Baklava is indispensable to the Persian culinary landscape, just as it is to other baklava-loving cultures from Armenia and Azerbaijan to Lebanon and Syria and over to Turkey and Greece. The most common iterations of traditional baklava feature layers of buttery phyllo dough and nuts drenched in simple syrup or honey. And if you are a fan of traditional baklava—regardless of the cultural origin of the particular iteration—you will likely agree with me that the process of making this crunchy and nutty dessert is a bit involved, and can be intimidating to make for those less acquainted.

But this Persian baklava–inspired cake—a confection that’s well known throughout the Persian diaspora—is a great way to enjoy the best qualities of baklava, within a simpler-to-prepare cake. While this rich, dense, syrupy cake is less complicated to prepare than baklava, it still delivers the aromas, flavors, textures, and appearance that should satisfy most baklava lovers. Infused with the warm, fragrant notes of saffron, cardamom, and rose water, this cake is a true indulgence. 

The famous British culinary personality Nigella Lawson once said, “no one with any self-respect is a same-day trifle maker.” Along the lines of Nigella Lawson's assertion about trifles, I must emphasize that Persian baklava cake, too, requires a lengthy soak to reach its full potential. As the syrup penetrates the cake, it creates a symphony of textures and flavors that is unparalleled. So, for the ultimate baklava cake experience, plan to make it a day before serving.

A Bit of Background About Persian Baklava and Baklava Cake

Etymologists trace the English word "baklava" to the Ottoman Turkish word باقلوا which is also identical in Persian and pronounced bāghlavā. The word entered English in the mid-17th century. Persians have two names for this cake. One translates to "baklava cake" and another that translates to "syrupy cake," referring to the cake having been slathered heavily with an aromatic sugary syrup.

Even within Iran, baklava varies from region to region, but the most famous and popular ones are from the city of Yazd in central Iran. Yazd is famous for its sweets, and its confectioneries are well known not only to Iranians across the entire country but also to tourists visiting Iran. This Persian baklava cake produces a rich, dense, syrupy cake that mimics the look and flavor of Yazd-style baklava.

There are three key characteristics that set traditional Persian baklava apart from other types of baklavas: its pastry dough, its nut filling, and its syrup. The pastry dough used to make traditional Persian baklava is thicker than the phyllo used in Greek-style baklava and the yufka dough used for Turkish-style baklava. Instead of a dozen or so layers of phyllo or yufka, only two layers of the thicker dough are used to make Persian baklava. 

The variety of nuts used for the filling in traditional Persian baklava and baklava cake is somewhat similar to those of Greek-style and Turkish-style baklava—some combination of pistachios, almonds, and walnuts—but in Iran, the nuts are ground to a much finer grade and are packed much more densely. The syrup used to make Persian baklava is made with saffron, cardamom, and rose water, resulting in a more complex and aromatic sweet compared to Greek or Turkish versions.

Key Ingredients for the Baklava Cake

In order to partially replicate the crumbly texture and nutty flavor of Persian baklava, this cake uses finely ground almonds and pistachios in the cake batter. You have several options for acquiring your finely ground nuts. You can grind your own nuts by starting with whole (or slivered) blanched almonds and whole shelled raw or toasted pistachios. Using a large food processor, pulse the nuts until finely ground, stirring a couple of times to prevent them from turning into a paste—it is OK if a few larger pieces remain.

Alternatively, you can purchase already finely ground almonds and pistachios. For almonds, you can purchase almond meal or almond flour—now readily available in most well stocked grocery stores. For finely ground pistachios, your best bet is to order from online sources. Your final option is to use a bit of elbow grease and grind your whole nuts by hand either with a large old-fashioned mortar and pestle or with a rolling pin with the nuts in a plastic bag.

This recipe calls for cardamom in two different forms: whole cardamom seeds or pods for the syrup and finely ground cardamom for the batter. The ground cardamom is incorporated into the dry ingredients to ensure uniform distribution throughout the cake. While ground cardamom could go in the syrup, it would slightly darken the vibrant yellow hue imparted by the steeped saffron. To preserve the syrup's beautiful color, whole cardamom pods are used and removed before the cake is soaked.

The most common garnish for the cake is coarsely ground or slivered pistachios. Other popular garnish options include whole dried rose petals, crushed dried rose petals, and coconut flakes. You can also use a combination of pistachios and any of these.

3 Tips for Baking and Slicing the Cake

While my recipe is fairly simple to prepare, here are a few additional tips to ensure the cake is properly baked and easy to slices into bite-size pieces that look very similar to baklava. 

1. Use a 9 x 13-inch baking pan for baking, as this will yield an inch-thick cake—the same thickness as traditional Persian baklava.
2. This cake is traditionally cut into one and a half– to two-inch bite-size squares or diamond-shaped pieces, and then placed on serving dishes. Because of the small size of the pieces, it is easier to cut the cake once it has been removed from the baking pan and placed on a cutting board. If you don’t have a cutting board large enough, you can invert the cake onto a piece of parchment paper set on the back of another rimmed baking sheet.
3. Since the cake is a bit crumbly, it’s easier to achieve cleaner cut edges by cutting the cake after it has been soaked with half of the syrup. The cake at this stage is moistened enough so that fewer crumbs will flake away while slicing. The rest of the syrup is incorporated after the cake has been cut into pieces, which ensures more of the flavorful syrup soaks into the exposed cut edges and is better absorbed into the cake. 

Serving Suggestions

Once the cake is cut into squares or diamonds and garnished, the resulting bite-size pieces are often arranged on a serving dish or a platter and brought to the table for guests to help themselves.

Whether served as an afternoon snack, as an after-meal sweet ending, or for welcoming guests to one’s home, this sweet floral cake pairs beautifully with a hot cup of black tea.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and line bottom of pan with parchment paper; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together yogurt, rose water, and steeped liquid saffron.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, pistachio flour, baking powder, finely ground cardamom, and salt until thoroughly combined and lump-free.

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk sugar and orange zest on low speed until zest is evenly distributed and sugar appears moistened and clumped, about 1 minute.

Add butter to sugar and orange zest mixture and mix on medium-low speed for until blended 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until pale and fluffy, about another 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition.

Add prepared yogurt mixture and mix at low speed until combined, about 1 minute.

Move mixing bowl from stand mixer to kitchen counter. With a silicone spatula, fold in one third of prepared flour mixture until partially mixed. Repeat with another third of flour mixture, then with remaining flour mixture; continue mixing with spatula until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Batter will be very thick.

Scrape batter into prepared baking pan. Using an offset or silicone spatula, spread batter into a smooth even layer. Bake cake, rotating pan once halfway through baking, until golden brown, center feels firm when gently pressed, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

For the Syrup: While cake is baking, prepare syrup. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine all syrup ingredients and heat over medium-high stir until sugar is dissolved. Once mixture starts to boil, reduce heat to rapid simmer with soft bubbles, and simmer until mixture is reduced by half and its temperature has reached about 118-120°F (47-48°C), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove and discard cardamom seeds or pods.

Once cake is baked, let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then run a knife around edges of pan to loosen it. Invert a large cooling rack on the cake pan, then flip over the cooling rack and cake pan together. Using oven mitts or kitchen towels, gently lift and remove pan and parchment paper.

Cover a large cutting board with a sheet of fresh parchment paper. Re-invert cake onto parchment-covered cutting board. Use a toothpick or cake tester to poke holes all over cake’s surface. Using a pastry brush, liberally brush half of the syrup onto the cake while still warm. Let the cake cool completely, 3 to 4 hours.

With cake on parchment-covered cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut cake into bite-size diamonds or squares (about 1 1/2 inches x 1 1/2 inches). Leave cut cake on board. Brush remaining syrup onto cake. Be more liberal with syrup when brushing over the grooves made by the knife. At this stage, the cake can be garnished and served immediately. Or, for a fuller flavor, let cake sit for up to 24 hours before garnishing and serving. (I believe the cake is best when left to soak up the syrup for a longer period of time—as the syrup penetrates the cake, it enhances its flavor.)

For serving, garnish each bite-size piece with coarsely ground or slivered pistachios. Alternatively, garnish with any desired combination of pistachios and whole dried rose petals, crushed dried rose petals, or ground coconut flakes.

Variations

In addition to using pistachios and almonds, some Persian home cooks incorporate finely ground walnuts into the cake. As long as you have a total of 150 grams of ground nuts, any combination of pistachios, almonds, and walnuts will work.

 If you desire a thicker cake, replace the suggested 9 x 13–inch baking pan with a 9 x 9–inch square or a 10-inch round baking pan. The baking time should not be much different but always make sure the cake has developed a uniform golden-brown top before taking it out of the oven. 

 If you want to deviate a bit from the traditional bite-size square or diamond-shaped pieces, an attractive option is to bake the batter as if you were baking cupcakes. Using small fluted/flared cupcake liners (often used to make small brioche) makes it easier to take the baked mini cakes out of the liner, which in turn allows you to garnish the flat end of the mini cakes for a charming platter arrangement.

Special Equipment

 9 x 13–inch baking pan, stand mixer with whisk attachment, toothpick or cake tester, 2-quart saucepan, wire cooling rack, cutting board slightly larger than 9x13 (alternatively use the back of a baker’s half sheet), parchment paper, pastry brush.

Notes

It is best to grind saffron from threads as needed, which is most easily done with a stone mortar and pestle. Like many spices, saffron retains its flavor better in its whole (thread) form. Store-bought ground or powdered saffron if often dull and stale, or, worse, mixed with other ingredients as filler. While you likely don't have a kitchen scale that can reliably weigh a single gram of saffron, it is often sold by the gram in small containers. If, for example, you had a 2 g box of saffron, you would use half of those threads for the cake and half for the syrup.

For both the almonds and pistachios, you can grind your own nuts by starting with whole (or slivered) blanched almonds and whole shelled raw or toasted pistachios. Using a large food processor, pulse the nuts until finely ground, stirring a couple of times to prevent them from turning into a paste—it is OK if a few larger pieces remain.

Alternatively, you can purchase already finely ground almonds and pistachios. For almonds, you can purchase almond meal or almond flour—now readily available in most well stocked grocery stores. For finely ground pistachios, your best bet is to order from online sources unless you live near a Persian market.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The syrup for this cake can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. It is a lovely and versatile aromatic syrup with a beautiful golden color. I often make a large batch—the recipe for the syrup is very scalable—and keep it in a clear glass bottle in the door of my refrigerator. You can drizzle it on pancakes, put it on peanut butter sandwiches instead of jam, substitute it for honey, drip a bit on dark chocolate ice cream, use it to make lemonade, or replace simple syrup with it to jazz up your favorite cocktail. 

Leftovers, if there is such a thing with this cake, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator will stay fresh for at least a week. Let them warm up to room temperature before serving. 

If you let the cake pieces sit on the kitchen counter uncovered, they will eventually dry out. Pulse the completely dried pieces in your food processor into a coarse breadcrumb-like mass. Sprinkle this on top of cakes, open-face peanut butter sandwiches, open-face bagel and cream cheese sandwiches, or a bowl of fruit cocktail to add a magical crunchy layer.

Gozney recently launched a much-anticipated portable pizza oven: the Tread. In the months leading up to its release, chatter on Reddit reached a crescendo, with speculation running rampant; there were even supposed “leaked” images, adding to the anticipation. 

And now, it’s finally here. A few months before it launched, I got my hands on a press sample of the Tread to test it out. I braved frigid New England winter days and nights and slung loads of pizza (and also roasted some chicken leg quarters) to see if this petite, portable oven was worth it.

The Tests

• Heating Speed Test: I timed how long it took the Gozney tread to hit 900°F using an infrared thermometer to take the temperature in the left, right, and center of the oven. 
• Portability Test: To test its portability, I packed up the pizza oven and stand, put them in my small car, and took them to my in-law's house 35 minutes away. 
• Neapolitan Pizza Test: I set up the pizza oven on the quadruped stand and made pepperoni and fig-ricotta Neapolitan pies. 
• Chicken Test: Since Gozney promises the Tread makes “more than pizza” I decided to roast chicken leg quarters in the oven, loosely following this recipe. 

What We Learned

The Gozney Tread Pizza Oven Gets Hot, Hot, Hot

When I baked the pizzas, the stone reached an incredible 980°F on average after about 30 minutes of preheating. Even after lowering the heat, I had to use the turning peel to deflect some of the heat from the arced flame, lest the pepperoni and puffy crusts char beyond recognition. The same thing happened during my heat speed test: The stone hit 962°F after a mere 25 minutes of preheating. 

The reason the oven gets super hot is likely its size: It’s compact (more on this below), so it takes way less time to come to temperature than, say, a 24-inch pizza oven. While this is a boon for making Neapolitan pizzas, which require intense heat to cook quickly, it does mean that if you want to branch out you’ll have to make adjustments and keep an eye on your food. When I roasted the chicken leg quarters, I had to cover them with aluminum foil and only do a quick broil at the end to prevent the skin from burning. However, the resulting chicken was perfectly cooked with crispy skin and tender meat, swimming in a puddle of golden schmaltz (which begged to be used to roast some potatoes). 

Let’s Talk Portability 

If you follow Gozney, you might notice that the Tread looks quite similar to two of its other ovens: the Arc and the Dome. It even has the same arc-shaped flame as the former. But the Tread, being portable, is significantly smaller and lighter. While the Arc has an internal diameter of around 15 inches, the Tread’s is closer to 12 inches. Since cooking space is tight, you’ll need to shape smaller pizzas. The Arc’s external dimensions are 19 by 22 by 13.5 inches, while the Tread’s are 16.5 by 19.1 by 12.6 inches—a lot smaller. Finally, the Tread is much lighter than the Arc: 29.7 pounds versus 47.5 pounds—nearly 18 pounds less. Its reduced dimensions and weight add to the Tread’s portability, as do the “racks” on top, which make it easy to grab and move. That being said, when packed in the Tread Venture bag, it was bulky and awkward to carry. While the case was great for protecting the oven during travel or in storage, it was much easier to lift the oven on its own. 

