Ah, the trash can: a receptacle for refuse, a container for scraps of all sorts. Unless your trash can is overtly smelly, you might not think about it too often. But imagine if your trash can conjured up positive, non-putrid thoughts—ones of odor control, a smooth-opening lid, and an exterior that wasn’t an eyesore. 

That’s what we wanted and set out to find when we tested nine kitchen trash cans. We landed on four top picks. Not only did they work really well, but we’d happily display any of them in our kitchens.

The Winners, at a Glance

This pedal-operated stainless steel trash can has a lid that opens and closes silently. The lid can also be locked, allowing it to stay open for however long you need it to. In our tests, it was very effective at containing odors—only when we were right next to it could we detect a faint whiff of the air freshener. We liked that its interior bin can be removed for deeper cleaning. While it does call for simplehuman’s J liners, we found it worked fine with store-bought bags.

Like the simplehuman, this trash can has a removable interior bin. This also makes it easier to add and remove trash bags. Its lid sprung upwards, but it features a soft-close mechanism we liked. While its odor control wasn’t as good as our overall winner, it still did well.

This lightweight trash can has a foot pedal and a lid that locks closed (if you’ve ever had a rambunctious pup get into your trash can, you know how helpful this can be). We found the lid consistently opened and closed smoothly—and we did so dozens of times throughout testing.

If you want a trash can you can wave a hand over and have it open, the iTouchless will serve you well. It has an automatic mode and a manual one—and it’s battery-operated. We liked its interior ring that kept trash bags in place and while it didn’t do as well in our odor retention test, it offers nice features for its price. 

The Tests

• Bag Fit Test: We placed a standard, 13-gallon trash bag into each trash can, evaluating its fit. We tugged around the perimeter of the trash bag to see if it would stay in place.
• Durability Test: To see if the trash cans would easily dent, we gently kicked each model five times near its base. We then ran a vacuum into each trash can, as if we were cleaning and accidentally hit it. 
• Lid Test: We opened and closed each trash can’s lid 25 times. 
• Odor Control Test: We placed a potent air freshener into each trash can and left it on its own in a closed, small room for 24 hours—checking for smelliness midway through and at the end of this time period. 

What We Learned

Metal Trash Cans Were Better with Smells (But Only If They Had Tight Lids)

Stainless steel is denser and less porous than plastic, so it makes sense the metal models topped our odor retention test. (Note: Our favorite compost bin is also made of stainless steel.) When we walked into the room our simplehuman winner was in after 24 hours with an air freshener inside of it, we couldn’t detect a smell. The AmazonBasics (which was made of alloy steel) did well in this test too, though we noticed more of a scent behind the trash can, thanks to a slight gap at the lid’s hinge. In comparison, the simplehuman plastic and Rubbermaid models emitted noticeable odors. However, they were far better than the Umbra Venti Swing-Top Kitchen Trash Can, which featured a gap around its swing-top mechanism that mercilessly released smells. 

Hinged vs. Swing-Top Trash Cans 

Given the above findings, it should come as no surprise that we favored hinged lids that shut over ones with swing tops. (The latter had cover openings that see-sawed back and forth.) While we are talking trash here, swing-top models have another concern: sanitization. With hinged—and, of course, touchless—lids you can open them without concern over messy hands and having to touch the lid, getting it gunky. Swing-top lids have to be touched with every use. 

Pedals Shouldn’t Need Much Pressure

We preferred trash cans with pedals that needed just slight pressure to operate—and lids that opened at a consistent speed. For example, the Glad Stainless Steel Step Trash Can’s lid sometimes jolted open and other times did so smoothly—all without us changing the pressure we applied on the pedal. 

Which Trash Cans Were the Most Durable?

Happily, all of the trash cans we tested were able to withstand our kicking and vacuum-ramming durability tests with nary a dent. Through this test, we found we preferred wider trash cans for the simple reason that they were less likely to tip over. When we knocked our vacuum into the Umbra—with its round, smaller base—it wobbled dramatically.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Kitchen Trash Can

The best trash cans retained odors well, with tight-fitting lids that trapped smells. We preferred hinged lids that we weren’t required to touch to open and responsive pedals. Trash cans should be stable, too, and not be able to be knocked over easily. 

Our Favorite Trash Cans

What we liked: This trash can did the best in our odor control test—and had a pedal that opened its lid smoothly and slowly every time. The lid can be locked upright too, and it never slammed upwards and back into the wall behind it. The simplehuman features an interior bin that can be removed for sanitization and makes it easier to add and remove trash bags. While it does take the brand’s custom J liners, a standard, storebought trash bag fit just fine in our tests. This trash can comes with a whopping 10-year warranty—and, in our experience, simplehuman has great customer service. 

What we didn’t like: We have no complaints. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Dimensions: 15.8 x 12.5 x 25.7 inches
• Stated capacity: 10 gallons
• Weight: 14.52 pounds
  

What we liked: With a removable interior liner (like the simplehuman), a soft-close lid mechanism, and a responsive foot pedal, we were impressed by the Amazon Basics offering. Its lid did spring open more, but it was consistent in doing so. It had an inner lip that kept trash bags in place and didn’t dent in our durability tests.  

What we didn’t like: While this trash can did well in our odor retention test, we noticed more of a smell at the back of the can. There was a gap between the trash can and its lid’s hinge we attributed this to.

 Key Specs

• Materials: Alloy steel
• Dimensions: 14.7 x 16.7 x 25.9 inches 
• Stated capacity: 13.2 gallons
• Weight: 13.21 pounds 
  

What we liked: If you want a plastic trash can that’s half the price of our winner, the simplehuman did well in our tests. It has a nicely touchy foot pedal, a lock, and a lid that opens and closes smoothly every time. Because it’s made from plastic but has a wide base, there’s little worry about it denting or tipping over. Like its stainless steel sibling, it takes custom liners but fit a store-bought bag fine in our tests. 

What we didn’t like: It lacks a removable liner and has more nooks and crannies that gunk could build up in.

Key Specs

• Materials: Plastic
• Dimensions: 18.7 x 14.4 x 26.2 inches
• Stated capacity: 50 liters (13 gallons)
• Weight: 7 pounds

What we liked: This trash can has a battery-powered sensor you can wave a hand over and the lid will open. That said, it can also be toggled to manual mode. We were impressed that the lid opened seamlessly every time and found its inner ring kept trash bags in place impressively well.

What we didn’t like: It did passably in the odor retention test—likely due to the two gaps on either side of the lid that exist for you to open it in manual mode. Tall folks might have to hunch over to wave and activate the sensor. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Dimensions: 16 x 11.4 x 25.3 inches
• Stated capacity: 13 gallons
• Weight: 7.5 pounds

The Competition 

• Glad Stainless Steel Step Trash Can: This trash can’s lid opened erratically—slamming upward one time and opening slowly another. 
• Kohler 13 Gallon Hands-Free Kitchen Step Trash Can: This trash can did well in all of our tests, but it just didn’t outperform the simplehuman and it was more expensive. That said, if it’s on sale, we say go for it. 
• Rubbermaid Classic 13-Gallon Premium Step-On Trash Can: This model’s lid overextended when open, whacking into the wall behind it. 
• Simplehuman 15.3 Gallon Voice + Motion Rectangular Sensor Trash Can, 2nd Generation: We liked this trash can, but it appears to be discontinued. 
• Umbra Venti Swing-Top Kitchen Trash Can, 16.5 Gallon: This swing-top model did the worst in our odor control test. It was also unstable.

FAQs

How many gallons is a kitchen trash can? 

Most of the trash cans we tested were between 10 and 13 gallons, which is a good size. It would serve a household of two to four well and likely need to be emptied every one to two days. 

Is a stainless steel trash can worth it?

Yes, we do think a stainless steel trash can is worth it—and our top pick from simplehuman is made from this material. Not only does it look sleek, but it did the best in our odor control test. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director of Serious Eats. 
• She’s been with the site since 2021 and previously worked for America’s Test Kitchen and Food52. She’s been testing gear professionally for more than six years and has written reviews of dinnerware sets, espresso machines, and more. 
• To find the best trash cans, we tested nine of them and evaluated their odor retention, lid design, trash bag fit, durability and more.
  

As a London-based Moroccan chef, I consider myself well-versed in both European and Moroccan cuisines, and as much as I love the more traditional approaches to each, I have a lot of fun blending those approaches. It's exactly what I’ve done in the beef stew recipe here, which is multi-layered and heady without being too heavy. This interpretation of beef stew combines Western stewing techniques with some of my favorite flavors of Moroccan cuisine: tender chunks of beef stewed with fresh collard greens, chickpeas, and fragrant ras el hanout. It's not a dish that's purely Moroccan or European, but a mixture of both.

Why This Moroccan Stew is Not a Tagine

To be clear, this recipe is a stew and not a tagine. Both a tagine and a stew are slow-cooked braises, and there can be a lot of overlap with the terms. For someone less familiar with Moroccan food, they might assume that a recipe for beef seared and simmered with Moroccan spices like ras el hanout should be labeled a tagine. But for Moroccans, this recipe would never be considered a tagine, and not just because it isn’t prepared in the unique cone-shaped pot known as a tagine (it's very common for Moroccans to prepare tagines without using the classic clay tagines at home). This stew wouldn't be considered a tagine because tagines made in Morocco follow rules that aren’t used in this recipe, a few of which I’m listing here: 

• A tagine starts with an onion-and-garlic base that’s sautéed in olive oil and/or butter.
• For meat-based tagines, larger bone-in cuts of meat are used.
• Meat in a tagine is never browned. 
• Ras el hanout is only used for a particular type of tagine called mrouzia (lamb with raisins, almonds, and honey), and would not be paired with beef in a tagine.
• Tomato paste is only used in tomato-based tagines.
• A tagine that contains vegetables, like collard greens used here, would typically be cooked the m'qualli way (with ground turmeric and ground ginger) and never with ras el hanout.

Of course, "rules" are made to be broken, and one might argue that some recipes that defy one or more of the above could still be considered a tagine. In the case of this recipe, though, I'm breaking so many rules and adopting so many others from Western cooking that I wouldn't call this recipe a tagine, and I'm pretty sure most others who are knowledgeable about Moroccan cuisine would agree.

Steps for a Flavorful Moroccan-Style Beef Stew

So why break from Moroccan tagine traditions, and apply Moroccan flavors to a stew? It’s simply because I love this combination of flavors. To me, this recipe is a classic stew to which I’ve added ras el hanout for an aromatic Moroccan flair, and its success comes down to a few flavor-building and texture-enhancing techniques:

• Brown the meat: In a Moroccan tagine, the meat would not be browned, but for my stew I brown the beef chunks on all sides over high heat to form a caramelized crust before braising. The reason why tagines don’t brown the meat likely stems from functionality: Tagines are traditionally clay pots set over lower heat to ensure the pot isn’t damaged. The tool itself limited browning and made it a less important element of that style of cooking.
  
  There’s also the fact that you get more tenderness when you don't brown (because browning dehydrates the surface of the meat), and there's so much flavor-building happening elsewhere in most moroccan tagines (spices, preserved lemon, etc.) that the deep roasted flavors of the Maillard reaction could be deprioritized over tenderness and a more clean, clear flavor profile. But in this stew, I love how the broth is enriched with a deep, savory flavor from browning the meat, and how that flavor pairs with the fragrant spices of ras el hanout.
  
  
• Create a flavorful aromatic base: This stew’s aromatic base is where the majority of its flavor comes from. The ras el hanout spice blend, tomato paste, and garlic are added to sautéed onions to briefly infuse into the rendered beef fat. Blooming the spices in fat before adding the liquid allows the full complexity of the ras el hanout to come through, spreading its fat-soluble floral, earthy, and warming flavor molecules throughout. I also add just a teaspoon of honey to balance the intense flavor from the beef and spices, and simmer a cilantro bundle with the stew to enhance its Moroccan flavor profile. 
  
  
• Simmer slowly: This is a key cooking step for any meat stew. A slow, gentle simmer ensures that the beef chuck’s tough connective tissue has a chance to break down and soften until fork-tender. I chose to simmer on the stovetop, avoiding the need to lift a big, heavy pot of hot liquid in and out of the oven (though you could braise it in a moderately-low oven, if desired). Just make sure to periodically check on the pot, and adjust the burner setting to maintain a simmer, while avoiding scorching the bottom.
  
  
• Add bright flavor and heartiness with fresh vegetables and beans: The final additions liven up the stew and make it more filling: fresh collard greens and canned chickpeas. They’re added after the meat has simmered for hours, and cooked just long enough to wilt and tenderize the greens while retaining some freshness. I love how these final vegetable additions balance the richness of the stew while keeping it hearty.

Ras el Hanout: The Key to This Stew's Flavor

At the heart of this deeply aromatic stew is ras el hanout, a signature Moroccan spice blend. The name ras el hanout translates to "head of the shop" in Arabic and refers to the best spices a spice merchant has to offer. Although there is no single recipe for ras el hanout—as each spice vendor has their own variation—it typically includes a mix of ground cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, and sometimes even rose petals or saffron. This aromatic and complex blend gives this stew welcome depth and warmth.

