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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

Dinner Tonight, Dinner Tomorrow: Leftovers, Meet Pastry

I can’t think of many better things to do with leftovers than to put them in a pie and bake them. Beef stew, shrimp étouffée, pork verde—any of these can, and should, make a successful savory pie. You can simply fill a pie shell with the leftovers, or doctor them up for a new dish altogether.

By Tucker Shaw Published August 18, 2025

Broiled Sweet Cornbread

I was ​flipping through​ my childhood ​Betty Crocker​ cookbook when I noticed a section called “Broiled Toppings.” After trying it on a few different bakes, I’m hooked. This cornbread leans more toward cake: sweet, tender and full of summer corn flavor. Instead of nuts, as suggested in the original Betty Crocker recipe, I used fresh corn kernels combined with salted butter and brown sugar.

By Holly Haines Published August 13, 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

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

Dinner Tonight, Dinner Tomorrow: Round Two

Sure, leftovers are great for the next day’s lunch. But what if tonight’s meal ended up as tomorrow’s supper—yet in a totally new, unexpected way? This is “Dinner Tonight, Dinner Tomorrow,” a monthly series that we hope you find as useful as we do. Enjoy this month’s zucchini-driven recipes outdoors, if possible–tonight, tomorrow night, and for as long as warm nights and delightful summer ingredients allow.

By Erika Houle Published July 28, 2025

The Reason for the Season

I love eating—and saying—salsa cruda, Italian for “raw sauce.” This fresh tomato sauce is unbeatable, and crazy easy to make. You can also serve it alongside fried or grilled fish (or potato chips, god help me), on top of polenta, or anywhere you’d use a fresh salsa or relish (enter tacos, nachos, bruschetta…)

By Mark Bittman Published July 21, 2025

Perfect? Pshaw. Just Cook It.

These days, many cookbooks trade mostly in vibes. They promise access to a life and a dinner table that’s a little bit glossier, a little bit fresher, a little bit more stylish than most dinner tables that most of us have ever sat at. But do they solve real-world problems? Not often enough. But it wasn’t always so.

By Tucker Shaw Published July 18, 2025

Corn, Me, and ChatGPT

You’re never too much of an “expert” to learn a new cooking trick. Here’s Mark’s new corn hack—and a totally improvised dinner.

By Mark Bittman Published July 14, 2025

Our Amazing Method for “Reverse-Risotto”

Farro is better than pasta in salads, just as creamy as rice in risotto, and lighter than meat in soups. Here’s how to make easy, delicious, and summery whole grains a reality, using our tried-and-true technique.

By Mark Bittman Published July 7, 2025

Ice, Ice, Baby

There’s so much room for play in the world of granita, which makes it especially endearing during summer. Here, you’ll find less traditional ways to add a cold treat into the mix of enlivening summer meals—in other words, things that will leave you feeling less weighed down, more spruced up.

By Erika Houle Published June 30, 2025

Summer Jewels: Respect Your Strawberries

Please, stop cutting the tops off your strawberries. Here’s what to do instead, plus more tips and tricks to employ when you’ve got your hands on summer’s favorite fruit.

By Holly Haines Published June 23, 2025

Dinner Tonight, Dinner Tomorrow: Round One

Sure, leftovers are great for the next day’s lunch. But what if tonight’s meal ended up as tomorrow’s supper—yet in a totally new, unexpected way? Welcome to Dinner Tonight, Dinner Tomorrow, a series that we hope you find as useful as we do.

By Erika Houle Published June 9, 2025

Marky B’s Lunch for Two

Chopped salad​ is a staple, because it can include literally any vegetable that you can eat raw, and that is interesting. Taking the extra time to chop the greens and vegetables is always worth it, because dressing and ingredients become evenly distributed, and everything is much easier to eat. I rarely make salad any other way.

By Mark Bittman Published June 4, 2025

Three Chinese-ish Ways to Cook With Green Asparagus

When it comes to cooking asparagus, there are two basics worth returning to often: a quick blanch—白灼 (baizhuo)—or a stir-fry. Both methods let asparagus shine for what it is. Here, a buttery stir-fry with shrimp and douchi, a punchy salad, and a fried rice.

By Xueci Cheng Published June 2, 2025

Three Lush Ways to Savor Tinned Fish at Home

It’s continuing to show up on more and more restaurant menus, and it’s hard not to wonder: Is the upcharge worth it? Sometimes, yes—but there are endless easy ways to enjoy it at home that go beyond appetizers and small bites.

By Erika Houle Published May 28, 2025

Overconfidence, the Bread Baking Edition

I knew from some off-road experimenting that I could make a double batch of Bittman Bread and divide it into enough for my little on-farm market table. A whole public market, though? When should I start? How much starter would I need? How much should I make? I had to figure out what was possible.

By Denise Petersen Published May 21, 2025

So. Leeking. Good.

The only use for leeks that most people know about is leek vinaigrette. As pleasant a dish as this is—and as much as it screams “spring”—it’s among the most innocuous ways to present what is the subtlest and in a way least forgiving member of the allium family. My favorite simple ways to cook leeks also make quick work of cleaning: cut them up and wash them in a colander: fast, easy, effective. 

By Mark Bittman Published May 19, 2025

Cooking in Your Sleep

We did a deep dive—so you don’t have to—into overnight oats, and came up with four brand new, super-flavorful recipes that you’ll be happy to have hot or cold.

By Mark Bittman Published May 12, 2025
Braised and Glazed Radishes, Turnips, or other Root Vegetables - The Bittman Project

Darling, You’re Radishing!

If your thinking about radishes has been limited to the usual clichés—slice and put into a salad, make into a rose and use as a garnish—we can help expand your thinking a bit.

By Mark Bittman Published May 5, 2025