Quick

You'll be shocked at how light yet satisfying this pasta is—it's finished in a fast garlicky almond sauce, studded with peas, and topped with chopped roasted almonds.

Although butter always works well with asparagus, horseradish adds a little kick. Halving the stalks saves time in the oven.

A classic Greek soup that's thickened with eggs and spiked with lemon. Add some shredded rotisserie chicken and call it a meal.

Tonkatsu—deep-fried breaded pork—is a European-inspired dish that evolved during the late 19th century in Japan. Here, the pork is pounded thin and simply panfried. Pickled carrots offer a cool bite.

Salads don't always need vinegar or lemon juice. A mix of Boston and Bibb lettuce, seasoned with only good olive oil and salt, goes well with the more piquant dishes in this menu.

A Dutch Baby—basically a cross between a pancake and a popover—is tremendously popular in Seattle; according to local lore, it originated at a restaurant there called Manca's. Serve it with fresh berries or nothing more than jam or a lavish sprinkling of lemon sugar.

No need to call your local pizza joint. Thanks to prepared dough and bottled roasted red peppers, making your own calzones can be easy and far more satisfying.

It's delicious, but even better, it's deconstruct-ible. (You can remove any offensive elements for the kids without sacrificing your own dinner.)

Haroseth, a thick condiment of fruit, nuts, and wine, symbolizes the mortar the Israelites used in Egypt. Roberts's particular mix of almonds, pistachios, dates, and dried apricots, reflective of the Middle East, is outstanding (note that we prefer the sweet-tart complexity of California/Pacific apricots to the bland sweetness of Turkish ones). Enjoy leftover haroseth slathered on matzos or crackers; we discovered it's great with Manchego cheese as well.

This salsa verde, which balances a meal full of spiced dishes, would also complement anything from grilled steak to steamed vegetables.

Most people keep celery salt around primarily for Bloody Marys, but its grassy brightness also pairs well with green beans, which offer a counterpoint to the rich flavors of this meal. Like all dried seasonings, celery salt loses flavor over time—if you can’t remember how long your jar has been in your pantry, pitch it and buy a new one.

Tortellini are often served in broth, but a quick sauce and some tender asparagus make them more substantial.

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero was humming for weeks after enjoying a salad of fresh buffalo mozzarella, cucumber, and the Italian wheat called farro at the Manhattan restaurant Il Buco. She set about reimagining it, and her version’s accents—tender lettuce, basil, and a light, lemony dressing—beautifully complement the cheese. Since fresh mozzarella is the star here, it's essential to use the best you can find. We love the kind traditionally made in Italy from the milk of water buffalo for its custardlike texture and sweet, milky tang. Recently, some American producers have gotten in on the act as well.

This simple take on carbonara is the ideal postwork fallback dinner.

Forget deep-fried noodles: Miso dressing gives this hearty vegetable meal flavor minus the saturated fat.

Think of it as an adult happy meal: This hearty bowl provides a healthy dose of mood-improving B vitamins.

This protein-rich dish virtually swims in antioxidants and niacin, which keeps skin healthy.