Cook something worth eating.
Original recipes across the world's food cultures — written for a normal kitchen, scalable to however many are eating, and adaptable to how you actually eat.
62 recipes· photographs on this page are AI-generated images of our own recipes
ItalianCaponata (Sicilian Sweet‑Sour Eggplant Relish)
A classic Sicilian vegetable relish of eggplant, celery, tomatoes, olives and capers in a sweet‑sour sauce. Serve room temperature as an antipasto, with grilled fish, or on crostini (use gluten‑free bread if needed).
1 hr·mediumVegetarianGluten-free
SomaliBajiya (Somali Split-Pea Fritters) with Quick Tomato–Onion Salad
Crispy, fragrant fritters made from dried split peas and simple spices—very cheap, filling, and easy to scale. Serve with a quick tomato–onion salad for a complete, budget-friendly meal for four.
40 min·easyVegetarianVegan
SyrianMa'amoul (Syrian Semolina Cookies) — date or pistachio filled
Crumbly semolina cookies filled with sweet dates or fragrant pistachios — a classic homemade Syrian treat served at family gatherings and with tea. The dough is simple and rests to develop a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
55 min·mediumVegetarian
IsraeliSabich — Iraqi‑Jewish Israeli Breakfast Pita
A classic Israeli street‑breakfast: warm pita stuffed with fried eggplant, hard‑boiled eggs, pickles, chopped salad, amba (mango pickle) and lemony tahini. Bright, textural, and great for a weekend brunch or make‑ahead breakfast.
50 min·mediumVegetarian
Sri LankanSri Lankan Potato & Coconut Curry (Ala Curry)
A frugal, home-style Sri Lankan potato curry simmered in coconut milk and tempered with mustard and curry leaves. Cheap, satisfying, and easy to stretch with rice.
45 min·easyVegetarianVegan
North IndianAloo Paratha (North Indian Stuffed Potato Flatbreads)
Hearty whole‑wheat flatbreads stuffed with a spiced mashed‑potato filling — a classic North Indian breakfast that's filling, budget‑friendly and easy to make ahead.
45 min·easyVegetarian
JapaneseKenchinjiru (Japanese Temple-Style Vegetable & Tofu Soup)
A hearty, vegan Japanese soup built from kombu + shiitake dashi, root vegetables, konnyaku and tofu. It’s an everyday one-bowl meal — warming, savory, and easily scaled.
55 min·mediumVegetarianVegan
KoreanVegan Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles with Vegetables)
A classic Korean party and comfort dish of chewy sweet-potato glass noodles tossed with savory-sweet sauce and an assortment of seasoned vegetables — made entirely plant-based and easy for a home cook.
50 min·mediumVeganVegetarian
ChineseYu Xiang (Fish‑Fragrant) Eggplant with Pan‑Fried Tofu
A deeply savory, sweet‑tangy Sichuan dish built around silky eggplant and crisped tofu so rich in umami no one will miss meat. Uses doubanjiang, black vinegar and aromatics for the classic 'fish‑fragrant' flavor without any fish.
40 min·mediumVegetarian
Puerto RicanArroz con Gandules (Vegan Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas)
A classic Puerto Rican one-pot rice flavored with a bright sofrito, annatto oil, green olives and pigeon peas. Rich and fragrant, this vegan version uses coconut milk for body and is perfect for a family dinner or holiday table.
55 min·easyVeganGluten-free
CubanCuban Black Bean & Chickpea Stew with Garlic‑Lime Rice and Crispy Maduros
A hearty Cuban‑style black bean and chickpea stew cooked in a bright sofrito and finished with citrus, served with garlicky lime rice and sweet fried plantains — filling, deeply flavored, and entirely vegetarian (vegan).
1 hr·mediumVegetarianVegan
ColombianLentejas a la Colombiana (Colombian Lentil Stew with Rice)
A frugal, satisfying Colombian-style lentil stew built on a simple hogao (tomato‑onion sofrito). Hearty, cheap pantry ingredients feed four and store well for reheating.