While once difficult to find outside North Africa, ras el hanout is now more widely available at spice shops and some large-scale grocery stores throughout the US, bringing its special mix of fragrant and earthy notes to home kitchens everywhere, though it's also easy to make your own. 

This stew’s exciting combination of hearty beef, warm spices, and bright fresh vegetables make it a great meal for any time of year, but I especially enjoy it during the shoulder season leading into spring. I recommend serving it for family gatherings and special occasions with bread, couscous or even rice.

Pat beef dry with paper towels and season all over with salt. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of beef and cook, turning occasionally (wait until beef releases easily from the bottom of the pot with a gentle lift), until well browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a large plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil and remaining beef.

In now-empty Dutch oven or pot, reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and ras el hanout and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Return seared meat to pot and add stock or broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and honey and stir to combine.

Add cilantro bundle, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until beef is fork-tender, 2 to 2 3/4 hours; stir every 30 minutes or so to prevent sauce from sticking to bottom of pot.

Stir in collard greens and chickpeas. There should be enough liquid to partially cover the ingredients; if necessary, add a little more stock or water. Cover pot and simmer until collard greens are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Off heat, discard cilantro bundle and season to taste with salt, if needed. Using a ladle or wide spoon, skim any excess fat from top of stew. Sprinkle individual portions with chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve with bread or cooked couscous or rice.

Special Equipment

Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot

Notes

Ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend, can be made from scratch or purchased from most grocery stores with a good spice section (even major mass-market spice companies like McCormick make it).

Make-Ahead and Storage

The stew can be cooled down and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

If you made it through the winter with your worn-out cookware set and barely-chugging-along clunker of a food processor, maybe it’s time to set your sights on a few upgrades. Whether you’re just starting to look for the best air fryer (we got you) or already have your heart set on an espresso machine, we have good news: Amazon just announced its Spring Sale dates. Seven days of major discounts will start on Tuesday, March 25, and run through Monday, March 31. 

Mark your calendars because you won’t want to miss all the great kitchen deals headed our way. In fact, some sales have already started, and it wouldn’t be fair if we kept that from you, so here are the best 20 deals, with up to 43% off the slickest OXO nonstick pan, our favorite Le Creuset Dutch oven, an affordable burr coffee grinder, and more.

FAQs

When is the Amazon Big Spring Sale 2025?

This year, Amazon’s spring sale event will last for seven days, starting on Tuesday, March 25, and running through Monday, March 31.

What is the Amazon Big Spring Sale?

The inaugural Amazon Big Spring Sale took place in March of 2024. Think of it as a springtime Prime Day that lasts for seven days, when you can stock up on kitchen essentials at a steal.

Do you have to be a Prime member to shop the Amazon Big Spring Sale?

You don’t! Anyone can access Big Spring Sale deals, but Prime members get free shipping and additional member-only discounts. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial here. 

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

We mean it when we say any opportunity to grab a Le Creuset Dutch oven on sale is worth hopping on. It’s been a front-runner in our tests year after year, thanks to its impeccable heating ability, which always results in tender braises and crusty bread loaves. Its enamel coating also stands up to the test of time and is a go-to in many of our editors’ homes.

OXO Brew 9-Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker

The OXO coffee maker produces consistently aromatic, flavorful cups of coffee and requires little work from the user. It’s great for those groggy mornings when you just need a caffeine kick before anything else. It’s a speedy machine with a thermal carafe that keeps coffee fresh for up to an hour.

Yeti Rambler 42-Ounce Tumbler With Handle and Straw Lid

Several of our editors speak lovingly of their Yeti Rambler tumblers. These insulated travel mugs keep drinks cool for hours and conveniently fit into any car cupholder. During our tests, the press-on lid kept liquid from leaking too much, even if it wasn’t completely leakproof.

Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler

With beach days and camping trips on the horizon, you’ll need a hard cooler to keep snacks and drinks cool. This wheeled Yeti cooler boasts an impressive 72 hours of cold retention. Its smooth telescoping handle has a 6.5-inch grip. No more lugging a heavy cooler around—the rugged wheels can traverse uneven terrain without any trouble.

Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine

Named the best espresso machine for beginners, this Breville Barista Express has a built-in grinder and steam wand. We were impressed with its ability to produce full-bodied espresso and appreciated how well it could steam milk to silky smoothness.

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

If you’re still grinding coffee with a spice grinder, this is our plea for you to get an upgrade. The OXO burr grinder is the best affordable model and will instantly bring more consistency and quality to your coffee routine. It also has a large, clearly marked dial for quickly changing the grind settings.

OXO Enhanced 10-Inch Nonstick Ceramic Skillet

Cheesy omelets and delicate crepes are made with ease in this OXO nonstick skillet. Food seems to slide right off the pan, which has a comfortable handle and a durable coating that resists scratches. Bonus points: The ceramic coating is an excellent, non-toxic, nonstick option.

Breville the Super Q Blender

We didn’t think it was possible to call a blender “quiet,” yet here we are. The Breville Super Q isn’t exactly whisper-quiet, but it makes significantly less noise than other countertop blenders we tested. It also has five presets: soup, ice crush,  frozen dessert, smoothie, and green smoothie. We also appreciate its very efficient auto-clean function.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

The KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer is the best model for most avid home bakers. It can whip heavy cream or egg whites, knead dough, and mix cake batter. It also lasts for ages, having been a go-to baking essential in many of our editors’ kitchens.

Toshiba Countertop Microwave Oven

If your microwave is just a bit too grimy for a deep clean, it’s a good time to grab this Toshiba microwave, our top pick for a countertop microwave oven. During our tests, there were no detectable hot (or cold) spots in the foods it reheated, and we liked its spacious interior. Thanks to its smart sensor that guarantees uniform heating, it’s been our frontrunner for years.

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker 3.0

The onboard display on this immersion cooker cinched its place as one of our favorites. It also cooks accurately and quickly, heating room-temperature water to boiling in just 23.5 minutes. Despite its powerful heating ability, it’s exceptionally quiet.

Hamilton Beach 4-in-1 Electric Immersion Hand Blender

Our favorite budget hand blender was a sleeper hit during our tests. It out-blended pricier models and even crushed ice without struggling. From whipped cream to mayonnaise, this humble machine can do it all, and it’s on sale for just $35.

Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid

Lodge cookware has consistently done well in our tests, and this Dutch oven from the brand is no exception. (Personally speaking, I’ve had this fantastic piece of cookware for over a decade, and I love it.) It braises, stews, and bakes just as well as the competition. Plus, it’s on sale for $80.

Zwilling 4-Piece Steak Knife Set

For a budget-friendly steak knife set, this 4-piece one from Zwilling can slice through meat and vegetables without catching. The weighty handles are also comfortable to hold and maneuver around food.

OXO Good Grips Thermocouple Thermometer

Accurate, fast, and easy to read, this OXO Good Grips thermometer quickly rose to the top of our tested thermometers. The white digits against its black-lit screen are visible in bright kitchens and dark ovens alike.

Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels, 15-Pack

We recorded a 141% absorbency rate with these kitchen towels. On sale for just over $1 apiece, Zeppoli towels are durable and versatile, able to dry dishes or wrap around hot handles. They can be tossed into the washer and will come out ready for the next round of sopping up messy spills.

Krups Precision Electric Spice Grinder

This spice grinder handled heaps of black peppercorns and fennel seeds like a champ. It produces fine powders at lightning speed, even breaking down cinnamon sticks in just 30 seconds. Grab it to enhance the aromatics in your cooking—just don’t use it for coffee.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels 4-Stage Pull-Through Knife Sharpener

For an approachable way to keep blades sharp, this manual knife sharpener gets the job done. We still recommend whetstones or electric models over manual ones, but if you must, this $25 offering from Zwilling can achieve a sharp edge quickly.

Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker and Warmer

If you cook rice every day, it’s worth grabbing this Zojirushi rice cooker that has 10 functions:  white rice, brown rice, sushi rice, mixed rice, sweet rice, porridge, and more. It even has a setting for making cake. It lasts virtually forever and plays a pleasant tune when it’s done cooking.

Kuhn Rikon Vase Grinder

This pepper mill is a simple twist grinder that’s comfortable to hold. It didn’t hurt our wrists when we used it, and it achieved consistent grinds. Plus, it’s on sale for $18.

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing gear for Serious Eats for over two years and has written about kitchen gear sales for a year.
• She loves a good deal and highly recommends you grab a Zojirushi rice cooker while it’s discounted.

One of my favorite meals to eat is the comforting tomato-coconut soup that my grandmother used to cook for me whenever I visited her in Maharashtra at her home on India's west coast. In Maharashtra it's known as a type of saar, which means “a soup-like dish” in Marathi. But my grandma always referred to her tomato-coconut dish as "santosh," which in Sanskrit means “contentment.” I’ve always thought this name was well suited: The creamy coconut milk paired with sweet–tart tomatoes and ghee creates a velvety soup that makes me very content indeed. 

As a professional chef, I’ve cooked my grandmother’s tomato-coconut soup many times over the years. The first time was back in 2007 for my first catering gig at my ex-husband’s boss’s Christmas party, where I served it as the first course of the dinner. It was so well received that everyone clapped as we toasted my grandmother, who was 8,700 miles away in India. 

A few years after that, I put the soup on the menu of my first pop-up restaurant. One guest enjoyed it so much that a few months later, she called me to cater her family Christmas dinner and asked for my grandmother’s soup. I cooked her family’s Christmas dinner for years after, and every year they requested this tomato-coconut soup on the menu. 

Streamlining My Grandmother’s Tomato-Coconut Soup Recipe

Cooking the recipe the way my grandmother did—boiling, peeling, and seeding fresh tomatoes and making fresh coconut milk from scratch—was not practical for catering large scale parties in my California kitchen. So over the years I’ve made adjustments to her recipe, namely calling for canned tomatoes and coconut milk in place of fresh, to create this easy, one-pot recipe I’m sharing below. 

With these two changes, the soup is not only easier to make, but it can be made any time of year, even when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season. Having used many brands of canned tomatoes in this soup over the years, I believe that real Italian San Marzano tomatoes work best, thanks to their consistent sweetness and flavor (beware that not all canned tomatoes with the words "San Marzano" on the label are actually the true ones from Italy). Just remember to remove any basil leaves from the can before using the tomatoes. 

As for the type of coconut milk, I have experimented with full-fat and low-fat coconut creams and milks, and I find full-fat coconut milk has the best flavor and viscosity for this dish; coconut cream is too rich and low-fat milk is just too thin. 

Another difference between my grandmother’s version of the soup and mine is the type of onion used. My grandmother always used Indian onions, which are smaller and sweeter than American white, red, and yellow onions. The best replacement is shallots. They are about the same size and have comparable allium flavor to the onions my grandmother would use when making this soup in India.

Once the shallots are softened, chile powder is added with the blended-and-strained tomato mixture, followed by the coconut milk. When adding the coconut milk, be careful not to bring the soup to a boil. This eliminates any risk of the fat in the coconut milk separating and pools of coconut oil forming on the surface.

The final santosh doesn’t taste like a standard American tomato soup. It’s light and silky with a balanced flavor that’s enhanced with subtle heat from the ginger, shallots and chile powder. In Maharashtra, the soup is often eaten mixed into white rice or with bits of chapati or other griddle bread dipped into it, and in my opinion it’s sure to bring contentment in every bite.

Add tomatoes to a blender jar with their juices. Rinse out now-empty tomato can with 1 cup water, swish it around to collect more tomato flavor in the water, then add water to the blender. Blend tomatoes on high speed into a very smooth puree, about 1 minute.

Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and pour tomato puree through strainer. Add remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) water to now-empty blender and blend briefly to gather any remaining tomato liquid; pour that liquid through strainer. Using the back of a metal ladle, press tomato puree through strainer;scrape the puree  that collects on bottom of strainer into bowl. Set strained puree aside and discard any remaining pulp left in strainer.

In a 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat ghee or oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add ginger and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

Stir in strained tomato puree, chile powder, and salt, then cook until it just comes to a boil, 5 to 7 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, then vigorously shake can of coconut milk to combine fats and liquids before opening. While stirring constantly, slowly pour coconut milk into simmering soup. Raise heat to medium-high heat and return soup to a simmer. Once simmering, immediately remove from heat. Do not let soup boil, as this may cause fat in coconut milk to separate. Taste soup: Season to taste and, if too tart, add sugar to taste.

Serve in a bowl as-is or pour over hot white Basmati rice. Drizzle with melted ghee and sprinkle with cilantro (if using) before serving.

Special Equipment 

Blender, fine-mesh strainer, 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven

Make Ahead and Storage

The soup can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. To serve, warm it over low heat on the stovetop. Do not bring to a boil, as this might cause the soup to separate.

