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  2. What To Cook in May: 31 Flavorful Dinners

What To Cook in May: 31 Flavorful Dinners

April 27, 2022
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Credit: Jennifer Causey
Burgers, tacos, and pizza — oh my! These healthy dinners, which include Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day classics, are full of flavor and sure to please. If you're wary of spice, don't worry — there are plenty of other deeply flavored dishes, like sweet pineapple curry and salty pasta with bacon, to enjoy. 
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Spicy Paleo Hash

Credit: Photo: Rachel Johnson
View Recipe: Spicy Paleo Hash

Who knew a simple veggie dish could taste this flavorful? Cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper add warmth to this Peruvian-inspired sweet potato hash. For an added serving of protein, top it with a fried egg. If you're cooking for a sensitive palate, use less red pepper for a mild flavor that everybody can enjoy.

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BLT Pasta

Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: BLT Pasta

Slab bacon lets you get a thicker dice than presliced bacon that will hold its own in the pasta; if it's hard for you to find, just use thick-cut sliced bacon. Peppery watercress wilts well yet maintains a little crunch. It also adds a nice savory note, balancing the sweetness of the tomatoes and the saltiness of the bacon. Arugula would also work.

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Herbed Mediterranean Fish with Wilted Greens

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Herbed Mediterranean Fish with Wilted Greens

For an easy one-dish meal, serve the savory herbed fish over a bed of wilted kale with mushrooms and tomato. Keep the Mediterranean Herb Mix on hand to use in other seafood, poultry, or pork recipes.

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Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Chipotle Butter and Bell Peppers

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Chipotle Butter and Bell Peppers

Make sure the cast-iron skillet is hot before adding the steaks so that they get a nicely browned crust on both sides. We like using both red and orange peppers, though just one color will work.

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Morelia-Style Enchiladas

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Morelia-Style Enchiladas

These Michoacan-style enchiladas are simply folded or rolled for tortillas napped in a chile sauce, not the baked casserole as in the U.S. 

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Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Credit: Antonis Achilleos
View Recipe: Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Flavor-packed, incredibly nutritious, and very filling, this stuffed sweet potato is a triple threat! You’ll get nearly 50 percent of your daily quota of heart-healthy fiber, as well as 25 percent of your potassium needs (which is a nutrient that most Americans fall short on daily yet can help offset the negative effects salt). Want to make it vegan? Just leave off the yogurt—or sub with your favorite non-dairy alternative.

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Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

Ginger and sambal oelek, a chile-garlic paste that’s now at most supermarkets in the international aisle, made this recipe a favorite by providing bold flavor in no time. Have all ingredients ready at the stove so they can go in at just the right moment.

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Kicky Black Bean Burgers

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Kicky Black Bean Burgers

If you don't have a food processor, you can sub about 2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs for the torn bun.

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Lemon-Dill Salmon Pasta Salad

Credit: Ann Taylor Pittman
View Recipe: Lemon-Dill Salmon Pasta Salad

This fresh, citrusy pasta salad features chickpea pasta for a gluten-free fiber boost. Canned wild sockeye salmon is worth seeking out; it contains not only healthy omega-3 fatty acids but also a large amount of vitamin D—two nutrients that can help tamp down inflammation.

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One-Pot Chicken with Farro

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: One-Pot Chicken with Farro

This easy dish is perfect for a casual get-together with friends. Inspired by arroz con pollo, it is hearty with satisfying complexity. Cumin, saffron, and oregano season rich chicken thighs and nutty farro as the dish simmers. If using saffron, deploy it sparingly; those tiny threads bring subtle flavor and a little color to the dish, but too much will yield a medicinal taste. Serve with a side salad to complete the meal.

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Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry

Green curry paste is the base of the flavorful sauce — look for it in the Asian foods aisle of your supermarket.

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Kimchi Fried Rice

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Kimchi Fried Rice

Chopped kimchi and kimchi juice adds lots of tangy-spicy goodness to this quick meatless main. Though there's no meat, do be aware that most traditional kimchi isn't vegetarian (it includes fish).