The Quadruped Stand Was an Interesting Design Choice 

My father-in-law is a carpenter, and one of his creations is a set of small stacking tables. The tables are tripods—that is, they have three legs. According to him, only having three points of contact ensures the tabletop sits evenly, even if it’s set somewhere uneven. So he was surprised that Gozney’s Venture stand (which you have to purchase separately) wasn’t a tripod and instead had four legs. I thought this was an interesting insight, though I didn’t have any issues with the oven wobbling when set on a deck or my sloping concrete driveway. The stand has a built-in level, and the legs are adjustable, so it was easy to tweak it so that it stood evenly.   

The Verdict

The Gozney Tread is a great portable pizza oven. It has a 12.4-inch wide opening and a 12.2-inch internal width, so it’s best for making smaller pizzas. The compact form was great for portability, and I particularly liked the racks on the top of the oven, which made it easy to lift and move.

While it shone making Neapolitan pizzas, it’s also versatile enough to cook up other dishes, like roasted chicken thighs or seared steak. The Gozney Tread does get ripping hot, so keep an eye on your pies (or other foods if you’re getting creative) and adjust the heat as needed. 

Is it worth it? Well, it depends on how much you think you’ll actually use it. Do you go camping often and like the idea of camp-side pizzas? Or maybe you want to show off your new pizza topping combos to friends and family—the Tread lets you bring the oven to them.

I’d be remiss not to mention that while the Tread is novel, other pizza ovens are just as good and just as portable: Take the Ooni Koda 12, for instance. It weighs 29 pounds—a little less than the Tread—and is a similar size. It’s also $100 less and heated up in a mere 15 minutes in our tests. While it’s not explicitly called a portable oven, for all intents and purposes, it is. That said, if you’re looking for a compact oven that’s easy to use and lug around, the Tread will likely make you happy. 

The Pros

Compact? Check. Fast? Check. Hot? Check. The Gozney Tread delivers on everything it promises. It excelled at making puffy-crusted Neapolitan pizzas fast, and it was easy to break down and transport. It cools off quickly, too. During my tests, I used the accompanying Venture peel and turning peel and highly recommend them, since they fit nicely inside the Tread’s narrow opening. It also impressed me (I admit, I was skeptical) with how it roasted chicken leg quarters—I could truly see myself hauling it to a campsite and using it to make more than just ‘za. 

The Cons

I wished that I could make the flame even smaller—as it was, even at its lowest setting, it was still quite strong. You’ll need a small turning peel and some skill at maneuvering pizzas since the cooking surface is very compact. Speaking of peels, it would’ve been nice if the Tread had hanging hooks for them. Also, the Tread is a similar size and weight to other smaller pizza ovens, like the Ooni Koda 12, but it costs more—$500 plus $250 for the stand. 

Key Specs

• External dimensions: 16.5 x 19.1 x 12.6 inches
• Internal dimensions: 12.2 x 15 x 5.9 inches
• Door size: 12.4 x 3.35 inches
• Weight: 29.7 pounds
• Warranty: 5 years

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is a senior editor at Serious Eats, where she’s been testing kitchen gear for almost three years. 
• She used to test kitchen equipment at America’s Test Kitchen and has spent time as a bartender and line cook. 
• To test the Gozney Tread, Grace used it to make Neapolitan pizzas and roasted chicken leg quarters. She also tracked how quickly the stone hit 900°F. 
• Grace has tested a multitude of pizza ovens, including the Gozney Arc and Ooni Koda 2 Max. Her husband is an avid pizza maker (and eater) and has benefitted greatly from these tests. 
  

Every weekend in April, when asparagus is plentiful at the farmers market, I take bunches of it home, then spend the rest of the week eating through my haul: I grill it, braise it, toss it into salads, air-fry it, and turn it into soup. I especially love incorporating asparagus into frittatas and quiches—the vegetable has a sweet, grassy flavor that goes particularly well with eggs, dairy, and fresh herbs such as chives.

The recipe below comes from my Birmingham, Alabama-based test kitchen colleague Renu Dhar, who made multiple asparagus quiches to come up with one that was delicious and elegant, but still simple to throw together. Filled with tender asparagus and creamy goat cheese, it’s a stellar vegetarian quiche that can easily be made ahead for a delightful weekday lunch or a celebratory brunch for Easter and other spring holidays. Here’s how to make it.

Getting the Crust for Your Quiche Right

The crust, a flaky pâte brisée, is a riff on Serious Eats contributor Rebecca Frey's French all-butter tart dough recipe. Instead of making the crust by hand, as Frey does, Dhar pulses everything together in a food processor, making light work of an otherwise messy and arduous task. Adequately chilling the dough helps the gluten relax, reducing shrinkage as the crust bakes, and keeping the dough as cold as possible helps the butter stay firm. As the crust bakes, the butter melts, creating tiny pockets of steam that set into satisfyingly crisp layers. To help maintain the crust’s flaky texture, we line the rolled dough with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights, beans, or rice and then par-bake it. This is a crucial step that cooks it thoroughly and prevents it from becoming soggy once filled with the custard.

Skip the Blanch

While many asparagus quiche recipes call for blanching the vegetable, Dhar’s testing revealed that blanching made for an excessively moist filling. For asparagus that doesn't sog the quiche and is also more flavorful, she broils it until it’s browned and crisp-tender. The high heat causes the Maillard reaction; this occurs when heat transforms proteins and sugars in your food, resulting in more complex flavors and aromas.

Triple the Dairy, Please

Three kinds of dairy star in this quiche alongside asparagus: cheese, heavy cream, and whole milk. While Dhar’s recipe calls for creamy goat cheese and Gruyère, you could easily use feta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Pecorino Romano in place of either or both of those cheeses. Using both heavy cream and whole milk in the filling produces a rich, silky custard. Just be sure to thoroughly whisk the filling together to ensure the custard is homogenous to prevent unsightly specks of egg white throughout the quiche. But if the spots of egg whites appear, not to worry. The quiche will still be delicious, which is really the most important thing.

For the Crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined, about 3 pulses. Scatter butter over top of flour mixture, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, 8 to 10 pulses. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture starts to clump together, about 8 pulses total. (You may not need all the water.) Transfer onto a lightly floured surface, and gently press until dough just comes together, 2 or 3 times. Flatten dough into a 6-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to middle position, and preheat oven to 350°F (175ºC). On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into a 12-inch round. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pie plate. Using scissors, trim excess dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang over itself to create a thick border that sits on top edge of pie plate; crimp or shape as desired. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Line the pie crust with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake until edges are just dry and set, about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights; continue to bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and set aside.

For the Filling: Increase oven temperature to broil. Cut asparagus tips into 2-inch-long pieces; slice stalks into 1/4-inch rounds. On a 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together. Roast until asparagus is browned on edges and crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Let asparagus stand until cool, about 5 minutes. Remove asparagus tips; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175ºC).

Place goat cheese, Gruyère, and roasted asparagus stalks in bottom of pie crust. In a medium bowl, whisk cream, milk, eggs, chives, pepper, garlic powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to combine; pour over asparagus mixture in crust. Top with reserved asparagus tips. Bake until filling registers 170°F (77°C) on an instant-read thermometer and edges of filling are set but the center still jiggles slightly, 35 to 40 minutes. (If crust becomes too brown before center is set, loosely cover crust edges with aluminum foil, .) Let cool for at least 30 minutes, and serve.

Special Equipment

Food processor; rolling pin; 9-inch pie plate; scissors; parchment paper; pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice; 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet; instant-read thermometer

Make-Ahead and Storage

The crust can be blind-baked up to 2 days in advance. Once cooled, wrap crust tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Once cooled, the finished quiche can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Before serving, let quiche come to room temperature, then gently reheat in a 325°F (165°C) oven until warmed through.

Walk inside any Chilean bakery on a Saturday or Sunday morning and you will smell the unmistakable sweet and savory aroma of empanadas de pino coming fresh out of the oven. The scent of slow-cooked caramelized onions; the subtle hint of cumin and ají de color (the local mild, slightly sweet paprika); the sassy, spicy aroma of the ones made con picante, a little hot; all of it accompanied by the always comforting smell of baked dough. 

Bigger in size and more generous in filling than most of their South American counterparts, one empanada de pino counts as a weekday lunch or as a weekend appetizer that's commonly served before typical lengthy Chilean barbecue parties. Eat two of them and a nap might be in order.

The combo of the hearty filling and crust is potent. The dough is high in fat and rich with egg. When rolled thin, it is sturdy enough to contain at least a half cup of pino (pino comes from the indigenous Mapuche word for "filling" or "stew"). The juicy and substantial filling is made with diced (or sometimes ground) beef, onions, cumin, ají de color, and sometimes ají Chileano (Chilean hot sauce). To complete the filling, a whole black olive, a few raisins, and a quarter of a boiled egg is tucked inside each pastry. 

Although we Chileans eat empanadas all year round, and in all sorts of situations—from daycare picnics to workplace gatherings—during the independence day festivities on September 18th, we go absolutely wild about them. During those days I’d guess every Chilean quadruples their empanada intake. And those who can actually make empanadas become the most beloved and exhausted member of their families. Yes, that is me.

The Empanada Dough Is Just as Important as the Filling

Before the pandemic, my husband and I lived in Copenhagen for a few years. September was the time of year when we most missed home (and Chilean food), as September 18 is Chilean Independence Day, a celebration involving the consumption of dozens of empanadas de pino. My homesickness instilled in me a profound need to make empanadas while living abroad.

Around the same time, my abuelita (grandma) Techy—whose empanadas were famous—passed away. After shedding many tears, I decided to make—for the first time—dozens of empanadas, using her recipe for empanada dough.

My abuelita’s recipe for empanada dough, which she learned as a child from her grandma, is the same I share below. The wheat-based, high-fat empanada dough is not merely an efficient container for a flavorful filling—it is just as important as the filling inside. I have tried other empanada dough recipes that use less fat or fewer eggs, as well as recipes that don’t have you take the time and care to stretch the dough while it's still warm. None are as wonderful as my abuelita’s recipe. Her empanada dough is slightly salty, rich, and supple enough to be stretched thin without tearing, and sturdy enough to not leak any juicy filling while baking.

Temperature control is key for these empanadas. You must keep the dough warm and pliable, and at the same time keep the filling cold. Making the dough with hot water and hot melted fat makes it easier to work with. If the dough becomes too cold before shaping, it will stiffen up, making folding and pinching the dough challenging. If you are making dough ahead of time, even freezing it, there are ways to ensure that it is perfectly warm and soft before assembling empanadas. To keep the dough warm, try my late Abuelita’s trick: Keep the covered dough in a bowl on an inverted lid of a stockpot half full of simmering water. 

The Beef Stew Filling

Making the filling is a simpler process than creating the perfect dough. To achieve proper browning while not overcooking the beef, I start by browning diced beef, then removing it from the pot and deglazing with the stock or broth before sautéing the onions, fat, aromatics, and spices, including Chilean ají de color and cumin, until the flavors meld and the onions are soft. The beef is then returned much later in the cooking process ensuring that it won’t overcook and dry out.

A perfect Chilean empanada should be juicy and even drip down your wrist—but only once you’ve taken the first bite, not before. It is common for empanadas to leak juices while baking—one of the keys to preventing this is keeping the filling very cold during assembly so the filling doesn't boil while baking and bubble out. Chilling the beef mixture in the refrigerator for about an hour and then parfreezing it briefly for 15 to 30 minutes before assembling helps ensure they will not leak. If the filling becomes warm while shaping, chill in the freezer while assembling.

Shaping the Empanadas 

Proper shaping of the empanadas is important not just for creating an attractive presentation, but also to ensure the empanadas stay sealed when baking, so the filling’s juices won’t leak out. There are a few key steps to ensure the empanadas hold their shape. First, brush the dough edges with milk before folding it over to seal shut. Wetting the dough helps glue it together. 

Once the dough is sealed, fold the dough edge inward towards the body of the empanada. This further enforces the seal. Lastly, don’t forget to cut or poke steam vents on top of each pastry. This will allow steam to release from inside as they cook, so the dough will not bubble up or lose its shape as it cooks.

Enjoy these empanadas de pino as we do in Chile: Still hot, by hand, perhaps with a small tumbler of a simple, medium-bodied Chilean red wine.

For the Beef Filling: In a large stainless steel skillet, cast iron skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat until shimmering. Add half the diced beef, distributing it in an even layer and cook without stirring until juicy on top and browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a 1/8 teaspoon pepper, then use a wooden spoon to stir to release beef from bottom of skillet. Transfer beef to a medium bowl. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil, remaining beef, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Remove now-empty pot from heat, add 2 cups broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape to release any remaining browned bits into liquid. Transfer liquid to a bowl or measuring cup and set aside.

Return pot to medium heat and heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add ají de color, cumin, and hot sauce (if using). Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add flour into onion mixture and cook, using a wooden spoon to stir frequently until no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Stir in reserved liquid, reserved browned beef and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half and onions are completely soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt to taste, if needed.

Transfer prepared pino to a shallow baking dish or bowl and let cool at room temperature slightly, about 20 minutes, then refrigerate until completely chilled, about 1 hour (see notes).

For the Empanada Dough: In a small saucepan, heat butter and lard or shortening over medium heat until melted and hot and just starting to bubble.

In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add half of the hot water, half of the melted hot fat mixture, and half of the eggs. Using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until combined and small lumps form. Add remaining water, fat mixture, eggs, and pisco and stir vigorously until a rough dough ball forms and separates from the sides of bowl.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until smooth, and still warm, about 3 minutes.