Writing about Midwestern food can feel at times like a hard sell—the modern equivalent of those 19th-century advertisements luring homesteaders to the Plains. Lately, I’ve fantasized about a billboard of my own: “PASTA OR POTATOES? IN THE MIDWEST, YOU DON’T NEED TO CHOOSE.”

I’m thinking here of my childhood comfort meal: Midwestern chicken and noodles. In Iowa, where I grew up, this did not mean soup. It meant juicy hunks of chicken coated in a roux-thickened gravy (often augmented with milk or cream) simmered with chewy, homemade egg noodles, all served over fluffy mashed potatoes. 

My health-minded mom would often leave out the mashed potatoes—feeling, as you might imagine, that two starches was gilding the lily. In my view, a little gilt is good.

Like a lot of homespun dishes, the origins of Midwestern chicken and noodles are murky. You’ll find recipes labeled “Amish,” “Midwestern,” or “Hoosier,” depending on the source. In 1984, the Indianapolis Star declared chicken and noodles the “one dish you always find on the table of a true Hoosier.” Thirty-some years later, the Iowa City Press-Citizen decreed it a “classic Iowa dish that conjures up images of farms and fields.” 

I’ll let the “I” states duke it out. Meanwhile, I’ve eaten chicken and noodles at roadside cafes across Missouri and Kansas and swapped childhood memories of the dish with my Ohio-native husband, fellow Serious Eats writer Jed Portman.

The Basics for Great Chicken and Noodles

The uniting principles of great chicken and noodles are the same everywhere: simplicity, seasoning, and a farm-worker’s lust for readily available carbohydrates. That simplicity is one reason why I’ve jettisoned common aromatics in this recipe. Carrots, celery, and onion are fine friends for a soup, but chicken and noodles should taste foremost like super-savory roast chicken. The only seasonings are salt and more black pepper than you think you need. 

Given that simple flavor profile, you might expect dark meat chicken for its extra fat and flavor. Not so. Early on, I tested recipes using whole chickens or chicken thighs, but the dark meat shredded less evenly and made the already-heavy dish taste greasy and limp. Bone-in split chicken breasts were the answer for juicy, substantive hunks of white meat. The bones help protect the breast from overcooking by partially insulating it from direct heat, ensuring tender morsels of chicken in each bite.

I almost always prefer my chicken breasts skin-on, but not for this dish. Since the skin is eventually removed, you'd just be throwing away flavor by browning it first. By removing the skin before cooking, that browned flavor develops on the breast meat itself and stays in the pot, not the trash can. 

Nailing the Noodles

With a dish this simple, every component has to be great. Which means: You really do need to make the egg noodles from scratch. Today, many Midwestern home cooks reach for frozen egg noodles, but to me, the convenience isn’t worth it. In blind tests, I could immediately pick out the store-bought noodles, which tasted wan and pasty next to fresh, chewy egg noodles with their brilliant golden hue. 

If you’ve never made homemade pasta before, this is a low-stress way to try it. You don’t need a pasta roller for this recipe, and you don’t even need a particularly steady hand. The recipe I landed on is effectively Niki Achitoff-Gray’s excellent recipe for fresh pasta, with a couple of changes. First, my dough uses only egg yolks (that said, don’t toss the whites: Niki has ideas for what to do with leftover egg whites). All-yolk doughs are crumblier and less elastic than doughs made with some proportion of egg whites, meaning they’re admittedly harder to work with and require extra kneading. But that extra bit of upfront fuss is well worth it for super tender, vibrant yellow noodles that retain their shape during cooking. 

The second difference is that I’m asking you to roll out and cut the noodles by hand. Homestyle egg noodles are meant to be thicker and more rustic than a delicate Italian pasta. The extra heft is another reason to forgo egg whites in the dough—in my tests, noodles made with any proportion of whites swelled further during cooking. 

Simmering the noodles directly in the sauce helps thicken the gravy, resulting in a glossy, silky chicken and noodles with the perfect proportion of chicken to pasta in each bite. 

Don’t Forget the Mashed Potatoes (Or Do)

That just leaves the lily-gilding. I haven’t included a separate mashed potato recipe here, because I don’t think you can do better than Kenji’s ultra-fluffy mashed potatoes for this purpose (tl;dr: Russets, Rinse, Ricer). That said, you can sub in leftover mashed potatoes as long as they’re not the custardy, creamy sort—the potatoes should be a scaffolding, not just a starch. No matter what you use, don’t skimp on seasoning. A blank canvas doesn’t have to be bland.

Of course, you can leave the potatoes out entirely—it’s what my mom would do. But you’d be missing the ultimate Midwestern comfort of carbs on carbs.

For the Noodles: On a clean, dry work surface, pile flour into a large mound. Make a well in the center of mound and pour in egg yolks. Add salt and beat with a fork, gradually incorporating more flour from the mound until a sticky dough forms.

Using a bench scraper, fold and press remaining flour into the dough until a dry, crumbly dough forms. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time and kneading after each addition, until dough comes together into a tight, smooth ball (you may need up to 2 tablespoons). At this stage, dough will feel quite firm and not very pliable. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

After the rest, divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Set 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface and keep the other piece covered to prevent drying. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to a 12-inch round. Cut round in half to form two semicircles, then cut each semicircle crosswise into 1/4 -wide strips. Toss cut noodles with a small amount of flour to prevent sticking and set aside until ready to use.

For the Chicken and Gravy: In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Add chicken, breast-side down, and cook without moving until chicken is deeply browned and releases easily from pan, about 7 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until the underside of breasts is also deeply browned, adjusting heat as needed to avoid scorching, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.

Add butter to now-empty Dutch oven and heat until melted and foaming subsides, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until fully incorporated and raw flour smell has cooked off, about 30 seconds longer. While whisking constantly to avoid lumps, slowly add chicken broth and water in a thin stream. Bring gravy to a boil, then return chicken and any juices to pot and lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, flipping chicken halfway through cooking, until the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 150°F (65°C) with an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Using tongs, transfer chicken from gravy to a large heat-proof bowl.

Using 2 forks, shred chicken and discard bones. Return pot to medium-high heat and add noodles. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping, until noodles are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Return chicken to pot, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Thin with up to 1/2 cup (120 ml) additional broth, if needed, to achieve a thick, velvety gravy that coats the chicken and noodles. Stir in cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon a generous portion of chicken, noodles, and gravy over plates of mashed potatoes.

Special Equipment

Bench scraper, large Dutch oven, instant-read thermometer, rolling pin

Make-Ahead and Storage

Leftover chicken and noodles can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Thin with additional water, if needed, to restore the thick, gravy-like texture.

On weekday mornings, breakfast typically means something like toast or a bagel that I can eat with one hand in between sips of protein-infused coffee while I work on my laptop. Sadly, working from home doesn't necessarily translate to more time for breakfast (or lunch, for that matter). But on the weekends or on those rare weekday mornings when I actually get up before my alarm, I like to make myself a worthwhile breakfast—by that, I mean something I can sit down and savor.

Below, I've rounded up some of my and the Serious Eats teams' breakfast favorites for those days when we want more than just a quick protein smoothie, a bowl of granola, or toast. You'll find plenty of sweet and savory options—from tender, fluffy pancakes and bakeshop-worthy muffins and pastries to a nostalgic Hong Kong–style breakfast sandwich and regional comfort classics like Cincinnati goetta and Southern red-eye gravy. So, whether you're breakfasting solo or entertaining a group of friends, these 18 breakfast recipes guarantee a happy start to your day.

Hong Kong-Style Breakfast Sandwich

There's no denying the appeal of a well-made, simply constructed breakfast sandwich, which is why this Hong Kong tea café staple of scrambled eggs and savory fried Spam sandwiched between slices of toasted, crustless white bread is such a classic. To achieve the signature silky scramble texture, we whisk a slurry of potato or tapioca starch and half-and-half into the eggs to prevent the egg proteins from binding and cooking too quickly.

Banana Bread Pancakes

While I love a fat slice of banana bread to go with my morning coffee, banana bread in pancake form is simply a chef's kiss. For tender, lofty pancakes with a sweet, robust banana flavor, we mash the banana with an egg to convert the fruit’s starches to sugar and add a bit of buttermilk.

Hong Kong-Style French Toast

Another Hong Kong tea café breakfast staple with a special place in my heart is this French toast, shallow-fried until golden and crispy on the outside, oozing with peanut butter on the inside, and generously drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. Dried, enriched milk bread is best for soaking up all the egg batter, ensuring a custardy texture and velvety bite.

Apple Pie Pancakes

For a luxurious breakfast that's perfect for entertaining, these apple pie–inspired pancakes are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that's also fairly easy to make. We toss grated apples with brown sugar before folding them into the batter, which softens the fruit so it becomes almost custard-like within the pancakes. Pumpkin-pie spice provides a depth of flavor basic apple-pie spice simply lacks.

Goetta (Cincinnati Breakfast Meat Loaf)

Like Pennsylvania scrapple, this Cincinnati breakfast staple is a cross between sausage and meatloaf. Though traditionally made with a blend of meat scraps and offal, our version uses bone-in pork shoulder and steel-cut oats for goetta with a deeper flavor and a rich, gelatinous texture. The finished loaf is sliced and crisped slowly in a skillet so the pork and oats caramelize to a crunchy brown finish.

Breakfast Sopes With Refried Beans, Queso Fundido, Poached Eggs, and Salsa

Looking for a savory, filling, showstopping breakfast to impress your guests? These crispy sopes are loaded with hearty refried beans smothered in a bacon and fresh chile-loaded queso fundido. Each sope has a perfectly poached egg nestled on top, accented with a spoonful of spicy and acidic xnipec to cut through the richness of the cheese and refried beans. It's a dish with a gorgeous array of colors and it tastes just as beautiful.

Buttermilk Vanilla Waffles

This remarkable one-bowl recipe produces what I would call the platonic ideal of waffles—eggshell-crisp exterior and incredibly fluffy interior. On mornings when you roll out of bed with a sudden urge to fire up the waffle iron, this is the one you want to make: no whipped eggs, no wet ingredients here, dry ingredients there, no foaming, no folding, and no sifting. Topped with butter, maple syrup, fruit, or even fried chicken, every bite is pure bliss.

Red-Eye Gravy with Country Ham

Pan-fried country ham and red-eye gravy made from pan drippings and coffee is the kind of rib-sticking "welcome home" breakfast you make for family and friends in the South. Be sure to use bone-in ham slices, which are untrimmed and fattier, so there are enough drippings to make the rich mahogany gravy—and have plenty of fluffy cathead biscuits on hand to soak it all up.

Biscuits and Gravy

All you need are a handful of ingredients and a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet to make this Southern breakfast staple. We cook the sausage in its own fat, adding onion to provide a savory counterpoint to the sweet elements in the sausage, and use a ratio of one tablespoon of all-purpose flour to one cup of milk for a thick, homogenous, silky gravy that's perfect for topping biscuits.

Savory Turmeric Masala Oats

To give an otherwise bland morning oatmeal a bold, savory makeover, we turn to tadka—a traditional South Asian cooking technique of frying spices in oil or ghee to release their fragrant flavors—to infused each bite with the earthy flavors of cumin, black mustard seeds, coriander, red pepper flakes, and turmeric. You can add other vegetables along with the tomato and bell pepper, such as mushrooms, carrots, and peas, to give the oats more color, flavor, and texture.

Eggs in Purgatory

Eggs in purgatory, or "uova in purgatorio," is an easy Southern Italian dish that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or "breakfast for dinner," served with plenty of crusty bread to sop up the spicy tomato sauce. Add the eggs off the heat so they poach at an even rate and use canned whole tomatoes for a consistent, flavorful sauce year-round.

Homemade Beignets

Louisiana-style beignets, like those from the famed Café du Monde in New Orleans, are best enjoyed hot and fresh out of the fryer, liberally doused with powdered sugar. Unlike other beignet recipes, ours is made with bread flour to produce a lighter crumb and open texture and buttermilk to give it a slight tang. Let the dough proof overnight in the fridge to achieve a puffed and airy interior when you fry up the beignets in the morning.

Morning Glory Muffins

Studded with pecans, dried fruit, carrots, apples, and coconut, these hearty breakfast muffins will certainly make your morning glorious indeed. They’re moist and tender, not cloyingly sweet, with wonderful woodsy, spiced notes of cinnamon and ginger. An orange glaze adds a finishing touch that's next-level.

Bostock

Think of bostock as luxe toast disguised as a French pastry that tastes just like an almond croissant. We slather sliced brioche with fragrant, buttery almond cream, top it with sliced almonds, and bake it until puffy and golden brown. A layer of marmalade between the brioche and almond cream adds a bittersweet citrus flavor.

New Jersey Crumb Buns

Our recipe pays tribute to the hyper-regional New Jersey classic crumb bun, with a tender yeasted dough topped with a soft, cohesive, thick layer of melt-in-your-mouth crumbs. Cut into squares and showered with powdered sugar, these buns will transport you to the Garden State—no Turnpike or Parkway tolls required.

