Directory of Recipes

An up to date list of all the recipes published!
Go-To Bolognese
Pasta, Make Ahead, Meat, Turkey Brooke Lewy Pasta, Make Ahead, Meat, Turkey Brooke Lewy

Go-To Bolognese

Serves 8

This is a riff on an old Mario Batali Recipe (forgive me, I know he was cancelled), streamlined to make it faster, easier, and a little lighter. It’s such a crowd pleaser.

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled
3 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 ribs celery, roughly chopped
¼ cup olive oil 1lb ground beef
1lb ground turkey
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 cup milk
1 cup wine (white or red)
1 cup water
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In the bowl of a food processer, pulse the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until finely chopped, but not a paste. You should still see bits of all the vegetables. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil. Add the vegetables from the food processor and a big pinch of salt, and cook until the onion is translucent and everything has softened a bit, about 5-7 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add both the beef and turkey, using a spoon to break it apart. Cook the meat until it no longer looks raw. Add the tomato paste, wine, water, and thyme, bring to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and serve over pasta (I like rigatoni with this sauce because it fills the tubes and makes for delicious bites : ).

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Mac and Cheese
Vegetarian, Pasta, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Vegetarian, Pasta, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Mac and Cheese

Serves 8

This is the best mac and cheese, it’s not the healthiest meal, but it’s such a crowd pleaser. Serve it with steamed broccoli, green beans, or a crisp salad. Also, for years I separated this recipe into two 8x8 pans and used one for dinner that night and put one in the freezer for another dinner (such a win). One 8x8 was enough to feed our family, but that just shifted and we now need the whole 9x13 for one dinner. All of that is a long way of saying that you might get two dinners out of this one prep or at least some good leftovers for lunch. Also, the first time you make this, it might feel like a lot of pots and pans and parts, but you get the hang of it.

4 cups of whole milk
1 stick butter
½ cup flour
8oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3oz pecorino, grated
1 tbsp salt plus more for salting the pasta water
1lb short pasta–I usually use short rigatoni or cavatelli, but any kind works
1 cup panko

First, bring a large pot of water to boil.

In a large measuring cup, heat your milk in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until it’s just starting to bubble. Set aside.

Make your cheese sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour, whisking to combine. Continue to cook the butter and flour mixture (you’re making a roux!) until it starts to darken a little bit to a more golden brown. It takes three or four minutes and it doesn’t have to be so precise. Pour your milk into the butter flour mixture and cook, stirring, until it begins to thicken. Add the tablespoon of salt and both cheeses and continue to mix until all the cheese is melted. Continue to cook until the sauce is a little thicker than what will coat the spoon, but not gloppy. Turn off the heat.

Salt your pasta water and cook the pasta three minutes shy of what the box says. When it’s done, drain it and return it to the pot. Add the cheese sauce and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Transfer the pasta to one 9x13 or two 8x8 baking pans. At this point, the mac and cheese can be refrigerated (covered in foil) for 3 or 4 days, or frozen (wrapped well in foil and plastic wrap) for up to six months.

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 375. Scatter panko over the mac and cheese and bake for 45 minutes or so until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling. If cooking from frozen, just add an additional 15 minutes or so to the baking time.

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Slow Roasted Pork (aka cheater bo ssam)
Make Ahead, Pork, Sheet Pan Brooke Lewy Make Ahead, Pork, Sheet Pan Brooke Lewy

Slow Roasted Pork (aka cheater bo ssam)

This slow roasted pork is a revelation. Its real magic is that it can be anything. Above, it’s the topping for a rice bowl, but it shines just as bright as a taco with some avocado and salsa, in a lettuce cup, as a filling for empanadas, mixed with barbecue sauce for sandwiches, the list goes on. It takes about five minutes of prep and then a long, slow hang in the oven, and it comes out perfect every time. It keeps well for three or four days in the fridge and up to a couple of months in the freezer. It’s also kind of a cheater Momofuku bo Ssam. Rather than seasoning the meat 24 hours in advance and cooking the pork whole, I cut it into smaller pieces and season just before cooking (less planning required), so you wind up with a better meat to crust ratio. It cooks more quickly, and none of the pork is dry. Really, it’s great, give it a go. It’s a long cooking time (3ish hours), but it’s almost 100% hands off, it just takes two minutes to cut up the pork, season it, and stick it in the oven. From there you can turn it into anything–I’ll give you a bunch of suggestions below.

