Mark Bittman

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Broiled Rigatoni

All the flavors of a classic baked ziti but with a bigger, flatter noodle so more bubbling crust in way less time than my usual recipe. Crowd-pleasers don’t come much easier than this. And of course you can always substitute ziti if you prefer.

By Mark Bittman Published January 17, 2025

Broiled Eggplant Salad with Tangy Tahini Dressing

Broiling vegetables is perfect for when you want some char but don’t feel like firing up the grill—or if you don’t have one. The only trick is to preheat the broiler and get the pan as close as you can to the heat source. I always lean toward eggplant for this salad, but other options are zucchini, tomato, or asparagus; all go well with the bright and rich dressing. For more of a main course, crumble feta cheese on top and serve with a stack of warm pita or over a bowl of couscous.

By Mark Bittman Published January 13, 2025

Broiled Chicken Breasts with Avocado Salsa

The simplest technique, especially if you can find precut cutlets. Otherwise, making them yourself is easy and fast once you give up the idea that you have to pound them super-thin. Since garlic burns easily under the broiler, the nifty trick here delivers tons of flavor without having charred bits.

By Mark Bittman Published January 11, 2025

Braised Pork with Cabbage and Beer

How can you go wrong with pork and cabbage? Here the meat is thinly sliced and the cabbage shredded to get them as tender as possible during their quick simmer. Buttered egg noodles are the obvious side dish.

By Mark Bittman Published January 10, 2025

Braised and Glazed Chicken and Leeks

If you braise meat and vegetables in very little liquid, there’s enough to generate steam for cooking but not so much that you need to spend time reducing it for a sauce at the end. Just toss in a little butter to thicken it, and you’re all set.

By Mark Bittman Published January 6, 2025

Bok Choy Pancake with Soy Dipping Sauce

Korean pa jun (or pajeon) are crisp pancakes filled with scallions or other vegetables and sometimes seaweed, kimchi, and/or bits of meat. This is a lot like that, only thicker and loaded with vegetables like a frittata. Turning it is undeniably tricky the first time you try, so if you’ve got a broiler-proof skillet, you can skip that step and pop it under a hot broiler in the pan for a few minutes to set the top. Or use the batter to make 3- or 4-inch pancakes and cook in batches, adding oil to the skillet as needed. It won’t take much longer.

By Mark Bittman Published January 2, 2025

Black Bean Chili

Caramelizing onions with bell pepper, tomato paste, garlic, and spices sets the stage for a shortcut vegetarian chili. A few simple substitutions—including the option to add meat—quickly change everything. For even more flavor, substitute a 12-ounce bottle of beer for 1 1/2 cups of the water in Step 3. Serve this chili with warmed tortillas or chips, rice, or corn bread if you’ve got some. It’s also good tossed with pasta.

By Mark Bittman Published January 2, 2025

Beef and Mushroom Kebabs with Spicy Pepita Sauce

Chipotle–pumpkin seed sauce adds kick to these skewers and helps the beef char beautifully in the broiler. To speed things up even more, you can always skip the skewers and just spread the mushrooms—then the beef—on a baking sheet. Tuck into warm corn tortillas for tacos; serve with rice or beans, tortilla chips, and salsa; or with a big salad.

By Mark Bittman Published January 2, 2025

Big T’s (and MB’s) Meat Sauce Sub

Back in the 1990s, the now-long-gone and much-missed Big T’s sub shop in Cambridge, Massachusetts, sold this sandwich—which contained only the sauce used to bathe its meatballs—for a dollar. My version and the variations take a stab at re-creating the experience in a modern way.

By Mark Bittman Published December 30, 2024

Here’s How to Cook an Auspicious (Sorta Polarizing) Grain

We’re talking about buckwheat — which also happens to be one of Mark’s favorites.

By Kerri Conan Published December 30, 2024

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs are the meaty, small, curved bones from one side of the pork loin. They cook much faster than spareribs, which run along the other side and often have an extra flap of meat still attached. Sometimes you might only find baby back ribs untrimmed; the directions will help you if that’s the case or just ask the butcher at the meat counter to help. A long-distance run under the broiler yields crusty, saucy, finger-licking barbecue in a hurry. Warm soft rolls, assorted pickles, and Chopped Salad or Dressed Cooked Vegetables turn this main dish into a feast.

By Mark Bittman Published December 30, 2024

Is Aquaculture the New Factory Farming?

Industrialization has turned an ancient, sustainable practice into an ecological and social disaster. Can this be changed?

By Mark Bittman Published December 19, 2024

Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

I’ve made lots of changes to this recipe since the first edition for a better range of colors, flavors, and texture. The key is stir-fried sweet potatoes. This works with any leftover cooked grain. 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa or other small-kernel grain or 1 cup raw.

By Mark Bittman Published December 19, 2024

Quickest Pickled Vegetables

The vegetables here are salted directly rather than brined. But even 15 minutes really changes their texture and flavor, making them both pliable and crunchy. Of course, the thinner you slice the vegetables, the quicker the salt and seasonings can penetrate. Which is why shredding is also a good option to shave off even a few more minutes of salting and pickling time. Other vegetables you can use: radish, jícama, kohlrabi, celery, fennel, cabbage, asparagus, green beans, or onion.

By Mark Bittman Published December 19, 2024

Pho

Fish and meat often figure prominently in the Vietnamese meal-in-a-bowl soup known as pho, but there are traditional and fine vegetarian options, chief among them this broth made from soy sauce and a blend of spices like star anise and cinnamon. All that’s required is a willingness to invest in making the broth and a few additional toppings and you’ll be handsomely rewarded.

By Mark Bittman Published December 19, 2024

How to Eat Anything

When on a cruise ship, nostalgia plays a lead role and discipline is nonexistent.

By Mark Bittman Published December 18, 2024

Cool Yogurt Soup with Nuts

A savory smoothie, served in a bowl.

By Mark Bittman Published December 16, 2024

Simplest Asparagus Gratin

Cover cooked asparagus with cheese, stick it under the broiler until the top is golden brown and crisp around the edges, and you have a fabulous and elegant dish. You can prepare any of the variations using asparagus instead of the suggested alternative vegetable. Other cooked vegetables you can use: green or wax beans, artichoke hearts, fennel, eggplant, leeks, spinach, celery root, parsnips, zucchini, winter squash, or sweet potatoes.

By Mark Bittman Published December 16, 2024

Green Beans Tossed with Walnut-Miso Sauce

This traditional Japanese dish comes together in minutes, and the results are wonderful. Even better, this sauce is almost universally useful. It works on other vegetables as well as plain rice, noodles, or other cooked grains. Other vegetables you can use: almost any solid vegetable—peas, snow peas, or sugar snap peas (parboiled and shocked); broccoli or cauliflower (parboiled and shocked); potatoes (boiled or baked); eggplant (sautéed); zucchini (steamed or grilled); and so on.

By Mark Bittman Published December 16, 2024

Curried Stir-Fried Potatoes

This is an unusual dish—the potatoes remain slightly crunchy—inspired by similar creations from the Sichuan province of China and throughout India. Best with homemade curry powder or garam masala. The cumin seeds add a nice bit of crunch, and the cilantro adds a fresh note at the end, but neither is essential. Other vegetables you can use: cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, turnips, or radishes.

By Mark Bittman Published December 15, 2024