Cheese Danish

I would argue that the only Danish worth having with my morning coffee is a freshly baked one, preferably full of buttery, flaky layers—and our cheese Danish delivers on all counts. We streamlined the lamination process, using the rough puff pastry (or blitz puff pastry) method to achieve ultra-flaky layers. We also chill the dough between folds to allow the gluten to rest and give the butter time to become cold again, to produce a finished product infinitely better than any store-bought version.

Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

We love a breakfast dish that can be prepped up to 24 hours ahead. Sauté the sausage and vegetables so they're fully cooked before adding them to the casserole to help remove excess moisture. The addition of shredded Gouda cheese, sour cream, and half-in-half to the eggs makes for a rich custard-like filling.

Make-Ahead Bacon and Cheese Egg Bites

Who wouldn't want a great, low-effort, perfectly portioned breakfast option that can be easily made in advance at home? For our version of the popular Starbucks egg bite, we employ a similar sous-vide method to cook them at a temperature significantly lower and more stable than baking to produce a silky, custard-like texture. Loaded with savory bacon and nutty Gruyère cheese and cooked in individual mason jars, these egg bites can be enjoyed right out of the jar or popped out onto a plate for serving.

Ramadan traditions vary across the Arab world, but one remains constant: the almost compulsory soup at the iftar table. The presence of soup is so prevalent and expected that one might mistake it for a religious obligation. For many in the Arab world, breaking fast begins with a glass of water and three dates before moving on to soup and salad, eventually crescendoing into the rest of the iftar meal, the evening meal that marks the end of the daily fast.

In Algeria and Tunisia, this soup is often the rich and hearty chorba frik, Arabic for "freekeh soup." It features tender lamb or beef, creamy chickpeas, and smoky cracked freekeh—pronounced frik in Tunisian and Algerian dialects. Freekeh is made from young green durum wheat that’s fire-roasted, giving it its signature toasty richness and pleasant chew. Layered with warm and fruity spices like paprika and cinnamon, the cooling flavors of fresh cilantro and dried mint, and subtle chile heat, the soup is deeply satisfying, texturally intriguing, and complex.

While eaten year-round in Algeria and Tunisia, chorba frik appears on the table almost every evening during Ramadan. Although it is typically served as a starter, it’s substantial enough to be eaten as a full meal. Variations of the soup exist from household to household throughout both countries. Some versions use chicken instead of the more common lamb or beef, while others incorporate puréed vegetables like zucchini and potatoes or vary the seasonings. Nowadays many people prepare it in a pressure cooker, but I developed this version to be slowly simmered on the stovetop, so there’s no need for a special cooking appliance.

In my recipe the lamb is first lightly seared, which develops a rich, roasted flavor. Dried chickpeas cook with aromatics and the lamb, becoming creamy at the same rate the meat tenderizes. An optional serrano pepper, left whole, lends a mild kick. While some recipes call for cooking the freekeh separately to ensure it’s tender but still retains a slight chew, I’ve streamlined my recipe by adding the freekeh directly to the soup to simmer for the last 15 to 18 minutes. As the freekeh cooks in the broth, the soup will become noticeably thicker. It should be hearty and stew-like but still liquid enough to count as a soup. If it becomes too thick, just adjust the consistency with additional water as you see fit. If adding water, just make sure to taste again for seasoning, and add more salt if needed. 

This soup will serve four as a starter, but because it’s a particularly thick and ample soup, it can make a filling meal for two. Finish the soup with an extra sprinkling of cilantro and a squeeze of bright lemon for a final bright kick of flavor.

 In a medium bowl, cover chickpeas with 1 inch of room temperature water. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and baking soda, stirring briefly to combine, then cover loosely and let soak at room temperature at least 8 and up to 12 hours. Drain and rinse before using.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat oil and ghee over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add lamb and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot as needed, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, coriander, ginger, paprika, mint, cinnamon, and black pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, cilantro, drained chickpeas, water, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and chile pepper, if using. Bring to a simmer, cover, then lower heat to medium-low and cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain simmer, until lamb and beans are tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Stir in freekeh, bring to a simmer, and cook, covered, until freekeh is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Soup should be hearty but still brothy enough to qualify as a chunky soup; add additional water to thin if needed. Season with salt to taste.

Divide soup into individual bowls, sprinkle with more cilantro, and serve with lemon wedges.

Special Equipment

Kitchen scale, large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, fine-mesh strainer 

Notes

Although less commonly used in chorba frik, canned chickpeas may be used instead of dried ones. If using canned chickpeas, omit step 1, and substitute with one 15-ounce can drained and rinsed chickpeas. Reduce salt to 2 teaspoons and add the canned chickpeas at the same time as the freekeh.

Beef chuck may be used in place of the lamb in the recipe, following the same steps as written.

Ghee can be purchased from Middle Eastern, Indian, and South Asian grocery stores. It is also increasingly found in many American grocery stores. 

Cracked freekeh can be purchased from Middle Eastern grocery stores and ordered online.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The chickpeas and freekeh absorb more and more of the liquid the longer the soup sits; be sure to add more water to restore the desired soup consistency and adjust with salt and pepper to taste.

Le Creuset and Staub are two brands that top our reviews time and time again. Be it a grill pan or an enameled cast iron skillet, the quality and performance of cookware from Le Creuset and Staub are hard to match. That’s why we think it’s worth the investment every time, but it’s even better to score these heirloom pieces on sale. Williams Sonoma has an abundance of Le Creuset and Staub cookware on sale, with up to 47% off Dutch ovens and bakeware. Serious Eats editors chimed in (of course) on the deals they’re coveting, like this deep Staub cast iron cocotte that’s nearly 50% off.

The Best Staub and Le Creuset Sales at Williams Sonoma at a Glance

• A Deeper Version of a Dutch Oven We Love: Staub 3-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Deep Oven
• A Square Covered Baker: Le Creuset 2-Quart Heritage Stoneware Square Baker
• A Fun, Embossed Baker: Staub Enameled Cast Iron Oval Gratin with Sea Bass Embossed Lid
• A Long Version of Our Favorite Dutch Oven: Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven
• Whimsical Mini Cocottes: Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Round Cocotte
• An Enameled Cast Iron Baker: Le Creuset Signature Oval Gratin Baker
• A Versatile Set of Baking Dishes: Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Baker, Set of 2
• A Summer-Ready Staub Cocotte: Staub 3-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Tomato Cocotte

Staub 3-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Deep Oven

I really wish I hadn't seen this. Now, I have to try and resist my shopper's urge to jump on all these deals. That green, deep 3-quart Staub cocotte at nearly half off? It’s one of our favorite Dutch ovens, too. Or the same color on their covered gratin dish? Or the Le Creuset baker for a hundred bucks? I can't see these things! Look away! Look away!! — Daniel Gritzer, editorial director

Le Creuset 2-Quart Heritage Stoneware Shallow Square Covered Baker

Can't you picture a batch of gooey fudge brownies in this square baking pan? I sure can, which is why I'm adding it to my cart right now. I have a feeling the Olive color is going to sell out fast at 30% off. — Rochelle Bilow, editor

Staub Enameled Cast Iron Oval Gratin with Sea Bass Embossed Lid

My dog’s name is Fish, so I feel it's imperative I own this baking dish with sea bass on it. I have no further reason, but dog people will know this is justification enough! — Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, associate editorial director

Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven

This Le Creuset Dutch oven is absolutely iconic. I used to have it in orange (long story about why I don't have it anymore). I used it all the time for stews, braises, soups, and no-knead bread. While our favorite classic round Dutch oven isn’t on sale, this extra-long oval one is $175 off. I love anything in the blue-green range of colors, and Ocean is stunning. — Megan O. Steintrager, associate editorial director 

Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Round Cocotte

I do not own these, but if someone wants to buy me a set of these adorable mini cocottes, please do! They're so cute and perfect for single servings of mac and cheese, onion soup, or bread pudding. — Genevieve Yam, culinary editor

Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Oval Gratin Baker

Do I need a gratin baker? No. Will I buy this stunning dish anyway? Absolutely. I can already envision the cheesy, baked shingles of potato bubbling away as I set it on the table to cool. — Grace Kelly, editor

I collected a lot of As Seen on TV products as a kid: Japanese knives, a rotisserie oven, veggie choppers—you name it. I would convince my parents I needed it (what can I say? I was a little different). For years, the one item I used most was a stoneware casserole dish until it cracked and finally broke apart. I was upset, but now I can replace it with this Le Creuset gratin baker. I can get it in a cute color, and it's guaranteed to last. — Kelli Solomon, senior social media editor

Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Baker, Set of 2

Everyone needs a great baking dish, so why not get two?! I love that these baking dishes are so cute. You can go straight from the oven to the dinner table—no serving dishes required. The little handles are not only adorable but also practical for easier grabbing. — Leah Colins, senior culinary editor

Staub 3-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Tomato Cocotte

Holy moly, I might be in love with this Staub tomato cocotte. Though summer feels miles away, the bright red color and plump sides already have me daydreaming about roasted tomato ziti in the garden. It's made of the same durable enameled cast iron as our editor-favorite Staub Dutch oven, so you can expect the same even heat retention and distribution when cooking with this absolutely whimsical piece of cookware. — An Uong, writer

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing kitchen gear for Serious Eats for over two years.
• We’ve put Le Creuset and Staub cookware through rigorous testing for years and have pieces from these brands in our own kitchens.
  

I wouldn’t say my life’s predictable, but my day always starts with a cup of coffee. 

About five years ago, I went through a spate of food allergy testing—and one of them required cutting out dairy. I started drinking my morning coffee black, which made me super picky about coffee quality and kicked off my journey through Bean Land. Now, I own too many brewers and can tell you that the Ratio Six makes the best drip coffee I’ve ever had.

There are so many qualities that make the Ratio a standout. For starters, the flat-bottomed basket and wide showerhead result in evenly saturated, full-flavored coffee. It consistently makes a full pot in about five minutes (which is in line with the Speciality Coffee Association’s brewer certifications) and works at consistently high temperatures, which extracts more from coffee. 

Because my husband and I both work remotely, we like to replenish our coffee mugs throughout the morning. The Ratio Six’s insulated carafe keeps coffee hot—as in, it’s still a piping 168°F after an hour. The machine is easy to use, too, since it has just a single control button. 

However, while I’d like to say that the Ratio Six is all sunshine, rainbows, and caffeine, it does have its issues. Namely, it can be kind of annoying to use. The water reservoir’s opening is a small-ish hole, which leads to splashes. The Ratio Six also has a lot of parts. There’s the carafe, the carafe’s lid, the brew basket, a plate, and the piece that creates a seal over the showerhead. After brewing, you have to remove the basket, place it onto the plate, and add the lid to the carafe. This makes it tedious to use and clean, and I’ve always found it annoying. That said, I love the Ratio Six despite its flaws—and because the coffee it makes is unbeatable. If you’re a coffee person, I think you’ll find it worth investing in, too.

Why We’re the Experts

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director of Serious Eats. 
• She’s been with the site since 2021 and has been testing gear professionally for more than six years. 
• She really, truly loves coffee and helped to test espresso machines.
  

It's hard to think of a food that isn't made better once battered and fried. It's true of chicken, of fish, of okra, and even Oreos. Whoever first battered and deep-fried sliced pickles was almost certainly operating under the same ironclad logic.

I still remember the first time I tasted the delicacy, even though it was at least 20 years ago: I was sitting outside with my family at a restaurant somewhere on the Gulf Coast in Alabama on the way from Louisiana to Perdido Key, Florida, and—as a family of crispy-food fans and pickle lovers—we just had to order fried pickles when we spotted them on the menu.

I can't tell you the name of the restaurant, but I can describe every last detail of those juicy, tart, and salty pickle slices. The coating was crisp and well seasoned—perfect for eating as-is, and even better dipped in the ranch dressing that was served on the side. It's hard to top my memory of those pickles—honestly, it's hard to top anything served with ocean breezes and fortified by years of nostalgia—but our Birmingham-based colleague Julia Levy's fried pickles that we're sharing the recipe for here are a very close second (I'm actually pretty sure hers are objectively superior to the ones from my family trip, but the Proustian power of my memory clouds my judgement).

"What makes fried pickles so special is the contrasting textures; they are super crispy and crunchy on the outside but juicy, soft, and tangy on the inside," Julia says. "Fried foods always want something acidic to balance out the oiliness, but fried pickles don’t need that—it’s a two-in-one, a two-fer, a win/win, a..dare I say, perfect food? That might be a bit hyperbolic, but they are wonderful."

How to Make Perfectly Crispy Fried Pickles

Unlike foods like shrimp and chicken that can get woefully dried out when improperly fried, pickles are pretty much impossible to desiccate. A fragile coating that falls off during frying or on the way to your mouth is a much bigger concern with pickles, since their vinegary brine is too thin to form a good foundation for a breaded coating. Much better is viscous buttermilk, which coats and clings to the pickle slices and gives the dry ingredients something to really cling onto and soak into. The key, though, is to pat the pickle slices dry before dipping in the buttermilk, otherwise the pickle brine will thin the buttermilk, reducing its viscosity and undermining its ability to form a strong coating that will stay put.

