More protein, less pasta, tasty and not too much prep
Here are five recipes that are highly rated (read: demonstrably delicious), are easy to make and pack a protein punch.
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By Margaux Laskey, The New York Times
Hello again! Margaux here, filling in for Emily today.
When asked to write this newsletter, I immediately turned to my mom group — a diverse group of working women with children ages 3 to 15 — and asked them what sorts of dinners they’d like to see. I got two enthusiastic requests: more protein, less pasta. “And they should be tasty and not require an hour of prep,” one wrote. “I’m basically requesting a unicorn.”
Well, New York Times Cooking is here to serve, Fairy Godmother-style. Here are five recipes that are highly rated (read: demonstrably delicious), are easy to make and pack a protein punch.
1. Honey-Habanero Pork Chops With Carrots
In this sweet-and-spicy skillet dinner, lean boneless pork chops and carrots are glossed in a simple yet impactful trio of honey, habanero chiles and lime. The combination of ingredients is classic throughout the Yucatán, like in cochinita pibil, for a reason. Habanero chiles and honey are hot and sweet, sure, but they’re also upbeat, floral and fruity. Charring the chiles alongside the pork adds a hint of smokiness, while lime zest and juice add even more high notes. Eat on top of grits or mashed potatoes.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 thin (1/2-inch) boneless pork chops (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- Salt
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed
- 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 lime
- 2 habanero chiles, halved and seeded
- 1/4 cup honey
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
Preparation
1. Pat the pork dry and season all over with the paprika and a big pinch of salt. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the carrots, season with salt and stir occasionally until crisp-tender and charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Scrape the carrots onto a plate and zest the lime over the top. Cut the lime in half.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high. Add the pork and the chiles. Cook, pressing the meat with tongs to prevent buckling, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until firm to the touch, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pork to the plate (leave the chiles in the skillet).
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the honey and juice from half the lime. Stir constantly until thickened and dark like maple syrup, 1 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the pork, carrots and any resting juices back to the skillet. Turn to coat in the glaze. Serve sprinkled with the cilantro.
2. Coconut-Caramel Braised Tofu
In this quick vegan meal, versatile tofu takes on a flavorful coconut-caramel glaze with minimal effort. It’s simmered in a fragrant braising liquid of rich coconut milk, savory miso and aromatic ginger and garlic until the liquid reduces into a rich, sweet caramel sauce. Lightly charred green beans add subtle smoky notes, but broccoli or cauliflower florets would also work great. A final shower of fresh scallions and tart lime juice balances and brightens the sweet sauce; other herbs like basil or cilantro would also light up the dish in a lovely way. Leftovers can be reheated and tossed with noodles for lunch the next day.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
- 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut crosswise into thirds
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) package firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 small shallot, minced (1/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon peeled minced ginger (from one 1-inch piece)
- 1 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, stirred
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges for serving
- Steamed rice and hot sauce, for serving
Preparation
1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Add green beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer green beans to a plate.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the tofu to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Push tofu to one side of the skillet and reduce heat to medium. To the empty side, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the shallot, garlic and ginger; stir until well combined and coated in the oil, then mix into the tofu until well incorporated.
3. Add coconut milk, soy sauce, miso and sugar and bring to a simmer, mashing the miso until it dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces and resembles caramel, about 5 minutes. Stir in reserved green beans, 1/4 cup scallions and 1 tablespoon lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
4. Divide braised tofu and green beans over rice. Garnish with more scallions and serve with lime wedges.
3. Roasted Chicken Thighs With Cauliflower and Herby Yogurt
This weeknight sheet-pan meal of crispy roasted chicken thighs and cauliflower gets a flavor boost from a tangy herbed yogurt sauce. If your cauliflower comes with leaves attached, don’t toss them. Roast them alongside the florets; just toss them with a little bit of olive oil and add them to the sheet pan about halfway through the cooking time. Make sure to scoop up a bit of yogurt with each bite.