Wrap dough with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

To Assemble: When ready to assemble the empanadas, transfer pino stew to freezer until firm, 15 to 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

While pino par-freezes,cut dough into 12 equal pieces (4 1/2 ounces; 125 g each). Working with 1 piece of dough at a time , dust dough piece lightly with flour and roll into a ball on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 8 1/2-inch (21-22cm) round. Do not worry if disc is not perfectly round; edges will be trimmed later. (While rolling each piece of dough, keep remaining dough pieces covered and warm; see notes.)

In lower center half of dough round, place 1/4 boiled egg, 1 olive, 2 raisins, and 1/2 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g )pino stew. Using pastry brush, lightly brush outer 1-inch edge of dough round with milk. Fold dough over filling (without stretching the dough), pressing gently on the border to seal the edges. It should look like a half moon. Don’t worry if some air is trapped inside, as empanadas will be pricked before baking.

Using a pasta wheel or pizza cutter, trim excess dough to form a 3/4-inch (2cm) dough border. Lightly brush milk over sealed edge.

Using your fingers, make 3 folds of the dough border inward towards the filling: 2 from the corners towards the sides of the empanada on a 75°– 80° angle towards the center, and then 1 in the center, to close the empanada. Folds should slightly overlap. Using your index finger, press firmly in the corners where foldings meet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces and filling.

Arrange the empanadas on the prepared sheets, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Re-whisk egg wash to recombine and brush empanadas with egg wash. Using a toothpick or tip of paring knife, prick tops of empanadas 3 to 4 times for ventilation.

Bake one sheet tray at a time, rotating once halfway through, until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining baking sheet. Let empanadas cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Special Equipment

Kitchen scale, rolling pin, pasta wheel cutter or pizza cutter, pastry brush, bench scraper

Notes

Chilean hot sauce, known as ají Chileano can be found at some Latin grocers or purchased online. I recommend JB Ají Chileno brand.

Look for a salty and mild variety of black olive, such as Nyons, Niçoise, or Liguirian.

It is common for empanadas to leak juices while baking, resulting in a drier empanada. However, this can be avoided by keeping the filling very cold during assembly, so it doesn't reach a boil when baking. Chilling the pino stew in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes before assembling ensures the empanadas will not leak. If the filling becomes warm, chill in the freezer while assembling. 

It is important to keep the empanada dough warm and malleable for easier shaping. To keep the dough warm, try my late Abuelita’s trick: Keep the covered dough in a bowl on an inverted lid of a stockpot half full of simmering water.

Make-Ahead and Storage 

The beef and onion filling (pino stew) can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

The empanada dough can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic wrap or in a resealable bag, for up to 3 days. Alternatively the dough can be cut into 12 portions, shaped into rounds, wrapped individually in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 months. 

Leftover baked empanadas can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat on a sheet tray in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes or for 20 to 25 minutes from frozen.

My husband jokes that he doesn't bother asking me what I want for dinner anymore, because my answer is always the same: vegetables. That is especially true during the spring and summer, when alliums, fresh herbs, and green vegetables are abundant. As the weather warms up, I begin swapping hearty soups and stews for crisp salads starring short-lived seasonal ingredients. Ramps, asparagus, peas, and lettuces make their way into all our meals, giving salads, pastas, and eggs a bright pop of flavor. Below, you'll find an assortment of refreshing spring salads—including a tangy pea and preserved olive salad and a Roman-inspired mixed green salad—that are light and bright, and sure to chase the winter blues away.

Spring Vegetable and Arugula Salad With Labne and Cucumbers

The secret to throwing a delicious salad at a moment's notice is keeping an assortment of blanched vegetables ready to go. For the easiest salad, toss blanched spring vegetables, salted cucumbers, and red onions in a punchy dressing of lemon juice, mustard, and olive oil, then pile it onto a bed of rich, tangy labneh.

Roasted Oyster Mushroom and Watercress Salad

Pair pan-roasted oyster mushrooms with watercress—a peppery spring green that is satisfyingly substantial in its own right—with a healthy helping of shaved cheese for a robust spring salad.

Fattoush (Chopped Vegetable and Pita Salad)

Packed with crunchy vegetables, toasted pita, and halloumi, this vibrant salad from Serious Eats contributor Reem Kassis is a star in its own right. It's light and refreshing, and a dressing made with lemon juice and pomegranate molasses brings bold, tart flavor.

Salade Lyonnaise (French Bistro Salad)

This staple bistro salad of Lyon features bitter greens tossed in a warm vinaigrette and is topped with chewy lardons and a gooey poached egg. Cooking the bacon over moderately low heat prevents it from burning, and sautéing the shallots in hot bacon fat mellows out the allium's sharpness.

Pea, Olive, and Preserved Lemon Salad

This easy salad from Serious Eats contributor Nargisse Benkabbou combines sweet peas with briny olives and tangy preserved lemon—and takes just 15 minutes to make.

Roman-Inspired Mixed-Green Salad (Misticanza alla Romana)

The onset of warmer weather means the arrival of tender greens at farmers market, which makes spring the best time to make a mixed-green salad like this one. Modeled after misticanza, a Roman salad that's traditionally made from various wild greens, this salad is especially delicious when made with a combination of tender, peppery, herbal, and bitter greens. A splash of olive oil, some salt, and a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar is all you need to help those flavors shine.

Spring Vegetable Salad With Poached Egg and Crispy Bread Crumbs

Crisp-tender peas, snap peas, and asparagus star in this verdant salad that takes just about 30 minutes to make. Topped with soft-yolked poached eggs and buttery toasted bread crumbs, this simple dinner is a delicious way to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Snap Pea Salad With Creamy Yogurt-Mint Dressing

Though snap peas are delicious raw, a quick blanch helps set their vibrant green color and softens them slightly. Shocking the peas in ice water stops the cooking process, keeping them plump and snappy. A creamy dressing of yogurt and fresh mint brings it all together.

Warm Farro Salad With Asparagus, Peas, and Feta

This salad celebrates the transition from winter to spring by combining asparagus, snap peas, kale, and farro with a tangy vinaigrette, briny feta, and almonds.

Easy Fava Bean and Carrot Salad With Ricotta

Crunchy carrots and fava beans don't need much to shine. Here, we blanch them until they're just tender, then dress them in a bright vinaigrette of lemon juice, zest, and olive oil. Served with toast and a healthy dollop of good-quality ricotta, this salad makes a great side or light meal.

Peas and Carrots Salad With Goat Cheese and Almonds

Peas and carrots are a classic combination in dishes like shepherd's pie, chicken pot pie, and fried rice—but the vegetables are also delicious when turned into a salad. Creamy goat cheese brings a pleasant richness, toasted almonds provide crunch, and a drizzle of honey gives the salad a touch of sweetness.

Tiger Salad (Lao Hu Cai), à la Xi'an Famous Foods

Savory, refreshing, and tart, this dish is inspired by the lao hu cai—or "tiger vegetable salad"—served at Xi'an Famous Foods. It's easy to make: All you have to do is combine peeled celery ribs, crisp scallions, fresh cilantro, and a few slivers of hot chile pepper with a sweet-tart dressing of soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar.

If you’re into perfectly baked, fresh-from-the-oven, homemade cookies (and let’s be honest, who isn’t?), you need more than a recipe: You need great cookie sheets. The material and construction matter, so we’ve spent years testing and re-testing cookie sheets. The one you use can make or break your favorite chocolate chip cookie, and you shouldn’t have to learn that the hard way. It’s worth noting that all of our favorites can go beyond baked goods—we use them for roasting all sorts of vegetables and meat, toasting nuts, cooling grains, making pizza, and more.

Things to Consider

What Is a Cookie Sheet?

A traditional cookie sheet is a thin, edgeless pan made from steel, aluminum, or a mixture of both. It’s good for one thing and one thing only: baking cookies. Cookies easily slide from the pan onto a cooling rack, and the lack of sides helps you maneuver a food turner around. Kitchen unitaskers aren’t bad—in fact, we recommend quite a few—but since baking sheets can bake cookies and roast vegetables and meat, we think they’re a much better option than traditional cookie sheets.

Rimmed sheet pans have one-inch walls and rolled edges on all sides. The height keeps food and hot fat contained, and the rolled edges serve two purposes. First, they make the pan easier to grip, especially when wearing pot holders or oven mitts. They also help prevent warping from extreme temperature changes. Still confused about the difference between cookie sheets and baking sheets? Check out this article for an in-depth look at them. 

Nonstick vs. Regular Cookie Sheets

Which is better: nonstick or regular cookie sheets? Here’s the top-line answer: Usually, regular ones.

We prefer cookie sheets without nonstick coatings because this coating wears away over time. Even with the most fastidious care, nonstick cookware (like skillets) will scratch and peel. Regular baking sheets are better long-term investments and can withstand higher oven temperatures. 

But there are some times when nonstick baking sheets are nice to have. If you’re baking and don’t have parchment paper to use as a liner, a nonstick pan will ensure your cookies slide off easily. A rule of thumb for nonstick bakeware: Choose lighter-colored pans. Darker nonstick coating will cause food to cook faster, which can mess up a recipe—picture an almost-burnt oatmeal cookie with a still-raw inside. 

How Big Is a Cookie Sheet?

The most common size cookie sheet is 18 by 13 inches, with one-inch sides. Quarter baking sheets are a step down from these; they measure 13 by nine inches. They’re ideal for baking a small batch of cookies—say you keep a stash of pre-rolled dough in your freezer and want to bake off just one or two. 

Our Favorite Cookie Sheets

What we liked: This is one sturdy pan. The aluminum base heats up quickly and cooks evenly, while the steel edges provide extra stability and make it extremely durable. Still, it comes with a lifetime warranty—just in case. The lack of a nonstick coating means it is broiler-safe, and the chunky rolled sides are easy to grab, even with bulky oven mitts. It’s sold in a set of two, and you’ll want more.

What we didn’t like: Nothing to complain about. This is a great pan.

Key Specs

• Materials: Aluminum, steel
• Dimension: 17 x 12 inches
• Edge Height: 1 inch
• Warranty: Lifetime
  

What we liked: In our review of nonstick cookie sheets, sticky ingredients slid right off this pan, including just-baked cookies and crispy Parmesan cheese. The rim is taller than most, which keeps splatters contained and makes it even easier to grab while hot.

What we didn’t like: It’s not broiler-safe and can only stand temperatures up to 450˚F. The bottom of this pan wasn’t the lightest-colored one we tested, which meant cookies browned a bit faster. But it was by no means the worst offender of all the nonstick pans. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Aluminized steel and nonstick coating
• Dimension: 17.1 x 12.1 inches
• Edge Height: 1 1/4 inch
• Warranty: Lifetime

What we liked: Everything we like about our overall top pick, this one has in miniature. It’s an ideal size for baking one or two cookies at a time. Its small footprint also makes it handy for prepping ingredients and roasting a batch of vegetables. You can buy lids that fit perfectly, so they double as baking vessels and cookie jars.

What we didn’t like: We can’t think of a thing!

Key Specs

• Materials: Aluminum
• Dimension: 12.1 x 8.8 inches
• Edge Height: 1 inch
• Warranty: Lifetime
  

FAQs

Is it “cookie sheet” or “cooking sheet”?

While both technically make sense, the term most commonly used is “cookie sheet.” Reminder: Cookie sheets have edgeless sides that help cookies slide off easily. We prefer baking sheets—they’re rimmed and can be used for baking and cooking.

How do you clean a cookie sheet?

Please don’t put them in the dishwasher, no matter what the manufacturer says. The high temperatures and cleaning solutions can degrade the finishes over time. To keep your pans in top shape, wash them with warm soapy water and a nonabrasive dish sponge. For stubborn stains, Bar Keepers Friend will work miracles.

Why We’re the Experts

• Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats.
• She has been with the team since 2024 and has been testing kitchen gear professionally since 2021. 
• Rochelle is a culinary school graduate and former line cook and used to work as an editor at Bon Appétit magazine.
• Serious Eats has tested all manner of baking sheets, also known as cookie sheets: traditional, nonstick, and small.
  

Serious Eats editors know a thing or two about knives. Whether they’ve worked in restaurant settings or have tested kitchen gear for years, they all have favorites that they turn to every day for tasks big and small. We asked our fellow editors about the knives they use in their home kitchens, and their answers were, unsurprisingly, detailed and opinionated. We recommend you take inspiration from their blade collections, whether you’re on the lookout for a new nakiri knife or petty knife. Their picks span chef’s knives, paring knives, bread knives, and much more. 

