1,251 water recipes

Italian-style spinach steamed with no added water, then tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. A 5-minute side dish that keeps the spinach bright green and tender.

Rye sourdough starter made the old Jewish bakery way: rye flour, water, a packet of yeast, and a halved onion that pulls in the wild flavor for classic deli-style rye bread.

Simple sourdough starter made with unbleached all-purpose flour and warm milk instead of water. A two-ingredient base for homemade sourdough bread.

Five-ingredient whole wheat peasant bread for the bread machine. Just flour, water, honey, salt, and yeast for a simple, hearty everyday loaf.

White flour sourdough starter made with just water, flour, yeast, and sugar. Ready in 2-3 days and keeps indefinitely with regular feeding.

Bread machine French bread with just six ingredients: flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and shortening. A crusty, simple loaf with zero kneading required.

Granny Smith applesauce tarts with golden hot-water pastry shells filled with honey-sweetened, lemon-brightened chunky applesauce. A lighter, old-fashioned dessert.

Traditional Cornish under roast potatoes parboiled then roasted with onions until the water evaporates and the edges turn golden and crispy. The classic British Sunday roast side dish.

Vegan tofu and brown rice stir-fry with mushrooms, spinach, bean sprouts, and sesame seeds in tamari. Oil-free, water-sauteed, and ready in under 30 minutes.

Green tomato relish turns end-of-season unripe tomatoes into a tangy-sweet preserve spiced with allspice, cloves, mustard, and celery seed. Salted overnight to draw water, then simmered with brown sugar, vinegar, and lemon. Cans up beautifully.

Cantonese tomato beef stir-fry with thinly sliced flank steak, fresh tomato wedges, garlic, and a sweet-tangy ketchup sauce. A 20-minute Chinese-American takeout classic.

Homemade sour cherry syrup with just four ingredients. Stir into sparkling water for a tart refresher or drizzle over ice cream, mousse, and frozen desserts for a burst of cherry flavor.

Haymaker's switchel with molasses, brown sugar, ginger, and vinegar stirred into cold water. This colonial-era farmhouse thirst quencher predates modern sports drinks and tastes like a complex, grown-up lemonade.

Stuffed zucchini blossoms (kolokytholouloutha yemista) filled with rice, fresh mint, parsley, tomato, and olive oil, then simmered in water. A traditional Greek vegetarian appetizer.

Homemade mocha coffee mix with instant coffee, hot cocoa mix, powdered creamer, and sugar. Mix a jar, scoop and stir with hot water for an instant cafe mocha.

Strawberry balm syrup: crushed fresh strawberries, sugar, and lemon balm simmered into a fragrant ruby-red syrup. Pour over ice with sparkling water, drizzle on pancakes, or swirl into cocktails.