1 3-4lb boneless pork shoulder (or pork butt, it’s the same thing)
¼ cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar

Preheat your oven to 300. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with aluminum foil. Cut your pork into 2-3 inch pieces. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and sugar. Using the salt and sugar mixture, liberally season all of the pieces of pork on all sides. Lay them out in a single layer and pop them in the oven. Roast for about three hours, turning the pieces half way through. When they’re done, the outsides should be mahogany colored and caramelized and the meat should pull apart pretty easily. If using right away, discard the fat and juice that collects in the pan.

This is a great make ahead recipe (I like to store it with the juice and fat then to keep the meat from drying out), and lasts for four to five days in the fridge or freezes for much longer.

Suggested ways to serve it:

-Tacos–just add the shredded meat to tortillas with your favorite taco toppings, i.e. salsa, cheese, avocado, shredded cabbage, black beans

-Lettuce wraps–use bibb or romaine lettuce to wrap pieces of meat along with sliced cucumbers, apple, carrots, or cilantro, dipping in chili crisp, if you like

-Asian burritos—similar to the lettuce wraps, but use flour tortillas and make a quick slaw with cabbage, carrots, cucumbers and apples dressed with sesame oil and rice vinegar and some Bachan’s BBQ sauce

-Serve over rice with any toppings you like for a quick rice bowl

-Pulled pork sandwiches–mix meat with your favorite barbecue sauce and serve on potato buns with bagged slaw or pickles

-As a topping for salad or baked potatoes

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Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Go-To Vegetable Soup

I started making this soup years ago, but in the pandemic, like so many things, it really became a ‘use what you have’ endeavor. It’s better with a parm rind thrown in there, but it’s not necessary. Sometimes I add potatoes if I have a couple around. It freezes well, makes a great gift or easy drop off meal for someone who’s grieving, or had surgery, or a new baby, or is just hungry.

I need to be honest here. I usually cook my own beans from scratch and use that cooking liquid as the broth for the soup. I work from home, cooking beans is so hands off, I don’t find it that big a deal.* That said, if you don’t want to or don’t have the time, I understand and it’s okay! Use any canned beans or chickpeas you want and just use water and a little Better than Bouillon stirred in or any broth you like. It will still be so good.

So again, these are guidelines, you could say my ideal version of my favorite soup. One more thing–this makes a lot. Dinner for a crowd, or a whole week of lunches, or enough to bank in the freezer for when you need it.

Serves 8ish

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
Kosher salt
1lb dried white beans or lima beans, cooked, along with their cooking liquid or 3-4 cans white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 bunch kale and or ½ head green or savoy cabbage, thinly sliced or chopped
1 cup frozen peas
½ bunch flat leaf parsley
Parmesan rind, optional
Better than Bouillon, optional

In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add in the onion, carrot, celery, a big pinch of salt, and stir. Let cook until the vegetables start to soften and the onion turns translucent, about seven or eight minutes. Add the cauliflower and kale and/or cabbage, then add the beans. If you’re using homemade ones, add the cooking liquid as well. Either way, add enough water to cover the beans and vegetables by about half an inch and the parm rind, if using. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes or so to let the flavors meld. Taste and add Better than Bouillon or salt. Stir in the peas and parsley.

To serve, ladle into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of grated parm, if desired.

*To cook beans, the night before I put the dried beans in the pot I plan to cook them in, cover them by a few inches with water, add a tablespoon of kosher salt and let them hang out. Then to cook, I put the pot on the stove, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and just let them go until they’re done, anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on the beans. If I plan to make soup, I just stick the whole pot in the fridge until I’m ready to make the soup.

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Jook/Congee
Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Jook/Congee

As the congee sits, it might thicken up. Just add water to thin to desired consistency.

Serves 4-5

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1-inch peeled ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 cup uncooked white rice, long or short grain
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
4 cups chicken broth (or Better than Bouillon), plus more as needed
Toppings: soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, chile oil or chile sauce like Sriracha, or chili crisp, scallions,, cilantro, thinly sliced carrots, cooked crumbled bacon, cubed tofu, leftover or rotisserie chicken, sauteed greens, poached egg, frozen peas, or edamame

In a large pot, heat the sesame oil. Add the ginger and garlic and sizzle for 20 seconds or so until fragrant. Add the rice and the water or broth. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Let cook, uncovered for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water as necessary.

The jook is ready when the rice is cooked to the point of nearly falling apart. The consistency of the finished product is up to you -- add more water if you prefer a brothy, rather than porridge-like, soup. Just add a little more water or cook it a little longer to suit your taste. Also, if you’re making it in advance you might need quite a bit of water to thin it out.