After their dip in buttermilk, the slices are coated in a mixture that includes finely ground cornmeal (be sure not to use coarse cornmeal, which is too chunky for this batter), along with all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and just a bit of salt—we want the batter to be well seasoned, but not overly salty since the pickles themselves are already quite salty. Once they're battered, into the hot oil they go until the cornmeal batter is browned and crispy.

The oil is at the relatively high temperature of 375°F—hot even by deep-frying standards. That's because the only real goal here is crisping and browning the coating, since the pickle slices themselves don't actually need to be cooked through. A lower temperature and longer frying time would just drag the process out, possibly sacrificing some of the pickle's juicy bite. 

Life Is Better With Bacon-Ranch Dipping Sauce 

Fried pickles taste good on their own, but they're even better with a creamy dipping sauce. You can use store-bought or homemade plain ranch dressing or rémoulade, but if you're a bacon eater I strongly encourage you to try Julia's homemade bacon-ranch, which includes cooked bacon bits along with the bacon drippings for extra flavor. It also gets tartness from some of the brine from the jar of pickles, as well as a welcome dose of fresh flavor from dill and chives. It's also good with other fried foods, such as fried green tomatoes and fried chicken, on burgers, or pretty much anywhere else you'd use regular ranch.  

Now when I dream about fried pickles, this recipe is the vision that floats to the top of my mind, right after those long-ago ones on the Gulf. Come to think of it, these fried pickles would be damn delicious alongside this equally killer fried pickle–inspired dip. A person can dream.

For the Bacon-Ranch: In a large cast iron skillet set over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate; reserve drippings.

In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle brine, dill, chives, garlic, and black pepper. Fold in cooked bacon and 1 1/2 teaspoons of reserved drippings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Wipe skillet clean.

Arrange drained pickle slices on a large paper towel–lined plate; pat dry. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine buttermilk and black pepper. Add pickles, stirring to evenly coat with buttermilk mixture.

Line a 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper; set aside. In another wide, shallow bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt to combine. Working with several pickle slices at a time, toss to evenly coat pickle slices with cornmeal mixture. Place dredged pickles on prepared lined baking sheet.

Line another 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Fill the same cast iron skillet with 3/4-inch of oil and heat over medium-high until oil registers 375ºF (190ºC) on an instant-read thermometer. Working in batches of about 8, carefully add pickles, sliding them in from as close to the oil’s surface as possible to minimize splashing. Fry pickles, using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to turn them occasionally, until golden brown and crisp about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and serve with bacon ranch.

Special Equipment

Large cast iron skillet, two 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheets, instant-read thermometer, spider skimmer or slotted spoon

Notes

If your preferred brand of pickles isn't sold in slices, you can slice whole pickles into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. 

Make-Ahead and Storage 

Bacon-ranch can be prepared up to 1 week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Pickles can be breaded and frozen for up to 3 months: Prepare through step 4, and after breading and arranging on a parchment- or wax paper–lined baking sheet, freeze until firm, then transfer to a zip-top bag or airtight container. Cook from frozen according to the recipe directions, adding up to 2 minutes if necessary. 

Fried pickles are best eaten immediately but leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat in an air fryer: Place on air fryer rack and reheat at 350ºF (175ºC) until warmed through. To reheat in the oven: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Place fried pickles on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and reheat until warmed through, about 6 minutes.

Carrots are an incredibly adaptable vegetable. In the colder months I love them roasted until carmelized and sweet or cooked on the stovetop and bathed in a buttery glaze. But once spring hits, I like to embrace their crunch and eat them raw, with recipes like this fresh carrot and raisin salad developed by our Birmingham-based test kitchen colleague Elizabeth Mervosh. In this salad, grated carrots and plump raisins are tossed with a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing, which gets a refreshing acidity from vinegar, orange juice, and lemon juice. The salad is topped with crunchy pistachios right before serving. Each bite is bursting with fruity, tart, sweet, and savory flavors. 

This slightly sweet vegetable side dish is just as great served at casual cookouts as it is at a formal Easter brunch. It takes only a few minutes to prepare and there’s no need to even turn on your oven. Here are a few tips to perfect it.

3 Simple Techniques for the Perfect Carrot and Raisin Salad

1. Shred the carrots for the best salad. For a salad with just the right amount of crunch, Elizabeth recommends shredding the carrots. She found in testing that carrots cut other ways just didn’t work as well: Grated carrots were too mealy and were lost in the dressing, carrot ribbons were too slippery, and sliced raw carrots were too hard to bite through. Shredding the carrots is best for a pleasantly crunchy salad. While you can do this on the holes of a box grater, butto prevent sore muscles and scratched knuckles, we recommend shredding the carrot with the disc attachment of a food processor. 

2. Take a few minutes to plump the raisins. Raisins in this salad add a welcome pop of sweetness. But to make them even better, we found that microwaving them with a simple dressing of orange juice, vinegar, and honey plumps the raisins to produce a more tender texture, and letting the raisins marinate briefly in the warmed juice mixture infuses them with bright citrus flavor. Once the raisins are drained, we don't let that flavorful juice mixture go to waste—it’s whisked with lemon juice, more honey, and mayonnaise to complete the dressing.

3. Serve the salad immediately. Once the carrots, raisins, and pistachios are tossed with the dressing, we recommend serving the salad immediately. The salt in the dressing will begin to leach moisture from the carrots over time, creating a soupy salad with a wet puddle at the bottom. If a puddle does form before serving, just drain off some of the excess moisture or toss the salad again to redistribute the liquid right before serving.

On the large holes of a box grater, shred carrots. Alternatively, carrots can be shredded with disk attachment of a food processor. You should have about 3 1/2 cups shredded carrots.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon honey until combined and honey dissolves; add raisins and toss to coat. Microwave on high until orange juice mixture is hot and bubbling, about 45 seconds. Let sit, stirring every 5 minutes, until raisins are plump and softened, about 15 minutes.

In a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl, drain raisins, reserving the orange juice mixture in the medium bowl; set raisins aside. Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons honey into the reserved orange juice mixture.

Add carrots, plumped raisins, and pistachios, and toss to coat. Serve immediately. 

Special Equipment

Microwave-safe small bowl, box grater or food processor with shredding disk attachment

Make-Ahead and Storage

The carrots can be shredded and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days before making the salad.

We strongly suggest tossing the salad right before serving, but leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Note that the salad will become more watery as it sits, and you may need to drain excess liquid before serving.

My in-laws kindly gave me a Lodge Dutch oven when I graduated from college, and at the time, I had no idea what to do with it. Oh, how naive I was. Since then, I’ve thankfully discovered the many wonderful feats a Dutch oven can accomplish, like slow-cooking barbecue beans or baking crusty bread. After owning and loving my Lodge Dutch oven for over ten years, I can confidently say that it’s an essential—no, critical—part of my kitchen. Do I daydream about one day buying a Le Creuset? Sure. But am I happy with this Lodge workhorse that’s been our budget pick for years? Absolutely, especially since it costs hundreds less. In fact, it’s even cheaper now that it’s on sale for just $80.

The Takeaways

It Excels at Searing, Braising, and Baking 

I know people with much more expensive Dutch ovens, and there isn’t a single thing theirs can do that my Lodge Dutch oven can’t. It’s been my partner in crime through several Thanksgiving feasts, having baked tons of vegan stuffing and simmered butternut squash soup. Its enameled cast iron heats well and can sear a thick cut of cauliflower to ideal crispiness.

It Can Handle Very High Heat

The Lodge Dutch oven especially shines when it comes to baking sourdough bread. It’s churned out hundreds of loaves in three different kitchens throughout my time with it. Every loaf comes out crispy, golden, and with plenty of oven spring (pending a successful bulk fermentation, of course). Since baking sourdough requires a blast of intense heat at the start, this piece of cookware has seen oven temperatures up to 505°F without any signs of wear.

It’s Comfortable to Use

The wide handles have an exceptionally lovely curve to them, making it easy to carry the Lodge around my kitchen. I never have to worry about my grip on the Dutch oven because I’m able to grasp it firmly, even if I’m wearing bulky oven mitts. Its curved sides set it apart from other Dutch ovens for me. The gently sloped walls promote smooth stirring for saucing pasta and evenly dispersing ingredients in stews.

It Lasts for Ages (If Treated Nicely)

In our tests, the Lodge’s enamel did exhibit chipping when we knocked on its rim with a wooden spoon. However, in my 10-plus years of using it, my Lodge hasn’t chipped or scratched even once. Whenever it builds up staining from a particularly enthusiastic cooking project, I’m able to clear any brown spots with a scouring pad, regular dish soap, and warm water. While it may not be a Dutch oven to knock around the kitchen, it’ll last a long time if you maintain it with proper care.

Do I Recommend It?

After using the Lodge Dutch oven for over a decade, I can confidently say that this is the best Dutch oven you could get your hands on for under $100. It cooks thoroughly, has a pleasing design, and will last a long time if treated well. It’s a do-it-all piece of cookware that’s been our top budget pick for years, thanks to its impressive performance for the price. Speaking of price, it’s even cheaper now that it’s 40% off, making it a reasonable $80.

Lodge 6-Quart Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing kitchen equipment for Serious Eats for two years.
• She’s a self-professed Lodge fan girl with an ever-growing collection of Lodge cast iron cookware.
  

The low ceiling of my London flat was filled with festive smoke. Saffron, cardamom, and cloves slowly infused in sugar syrup while I cooked roasted vermicelli with ghee in another pan for the seviyan dessert. I hadn’t cooked like this in years, and my small London flat’s smoke alarm was close to activation.

It was my first Eid away from my family, and partly, it felt liberating. Growing up in Pakistan, I had grown tired of familial expectations, especially around the Eid holidays. I moved to London when I was thirty-three, before later moving to Scotland, and I was looking for a chance at a new life. I was relieved to get away from small talk over samosas and chai with relatives and chewing politely behind a saccharine smile. I accepted that Eid would be lonely living in the U.K. and that suited me just fine.

There were some moments I knew I’d miss, like waking up to the warm scents of cardamom and roasted vermicelli. Each Eid morning, Mummy made my Dadi (paternal grandmother) her Qawami seviyan (pictured above), which included sixteen parts sugar to one part fine roasted vermicelli, along with cloves, saffron, and cardamom. This was an indulgent Eid breakfast in our home that I looked forward to, but that delight was often dulled by my mother’s narration of the day's visits to family members. It was the judgment from relatives that I hated most—those sideways glances and hushed tones about my divorce, or the eyebrow raises at my tattooed arms peeping through my kurta sleeve.

The month of Ramadan itself felt unceremonious in England. I missed the shorter working days Ramadan brought with it in Pakistan. On the way home from work when I was in Pakistan, we’d pick up fried snacks to break the fast with at iftar. Every street corner would be lined with stalls selling chickpea battered deep-fried pakoras, and saffron syrup-dipped donuts called jalebis just before sunset. Around the end of Ramadan, my mother would buy boxes full of groceries to give to families in need for Eid. Thinking of shopping with my cousins on Chand Raat (the night before Eid), and the organized chaos of the bazaars where we’d stain our hands with henna patterns and buy coloured glass bangles to match our new Eid outfits filled me with nostalgia.

In England, there was none of that. I’d convinced myself to try and conform with my new surroundings and didn’t tell anyone I was fasting. I had to work as usual through Ramadan and my hunger would peak at midday when my colleagues consumed sandwiches and salads at their desks in our open-plan office. One day at lunchtime, I decided to join them in the office cafeteria so I could get to know people. Alice, my boss, asked why I wasn’t eating, and I told her about Ramadan and Eid. I shared stories of my mother’s cooking and the all-encompassing scents of saffron and cardamom that always wafted through our kitchen, the itchy Eid clothes I’d wear, the clinking glass bangles that graced my arms, and the henna on my palms. I also told her about the aunties and uncles with their judgment and gossip. Before I knew it, my stories of warmer places and delicious food led Alice to invite herself over alongside my friends for Eid.

For years, Mummy had picked on me for not learning Eid recipes, and now I wished so much that I’d paid attention. With the help of long phone calls with my mother, I found myself immersed in curating the perfect Eid menu to impress my boss. Mummy gave me vague lists of ingredients, and I attempted to convert her confusing instructions into actual measurements and methods. Finally, I decided to make Sindhi biryani, a layered rice dish with pomegranate and dried plums with mutton or beef, and haleem, a lentil and meat porridge with garam masala, as well as fresh homemade naans; for dessert, I opted for my Dadi’s seviyan and rasmalai, sweet cottage cheese dumplings in milk.

