10 Recipes I Recently Tried And Loved And Can't Wait To Make Again

Let's get cookin'.

I always love to cook, but because of the coronavirus, I've been making home-cooked meals far more often than usual. I've tried lots of new recipes this past month, but here are a handful of my favorites. Many can be made in one pot in about 30 minutes, and you can feel free to substitute ingredients depending on what's in your kitchen. I hope you enjoy these meals as much as I did!

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1. Alison Roman's comforting pork noodle soup with ginger and toasted garlic from New York Times Cooking.

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This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes flat, which seems like nothing, considering how flavorful the soup is. The broth tastes as if it simmered for hours — it's rich and spicy and layered with flavors. I love how you can play around with ingredients and use what's in your kitchen. I didn't have ground pork, so I used spicy Italian sausage, but you could use anything from ground chicken to turkey. In addition, you can use whatever greens or pasta is in your kitchen. I went rogue and topped my bowl with an egg yolk because that's how one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants serves their soup. Get the recipe for pork noodle soup with ginger and toasted garlic here.

2. And also her salted chocolate chunk shortbread cookies, which my family devoured in a matter of minutes.

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Like every millennial on this Earth, I'm obsessed with Alison Roman's recipes. They are simple, realistic, and freaking delicious. These sweet-and-salty cookies are, of course, no exception. The recipe says to use a stand mixer or hand mixer. I had neither, so I beat the sugar and butter by hand. My cookies may not have been perfect, but they tasted pretty damn close. I also didn't have demerara sugar for rolling, so I used some brown sugar in its place. These cookies actually taste like heaven. They are delightfully buttery; the perfect mixture of sweet and savory, thanks to some flaky sea salt; and basically everything I've ever wanted in a cookie. Get the recipe for salted chocolate chunk shortbread cookies here.

3. This recipe for turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash from Food Network, which officially converted me into a spaghetti squash believer.

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I have a confession: I only first tried spaghetti squash about two months ago. I was very skeptical that this bland vegetable could even be a somewhat satisfying pasta substitute. But then I tried a recipe for spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs that my mother raved about, and my mind was blown. I'm not going to tell you that spaghetti squash tastes anything like pasta (it doesn't), but it actually has a very satisfying texture, and it's shockingly tasty. You just cut the squash in half lengthwise; roast it in the oven for about 40 minutes with olive oil, salt, and pepper; and then scoop the inside out into spaghetti-like pieces. Top it with marinara sauce, meatballs, and Parmesan cheese. Oh, and don't skimp on the homemade turkey meatballs. They are key to this recipe, and you can freeze any leftovers for a future meal. Get the recipe for turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash here.

4. A homemade chicken tikka masala recipe from Cafe Delites that tastes as if it could be from your favorite local Indian restaurant.

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I really love Indian food, but I've always felt intimidated about making it at home. I just figured it wouldn't come out anything like the authentic version. But this recipe for chicken tikka masala proved me wrong. The recipe is a bit more labor-intensive than the meals I usually cook at home because it calls for a lot of different spices (garam masala, turmeric, cumin, chili, coriander, etc.), but the result was well worth the effort. The chicken marinates in a mixture of plain yogurt and spices, but then the whole recipe is essentially made in a single pot. The chicken is so flavorful, and you'll want rice or bread to sop up all the delicious spicy sauce. I served mine with easy homemade naan, made from pantry staples, which I also highly recommend (I write more about making homemade naan here!) Get the recipe for chicken tikka masala here.

5. A fresh seafood pasta recipe from Dinner at the Zoo that I wish I could eat every night on repeat.

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I've been socially distancing on Martha's Vineyard, where fresh seafood is plentiful, so I've been taking advantage of the local fish markets that sell the catch of the day. I had shrimp and scallops in my fridge, in addition to some clams that my husband actually caught himself (yes, that's a thing people do for fun here!). Then we turned everything into this one-pot pasta recipe. This meal tasted like a really special treat worthy of a special occasion, but it was actually simple enough for a weeknight. I loved the addition of red pepper flakes, which made this into a sort of spicy fra diavolo. You could really make this pasta with whatever shellfish or whitefish you have in your fridge or freezer. Get the recipe for seafood pasta here.