Mercer Culinary Genesis 8-Inch Chef's Knife

I’ve likely spent more time using, testing, and writing about knives than most people on Earth (wild, right?), and I have many knives I love. But if I had to call out just one, it might be this very affordable chef's knife from Mercer. The quality-to-price ratio is so good on this thing that I have yet to find another chef's knife that rivals it. And I can back that up with years of use: I've owned this knife since 2018 and it’s the go-to knife in my home kitchen for all our cooking. It feels good in my hand, I'm able to put a good fresh edge on it whenever it needs it, and it shows no signs of any wear and tear. Honestly, Mercer should get a lot more recognition in the cooking world; they make a quality product and charge a very reasonable price for it. — Daniel Gritzer, editorial director

Mercer Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch Chef's Knife

My go-to is my Mercer Renaissance 8-inch chef's knife. I've had this knife since culinary school and it can handle all the daily wear and tear that I throw its way. — Leah Colins, senior culinary editor

Misen 5.5-Inch Utility Knife

This petty knife didn't win our review because of the hefty, heavy handle—but that's actually what I love about it. It's well-balanced in my hand, which makes me feel more confident using it. I use it just as often as my 8-inch chef's knife. — Rochelle Bilow, editor

Misono UX10 Chef's Knife

I love this chef's knife so much that I wrote a whole love letter to it. It's the perfect length, super sharp, and glides through every prep task like a kite on a breeze—which is to say, lightly and with ease. — Grace Kelly, editor

Tojiro Japan Bread Knife

This is simply the best bread knife. Its slim blade smoothly slices through crusty boules, soft sandwich bread, and juicy tomatoes. The blade is flexible, too, so I even use it to peel butternut squash. It's been our top pick for years, and I can't recommend it enough. — Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, associate editorial director

Victorinox Swiss Classic 4-Inch Spear Tip

Is it silly to recommend a tiny serrated knife? This serrated paring knife makes peeling and slicing small produce a breeze. It's especially great for ripe, juicy cherry or plum tomatoes! — Genevieve Yam, culinary editor

Global 7-Inch Vegetable Knife

Over the years, I’ve received some pretty fancy knives—but expensive doesn’t always mean better. And if your hands are on the smaller side (like mine are), those large chef’s knives designed with men in mind just won’t cut it. That’s why I love my Global nakiri knife. I use it almost every day. It’s lightweight, perfectly balanced, and forged from a single piece of metal, so the handle and blade are one seamless unit. — Kelli Solomon, senior social media editor

Shun Nakiri Knife

This is my first and only nakiri knife. My partner gifted it to me years ago, yet it’s still just as sharp as the day I got it. As a vegetarian, I’m always slicing or chopping vegetables, and this knife’s squared-off tip helps me glide through thick sweet potatoes or sinewy stalks of celery. — An Uong, writer

Opinel No.08 Stainless Steel Folding Knife

As the weather warms up, I already have my mind set on beach days and camping trips. For both types of adventures, I always pack my Opinel folding knife. It folds up to the length of an iPhone and has a sharp blade for conveniently slicing cheese, fruit, and other snacks on the go. — An

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing kitchen gear for Serious Eats for over two years.
• She especially enjoys testing knives and has a soft spot for her Shun nakiri knife.
  

I did not understand the value and appeal of a pressure cooker until I became a mother. Time has become especially precious, and I find myself frantically rushing around during my son’s brief naps to meal-prep as much as I can. Stressed and short on time, I’ve quickly adapted all my go-to recipes—such as beef noodle soup and congee—for the Instant Pot, so they can be made as quickly as possible. One of the first recipes I adapted for the pressure cooker was lu rou fan (Taiwanese braised minced pork belly), a comforting and deeply flavorful dish that has long been a fixture in my kitchen.

The first iteration of this recipe is in my cookbook Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories From the Island Nation. I learned to make the dish from Lin Tai-Yu, the third-generation owner of Lin Family Braised Pork Over Rice in the Taiwanese city of Tainan. Lin, who goes by Gloj, spends his days slowly simmering hand-diced pork in a sweet and savory concoction of soy sauce, fried shallots, garlic, rice wine, and sugar. For the silkiest sauce, he recommends using the fattiest slab of pork belly you can find, dicing it finely, and slowly simmering it over the stove for hours. 

Before I had my son, I took his advice to heart. I made time to dice pork belly into perfect, tiny squares, render out the fat in a wok, and pour in the soy sauce and aromatics. I’d then simmer it all with the lid slightly ajar and let the sauce slowly reduce over several hours until it became thick, treacly, and perfectly balanced between savory and sweet. That approach meant I could control the rate of evaporation, and ensured the flavors of the dish could concentrate slowly and steadily without losing too much moisture too quickly. Since my son’s arrival, though, I’ve had to bid farewell to the days of idly tending to a wok—which is where the Instant Pot comes in.

The biggest benefit of using an Instant Pot is that it’s hands-off and shaves off hours of cooking time. There’s no need to hover over the stove, stirring and adjusting to make sure the pork doesn’t stick or burn. Once you’ve used the sauté function to sear the pork and bloom the aromatics, you can seal the cooker and rest assured that dinner will be ready in a little over an hour. And while it cooks, you can prepare your rice and any side dishes you’d like to serve the pork with. Here’s how to make it.

Adapting a Taiwanese Classic for the Pressure Cooker

There’s a reason why seasoned vendors—those who have spent decades perfecting their craft—swear by the slow simmer of a stovetop braise. The pressure cooker, while efficient, changes the alchemy of the dish because there is no constant evaporation and the flavors develop on a much speedier timeline. The sauce doesn’t get as thick, and while the aromatics are briefly bloomed at the start, they don’t continue to caramelize and deepen in flavor the way they would over a low, open flame. 

With the stovetop version, I’m also able to taste and adjust as I go along. With a pressure cooker, there’s not much (if any) room to improvise on the fly. That said, if you keep the following tips in mind, you’ll be able to make a braise that’s practically as good as the stovetop version. Just remember that pressure cookers can vary, so you may need to reduce the sauce a bit more and season to taste at the end.

The Size of the Pork Matters

Dicing pork belly into small, uniform pieces allows the meat to cook evenly and maximizes the meat’s surface area, allowing it to absorb as much of the sauce as possible. As the meat cooks, the fat renders, giving the braise a soft, supple texture. Unevenly cut pork won’t break down as evenly, resulting in a chunkier sauce that isn’t as velvety.

A sharp knife is essential for cutting the pork well. For ease, I like to freeze the pork belly for about an hour so it firms up but remains pliable, making it much easier to dice. If you live near a friendly butcher like I do, however, they might be happy to dice the meat for you and vacuum seal it in your preferred portion sizes. Keep bags of diced pork belly in your freezer at all times, and you’ll be able to make lu rou fan whenever you want.

Getting the Braising Sauce Right

The braising liquid is just as important as the pork in this dish. Sugar and soy sauce are the main ingredients, and though soy paste—a thick Taiwanese soy sauce that has a hit of licorice—is traditional, I prefer oyster sauce for its brininess. Rice wine brings depth and a hint of sweetness, and a generous half cup of fried shallots provides rich savory notes with a hint of caramel.

Since everything is cooked in a pressure cooker, you'll need less liquid than a stovetop braise that reduces slowly over several hours. You want just enough liquid to fully cover the pork so that it cooks thoroughly. 

The pressure cooker takes on the heavy lifting, effortlessly combining the rendered fat, succulent pork belly, and aromatic braising liquid into a harmonious dish. This Instant Pot version may not be the most traditional way to make this dish, but it’s just as delicious—and ready in half the time.

In an electric multicooker (such as an Instant Pot) set to the sauté function, cook pork belly, stirring often, until opaque and some of its fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring to combine, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add water, fried shallots, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, and rice wine. Seal cooker, bring to high pressure, and cook for 40 minutes. When done, let cooker depressurize naturally, 30 to 45 minutes.

Open the cooker and mix well. If you’d like the braising liquid to be thicker, set pressure cooker to sauté function and simmer sauce until it’s thick, treacly, and slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Serve over cooked white rice.

Special Equipment

Electric multi-cooker, such as an Instant Pot

Notes

I’ve tested this recipe dozens of times, both on the stovetop and in a pressure cooker, and found that the ideal soy sauce-to-water ratio varies depending on the brand of soy sauce used and how salty you like your food. For convenience, I typically reach for Kikkoman, but if you're using a low-sodium soy sauce or one with added sugar, you’ll need to season to taste at the end. This dish is more of an art than an exact science, so don’t be afraid to tweak things. 

Make-Ahead and Storage

Leftover lu rou fan stores beautifully in the fridge or freezer. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze in individual portions and thaw in the refrigerator. To reheat, bring to a simmer over medium heat or microwave until warmed through.

Though shakshuka originated in North Africa, today it’s popular throughout the Middle East (particularly in Israel) and elsewhere in the world, including in the United States, where it's a fixture on brunch menus. While this one-pan dish traditionally features eggs gently poached in a heavily spiced tomato sauce, it’s infinitely riffable. There are versions loaded with roasted veggies or studded with chorizo or chickpeas, but my favorite variation—especially during the spring—is green shakshuka.

Over the past decade or so, green shakshuka has become a brunch staple throughout the U.S. A vibrant, green sauce loaded with fresh herbs, spinach, and spices is the perfect foil for rich, runny eggs. Served with some good crusty bread for scooping, it’s a filling meal that’s just as great on a busy weeknight as it is for a leisurely Sunday brunch. 

In our recipe below, our Birmingham, Alabama–based test kitchen colleague Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman has developed a shakshuka with an impressive green hue. The sauce is packed with fresh cilantro, parsley, spinach, and an array of warm spices. The sauce components are blended and simmered before the eggs are nestled in and perfectly poached, then garnished with avocado, pickled onions, feta, and fresh herbs.

Ensuring a Vibrant Green Sauce 

The key to great green shakshuka is nailing the sauce. The sauce should be a mostly homogenous purée that’s thick enough to cradle and poach the raw eggs. It should also remain vibrantly green—not muddy army-green—once cooked for the most appetizing presentation. In developing this recipe, Tricia used a few culinary tricks to ensure a bright sauce with the right silky texture. First, she found that blanching the herbs and spinach with a small amount of baking soda helps weaken the vegetable cell walls, quickly softening them for easy blending while maintaining their bright green color.

Tricia also blanches and blends most of the spinach with vegetable stock, cream, and aromatics to create a velvety, pourable sauce, while reserving a couple cups of the raw spinach to wilt down into the sauce. This creates a sauce that’s creamy and mostly smooth, but with a welcome slightly chunky texture that’s perfect for scooping with good crusty bread.

How to Perfect the Eggs in Green Shakshuka

The trickiest part of most shakshuka recipes is getting the eggs cooked so the yolks are still jammy when the egg whites are set. While some recipes require an oven, we find sticking to a streamlined stovetop method easier. All you need is to gently poach the eggs directly in the sauce until just set. This can be easier said than done, as making shallow indentations in the sauce and cracking each individual egg into the wells can take some time, causing the first egg to overcook by the time the last egg is cracked in. To avoid this and to help the eggs cook at a more even rate, remove the skillet from the burner to eliminate the urgency of adding the eggs over heat. 

We also recommend cracking each egg into a small bowl before carefully adding it to the sauce so you can remove any rogue eggshell pieces before adding the eggs to the skillet. It’s also easier to neatly slip each egg into the sauce from a bowl, which helps keep the eggs from spreading too much as they cook.

Taking a cue from Kenji’s shakshuka recipe, Tricia incorporates the technique of spooning a little bit of the sauce around the whites of the eggs to help them set just a touch faster than the yolks. Once the skillet is covered and returned to the heat with the eggs, monitor closely and cook until the egg whites are just set and the yolks still golden and soft—perfect for dipping bread into.

In an 8-quart or larger pot or Dutch oven, bring water, baking soda, and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Place a large bowl of ice water next to stovetop.

Add cilantro and parsley to a fine-mesh strainer; dip strainer with herbs into water and cook, stirring constantly to ensure herbs are submerged, until herbs are bright green, about 10 seconds. Lift strainer and herbs out and transfer mixture in strainer to prepared ice bath and let sit until herbs are cold, 5 minutes. Drain and pat herbs dry, but do not squeeze (it should yield about 1/2 cup). Leave pot of water on stovetop on low heat.

To blender jar, add herbs, chile, 1/2 cup oil, 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon coriander. Blend on high, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed, until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer herb purée to a small bowl; set aside. (Do not clean blender.)

Return blanching water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 8 cups (8 ounces; 226 g) spinach to boiling water; cook, stirring constantly, until bright green and wilted, about 10 seconds. In now-empty fine-mesh strainer, drain spinach, pressing out excess liquid with a silicone spatula (it should yield about 2/3 cup cooked leaves). Transfer spinach to blender; add broth and cream, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add celery; cover and cook, stirring often, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add leek and bell pepper; cover and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

Uncover and stir in remaining fresh spinach and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until spinach is wilted and garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in spinach purée, 4 tablespoons of prepared herb purée, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon coriander; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until simmering, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat. In a small bowl, crack 1 egg. Using a rubber spatula or large spoon, clear a rough 2-inch diameter well in sauce. Immediately pour in the cracked egg. (The well will hold yolk in place but may not fully contain egg white; this is ok.) Gently spoon a little sauce over edges of egg white to help contain it. Repeat with remaining eggs, evenly spacing them around the skillet. Cover, return to heat, and cook until egg whites are set but yolks are still jiggly, 3 to 6 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Uncover and top with feta, avocado, and pickled red onion. Sprinkle with cilantro and parsley. Stir lemon zest and juice into reserved cilantro mixture. Serve immediately, drizzling cilantro mixture on each portion. Serve bread on the side.

Special Equipment

Large pot, blender, fine-mesh strainer, large skillet, silicone spatula

Make-Ahead and Storage 

The final dish is best served immediately, but the sauce can be cooked through step 6, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 1 day. To serve, gently reheat the sauce over medium heat in a large skillet until simmering, then remove from heat and proceed with steps 7 and 8 of the recipe.

After cooking all week, my kitchen floor accumulates a lot of crumbs and scraps. Here’s just a taste: a few granules of sugar, some desiccated potato peels (flung onto the ground as I overzealously skinned a spud), a single fusilli noodle, coffee grounds, and—the bane of my existence—sticky, diaphanous garlic skin. But with a handy-dandy broom, I can do a quick sweep of the kitchen floor, and the space becomes moderately more presentable. A broom also comes in clutch when I’ve spilled rice all over the floor and am too lazy to break out the vacuum. Yes, it’s true: I hate cleaning. But a good kitchen broom, one that’s swift and sure and true, makes it mostly painless. I tested 10 brooms to find the best ones to spiff up my kitchen—and do it fast.   

The Winners, at a Glance

This simple broom was adept at quickly gathering and sweeping coffee grounds and rice into its accompanying dustpan. The petite broom head was easy to tuck into corners and other hard-to-reach spots. 

