking, including the best leftovers recipes you’ll find anywhere. Happy Thanksgiving. Reach out to me at dearemily@nytimes.com if you need any help this week, or contact cookingcare@nytimes.com if you bump into technical issues or have any trouble with your Cooking account. We’re standing by!
1. Madhur Jaffrey’s Goan Shrimp CurryThere are many iterations of this staple dish, but few are as easy to make as this one from Madhur Jaffrey, one of the pre-eminent voices on Indian cooking. You can make the spiced coconut-milk sauce ahead of time, if you’d like. Then just return it to the heat, slip in the shrimp to cook and serve.
2. One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Caramelized LemonI’m nominating this Dan Pelosi recipe as a turkey substitute for a small Thanksgiving, a chicken dish with olives that practically pop with briny flavor. But it’s just as good before the holiday, especially if you have houseguests coming in. (A different thing but a little simpler, if that’s what you need right now: this recipe for lemon chicken breasts, no rice.)
3. Espagueti Verde (Creamy Roasted Poblano Pasta)I want a big pot of this smoky, tangy pasta for dinner tonight. Paola Briseño-González’s recipe uses charred poblanos and a cup of parsley for very green, five-star results.
4. Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts With Honey MustardI like a little sharp with my sweet, and some heat, too, which is why I’ll be making this sticky-honey-mustard recipe from Ali Slagle with hot Italian sausage. But you can make it with sweet Italian, kielbasa or bratwurst instead, or even chicken or plant-based sausage.
5. Sweet and Sour Eggplant With Garlic ChipsI love this recipe from Sue Li (the creator of our 2025 Thanksgiving showstopper pies). Because I’ve turned into one of those “what about a protein?” people, I suggest doubling the sauce and adding some seared tofu to the dish. Serve over rice. For a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started. Thanks for reading and cooking. If you like the work we do at New York Times Cooking, please subscribe! (Or give a subscription as a gift!) You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, or follow me on Instagram. I’m dearemily@nytimes.com, and previous newsletters are archived here. Reach out to my colleagues at cookingcare@nytimes.com if you have any questions about your account. View all recipes in your weekly plan.
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