Bean and Legume

This bean recipe is purposely brothy; if you have leftovers, reheat and smash them—they're great on toast with an egg. Also, if you have any leftover meat, throw it in during the last few minutes of cooking for an even heartier flavor, just as we did.

This cassoulet is filled to the brim with white beans, lamb, garlic sausage, and smoked sausage (and breadcrumbs), but you can make yours with pork or ham, goat, or duck. Whatever you use, keep the proportions similar to those listed below, and you can’t lose.

Unstuffed wonton wrappers take the place of traditional dumplings in this simple and weeknight-friendly vegetarian soup.

What's in your pantry? Chickpeas? White beans? Either will work in this easy, filling pasta.

The ingredient list for a curry can be a little daunting with all those spices, but the technique isn’t very far from a pasta sauce: you just toast the whole spices and then move on to a sort of sofrito of onion, garlic, and ginger. From that flavor base, you add tomatoes and whatever veggies you desire. At the end, a quick chutney, really just a rough chopped blend of herbs and coconut, gives the stew a bright pop of flavor (the way a few torn basil leaves make that tomato sauce sing).

When I was pregnant with my son, all I wanted in life was Mexican food. This was a dish I came up with to satisfy some of those cravings in a mindful way, rather than constantly caving to my ultimate weakness: chips and salsa (which I would happily have eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

For easy, hands-off dinner prep, throw chicken thighs, green chiles, white beans, and a flurry of spices into your slow cooker and come home to a hearty, flavorful meal.

This brothy beans-and-greens stew is all about the spicy chile-herb "smash" that gets scattered on top.

The chicken should be falling-apart tender; if it starts to shred when you plate it, that’s a good sign!

Chips and dip: classic, and every culture has its take. There's hummus and pita, tortilla chips and guac, British chips and tartar sauce... From time to time, we’ll run an Indian take on chips and dip using crunchy papadums (thin and crispy lentil crackers) with a cold, creamy version of dal (stewed beans and lentils). The trick is to keep the dal super light so it doesn’t snap the papadums.

Unlike most legumes, dried lentils cook quickly, which means this satisfying soup is fast enough for a weeknight supper. Make a double batch and pack up individual servings for lunches.

This robust dinner (or lunch!) salad is a little Southern, a little Southwestern and a lot delicious. Save time by using leftover cooked chicken from another meal or store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Smoked paprika gives an almost bacon-like flavor to meatless meals like this vegan chili.

Canned chickpeas up the convenience factor in these naan wraps, which have a lovely balance of sweet and spicy flavors and creamy and crunchy textures.