A customizable broom—fancy! You can shorten or lengthen the broom handle, making this a great versatile pick. The dustpan also sports a tall handle, so I could gather up debris without bending over. 

I love this set: It swiftly gathered grounds and grains, and the bristles directed them neatly into the dustpan. While not kitchen-related, it was also great at sweeping cat hair off my couch. 

This cute purple mini dustpan and broom might look like a kid's toy, but it was an efficient little set. The tiny broom reached into nooks nicely and gathered up rice grains readily. 

The Tests

• Coffee Grounds Test: I scattered one tablespoon of ground coffee onto my hardwood floors and then used each broom to sweep it up. I counted how many strokes it took to gather all of the grounds, and noted how easy the broom was to hold and move. 
• Rice Test: I scattered a quarter cup of rice on my kitchen floor and swept it up, noting how many strokes it took. 
• Longterm Use Test (Winners Only): I used each of my favorite brooms in my daily sweeping routine to see how they performed in various cleaning situations. 

What We Learned 

Stiffer Bristles Were Better

Brooms with stiffer bristles, like the Casabella and Pine-Sol, caught rice and coffee grounds and swiftly shepherded them into the dustpans. Softer bristles, like on the O-Cedar, made more of a mess. Instead of sweeping efficiently and neatly, they compressed into the floor and flung stuff like a catapult—rice skittered away and coffee particles whizzed across the floor. I had to adjust my stance, sweep some more, and wrangle any stragglers. To avoid making cleaning a more onerous task than it already is, stick with a stiffer-bristled broom—it’ll get the job done faster. That said, a large, super stiff broom, like the Libman 211 Extra Large Precision Angle Broom, wasn’t as adept at getting into corners and struggled to sweep up anything light or flimsy (such as garlic skins). 

Dustpan Shape Was Important 

A dustpan is essential when it comes to sweeping; without one, you’re just moving stuff around (like you did when you were told to clean your room as a kid, amirite?). A good dustpan should have a thin lip that sits flush with the floor, and the interior should be concave without ridges or bumps to impede stuff from entering. It should also be easy to hold. 

Some dustpans I tested were truly horrible, like the O-Cedar’s. While it’s designed to be stepped on, you still need to grab the pan to throw away the junk collected. And this oddly shaped dustpan’s uncomfortably bent handle made it awkward. Plus, the dustpan didn’t attach easily to the broom after use. 

…And Broom Size and Shape Was, Too 

Why someone would sell a broom whose brush head was larger than the accompanying dustpan is beyond me. It just makes more mess, since with each sweep, the overhanging portion of the broom pushes stuff around the sides of the dustpan. This was the case with the O-Cedar broom, which I disliked more and more as I continued to test it. The dustpan’s opening is 12 inches wide, while the sharply angled broom head is 13.5 inches across, so every time I swept it sent debris around the sides. 

The heavy, angled broom head also ensured that the broom fell over any time I rested it against the wall for a breather. (I did a lot of sweeping, okay!) While this isn’t a big deal, it’s annoying that you can’t lean the broom off to the side when you take a break (and it also makes storage difficult).  

The Best Brooms Were Light and Nimble 

If you’re like me, after a few days of cooking there is an inordinately large amount of food bits all over the floor. And, for some reason, they always seem to accumulate in hard-to-reach corners. Go figure! So when it comes time to clean up the mess, a nimble broom that can tuck into nooks is a must. I found brooms with slightly smaller heads, like the Casabella, were the best at this task, as were handheld dustpans and brushes; their petite size let me easily sweep inside small spaces. Bigger, heavier brooms, like the Amazon Basics and Rubbermaid, were difficult to control and bashed into small spots.

That said, larger, heftier brooms do have their uses: The Amazon Basics broom, which is marketed as an outdoor broom, is truly great at sweeping away big messes across a large swath of ground. I could see it being useful to clean dust or leaves off a deck or a porch. But for a home kitchen, it’s overkill. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Broom 

A kitchen broom should be versatile, adept at sweeping small particles, like coffee grounds, and larger bits, like rice. The broom head shouldn’t be larger than the dustpan, if it comes with one. I also preferred smaller, firmer bristled brooms that easily reached into nooks and crannies. Finally, the broom handle should be on the long side to make it versatile for a variety of users. 

Our Favorite Brooms

What we liked: This nimble broom is a good length, and its dense, angled head swept up coffee quickly, without flinging grounds everywhere. The stiff bristles corralled rice efficiently, too. The dustpan features a sloped, rubbery edge that sits flush with the floor and prevents bits from being swept underneath or around it. It also easily clips flush to the broom, which is nifty for storage.

What we didn’t like: While the smaller broom head was a boon for getting into hard-to-reach corners, it did mean more sweeps for larger messes. 

Key Specs

• Style: Standard broom
• Accessories: Dustpan
• Broom handle length: 45.5 inches
• Broom head dimensions: 9.5 x 4.25 inches
• Dustpan dimensions: 12 x 11.5 inches

What we liked: This broom’s handle is adjustable, so you can customize its height to your liking. The broom swept up coffee grounds easily and efficiently. The rubber bristles on the dustpan help dislodge stuff from the broom, which, while not an issue with coffee grounds, was helpful after sweeping up pet hair and other sticky things. The handle on the dustpan is nice (I could sweep and gather without bending over), and the angled, rubber edge ensured that coffee grounds and rice didn’t get swept under the dustpan. It’s the kind of broom setup that janitors use, so it’s legit. 

What we didn’t like: The softer bristles did feel less effective than sturdier ones. Emptying the dustpan, which pivots on a hinge, is awkward, and the whole setup feels tippy when the broom is locked into the dustpan. It's rather pricey.

Key Specs

• Style: Broom with handled dustpan
• Accessories: Handled dustpan
• Broom handle length: 28.5 to 48 inches (compacted versus fully extended)
• Broom head dimensions: 9.25 in x 4.25 inches
• Dustpan dimensions: 12.75 x 9 x 28.5 inches

What we liked: I love a handheld dustpan and brush set. Not only does it let me clean up tiny spills in small spaces, but if I accidentally tip over a bag of coffee grounds on the countertop, I can swiftly tidy it up without breaking out the vacuum. The bristles on this set were firm, preventing flinging and instead corralling rice and coffee grounds swiftly into the dustpan. An aside: One of my cats has medium-length hair that is incredibly difficult to clean off my couch, but the brush from this set gets rid of it better than a lint roller. 

What we didn’t like: The dustpan’s edge was a little uneven (if not pressed firmly to the surface, there were gaps under it), which resulted in some grounds being pushed underneath or getting stuck on the lip.

Key Specs 

• Style: Handheld dustpan and brush
• Accessories: None
• Brush handle length: 3.75 inches
• Brush head dimensions: 5.75 x 2.5 inches
• Dustpan dimensions: 7 x 10 inches

What we liked: While the Pine-Sol broom was more efficient, this little purple and yellow broom did a good job overall. It swept up rice easily, and its ultra petite size meant it was great for cleaning up messes in cramped areas. 

What we didn’t like: It took a few more sweeps to wrangle stragglers. The ledge of the dustpan was a little too thick, which impeded grounds and made it more work to sweep them into the pan. It's also itty bitty, so it’s only good for tiny spills.

Key Specs

• Style: Handheld dustpan and brush
• Accessories: None
• Brush handle length: 3.75 inches
• Brush head dimensions: 6.25 x 1.75 inches
• Dustpan dimensions: 6 x 7.5 inches

The Competition

Also Good

• Libman Precision Angle Broom and Dust Pan: This broom’s bristles were a little too stiff, making it difficult to gather small particles like coffee grounds. The dustpan was smaller than the broom head, so it was a challenge to collect debris in one sweep. It did quickly clean up bigger messes, though, and the brush comb was a nice touch. 
• Amazon Basics Heavy-Duty Outdoor Broom: This is a heavy-duty broom with a large head that’s good for sweeping up big messes—think getting dust off a sidewalk or porch. But for indoor messes, it was overkill. The bristles on this broom are soft, too, and they flung coffee grounds with each sweep. 
• Libman 211 Extra Large Precision Angle Broom: Like the Amazon Basics broom, this is a big option that’s great for cleaning large areas. Its stiff bristles quickly corralled large debris, like rice, but struggled to pick up lighter bits, like coffee grounds. It doesn’t come with a dustpan.
• OXO Good Grips Dustpan and Brush Set: This small dustpan and brush set performed adequately, but it wasn’t as efficient as my winning picks. This was mainly because the bristles were soft, so they flung stuff rather than quickly sweeping bits into the bin. The ridge on the dustpan also impeded some of the coffee grounds from getting swept inside.

Not Recommended 

• OXO Good Grips Upright Sweep Set: While the handled dustpan was nice, the broom’s handle was too short; I’m a few inches over five feet tall and had to bend over to use it. The broom head is also very small, requiring more sweeping to rustle up the coffee grounds. 
• Rubbermaid Commercial Products Heavy-Duty Corn Broom: This broom doesn’t come with a dustpan, which isn’t a dealbreaker. However, its heft and floppy corn bristles were: It took 10 strokes to sweep up coffee grounds, the most of the bunch. 
• O-Cedar One Sweep Broom with Step-On Dustpan: While the idea of a step-on dustpan was good, in practice, it didn’t work well. Also, if you do want to hold it with your hands, the wonky shape makes it uncomfortable. The broom head is larger than the dustpan, so with every sweep, it swept stuff around the sides. The softer bristles flung coffee around, so I had to keep moving the dustpan and sweeping more. The broom is also heavy at the bristle end, making it feel clunky. 

FAQs

What style of broom is best? 

Whether you choose a standard broom or a handheld dustpan and brush set depends on your needs, but I honestly think that having one of each is worth it. The handheld brush and dustpan sets are great for cleaning small messes or tidying up hard-to-reach spots, while a standard broom is great for everyday sweeping. 

How often should I replace my kitchen broom?

It depends on how often you use the broom and how much wear it takes. When bristles start to wear down or become separated, then it’s probably a good time to replace it. 

Should you wash or clean a broom?

Some of the brooms I tested came with combs that you can use to clean the bristles, which is an easy way to keep them clean. You can wash your broom with a mixture of dish soap and hot water, but make sure you let it dry thoroughly or it could get gunked up.

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is a senior editor at Serious Eats, where she tests all manner of kitchen gear and appliances. 
• For this review, Grace tested 11 kitchen brooms by sweeping up coffee grounds, rice, and other kitchen messes to find the most versatile ones. 
• She hates cleaning but admits that sweeping isn’t so bad.
  

When I was a pastry chef, Easter meant a whirlwind of baking endless bunny- and carrot-shaped cookies, hand-piping marshmallow chicks, and making chocolate and sugar Easter eggs—so, of course, I could always be counted on to bring dessert to any gathering. But truth be told, I would have been equally happy to whip up a savory appetizer or two had I had a few fool-proof, crowd-pleasing recipes in my back pocket—like the ones I've curated below.

These Easter appetizers are light, bright, and highly adaptable for large and small gatherings. You can set them on a buffet or serve them as a starter. I've chosen a tantalizing mix of baked, fried, and chilled options, including easy hors d'oeuvres, creamy dips, picture-perfect savory spring vegetable tarts, and salads. However you celebrate Easter, our favorite appetizers are designed to impress with zero stress.

Asparagus Sheet Pan Tart

This easy-to-bake vegetable tart is a verdant ode to spring. We flipped the script by baking slender asparagus and goat cheese underneath the puff pastry, which traps steam to produce perfectly tender, glossy spears fragrant with thyme and lemon zest. Simply invert the golden, flaky, buttery crust onto a cutting board and slice the tart into squares.

Savory Carrot Tart

Carrots are synonymous with Easter and we've come up with an easy and delicious way to showcase them in a savory tart that's a cinch to make. We start with a sheet of store-bought puff pastry, then layer on sliced Brie, a drizzle of zippy honey-mustard, and colorful roasted carrots, and bake until the crust is golden brown and crisp. Served warm or at room temperature, it makes for an eye-catching display on any table.

Herby Lamb Meatballs

Love lamb but don't feel like roasting a whole leg or rack of lamb for Easter? These tender meatballs will give you the same distinctive rich flavor in juicy bite-size morsels, infused with fragrant spices. A bright, herbaceous feta and yogurt sauce provides a cool counterpoint to their meaty richness.

Caesar Deviled Eggs

Whether you use fresh Caesar mayo or mayo flavored with classic Caesar seasoning, there's no denying that the garlicky, peppery, cheesy, and deeply umami flavors of Caesar dressing are made for deviled eggs. All the more reason to make plenty to go around, because they will disappear in a blink.

Creamy Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike will be clamoring for refills of these spectacular stuffed mushrooms, loaded with cream cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, chopped mushroom stems, and sun-dried tomatoes—savory, sweet, and umami all at once. High-heat cooking ensures that the mushroom caps don't become soggy and the panko breadcrumb topping stays crunchy. It's a technique also we used for these sausage-stuffed mushrooms.

Croquetas de Jamón

One of the many delectable things you can make with béchamel sauce is the crispy, creamy, savory Spanish tapa croquetas de jamón, or fried ham croquettes, typically made with a dry-cured ham. Thoroughly chilling the béchamel and ham mixture makes the croquetas easier to form and bread. You can make these well in advance and freeze them until you're ready to fry, so they're ideal for entertaining.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Bacon-wrapped shrimp is one appetizer that's notoriously challenging to get just right, but after several test runs, we've cracked the code. Dry-brining the shrimp briefly in baking soda ensures a juicy, snappy texture, while partially cooking the bacon before wrapping allows it to fully crisp without the shrimp overcooking. A caramelized hot honey–soy sauce glaze adds a lovely sheen and enticing savoriness.

