You probably have a jar of dill pickles in your fridge, whether for a refreshingly sour snack, to serve alongside burgers and sandwiches, or to use in recipes like fried pickles, dips, and more. There are two kinds of dill pickles, though: Lacto-fermented pickles and vinegar pickles. Lacto-fermented pickles get their sour flavor from lactic acid produced during the fermentation process. Vinegar pickles, on the other hand, get their tanginess from a hot brine that typically includes vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. 

In his book The Art of Fermentation, Sandor Katz writes, “Although vinegar is a product of fermentation, most vinegar pickles use hot vinegar as a means of sterilizing vegetables. In these pickles, fermentation is prevented by this heat treatment, combined with high levels of acidity in the vinegar.” These are the pickles you're most likely to find in jars in an unrefrigerated section of a market (lacto-fermented pickles are almost always kept refrigerated unless they've been processed with heat after fermentation), and they're the common accompaniment to burgers and sandwiches at fast food chains and run-of-the mill diners and delis. 

While the Serious Eats team tends to prefer lacto-fermented full- and half-sours, we also know that the convenience of a more shelf-stable vinegar pickle makes it a worthy purchase. Plus, for some foods, they're just the right choice (we'd much rather a vinegar pickle on a burger or fried chicken sandwich than a Jewish deli–style full sour). So we thought we'd taste a bunch to find our favorite.

In this taste test, we methodically sampled six different vinegar-brined dill pickles you’re likely to find online or at your local supermarket. We had our tasters eat them on their own without knowing which they were trying while rating them on key criteria like flavor, sourness, and texture. In the end, we found one winner we’d be happy to keep in our fridge.

The Criteria

Not all dill pickles are made the same. Some have barely any crunch, some taste like you're eating straight vinegar in solid form, and others lack the herbaceous, spiced note that comes from aromatics like fresh dill or coriander seeds. A good vinegar-brined dill pickle should be sour enough to make you pucker, but not so tart that it tastes of pure, unadulterated vinegar. It should be refreshingly crisp and have a pleasant brininess, with a balanced flavor of fresh dill, and possibly garlic, coriander seeds, and/or mustard seeds. We also prefer pickles that have a natural greenish yellow hue that’s not neon from dye.

Overall Winner

Wegmans Kosher Dill Pickles

Every single taster enjoyed this pickle. “Not overly salty or sour, and no noticeable spice at first, but it has a big dill aftertaste,” our senior social media editor Kelli wrote. Like Kelli, our associate visuals director Amanda and associate editorial director Megan enjoyed the seasoning on these pickles. “My favorite so far—the closest to a lacto-fermented pickle,” Megan noted. Our editorial director Daniel appreciated the pickle’s muted acidity and flavors of allspice and garlic, though he did find them a touch mushy. Others, however, described the pickles as “pleasantly crunchy,” “decent,” and “crisp.”

The Contenders

• B&G Pickles, Kosher Dill
• Mt. Olive Pickles, Kosher Dill Spears
• Nature's Promise Dill Pickle Spears
• Vlasic Kosher Dill Spears
• Trader Joe's Kosher Dill Pickle Spears
• Wegmans Kosher Dill Pickle Spears
  

In Conclusion

Each brand we sampled used calcium chloride as a firming agent in their pickles. Wegmans, however, was the only brand with gum arabic, an ingredient that’s often used as a stabilizer or emulsifier in foods. When used in pickles, it prevents the brine from becoming cloudy or crystallizing. While some companies may use dye to give their pickles a yellow hue, Wegmans uses turmeric. Ultimately, all our tasters would have preferred full sour lacto-fermented pickles to snack on—but agreed that Wegmans’ vinegar-pickled dill pickles would do in a pinch.

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 our 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 of actual results possible.

I once worked at a French bakery where the best-selling item was our twice-baked almond croissant. We made them in the traditional way—by filling day-old croissants with a drizzle of simple syrup and a scoop of fragrant almond cream, then baking them again until they were crisp. Using day-old croissants is convenient in more ways than one: It gives new life to pastries that might otherwise be thrown away or sold at a hefty discount, and because the slightly stale croissants are less fragile, they’re much easier to work with. Plus, the slightly stale pastry is better able to absorb the rich, creamy filling without becoming soggy. 

These pastries were so popular people would line up around the block in hopes of procuring one. On weekends, the demand was so great that we often had no choice but to bake hundreds of extra fresh croissants, let them stale for several hours, then turn them into even more almond croissants.

It’s been almost four years since I left my job at the bakery, and the almond croissant is one of the pastries that I miss the most. Since I don’t usually have the time or resources to make them myself at home, I’ve started to make almond buns, which are essentially a mash-up of twice-baked almond croissants and cinnamon rolls, my other favorite breakfast treat. I swap out the croissants with a bread dough enriched with milk, butter, and eggs that I fill with sweet almond cream and baked into soft, pillowy rolls. It’s an easier way to satisfy my craving for an almond croissant—and though it isn’t quite the same, it’s just as delicious. 

Key Techniques for Making Delicious Almond Rolls 

My ideal rolls are light and lofty with a plush, feathery crumb. While most freshly baked cinnamon rolls start out this way, it only takes a few hours for them to lose their softness and become hard and slightly dry. Using a higher-hydration dough is one solution, but a wetter dough can be tricky to work with and harder to shape. After much trial and error, I came up with a method for making rolls that are easy to shape and stay fluffy and tender for longer: using a tangzhong. That, plus a few other important technical details, are the keys to success.

The Benefit of a Tangzhong

These rolls get their fluffy texture from tangzhong, a mixture of flour and milk or water that’s whisked together and cooked on the stove until a thick, stretchy paste forms. This process helps hydrate and gelatinize the starches in the flour, resulting in moist bread that stays fresher for longer. As Serious Eats contributor Andrew Janjigian touched on in his shokupan recipe, a gelled mixture of flour and water is “drier in texture than an identical ungelled one,” which “allows you to make a dough with more water in it than it could otherwise contain” without it becoming unworkably wet and sloppy.

The Importance of Thorough Kneading

Bakers and pastry chefs often caution against overworking doughs and batters, which can result in tough, chewy cakes and cookies. But some baked goods, like these rolls, benefit from a good knead, which organizes the gluten proteins glutenin and gliadin into a strong, extensible network that supports the dough as it rises in the oven. 

Since this dough is soft and sticky, I recommend using a stand mixer to knead it, as attempting to knead it with your hands and incorporating too much flour can result in tough, dry rolls. You’ll want to knead the dough until enough gluten has developed and it passes the windowpane test, which indicates the dough has developed enough elasticity: Pull off a golf ball-sized piece of dough and, using two hands, slowly stretch it as thinly as possible without ripping it. Hold the stretched dough up to the light, and if you can see through it, the dough is ready for its first rise. If not, continue kneading until you can stretch the dough thinly without it tearing. 

Proper Proofing

Like many yeasted doughs, these rolls require two rises: the first rise, also called the bulk fermentation, and the second rise, which is known as the final proof. As Serious Eats contributor Max Bernstein wrote in his guide to breadmaking, bulk fermentation is when the yeast does most of its work—consuming sugars and producing carbon dioxide, ethanol, and other byproducts—that help leaven the dough and deepen its flavor. To ensure the dough is adequately proofed, let it rise at warm room temperature (75 to 80°F; 24 to 27°C) until it’s puffy and has doubled in size—the dough should spring back slowly when gently pressed with a finger. 

After shaping the dough into rolls and nestling it into the baking pan, you’ll leave the dough to rise once more. This gives the gluten a chance to relax: Dough that hasn’t had time to rest will tear and deflate, instead of stretching and expanding into light, fluffy rolls. During the final proof, the dough will continue to produce carbon dioxide and rise, resulting in soft, airy rolls once baked.

Make a Great Almond Filling

At its most basic, almond cream (also called creme d’amande) is made by beating softened butter, sugar, eggs, and ground almonds together until it resembles thick cake batter. My version, like many others, incorporates an aromatic blend of flavorings including citrus zest, vanilla and almond extracts, and a splash of brandy.

Many people may call this mixture “frangipane,” though that term technically refers to almond cream that has been lightened with pastry cream. Almond cream is also not to be confused with marzipan or almond paste, which are both made from varying amounts of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites, and contain no butter. 

How to Shape the Almond Rolls

The dough will be sticky, so be sure to generously flour your work surface and rolling pin. To shape the rolls, roll the dough into a 10- by 14-inch rectangle about half an inch thick, then use an offset spatula to spread a thick layer of almond cream evenly across it. It will feel like a lot, but ensures that each bite is packed with bold almond flavor. 

