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You open up your fridge, eagerly anticipating dinner, only to find a bag of lettuce and last week’s takeout, or worse—empty shelves. Your stomach growls. Your heart sinks. Dreams of a delicious dinner go out the window. But wait, there is still hope! Even with the most meager of fridge fixings, you can create a delicious, gourmet meal. Only have a bag of old carrots? Sexy steam-roasted carrots are in your future. Left with nothing but plain yogurt? The best pasta you’ll ever taste is just minutes away. So, open the fridge again, reevaluate, and let these recipes lift your empty-fridge spirits. (Of course these recipes presume you have more than a jar of expired salsa and left-over General Tso's Chicken chilling in your refrigerator. If that's all you have, well, you probably need a different list.)
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Shades of Green Chopped Salad
We love this cool palette of greens—crisp cucumber, tart Granny Smith, crunchy pistachio, sweet golden raisin, and a sparkly creme fraiche and chive dressing to hold it all together—which cleverly sidesteps the distraction of the classic salad green: lettuce. Get the recipe on Food52.
Al Forno's Penne with Tomato, Cream, and Five Cheeses
You won't meet a speedier baked pasta, not one that's this good. The recipe as written is genius, but even more genius is the fact that the technique can be reapplied in countless ways. You also don't need to go out and buy five different hunks of cheese—this technique can work with whatever forgotten ends you have lying in the cheese drawer. Get the recipe on Food52.
Alon Shaya's Whole Roasted Cauliflower and Whipped Goat Cheese
Cauliflower poached in a winey, punchy broth, then roasted—whole—results in a brown and crackly masterpiece. Topped with a creamy, tangy sauce, this cauliflower is pure genius. Get the recipe on Food52.
Diane Kochilas' Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions
This secret just might change your life: you can, and should, dress pasta with Greek yogurt, especially if you also then top it with caramelized onions and grated pecorino. Get the recipe on Food52.
Sharp Cheddar and Mustardy Greens Breakfast Sandwich
We love egg sandwiches, especially ones with cheddar. Especially these ones, with creamy, mustardy Swiss chard on top of the cheese and egg. Get the recipe on Food52.
Pan Bagnat (French Tuna Salad Sandwich)
A decidedly Nicoise tuna salad is pressed between two garlic and oil slicked halves of a baguette and left in the fridge overnight, which allows all of the juices to soak into the bread. The resulting sandwich was a glorious riot of colors, flavors and textures. Get the recipe on Food52.
Hearts of Romaine Salad with Bacon, 5-Minute Eggs, and Pesto Dressing
Crisp romaine leaves get tossed in a versatile pesto dressing, then topped with soft boiled eggs and salty, crunchy bacon. Take or leave the toppings—the dressing is what is crucial here. Get the recipe on Food52.
Roger Verge's Fried Eggs with WIne Vinegar
It might not sound as welcome as butter, but a measured shot of vinegar is surprisingly perfect with eggs (just think about hot sauce). The richness of egg yolk is tempered and shined up best by sitting next to a tart, cleansing foe. Get the recipe on Food52.
Steam-Roasted Carrots with Cumin
If you don't have any of these spices, or if you don't want to use them, skip them. The beauty of this recipe is in the method—adding water right before you roast, and covering the pan—so feel free to swap spices and play. Get the recipe on Food52.
Marcella Hazan's Briased Celery with Onion, Pancetta, and Tomatoes
Everyone has a bag of celery stuck in the back of their fridge. Go check. So why not dress it up with olive oil, tomato, pancetta, and onion and cook it until it is tender and unrecognizable. Get the recipe on Food52.