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Peach-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Peach-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

A sweet and savory peach glaze caramelizes on the pork as it cooks to perfection in a grill pan. We cut the tenderloin in half crosswise for easier maneuvering and faster cooking, and we tent the pork with foil to hold in more heat while it's in the pan. You could also use a cast-iron skillet if you don't have a grill pan. Serve with Watermelon-Tomato Salad.

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Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Orzo Salad

Credit: Kelsey Hansen
View Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Orzo Salad

The grill is a healthy cook’s best friend, allowing you to build big flavor and crispiness with minimal added fat. Make this meal meatless by trading the chicken for steamed edamame or rinsed and drained black beans.

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Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Credit: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Pork shoulder becomes meltingly tender as it slow-cooks in the chile- and garlic-infused citrus sauce. Searing the pork in a skillet for just a minute adds a depth of flavor you don't otherwise get in a slow cooker. 

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Blackened Tilapia Po’boys

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Blackened Tilapia Po’boys

In place of fried shrimp, spice-rubbed tilapia lightens the calorie load while still harnessing classic Cajun flavors.

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Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata

A sautéed mix of peppers spiked with vinegar adds instant interest to the pork. Skip the poblano and use just the bell peppers if you like. 

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Chicken Adobo

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken Adobo

Complete the meal with hot cooked brown rice and thinly sliced cucumber and carrots.

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Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad

Simple and bright, this is the kind of main that puts us in the mood for spring. If you’ve never thrown fresh lemons on the grill, try it: The slight edge of char intensifies their tartness, and they look gorgeous. The marinade is more of a wet rub since the chicken goes straight to the grill, though you could refrigerate up to a day ahead. This salad is endlessly adaptable for spring and summer vegetables: Try shaved carrot and summer squash ribbons, haricots verts, or even just a shower of fresh herbs.

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Salmon Piccata Pasta

Credit: Antonis Achilleos
View Recipe: Salmon Piccata Pasta

This quick and simple pasta dinner tastes clean and bring. The briny parsley mixture cuts the richness of the salmon perfectly. Serve this healthy salmon piccata pasta dish alongside a leafy green salad with shaved parmesan.

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Beer-Brushed Tofu Skewers with Barley

Credit: Photo: Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Beer-Brushed Tofu Skewers with Barley

If you don't have barley on hand, serve with brown rice, quinoa, or farro. You can also cook the tofu on a stovetop grill pan—just be sure to turn your oven vent on high, as the honey-based glaze is sure to create some smoke.

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Tahini-Dressed Chicken With Squash and Kale

Credit: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Tahini-Dressed Chicken With Squash and Kale

The chicken and squash soak up all the flavors in this dish from the garlic, ginger, and the lemony tahini sauce; the rice is there to make sure no sauce gets left on the plate. You can purchase pre-chopped butternut squash in the produce section of the supermarket. Curly kale works well in place of Tuscan.

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Szechuan Tofu with Cauliflower

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Szechuan Tofu with Cauliflower

We combine everything you love about Chinese takeout—the sweet, savory, spicy sauce; the super-crispy tofu; and the crisp-tender, perfectly caramelized vegetables—into one quick vegetarian main. Celery takes on a leading role rather than a base ingredient here: It maintains its crunch, adds a natural saltiness, and is a nice foil to the more robust flavors in the dish. Szechuan here refers to the stir-fry method rather than a tingling, chile-laden heat. If you want more spice, swap the crushed red pepper for one or two very thinly sliced Thai red chiles.

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Cauliflower Puree With Barbecue Rotisserie Chicken

Credit: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Cauliflower Puree With Barbecue Rotisserie Chicken

Don’t rush processing the cauliflower; it’s key to giving the puree the consistency of grits. You can also use purchased riced cauliflower. If it’s frozen, you can toss it right into the saucepan unthawed.

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Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak

Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak

Cilantro stems shouldn’t be cast aside; they pack more flavor than cilantro leaves in many ways and are ideal in marinades. You could also stir them into chicken soup or puree for chimichurri. Skirt steak comes from the bottom rib plate of the cow, right next to the flank steak. Both cuts are great for grilling over high heat since they aren’t thick or tough; you want to achieve a good char in the short time it takes the meat to cook. Serve the steak on its own tonight, and then slice leftovers for tacos or fajitas tomorrow.