My local South Asian store had most ingredients for the biryani like aloo bukhara (dried plum) and anardana (dried pomegranate), as well as the roasted fine vermicelli for seviyan. Mutton for the biryani, however, proved more problematic, so I resorted to using beef. I decided to attempt my mother’s dahi baras as well—these comforting chickpea flour dumplings with cool yogurt, tamarind, and mint chutneys were always on the Eid table. As I walked through the aisles of the store, the familiar spice labels and the shelves filled with Pakistani rice and atta flour filled me with an ache for home. I longed for my mother’s cooking; I even missed her voice that berated me to learn to cook.

As I prepared for the Eid lunch that day, heating whole spices in ghee, something about the cocktail of korma spices for my biryani evoked my lost anticipation for Eid. I didn’t feel alone in the kitchen; it was as if both my grandmother’s ghosts were at my side, telling me when to stir or add ingredients. The voices of the women from my family who prepared this same meal in the past felt present there that day, even though this tiny London loft kitchen was so far removed from my family kitchen in Karachi. There was something about the act of cooking Eid lunch that created a sense of home and a rekindling of happier memories.

I was transported to a time when Eid meant more than just the judging aunties and boring conversations. I remembered what my Nani (maternal grandmother) had always called “vintage Eid.” Each year, her elder brother, Iqbal, hosted a large Eid dinner at his beautiful home in Karachi. Uncle Iqbal had been in the foreign service and was posted in Washington, DC for many years; when he returned, he'd built a home reminiscent of American homes with mantel places and large windows—it was very unlike the homes in Pakistan, so I found it fascinating. Best of all, he brought back American sweets to give to the children on Eid: Twinkies, M&M’s, and Fruit Roll-Ups, all of which were impossible to find in Pakistan.

I also looked forward to the envelopes of Eidee money we’d receive from all the relatives, a tradition on Eid for young children. All the female family members, including my grandmothers and my mother, would sit in the vintage-style drawing room with floral wallpaper, rosewood carved furniture, and a large piano that was always left unplayed, and the men would be in the cigar room. The faint smell of spices and the charcoal from the barbeque in the back open-air kitchen would mingle with the honeyed cigar smoke. The uncles in their three-piece suits would greet each other with formal hugs and the aunties in their shiny, mismatched shalwar kameez outfits would kiss me, leaving their lipstick stains on my cheek.

I’d bear it all for the sweets, the money, and the lavish Eid lunch that Uncle Iqbal’s cook created; this was what everyone came together for after all. Lunch would be served in the airy dining room that had a slight musty old wood smell. The heavy mahogany dining table in the middle of the room was packed with so many dishes that you could barely see its surface. The beige lace curtains in the French windows always looked dusty and the silver candelabra lay on the side credenza was blackened with diskeep. I could hear a faint string quartet playing, but I never spotted speakers anywhere.

Everyone would rush to the table, crowding around the dishes like moths. There were freshly made shish kebabs and naans from the tandoor, haleem, raita, and nihari, a slow-cooked meat stew flavored with spices, along with condiments like finely slivered ginger, coriander, mint, and browned onions; a platter of mutton biryani served as the centerpiece of the table. Dessert would be served an hour later: rasmalai, seviyan, and pistachio kulfi ice cream. Luckily for me, children would get first dibs at dessert. We’d eat about four helpings and come home in the early afternoon, only to fall into a deep food coma.

As I prepared my Eid meal in London, I felt something shift. I’d spent so long focusing on the negative memories of Eid and blocking out the happier ones—family and the festive chatter that filled the walls of our homes with joy. I forgot the aunties and their remarks and instead, remembered my grandmothers, the candy, kulfi, the packs of Eidee, and all of us together at Uncle Iqbal’s home. Now, I’d brought together new friends in a new home around a meal that represented my traditions. Alice was left in awe of the flavors of Pakistani food. 

As I served my grandmother’s seviyan to my coworkers, I sent a photo of it to my mother, who was impressed at how much it looked like hers. It even tasted the same—maybe because I put in just the same amount of love and commitment in cooking as my grandmothers and mother did. I felt proud of this inescapable part of who I was—my culinary culture and my family recipes, something that I could recreate and share wherever I was. That year I reconnected with Eid and celebrated the festival’s true essence of gratitude, tradition, and making memories. 

I’m a lamb lover. It might have something to do with my being half Greek, but it more so has to do with lamb’s rich, faintly gamey flavor that I find way more nuanced and exciting than beef or pork. While I love to roast a whole lamb leg over an open fire, or sear up some lollipop chops, one of my favorite ways to enjoy lamb is ground, heavily spiced, and rolled and seared into flavor-packed meatballs. Lamb meatballs are nothing new, many cultures have an affinity for ground lamb, just look at keftedes, Moroccan meatball tagines, or Kofte. Ground lamb is a no-brainer for meatballs; it’s rich and higher in fat than most other ground meats, guaranteeing meatballs that remain tender and flavorful when cooked. 

This recipe, developed by our Birmingham-based test kitchen colleague Renu Dhar developed, features lamb meatballs flavored with fragrant spices, onion, and fresh herbs, set in a cooling swoosh of a yogurt-feta sauce. They retain a beautiful mahogany charred crust while still being spoon-tender inside, and whether served with a simple side salad or stuffed into a pita pocket, they are a great, filling meal. Sound fancy? Not really. 

Start with a Fresh Bread Panade

As noted above, ground lamb’s high fat content helps ensure rich, tender meatballs. The other primary way to ensure supremely tender meatballs is with a panade. A panade is a mixture of bread and liquid (often milk or water) that keeps meatballs (and really any ground-meat mixture) moist and tender, while also preventing them from falling apart. In his easy weeknight meatballs recipe, Serious Eats’ editorial director Daniel Gritzer talks about how meatball recipes fall into two general camps: those made with a panade of soaked fresh bread vs. dried breadcrumbs. His years of meatball-making experience have convinced him that fresh-bread panades produce the most moist and tender meatballs.

Renu’s testing for this recipe aligns with Daniel’s experience, finding that a fresh bread panade was superior to one made with dried breadcrumbs. When she made the recipe with dried breadcrumbs, the result were denser, drier meatballs.

To help the fresh bread break down more easily into a cohesive paste, you only need to briefly soak it in milk first before mixing in the remaining seasonings and meat.

Adding Maximum Flavor

We wanted meatballs with tons of flavor, so we went with a more-is-more approach here. The flavor profile for these meatballs is inspired by Greek keftedes. They’re packed with warm spices like cumin, coriander, granulated garlic, and red pepper flakes, and get a hit of fresh bright flavor from a few tablespoons of yogurt (which also helps bind the balls), fresh herbs, and freshly grated onion. 

Mixing the Meat

For tender, not tough baked goods, it's crucial not to over-work batters and doughs, and it's just as important not to get overzealous when preparing a meatball mixture. Be sure to blend the ingredients only until just combined, handling the meat as little as possible to achieve a homogenous mixture. Mixing beyond this point will push the meatballs more and more towards an extra-springy sausage texture—bouncy, but not as tender.

To do so, Renu recommends combining all the seasonings with the softened bread panade first before folding in the ground lamb. This will help distribute the aromatics and seasonings evenly throughout the meat mixture without overworking it, avoiding denser, tougher meatballs.

Cooking the Meatballs

Ever heard the expression “there’s more than one way to cook a meatball”? Probably not, but it’s true! Meatballs can be cooked myriad ways; simmered, baked, grilled, pan-fried. They’re forgiving little spheres and there’s really no wrong way to cook them, it just depends on your preferred result.

Here we wanted meatballs with a tender, juicy center encased in a crisp, deep-golden outer shell. To achieve this, a two-step cooking process is the solution: First sear, then bake the meatballs. This will work best with a cast iron or carbon steel skillet, as both will retain heat well while baking; a stainless-steel skillet will also work well.

A tangy, creamy yogurt-and-feta sauce packed with fresh mint and dill is the perfect complement for these rich meatballs. For an attractive presentation, we recommend swooshing a big dollop of the sauce across each serving plate, then topping with the meatballs, preserving their crackly crust.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine bread with milk and toss to coat. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely moist, about 5 minutes. Squeeze bread between your fingers or mash with a spoon to make sure there are no dry spots.

Add onion, egg, coriander, cumin, red pepper, garlic, 1/4 cup mint, 2 tablespoons yogurt, 1 tablespoon dill, and 2 teaspoons salt to bread mixture. Using a clean hand or spoon, stir until very well combined. Add ground lamb and, using your hand, continue mixing vigorously, squishing meat and seasonings between your fingers, until just combined and meat has taken on a slightly sticky texture; be careful not to overwork meat.

Using wet hands, roll lamb mixture into 2-ounce (60 g) meatballs (about 16 total). Place on prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced apart, and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate meatballs until firm and cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

In a 12-inch cast iron, carbon-steel, or stainless-steel skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of meatballs in an single layer and cook, undisturbed, until browned on 1 side, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn meatballs and continue to cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a large plate. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Once all meatballs are browned, transfer meatballs back to skillet, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers 145°F (63°C), 5 to 7 minutes (see notes).

Meanwhile, in a food processor, process feta cheese, lemon zest and juice, remaining 3/4 cup of yogurt, remaining 1/4 cup mint, remaining 1 tablespoon dill, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until mostly smooth, about 2 minutes.

Spoon sauce onto a large serving plate or individual plates. Gently set meatballs on top of sauce. Garnish with dill fronds, and serve with lemon wedges.

Special Equipment

12-inch cast iron, carbon-steel, or stainless-steel skillet, food processor

Notes

The ideal Greek-style yogurt for this recipe is one that is completely strained; many Greek yogurts in the US market are only partially strained. One good option here is Fage, which comes thoroughly strained from the start. If you have another brand that seems slightly thinner, you can place yogurt in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and let stand for about 2 hours. Once the extra water has drained away, you will have a much thicker yogurt to work with.

We think 145°F is an ideal internal temperature for lamb meatballs, but if you have any health concerns such as a compromised immune system among your diners, you can cook them further to 160°F.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The yogurt and feta sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Harcha is a traditional Moroccan bread made from semolina, a type of durum wheat flour with a distinct golden color and faintly sweet and nutty taste that creates the bread’s signature flavor. The name harcha is derived from the Arabic word for "rough" or "gritty," which refers to the coarse texture of the semolina flour, but the final bread is anything but rough: Each flatbread is pillowy and buttery soft.

Similar to other breads like Johnny cakes from the Caribbean or English muffins, harcha are shaped into individually portioned flat discs and cooked on a dry griddle or skillet until golden on both sides. And although they look a bit like English muffins, they’re closer to a biscuit or cornbread with their crumbly, tender texture and rich flavor.

Recipes for harcha vary from family to family in Morocco, but this simple, rustic bread is consistently served as a popular breakfast or snack, often paired with a dollop of honey, butter, or jam, and typically alongside a glass of mint tea. Although it’s often seen as a sweet treat, I think its faintly nutty and sweet flavor pairs well with savory accompaniments like cheeses, charcuterie, or even smeared with olive tapenade. So feel free to take liberties with how you serve them.

My favorite part about harcha is how easy they are to make. Unlike other Moroccan breads, such as khobz (a round, yeasted bread) or batbout (a Moroccan bread, similar to pita), harcha is made without yeast, and doesn’t require time to proof before shaping. The dough comes together very quickly in just one bowl and can be shaped and cooked after a short 15-minute rest, making it a perfect option for busy mornings or unexpected guests. 

I recommend using semolina flour labeled “course” on the packaging—I have had the best luck using King Arthur brand when I make them at home. The dough is prepared by first whisking the dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) then using your hands to knead in the melted butter, followed by the milk. Don’t be tempted to reach for a spatula or fork when mixing, your hands are the best tool to ensure the semolina is evenly coated with the butter and milk, and it’s the butter-coated semolina that creates the bread’s tender, crumbly interior.

The dough at this stage should be very soft, but not sticky. If it is still sticky or wet, dust a tablespoon or two more of flour over top and knead until absorbed. Letting the dough rest briefly allows it to hydrate further, so it will be easier to shape into individual discs. When shaping the discs and cooking the harcha, I have three tips:

• Cracked edges are normal: When you flatten the dough into a circle, the edges may develop small cracks; this is completely normal and won’t affect the final texture.
• Use your palms for shaping: When flattening the dough by hand, rely more on your palms than your fingers. This helps create a smooth, even surface.
• Flip at the right time: Wait until the bottom of the harcha is golden brown and firm before flipping. Flipping too early can cause the dough to break apart.

As they cook in a skillet (or on a griddle), the breads develop a beautifully crispy exterior while staying soft and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside.

Harcha are not only delicious and easy to make, they also freeze and reheat well. After cooking, simply let them cool completely before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag. When you’re ready to eat one, just reheat it in a pan on the stovetop or in the toaster oven for a quick and easy breakfast or snack.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk to fully combine semolina flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter and mix with your fingers until mixture has a sandy, crumbly texture.

Add milk and mix with your hands until dough comes together and forms a ball. It should be soft but not sticky. If dough is too wet, sprinkle 1 tablespoon semolina over top and knead in until absorbed. Repeat if needed until proper texture is achieved. Let it rest for 15 minutes to allow semolina to absorb the liquid.

