It’s no secret that Bon Appétit editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, entertain our friends, satisfy a sweet tooth, use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.

August 22

Tomato-eggs for breakfast and dinner

Around this time of year, my body is about 80 percent tomato with foods like BLTs, pastas, and salads. My latest obsession is a meal I’ve made every day for the past four days, and I’m still craving more. It’s the tomato-egg stir-fry from former Bon Appétit staffer Karen Yuan. I combine this recipe with one I found on TikTok from creator Cassie Yeung, which uses a glug of oyster sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil. The last time I did this, I added a little pinch of MSG which delivered a bold, umami flavor. It’s great for breakfast, but it’s also a lovely dinner that I can throw together quickly right after getting home. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media

Pork dinakdakan

I’ve been on a real pork belly kick lately. More often than not, I tackle it thinly sliced for convenience—tossed in a kimchi hotpot, or wok-fried with fresh garlic scapes. I wouldn’t normally incorporate a whole block of pork belly into weeknight dinner, but the approachability of Hawaiian chef Sheldon Simeon’s spin on dinakdakan drew my attention. I was craving the Filipino vinegary-chili profile this dish offered, and I already had most of the listed ingredients on hand—no pig head needed, though I am a lover of cartilaginous-crunchy. I opted to throw in some tiger-skin peppers alongside the shishito for an added hit of spice, and wilted the onions a touch before mixing. Topped with cilantro for freshness and served with jasmine rice, this crispy yet tender pork got bodied in minutes. —Ingu Chen, art director

Grilled brownies

I’m always happier cooking outside. Live fire, charcoal, gas—you name it, I’m into it. I love the direct contact with heat, the finesse required to tame the flames, and the way food transforms when grilled or smoked. This past Sunday, I made my go-to salmon that I’ve been working to perfect on the grill (and I’ll report, I nailed it). But my stellar salmon wasn’t the star. How could it be when grilled brownies were also on the menu? I must confess, these weren’t from-scratch grilled brownies. (I have an 18-month-old, and it was rainy, so I used a Ghiradelli box mix.) If you find the brand’s Double Chocolate box too sweet, try the dark chocolate version. One bowl, an egg, a splash of water, and a ¼ cup of avocado oil later, and my brownie batter was in a parchment-lined foil pan and baking in indirect heat on my gas grill. Life is grand. —Hali Bey Ramdene, content director

Cold noodles with grated tomato

Once word gets around how delicious the combination of grated summer tomato and peanut butter is, PB&J will no longer be the ultimate couple. This technique comes from these cold noodles; the sauce combines grated beefsteaks with peanut butter, soy sauce, chili crisp, and vinegar (though I like to swap in a little lime juice). From there I just boil whatever noodles I’ve got on hand, then chill them under cold running water and toss, toss, toss. If you want to bulk up your noodles, nestle in some leftover grilled salmon or shredded rotisserie chicken. I added some smashed cucumbers, plus crunchy store-bought fried onions, fresh scallions, and a soft-boiled egg. —Joe Sevier, senior editor, cooking and SEO

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August 15

Refreshing zaru soba

“Do you gals want some refreshing cross-tested zaru soba?” From our deputy food editor Hana Asbrink, this is the sort of Slack message I dream of. I am a sucker for a cold noodle. Last summer I made test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin’s Soy Milk Noodles With Chili Crisp dozens of times. And now I have Hana’s pristine soba to add to my rotation. If you have yet to cross paths with this classic Japanese dish, refreshing is an understatement. Slick buckwheat noodles, a few-ingredient ultra-umami broth on ice, and minimalist toppings (Hana opts for nori, scallion, wasabi, and grated daikon—I swapped in a red radish in a pinch). Heaven! I can’t imagine a better dinner on a humid day. —Emma Laperruque, associate director of cooking

Grilled arayes

I’ve had my eyes on these grilled arayes ever since the recipe was published. Looking for any excuse to make them, I sent out a mass text to friends: “firing up the grill, bring whatever veg you want cooked” to accompany said meat pockets. I could not find a baharat blend at my local grocery store, so instead I combined black pepper, cardamom, paprika, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, and coriander—warming spices that immediately wafted through my kitchen. This got sprinkled into ground beef, shallots, and garlic, before I stuffed the mixture in pitas. Once they hit the grill, the arayes got crispy, yet maintained a juicy interior. I skipped the cucumber salad and instead made tzatziki for dipping, and filled my plate with grilled farmer’s market zucchini, purple-yellow ombré peppers, and sweet corn. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking

Beginner-friendly bread

Emboldened by my successful run with homemade focaccia last month, I set out to make my first BA Bake Club recipe this week. As a jalapeño-cheese bagel enthusiast, senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk’s latest beginner-friendly bread was calling my name. I used mild, smoky shishito peppers and sharp white cheddar as my mix-ins. The cheddar chunks condensed into melty bits of gold, creating extra air pockets in the dough that made for a light loaf. The few cheesy bits that stuck out of the dough before baking bubbled and crisped over, adding extra textural intrigue to the already crispy crust. —Arietta Hallock, editorial intern

Fresh tomato recipes

In my home, Tomato Week never really ended. And despite what may or may not be my developing allergy to nightshades, I’m still stocking my kitchen with summer tomatoes, tingling tongue be damned. Recently, I’ve been all about these creamy, garlicky Turkish-style eggs and tomatoes, and explosively tangy aguachile served over grilled fish. Eggplants may be lost to the allergy, but I’ll never give up tomatoes. —Joseph Hernandez, associate director of drinks & lifestyle

Meal prep spicy grilled chicken

I’ve been very into grilling for meal prep on Sunday nights. It couldn’t be easier to throw a ton of veggies on the grill with some marinated chicken thighs and voila—we have dinner that night, plus lunch for the next few days. I had some leftover coconut milk in the fridge, so I made Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Thighs. What’s nice about this recipe is that you can marinate the chicken for just 15 minutes and it’ll still be packed with so much punchy flavor. Balanced perfectly with zucchini, graffiti eggplant, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers, this dinner (and the bonus lunches) could not be beat. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager

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August 8

Two loaves of chocolate zucchini bread

My summer squash saga continued this week with another delivery of my neighbor’s CSA zucchini. Unsure of how to keep up, I grated and folded this haul into a double batch of senior test kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic’s Double-Chocolate Zucchini Bread. Walnuts are listed as optional in this recipe, but in my household, they’re mandatory. The extra step of toasting them took the nutty, subtly sweet flavor to another level. I generously sprinkled the loaves with demerara sugar before placing them in the oven, and each emerged with a crispy, crackly top to counter the soft interior. —Arietta Hallock, editorial intern

A satisfying bean salad

I’m typically not a salad person; rather, I’m not a huge fan of lettuce-based salads. They leave me feeling unsatisfied, and don’t go limp in the fridge after they touch dressing. But when I saw this Chopped Southwest Black Bean Salad from Jenn Eats Goood, I knew I wanted to make it. Instead of lettuce, the recipe leans on veg that will sit well, even when dressed, in the fridge: purple cabbage, corn, and bell peppers. This means I can meal-prep and enjoy it for lunch all week long. I love to eat it with tortilla chips, which adds a salty, crunchy bite. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media

Tofu pudding for breakfast

In the Philippines you’ll hear the vendors long before you see them. “Ta-hooooo,” they bellow, as they traipse up the beach. Tucked into their tin pots is a slightly sweet tofu pudding that’s layered à la minute with sago boba and a brown sugar syrup. Though it’s typically thought of as a dessert or snack, I’ve been making a version of it for breakfast all summer long. I borrowed the method from cookbook author Arlyn Osborne’s Sugarcane and it couldn’t be easier: blend silken tofu with sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Cook black pearl tapioca according to the package directions and prep whatever fruit you want to have with it. I’ve used sour cherries, peaches, and most recently a mix of the juiciest blackberries, white raspberries, and nectaries. I’ve also flavored the pudding with ube and pandan extracts, as well as citrus zest. The base will keep for several days in the fridge, so you can build a glass each morning just how you like. —Joe Sevier, senior editor, cooking and SEO

Iced strawberry matcha

After years and years of coffee, I’m newly exploring the vast world of matcha. No, I’m not switching over completely—I’m still loyal to espresso—but I’ve started reading up on ways to enjoy the pleasantly grassy powdered green tea. My latest obsession is this Iced Strawberry Matcha from Bon Appétit alum Zaynab Issa. You blend freeze-dried strawberries with sugar, water, vanilla, and salt, for a concentrated, syrupy sauce. Layered with frothed milky, matcha, and a few glittering ice cubes, it’s just as striking as it is tasty. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking

One-and-done salmon

The moment I saw this recipe drop last September, I knew I had to add it to my cooking wishlist (I mean, look at that photo!). I gravitate toward salmon as a weeknight protein. I’m always looking for novel ways to cook with it to shake up my “toss on a sheet pan”-routine. This one offered up an intriguing method: Poach the fish in a fragrant liquid perfumed by garlic, ginger, soy sauce, butter, and sesame oil. Halved tomatoes burst in the saucy mixture as the fish gently cooks. It’s just about as one-and-done as a recipe gets, but no less complex in flavor. —Li Goldstein, associate newsletter editor