While the congee is cooking, gather your toppings. To serve, ladle the congee into bowls, top each bowl with a teaspoon of soy sauce and sesame oil and serve with additional toppings.

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Superfoods Soup
Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Superfoods Soup

This soup is from runner Shalene Flangan’s Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. I alllmosssst follow the recipe exactly. The combo of the coconut milk and tomato makes it more interesting than the usual vegetable soup. Double and freeze for later.

Serves 4-5

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons curry powder OR 1 tablespoon red curry paste (my preference)
1 sweet potato, cut into ½ inch dice
1 13.5-oz can coconut milk
1 14.5-oz can whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes (that’s the smaller can)
5 cups water or broth or Better than Bouillon (my preference)
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large bunch lacinato kale, chopped
Juice from one lime, optional

In large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Season with salt. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the curry powder or red curry paste and let sizzle for thirty seconds or so until fragrant. Add the sweet potato, coconut milk, tomatoes, and chickpeas, and water or broth/BTB. Bring to a boil, turn down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. Add the kale and cook just until wilted. Add lime juice, if using, and serve or refrigerate or freeze.

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Quickie Matzo Ball Soup
Chicken, Soup, Quick, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Chicken, Soup, Quick, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Quickie Matzo Ball Soup

I feel like sharing this recipe with you is going to make every Jewish grandma tsk tsk me with shame. This is not their soup–there are no bones, no simmering, no straining. It’s the matzo ball soup I make on the fly when it’s chilly out and my kids start getting the sniffles. It truly takes about 20 minutes (and just a bit longer to make the matzo balls). The key player is Better Than Bouillon, which actually tastes good in a soup that’s so simple. I’m not sure it would work as well with boxed stock or broth, which can have a kind of chemical taste.

Matzo Balls:

When I’m making matzo balls from scratch, I make the Smitten Kitchen version. More often when I’m making dinner on a Tuesday, I turn to a box of Manischewitz (I’ve never written that word before, so many letters!) or Streits matzo ball mix, which are both very good. Follow either Deb’s or the package’s instructions. I don’t cook the matzo balls directly in the soup because it makes the cooking liquid so cloudy, but once they’re cooked, you can transfer them to the soup and refrigerate or freeze them together.

Soup:

You could leave out the matzo balls entirely and serve this up as chicken soup, adding noodles, or rice, or orzo, or anything you like. Sometimes I stir in some spinach at the end to add a little more green.

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large ribs celery, finely chopped
¾-1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces (I use scissors and cut them directly onto the tray they come in)
6 cups water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon, ideally chicken or roasted chicken flavor
3-4 medium carrots, cut into coins
Matzo balls or cooked noodles or rice
Flat leaf parsley or dill for serving

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and stir to coat. Let cook for 5ish minutes until the vegetables turn translucent. Turn the heat to high and add the chicken. Cook, stirring until it’s mostly turned from raw pink to white (it will cook in the soup, you’re just adding more flavor). Add the water, Better than Bouillon, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then turn the soup down to a simmer and let cook for another five minutes or so until the carrots are cooked through, but not mushy. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately, or refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. Garnish with parsley or dill.

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Tandoori Chickpeas
Make Ahead, Vegetarian Brooke Lewy Make Ahead, Vegetarian Brooke Lewy

Tandoori Chickpeas

This recipe is truly a make ahead dream. It’s a simplified version of an Ottolenghi recipe, so the flavors are vivid and satisfying, it happens to be vegan, and the work is so minimal. You pitch a bunch of pantry ingredients into a pot or baking dish, pop it in the oven for two-ish hours of hands off time, and you’re good to go. I like to serve it with a dollop of greek yogurt and some herbs (cilantro and/or mint) and fluffy pita or naan, or almost like chili, in a bowl with shredded cabbage, radishes, cucumber, and feta, and maybe some rice if you want to bulk it out. It’s also a great, satisfying lunch option to have hanging out in the fridge, and freezes perfectly.

One note: This is great with cherry tomatoes, but it’s also good with canned tomatoes–the one caveat is you don’t want too much moisture in there, so just use the tomatoes and reserve the juice for something else, like pasta sauce or soup. Also, you can add a few fresh or dried chiles in the mix, but I keep it mild for our family.