How to Serve

Starting with the long end, roll the dough into a tight log, then slide a strand of thread, unflavored dental floss, or butcher’s twine under the dough then cross the ends over the top and pull tight to slice the dough into seven portions. (This is a clever trick that former Serious Eats editor Stella swears by for cutting her cinnamon rolls neatly without squishing the dough, but a serrated knife will work too.) Nestle the buns into a greased 9-inch aluminum cake pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let the dough proof until they’ve doubled in size.

While these rolls are wonderful topped with nothing more than a dusting of powdered sugar, a buttery almond glaze makes them even more delicious. To keep the rolls gooey and moist, pour the glaze over the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Enjoy these rolls while they’re still fresh and warm, and they might just become your new favorite breakfast pastry.

For the Almond Cream: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (175ºC). Add almond flour to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread into a thin, even layer. Toast, stirring every 3 minutes, until the almond flour is fragrant and light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and orange zest, if using, on low speed to roughly incorporate. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes, pausing to scrape down bowl and beater with a flexible spatula as needed. Add almond flour, all-purpose flour, egg, brandy (if using), almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on medium-high speed until smooth, thick, and creamy, pausing to to scrape down bowl and beater halfway through, about 2 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, scrape bowl and beater to ensure that no streaks of unmixed butter remain. (Almond cream can also be prepared in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer.) Set aside.

For the Tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk milk and flour to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens to a stretchy pudding-like consistency, 2 to 3 minutes.

For the Dough: Using a flexible spatula, scrape hot tangzhong into the now-clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment; let cool until just warm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Add cold milk to tangzhong, followed by the flour, butter, egg, sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed until dough is smooth, supple, and elastic, 12 to 15 minutes. (The dough should pass the “windowpane” test: Pull off a golf ball-sized piece of dough and, using two hands, gently flatten and stretch it until it’s a thin, translucent window of dough that resists tearing. Though all dough will eventually tear if you stretch it too much, you should be able to stretch it quite thin before that happens. If dough does not pass windowpane test, continue kneading until dough resists tearing when stretched, another 2 to 4 minutes.)

Loosely cover bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let sit at warm room temperature (75 to 80ºF; 24 to 27ºC) until dough is puffy and doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.

Grease a 9-inch aluminum cake pan with butter. Line the pan with two 15-inch by 3-inch strips of parchment paper, overlapping them to form an “X” in the bottom of the pan. (There should be about 3 inches of overhang on the edges.)

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10-by 14-inch rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Using an offset spatula, spread frangipane over dough into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border along each side. Starting with the long end, roll dough into a tight log. Carefully pinch dough together along the seam to seal, and gently pat log to ensure even thickness. Brush off any excess flour from the dough. Divide dough evenly into 7 slices, each about 2-inches thick: Slide an 8-inch strand of thread, unflavored dental floss, or butcher’s twine under the dough; cross the ends over the top and pull tight to slice dough. (Alternatively, you can use a serrated bread knife to portion dough.) Arrange rolls inside prepared pan: Place 6 rolls around the perimeter and one in the center, evenly spaced apart. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until about doubled in size, 30 to 60 minutes. (To test if the dough is fully proofed, gently press the dough with the flat of your finger; it should leave an indent and gently spring back.)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Scatter sliced almonds evenly over proofed buns. Bake until rolls are golden brown and have an internal temperature of at least 190°F (88°C), 30 to 35 minutes. If the rolls begin to get overly dark before they’re finished cooking, lightly tent the pan with foil.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt until a smooth, glossy glaze forms. It should be thick but pourable; add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to loosen as needed.

Remove rolls from the oven and pour glaze over them while still hot. Let cool in pan for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm.

Special Equipment

Stand mixer or hand mixer, small saucepan, whisk, flexible spatula, 9-inch aluminum pan, rolling pin, offset spatula

Notes

The final proof can be done overnight in the refrigerator, if desired. Arrange rolls in prepared pan, cover, and let rise until just beginning to puff, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate for up to 12 hours. When ready to bake, remove rolls from refrigerator and let rise in a warm place until double their original size. Proceed with step 7 of recipe. 

Make-Ahead and Storage

The almond cream can be made up to 4 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Once cold, the almond cream becomes very firm—be sure to let it come to room temperature before attempting to spread it over the dough.

Once cooled, leftover rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Rolls can be tightly wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in fridge. To reheat, wrap rolls loosely in foil and place in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.c

Whether you’re slicing through tough skirt steak or hardy grilled vegetables, you’ll want steak knives in your blade collection. Able to cleanly cut through a variety of dense or delicate foods at the dinner table, they can be just as essential as a chef’s knife. Our favorite affordable set from Material is razor-sharp, comfortable to hold, and well-designed. They were out of stock for most of last year but returned this month and are now on sale, bringing the price down to $88 for a set of four knives with a wooden holder.

Why They Won Our Review

They’re Wicked Sharp

Made of German stainless steel, these knives are truly very sharp. In fact, one of our testers gave an excited “Wow!” while slicing through a thick piece of steak with a Material table knife. Unlike a serrated knife, these blades are straight (our preferred form of steak knife), so they never tug or shred as they cut through food. 

Serrated blades like bread knives have their time and place, but slicing soft meat dishes requires smooth blades that are agile and decisive. We were particularly impressed with its performance on a tender filet mignon, which parted like butter as the Material steak knife glided through. 

They’re Easy on the Eyes

We also like the set’s modern, minimalist design. The straight handles come in various eye-catching colors with fun names (like Willow or Morel) instead of the more classic brown or black with rivets. 

If you’re thinking, “Where will I ever store four more knives in my packed kitchen?” we have good news: This set includes a wooden box for keeping the knives organized and protected when they’re not in use. While the website says these knives are dishwasher-safe, we always recommend hand-washing nice knives to keep them in good condition. 

Do We Recommend It?

Material Steak Knives

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: These knives punch way above their weight. When we tested them, one of our biggest complaints was that they seemed to be perpetually out of stock. That’s why we’re so excited that they’ve been restocked and are on sale to boot. We already thought they were affordable, but now you can grab the set for $88.

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.

As a vegetarian, she doesn’t own steak knives, but she may just have to grab these Material knives for crispy tofu cutlets or grilled cauliflower.

When I decided to move to Hawai’i, I had to do some real soul-searching on which pieces of kitchen equipment I could bring in my carry-on. I didn’t have space for anything but the essentials, and even then, I couldn’t afford anything too bulky or heavy. Ultimately, only two pans made the cut: a saucier and a skillet, both from All-Clad’s ultra-lightweight G5 (graphite core) line.

I discovered All-Clad’s graphite core pans last year when I received the saucier as a Hanukkah gift. Since then, I’ve added multiple pieces to my collection. They’ve quickly become my go-to pans, and not just for traveling. Lightweight, quick to heat and cool, and even-heating, the graphite core pans easily outperform other stainless steel I’ve used in the past. 

What Makes All-Clad’s G5 Line Different From Other Stainless Steel Pans?

All-Clad has a few different lines of stainless steel pans with subtle but meaningful differences. All of the pans are constructed from multiple layers (called “ply”) of metal—most commonly three-ply or five-ply. In general, pans with more layers are heavier and more durable; they also take longer to heat up and retain the heat for longer. The type of metal used in the pan’s core impacts the evenness of the heat distribution.

The brand’s basic lines (D3 and D5) sandwich exterior layers of stainless steel with an interior core of aluminum (an effective conductor of heat, but not necessarily food-safe on its own). The copper core collection swaps the aluminum core for—you guessed it—copper, which is lighter and a more even conductor. The newer G5 line features a stainless steel interior and exterior, two inner layers of aluminum for rapid heating, and a graphite core for uniform heat conduction. According to All-Clad, the graphite core is even lighter and spreads heat faster and more evenly than both aluminum and copper. 

All-Clad is the first major brand to debut a pan with a graphite core. The difference is immediately visible on the surface: You’ll notice round indents on the interior of the G5 pans, a honeycomb-like structure that aids in heat distribution. The graphite core also makes these pans significantly lighter than other stainless steel pans. 

Why I Love My All-Clad G5 Pans

Typically, when you’re shopping for stainless steel, you have to prioritize either heating and cooling speed or even heat conduction. But with the G5 line, you get the best of all worlds: lightweight construction, quick heating and cooling, and uniform heat distribution. A girl really can have it all. Let’s break it down further:

They’re lightweight: The graphite core pans are remarkably lightweight and easy to maneuver—a big plus for those lacking upper arm strength like myself. My 10.5-inch skillet weighs just two pounds, 2.5 ounces. That’s nearly a pound lighter than the 10-inch D5 skillet, with an extra half-inch of surface area to boot.