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce

It's not hard to see the appeal of bubbly fried wontons oozing with a molten crab–cream cheese mixture. These wontons are shaped like a four-point star for maximum crunch and easy dipping into the sweet and sour sauce. Either real crabmeat or imitation crab will do since it's really all about the contrast between the slightly tangy creamy filling and crispy puffed wonton wrappers,

Scotch Eggs

Scotch eggs are classic British pub fare that can also serve as a great appetizer. The ground pork is seasoned with fresh parsley, chives, and thyme to create a flavorful crust. In this recipe, Japanese panko provides a lighter, crispier texture than the traditional breadcrumb coating.

Classic Shrimp Cocktail

You really can't go wrong with a platter of tender shrimp with classic cocktail sauce. For the plumpest, juiciest, most flavorful shrimp, start with a dry brine of baking soda and salt, then cook them in an aromatic broth at a low temperature. Serve the chilled shrimp with your favorite store-bought cocktail sauce, or whip up your own with some ketchup, preserved horseradish, fresh lemon juice, and a few seasonings.

Easy, Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Knots

Hand-tied pizza dough is what makes these knots far superior to your basic pull-apart garlic rolls. They have lots of crevices and pockets to capture more of the garlicky seasoned melted butter and cheese—which means double the flavor and ooey-gooey cheesiness. While these are meant to be shared, we guarantee there will be some elbowing and jostling to claim the last piece.

Choreg (Armenian Easter Bread)

Slightly sweeter than challah and brioche and intensely aromatic from nigella seeds and mahlab, a spice made from the tiny seeds of the St. Lucy's cherry, choreg has a sumptuously soft, fluffy crumb, eggy richness, and shiny golden crust that makes it a standout on any festive table. Set it alongside a cheese and charcuterie board.

Salmon Rillettes With Chives and Shallots

Fresh salmon is the base for this sophisticated French appetizer that's remarkably simple to put together. We gently cook the fish so it stays moist and juicy, making it effortless to shred and mix with mayonnaise, sautéed shallots, chives, and seasonings. Serve beside a display of crackers and breads.

Maryland Crab Imperial With Buttery Golden Breadcrumbs

Daniel's recipe for Maryland Crab Imperial has all the flavors and textures of crab cakes without the hands-on work, so it's ideal to make for large gatherings. You can even serve it in individual ramekins as a starter. A generous helping of mayonnaise adds creaminess and transforms the lump crabmeat into a luscious dip, while melted butter enhances the crispiness and flavor of the breadcrumbs.

Roman-Jewish Fried Artichokes (Carciofi alla Giudia)

Springtime is peak season for artichokes and one of the most delicious ways to enjoy them is fried Roman-Jewish style. The two-stage method yields a tender heart and crispy leaves. All they need is a sprinkling of salt while still hot and a squeeze of lemon juice.

The Best Caesar Salad

Nothing beats a well-constructed Caesar salad starter. Our rendition of the beloved classic builds on layers of flavor and texture—from the crisp inner romaine lettuce leaves evenly coated in a tangy and umami-packed emulsified dressing to the crunchy croutons baked in garlic-infused oil and shower of salty Parmesan cheese.

Snap Pea and Radicchio Salad With Garlic Yogurt Dressing

This vibrant salad is a wonderful study in contrasts: sweet, crisp blanched snap peas, cool tangy garlicky yogurt dressing, and warm, robust radicchio. Charring the radicchio under the broiler caramelizes its sugars and tames its bitterness. A sprinkling of fried sliced garlic leftover from making garlic oil for the dressing adds another layer of flavor and crunch.

Spring Vegetable and Arugula Salad With Labneh and Cucumbers

A quick blanch keeps the color of the fava beans, English peas, asparagus, and broccolini vibrant and bright, locking in their flavor and crisp texture. Lemony mustard vinaigrette, peppery arugula, Persian cucumbers, red onion, sunflower seeds, mozzarella, and creamy labneh complement the natural sweetness of the spring vegetables.

Fava Bean Tartine With Goat Cheese and Marcona Almonds

Tartine may sound fancier than open-faced sandwich but it's essentially sliced toasted bread topped with minimal ingredients, making it an ideal vehicle to showcase fresh spring produce, such as fava beans. Here, we pair them with crunchy Marcona almonds and a mild goat cheese. A flourish of fresh chervil and drizzle of olive oil and you have yourself a delightful, super quick and easy appetizer.

Asparagus and Tarragon Velouté (Dairy-Free Creamy Asparagus Soup)

For this creamy asparagus soup, we ditched heavy cream in favor of a flour-thickened velouté, which lets the bright vegetal flavor of the asparagus and fennel shine through while still delivering a luscious, velvety smooth texture. Serve this dreamy soup in individual bowls as a starter or as soup shots in little espresso cups.

Every morning starts with the press of a button on my trusty electric kettle. Whether I’m making a pour-over or brewing a cup of tea, this essential part of my day wouldn’t be possible without the Fellow Stagg EKG kettle, which I’ve had for over six years. It’s incredibly fast, quiet, and has a temperature control feature that’s adjustable down to the degree. In fact, it’s one of the best electric kettles we’ve tested and is our top gooseneck kettle pick. The kettle has come with me along multiple moves and is usually the first appliance to be plugged into the wall. For serious coffee or tea drinkers, it’s a must-have in the kitchen. As I always say: Buy it once and enjoy it for ages. Plus, it’s on sale right now.

Why It Won Our Review

It’s Speedy and Accurate

This kettle is so fast that by the time I’ve selected my tea and mug, the water’s already at the desired temperature. I love that the smooth control dial can be set it to the exact temperature I need, down to the degree. It’s accurate, too. In our tests, it nailed the measurements when we checked the water with an instant-read thermometer at varying intervals. It also has a handy “hold” function to keep contents warm for up to an hour.

It Pours Exceptionally Smoothly

Thanks to the temperature control kettle’s thin, curved spout (hence the name), it pours smoothly to evenly saturate coffee grounds or tea leaves. The handle has a counterweight that helps stabilize pouring, no matter how full the kettle is. It’s no surprise that the Fellow Stagg EKG is a go-to for many professional baristas.

It Lasts a Long, Long Time

Look, I’ve had this electric kettle with temperature control for years and it’s still just as fast and accurate as the day I got it. Its consistently great performance is essential to my morning routine. As someone without a microwave, I even use it for baking when I need water at a precise temperature to bloom yeast.

Why We Recommend It

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle

This is an all-around great electric kettle that’s fast, accurate, and reliable. It lasts a long time, too. Plus, it’s easy on the eyes and comes in a range of colors. The latest upgrade to the original model even has a built-in scheduling mechanism to streamline your mornings. Don’t miss your chance to grab it while it’s on sale.

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing kitchen gear for Serious Eats for over two years.
• She loves a hot beverage and always has a cup of tea on hand.
  

A good cup of coffee can make or break your day, which is why it’s so important to ensure you’re using the best tools to brew it. Trust us: We’ve tested nearly every piece of coffee gear under the sun, including 29 espresso machines and 17 gooseneck kettles. If there’s anything we know, it’s what you need to make the perfect brew. You don’t have to break the budget either; we’ve tested plenty of affordable coffee gear that’s impressed us over the years. Our top picks under $50 include the best espresso scale and an editor-favorite Yeti Rambler tumbler.

The Best Coffee Gear Under $50 at a Glance

• The Best Budget Coffee Grinder: Krups Precision Burr Coffee Grinder
• A Great Milk Frother: Instant Pot Milk Frother 4-in-1 Electric Milk Steamer
• A Portable Coffee Maker: AeroPress Original Coffee Press
• A Clever AeroPress Attachment: Fellow Prismo Attachment for AeroPress Coffee Maker
• Our Favorite Budget French Press: Coffee Gator 34-Ounce French Press Coffee Maker
• The Best Espresso Scale: OXO Brew Precision Coffee Scale with Timer
• The Best Spring-Loaded Tamper: LuxHaus 53-Millimeter Espresso Tamper
• A Great Moka Pot: Bialetti Moka Espress Stovetop Espresso Maker
• The Best Single-Serve Coffee Maker: Kalita Wave Series Wave Dripper 155
• An Editor-Loved Coffee Tumbler: Yeti Rambler 20-Ounce Travel Mug

Krups Precision Burr Coffee Grinder

If you’re still using a spice grinder to grind your coffee, this is your sign to please—please—upgrade to a burr grinder. Don’t want to spend too much on one? The Krups is under $50 and gives you more control over the grind size, so it’s already a step up from using a blade grinder that simply chops your coffee instead of grinding it.

Instant Pot Milk Frother 4-in-1 Electric Milk Steamer

This milk frother heats up quickly and produces excellent foam at an approachable price. Its simple interface has four functions: cold foam, light warm foam, thick warm foam, and warming without foaming. We liked that it heats up quickly and can differentiate between latte and cappuccino foam.

AeroPress Original Coffee Press

Whether you’re camping or avoiding hotel coffee, the AeroPress is the way to go for portable, strong coffee. It brews quickly and packs up to about the size of a soda can. You also can’t beat the $34 price tag.

Fellow Prismo Attachment for AeroPress Coffee Maker

If you want to get as close to espresso as possible with the AeroPress, we recommend grabbing this attachment from Fellow. It has a pressurized rubber valve and a micromesh metal filter to enable an even stronger brew.

Coffee Gator 34-Ounce French Press Coffee Maker

This insulated French press coffee maker is a steal at $35. It produces a solid cup of coffee and demonstrates excellent temperature retention during our tests. It also comes with a mini coffee canister.

OXO Brew Precision Coffee Scale with Timer

We’ve always loved the OXO food scale, and the brand’s coffee scale is no exception. It has a large display with clear digits and delivers fast, accurate readings. We also liked its built-in timer and the 3,000-gram capacity, making it suitable for other measuring tasks in the kitchen.

Normcore V4 Coffee Tamper

This coffee tamper is spring-loaded to deliver a precise tamp every time. You can also adjust the springs to choose the amount of pressure you need. We liked its sturdy build and tapered handle that’s comfortable to hold.

Bialetti Moka Espress Stovetop Espresso Maker

You can’t get a more classic coffee experience than this moka pot. It makes consistently strong, flavorful brews, and all its pieces fit together without trouble. Its heavy-gauge aluminum construction conducts heat well for strong steam pressure and well-extracted coffee.

Kalita Wave Series Wave Dripper 155

If you like a slow, thoughtful coffee routine, grab our favorite single-serve coffee maker. The Kalita is loved by beginners and experts alike for its consistent brews and ease of use. We also liked that the comfortable handle doesn’t get hot when brewing.

Yeti Rambler 20-Ounce Travel Mug

After you’ve carefully brewed your coffee, the vessel is just as important to consider. After testing 15 coffee tumblers, the Yeti Rambler mug emerged as an editor-favorite. It’s leakproof, smooth to sip from, and keeps coffee hot for hours.

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing kitchen gear for Serious Eats for over two years.
• She has coffee every day and has more coffee tools than she does storage space for them.
  

Though I make my own marinara sauce most of the time, I have a soft spot for the jarred stuff because I grew up on it. Even today, despite my preference for homemade, I still like to keep a jar of marinara sauce in my pantry: Whether you’re using it as the base for chicken or eggplant Parmesan, baked ziti, or simply tossing it with pasta for an easy dinner, a jar of premade tomato sauce is especially handy in a pinch. Today, there are an overwhelming number of marinara sauces to choose from. But which is worth buying?

To find the very best marinara sauces, our editors sampled 24 different marinara sauces you’re likely to find at your local supermarket or online. We placed each in bowls, then sampled them in random order without knowing which sauce was which. After tasting our way through 24 marinara sauces (and suffering some serious heartburn), we tabulated the results and crowned two winners that we’d be happy to keep in our own kitchen.

The Criteria

Marinara sauce should be well-seasoned and balanced. It should have a natural sweetness and acidity from the tomatoes, but taste neither aggressively sharp nor overly sweetened with additional sugar. There should be savory depth and a hint of herbaceous flavor from oregano and/or basil. It should also have a nice, thick texture that’s neither too watery nor too chunky, with some noticeable pieces of tomato and specks of herbs or alliums.

Overall Winners

Mezzetta Marinara Sauce

Every single one of our tasters loved this marinara sauce, which was well-balanced and flavorful in all the right ways. Our senior social media editor Kelli found it pleasantly tangy, and our associate visuals editor Amanda thought it had a nice tomato flavor. This sauce had just the right texture, too: “A little chunky in a nice way,” Amanda wrote. Similarly, our associate editorial director Megan, found it “nicely thick but not pasty.” Our editorial director Daniel enjoyed this sauce so much he decided that the two best sauces should be tied for first. (See below.)

Rao’s Marinara Pasta Sauce

Like Mezzetta’s marinara sauce, Rao’s had great tomato flavor and just the right amount of chunk. “Fruity, fresh tomato flavor,” Daniel wrote. “Classic marinara vibes.” (He correctly clocked this as Rao’s.) Megan described it as “nicely salty and not too sweet,” and appreciated that there was “no weird aftertaste.” Our editors liked the sauce’s crushed texture, which had an appropriate amount of chunks without being too thick. “Good crushed/puréed texture with some tomato-y bits,” Daniel wrote. 

