Mark Bittman

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Food-Processor Apple Tart

I use the food processor for just about every pastry dough there is—and have for 20 years. And I cut far more even slices, far faster than I ever could by hand, of almost anything sliceable.

By Mark Bittman Published August 21, 2025

EAT: Eggplant, Arugula and Tomato

A spin on something you may or may not have been making all summer: a BLT. Instead of the bacon, I roast super-thin slices of eggplant until they’re dry, chewy, and basically crisp; it’s a really good technique if you’ve never tried it. Those get piled onto toasted bread with slices of the best tomatoes you can get your hands on, a handful of arugula, and a generous slather of mayo. This is a vegetarian sandwich, of course, but if you want it to be vegan, try my eggless tofu mayo. I guess this isn’t technically a tomato dish, but even in a supporting role, they can easily steal the show.

By Mark Bittman Published August 21, 2025

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Bolognese

Traditional Bolognese sauce requires simmering the meat for hours; it’s amazing, but not something to make on a weeknight. Enter instant bolognese, here made with fresh tomatoes, instead of canned or paste. The flavors still develop into something impressively deep and rich.

By Mark Bittman Published August 20, 2025

Curried Coconut Eggplant with Potatoes

This is a big batch that’s easily halved but you’ll be happy to pull leftovers out of the freezer. Serve over basmati rice for a fantastic vegetarian meal or add animal protein. Other vegetables you can use: green beans, summer squash, winter squash, okra, cauliflower, or mushrooms.

By Mark Bittman Published August 20, 2025

One of the Most Rewarding Home Cooking Projects I Know

Tamales are mysterious; they only fully reveal themselves after you untie and unwrap them, then cut them open. And it’s not immediately obvious how they’re made, which I think is why so few of us ever attempt to make them. But we should.

By Mark Bittman Published August 20, 2025

Seared Halibut With Anchovies, Capers And Garlic

The garlic, anchovies, and capers combo is a natural southern Mediterranean team that is strong and distinctive. Its brininess makes it incompatible with many foods, but it is ideal with fish, especially sturdy fish like halibut and swordfish. Creating a dish out of these ingredients is almost as easy as simply searing the fish and serving it with lemon. The fish is quickly browned, then allowed to finish cooking in the oven while the no-fuss sauce cooks in the pan.

By Mark Bittman Published August 20, 2025

Sheet-Pan Shrimp With Tomatoes, Feta and Oregano

This 10 minute recipe relies heavily on garlic, oregano and black pepper as a coating for the shrimp. Serve alongside a hearty salad or with a stack of flatbread for an easy meal.

By Mark Bittman Published August 20, 2025

Salmon Burgers

For this recipe, you’ll want to grind part of the salmon in a food processor: It’ll bind the rest, which can be coarsely chopped to retain moisture during cooking. Some bread crumbs keep the burger from becoming as densely packed as (bad) meatloaf. This approach, along with a few simple seasonings, produces delicious burgers in not much more time than it takes to make one from ground chuck. The only real trick is to avoid overcooking. Whether you sauté, broil or grill this burger, it’s best when the center remains the color of … salmon. Two or three minutes a side usually does the trick.

By Mark Bittman Published August 20, 2025

Baba Ghanoush

Fire transforms a whole eggplant. The flesh goes from firm to silk inside its skin and is infused with smokiness.

By Mark Bittman Published August 7, 2025

Brussels Sprout Skewers with Green Olive Dipping Sauce

A recipe that preaches to the choir and makes converts: The fire crisps the outer layers of the sprouts, creating a delicious foil for the nutty, creamy insides. Try to grab small Brussels sprouts all of a similar size so they cook evenly and can be devoured in one bite. Blanching makes the sprouts easier to pierce and lets you crank up the fire to put on the perfect char. You can prepare the skewers and sauce up to several hours in advance and refrigerate; bring both to room temperature while the grill heats.

By Mark Bittman Published August 7, 2025

Cajun- Style Grilled Shrimp

When it comes to seafood, shell-on versus shell-off can open a heated discussion. I find cooking in the shell almost always enhances the natural flavor of the sea. (And you don’t have to do all the peeling!) It’s your choice. Just be sure to serve these with plenty of napkins on hand. If you go with small shrimp, skewer them or use a perforated grill pan. You can also make this with crawfish, though most folks will have to buy frozen crawfish tails. Because of their smaller size, you’ll have to cook them in a grill pan so they don’t fall through the grate.