Rapid heat-up: My All-Clad G5 skillet heats up in approximately half the time as another five-ply skillet in my collection. It gets ripping-hot in less than a minute, making the pan ideal for getting a quick, hard sear on scallops, shrimp, or skirt steak. Since the pan heats up so quickly, you can cook on a lower heat and still achieve impressively even browning. If you’re cooking thicker proteins, you’ll want to lower the heat after the initial sear, since the pan will stay smoking hot. 

Temperature control and even heat distribution: Since the pan heats and cools quickly, the user has much more control over the pan's temperature. It’s responsive to even small adjustments in heat. The even heat distribution from the graphite core prevents hot spots, too. This results in a beautifully caramelized, shellac-like crust on meats.

Quick cooling: Once I remove the pan from heat, it cools down faster than other stainless steel pans, which minimizes carryover cooking. This is especially important for sensitive pastry projects, where a few extra seconds on the stove can make the difference between silky-smooth custard and a curdled mess. Due to the lack of hot spots and quick cooling, the G5 saucier is the only pan I’ll use for pastry creams, caramels, and curds. 

FAQs

Are the All-Clad G5 pans nonstick?

Stainless steel pans will never be quite as slick as a nonstick pan, which has been treated with chemicals to create a stick-resistant coating. But like other stainless steel pans, these graphite core pans become almost nonstick when handled properly. Heat the pan before adding butter or cooking oil, cook with plenty of fat, and deglaze the pan with water immediately after cooking to remove any lingering food residue. 

Are the All-Clad G5 pans oven-safe?

The G5 pans are oven and broiler-safe up to 600°F and compatible with any stovetop, including induction cooktops.

How do I clean stainless steel pans?

For daily cleaning, use hot water and a non-scratch scrubber sponge to work at any sticky spots. For a deeper clean, sprinkle the pan’s surface with Bar Keepers Friend and scrub away stubborn stains. For more information, look to our complete guide to cleaning stainless steel.

Why We’re the Experts

• Zoe Denenberg is a chef, baker, and food writer. 
• She currently splits her time between Maui, Hawai’i, where she works as a pastry chef, and Denali National Park, Alaska, where she is the executive chef at a wilderness lodge.
• She brings the All-Clad G5 10.5-inch skillet and 2.5-quart saucier (which she has owned for a year) along on all of her travels. She uses them daily.
  

A party without a shareable appetizer is like Easter without a bunny. And while pre-made puff pastry snacks from the freezer aisle can often do the job (if a bit soggily, at times), a freshly prepared savory tart delivers so much more impact with very little extra effort. With just one sheet of store-bought puff pastry, creamy Brie cheese, a few roasted carrots, and a zippy honey-mustard drizzle, this tart comes together easily for a colorful and delicious dish. It’s a great year-round addition to any party spread, Easter brunch, or even a picnic lunch. 

While carrots are rarely a “main event” ingredient, our Birmingham-based test kitchen colleague Renu Dhar has found a way to showcase them in this savory carrot tart recipe. The key to a crisp crust with a tender carrot topping comes down to just a few critical techniques.

Why Store-Bought Puff Pastry Is Best

Puff pastry is a laminated dough, made by repeatedly folding butter and dough together until the layers are paper thin. When the heat of the oven hits the dough, steam expands from the melting butter. Once baked, you have a light and delicately flaky pastry that is the perfect vessel for holding both sweet and savory fillings. It’s a beautiful thing.

But making it from scratch not only takes time, it's also a pain to do. The temperature of the butter and the dough, as well as the ambient conditions of the room you're in, all need to be just right for the pastry to turn out perfectly. The easiest solution? Don’t make it. 

Instead, start with frozen puff pastry. This allows you to throw it together relatively fast. When properly baked until deep golden and crisp, frozen puff pastry is a powerhouse ingredient, offering a quick foundation for the roasted carrots. We love the buttery flavor of Dufour, but other brands, such as readily available Pepperidge Farm, also work well. 

Whatever brand you choose, well-baked is the key here. Undercooked puff pastry is gummy and bland, and it’s an unfortunately common occurrence. To avoid this, the thawed puff pastry needs to be baked until bien cuit, the French term for “well done” which refers to the deep, dark color on the crust. To achieve this, it requires longer than you’d expect to bake through, drive off moisture, and fully express all its flaky layers.

While many recipes call for par-baking the puff pastry before assembling the tart to ensure proper baking, Renu found that with this tart, this step could be skipped because of the carrots' relatively low water content—they dump less moisture onto the pastry than many other vegetables and fruits used for tarts like this, and thus make it less soggy (that, plus some prep tips I'll discuss below).

Instead she scores and docks the dough right before adding the toppings. Scoring the dough's perimeter with a pairing knife and poking the dough all over with a fork (aka docking) ensures the crust’s edges will puff properly, while the center stays smooth and flat when baking. This saves time and effort, while still achieving a shatteringly crisp crust from edge to edge. 

How to Make a Flavorful Carrot Topping That Won’t Cause a Soggy Crust

The key to ensuring the tart's crust remains crisp relies not only on how the dough is prepared, but also on how the carrots are prepared, and how all the ingredients are layered together. 

First, roast the carrots separately, before assembling the tart. If you were to plop raw carrots onto the raw tart dough and bake it, you’d end up with a tart with browned edges, a soggy bottom and still crunchy carrots. There’s no avoiding this step—those carrots need some alone time in the oven first to ensure that once the tart is assembled and baked, they are fully tender at the same time the cheese melts and the dough cooks through.

While carrots are not a very juicy vegetable, roasting them first still helps to cook off any excess moisture, which could cause the puff pastry to turn wet and prevent it from rising properly. Before roasting, the carrots are tossed with oil, garlic powder, and ground ginger that complements their natural sweet flavor. For visual contrast and a fun presentation, we like to cut some of the carrots into round coins, and some into long strands.

The second tip to ensure a crisp tart is to layer the ingredients with purpose. Start by shingling the Brie cheese across the prepared pastry. Not only does the Brie add creamy, rich flavor to the tart, the cheese also acts as a protective layer to help prevent excess moisture from seeping down into the dough. The cheese is then brushed with a honey-mustard vinaigrette, followed by the carrots. As the cheese bakes and melts, it also anchors the carrots in place to ensure everything comes together into one cohesive bite: The bottom crust is crispy, the carrots on top are soft, and all of it is glued together with delicious melted cheese.

Note that when you're baking the tart, it can be difficult to tell if the underside is crisp just by looking at the top, so we recommend gently lifting the edge of the tart with a spatula and running a butter knife across the bottom to feel for how crisp it is. If still soft, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil and let it bake for a few more minutes until the bottom is crisp.

Once you remove the tart from the oven, let it cool (uncovered—you don't want to trap steam!) for a few minutes before cutting to allow the cheese to firm up slightly. The tart can be served warm, or cooled to room temperature.

Adjust oven rack to lower third position; preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Slice 2 carrots crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds; halve remaining carrots lengthwise.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss all carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger until evenly coated. Arrange carrot rounds and lengths in a single layer, cut side down. Roast until carrots are tender and lightly browned at edges, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes; keep oven on.

While carrots are roasting, in a large bowl, thoroughly whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle in remaining 2 teaspoons oil while whisking constantly.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll puff pastry sheet into a 13- by 11-inch rectangle. Transfer to parchment-lined sheet. Using a pairing knife, lightly score a border around perimeter of puff pastry, about 1/2 inch from edges. Using a fork, prick pastry at 1-inch intervals inside the border (do not prick the border). Loosely cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to bake.

When ready to bake, arrange Brie slices in an even layer inside scored border of pastry. Arrange carrot rounds and lengths on top of cheese; drizzle and brush evenly with 2 tablespoons honey-mustard mixture. Lightly brush edges of pastry with beaten egg yolk.

Bake until cheese is melted and pastry is deeply browned on edges and crisp on bottom, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Transfer tart to cutting board and drizzle top with remaining honey-mustard mixture and garnish with black pepper and thyme leaves. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Special Equipment

2 rimmed baking sheets, parchment paper

Make-Ahead and Storage

This tart is best served right after baking, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer to a parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and heat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through, cheese is softened, and puff pastry is recrisped.