Lightly dust a work surface with semolina and transfer dough to it. Using the palm of your hands, flatten dough into a 1/2-inch-thick circle, about 8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle dough’s surface with more semolina, then use a 3-inch round cookie cutter or glass to cut out discs. Gather dough scraps and reshape into 1/2-inch-thick round and cut out more discs; you should have 8 discs total. (Alternatively, divide the dough into eight equal portions and shape them into individual 1/2-inch-thick discs by hand.)

Heat a 12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Place 4 dough rounds in dry skillet and cook, pressing down occasionally with a spatula to prevent doming, until golden brown on first side, 5 to 7 minutes.

Flip flatbreads and continue to cook, adjusting heat as needed to prevent burning, until golden brown on second side, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer cooked flatbreads to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Wipe skillet clean, then repeat with remaining 4 semolina breads. Serve immediately with your choice of spreads.

Special Equipment

12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet 

Make-Ahead and Storage

Leftover harcha can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, individually wrap the cooked harcha in plastic, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat frozen harcha in a dry skillet over medium heat, flipping occasionally until warmed through or heat in a toaster oven.

I use ramekins daily. These small, squat bowls are my go-to for mise en place, snacks, serving a few scoops of ice cream (is that weird?), and, closer to their intended purpose, for making individual custards and desserts. I’ve even used them to mold and bake individual British pork pies for a Lord of the Rings movie marathon, nerd that I am.

Made of ceramic in a medley of shapes, sizes, and designs, these little bowls are more varied than you’d think. To find the best, most versatile ones, I put 10 ramekins to the test, using them to make chocolate soufflé and eggs en cocotte, and stacking and washing them to see how they held up. 

The Winners, at a Glance 

With their classic white, ribbed sides, these sturdy ramekins are perfect for crème brûlée or other custardy desserts. Chocolate soufflé rose nicely and the eggs en cocotte were perfectly cooked. The ramekins come in other colors, too, if you want a little pizzazz. 

UK-based Denby pottery is known for its durability and quality, and its ramekins are no exception. They stacked nicely, and soufflé and baked eggs emerged perfectly cooked. After testing, I found myself using the ramekins to hold snacks, mise en place, and scoops of ice cream.

The bottoms of these ramekins are slightly inset, so they stack neatly. Since they’re thicker, foods cooked in them needed more time in the oven, but the end results were still good. They come in a variety of beautiful colors, too. 

Like the Dowan ramekins, these have a classic design that would make any dessert look like it came straight from a French bistro. Everything cooked nicely, and the ramekins weren’t slippery when gripped with tongs. Plus, they’re about $3 a pop. 

These ramekins have a larger capacity (6.8 ounces) and more of a bowl shape than others I tested. This makes them quite versatile; they’re both at home coddling eggs as well as holding a handful of grapes for snacking. 

With a tall, narrow shape, these très chic ramekins are great for serving possets, pots de crème, or other desserts that don’t require a wider opening (like crème brûlée). Soufflés came out of the oven tall and puffy, too. However, the egg en cocotte looked a little lonely at the bottom of the tall ramekin. 

The Tests

• Chocolate Soufflé Test: I made chocolate soufflés in each ramekin, noting if they emerged from the oven nicely risen. I took a scoop from each ramekin, evaluating the soufflé’s consistency. 
• Eggs en Cocotte Test: I made eggs en cocotte with mushrooms and gruyère, cooking the filled ramekins in a water bath, per the recipe. I noted if the egg, cream, and mushroom mixture filled the ramekins nicely or if the ramekins swallowed them. After cooking, I removed them from the water bath with kitchen tongs and noted the final texture and doneness. 
• Stacking Test: I attempted to stack the ramekins to see if they nested neatly and didn’t feel precarious. 
• Cleaning Test: I hand-washed the ramekins or ran applicable ones through the dishwasher. 

What We Learned

There Was a Sweet Spot When It Came to Capacity and Height 

While ramekins are essentially small bowls, there was a sweet spot in terms of size and height that made them more versatile. Sure, I did like the Crate & Barrel Small Ramekins, which have a petite 5.5-ounce stated capacity. I also quite liked the slightly bigger 6.8-ounce Staubs. But it was the middling-capacity ramekins, ones that held around six ounces, that were the most useful when it came to cooking desserts. The Denby ramekins clocked in at 5.75 ounces, which was on the smaller side, but still close enough to six ounces that soufflés rose nicely and the baked eggs didn’t swim in the bowl. The Dowan ramekins were spot on at six ounces, making them great for crème brûlée and other recipes. 

Height was almost more important, though. Taller ramekins, like those from Emile Henry, encouraged a lofty rise on soufflés. The Williams Sonoma Pantry Ramekins were too short, a mere one inch tall, with a wider opening that was less versatile and more prone to spillage. That said, they’d probably be fine for making crème brûlée, which requires a wider surface area for the sugar crust. 

Thicker Ramekins Had Runnier Results 

Enameled stoneware isn’t a great conductor of heat—a better one would be aluminum or stainless steel. What enameled stoneware is good at is heat retention—so the mac and cheese you baked in an enameled stoneware casserole dish will stay warmer for longer than one cooked in a metal pan. So, it made sense that the thicker stoneware ramekins, like those from Le Creuset and Emile Henry, had softer final cooked results: The soufflés were still quite gooey in the center, and I had to bake the eggs for a few more minutes until the whites were set. This wasn’t a huge deal, though, since it was truly mere minutes of extra time in the oven. 

A Note on Materials 

If you take a gander at the materials of the ramekins I tested, you’ll notice an array of terms: porcelain, stoneware, and ceramic. (Earthenware is another material, though none of the ramekins I tested are made of it). The use of all these terms can be confusing, so I’ll break it down: Ceramic is a catchall term for clay pottery, so a ceramic item can be made of porcelain, stoneware, or earthenware. These materials are varied: Stoneware is less porous than other clays, making it heavier and more durable. Porcelain is also made of a specific type of clay called kaolin that’s fired at high temperatures, resulting in a non-porous, glassy product; it’s chip-resistant, too. Earthenware is more porous than stoneware and porcelain, which makes it cheaper and less durable. All of my favorite ramekins are made of hardy clays; the only ones that I’m unsure about are the Emile Henry ramekins, which are listed as “ceramic” without any further specification. 

Most Ramekins Were Great

When push comes to shove, any ramekin will likely serve you well. While I have some things I prefer (like larger capacities, taller sides, and thinner walls), in the end, everything I made in the ramekins turned out just fine. I’d go by how you use ramekins when choosing a set. If you frequently use ramekins to make desserts, then classic, capacious ones from Dowan or Denby might be good. If you like to use them for snacks or to serve food like ice cream, perhaps consider a larger ramekin, like those from Staub or Emile Henry. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Ramekin

A good ramekin should be at least 5.5 ounces in capacity, which makes it versatile for a variety of recipes and uses. Look for ones that are at least two inches tall; any shallower and stuff spills over. Foods cooked in thicker ramekins needed more time in the oven, but only a few minutes. Bonus points were given to ramekins that stacked nicely. 

Our Favorite Ramekins 

What we liked: These classic-looking ramekins baked up lofty soufflés and perfectly set jammy eggs. They stacked nicely, too, and the ribbed sides made them easy to grip with tongs when I removed them from the water bath. These are a great option if you’re looking for chic ramekins that make everything look elegant. 

What we didn’t like: I can’t think of anything, but if that changes, you’ll be the first to know. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.12 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.75 inches
• Weight: 7 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.25 inches
• Materials: Porcelain
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, microwave-, and oven-safe

What we liked: Denby is known for its durable, quality pottery made from Derbyshire clay. And these cerulean blue ramekins sure are stunners. They have a nice weight to them, and the tapered sides make them easy to stack. Soufflés rose nicely, and the egg en cocotte’s white was nicely set, while the yolk remained silky. These also make for great snack bowls. 

What we didn’t like: These are a smidge on the smaller side. They’re also pricey.  

Key Specs

• Height: 2 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.75 inches
• Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Stated capacity: 5.75 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.25 inches
• Materials: Stoneware
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, freezer, and microwave-safe

What we liked: These stocky ramekins stack neatly, thanks to an inset bottom rim. They’re the heaviest ones I tested at nearly 10 ounces and are made of durable stoneware. Elegant and timeless, these are great ramekins for serving desserts or making a handful of snacks feel special. 

What we didn’t like: Since they are a little thick, the soufflé and eggs en cocotte took longer to cook, but only by a few minutes. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.25 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.5 inches
• Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6.75 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.5 inches
• Materials: Stoneware
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, broiler-, and microwave-safe. 

What we liked: This set of four breaks down to a little over $3 per ramekin, making them one of the more affordable sets I tested. While petite, the tall sides encouraged a good rise in the chocolate soufflé, and the egg en cocotte was perfectly cooked. The classic white porcelain with ribbed sides makes these a shoo-in for serving French desserts, like pot de crème or crème brûlée.

What we didn’t like: These were the smallest ramekins I tested, though the taller sides made up for it. Crate & Barrel does sell a larger, taller, 9.5-ounce set.

Key Specs

• Height: 2.9 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.5 inches
• Weight: 6.1 ounces 
• Stated capacity: 5.5 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.25 inches
• Materials: Porcelain
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, broiler-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. 

What we liked: These were on the larger side with a 6.8-ounce capacity, making them versatile—they are great ice cream bowls! The chocolate soufflé was airy and tall, while the egg en cocotte looked surprisingly fulsome considering the ramekin’s bigger size. They are hefty and made of durable vitreous glass porcelain.

What we didn’t like: These look more like small bowls than ramekins and have a larger capacity that might not work with some recipes. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.5 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.75 inches
• Weight: 8 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6.8 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.5 inches
• Materials: Vitreous glass porcelain
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. 

What we liked: These elegant ramekins were the tallest ones I tested, with a 2.75-inch height and petite 3.25-inch opening (a quarter-inch smaller than most of the other ramekins). This made them excellent at baking tall soufflés. They’d be nice yogurt cups, too, and a pot de crème or posset would look spiffy in them.

What we didn’t like: The tall form factor won’t work for things like crème brulée, which need more surface area for the crackling sugar top. That said, the ramekins made nice and tall soufflés. They’re also a tad thicker, so foods took longer to cook in them. 

Key Specs

• Height: 2.75 inches
• Opening diameter: 3.25 inches
• Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Stated capacity: 6.75 ounces
• Approximate wall thickness: 0.5 inches
• Materials: Ceramic
• Stackable: Yes
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-, oven-, broiler-, and microwave-safe. 

The Competition 

• HIC Kitchen Souffle Ramekin Set: These basic ramekins were totally fine, though I’ve had some for a few years and they do chip. They also don’t nest. 
• Casafina Modern Classic Ceramic Ramekins: These are pretty, modern ramekins. However, their rounded bowl-like shape and smooth finish made them slippery.
• Williams Sonoma Pantry Ramekins: While everything cooked up fine in these, they were quite shallow, which limited their versatility. 
• Anchor Hocking 6-Ounce Glass Custard Cups: These performed totally fine in my tests (though the chocolate soufflé was more cooked than in other ramekins). They stacked neatly, too. My only qualms were they were slippery and not the prettiest. 

FAQs

What is a standard ramekin size?

The ramekins’ capacities I tested ranged from 5.5 ounces to seven ounces. I think around six ounces is the sweet spot that’ll serve you well for both cooking and snacking. 

What material is best for a ramekin? 

As I mentioned in the review, most ramekins are ceramic. Subdivide that further, and most of the ones I tested were either porcelain or stoneware. Both are made of durable, non-porous clay. Earthenware, on the other hand, is cheaper, more porous, and likelier to break. Glass is another material, and like ceramic ramekins, it performed well in my tests. 

What can you make in a ramekin? 

Ramekins are versatile little cups that are great for making individual desserts—think possets, crème brûlée, pot de crème, flan, etc. They’re also good for other individual dishes, like eggs en cocotte, little pot pies, or even single-serving frittatas. I like to use my ramekins for snacks and ice cream, too—they hold the perfect portion. 

Why We’re the Experts 

• Grace Kelly is a senior editor at Serious Eats where she specializes in testing kitchen gadgets. 
• She’s been testing kitchen gear for nearly four years. 
• She’s worked as a prep cook, bartender, and journalist. 
• For this review, Grace tested 10 ramekins by making soufflés and eggs en cocotte. She also noted if the ramekins stacked easily and if they were durable and easy to clean. 
• She uses ramekins to hold snacks and scoops of ice cream. 
  

I have some Irish heritage on my mom's side— the "O" in my byline stands for O'Niell, her maiden name—and I have a soft spot for St. Patrick's Day and Irish culture in general. The holiday is a great excuse to have a pint of Irish stout and eat some of my favorite Irish foods, including colcannon and soda bread, and it's also a fun excuse to make some Ireland–inspired creations, such as Shamrock shakes and Guinness-chocolate cake. This year, I'll be following my usual tradition for the holiday and cooking my St. Patrick's Day feast at home—because no way in hell am I going out into the drunken hoards packing the pubs in NYC, where I live. If you're planning to stay home to celebrate as well, check out the 11 ideas for the holiday below.

