1,188 topping recipes

Foolproof lasagna with ground beef in tomato sauce, layered with ricotta and mozzarella, then topped with a creamy parmesan béchamel for the crowning finish.

A British-style crumble cake with a buttery almond and cinnamon base, a layer of stewed blackberries and apples, and a golden crumble topping. Warm, fruity, and brilliant served with cream or custard.

A showstopping Persian jeweled rice (javaher polow) layered with saffron-glazed carrots, barberries, currants, pistachios, almonds, orange peel, and rose water. Topped with a golden tah dig crust.

Soft rolled molasses cookies with gentle ginger and cinnamon, topped with a simple egg white icing. Kid-friendly spice level and great for cookie cutters.

North Indian chana masala with whole spices, finished with amchoor (mango powder), dried pomegranate seeds, and a sizzling ghee tadka poured over the top.

Vegetarian lentil loaf with sauteed onion and tomato, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and milk baked golden with a crispy crumb topping. High-fiber, low-fat, and ready in under an hour.

Tex-Mex double-crust beef and bean pie stuffed with ground beef, kidney beans, black beans, cheddar cheese, and chunky picante sauce. Topped with sour cream and olives for the ultimate taco night twist.

Hobo bread is a dense, moist quick bread made with boiled raisins, baking soda, nutmeg, and a sugar-nut topping. No yeast, no butter, baked in small loaf pans or even empty tuna cans.

Italian pasta e fagioli with navy beans, ditalini, and a tomato-rosemary broth. The classic peasant soup made one-pot, thick, hearty, and ready for grated cheese on top.

Mussels steamed over a simmering tomato-white wine sauce with oregano and red pepper flakes, served on pasta and topped with crumbled feta cheese. A Greek-inspired seafood pasta dinner for two.

Fideus with clams features toasted vermicelli cooked in homemade fish stock with steamed clams, topped with a chive-garlic mayonnaise. A Spanish-inspired seafood pasta worth the effort.

Spinach with pine nuts and raisins sauteed in garlic butter, topped with Parmesan and broiled until golden. A classic Italian-style side dish.

Glazed apple cake: silky McIntosh apple purée folded into a warm-spiced batter, topped with fanned Granny Smith slices and a glossy apricot jam glaze. A bakery-style fall dessert.

Microwave pecan pie bars: shortbread base, chewy pecan filling, and a semi-sweet chocolate topping. 28 bars cooked entirely in the microwave, ready in 30 minutes.

Lemon cream and nut cookies, buttery shortbread ovals spread with homemade lemon curd and crowned with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, prunes, rum-soaked raisins, and candied orange. A jewel-box holiday cookie.

Banana nut yeast bread is a risen sandwich loaf with mashed bananas, chopped pecans, evaporated milk, and a cinnamon-sugar topping. The slow-risen alternative to quickbread.