Credit: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Each new year brings an opportunity to experiment in the kitchen. Maybe it’s dedicating time to mastering a new technique, such as from scratch. Maybe it’s finally, finally making that recipe […]
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Each new year brings an opportunity to experiment in the kitchen. Maybe it's dedicating time to mastering a new technique, such as from scratch. Maybe it's finally, finally making that recipe you've had bookmarked for ages. Now that we're officially in , our editors are talking about all of the dishes we're trying over the next 12 months, from to . We ended up with a grand total of 17 delicious, definitely resolution-worthy recipes. Some editors have their eyes on warming soups, like and ; others are going all-out with cheese and whipping up , a three-cheese (and crab-studded) , and a cheese! curd! grilled! cheese! (Take a look at the and you'll understand exactly why we're so excited.) We can't wait to fill our year with these satisfying meals—read on to find out how to make them all.
"I'm a sucker for a good, meaty scallop. I love how this recipe offers next-level accompaniments that feel luxe and restaurant-worthy, but I can make it with things I regularly stock up on. The bright colors and refreshing citrus are just what I need to brighten up my weeknight kitchen routine." –Nikki Miller-Ka, interim social media editor
"For a Mexican who loves and grew up eating plenty of the cuisine, I don't cook a lot of Mexican food. This year I'm hoping to change that, and can't think of a better way to get started than with the dish that's been blowing up everywhere—birria! Lucky for me, I also picked up a couple of tips from Claudette Zepeda's Birria! Birria! Birria! seminar at the last year, so I'm ready to make this the year of birria." –Sam Gutierrez, senior social media editor
"As a recent college grad living in a tiny apartment in NYC, I spent most of 2021 opting for and a lot of take-out. This year, my New Year's cooking resolution is to be more intentional in the kitchen by taking on bigger projects, and Ofelia Barajas' recipe for Chicken Mole is at the top of my list. This dish has deep, complex flavors from layers of chiles, tomatoes, chocolate, and lots of garlic. I cannot wait to cozy up with this rich, velvety Chicken Mole and hibernate 'till spring." –Lucy Simon, wine fellow
"I've never made Baked Alaska, and after reading this recipe, realized that it doesn't seem too difficult despite how impressive it looks. I'm happy to see a good deal of it can be made ahead of time, too. For extra drama, after toasting the meringue I'm going to flambé it!" –Sarah Crowder, visuals editor
"I dare anyone to accuse tofu of being boring after making this sweet-sticky-crunchy-spicy version from in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It's one of my all-time favorite restaurant dishes, and given that I live several thousand miles away from the restaurant, my goal in 2022 is to master this recipe, so I can whip up a batch whenever the craving inevitably hits every week, like clockwork." –Khushbu Shah, restaurant editor
"If there's cheese involved in a recipe—especially Gruyère, one of my all-time favorites—there's not much you need to do to convince me to make it. But this gratin is particularly enticing because it also includes fresh crabmeat, uniting it with Gruyère, white cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pasta shells for the ultimate baked macaroni and cheese. Rich, creamy, and savory, this dish has been on my radar ever since we published it, and I'm determined to make it before 2022 comes to a close." –Bridget Hallinan, staff writer
"Every time I promote this soup on our social platforms, my mouth starts watering—not only is it beautiful to look at, but it sounds amazing too! With tendrils of eggs, bread as a thickening agent, and of course, lots and lots of garlic, it's a soup that ticks all the savory boxes." –S.G.
"I'm absolutely being THAT person right now—goes to Yucatán once, won't shut up about it. But to be fair, even when I was in Izamal and Mérida, my traveling companions and I couldn't stop talking about Sopa de Lima, especially while we were eating it (which we did as frequently as possible). Citrus abounds in this Mexican state, showing up in drinks, sweets, and savory dishes that I enjoyed with gusto, but the region's signature soup particularly captivated me. Recipes vary, and tend to work well with either chicken or Yucatán's omnipresent turkey, but the magic meld of Mexican oregano, pungent limes, allspice, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, tortillas, and poultry simultaneously excites and soothes my senses, stoking my boundless want for the next sip and the next trip." –Kat Kinsman, senior editor
"I cannot wait to make one of the ultimate snack foods into this luxurious platter of plant-powered joy, bursting with spice and tangy, rich flavors. I fell in love with this recipe after watching Cassie Piuma's . I love how each and every element of these nachos is handmade and layered to perfection." –N. M-K.