1 hr·easyVeganVegetarian
HungarianLecsó (Hungarian Pepper–Tomato Stew) — bogrács (open‑fire) method
A classic Hungarian summer stew of peppers, tomatoes and onions, cooked in a cauldron over coals. Bright, smoky and simple—perfect for a campfire or a backyard grill with a heavy pot.
1 hr·easyVegetarianVegan
KenyanUgali with Sukuma Wiki (Collard Greens) and Fried Eggs
A classic, very inexpensive Kenyan supper: stiff maize ugali served with quick sautéed sukuma wiki (collard greens) and fried eggs. Filling, fast, and made from pantry staples.
35 min·easyVegetarianGluten-free
TunisianLablabi (Tunisian Chickpea Soup — Vegan)
A warming, spiced Tunisian chickpea soup ladled over torn crusty bread and finished with harissa, lemon and parsley. It’s simple, budget-friendly, and built from pantry staples.
40 min·easyVeganVegetarian
EgyptianTa'ameya (Egyptian Fava‑Bean Patties)
Crisp-edged, bright-green patties of ground fava beans and fresh herbs — the classic Egyptian street-food falafel known as ta'ameya. Crunchy outside, herbaceous inside; serve with lemon and tahini sauce.
1 hr·mediumVegetarianVegan
SyrianFattet Hummus (Syrian Chickpea and Yogurt Breakfast)
A classic Levantine breakfast of crisped pita layered with warm spiced chickpeas and a tangy garlic-yogurt tahini sauce, finished with toasted pine nuts, olive oil and sumac — hearty, shareable, and easy to make in a home kitchen.
35 min·easyVegetarianHalal
LebaneseManakish bi Za'atar (Lebanese Za'atar Flatbreads)
Warm round flatbreads topped with a simple za'atar-and-olive-oil mixture — a classic Lebanese breakfast you can make at home. Yeasted dough is soft and pillowy; the za'atar topping is tangy, herbal and slightly toasty.
37 min·mediumVegetarianVegan
TurkishMercimek Köftesi (Turkish Red‑Lentil & Bulgur Patties)
Tender red lentils and fine bulgur bind with sautéed onion, tomato paste and bright herbs to make handheld köfte that hold up well in the fridge for lunches or snacks all week.
45 min·easyVegetarianVegan
BengaliBengali Moong Dal Khichuri (Rice & Yellow Lentil One‑Pot)
A simple, comforting Bengali khichuri — rice and split yellow moong dal cooked with potato, mild whole spices and onions. Very cheap to make, filling for four and easy in a single pot.
50 min·easyVegetarianVegan
North IndianKadhi Pakora (North Indian Yogurt Curry with Chickpea Fritters)
A tangy, budget-friendly North Indian curry of whisked yogurt and chickpea flour studded with onion pakoras. Fills four on very little money and keeps well for easy reheating.
50 min·mediumVegetarian
MalaysianVegetarian Laksa (Malaysian Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)
A creamy, fragrant coconut-curry laksa made without shrimp or fish paste — packed with pan-fried firm tofu, chickpeas and greens so it's hearty and undeniably satisfying.
45 min·mediumVegetarian
IndonesianUrap Sayur — Indonesian Spiced Grated Coconut with Vegetables
Urap is a classic Indonesian side of steamed/blanched vegetables tossed with a fragrant, toasted grated coconut seasoned with shallot, garlic and chilies. It’s bright, textural and a great vegan accompaniment to rice or a mixed platter.
40 min·easyVegetarianVegan
FilipinoVegetarian Kare-Kare (Filipino Peanut Vegetable Stew with Fried Tofu)
A rich, savory peanut stew made with eggplant, green beans and bok choy, served with fried tofu and a mushroom-based vegan bagoong. Hearty and satisfying so nobody misses the meat.
1 hr·mediumVegetarianGluten-free