The Contenders

• 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Marinara Pasta Sauce
• Bertolli Traditional Marinara sauce
• Bionaturae Organic Marinara Pasta Sauce
• Botticelli Marinara Sauce
• Carbone Marinara Sauce
• Cento Marinara Pasta Sauce
• Classico Marinara Pasta Sauce
• Franceso Rinaldi Marinara Sauce
• Kirkland Signature Organic Tuscan Marinara Sauce
• Matriark Gentle Marinara Sauce
• Mezzetta Marinara Sauce
• Michael’s of Brooklyn Marinara Sauce
• Muir Glen Classic Marinara Pasta Sauce
• Newman’s Marinara Sauce
• Paesana Marinara Sauce
• Pomì Marinara Sauce
• Prego Classic Marinara Sauce
• Ragú Old World Style Marinara Sauce
• Rao’s Homemade Marinara Pasta Sauce
• Target Good & Gather Marinara Sauce
• Trader Joe’s “Trader Giotto’s” Tomato Basil Marinara
• Victoria Marinara Sauce
• Wegman’s Smooth Marinara Sauce
• Yo Mama’s Original Marinara

In Conclusion

Many marinara sauces are made with tomato purée, a cooked and strained tomato product. Both our winners start with whole plum tomatoes, according to their ingredient lists: Mezzetta’s from Italy and California, and Rao’s from Italy. As we touched on in our guide to canned tomato products, whole peeled tomatoes are often made from the ripest fruits, and allow manufacturers and home cooks to have more control over the final texture of whatever they’re preparing. 

Other common ingredients in marinara sauce are sugar, dried flavorings like alliums and herbs, as well as calcium chloride to help the tomatoes keep their shape and citric acid for additional tartness. Our editors' ratings indicated that marinara sauces with added sugar were often described as excessively sweet, while those made with citric acid were often described as unpleasantly tart (keep in mind, the tasters didn't know which sauces they were tasting nor their ingredients). 

Neither of our winners contain sugar, calcium chloride, and citric acid, and are instead made with just a handful of ingredients: whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, onions, salt, garlic, basil, black pepper. The only difference between the two is that Rao’s contains oregano and Mezzetta’s contains “spices,” which according to the Food and Drug Administration, could refer to any “aromatic vegetable substances.”

The takeaway? For the most balanced and flavorful marinara sauce, look for one that’s made with whole peeled tomatoes and contains a short ingredient list, with no added sugar or citric acid.

Our Testing Methodology

All taste tests are conducted with brands completely hidden and without discussion. Tasters taste samples in random order. For example, taster A may taste sample one first, while taster B will taste sample six first. This is to prevent palate fatigue from unfairly giving any one sample an advantage. Tasters are asked to fill our tasting sheets ranking the samples for various criteria. All data is tabulated and results are calculated with no editorial input in order to give us the most impartial representation of actual results possible.

When I imagine the colors of spring, I think of yellows and pinks, grassy greens and pastel blues. Or maybe those are the colors of Easter—or...has Peeps marketing fully conquered my brain? Well, whatever the origin of my associations, the result when transmogrified to deviled-egg form are the little snacks you see here: fragrant cups of egg white filled with a light and bright yolky mixture that's folded with both mayonnaise and crème fraîche, minced tarragon, quick-pickled red onion, Dijon, and lemon juice. Suffice it to say, if you're doing a casting call for vernal deviled eggs, these both look and taste the part.

Deviled eggs are a fairly straightforward food, which means I don't have a ton to say about these, except to offer the following tips:

• Try to find eggs that are not too fresh. The freshest eggs tend to stick to the shell after boiling, making peeling a pain and often resulting in pitted and scarred whites. It's better to use eggs that are a bit older—still good, edible eggs, of course—but not straight from the hen's cloaca (wow, both graphic and safe for work! I impress myself sometimes).
• Get a jump start on your pickled onions. I love what I call rapid pickling, in which onions are submerged briefly in vinegar and left to sit just long enough to soften their texture, tame their raw-onion bite, and give them a bright acidic pop. When you use red onions and red wine vinegar, they turn an amazing shade of magenta, which is especially apt for a spring-themed egg. I recommend getting them started first (here the onion is minced instead of thinly sliced, but otherwise it's exactly the same as the recipe linked in the ingredient list). By the time you've boiled your eggs, the onion should be more or less ready. If you can let them sit a little longer, even better.
• Feel free to just use mayo. I call for a combination of crème fraîche and mayonnaise for the yolky filling, which produces a particularly light and bright result that fits the theme well. But if you have everything you need to make these except the crème fraîche, please go ahead and just use all mayo instead; they'll still be good. You may need to up the lemon juice slightly for a touch of acidity if you do, but otherwise it'll be fine. (To that end, you can also use different herbs—dill or parsley are both good stand-ins for the tarragon, obviously with very different flavors, but none of them will be bad.)

In a large bowl, set up an ice bath by partially filling it with a combination of cold water and ice; set aside. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Carefully lower eggs into pot and continue to boil for 30 seconds. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low (water should maintain a bare simmer), and continue cooking for 11 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer eggs to prepared ice bath and let cool, about 3 minutes. Peel eggs under cool running water, then slice each egg in half lengthwise.

Transfer yolks to a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise, crème fraîche, pickled onion, lemon juice, Dijon, tarragon, and cayenne. Using a fork or sturdy whisk, mash and stir together until thoroughly combined. Season with salt.

Transfer yolk filling to zipper-lock bag or piping bag. Cut off corner of zipper-lock bag or piping bag and pipe filling mixture into egg white halves, overstuffing each hole. Garnish deviled eggs with more minced pickled onion and small tarragon leaves. Serve.

Special Equipment

Slotted spoon, zipper-lock bag or piping bag

Notes

Very fresh eggs tend to have their shells stick to the whites more, making peeling more difficult. Eggs that are slightly older are best for hard boiling.

If desired, you can substitute the crème fraîche in the recipe with additional mayonnaise; you may need to add a touch more lemon juice to balance the flavor.

Throughout India, pickles are enjoyed as a condiment with many meals, eaten with dal, rice dishes, parathas, or even many breakfast dishes such as pohé. Mango pickle is one of the most popular pickles throughout the country. There are many regional variations of it, each with its own unique blend of spices and flavors. But at its core it’s most often made from green, underripe mangoes, spices, and mustard seed– and spice-infused oil. 

My mother loved to make pickles this way, often with whatever fruits or vegetables she had on hand. They were a welcome burst of flavor to most of our meals, and my favorite was her mango pickle. On evenings when we had guests over to our home for dinner, the first thing she would do that morning was start macerating the pickles in plenty of salt and a spiced-infused oil, so they would be ready to serve later that night. She’d pickle whatever was on hand: carrots, cauliflower, peeled ginger, or my absolute favorite, mango. 

How Indian Pickles are Prepared 

In Western cooking, the term “pickling” most often refers to the food preservation method involving submerging food in an acidic solution, like vinegar, or via lactic acid fermentation. But most Indian pickles go through neither of these processes, and instead are preserved, or “pickled” by coating the mixture in salt and sugar and submerging in spiced oil.

Most homemade Indian pickles involve mixing vegetables or fruits (sometimes blanched or cooked first, but not always) with plenty of spices, salt, and oil. The pickle is then either packed into large ceramic pots known as bharani (or barni) and put in the sun for several days to ferment—the layer of oil on top inhibits mold growth while excluding oxygen—or it's allowed to macerate for a short period at room temperature and then transferred to the refrigerator for storage, which skips the fermentation in favor of speed and ease.. This recipe is the latter type—a quick refrigerated pickle that comes together in little time but is still bursting with flavor.

How to Make Quick Mango Pickle

This quick pickle is simple to make, but there are a few key things to get right so you end up with robust, zesty flavor and a crunchy, salad-like texture.

Selecting and Preparing the Mango

First, make sure to use green, unripe raw firm mangos that are not fully mature, not to be confused with underripe mangoes that will ripen soon (and have a thicker skin on them). As they sit in the salt and oil mixture, the mango pieces will soften slightly, but they'll still retain some of their firm texture. If you were to start with ripe mangos, the mango pieces would fall apart and become mushy. 

I personally prefer to leave the skin on my mangos when I make this pickle. I enjoy its chewy texture, and I find that it helps the mango flesh retain its shape even when cut into smaller sizes. That said, many people will prefer the pickle without the skin (and some may even have a mild allergic reaction to it), so the recipe below instructs you to peel the mango; note that when peeled, the mango should be cut into slightly larger pieces (the 1/2-inch size in my recipe below is a good ballpark) so they can better retain their shape even without the skin..

Tips on Preparing the Spiced Oil

One of the key components of the mango pickle is a spice-infused oil that adds flavor and a glistening, slippery texture. When I prepare the oil, I like to use an Indian seasoning wok, which is a small vessel specifically for this type of purpose. Many of you won't have this exact piece of cookware, but any small, flat-bottomed saucepan or carbon-steel skillet will work well.

The order of which spices are added to the hot oil also matters. The brown mustard seeds are added first. They will (and should) pop while cooking, so make sure to have a lid or cooking screen handy to contain the splatter.

The asafoetida, ground turmeric, Kashmiri red chile powder, and fenugreek seeds are then bloomed in the hot oil to round out its flavor. Asafoetida is a dried and ground gum resin that drips off the roots of an herb called ferula asafoetida, a central Asian plant in the celery family, and I love its assertive, oniony-garlic smell and flavor. (In the Indian state of Maharashtra, where my family is from, the combination of asafoetida, mustard, and turmeric is often considered the “holy trinity” of seasonings.) 

The oil mixture is then tossed with the mango and left at room temperature to macerate—just make sure the oil has cooled before adding it to the mango, or it risks heating the fruit and turning it mushy. During the maceration time, the flavors will blend together, and the salt and sugar will soften the mango.

This recipe works well with other fruits and vegetables as well. I like to prepare it with carrots, cauliflower, or apples, or under-ripe pears. I’ve included measurements for these variations below the main recipe.

In a large metal bowl, toss diced mangoes with salt and jaggery or sugar until combined; set aside.

In a seasoning wok (see notes) or small heavy-bottomed saucepan or small carbon-steel skillet, heat oil until smoking, about 3 minutes. Test oil temperature with one mustard seed. If it pops right away, your oil is ready; if not, return heat to medium-high for 1 additional minute and retest. When ready turn off heat and immediately add mustard seeds to the saucepan and cover with the lid/screen. The mustard seeds will pop, making a sound like popping corn, about 30 seconds.

Once the popping stops, uncover the pan and add the turmeric, red chile powder, asafetida, and fenugreek to the pan, stir gently to mix. Let the oil cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Scrape the cooled oil onto the mango and mix well. Taste the mango and add more salt or sugar if desired.

Let mango stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally until well macerated, at least 3 and up to 4 hours. Then transfer to an airtight glass container or jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, stir to combine and serve in a small bowl as a condiment.

Variations

Carrot Quick Pickle: Substitute mango with 2 1/2 pounds medium carrots, cut into 1/4 -inch pieces, and continue with recipe as written.

Cauliflower Quick Pickle: Substitute 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch florets and continue with recipe as written.

Pear or Apple Quick Pickle: Substitute 4 crisp apples or slightly underripe, firm pears; core and cut into 1/2-inch chunks, leaving the peel on. Continue with recipe as written.

Special Equipment

Metal or glass mixing bowl, large metal spoon (so turmeric does not stain it), Indian seasoning wok or a small sauté pan, canning jars or glass containers for storage

Notes

Make sure to use unripe mango that are not yet mature and will not mature, and not to be confused with underripe mangos, which are mature mangos that just have not peaked in ripeness yet.

If using jaggery, a couple seconds in the microwave will help soften it. Then you can chop it just like chocolate with a bread knife. Alternatively, a microplane works as well.

Asafetida can be found at most Indian grocers. I recommend the powder sold in small jars, rather than large plastic containers, because the plastic can hold the aroma. Keep it tightly shut between uses, otherwise the smell will pervade your entire kitchen. While it adds a distinct flavor to the chutney, you can omit it if unavailable, though the chutney will be less aromatic.

A seasoning wok is a small wok that is used in Indian cooking for toasting spices and for making seasoned oil blends. They generally are made from thicker metal than Chinese woks. I often use a seasoning wok at home to make spice blends for a variety of dishes, but a small sauté pan or skillet will work well in its place.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The pickle can be stored in airtight jars and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

For some home cooks, whipping up a homemade dessert that's delicious and Passover-appropriate sounds too daunting even to attempt. While there's certainly nothing wrong with going store-bought, that's not your only option. Below, we've gathered 12 of our favorite Passover-friendly sweets—including coconut macaroons, flourless chocolate cake, and a light and fluffy angel food cake—that will impress everyone at your seder.

A note about the recipes that follow: Though some were designed with Passover in mind, others are meant to be more all-purpose, which means some of them contain ingredients not considered kosher for Passover—or, at least, not considered by everyone to be such. Ordinary vanilla extract and vanilla paste are not considered kosher for Passover; you may substitute a kosher vanilla extract or the scraped beans from a vanilla pod. As dietary restrictions and traditions vary widely, we've chosen here to offer a range of recipes to meet a range of preferences, with the hope that everyone will be able to find a dish that they love.

Chocolate Mousse

Rich with bittersweet flavor and light as a cloud, chocolate mousse is a simple, elegant dessert that’s deeply satisfying to eat. And because it has to made ahead of time, it's the ideal dessert for entertaining.

Double-Caramel Flan

This gorgeous custard is chock-full of caramel, while a higher-than-usual ratio of egg yolks and cream makes it pleasantly rich. Tempering the eggs before combining them with the caramel, cream, and milk ensures that they incorporate smoothly.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

In our version of the classic Passover dessert, we toast unsweetened coconut flakes to deepen their color and flavor. For subtle vanilla and almond flavors, this recipe calls for vanilla paste and nut liqueur instead of the typical extracts; substitute kosher vanilla extract or vanilla beans if necessary to keep the macaroons kosher.