When I'm stressed or have had a bad day, my first instinct is to run into the kitchen and bury myself in baking projects. I start proofing sourdough loaves, make and scoop several batches of cookie dough to freeze for later, and immerse myself in the meditative act of laminating puff pastry dough. Baking up a storm certainly won't solve all of my problems, but it's the most enjoyable and rewarding (not to mention delicious!) way to take my mind off things. Below, you'll find 15 baking projects—including tender cinnamon rolls, buttery brioche, and the very best chocolate chip cookies—that will provide you with a mental escape when you need it the most.

Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread)

Shokupan is an ultra-soft, squishy, and impossibly light loaf, with a mild sweetness and a fine, pillowy crumb the Japanese call "fuwa fuwa" or "fluffy fluffy." Here, a scalded flour mixture known as a yudane keeps the loaf soft. Unlike most wheat-based scalds that must be cooked over a stove, this yudane is made with glutinous rice flour, and comes together simply by whisking boiled milk with the flour.

Cheese Danish

These Danishes are rich with butter and packed with sweet, tangy cream cheese—and may very well convince you that the only ones worth eating are warm, freshly baked ones.

Custard Creams

These sandwich-style cookies feature a silky pale yellow buttercream between two crumbly rectangular biscuits. Custard powder gives the biscuits their distinct golden color and custard-like flavor, and keeping the dough cold helps the biscuits retain their shape and embossed detail.

New Jersey Crumb Buns

The Garden State's spin on coffee cake goes heavy (in the best of ways) on the streusel crumb topping. For a soft, rich crumb, cream softened butter with equal parts granulated and brown sugar. Don't skip the hefty dose of cinnamon, which gives the pastry its warm spiced note.

One-Bowl Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

The best smell to wake up to is that of cinnamon rolls wafting from the oven. The magic of this recipe? All the heavy lifting is knocked out a day in advance. Plus: It's a one-bowl recipe, so you don't need to dirty every dish in the house just to make a special breakfast.

Kanafeh (Middle Eastern Cheese and Phyllo Dessert)

Filled with salty cheese and drenched in a floral syrup, kanafeh is a crispy, nutty, and syrupy dessert made for cheese lovers. Thoroughly mixing the shredded phyllo with ghee and baking it in a cast iron skillet—which promotes even browning—ensures the pastry crisps up all the way.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Good things take time: An overnight rest allows enzymes to break down large carbohydrates, enhancing the caramelization and browning process the next day to help the cookies develop deeper flavor. These cookies get their intensely nutty, butterscotch flavor from brown butter and deep molasses notes from dark brown sugar.

Homemade Bagels

A Japanese technique called yukone—which involves cooking a mixture of flour and water on the stove into a thick paste of gelatinized starch before incorporating it into a dough—ensures these tender, chewy bagels stay fresh for days.

Leche Flan (Filipino Baked Custard)

Leche flan is a beloved dessert in the Philippines, and marries caramelized sugar with a rich, dense, and creamy custard. For the silkiest custard, pass the flan through a fine-mesh sieve, then bake it in a water bath, which surrounds the dessert with gentle, uniform heat that prevents it from becoming dry and rubbery.

New England Anadama Bread

You can thank a grumpy fisherman and his wife for this traditional New England sandwich bread. Made with cornmeal and molasses, the loaf is sweet and slightly nubby, and especially delicious when toasted and slathered with salted butter.

Chocolate Babka

Rich, tender, and filled with just the right amount of chocolate, this delicious babka will fill your home with the enticing scent of yeasted dough and cocoa. A simple cooked flour slurry called tangzhong gives the bread its moist, fluffy texture and delays staling, while a cold proof helps the dough develop more flavor and makes it easier to shape.

Millionaire's Shortbread

With layers of tender shortbread, rich caramel, and dark chocolate, millionaire’s shortbread is a luxurious confection worth making at home. Cooking the butter, sugar, and heavy cream to 235°F (113°C) results in butterscotch that's satisfyingly chewy and not too firm or runny, and a dark chocolate topping helps offset the sweetness of the bar.

Classic Yeasted Coffee Cake

With its tender crumb, sweet cinnamon filling, and toasted pecan topping, this pastry is a riff on Sara Lee's pecan coffee cake. Made in the style of Danish brunsviger—a yeasted coffee cake that's typically eaten for breakfast—it's subtly sweet, with a soft, springy crumb.

Brioche

Brioche is the gold standard of enriched bread: It is unashamedly rich with a melt-in-the-mouth quality. This classic brioche is airy and tender, with a deeply rich and buttery flavor thanks to eggs, whole milk, plenty of butter, and hands-off cold fermentation.

Gâteau Basque

Gâteau Basque, which has a filling of pastry cream or cherry jam nestled between a tender and slightly crumbly crust, combines elements of a cookie, tart, and pie. In other words: A crowd-pleasing dessert that ticks all the boxes.

If you’ve been eyeing a blender upgrade or cookware set refresh, we’re only one sleep away from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Starting Tuesday, March 25 (that's tomorrow!), Amazon will hold seven days of major sales across all categories to welcome the new season. As kitchen gear nerds who can recite the names of Breville’s espresso machines and Vitamix’s blenders by heart, we practically have antennae that go off any time our favorite kitchen essentials go on sale. Ahead of the spring sale, we’ve already found 31 incredible deals, with up to 50% off the Yeti Roadie cooler, Anova Culinary sous vide cooker, Le Creuset Dutch oven, and more.

Breville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine

Crowned the best espresso machine for beginners during our tests, the Breville Barista Express Impress has a built-in grinder, integrated steam wand, and helpful tamping lever—everything you need to make aromatic espresso drinks. The steam wand produces silky milk foam, and the automatic coffee portioning system removes any guesswork.

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

The Le Creuset Dutch Oven has been our favorite for years. Its durable cast iron heats across the entire surface and cooks food thoroughly. Be it pork shoulder or stewed beans, the Le Creuset excels at retaining heat. We especially like how the enamel coating resists staining.

Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid

This Dutch oven braises, stews, and bakes just as well as more expensive ones, but costs a fraction of the price. If it's maintained well, it'll last for ages, too. (I personally think it's the best Dutch oven you could get your hands on for under $100). Grab it while it's 40% off.

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

This Breville toaster oven air fryer can do anything—literally. It air fries, toasts, bakes, broils, dehydrates, slow cooks, and much more. It even has presets for cookies, bagels, and pizza. It churns out crunchy fries and impressively crisp chicken wings. Rarely on sale, it's finally $100 off.

Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler

This Yeti hard cooler can hold up to 76 cans or 54 pounds of ice. Its rugged, 7-inch wheels can roll over uneven terrain, and it stayed cold for an impressive 72 hours (the longest amount of time!) during our tests. The periscope handle also extends and collapses smoothly.

Yeti Hopper Flip 12 Portable Soft Cooler

We love that this soft cooler has a spacious interior, incredible cold retention, and a comfortable carrying strap. It can hold 18 cans plus 8 pounds of ice, making it ideal for picnics, beach days, or grocery store runs. Longer, sunnier days are nearly here.

Breville Smart Oven Pro Countertop Oven

This toaster oven has been our top pick for nearly a decade. Toast comes out uniformly golden, without any light or dark spots. It can also roast, bake, broil, and even fit a frozen pizza with ease.

Yeti Rambler 42-Ounce Tumbler With Handle and Straw Lid

Available in various sizes, the Yeti Rambler fits into any car cupholder. This insulated tumbler keeps drinks cold for hours and has a press-in lid that keeps it from leaking too much. The handle is comfortable to grip, too.

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Simply put, this is the best affordable burr coffee grinder. For the price, it delivers consistent grinds. It’s also a slender machine with a sleek and simple control dial. The hopper and burr also come apart and reassemble quickly for cleaning. 

Tramontina 10-Inch Nonstick Frying Pan

At 46% off, this nonstick pan releases fried eggs without a hitch and produces smooth, uniformly cooked omelets. The aluminum body heats up quickly, while the nonstick coating sustained only minor scratches during our durability tests. It’s lightweight, cheap, and gets the job done.

Lodge Cast Iron Rectangular Reversible Griddle

Lodge’s reversible griddle is essential for big-batch breakfasts or burgers. The griddle side cooks fluffy pancakes and the grill side imparts flavorful char marks on burger patties and vegetable skewers. It’s a multitasker in the kitchen and is on sale for 41% off.

OXO Good Grips Silicone Oven Mitt

Keep your hands protected in the kitchen with our favorite oven mitt from OXO. We especially like the snug fit, which offers versatility and dexterity while handling hot pots and pans. The textured silicone also provides a sturdy grip on rims and handles.

