Regional Cuisine, Vegetable Recipes

Shredded beef burritos stuffed with homemade refried pinto beans, cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, and fresh tomatoes. Includes a from-scratch refried beans recipe with chile powder and cumin that beats anything from a can.

Sarma cabbage rolls stuffed with a three-meat filling of ground beef, pork, and ham with rice and paprika, simmered in tomato broth for over two hours until tender.

Blanched vegetables stir-fried in a rich almond-cashew paste with paneer, potatoes, and fresh mint. A vibrant Indian jalfrezi that's vegetarian and ready in 30 minutes.

Traditional Polish holiday side dishes: golden fried cabbage with split peas, pearl barley, buckwheat, baked rice, breadcrumb-coated potatoes, and seasoned beans. A complete Wigilia spread.

All-purpose Mediterranean meat and rice stuffing with fresh mint, parsley, and dill. Fills vine leaves, cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and peppers for dolma-style dishes.

Tender eggplant simmered with tomatoes, bay leaves, caraway seeds, and a bright splash of lemon and red wine vinegar. A tangy, vegan-friendly side dish ready in 45 minutes.

Farfalle pasta carbonara with bacon, broccoli, red bell pepper, and Parmesan in a creamy half-and-half sauce. A vegetable-loaded twist on classic carbonara made in one skillet.

Perfumed wtih Benali 5-spice (panch puran), this tasty melange of vegetables is wonderful with basmati rice.

Hidatsa stuffed sugar pumpkin: a Plains Native American dish with ground bison or venison, wild rice, and sage filling baked inside a whole sugar pumpkin until tender. Harvest feast main course.

German potato salad with a twist: warm potatoes tossed in a tangy beer-based dressing with bacon, mustard, and a kick of hot sauce for Oktoberfest or summer cookouts.

Ukrainian potato-cheese filling for varenyky made with mashed potatoes, cheddar, bryndzia, and butter-fried onions. A traditional pierogi filling with real depth.

Turkish-style marinated roast peppers charred until blackened, peeled, and bathed in a sharp garlic-vinegar dressing. Smoky, silky vegetable side served at room temperature.

Saag vali khichri is a soothing Indian rice and mung bean porridge stirred with fresh spinach, cumin, coriander, and ghee. Nourishing comfort food with Ayurvedic roots, gentle on the stomach and big on warming spice.

Traditional Mexican meatball soup with mint and cilantro in the albondigas, simmered in rich beef broth with chayote squash, carrots, cabbage, leeks, and small pasta.

Vegetarian penne baked with broccoli, spinach, and white wine, topped with melted Parmesan and cheddar. A quick green-loaded pasta bake with nutmeg-scented vegetables.

Ham and broccoli stir-fry in a savory oyster sauce with rice wine, ginger, and toasted walnuts. A quick Chinese-inspired wok dish served over gingered rice.