Supremely simple (and tasty) dinners for a busy monthI’m always looking to give you the easiest ways to make great dinners, recipes with a good ratio of effort to deliciousness. But as I sat down to write this week’s newsletter, I noticed that the five I selected below are all really, truly, exceptionally simple and great — standouts that are satisfying, too. They’re perfect for a busy time of year (now) when you need fortification at home at the end of the day. That’s especially true if you, like me, live in a place where there’s already snow on the ground and in the trees. Speaking of great dinners: Have you seen our collection of the 50 most popular recipes of 2025? It’s chockablock with fast, five-star recipes. And do you need three-ingredient appetizers for your next holiday event? Hanukkah treats? Christmas breakfast, dinner or cocktails? (My colleague Alexa Weibel has been raving about this rum punch.) Last but not least, if you’re still Christmas shopping, one of the greatest gifts you can give a cook is a subscription to New York Times Cooking, with full access to our catalog of more than 24,000 recipes. Questions? Requests? Write to me at dearemily@nytimes.com. I reply to as many notes as I can! I’m also making (party edition)Hot honey whipped ricotta; green feta dip; spicy party mix; strawberry jam bars with cardamom; classic tiramisù; new classic brownies.
1. Beef Biryani With Cumin RaitaThis shortcut recipe from Kay Chun transforms biryani from an hourlong engagement into something you can make quickly. The list of ingredients is long, but most are spices — a clue as to how delicious this is.
2. Sheet-Pan Lemon Turmeric ChickenSimple and sunny, this recipe from Zaynab Issa cooks in fewer than 25 minutes under the broiler. A yogurt marinade helps keep the meat juicy and tender.
3. Pasta With Spicy Sausages, Tomatoes, Rosemary and OlivesTangy and bold, this sauce that Melissa Clark created goes with whole wheat pasta, but it’s excellent with any kind, especially regular wheat. This dish is perfection itself on a cold night.
4. Tomato and Ginger Braised TofuHetty Lui McKinnon makes a jammy, zingy sauce for tofu using burst cherry tomatoes, ginger and soy sauce. In the words of one commenter: “SO GOOD.”
5. Cheesy Green Chile Bean BakeThis Ali Slagle bean bake is the kind of utterly easy, incredibly flexible dinner you need if you’re feeding kids. Scoop the mixture into tortillas to make tacos; treat it as a dip with tortilla chips; pile it onto tostadas; spoon it over baked potatoes (or baked sweet potatoes). Add bacon or shredded rotisserie chicken if that’s what you want to do. Baby spinach is a good addition, too. 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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