This Beef Kafta Recipe turns a classic Lebanese dish into something possible at home on a weeknight. The succulent grilled meat kabobs are flavored with garlic, onions and lots of dried herbs and spices. Serve simply with yogurt dipping sauce, or bowl-style for a larger meal.

“Great kafta and yogurt sauce recipes! I made [this] with ground chicken, and it was really delicious, definitely a keeper! I doubled the recipe, which was a good decision because we had enough for lunches plus a container to freeze and enjoy later on.”

—Michele

If you’ve seen the term “kafta” or “kofta” on a Lebanese restaurant menu and have been unsure of what it might be or if you’d like it, this post is for you!

To quickly explain, this dish is a mixture of ground beef and/or lamb, mixed with onion and spices, formed into a patty, log or meatball, and then grilled.

Even if this is your first time hearing this term, I’m here to convince you that this dish is a great make-at-home weeknight dinner with huge flavor!

It can be made with your choice of ground meat, it comes together in about 30 minutes, and you can serve it on its own with side dishes of your choice, or bowl-style with rice, a fresh salad, and pita bread.

Enjoy the beloved taste of a classic dish without so much work, with this Cabbage Roll Soup recipe. No rolling, no stuffing, just pure comfort food that comes together in one pot. And check out the controversial ingredient!

This Stuffed Cabbage Soup Recipe Has All Of The Flavor, None Of The Hassle

My husband grew up eating stuffed cabbage rolls, thanks to his Polish ancestry. I’ve made that dish a few times over the years. I’ve loved the flavors, but haven’t loved the time-consuming process of assembling the rolls.

Between making the filling, boiling the cabbage leaves, then wrapping, THEN baking . . . it’s a lot. In the end, each time, I felt that the effort put into the process simply wasn’t quite worth it.

So my solution has been this Cabbage Roll Soup recipe. It has those same rich, comforting flavors of traditional cabbage rolls, but it’s all made on your stovetop, in easy-to-make soup form, in under an hour.

And full disclosure: it has been a labor of pure LOVE developing this soup. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve made it in the past few months, but I’m finally satisfied with the balance of flavors and textures, and the consistency. I hope you love it as much as I do!

This Seasoned Rice Recipe is a homemade alternative to boxed mixes like Rice-A-Roni. Make this in minutes using ingredients you likely already have on hand.

Rice Seasoning Is The Answer To Boring Rice Side Dishes

I grew up eating Rice-A-Roni from a box and loving every bite. As an adult, the only thing I’m not loving is seeing things like “ferric orthophosphate” on the ingredient label. Seriously, what is that?

Since I have a well-stocked spice cabinet, it’s actually very easy to recreate something quite similar at home. After many tests to get the flavor just right, I’m happy to share my method for how to season rice with you today.

This flavor-packed side dish complements many different types of meals, including chicken dishes, hearty stews, curries and veggie stir-fries. This seasoned rice is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket for whenever you want to turn pantry staples into something special.

This Mushroom Risotto Recipe has a deep, rich flavor while being entirely meatless. Feel free to incorporate a ridiculous amount of spinach or kale – it cooks down to nothing!

“Great recipe. Tried it last night and it was a great success. My wife was impressed!”

—Dominique

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

Whenever somebody asks me if I can teach them how to cook a few things, I have a few go-tos.

I will almost always teach them how to make a simple and quick weeknight dinner for themselves, like a veggie stir fry. I think knowing how to roast a whole chicken is an invaluable skill, so we’ll also do that.

And then, I’m going to teach them how to make risotto. Yes, it seems like a gourmet restaurant dish, and that’s why it’s perfect to teach beginning cooks – to show them how very do-able it actually is at home, even for a novice.

Every single time I’ve taught somebody to make this mushroom risotto recipe, they’ve taken a bite and said “wow, I can’t believe I made this.” And you can make this too, believe me!