2 15oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1inch piece ginger, cut into coins
1 pint cherry tomatoes or 1 can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground cumin or cumin seeds
2 teaspoons ground coriander or coriander seeds
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon chile flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup olive oil
Serving suggestions, all optional: pita bread or naan, rice, plain yogurt, crumbled feta, shredded cabbage, sliced cucumbers, sliced radishes, cilantro, mint, parsley

Preheat your oven to 350. In a dutch oven or oven safe baking dish with a lid (or you can use foil), combine all of the ingredients, giving them a stir. Cover and pop the pot or dish into the oven. Let cook for an hour, and then stir, breaking up the tomatoes. Cook for another 30-45 minutes.

The chickpeas are done when they no longer look soupy, the tomatoes are very broken down, and the chickpeas look rich and glossy, not like canned chickpeas sitting in tomato-y liquid.

Serve with any variety of the suggested toppings, accompaniments.

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Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Chicken, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Chicken Pot Pie

I learned to make on the fly chicken pot pie working at Delfina. We often had some leftover chicken and veggie odds and ends around and this was a delicious way to get staff meal on the table for our crew before the restaurant doors opened. I promise it’s the most streamlined version possible. I know it looks like a lot of text, but it’s just because there are a lot of options. I rarely measure, so don’t get too hung up about the quantities. I also like to serve this with a salad with an acidic vinaigrette, since it’s pretty rich.

Serves 4

¼ cup (half a stick) butter
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
2-3 ribs celery, finely chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
½ lb potatoes, any kind, cut in half-inch cubes
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into one inch pieces (or you could use rotisserie or any other cooked chicken)
¼ cup all purpose flour
3-4 cups chicken broth or water mixed with Better Than Bouillon
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 or 2 packages frozen pie dough or puff pastry

Pull your pastry out of the freezer and put it on the counter to thaw.

Make the filling: In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the butter over medium heat until it’s melted. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes along with a big pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened a bit, about 7 or 8 minutes. If you’re using raw chicken, add it here, turn the heat up a bit and cook until it’s opaque, but don’t worry too much about whether it’s cooked through (it’s going to get cooked in the broth and again in the oven). If you’re using already cooked chicken, hold off on adding it for a minute, add the flour, and mix it up so it’s evenly distributed and starts to toast up a little. Add the broth, starting with three cups. You want the chicken and veggies to be just submerged. Add more as needed. If you’re using cooked chicken, add that in here with the broth. Give everything a stir, bring to a strong simmer, and let it bubble for a minute until the sauce is creamy and has thickened. Turn off the heat and stir in the peas and the parsley.

You have some options at this point. You can pop the filling in the fridge and assemble the pie later in the day or within the next few days. You can put it in containers and freeze it for a great dinner some other night.

To assemble the pies: If you’re making the pie right away, let the filling cool slightly. You can make the pie in whatever pan you have. A standard pie plate is easy, so are 8×8 squares and a 9×13 baking dish. Line the bottom with parchment paper, lay one crust down, add the filling, top with the other, press the edges down, cut a few slits in the top (or cute shapes!). Brush with egg wash if you’d like it to be a little more golden on top. I’ve also made individual pies in mini loaf pans, I’ve used muffin tins, I’ve put the filling in oven safe bowls and just topped them with a round of puff pastry (not my family’s favorite, they like more pastry). In the spirit of making this quick and easy, I’m never too fussy about how neat it is, I just cut the pastry with scissors however I think it will fit best and call it a day. It’s always delicious and no one complains. Once the pie is assembled you can pop it back in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to bake or bake it right away.

To bake: preheat your oven to 375 and bake for 45ish minutes for a standard pie, less for smaller ones until the pastry is golden brown throughout and the filling is bubbly. You can also bake it straight from frozen, it just takes 15-20 minutes longer. AND if you fill your pie and have leftover filling, freeze it for another time!

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Chicken Tikka Masala-ish
Make Ahead, Poultry, Chicken Brooke Lewy Make Ahead, Poultry, Chicken Brooke Lewy

Chicken Tikka Masala-ish

I’ve found most tikka masala recipes kind of intimidating, between the marinating, grilling, and saucing. This wildly inauthentic version is one of my speediest dinners. In the PDF I’ve included the quick, from scratch version, and the even quicker simmer sauce option. I like to serve this with rice, naan, and simply roasted cauliflower.

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Go-To Turkey Chili
Soup, Make Ahead, Poultry Brooke Lewy Soup, Make Ahead, Poultry Brooke Lewy

Go-To Turkey Chili

This week I’m leaning into gentleness. The weather has finally gotten cooler, and also all the things are packed in—soccer tournaments and birthday parties, parent teacher conferences and marathons—and what my body is wanting right now are gentle things, gentle foods, fuel.

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