By Yossy Arefi
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes (or 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
- 1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch florets (about 5 cups)
- 3 shallots, quartered lengthwise (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more for serving
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and set a rack in the center.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the coriander, paprika and Aleppo pepper with 1 tablespoon oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to coat in the oil and spices. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, on a large baking sheet.
3. Add the cauliflower, shallots, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to coat, then arrange the vegetables in a single layer surrounding the chicken.
4. Bake until the chicken is deep golden brown and cooked through and the cauliflower is browned, tossing the vegetables once or twice, about 40 minutes. (If the chicken is done before the cauliflower, transfer the thighs to a plate, cover, and continue cooking the cauliflower until golden brown.)
5. While the chicken bakes, prepare the yogurt sauce: Whisk the yogurt, mint, cilantro, lemon juice and grated garlic with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
6. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter and top with any juices left on the sheet pan and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with a swoop of yogurt on the side, and fresh cilantro, if desired.
4. Quick Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Savory and a little sweet, this light dinner tastes like spring but can be made any time of year — and any night of the week if you keep a stash of shrimp in your freezer. By quickly thawing them under running water, then dry-brining them with salt for a minute, you end up with juicier, snappier shrimp that taste incredibly fresh. Asparagus spears also cook fast until they’re as crisp-tender as the shrimp. By slicing them at a sharp angle, you reduce any stringiness in the stalks. For a spicy stir-fry, use the chile and keep the seeds in. For a little less heat, remove the seeds after slicing. Stirring a final pat of butter into the sauce, which is sweetened with onion and salty with soy, binds together all of the ingredients with a touch of richness. Serve over rice to sop up that sauce or over tender, leafy greens for a warm salad.
By Genevieve Ko
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound peeled and deveined frozen shrimp (16-to-20-count; see Tip below)
- Salt
- Canola or grapeseed oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small red hot chile, thinly sliced (seeds removed for a milder heat)
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut at a sharp angle into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
Preparation
1. Rinse the shrimp in a colander under running cold water until no longer rock hard, 3 to 4 minutes. Very generously sprinkle with salt and toss in the colander. Let stand for 1 minute, then rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom, then add the onion, garlic and chile. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring, until the onion starts to turn translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until curled more tightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the asparagus, soy sauce and sugar, and cook, stirring, until the asparagus are just tender, 1 to 3 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat, add the butter and stir until melted. Serve immediately.
Tip
If using shell-on shrimp, start with 1 1/4 pounds. If you can’t find a 16-to-20-count package of shrimp, go with smaller ones, such as a 21-to-30-count. (Shrimp are labeled by number of shrimp per pound, such as 16-20 or 21-30.) If using smaller shrimp, reduce the cooking time slightly.
5. Roasted Salmon With Peas and Radishes
Salmon and sweet peas are the perfect pairing for a quick and satisfying supper. The salmon is roasted skin-side up, to protect the delicate flesh and keep the fish moist. Peppery radishes mellow during cooking, turning slightly sweet and juicy as they soften. Browned butter, mustard and capers coat the peas and radishes in a tangy sauce, and white miso provides depth. If there’s no miso to be found, just leave it out or sub with a splash of soy sauce.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon or trout fillets
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 bunches radishes with greens (about 1 pound), radishes halved, 1 cup leaves reserved (or 1 pound diced zucchini, or two 14-ounce cans whole artichokes, drained and halved)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas (no need to thaw)
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup chopped dill or parsley
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, coat salmon with 2 tablespoons oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and arrange skin-side up. Roast until fish is just opaque throughout and cooked to medium, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter in remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add halved radishes (not leaves), season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and slightly softened, about 8 minutes. (If using zucchini, you can reduce the cook time to about 5 minutes; if using artichokes, you’ll only need to cook about 3 minutes.) Add 1 cup water, the peas, capers, miso and mustard, and cook, stirring to dissolve the miso and mustard, until peas are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and simmer until a light sauce forms, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in radish leaves and dill.
4. Divide vegetables among plates or shallow bowls and top with salmon. Spoon pan sauce on top and serve warm.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
