Name: Soupe au Pistou
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium onion, thickly sliced; 1 celery stalk, chopped; 1 head fennel, chopped; 1 carrot, chopped; 2 plum tomatoes, quartered; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup diced onion; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 1/2 cup diced carrot; 1 cup diced celery; 1/2 cup chopped parsley; 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme; 1 1/2cups drained and chopped canned plum tomatoes; 2 cans (15 ounces each) white cannelini beans, rinsed and drained; 6 tsp prepared pesto or extra-virgin olive oil

A good-for-you French stew

Low fat, flavorful — this soup will bowl you over. In France, where foie gras rules, this soup stands out: It's low fat and vegetarian. Suzanne Goin, chef and co-owner of Lucques in Los Angeles, first tasted it on a vacation. Years later, she put it on her menu. With salad and a baguette, the bean and veggie stew makes a fiber-rich meal. "Pistou" is its basil-based topping; Italians call it pesto. We call it delicious.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

Baked Butter Paneer

I should address the awkward truth that I don’t use butter here but cream instead. You could, if you’re a stickler for tradition (and not a heretic like me), add a big slab of butter to the finished curry.