Tramontina Seattle Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel 12-Inch Frying Pan

Our budget stainless steel pan pick is this skillet from Tramontina. It’s especially worth grabbing now that it’s 43% off. It heats quickly, sears chicken to a golden hue, and sautés vegetables without any trouble.

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Pro

This normally splurge-worthy sous vide machine is now a whopping 48% off. It's speedy, efficient, and incredibly accurate. It’s able to bring 6 quarts of water to 190°F in just 32 minutes and stays quiet when in use. We also like the onboard display, which clearly states temperature and cook times.

Messermeister Avanta 5-Inch Fine Edge Steak Knife Set

Steak knives can be pricey, but we’re big fans of this surprisingly affordable set from Messermeister. It’s a longtime favorite that cuts through steak with little resistance. The handles are comfortable to hold and the blades remain sharp with use.

Peugeot Paris u'Select Manual Pepper Mill

This pepper mill delivers consistent grinding at every setting. The round wooden top and curved body make it comfortable to hold and the marked base can be adjusted for different sizes. It also looks nice by the stove or on the dinner table.

Lodge 10.25-Inch Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet

Thanks to its durability and even cooking, this cast iron skillet has been our top pick for years. It sears pork chops to a golden brown and bakes fluffy, moist cornbread. It also cleans up quickly and lasts a very, very long time.

Vitamix A3300 Ascent Series Smart Blender

It’s rare to see $145 off on a Vitamix blender, so this deal is worth flagging. The powerful motor never struggles to produce silky smoothies, soups, or emulsions. The variable speed control lets you fine-tune your blending and the built-in timer is a bonus for multitaskers in the kitchen.

Yosukata Carbon Steel Wok

To achieve true, smoky wok hei at home, you'll need a carbon steel wok like this one from Yosukata that's been our favorite through several rounds of testing. It comes pre-seasoned, reaches high temperatures quickly, and doesn't stick. The handle also stays cool while cooking. At $57, it's a steal.

Vitamix Immersion Blender 3-Piece Set

Be it pureeing celery soup or crushing ice, this Vitamix immersion blender can do it all. It makes quick work of whipping mayonnaise or heavy cream and has a useful blade guard that protects your pots and pans.

Cuckoo Micom 6-Cup Rice Cooker

We called this the best rice cooker for those who are “quite serious about rice.” It has a total of 11 settings, spanning white rice, brown rice, porridge, germinated brown rice, and more. It offers the most customization out of the 23 models we’ve tested over the years, allowing you to set soaking time or cooking temperature.

Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers, Set of 5

If you’re looking to upgrade your food storage containers, this plastic Rubbermaid Brilliance set will be a happy home for your leftovers. It’s completely leakproof and does an exceptional job of resisting odors and stains.

Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker

Out of the 12 Instant Pots we tested, the Instant Pot Pro continues to be our top pick. Capable of making flavorful chili and much more, it pressurizes within five minutes and has a non-spinning inner pot for more stable sautéing. We particularly appreciate its push-button steam release feature.

Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro

For sous vide cooking or long-term food storage, we recommend this Anova vacuum sealer that offers a wide range of settings and an impenetrable double-seal technology. It can seal bags back to back and has a liquid setting for sealing bags with moisture (like marinated meats or saucy vegetables).

Mercer Culinary Genesis 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

This German-style chef’s knife delivers serious bang for your buck at just $38. It has a super sharp blade and a grippy handle that’s comfortable to hold. It excels at slicing and dicing vegetables and cuts into a pineapple without trouble.

Ironwood Gourmet Large End-Grain Wood Cutting Board

For a budget wooden cutting board, this one from Ironwood stands out in looks as well as performance. It’s thin and light, making it easy to clean and store, and has been our budget pick through several rounds of testing, continuing to impress us for its price. 

Zulay Kitchen Executive Series Milk Frother Wand

We like that this handheld milk frother takes up minimal space in the drawer yet froths milk quickly, given its compact size. It gets to work with a single press of the power button. 

OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale

This accurate and versatile food scale has a max capacity indicator, which is handy for weighing out large amounts of flour or grains. We especially like the pull-out display that lets you track weight with larger mixing bowls or sheet pans on top. 

Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels, 15-Pack

There are never enough dish towels around, so grab this 15-pack that’s our favorite out of the 17 brands tested. Boasting an impressive absorbency rate of 141%, these Zeppoli towels sop up messes without trouble. They’re also adept at handling hot pots and pans. Plus, they’re on sale for just $1.30 apiece.

O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop

Sticky barbecue sauce and runny coffee spills are no match for this superb spin mop that can get into every tricky corner. Its bucket has a clever built-in spinner wringer operated with a foot pedal, leaving mop heads wrung and ready to tackle the next mess.

Pipishell Bamboo Expandable Drawer Organizer

Spring cleaning is officially here. To wrangle your jumble of utensils, grab this drawer organizer that’s on sale for 39% off. It’s our favorite thanks to its expandable sides and waterproof coating.

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. 

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing kitchen equipment for Serious Eats for over two years.
• She loves a good deal on kitchen gear and will be grabbing this Ironwood cutting board as an early Mother’s Day gift.
  

When I was growing up, my family sat down to dinner together every single night. Like many Chinese families, we ate family-style: There were always sautéed greens, fried or steamed fish, and a braise or stir-fry accompanied by steamed rice. It was simple, comforting, home-style cooking. One of the dishes my mom made frequently was a fragrant stew of braised brisket with daikon radish and carrots flavored with chu hou paste, a sweet and savory blend of fermented yellow soybeans, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger. The dish is a Cantonese classic, and its ease makes it a popular weeknight meal for many families living in Hong Kong.

Traditionally, the stew is prepared by sautéeing ginger and star anise until fragrant, chucking in cubed brisket and vegetables, then simmering it all with rock sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chu hou paste, Shaoxing wine, and water until tender. How the stew is made, though, can vary from household to household. Some cooks, including my mom, use a combination of brisket and tendon: As the tendon cooks, it becomes meltingly tender, and its collagen breaks down into gelatin, giving the sauce body. Daikon radish is usually the only vegetable used, but some households may opt for just carrots or, like me, use a blend of both.

As is the case with many recipes that are passed down from generation to generation, I’ve put my own spin on the classic. My version incorporates several Western culinary techniques that you wouldn’t typically see in a recipe for Chinese braises: I sear the meat before braising, incorporate gelatin to add body, and cook the stew low-and-slow in the oven. While not traditional, it makes for a deeply flavorful stew that requires just about 30 minutes of active time before the oven does the rest of the hard work.

To Sear or Not to Sear?

Most Chinese-style braises or stews do not call for searing, a popular step in many Western-style recipes. I have, admittedly, dumped the ingredients—aromatics, beef, vegetables, and all—into a pot on days when I am exhausted and simply do not feel like cooking. While delicious, I prefer the stew when I’ve taken a few extra minutes to sear the meat. There’s nothing wrong with not browning the meat, and there’s a strong argument for skipping that step in some contexts, like when you want more tenderness or have other assertively flavored ingredients that makes the flavor boost of browning the meat less important. But after my time in culinary school and cooking professionally, I find myself doing it when I have the time and energy, and have come to appreciate the effects of searing.

Searing allows the Maillard reaction—a series of chemical reactions that occur when heat transforms proteins and sugars, creating new, more complex flavors and aromas—to take place. Some recipes for beef stews may have you cube the meat before browning it, but getting a good sear on cubes can take a long time, since there's more surface area to brown, and also because that extra surface area provides more opportunity for the meat to exude water and steam more before beginning to brown.

To avoid that problem, I take a page out of former editor Kenji’s book: I portion the brisket into three steaks, then sear each of them before portioning them into two-inch chunks. “Because of their lower surface area, steaks brown in a fraction of the time of cubes,” Kenji notes in his all-American beef stew recipe. “Meanwhile, even though our beef isn’t browned on every surface, there’s still plenty of browned flavors to mix around the stewpot as it cooks.” You also preserve more tenderness, since you’re not browning every single side of each small cube of beef.

All About Chu Hou Paste (Chinese Fermented Yellow Soybean Paste)

In the realm of fermented bean pastes, doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), miso (koji-fermented Japanese soybean paste), and doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) get all the love. But there’s another bean paste that most home cooks in America likely do not have in their pantry: chu hou paste. The Chinese condiment is made by sautéeing garlic, ginger, and shallots with oil until fragrant, then stirring in a whisked mixture of ground bean sauce (mochijiang, which is made from fermented soybeans), fermented beancurd, sesame paste, sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and five spice. A little master stock goes in, and the mixture is cooked until it bubbles and darkens in color. Making it isn’t difficult, but here, I’ve opted for a store-bought version for ease.

