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Crisp Pork and Watermelon Tacos

This bundle of taco ideas is a lesson in counterpoints: pairing something crisp and sort of fatty with something cool and juicy. Since the fruit is unadorned, I try to choose whatever is in season: In winter, citrus, mango, or pineapple are good; strawberries in spring; apricots and plums in late summer—you get the idea.

By Mark Bittman Published February 6, 2025

Cumin-Rubbed Pork with Mangoes

Pork tenderloin is a perfect cut for this kind of broiling because the outside browns in the same time it takes to cook through; a generous rub of cumin creates a little crust. And while all that is going on, you have time to prepare a mango salsa you’ll warm in the same skillet.

By Mark Bittman Published February 6, 2025

Couscous Paella with Chicken and Zucchini

The technique of letting couscous cook in a hot oven with boneless chicken and vegetables is akin to how you cook paella, especially when you finish by crisping the bottom on the stove. Not with the same slow-cooking ingredients as traditional versions, maybe, but quite delicious.

By Mark Bittman Published February 6, 2025

Food with Mark Bittman: Jared Blumenfeld

Let’s fight for a joyful future.

By Mark Bittman Published February 5, 2025

Homemade Chorizo with Pinto Beans

Unlike Spanish chorizo, which is cured until dried, Mexican-style chorizo is a fresh sausage: essentially finely ground spiced pork you cook in a skillet. That means you can whip up a batch any time you’d like to cook loose meat for tacos or burritos. I like to add beans to cut the richness. This dish is also great with poached or fried eggs on top and warm tortillas on the side. If you don’t feel like dragging out the food processor, just use store-bought ground pork.

By Mark Bittman Published February 3, 2025

Chile Noodles with Snow (or Sugar Snap) Peas and Crisp Pork

Why buy chile oil when it’s so easy to make at home? Two ways to go: Dried chiles lend a smoky, toasted flavor, while fresh chiles produce a brighter-tasting oil. You can’t go wrong either way.

By Mark Bittman Published February 2, 2025

Chile Chicken and Bubbling Cheese

A little like nachos only in reverse: You use chips or warm tortillas to scoop through the cheese and get to the toppings. Or if you plan ahead a little, you can spoon all the gooey goodness over rice or baked potatoes (if you have some extra time—or leftovers).

By Mark Bittman Published February 2, 2025

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cabbage

Stir-frying is the quickest way to get a weeknight dinner on the table, since you use one pan for both meat and vegetables.

By Mark Bittman Published February 1, 2025

Chicken and Ricotta Sausage over Broccoli Rabe

The best thing about making your own chicken sausage is the many ways you can customize it. Assuming you start with ground meat—and are okay with making patties instead of stuffing into casings—time isn’t even an issue. The flatness of the patties lets the meat cook fast while allowing the edges to crisp. All you need alongside is thick slices of Italian bread or split rolls.

By Mark Bittman Published January 24, 2025

Jerk-Inspired Chicken and Onions

In addition to being easy and insanely flavorful, this dish—which takes cues from the iconic Jamaican grilled chicken—will reacquaint you with all the worthy and underused spices in your cupboard. Once the spice paste comes together, all you have to do is toss it with a mess of chicken and sliced onions and broil away, which gives you a stretch to whip up a side, like a salad or simply cooked vegetables. If you want to serve it with rice, start that first.

By Mark Bittman Published January 24, 2025

Roll-Your-Own Chicken Burritos with Canned Tomato Salsa

The unorthodox salsa makes all the difference in these big, meal-sized burritos you serve open face to let everyone fold their own. Since it’s made with canned diced tomatoes, you don’t have to worry about finding—and chopping—ripe fresh tomatoes outside of tomato season. The results are a cross between fresh and cooked salsa. When excellent fresh tomatoes are in season, use them instead.

By Mark Bittman Published January 24, 2025

Food with Mark Bittman: Paula Daniels

Arranging a world around good food.

By Mark Bittman Published January 22, 2025

Charred Chicken and Pita with Gyro Fixings

Gyros—those meaty, saucy wraps—get soggy fast. So why not assemble them at the table? Serve the components on a couple platters, and let everyone make sandwiches or devour them however they like.

By Mark Bittman Published January 21, 2025

Celery Root Tempura With or Without Shrimp

Root vegetables make the best tempura—crisp on the outside and perfectly creamy on the inside. And though it can be a tad messy, deep-frying is a super-fast way to cook. If you like shrimp, fry up some of those too. Both go well with this unorthodox but delicious dipping sauce.

By Mark Bittman Published January 20, 2025

Cauliflower “Polenta” with Mushrooms

Polenta, the Italian cousin to our cornmeal mush or grits, is a creamy vehicle for all sorts of saucy toppings. A well-seasoned alternative based on super-soft cauliflower increases your vegetable intake without decreasing your pleasure.

By Mark Bittman Published January 19, 2025

Caramel Stir-Fried Beef and Green Beans

Beef braised in caramel flavored with fish sauce is a staple of Vietnamese cooking. The sauce can be streamlined for a quick stir-fried version, bubbling down to a sweet-salty coating for beef and green beans in minutes. Rice is the classic accompaniment, but I also like this over steamed broccoli, bok choy, or Asian greens like tatsoi or gai lan (Chinese broccoli).

By Mark Bittman Published January 18, 2025

Cacio e Pepe

Cheese and pepper—perhaps the most fundamental and basic of all Italian pastas. The cheese should be pecorino (from sheep), and good-quality pecorino Romano is increasingly available; if you can’t find that, use real-deal Parmesan. And don’t skimp on the pepper; if you can crack or lightly grind whole peppercorns, all the better.

Salt Pasta Water Like You Mean It:
In order to season pasta properly and improve the way it cooks, the water in the pot should taste noticeably salty, almost like the ocean. If that seems like too much, remember that most is going to be drained off, and what remains will only help season the sauce. So be bold and try salting your pasta water by the palmful.

By Mark Bittman Published January 18, 2025

Cream of Mushroom Soup

This type of soup might be falling out of style, but I still love the rich, pure taste. The rice or potato makes the soup creamy and more substantial, but you could skip it. But even 1/4 cup of cream is enough to lighten the color and smooth the texture of the puréed soup.

Other vegetables you can use: asparagus, fennel, celery, watercress, spinach, sorrel, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, or more flavorful mushrooms like cremini or shiitake.

By Mark Bittman Published January 17, 2025

Buffalo Shrimp

Toss something in hot sauce and butter, serve it with something blue cheese-y—like this chunky cross between salad and sauce we’ll call a relish—and it’ll inevitably be pretty great. Even things that aren’t chicken wings. Try this over rice, thick slices of toast, or stuffed into corn or flour tortillas, topped with a big spoonful of the celery–blue cheese relish.

By Mark Bittman Published January 17, 2025

Broiled Caprese

The summer salad we love made all hot and bubbling in the broiler. The ratio of cheese to tomatoes to basil is flexible, depending on your taste and what you have on hand. My favorite way to eat this—or any of the variations that follow—is meatless, either with a hunk of sturdy bread or on top of buttered rice, pasta, or egg noodles.

By Mark Bittman Published January 17, 2025