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Serving tofu and veggies kebab-style is festive, but firing up the grill, marinating the ingredients, and soaking the bamboo skewers (so they don’t ignite) can be time-consuming. And most people don’t own a stovetop grill. Here’s a shortcut method that circumvents all those steps, made right on an ordinary griddle.

The contrast of warm, spicy tofu with cool, crisp lettuce is enticing. I use Nasoya Creamy Dill dressing, but any vegan ranch-style dressing, homemade or store-bought, will work. I use two pounds of tofu because of my ravenous teens, but if you’re serving three or four “normal” eaters, one pound may suffice. Cut the rest of the ingredients in half as well.

Amsterdam is host to a number of Indonesian restaurants (Indonesia was once a Dutch colony), and on a visit to this charming city with my sons, we were informed that a rijkstaffel (“rice table”) meal would be a memorable experience. A big bowl of rice is served with several tasty little dishes. My sons were especially keen on the golden sautéed tofu on skewers that was accompanied by a rich peanut sauce. Once home, I tried to reproduce the flavors of the luscious sauce to serve with triangles of sautéed tofu. Though my version is likely not truly authentic, what counts is that it tastes good, it’s easy, and my sons are still crazy about it. Each time I make it, we’re transported back to Amsterdam, if only briefly.

A hot day, a big bunch of basil, and some great local tomatoes—all these came together a few summers ago to inspire a Mediterranean-flavored twist for tofu. This is a splendid main dish for warm summer evenings.

Common to many regional Middle Eastern cuisines, this is one of those supersimple dishes that, with the right ingredients, is amazingly tasty. Especially welcome as a fast summer dish, this is a good showcase for the abundance of delicious tomatoes in season. Shakshouka, in its original version, is made with eggs; in this vegan rendition, only one change needs to be made—silken tofu replaces the eggs.

On a visit to Israel, I came across a convenient vegan product called “mixed grill”-thin strips of tofu and seitan packaged together. Once home, I took this inspiration to create a simple, high-protein skillet dish.

An appetizing, mildly spiced mélange of nourishing beans, grains, and greens, this makes a stellar centerpiece for a soup-based meal. Quinoa is an excellent source of protein, making this practically a meal in a bowl.

Sweet potatoes and watercress are both splendid sources of vitamin C; they team up in this quick soup to great effect. As I mention in the ingredient list, I like this with a dark, robust variety of miso such as barley or hatcho.

My older son loves a very simple red lentil soup served at a local Middle Eastern café. It’s good, but to my mind, not very interesting, so I created my own version, with a little more style and substance. I make this regularly and he rarely clamors for the café version.

For this bountiful vegetable soup, the less cooking time, the better. Everything should remain bright green and just tender-crisp.

Here’s a soup that comes together in no time, yet tastes as if it has been simmered for hours.

Oh, how I adore this soup, which I discovered at The Bakery in New Paltz, New York. A simple Italian classic, this soup has a number of variations, but I find there’s no need to dress up the basic formula. Escarole is a sturdy green that’s too tough for many salads, but it cooks quickly and, combined with cannellini beans, gives an almost buttery scent and flavor to the soup.

Thick, hearty noodles make this fifteen-minute soup substantial, yet it’s not too filling to serve as an introduction to another course.

Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta. Look for the tricolor variety. While the orzo cooks, the vegetables for this soup roast in the oven, resulting in a sweet, smoky flavor when submerged in the broth.

Traditionally served at an Easter brunch or dinner, this pie is also a great brunch option on any day of the year. There’s no doubt that this pie is a full-size meal, with its combination of a creamy ricotta base and all the meat your heart desires. There are as many variations of this recipe as there are Italian families; the following is my favorite combination. Feel free to mix and match meats and cheeses according to your preferences.

No Italian Easter is complete without a ricotta pie. This light, citrus-tinged pie, with its creamy ricotta filling and sweet crust, sings of spring. Although this savory pie is traditionally served as a meal, it can also satisfy a sweet tooth. There are many different varieties of Sweet Ricotta Pie (pizza dolce) out there, but we stick to a very basic pie that will please all palates. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding candied orange peels, grated lemon zest, miniature chocolate chips, or nuts to the filling.

This classic combination is great for any time of the day: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or even a late-night snack. If you are partial to other vegetables, such as asparagus or zucchini, feel free to tailor this recipe to your own tastes, either substituting for the broccoli or adding more veggies.

I discovered this pie while in Maine on summer vacation and could hardly wait to get back to my own kitchen to re-create it. It offers all of the comfort of Chicken Pot Pie (page 153), but with a rich, elegant lobster twist. It’s hard to go wrong with chunks of lobster immersed in a creamy sauce and flaky pastry.

In 2002 I went to Australia and fell in love with their traditional beef pies. In fact, to this day, I would have one for every meal if I had my way. Once I returned to the States, I was determined to come up with my own rendition of this classic dish. Although I created this recipe based on nothing more than my warm memories of this meal, I have nonetheless had many Australians flock to my store to purchase this little taste of home. A true testament.

I first started selling these pies at small farmers’ markets in Vermont and quickly discovered just how many people share my appreciation for them. To this day, we still have a hard time keeping them stocked at the store. This is definitely a more labor-intensive recipe than some others (allow yourself at least 2 1/2 hours from start to finish), but it is well worth it. If you’re short on time, use an already prepared rotisserie chicken, and cook the vegetables for the pie in 2 cups of store-bought chicken stock. Best of all, this pie can be made as a single pie, or as individual pies as pictured.