By Mark Bittman Published August 7, 2025

Food with Mark Bittman: Pooja Bavishi

The up and coming queen of ice cream talks to Mark and Kate about how her ice cream brand, Malai, mimics her childhood; what it means to build your own culture; sourcing intentionally with no shortcuts—and why having a values-driven business is so important to her; and why her parents are the best people ever (and her #1 fans).

By Mark Bittman Published August 6, 2025

When in Doubt, Eat Sardines

Sardines have been unappreciated (“underutilized” is such an icky word) since I started writing about fish. (It’s been pointed out that this is already the third time I’ve written, at least a little, about sardines.) Given how meaty and tasty they are, they should be eaten more by us. The problem, I suspect, is bones.

By Mark Bittman Published August 6, 2025

Fish Quenelles with Herbs

Quenelles, like gefilte fish, are fish balls, but they are elegant fish balls, containing cream, herbs, and butter. As a result, they’re more expensive and more caloric than gefilte fish, but faster and easier to make. Also like gefilte fish, they traditionally were made from freshwater fish (especially pike), but you can use any delicate white-fleshed fish you like. This is a big, fancy first course, best followed with something light and simple, unless you’re planning an elegant dinner. Chervil is the best possible herb to use here, but it is almost always difficult to find; dill is the standard second choice.

By Mark Bittman Published August 6, 2025
Photo: Christina Holmes

Marrow with Garlic Crostini

Nature’s savory pudding. It’s so easy to make this fabulously rich restaurant-style indulgence. Grill the bones just until the marrow inside melts enough so you can spoon it out, then eat as is or spread on crostini. The only trick is timing: heating them to the point that the marrow is the right consistency but not so long that it drains from the bones into the fire. If your meat store sells long lengths of bones (4 to 8 inches), have the butcher cut them in half lengthwise. Then you can fearlessly give the marrow side a good sear and turn them to finish, with the bone cradling the softening marrow. If all you can find are shorter lengths (2 to 3 inches), where the marrow is exposed on both sides, just keep a close eye on their progress and have a platter at hand to get them off the grill as soon as they are ready.

By Mark Bittman Published August 5, 2025

Sesame- Crusted Tuna Steaks with Lime Dipping Sauce

You know this tuna—seared on the outside in a screaming hot skillet. So why not take it outdoors? Cook the steaks to the doneness you like: After 1 minute on each side, the outside will be seared, the inside raw. Four to five minutes on each side should yield tuna cooked all the way through. The sesame seeds can be all black, all white, or a mixture, known as a tuxedo blend.

By Mark Bittman Published August 5, 2025

Cedar- Planked Salmon

The brown sugar in the rub forms a spicy-sweet crust that’s like savory candy. Remember to plan ahead; the planks need to soak for a while.

By Mark Bittman Published August 5, 2025

Losing Weight—and Eating Dinner Like a Madman

I stuck with VB6—eating vegan until dinnertime—for six or seven years. It worked: I ate more plants, felt better, maintained a healthy weight. Then, like so many of us, I drifted; and gained weight. So I decided to do something about it. Only I fell into the current trap and began eating more protein. Here’s where I landed.

By Mark Bittman Published August 4, 2025

Roasted Vegetable Stock

Taking the time to roast the vegetables adds more com­plex flavors that you can only get from dry-heat caramelization. And by using leeks instead of onions and adding a few other ingredients, you wind up with something really fine.

By Mark Bittman Published July 30, 2025

Food with Mark Bittman: Jason Buechel

The CEO of Whole Foods Market and VP Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores talks to Mark and Kate about growing up as a 4H kid and how that’s influenced him; how he’s trying to change grocery shopping; how Gen Z is going to shift demand and interest in more sustainable practices; and Whole Foods and MAD Agriculture’s new initiative—one that aims to change biodiversity at a macro level and strengthen the long term resilience of the food system.

By Mark Bittman Published July 30, 2025