6. A recipe for Italian wedding soup with turkey meatballs from New York Times Cooking that is the perfect cozy meal to pair with April showers (and a bottle of red wine).

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Remember when you made turkey meatballs to accompany your spaghetti squash and then froze the leftovers? Time to defrost those babies and use them in this comforting soup. It doesn't require any fancy ingredients: All you need is chicken broth, meatballs, orzo (you can substitute rice or any pasta), some leafy green like kale or spinach, lemon, and Parmesan. The whole thing comes together in about half an hour. I made a big pot and ate the leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week because I couldn't get enough of it. Get the recipe for Italian wedding soup with turkey meatballs here.

7. A super-simple Thai green curry from Pinch of Yum that you can make with whatever protein you have on hand.

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When I first found this recipe for five-ingredient green curry, I didn't quite believe it. I always assumed that Thai green curry was one of those super-complicated recipes that call for tons of ingredients and spices. But no! This curry is actually mind-bogglingly simple. All you really need are green curry paste, olive oil, coconut milk, and whatever protein or vegetables you have on hand. I added just a few extra ingredients: fish sauce, red pepper flakes, lime juice, and shrimp. The veggies and protein cook in the coconut milk–and–curry pasta in a single pot, so there's very minimal cleanup. I used more curry paste than the recipe calls for, which added a bit more depth of flavor, and I already know I'll be making this easy and satisfying meal on repeat. Get the recipe for Thai green curry here.

8. A vegetarian cauliflower tinga tacos recipe from Food and Wine that even serious meat lovers will love.

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I've been socially distancing with my husband and my sister, two serious meat eaters, but I wanted to mix things up with a meatless recipe that we would all enjoy, so I tried these cauliflower tinga tacos. You begin by roasting cauliflower florets in the oven until they're golden and tender, then you toss the cauliflower in a sauce made with onion, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, and spices. I didn't have a blender or food processor, so my sauce was a bit chunky, but it still tasted really delicious. I also made homemade four-ingredient flour tortillas with my tacos, which you can easily do at home if you have about 30 minutes (read more about making four-ingredient tortillas here!). Despite being meatless, these tacos were super filling, full of flavor, and satisfying to sink your teeth into. Get the recipe for cauliflower tinga tacos here.

9. Ina Garten's recipe for chicken soup with matzoh balls, which is quite possibly the most comforting food on this Earth.

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For the first time in a long time this year, my family couldn't get together to celebrate Passover. One recipe we eat every Passover is my mother's homemade chicken soup with matzoh balls. For me, it's the definition of comfort food, so I decided to make it anyway, despite the fact that we weren't having a Seder. I followed Ina Garten's recipe, but I took a few liberties. I didn't have a whole chicken, so I used the boneless chicken breasts I defrosted, and I cheated a little bit by using matzoh ball mix (sorry, Ina). Between the tender vegetables, the fluffy matzoh balls, the shredded chicken, and the fresh herbs, this soup is food for the stomach, heart, and soul. You don't have to be Jewish to love matzoh ball soup, and if you've never eaten it before, I suggest you try it ASAP. It might just change your life. Get the recipe for chicken soup with matzoh balls here.

10. And finally, one last Alison Roman recipe for tomato-poached fish with chile oil and herbs, which proves that you don't have to be afraid to cook seafood at home.

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If I see there's chile oil in a recipe, I'm in. In addition, I'm always looking for exciting new ways to make fish at home. Alison's recipe for tomato-poached fish with spicy chile oil checked off both boxes. I made this dish with cod, but you can use just about any firm whitefish that's available to you, such as halibut, flounder, or hake. Another one-pot wonder, the fish gets poached in a cherry tomato broth (you could use canned tomatoes if that's all you have) and is then topped with the homemade chile oil, cilantro, lime, and mint. Look, even if you "don't like" fish or you're afraid of making it at home, just try preparing it this way. Then we can talk. Get the recipe for tomato-poached fish with chile oil and herbs here.