It’s sweet and deeply savory, and not quite as salty or funky as Chinese black bean sauce. The ingredient is a pantry staple for many Cantonese families, who use it in braises and stir-fries. You can find it online or at an Asian grocery store; I recommend using Lee Kum Kee, which is my family’s go-to brand.

Add a Pinch of Gelatin

As I mentioned above, my mom always made her stew with both brisket and tendon; the collagen in the meat and especially the tendon would melt into gelatin and give the sauce its velvety texture. Because tendon isn’t easily found in most American supermarkets, I decided to skip it here. To make up for the lack of collagen that tendon would provide, I decided to enhance the sauce with unflavored powdered gelatin, something both Kenji and our editorial director Daniel have done many times to give the sauce in their stews a silkier texture without the need of a very gelatin-rich stock. Unlike flour, gelatin helps thicken the broth without muddying the flavors of the dish.

Cook It Low-and-Slow

For the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it meal, I let the oven do the hard work for me. Though this braise is almost always prepared on the stovetop, I’ve found that cooking the stew with the gentle, even heat of the oven results in more tender meat. To prevent it from overcooking and becoming too hot, I leave the lid cracked, which maintains a steady temperature and allows some of the liquid to evaporate and reduce into a spoon-coating sauce. This isn’t a totally faithful reproduction of how my mom and everyone before her made this, but feels like an accurate and delicious representation of my life today.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).

Place water in a large bowl or measuring cup and sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand until fully hydrated, about 10 minutes.

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season beef all over with salt and pepper and add to Dutch oven. Working in batches, cook steaks, turning occasionally, until beef is well browned on 2 sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer beef to a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and set aside.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Add ginger, star anise, and cassia bark, and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add daikon radish and carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are well-browned, about 4 minutes.

Add chu hou sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar, and cook, using a wooden spoon to stir and scrape up browned bits, until sugar has dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Add water and gelatin mixture, stirring to combine.

Cut seared steaks into 2-inch chunks. Add beef and any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine and return to a simmer over medium heat. Transfer to oven, cover with lid partially open, and cook until beef and vegetables are tender and broth has thickened slightly, about 3 hours. Liquid should hold a slow, steady simmer the entire time; adjust oven temperature as needed during cooking.

Remove stew from oven. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Chinese greens and rice, if desired.

Special Equipment

Large Dutch oven, tongs, slotted spoon

Notes

Chu hou sauce can be purchased online or at Asian grocery stores. My family prefers the Lee Kum Kee brand.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Once cooled, the braised brisket can be refrigerated in an airtight container. To reheat, bring to a simmer over medium-low heat or microwave until warmed through.

The braised brisket can be frozen with its cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Seltzer’s popularity has been bubbling up for a while. There are a bajillion brands with more on the market every day. Enter the soda maker—a way to ditch the can and make a fizzy drink from the comfort of your home. There are tons of brands out there, but I decided to test a soda maker from a big name in the kitchen appliance realm: Ninja. Its model, aptly called the Thirsti, promises endless customization, including fizz level and flavors. To see if it could live up to its promises, I used it for over a month and made a whole lotta sparkling drinks. 

The Tests

• Carbonation Test: I timed how long the Ninja Thirsti took to make drinks of various sizes and carbonation levels.
• Taste Test: I tried out a few of the flavor pods, tasting each result and noting if the bubbles were pleasantly fizzy and if the flavors were good. 
• Usability Tests: Throughout testing, I noted how easy the Thirsti was to set up, use, and clean.

What We Learned

It Carbonated Fast

I timed how long it took the Thirsti to carbonate drinks ranging from six to 18 ounces, and in short, it's quite fast. When I made a standard 12-fluid-ounce drink with two flavors, it came together in less than a minute. The Ninja also swiftly carbonated 18 ounces of water in under two minutes—impressive.

It Was Easy to Use and Lets You Customize Each Cup

The Ninja Thirsti was easy to set up and use: Twist on the CO2 canister, pop in the flavor pods, and fill up the tank with water. It offers full control over the level of carbonation, bubble size, and flavor potency, so you can fine-tune each cup. (It's worth noting that the smallest drink carbonation setting doesn't let you combine flavors.)

The bubble icon button lets you choose between still, light, classic, or extra fizzy drinks. The serving size options vary depending on the model. The Ninja Thirsti and the Ninja Thirsti Max can make six-, 12-, 18-, and 24-ounce drinks. The difference comes in the largest drink size—the standard bottle makes up to 24 ounces while the Max can make a whole liter.

Whichever model you choose, I liked that it’s simple to toggle between making a cup for myself or a pitcher for the whole family. However, the first couple of times I used it, I accidentally pulled my cup away too early when the machine stopped pouring, only to have it suddenly start dispensing again. Keep in mind there are a few seconds of stalling as it extracts, so wait until you hear the jingle before removing your cup (even if you only selected one flavor).

The Verdict

The Ninja Thirsti is great because it allows for an endless amount of variation, including fizz level and flavors. I really loved the unique flavor combinations. There are currently about 30 flavor pods available, including seltzer, Fruiti Chill, and soda—all with zero calories and zero sugar. The soda flavors taste on par with popular diet sodas. I preferred the unique fruit flavors like pear ginger, dragon fruit, and peach punch. I like that the pods are compact and shut tightly, which makes them easy to store. Although small, each pod can make about twenty 12-ounce drinks. 

The Ninja Thirsti is also really easy to use. The reservoir has an indicator on the bottom that turns bright blue when the water reaches the recommended temperature for carbonating, and it’s also removable, which makes it easy to fill and store in the fridge. You can also minimize splashing by adjusting the tray’s height for smaller cups. It also has indicators to let you know when to replace the CO2 cartridge. It’s a versatile, easy-to-use machine that lets you experiment with making seltzer. 

The Pros

The Ninja Thirsti was easy to set up, customize, and clean. It's compact and slim, so you can tuck it into a corner without taking up too much counter space. I liked the thoughtful design elements like the adjustable cup tray to reduce splashing and an indicator that lets you know once your CO2 canister is running low. My favorite aspect of the Thirsti is its ability to mix and match flavors, so you can come up with something new and refreshing every time. 

The Cons

The biggest downside is that you have to use the proprietary flavor pods. I also would have appreciated flavor pod options that aren't zero-calorie or zero-sugar—as it was, they all were. It also doesn't include a bottle like other soda makers—instead, you have to carbonate each serving as you go.

Key Specs

• Weight: 8.5 pounds
• External dimensions: 13.9 x 8.7 x 16 inches 
• Warranty: One year from date of purchase
• Comes with: A CO2 cartridge and eight flavor drops
• Water reservoir capacity: 48 ounces

FAQs

What’s the difference between the Ninja Thirsti and the Ninja Thirsti Max?

The Ninja Thirsti Max has a larger water reservoir with an ice press built into the lid, and it can make up to a liter of carbonated water at a time. There are also a few design elements, like an adjustable cup tray and an open compartment on top for inserting flavored syrups.

How do you install the CO2 canister?

To insert a can of CO2, open the hidden compartment in the back of the machine and pull the tab out toward you. Then insert and twist the canister until fully tightened. Both models use the same 60-liter CO2 canisters, which produce up to a hundred 12-ounce drinks. The bubble icon on the machine glows orange when the CO2 canister is running low.

Why We’re the Experts

• Octavio Peña is a recipe developer for Serious Eats, Food & Wine, and The Kitchn.
• He’s used soda makers for five years.
• For this review, he used the Ninja Thirsti regularly for over a month.
  

Cooking is chemistry, but too often we overlook one of its most powerful tools: pH. Yet pH is at play in so many of the foods we cook. We use acidic ingredients like tangy yogurt or buttermilk in marinades to tenderize meat, we add a pinch of alkaline baking soda to shrimp to keep them plump and juicy, we add cream of tartar to egg whites so they whip up into a more stable foam, and we squeeze lime juice onto fish to "cook" the flesh without heat. But what about vegetables? Most home cooks are unaware of it, but we can leverage pH to help cook vegetables faster, modulate their texture and appearance, and even improve their flavor.

Let’s break this discussion down into parts, guided by a simple premise: Raising or lowering the pH of a vegetable’s cooking environment (a pot of water, for instance) changes its final characteristics. And we can look at those characteristics from the perspectives of flavor, texture, and appearance.

Flavor

If we are discussing raising or lowering the pH of a vegetable’s cooking environment by adding a basic or acidic ingredient, we need to first acknowledge the impact this will have on the cooked vegetable's final flavor. It’s inevitable that cooking vegetables in an acidic environment will lead to some noticeable sourness, even if minor. And if you’re using acidic ingredients with distinct flavors, such as fruity lemon juice or an assertive apple cider vinegar, the vegetable you're cooking will unavoidably take on that specific flavor, whether lemony or apple-cider-y or something else. The impact on flavor, it's safe to say, will be a major factor for selecting which acid you want to use when cooking vegetables.

On the other end, cooking in an alkaline environment will lead to some level of soapy/chemical flavor—think of the flavor of pancakes with too much baking soda in them. The degree of this off flavor will depend of course on the amount of the alkaline ingredient you use, but also which alkaline ingredient you use. For example, baking soda has a less caustic flavor impact than say ammonium bicarbonate (baker’s ammonia), calcium oxide (quicklime), or lye (sodium hydroxide), which are more concentrated basic ingredients.

Really, the effect on flavor when manipulating a vegetable’s cooking environment is unavoidable. Whether or not it’s a problem really comes down to personal taste and sensitivity to these flavors, and also consideration around how the vegetables are going to be served: If there's a bright vinaigrette for acid-blanched carrots, that tiny hit of acid on the carrots isn't going to matter. As for alkaline ingredients, it's often a balancing act—you’ll need to add enough of the base to get the desired softening effect, but using too much will leave a strong unwanted chemical taste in your mouth.

Texture: It’s All About Pectin

In general, lowering the pH of a vegetable’s cooking environment (that is, making it more acidic) leads to a tougher, hardier exterior, while raising pH (making it more basic) softens or even breaks apart the exterior. Why? It all has to do with pectin, the polysaccharide found in the cell walls of all land plants. Pectin’s primary functions are to facilitate cell adhesion and cell wall hydration, and to control the degree of cell wall porosity. If cellulose molecules are the bricks of a plant cell wall, then pectin is the cement (or glue) that holds those bricks together.

Pectin is sensitive to changes in pH. In an alkaline, high-pH cooking environment (say, greater than 8.0), pectin breaks down and dissolves more quickly, leading to mushier, softer textures as the cell walls fall apart more readily. In an acidic, low-pH cooking environment (around 6.0 or lower), that rate of breakdown slows dramatically, so vegetables retain more of their shape, crispness, and even crunch throughout the cooking process.

Understanding the effects of pH on a vegetable's texture can lead to powerful results in the kitchen. Let's look at some specific examples.

Some of the best examples of pH at work come from cooking potatoes. Take Kenji’s extra-crunchy potato chips recipe, where a sneaky addition of vinegar to the cooking water helps the potatoes retain their shape and firmness. Conversely, in Kenji’s crispy roast potatoes recipe, raising the pH of the cooking water with baking soda helps the exteriors of the potatoes break down more, creating a starchy slurry that leads to an extra-crisp coating encapsulating a fluffy interior.

How does changing pH affect the texture of other vegetables? For example, soaking and cooking dried beans in a solution of baking soda is common practice. The baking soda raises pH and displaces calcium in pectin (more on that later), softening the tough pectin shell.

What about vegetables like broccoli or green beans, or even carrots? We’d expect similar results: Tougher, more toothsome textures at lower pH values, and softer, more broken down textures at higher pH values. I set up some simple tests to verify this idea.

I cooked vegetables in three different solutions of 5-percent saltwater for 10 minutes each: a low-pH solution mixed with distilled white vinegar, a high-pH solution mixed with baking soda, and a neutral ‘control’ solution with nothing added. Here’s what happened.

Potatoes

There’s a notable difference in textures here. On the left, the low-pH samples showed virtually no deformation, and were almost crunchy when I bit into them. The control was what you’d expect of boiled potatoes: slightly broken down, a little fuzzy at the edges. But as pH rose above neutral, the exterior appeared fuzzier and fluffier, and the potatoes broke or mashed apart at the slightest manipulation. In informal cooking terms, these taters were “hammered.” 

Carrots

Once again, we see similar results to potatoes. Low-pH carrots looked pretty much raw—and ate that way. As pH increased above neutral, the carrots became much softer. The exteriors developed a fuzzy, brittle appearance. I could even mash the samples between my fingers. These carrots ate almost like baby food, requiring little to no chewing before they turned to mush. In other words, they’d be perfect for a smooth puree or sauce. 

Onions

The low-pH samples looked pristine—just barely cooked, with a noticeable snap when I bit into them. The neutral onions were softer, but still held their shape. On the extreme end, the high-pH onions were complete mush, devoid of any structure, and almost silky or jam-like in texture.

Key Takeaways for How pH Effects Vegetable Texture

• Lowering the pH of a cooking solution with an acid tends to yield more toothsome vegetables that retain their shape throughout the cooking process; they also break down less readily.
• Raising the pH of a cooking solution with a base tends to result in softer, mushier vegetables with less structure; they break down more readily.

Appearance: Colors Matter

If pH has such an outsized effect on the texture of cooked vegetables, it shouldn’t surprise us that it can change their appearance too. Take green vegetables like spinach or kale, for example. These vegetables are rich in chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants and algae their green hue. In isolation, even in room temperature water, chlorophyll is sensitive to changes in pH: in the pH range of 2-5, it turns from green to olive green, even yellow; in the pH range of 6-13, chlorophyll stays vibrant green. That's at room temperature, so it's important to keep in mind that these results shift slightly when heat is introduced.

Chlorophyll isn’t the only pigment affected by pH. Take anthocyanins, for instance, the purple-red pigments found in red cabbage, red onions, and blueberries. In acidic conditions, anthocyanin turns a stark crimson red; in basic solutions, it turns violet to blue. In fact, red cabbage juice can often be used as a “quick and dirty” pH indicator for solutions because of how dramatically and reliably its color shifts in different pH environments.

Once again, I set up three different 5-percent saltwater solutions of varying pH ranges to cook the vegetables, and kept my eye on their color.

Broccoli

As expected, there were dramatic changes in color depending on the pH of the cooking solution. In a more acidic solution, broccoli turned an olive green, almost yellow. At neutral, the florets stayed green, but the stems took on a paler green. In a basic solution, the florets turned a vibrant green, and even the stems turned much greener than the neutral samples. 

Leek Tops

For the most part, I had similar results with leek tops. At low pH, the leeks were a dull gray-green, lime green at neutral, and deep vibrant green at high pH.

Snap Peas

Same story for snap peas. Note that even when cooked at higher pH, snap peas retained some of their crunch and did not turn mushy, a sign that their name is apt—they really do hold onto that snap. 

Red Cabbage

You can observe the striking difference in color. Note that at higher pH, there is a gradient from blue to purple at the interior, indicating incomplete penetration of the cooking solution over a 5-minute period. 

While these results are specific for a blanching/boiling environment, it's worth mentioning that in a baking/roasting environment, it’s likely there would also be enhanced Maillard reaction in an alkaline environment as well.

Key Takeaways for How pH Effects Vegetable Appearance

• As the pH of a cooking environment falls below 7.0 (more acidic):
• Green vegetables become olive green or even yellow.
• Anthocyanin-rich vegetables get redder.
• As the pH of a cooking environment rises above 7.0 (more basic):
• Green vegetables stay more green and vibrant.
• Anthocyanin-rich vegetables become violet or unnaturally blue.

Practical Tips: The Easiest Ways to Adjust pH

Ok, we’ve firmly established that pH matters when cooking vegetables. But how do we adjust pH in a practical way?

Lowering pH

The simplest way to lower the pH of water is to add an acid. You’ve got several options, but here are just a few:

Lemon Juice 

Chances are you’ve got a lemon or two hanging out in your fridge. And for centuries, cooks have relied on lemon juice for an instant shot of acidity. The downside? In order to lower the pH of say, a large pot of water, you might need to use a substantial amount of lemon juice. And depending on the recipe, that citrus flavor might come through in the finished product. 

Vinegar

If you don’t want that bright citrus flavor of lemon, then vinegar—any type will work, but especially distilled white vinegar—is a great alternative. Its acidity is roughly on par with lemon juice. Of course, you could opt for other vinegars like apple cider or rice wine vinegar, but I wouldn’t break out the fancy Banyuls or aged balsamic for this application.

Citric Acid Powder

Though it’s less common in the average pantry, citric acid powder might be one of the best ways to lower the pH of a solution. You can easily measure it to the gram, you don’t have to use too much in order to lower pH enough for the desired effect, and its flavor (other than sourness) is arguably less distinctive than lemon juice or most vinegars. 

Raising pH

There are multiple ways to raise the pH of a cooking solution to make it more alkaline.

Baking soda

Baking soda is, by far, the most common alkaline ingredient available in the average kitchen. It’s a mild alkali, which means it is relatively weak and safe to use in reasonable amounts compared to other pH-raising additives. And when it comes to vegetable cooking, in addition to raising pH of blanching water, baking soda does double duty: It further breaks down pectin by adding sodium to the water. Through a process known as a displacement reaction, sodium displaces calcium in pectin, weakening a vegetable’s cell structure. 

At first thought, using baking soda and ending up with mushy broccoli might seem like less favorable results. But using baking soda to raise the pH of a cooking environment can actually be very useful: You can shorten cooking times via the softening power of baking soda, retaining a brighter, less cooked flavor while still getting a cooked texture, and also locking in that bright green color. This is a major win for vibrant vegetable soups like my broccoli soup recipe, or sauces like in Sasha Marx’s creamy orecchiette recipe, or even the most basic of vegetable purees. 

Other alkali sources

Other, less common alkaline additives include a roster of food-safe alkali salts: sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate (baker’s ammonia), calcium oxide (quicklime), and even sodium hydroxide (lye). 

Many of these additives are stronger than baking soda, sometimes caustic, and often have a pronounced bitter or soapy taste when used without discretion. So why use them at all? Well, sometimes you might need to raise the pH of a cooking environment far higher than baking soda might be able to (without using a concerning amount) such as when making Bavarian-style pretzels or alkaline noodles such as ramen noodles.

The Bottom Line

Here’s a quick-and-dirty breakdown of trends as pH increases or decreases for blanching vegetables.

As pH Falls Below 7.0 (more acidic):

• Vegetables tend to stay more toothsome or crisp, and retain their shape through cooking; it takes longer to cook them until tender.
• Green vegetables take on a dull green or pale yellow color.
• Anthocyanin-rich vegetables turn pink or crimson.

As pH Rises Above 7.0 (more basic):

• Vegetables tend to get softer and mushier, which may be ideal for mashes, purees, or sauces.
• Green vegetables become vibrant green.
• Anthocyanin-rich vegetables turn blue to violet.

In my Indian home state of Maharashtra, a favorite traditional savory breakfast is pohé: parched, flattened rice (which is also called poha in other parts of the country) paired with onions, a medley of spices, and vegetables such as potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, or tomatoes. While a breakfast mainstay, pohé is also often served at teatime, enjoyed with a hot cup of chaha (chai). It was my preferred Sunday breakfast as a child and now as an adult, an easy and satisfying meal I routinely cook at home on busy weekday mornings, or even for a simple light dinner.

I first learned how to cook pohé from my mom. Her version was bright yellow from a generous amount of turmeric and heavily spiced with cumin and mustard seeds,a combination of spices she used in many of the savory Indian dishes she made. But honestly, her version was never my favorite. The version I like best I learned from my father’s family, who come from the city of Pune.

It wasn’t until I was living in California that I learned how to cook their version during a visit from my father’s cousin Shirish Marathe and his wife Sushama; my recipe below is based on theirs. It’s faint yellow from a reserved amount of turmeric (less than my mom’s), with a subtle sweet-and-savory kick. In my opinion, it’s the absolute best way to prepare pohé.

How to Make Pohé

Pohé (the ingredient) is de-husked rice that’s been soaked in hot water, dried, and then pounded into flat flakes; at this point they are a preserved food with a long shelf life. Since it’s basically rice that’s been par-cooked and treated, it cooks much faster than raw rice does; it really only needs to be briefly rehydrated and heated through before eating.

The best way to do this is by soaking the grains in a small amount of cold water for just 15 minutes. Cold water works best, as soaking it in hot water runs the risk of overcooking the par-cooked grains. It’s also important to stir occasionally during this time to ensure the grains hydrate evenly.

To build the seasoning-base for this recipe, I use the same mustard seed, turmeric, and asafetida seasoning that my father's cousin’s wife Sushama used in her version. In the Indian state of Maharashtra, where my family is from, asafoetida-mustard-turmeric is often considered the “holy trinity” of seasonings.

Asafoetida is a gum resin that drips off the roots of an herb called ferula asafoetida, a Central Asian plant in the celery family. It is gathered and then ground into a powder. Nuggets of it used to be left in sacks of grain because bugs stayed away from its strong aroma. Cooks in India learned that its sulfurous, onion-garlic smell and flavor was a welcome addition in many dishes. My father didn't like asafoetida’s pungent aroma, so my mother never cooked with it when I was growing up. But as an adult I’ve grown to love its flavor and always use it when I make a mustard-seed seasoning, like I do here in this pohé recipe.

The spices are bloomed in hot oil—and I mean ripping hot, those mustard seeds should pop like popcorn on contact with the pan—before fresh green chiles, curry leaves, and onions are added. It’s important that the onions are cooked only briefly so they still retain a bit of their crunch, which creates a nice contrast to the tender rice in the dish. At this point, the vegetables—your choice of potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, or tomatoes—are added and steamed in the covered pot until just tender.

The soaked rice is then stirred in and everything is briefly cooked until just warmed through. Since the rice is already softened from soaking, you’re really just warming it through and coating it evenly in the spice mixture. Just before serving, I like to add a small amount of sugar and lime juice to balance the pungent and savory spice blend.The final dish should be salty, tart, faintly sweet, and pungent all at once, and you might need to adjust with more salt, lime juice, or sugar to find the right balance.

Beyond my listed serving suggestions of a sprinkle of cilantro, grated coconut, and a side of plain yogurt, I also recommend serving pohé with a variety of condiments such as cilantro chutney, tomato–curry leaf chutney, or quick mango pickle.

Every time I prepare pohé this way, I feel deeply connected to my aunt and my family, and am grateful to them for learning how to prepare this incredibly flavorful dish.

In a medium bowl, add pohé and cover with cold water. Gently swish with your hand, then drain through a fine-mesh strainer. Shake well to remove any lingering water, then return pohé to the empty bowl. Let sit, gently stirring pohé occasionally with a metal fork to separate grains and prevent clumping and being careful not to break grains, until grains are soft enough that, when a grain is pressed gently between thumb and forefinger, it breaks, about 15 minutes. If pohé is too dry, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over top and mix in gently, then rest pohé about 5 minutes longer before checking texture again. Once softened, gently stir in in 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

While pohé rests, in a 6-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until just smoking, about 1 minute. Keep a lid/screen handy. Reduce heat to low and test the oil with one mustard seed. If it pops right away, the oil is ready; if not, return heat to medium-high for 1 additional minute and retest. When ready, quickly add the remaining mustard seeds to the saucepan and cover with the lid/screen. The mustard seeds will pop, making a sound like popping corn until the popping stops, about 20 seconds. Immediately uncover pan, reduce heat to low, and quickly stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, asafetida, and green chiles to oil. Increase heat to medium and immediately add onion and curry leaves, if using, and cook until onion is softened, about 1 minute.

Stir in the vegetable of your choice and increase heat to medium–high. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender (or potatoes: 10 to 12 minutes; for cauliflower: 7 to 8 minutes; for green peas and tomatoes: 2 to 3 minutes).

Gently stir in softened pohé, then cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until grains are heated through and everything is tinged in yellow, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Season to taste with salt, lime juice, and/or sugar, if needed. . Transfer to serving bowls, sprinkling pohé with cilantro and coconut, if using. Serve with plain yogurt on the side, if desired.

Special Equipment

Fine-mesh strainer, 6–quart saucepan with lid or splatter screen

Notes

Pohé can be purchased at South Asian grocers. Make sure to buy thick pohé (poha) so that when it is rehydrated, it does not disintegrate. Do not use hot water to rinse and rehydrate the pohé, as that will also make it fall apart.

Asafetida can be found at most Indian grocers. It’s also available to purchase online. I recommend the powder sold in small jars, rather than large plastic containers, because they absorb the aroma. You will smell an onion-garlic aroma from the asafoetida when you open the container. Keep it tightly shut between uses, otherwise the smell will pervade your entire kitchen. While it adds a distinctly assertive garlic-and-onion flavor to the pohé, you can omit it if unavailable, though the result will be less aromatic.

Do not use a nonstick pan or a plastic or wooden stirrer when making pohé. The nonstick pan is has a dark interior that makes it difficult to see the spices when cooking, increasing the risk of scorching them, while plastic or wooden spoons are more likely to break the pohé or make it clump up.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Pohé can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day. To reheat, microwave pohé with 1 added tablespoon of water in a bowl, covered, until hot.

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.

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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.

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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. 

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Why We’re the Experts

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director of Serious Eats. 
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