It’s no secret that Bon Appétit editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, entertain our friends, satisfy a sweet tooth, use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
April 3
Lemony broccoli pasta
One of my all-time favorite comfort foods is a bowl of buttered noodles bulked up with broccoli. Delicious in its most simple form, but now I have a new favorite version from my coworker Rebecca Firkser. She jazzes it up with umami-packed anchovies, loads of garlic, and bright lemon. The citrus here is used in its entirety, skin, pith, flesh, and all. It imbues the pasta with a wonderful freshness that’s far more exciting than the pared-back version I’m used to. —Jesse Szewczyk, senior Test Kitchen editor
Comforting boy kibble
This time of year, I’m eating out a lot, zigzagging across the country to scout for our Best New Restaurants. When I returned home from my most recent trip, I couldn’t wait to eat a home-cooked meal. I love making a variation on this Smashed Beef Kebab with Cucumber Yogurt from former BA staffer Zaynab Issa. Call it boy kibble if you’d like! The meat is seasoned with earthy turmeric and hard-seared over high heat. It’s easy to make and endlessly adaptable. I’ve used ground beef, lamb, bison (one of my favorites)—they all work. Served with a bed of fluffy rice, it made a delightful welcome back dinner. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
A strong salad craving
Like clockwork, as soon as the weather warms, I crave salads. Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Chickpeas With Greek Salad always fit the bill. This week, I didn’t have tiny potatoes or chickpeas, so I opted for one big ole russet. After boiling potato chunks until tender, I spread them onto my air-fryer tray, smashed them with the back of a cup, drizzled them with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and air-fried until golden brown. I swooshed an herby yogurt dressing (lactose-free for me) in a bowl, then piled on cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, red onion, and finally, the shatteringly crisp potatoes. A scattering of toasted pine nuts and crumbled Bulgarian feta to finish. Perfection. —Abi Lieff, assistant to the editor in chief
Crispy chickpeas and smashed potatoes share the plate with lemon-juiced onions, tomatoes, and olives, all balanced by a creamy spread of yogurt. Brought to life with Greek Seasoning, made with oregano, garlic, cinnamon, peppermint, dill, nutmeg, red pepper, and chives. It turns your favorite staples, like potatoes, into flavorful masterpieces.
Loaded salad pizza
I am not a Trader Joe’s regular; I go maybe three or four times a year. When I do make the trip, it’s for snacks and treats and meal starters I can’t get anywhere else (like Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers). This time around, I couldn’t leave without a frozen Pizza Bianca after being struck by a particularly strong hankering for a salad pizza—that is, a hot and cheesy slice topped with a mountain of crunchy greens. As promised by our intrepid TJ’s correspondent Alex Beggs, the crust was pleasantly puffy, and the onion flavor was just funky enough. Then loaded with a tangled heap of arugula and radicchio tossed in my colleague Emma Laperruque’s bracing Three-Minute Red Wine Vinaigrette? Each bite was so good, I might have to return to the store before fall. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor