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August 1

Crispy gnocchi for a crowd

One of my favorite moves in the kitchen is crisping up shelf-stable gnocchi and serving it in a simple sauce, like in this Crispy Gnocchi With Sausage and Peas or this sheet-pan style one. This weekend, on side dish duty for family dinner with my girlfriend’s parents, I made the bright and acidic Crispy Gnocchi Caprese from Alexis deBoschnek’s latest cookbook, Nights and Weekends. The dish had a pleasant heat from the jarred roasted peppers, which complemented the fresh mozzarella and packed delicious summer flavor into every bite. —Alma Avalle, editorial operations associate

Audibly crisp zucchini fries

Zucchini is everywhere right now. I’ve put pounds of it in pasta and baked a chocolate-zucchini bread, but the recipe I keep coming back to is this one for zucchini fries by my colleague, Nina Moskowitz. Nina recently added instructions to cook them in an air fryer and praise be—it’s more hands-off than the original shallow-fry but still audibly crisp. Finely grated Parmesan is used in the breading and as the fries cook, the cheese melts and binds with the breadcrumbs to form a sturdy jacket around the squash. I usually forgo the yogurt dip (sorry, Nina! it’s not you, it’s me) because really, I’m just here for the zucchini. —Shilpa Uskokovic, senior test kitchen editor

Restaurant-worthy Sun Gold pasta

Few ingredients get me as excited as Sun Gold tomatoes. They’re sweet enough to eat by the handful, but this week I opted instead to use them in senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk’s Sun Gold Tomato Pasta With Pistachio Gremolata (featured in our Tomato Week). The yellow sauce is seasoned with sliced garlic, and the finished dish is topped with a striking pistachio gremolata. It hits all the flavor and textural notes I dream about in restaurant-caliber pasta: creamy, crunchy, acidic, bright, and deeply savory. And if you happen to have a few tomatoes left over, treat yourself to Jesse’s Tomato Martini. —Carly Westerfield, associate manager audience strategy

Toaster oven pierogies and beets

When I’m craving comfort food during the swampiest days of summer, I turn to low-cook meals like senior test kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic’s Sheet-Pan Pierogies and Beets. (Is there anything as soothing as a mashed-potato-stuffed pocket of dough? I think not.) The recipe comes together with two store-bought standbys: frozen cheddar and potato pierogies and tender, precooked beets. They both pick up color and a crisp-chewy texture cooking on the same sheet pan. Then you whisk together a simple poppy seed and mustard dressing and swoosh some sour cream on your plate before assembling. This past week I used my toaster oven to avoid turning on the big oven and was rewarded with salty golden carbs paired with a real vegetable and an elevated sauce, all without breaking a sweat. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor

Summery lemon-marinated zucchini

My neighbor’s CSA subscription box has been extra generous this season. So much so that she’s been leaving brown paper bags of excess produce at our door. This week’s offering was a bounty of yellow zucchini—more than enough to make this Lemony Zucchini With Sour Cream and Dill. The citrus-marinated pan-seared squash was crispy, not soggy, atop a bed of cooling garlicky sour cream. Sprinkled generously with fresh dill, it was the very image of summer. —Arietta Hallock, editorial intern

In Jordan, where I grew up, galayet bandora is a staple, and there’s no better way to cook too many tomatoes. Tomatoes are cooked down with plenty of olive oil, copious amounts of sliced garlic, and a bit of fresh green chile peppers, and seasoned simply with salt and black pepper. It comes together with very few ingredients, yet it’s so beloved that it’s considered one of the country’s national dishes. Typically scooped up with warm pita, it can also be eaten with a variety of rice dishes. Its strength is in its simplicity.

While galayet bandora means “fried tomatoes” or “stir-fried tomatoes” in Arabic, the tomatoes in this dish aren’t actually fried at all. Instead, they’re simmered on the stovetop until they collapse and concentrate into a deeply savory and naturally sweet stew-like dish. The “fried” in the name is likely a nod to the generous amount of olive oil in which they’re cooked.

The Best Way to Use up Your Tomato Surplus

This is the dish I turn to when tomato season’s dizzyingly beautiful array of varieties, shapes, and colors predictably makes me get carried away and over-shop at the farmers market. The brevity of the season only encourages my tomato-hoarding habits. It’s the brightest, most colorful stretch of the year and the one I look forward to most. This dish is especially good for those tomatoes that are too soft for a sandwich or caprese, plus it’s a great way to use a lot of them.

It’s one of my favorite—and most nostalgic—ways to cook through my haul. Since the ingredient list is short, it’s worth seeking out in-season, ripe, and local (if possible) tomatoes that are naturally sweeter and more flavorful than the cardboard-like ones you often find at the supermarket. A fruity, peppery extra-virgin olive oil plays seamlessly with the tomatoes’ grassiness and umami notes. So few ingredients, yet they come together to create a wide range of flavors.

My Version of Galayet Bandora: With Heat, Texture, and Tang

Galayet bandora—pronounced with a hard “g” in the typical Jordanian dialect but alayet bandora in my West Amman city girl accent—often features a whole green chile pepper (in this case, a serrano) that simmers away in the sauce. Following traditional preparations, I start by blistering a whole green chile (usually a serrano) in the olive oil until it’s speckled brown and softened. Then I add a second chopped chile for a touch more heat. The whole chile simmers in the sauce like a spicy bay leaf—except it actually adds something unmistakable. (Okay, fine, bay leaves do something too. But this does more, giving a subtle grassy heat throughout.)

I also stir in coarsely chopped yellow onion for texture (something my mom always does) and finish the dish with a splash of pomegranate molasses. That bit isn’t traditional, but the molasses adds a tangy pop and depth to complement the tomatoes’ brightness and the olive oil’s richness. While the tomatoes do take time to simmer down, the prep is quick, the cooking is mostly hands-off, and everything happens in one skillet—just let it bubble away, stirring occasionally, especially toward the end when the mixture becomes more concentrated and prone to sticking and scorching.

How to Serve Galayet Bandora

This dish is a full-on celebration of the tomato—so central and satisfying that throughout Jordan, it’s considered a main dish, not a side. Since it’s made from widely accessible ingredients, it’s exceptionally approachable, but it’s also exceedingly flavorful. It’s typically eaten by tearing off bite-size pieces of pita and scooping up the cooked-down tomatoes, a method called taghmees, which means “dipping.” The same approach is used for eating mezze like hummus and muhammara, among other dishes. It’s an intimate way of eating that if done right, shouldn’t get your fingers messy. But if you decide to go at it with a spoon, I promise not to judge.

Why I Love This Dish

I’ve always found it meaningful that this dish, which feels synonymous with Jordanian home cooking, stands in stark contrast to mansaf, the country’s other national dish. Mansaf is grand and ceremonial—slow-cooked lamb in a sauce made from jameed, a fermented, dried yogurt that’s soaked overnight. It’s served over a thin flatbread called shrak, layered with yellow rice, and topped with toasted almonds. Galayet bandora, by comparison, is simple, weeknight-friendly, and entirely plant-based. The two couldn’t be more different: One relies on special ingredients and long preparation; the other comes together with what’s fresh and on hand. That contrast is a testament to the Levant’s dynamic and wide-ranging culinary traditions. And to me, galayet bandora is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the fleeting tomato season—still the happiest time of year.

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• 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil (see notes)

• 2 serrano chile peppers (about 15 g each), 1 whole and 1 finely chopped, divided

• 1 large yellow onion (10 ounces; 283 g), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

• 1 head garlic (about 3 to 3 1/2 ounces; 85 to 99 g), peeled and thinly sliced

• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 4 pounds (about 2 kg) mixed ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (see notes)

• 2 1/2 teaspoons (about 8 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight

• 2 teaspoons (5 ml) pomegranate molasses, optional (see notes)

• Pita bread, warmed, for serving

1. In a large stainless steel skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add whole serrano and cook, turning occasionally, until spotty brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer serrano to plate and set aside. Allow skillet to cool down slightly, about 2 minutes.

2. Add onion to skillet with oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chopped serrano, and black pepper, cook, stirring constantly, until garlic just begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Add reserved whole serrano, and bring tomato mixture to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low, cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally —especially toward the end—scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, until tomatoes have completely broken down and sauce has thickened into a jammy consistency, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Adjust heat to maintain a vigorous, steady simmer—bubbles should be active but not rolling like a full boil.

3. Off heat, stir in pomegranate molasses, if using. Serve with warm pita bread.

Special Equipment

Large stainless steel skillet

Notes

Because this dish relies on just a few ingredients, it’s worth using a good-quality, fruity extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Ripe, in-season tomatoes, which tend to be sweeter and more flavorful, also work best here.

If using less-ripe tomatoes, begin checking the texture and consistency at the 1-hour mark, as they tend to exude less liquid, resulting in a shorter cooking time.

Pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern, Iranian, Armenian, and Turkish grocery stores, and is increasingly found at some well-stocked supermarkets. It can also be easily ordered online. For best results, use pomegranate molasses without added sugar.

This recipe works well as a main course for 2, or as a side or starter for 4.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Galayet bandora can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat before serving.