This restaurant-inspired Salmon Rice Bowl brings big flavor to weeknights, with spice-rubbed fish, juicy mango salsa, and irresistible soy-butter rice.

Salmon with Mango Salsa

Ever since I first tasted the combination of mango salsa and savory meat or seafood, I’ve craved it consistently. Grilled fish tacos around here are almost always served with mango salsa, and marinated steak often is, too.

But my all-time favorite pairing for mango salsa is fresh salmon. Something about the combination of tender, flaky salmon with the sweet and tangy salsa pleases my taste buds so much. It’s a combination I add to my meal plan whenever I’m feeling in a rut.

There’s a few other great recipes out there that combine salmon with mango salsa, but ours is the best, thanks to three simple words: soy butter rice. It’s a side dish inspired by one of my favorite Korean restaurants that elevates any home meal.

This award-winning Homemade Orange Chicken is a healthier alternative to takeout or a frozen meal. The whole family will love this stir fried chicken breast made with an orange juice marinade.

“I downloaded this recipe about 5 or 6 years ago. The orange-ginger sauce has been in my fridge 24/7/365 since then. I use it for all my stir fries, fried rice, smoked ribs…EVERYTHING. Thank you for the many years of yummy.”

—Mark

Healthier Homemade Orange Chicken

I don’t go to Trader Joe’s too often, but when I do stop by, I’m sure to pick up a bag or two of the frozen Mandarin Orange Chicken.

Breaded chicken covered in a sweet orange sauce that’s ready in less than 30 minutes? Sign me up.

But maybe sign me up just once in awhile. Because this won’t come as a surprise, but this dish is not outstanding in the health department.

So, I took an item that is often store-bought and made it better (and healthier) at home with this orange ginger chicken recipe.

This Lemon Chicken Soup recipe is just like the avgolomeno at Greek diners. It comes together in one pot – no blender or pre-cooked chicken or rice needed.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Lemon Chicken Rice Soup (often called by it’s Greek name of avgolemono), is a huge tradition here in metro Detroit.

No trip to a coney island (what you might just call a diner elsewhere in the country) is complete without this thick but light flavored, cozy soup.

Unlike others on the internet, this recipe doesn’t require having pre-cooked chicken or rice on hand – it all comes together in one pot at the same time! You also won’t need a blender.

What is avgolemono soup?

Avgolemono soup is a traditional Greek dish made with chicken broth, rice and lemon juice, and thickened with eggs. The result is a creamy (without any dairy!), tangy soup that’s both comforting and refreshing.

This Easy Chicken Fried Rice is a homemade version of a takeout classic, with fresh ginger, crunchy cashews and spicy sriracha giving it a little attitude.

This Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe rivals takeout

When it comes to homemade chicken fried rice, you can stick to a classic version, which is undeniably delicious. But once you’ve mastered that, let’s go ahead and jazz it up a little bit.

We’re not going crazy here. We’re just adding a few simple things like crunchy cashews, a squirt of spicy sriracha and some zesty fresh ginger.

This homemade alternative to takeout is bursting with flavor, and whether you’re a seasoned home chef or new to cooking, it will turn out perfectly with this easy-to-follow recipe.

This is the best Egg Roll Bowl Recipe thanks to its innovative use of the best grocery store shortcut – broccoli slaw. This easy dinner is bursting with flavor, and fiber!

“Made one batch with lean ground meat and one with only vegetables (for the vegetarian in the family). It was a flavorful hit!”

—Karin

This Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe is bursting with flavor

One of the most versatile ingredients at your grocery store is a bag of broccoli slaw. Don’t sleep on it or think of it only for cold salads.

This is a weekly grocery staple for my family. I will often simply saute it in a bit of oil and then finish it with soy sauce, for the easiest, fastest side dish to any protein I’m serving.

If you’re new to broccoli slaw, let’s start your relationship off with a big party with this Egg Roll Bowl! It uses both traditional coleslaw mix and broccoli slaw, but you can use all one or the other if you prefer.