"Hunkering down in my apartment away from the ice and snow outside, I've decided that the theme for this winter is duck fat, and all the things I can fry in it. This recipe for duck fat fried potatoes is just what I need to turn an everyday ingredient into something a little fancy and a little extra. Pull out your mandoline if you have one (wear a !) to slice up the potatoes. Then, piece them together like a tasty little jigsaw puzzle—here, all that quarantine puzzling really pays off! I love brushing each layer of potato with melted duck fat and seasoning them with kosher salt; it's the kind of care potatoes rarely get but deserve. I made these to take to New Year's Eve dinner with friends, and the crispy, fanned out layers of potatoes were a fun companion to Champagne. Next time, I might whip up a little romesco sauce or aioli to dip them in, but honestly, they are enough on their own. With Champagne, of course." –Chandra Ram, senior digital food editor
"I'm excited to host a pasta party this winter and make all of Meryl Feinstein's amazing , starting with the Ossola-Style Gnocchi with Sage-Butter Sauce! The warming, chestnut-forward flavor brings a uniqueness to an otherwise classic, cold-weather dish." –Nina Friend, associate features editor
"Lobster and french fries are two foods I adore but have always been too intimidated to make in my own home. That changes this year." –Maria Yagoda, senior editor
"One of the keys to having a happy 2022 for me is having a well-stocked pantry. This year, I'm making sure to buy a couple of packets of Vietnamese rice paper to keep on hand. The thin, dry rounds are made by , and just need to be rehydrated to be ready to eat. I'll be using them to make a lot of Viet Rice Paper Rolls in '22. I am a huge fan of Andrea Nguyen's recipes, and her Vietnamese rolls are fun and easy to make: you dip a sheet of rice paper in water to soften it, whereupon the dry round turns translucent, and takes on a soft, chewy, silky, springy texture. Then you wrap it around an assortment of prepared fillings (rice noodles, herbs, lettuce, shrimp, and julienned carrots and cucumber). Then you do it again. Served with Nguyen's delectable sweet-sour-savory, these rolls are delicious. I love them for quick weekend lunches or light weeknight dinners. And now that my pantry's stocked, I look forward to making them all year long." –Karen Shimizu, executive editor
"This recipe requires brining, air drying, and marinating, so it's a bit involved but its promises of heat from the chiles, a bit of freshness from the basil, and a mellow sweetness from roasted garlic make it seem absolutely worth it. I might have to plan a dinner party just to try it out." –S.G.
"I've been searching for a recipe involving cheese curds that did not involve frying them or dousing them in gravy and I found it in this beatific sandwich. I'm looking forward to stacking this over-the-top grilled cheese sky high and making those curds squeak and melt with every buttery bite." –N. M-K.
"On cold winter weekends, I love a multi-step cooking project that culminates in a meal fit for a party. Paula Wolfert, the queen of clay pot cooking, shared her recipe for cassoulet with Food & Wine back in 2005 and it remains my favorite version. First, you coordinate the different cuts of pork and duck with your butcher (or order them from), then salt the pork and soak the beans on Friday night. Saturday, cook the meat with loads of garlic, aromatics, and Tarbais beans (from). On Sunday, layer the pork and bean ragout with legs of duck confit and garlic sausages before baking under a crust of breadcrumbs. Invite a dozen friends over, open lots of wine, and tuck in to a proper cassoulet feast!" –Mary-Frances Heck, senior food editor
The 31 Most Popular Recipes of 2021, According to Food & Wine Readers