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Snow Crab Legs with Garlic Sauce

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Snow Crab Legs with Garlic Sauce

The slow cooker is a surprising but easy way to prepare crab legs, and this buttery, garlicky mixture is a perfect cooking liquid and serving sauce. Look for crab leg clusters in the frozen foods section of the grocery store.

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Coconut Chicken Fingers

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Coconut Chicken Fingers

Kids love the sweetness that the coconut adds to the coating of these chicken fingers.  And, if your kids are allergic to wheat flour, note that this recipe uses rice flour instead of wheat flour for the coating. Pan-frying is an easy way to get crispy crusts on chicken breasts and tenders without unhealthy frying. You can use almost any combination of ingredients for pan-fried chicken. Keep this simple strategy in mind: Dip chicken in buttermilk to add a tangy flavor, and coat it with flour and nuts or other tasty breading ingredients. Then pan-fry it in a sensible amount of heart-healthy oil to create a crisp exterior.

 

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Peppery Chicken Thighs with Potatoes

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Peppery Chicken Thighs with Potatoes

This dish includes a savory gravy to serve over the tender chicken thighs and baby potatoes.

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The Ultimate Vegetarian Club Sandwich

Credit: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: The Ultimate Vegetarian Club Sandwich

Taking time and care with each component—like getting a nice char on the eggplant—is the secret to this standout sandwich.

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Sweet BBQ Drumsticks

Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Sweet BBQ Drumsticks

Many traditional barbecue sauce recipes start with ketchup—a great base because it’s already thick and sweet. Here, we use hoisin sauce as the starting point of a citrus-spiked BBQ sauce; it works just as well as ketchup, lending sweet, salty notes with warm spice notes of star anise. We look to 2 kinds of citrus for big flavor boosts: orange juice for mellow sweetness and lime juice for tang. You can also substitute cider or white vinegar for lime juice if you don’t have that fruit on hand. Be sure to line the baking pan with foil coated with cooking; the sticky-sweet sauce would make a hard-to-clean mess if it went directly on the pan.

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Pepperoni Skillet Pizza

Credit: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pepperoni Skillet Pizza

This delicious, hearty pizza is far from light-tasting, but nutritionally it soars above most other options in the deep-dish pizza category. We cook it in a cast-iron skillet to help give it a deep-dish pizza look and feel. For a crisp, not soggy crust, the key is to start the crust on the stove top, then top it, and transfer it to the oven. Round out your meal with a side salad and your drink of choice.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    View All

    1 of 31 Spicy Paleo Hash
    2 of 31 BLT Pasta
    3 of 31 Herbed Mediterranean Fish with Wilted Greens
    4 of 31 Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Chipotle Butter and Bell Peppers
    5 of 31 Morelia-Style Enchiladas
    6 of 31 Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    7 of 31 Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry
    8 of 31 Kicky Black Bean Burgers
    9 of 31 Lemon-Dill Salmon Pasta Salad
    10 of 31 One-Pot Chicken with Farro
    11 of 31 Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry
    12 of 31 Kimchi Fried Rice
    13 of 31 Peach-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
    14 of 31 Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Orzo Salad
    15 of 31 Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos
    16 of 31 Blackened Tilapia Po’boys
    17 of 31 Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata
    18 of 31 Chicken Adobo
    19 of 31 Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad
    20 of 31 Salmon Piccata Pasta
    21 of 31 Beer-Brushed Tofu Skewers with Barley
    22 of 31 Tahini-Dressed Chicken With Squash and Kale
    23 of 31 Szechuan Tofu with Cauliflower
    24 of 31 Cauliflower Puree With Barbecue Rotisserie Chicken
    25 of 31 Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak
    26 of 31 Snow Crab Legs with Garlic Sauce
    27 of 31 Coconut Chicken Fingers
    28 of 31 Peppery Chicken Thighs with Potatoes
    29 of 31 The Ultimate Vegetarian Club Sandwich
    30 of 31 Sweet BBQ Drumsticks
    31 of 31 Pepperoni Skillet Pizza

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