Corned Beef Brisket, Potatoes, Cabbage, and Carrots

For the best corned beef, cure your brisket with a mix of curing salt and spices, which gives the dish its characteristic flavor. Cooking the beef low and slow ensures it won't dry out or get tough, and allowing it to rest overnight guarantees you'll be able to carve thin, presentable slices.

Corned Beef Hash

Crispy potatoes, onions, and shredded corn beef make for a wonderfully satisfying breakfast. Cutting up and frying the corned beef fat by itself before adding the other ingredients allows the corned beef flavor to permeate every element of the hash, making each deeply savory.

Real Irish Soda Bread

Soda bread was traditionally baked over coals in a covered skillet, producing a wonderfully crusty loaf of bread—a setup anyone can re-create in a Dutch oven. This loaf is chewy but tender, with a fluffy crumb and a subtle pretzel-like flavor.

Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

These Irish potato pancakes are wonderful for breakfast, lunch, or dinner: They have crisp, lacy edges with a perfectly tender, fluffy interior. They're also super simple to whip up, and their savory potato flavor goes well with just about any topping you can dream up.

Irish Colcannon

Colcannon is a great partner for sausages and a pint of beer, but also just as good at the family dinner as a side for corned beef or baked ham; crowned with a fried egg or some smoked salmon; or even alongside a simple green salad to complete a filling meal.

Guinness-Chocolate Sheet Cake

This Guinness-chocolate sheet cake is moist and rich, with delightfully bittersweet and malty undertones. Brushing the cake with a Guinness syrup keeps it moist and amplifies the stour flavor, while malted milk powder brings savory depth to the vanilla frosting.

Guinness Beef Stew With Potatoes

This hearty stew is a staple at Irish pubs. Here, strong coffee and bittersweet chocolate reinforce Guinness stout's roasted flavors, ensuring they don't disappear during cooking.

Shamrock Shake

Don't feel like heading to McD's for a Shamrock Shake? Make your own at home with some vanilla ice cream, peppermint extract, and green food coloring.

Shepherd's Pie

Extra creamy mashed potatoes and a hearty meat sauce studded with carrots and peas make shepherd's pie a crowd favorite. Ingredients like red wine, tomato paste, and Parmesan cheese may be unconventional, but give the dish depth and complexity.

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Fernet-Spiked Irish Coffee With Lemon Cream)

For those who love the minty-bitter flavor of Fernet Branca, this riff on a classic Irish coffee is sure to knock your socks off.

Creamy Irish-Style Oatmeal

A foolproof recipe for the creamiest porridge around.

Like many home cooks, I’ve spent hours shredding pounds and pounds of chicken for supposedly “quick and easy” weeknight meals. People often use their hands or a pair of forks to shred meat, but it’s a time-consuming process, especially when you want the meat finely shredded. Luckily for all of us, there’s an easy, foolproof way to shred chicken with minimal mess.

The method is simple: You place cooked boneless, skinless chicken into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, then turn it on medium speed. (You can also use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer—more on that below.) It’s a clever tip the chef and cookbook author Marcela Valledolid showed me when I was a food stylist on the Today Show, and it’s the only way I shred chicken now, including my recipe for Buffalo chicken parathas. The power of the paddle quickly and efficiently shreds the poultry, making light work of an otherwise mildly annoying task. 

It's a useful technique that speeds up prep for dishes like enchiladas, chicken salad, chicken tinga, soups and stews, and more.

How to Shred Chicken Using a Mixer

To avoid overcrowding your bowl and straining your mixer, I recommend shredding no more than 12 ounces of boneless chicken at a time (that's about half the meat from a whole roast chicken). Just put the cooked boneless chicken in the stand mixer bowl, then start paddling on low speed. While a stand mixer can handle just about all the work, it can help to break the chicken down into large chunks, just to get things started.

As the pieces of chicken become smaller, you can increase the speed of your mixer to medium to help move it along. Avoid paddling the chicken at high speed, as that can result in pieces flying out of the bowl, and don't walk away or you may come back to a bowlful of mush.

This method works with a hand mixer, too: Just be sure to hold the bowl tightly so it doesn't go spinning out of control once the mixer is on. And, since a hand mixer has smaller beaters and no paddle attachment, you'll need to break the chicken down a bit more to begin so that the mixer can grab onto it.

You can use this method to shred other kinds of meat, too: Try it with smoked pork shoulder for speedy pulled pork sandwiches or turkey for a Thanksgiving leftovers pot pie.

An Irish favorite, colcannon combines potatoes and greens into a hearty mash. While in the US it’s become a mainstay for St. Patrick’s day celebrations, in Ireland it’s a dish deeply linked to and traditionally served on Halloween (although also enjoyed year-round). It’s the perfect partner for sausages and a pint of beer, but also just as good at the family dinner table as a side for corned beef or baked ham; crowned with a fried egg or some smoked salmon; or even alongside a simple green salad to complete a filling meal.

Colcannon emerged as a staple food in Ireland by the mid-18th century, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The name colcannon likely originated from the Gaelic phrase cal ceannann, which means "white-headed cabbage." Like many other Irish potato dishes, colcannon was created as a resourceful way to transform humble potatoes into a filling side dish using various available ingredients. In this vein, it was often made with whatever greens were on hand to supplement the potatoes—cabbage, broccoli leaves, kale, sorrel, watercress, or more. It’s a recipe that is as adaptable and frugal as it is delicious. 

In this recipe below, our Birmingham-based test kitchen colleague Jasmine Smith has created the richest, most hearty version possible. The key to making great colcannon is to start with perfectly boiled potatoes—all the better to soak up more butter and milk.

For the creamiest mash, Jasmine found that medium-starch yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Golds) worked best. Yellow potatoes have just the right amount of starch (less than starchy russets, but more than small waxy new potatoes) to ensure the perfect thick yet silky mashed texture. When cooked, the starch granules within the potato cells absorb water and swell, and some cells inevitably burst, releasing a gluey gel that helps give the mashed potatoes just the right amount of cohesiveness. Keep the potato chunks in large pieces so that they don’t become water-logged when boiled. 

While the potatoes may seem like the star of the show, colcannon’s flavor comes from the added butter, milk, and greens. We chose garlic and scallions to build an aromatic allium base before sautéing the cabbage. While we love cabbage for its neutral flavor and accessibility in this recipe, really you could substitute any preferred green, like kale or Swiss chard; just be sure to still fully wilt whatever green you choose before folding them into the potatoes.

On top of the classic alliums and cabbage, though, we sneak in another (optional) ingredient: seaweed. While seaweed isn’t traditional in colcannon, we like it for the subtle vegetal umami depth it adds to the mash. Plus, seaweed has been used in Irish cooking for centuries. In her cookbook From Forgotten Skills of Cooking, Darina Allen points out how many varieties of seaweed “have been part of the diet of coastal peoples since time immemorial.” In recent years it’s regained popularity with young Irish chefs.

While the seaweed is optional, we believe it’s what sets this version apart from so many others. Laver seaweed, sold in dried dark green sheets labeled as nori, is crisp, relatively mild, slightly saline, with roasted, smoky, nearly nutty notes. It pairs well with the hearty potatoes in this mash. To add it to the mash, we finely chop it and then steep it in the milk mixture until the seaweed is softened and the milk is infused with a briny, umami-rich flavor. 

Whether you add the seaweed or not, make sure not to forget to stud the top of the hot mash with pads of butter to melt and pool all over. It's the final step that guarantees these are potatoes you’re sure to love.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add white and light green scallion slices and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and translucent, about 1 minute. Add cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in milk and seaweed, if using, bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

In a colander, drain potatoes, shaking off any excess water. Set a ricer or food mill over now-empty pot and pass potatoes through. Add milk and cabbage mixture, salt, pepper, and half of sliced green scallion tops; fold until just combined. If potatoes are too thick, fold in additional hot milk as needed for desired potato texture. Season with additional salt to taste, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining scallion greens. Top with pats of butter and black pepper. Serve.

Special Equipment

Large pot or Dutch oven, large saucepan, colander, ricer or food mill

Notes

Laver is the name of a type of algae sometimes used in the cuisines of Ireland and Wales; nori is made from a related algae and can be used as well. It adds a subtle vegetal savoriness in this recipe, but is not traditional and can be omitted

I never leave the grocery store without a tub of plain yogurt: It’s a key ingredient in many dips, spreads, and baking recipes, and when topped with granola and fresh fruit, makes for an easy breakfast or snack. If you’ve ever stood in front of the wall of yogurt at a grocery store, then you’ll know there are many, many options. The question is: Which plain yogurt is worth buying?

To find the cream of the yogurt crop, our editors sampled 10 different plain whole-milk yogurts you’re likely to find at your local supermarket. (If you notice 11 in the photo below, that's because we cut one of the yogurts we tasted from our rankings because it turned out to be a strained yogurt.) We placed each in unmarked bowls, then sampled them in random order without knowing which yogurt was which. After tasting our way through 10 bowls of plain yogurt, we tabulated the results and crowned an overall winner we’d be happy to enjoy with granola or incorporate into our favorite dips and desserts. We also found an admirable runner up for those who prefer a yogurt made from grass-fed milk.

The Criteria

There are different kinds of yogurt, including strained varieties such as Greek yogurt, Icelandic skyr, and Middle Eastern labneh. For this taste test, we focused on plain, unstrained, whole-milk yogurt. Plain yogurt should be creamy, thick, and smooth without being overly set with thickeners such as pectin or stabilizers. It should be pleasantly tangy, but not sour. It should have the subtle, natural sweetness of milk, but not taste sweetened.

Overall Winner

The Best Nationally Available Plain Yogurt: Dannon Plain Whole Milk Yogurt

Though this yogurt is not quite as tangy as others we tasted, our editors enjoyed its mild tartness and loved its thick, creamy texture.  “Good body,” our associate visuals director, Amanda, noted. Our senior social media editor, Kelli, thought it was “all around good,” while both our editorial director, Daniel, and associate editorial director, Megan, described it as pleasantly smooth. “Creamy, mild, tasty,” Megan wrote. “I like it!”

While some overly sour yogurts may not be great in dips and desserts, this yogurt’s mildness makes it a versatile ingredient that can be used in myriad ways, be it savory or sweet. Use it to prepare frozen yogurt, incorporate it into baked goods, marinate chicken thighs, or just eat it on its own.

Runner Up

The Best Grass-Fed Plain Yogurt: Alexandre Family Farm 100% Grass-Fed A2/A2 Organic Plain Yogurt

“Good milk flavor, has that real mammalian funk,” Daniel wrote. “This is a compliment!” Amanda had lukewarm feelings about the “earthy” flavors of the yogurt, but Megan—who adores plain yogurt and says she eats it every single day—thought it was “extremely mild and cream-forward.” Though this yogurt was slightly thinner than some of the brands we sampled, it is still creamy and has good body. Many dairy cows are fed a total mixed ratio diet, a nutritionally-balanced blend of grains and proteins, resulting in sweet, malty milk. Dairy from grass-fed cows, however, is often described as having a more complex vegetal or barnyard-like flavor. While Daniel, Megan, and I all enjoyed the flavor of this yogurt, Kelli and Amanda did not. Grass-fed dairy may be an acquired taste, but if you want a slightly funky, earthy yogurt, you may enjoy this one.

The Contenders

• 365 Organic Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
• Alexandre Family Farm 100% Grass-Fed A2/A2 Organic Plain Yogurt
• Brown Cow Plain Yogurt
• Dannon Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
• Family Farmstead Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
• Nature’s Promise Organic Whole Milk Yogurt
• Seven Stars Farm Organic Yogurt Plain
• Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Plain
• Trader Joe's European-Style Organic Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
• Trader Joe's Organic Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
  

In Conclusion

Our editors enjoyed the majority of the plain yogurts we sampled. However, our testers had very different yogurt preferences: While some preferred mild and subtly sweet yogurts, others preferred dairy with more complexity, like those of the grass-fed kind. Most of the yogurts we sampled have just two ingredients: pasteurized milk and live cultures. Some yogurts, however, contain pectin, an ingredient that’s often used to thicken yogurt. In our tests, our editors preferred yogurts that had been naturally thickened during the fermentation process: When bacterial cultures convert the milk’s lactose sugars into lactic acids, it thickens and sours it simultaneously. Both our winners contain just pasteurized milk and live cultures, have just the right amount of tang, and are smooth and creamy. 

Our Testing Methodology

All taste tests are conducted with brands completely hidden and without discussion. Tasters taste samples in random order. For example, taster A may taste sample one first, while taster B will taste sample six first. This is to prevent palate fatigue from unfairly giving any one sample an advantage. Tasters are asked to fill out tasting sheets ranking the samples for various criteria. All data is tabulated and results are calculated with no editorial input in order to give us the most impartial representation possible.