Honey-Vanilla Almond Cake

Ground whole almonds or store-bought almond meal serves as a flavorful stand-in for wheat flour in this pretty cake. The dessert gets its airy texture from whipped egg whites, and little acid in the form of lemon juice helps stabilize the whites before they're mixed into the batter. This recipe calls for butter to grease the pan, but you could easily swap it out for oil to make this a parve dessert.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This flourless chocolate cake is rich and pleasantly bittersweet, with crisp edges and a fudgy interior that comes from folding melted chocolate into a mixture of whole eggs and sugar that have been whipped until thick and pale. (To make this cake truly flourless, skip the baking spray with flour. Grease the cake pan by brushing it with softened butter, dusting it with cornstarch or your gluten-free flour blend of choice, then shaking out the excess.)

The Ultimate Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

This cake is phenomenally light and fluffy, thanks to a blend of gluten-free flours and whipped egg whites. Combining egg whites and sugar all at once creates a dense but stable meringue, and whisking it in stages creates a fine network of air cells for a delicate crumb.

Chocolate-Meringue Cookies

Chocolate lovers will love these light little meringue cookies, which put the bittersweet flavor of high-quality dark chocolate front and center. Making the meringue itself constitutes the lion's share of the work here, and even that isn't as tough as you might think it is.

Earl Grey and Vanilla Poached Pears

For the simplest dessert, poach your pears in a fragrant mixture of Earl Grey tea and vanilla. This dish is subtly sweet with a delicate floral flavor—plus, it comes together in one pot and requires just about 30 minutes to make.

Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

Brighten up your Passover table with this zesty Meyer lemon ice cream, which is packed with fresh Meyer lemon juice and zest, along with a dash of citrus liqueur. Note that this recipe contains a small amount of cornstarch, which some may want to avoid during Passover.

Tishpishti (Sephardic Jewish Nut Cake)

Our version of this festive dessert features grated apple—which tenderizes what might otherwise be a heavy cake—and a heady mix of spices and citrus. A final soak in apple brandy–ginger syrup infuses it with a subtle spice and sweetness.

Creamy Whipped Greek Yogurt

Looking for a tasty dairy dessert that's about as easy as it gets? Whipping Greek yogurt using a stand mixer may sound a little too simple, but the texture it takes on—like a hybrid of thick yogurt and fluffy whipped cream—makes it an extremely luxurious dessert, especially when layered with fresh or roasted fruit. Heavy cream thickens the yogurt, a touch of honey lends gentle sweetness, and rosewater or vanilla bean gives it a floral note.

Mango Sorbet

Sweet, buttery Ataúlfo mangoes are in season this time of year, so Passover is the ideal occasion to make a batch of this simple yet devastatingly good sorbet—all it takes is mangoes, lime juice, sugar, and a little salt. Thanks to the high ratio of fruit to water, the sorbet churns up extremely rich and creamy, with a beautiful deep-golden color.

Kitchen essentials are the foundation of successful home cooking. You’ll want an excellent frying pan, a Dutch oven that’ll last ages, and a trustworthy toaster oven. If you’re looking to upgrade some gear to make your kitchen run more smoothly, we’ve sniffed out some deals at Williams Sonoma that are too tempting not to share. We sorted through the brand’s spring sale and found an enameled Staub cocotte for 50% off, plus our all-time favorite Breville toaster oven for $50 off.

Staub 3-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Deep Oven

Staub makes one of our favorite Dutch ovens, and this 3-quart deep version is a steal at 50% off. It has the same durable cast iron construction as the one we love, with a dark enameled interior that resists chipping and staining. Staub cast iron sears well, heats uniformly, and cleans up without a hitch.

Breville Smart Oven Pro

This toaster oven has been our editors’ favorite for years. It produces toast that’s golden brown across the entire surface, with no light or dark spots. It can also cook a 10-inch frozen pizza to perfection.

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Get two countertop appliances in one with this air fryer toaster oven that produces crispy fries and crunchy chicken wings. It also toasts, bakes, broils, roasts, dehydrates, slow cooks, and more.

Le Creuset 8-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven

This Le Creuset oval Dutch oven is ideal for your grandest of meals, like a Biryani-style whole roast chicken. Its spacious 8-quart capacity fits enough food to feed a large group of people. Plus, we’ve always liked that a Le Creuset is well-designed enough to go straight from the oven to the dinner table.

Le Creuset Round Straight Wall Ramekin, Set of 2

Every kitchen needs a set of stoneware ramekins. They’re great for serving snacks or baking individual chocolate soufflés. We loved that the inset bottoms on these Le Creuset ones allow them to stack neatly (no more toppling towers). They cook food thoroughly and clean up quickly by hand or in the dishwasher.

Staub Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

We recommend this Staub grill pan to get deep char marks on your paninis or burger patties. Thanks to its tough enamel coating, it’s a breeze to clean—even stuck-on food bits don’t stand a chance. It’s also nearly $100 off.

Global Classic Hollow-Ground Vegetable Knife

This is one of our top nakiri knife picks. It’s super sharp, well-balanced, and cleaves cleanly through produce. Be it fibrous carrots or thick sweet potatoes, it slices and dices smoothly. 

All-Clad D3 Tri-Ply Stainless-Steel Fry Pan

Many of our editors swear by All-Clad stainless steel cookware. This pan has been among our top picks for frying pans for a long time thanks to its excellent searing and heating capabilities. It can produce crispy salmon fillets and release delicate fried eggs without a problem.

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a writer for Serious Eats.
• An has been testing kitchen gear for Serious Eats for over two years.
• She loves a good deal, especially on kitchen equipment.
  

One of the best parts about Easter is, arguably, the big piece of lamb—impressive, succulent, and delicious—at the center of the table. Lamb can be gamey and dry, especially when it's poorly prepared. Made thoughtfully, however, lamb can be a delicious, tender, and mild cut of meat with just the right amount of gaminess. Below, you'll find our nine favorite lamb recipes for the Easter table, including an impressive crown roast of lamb and a slow-roasted leg of lamb rubbed with fragrant rosemary and garlic. (Need some help picking the best lamb for your celebration? Check out our guide to buying and cooking lamb.)

Pan-Roasted Rack of Lamb

With nothing more than a pan and some butter, garlic, and herbs, you can make an astoundingly delicious rack of lamb. An optional dry-brining step seasons the meat and dries the exterior for better browning, and basting the racks with hot fat helps it cook evenly.

Qidreh (Palestinian Bone-In Lamb With Spiced Rice)

Brimming with tender bone-in lamb and fragrant rice, qidreh is the hallmark dish of the Palestinian city of Hebron. Serve it with a side of plain yogurt and a chopped salad, which provide lightness and complement the dish's rich and earthy flavor.

Crown Roast of Lamb With Couscous Stuffing and Pistachio-Mint Sauce

Set on a bed of fluffy couscous and served with a pistachio-mint sauce, this crown roast of lamb is a show-stopping centerpiece fit for a holiday meal. Cook the lamb low-and-slow, then bump up the heat to give it a beautiful brown crust.

Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb With Rosemary, Garlic, and Mustard Crust

Rub your lamb with a fragrant mixture of garlic, mustard, olive oil, white wine, rosemary, lemon juice, and salt, then let it marinate for 12 hours. When you're ready to serve, all that's left to do is throw it on the grill.

Tender Braised Lamb Shanks With Bitter Herb Salad

A fragrant spice blend and a long, slow braise produce flavorful lamb shanks that practically melt off the bone. Here, anchovies give the dish a savory boost, and a mixture of spices—coriander seeds, fennel seeds, ground cumin, and smoked paprika—bring complexity and depth.

Roasted Spiced Lamb Ribs With Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

These lamb ribs are rubbed with a punchy mix of smoked paprika, fennel seed, chile flakes, and cumin, then slow-roasted until they're tender and juicy. Served with a whole grain mustard sauce, they're a meaty, satisfying main dish worth making for your holiday table.

Slow-Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb With Garlic, Rosemary, and Lemon

Leg of lamb makes for a wonderful Easter roast. We especially like a boneless cut, which is easy to season inside and out and cooks more evenly than a bone-in leg. Rub the lamb with an aromatic mixture of garlic, shallots, rosemary, and lemon zest, then roast it until it has a crisp brown crust and a rosy medium-rare center.

Sichuan Roast Leg of Lamb With Celery-Mint Salad

Bring some heat to your Easter table with this Sichuan-inspired lamb dish. Seasoned with ground Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, dried red chiles, fennel seed, and star anise, each bite is satisfyingly hot and numbing—and will keep you coming back for more.

Braised Lamb Shoulder With Dried Chilies and Dates

Stressed about cooking for a crowd? This set-it-and-forget-it dish is as easy as it gets—and lets the oven do the hard work for you. A Dutch oven heats the meat evenly from all sides, allowing it to brown while becoming tender, and sweet dates balance the acidity of the tomatillos and the heat from the chiles.

Growing up in Ohio, I figured sauerkraut balls came over from Germany, or maybe Eastern Europe. Truth is, they’re probably from Cleveland.

I’ve heard a lot about these crunchy little pork-and-kraut fritters over the years: They’re the most popular appetizer at The Golden Lamb Inn, a hotel and restaurant in Lebanon, Ohio, that my family has owned since 1926. The kitchen rolled about 200,000 of them in 2024.

The Golden Lamb happens to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Ohio, but our sauerkraut ball recipe only dates to the 1960s, when an accountant named Edith, visiting from Cleveland, shared a version with longtime chef Norm Sims. That’s all I knew about its history for years. After doing some research, I’d bet a few orders that Edith got her recipe from the source, or somewhere close to it: a white-tablecloth restaurant in her hometown called Gruber’s.

Looking through decades of newspaper articles, I didn’t find any mention of sauerkraut balls as we know them (as opposed to meatballs cooked with sauerkraut, which have been around for a long time) until the late 1940s. That’s when diners and food writers began taking note of the signature appetizer at Gruber’s—created as a tasty and economical way to use up meat scraps, per various accounts.

In 1949, the nationally syndicated columnist Erich Brandeis wrote about trying “a delicious concoction such as neither my wife nor I had ever seen or tasted before” at a party. He went on: “The hostess gave my wife the recipe—you take some sauerkraut and put it through the grinder together with boiled ham. You mix this with some thick white sauce, form it into little balls, and roll them in bread crumbs. Then you deep-fry them until they turn nice and brown and serve, first sticking a toothpick in each ball." I don’t know where Brandeis, who lived in Connecticut, had his first sauerkraut ball, but that feels a lot like the Gruber’s recipe that ran in papers nationwide in the years after World War II. So does the recipe we use at the Golden Lamb.

In the decades since, the city of Akron, about forty-five minutes from Cleveland, has formally adopted the sauerkraut ball. Readers at the Akron Beacon-Journal voted it the city’s official food in 1996. If you search “sauerkraut balls” on Newspapers.com, you’ll see that that paper has run about twice as many articles about the heartland croquettes—1,278, at the time of publication—as any other in the country. Judy Orr James’s 2022 cookbook “Akron Family Recipes” concludes with an entire chapter on sauerkraut balls, subtitled “It’s An Akron Thing.” 

But even James acknowledges that Cleveland did it first, noting that the Beacon-Journal didn’t mention sauerkraut balls for the first time until November 1952, after Gruber’s had already impressed the famous food writers Clementine Paddleford and Duncan Hines with theirs.

And while the sauerkraut ball has evolved over the years, including at the family restaurant, which now has its own secret recipe, the Gruber’s version was a national phenomenon for a reason. I went through dozens of reference recipes when researching this dish, and though I experimented with more recent additions and substitutions including cream cheese (very common), breakfast sausage (common), and pork shoulder (less common), none improved on the original formula. So, I cleaned it up for a modern audience, making only relatively minor changes to improve the texture and flavor. The foundational recipe is all about balance—between pork chops and ham, hearty meats and zingy sauerkraut, a tender center and a crisp, crumb-coated crust. This recipe maintains that.

There are similar dishes in Europe, including Dutch bitterballen, rich with beef and gravy, and Spain’s well-known croquetas de jamón. Sauerkraut balls follow a familiar formula—sautéed meats and aromatics bound with a roux, shaped, breaded, and fried. And the combination of pork and sauerkraut is common in European cookery, of course, especially in Germany and Eastern Europe, where many northern Ohio families trace their roots. In the melting pot that is the Midwest, those imported ideas came together to form a perfect little appetizer, bar snack, and party bite. Drawing on European tradition but almost certainly native to the Buckeye State, these sauerkraut balls balance the flavors and techniques of the Old World with the playfulness and ingenuity of the New.

In a small bowl, whisk to combine 1/2 cup flour, salt, pepper, and mustard. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add pork chops and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on at least two sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, and cook, lowering the temperature if necessary to prevent burning and stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sauerkraut and ham and stir to combine.

Sprinkle seasoned flour mixture over sauerkraut mixture and cook, stirring continuously, until no flour is visible, about 1 minute. Slowly add milk in a steady stream while stirring continuously and cook until mixture thickens and clumps together, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Let mixture sit at room temperature until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Using a meat grinder or pulsing in a food processor, pulse (about 25 pulses for a food processor) into a cohesive mixture of small, uniform pieces. It should resemble ham or tuna salad in texture. Spread mixture evenly across a plate and let it cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, use hands to roll sauerkraut mixture into 1-ounce balls (about 30 total).

Set up a breading station with 3 shallow bowls: Fill 1 bowl with remaining 1/2 cup flour, 1 with eggs, and 1 with panko breadcrumbs. Using separate hands for wet and dry ingredients, roll each ball in flour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to ensure an even coating at each stage.

Heat oil to 375°FF (190°C) in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (oil should measure 2-inches deep, add more if needed). Working in batches of about 10 balls at a time, fry sauerkraut balls until golden brown and cooked through, turning if needed for even browning, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly season the fried balls with salt. Repeat with remaining sauerkraut balls. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with ramekins of cocktail sauce and mustard for dipping.

Special Equipment

Large Dutch oven or large skillet, meat grinder or food processor, large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot for frying, slotted spoon or spider skimmer

Make-Ahead and Storage

The sauerkraut balls are best enjoyed immediately.