7,151 light recipes

No-bake yogurt pie with cream cheese, honey, and orange zest sets in a graham cracker crust and gets topped with fresh strawberries for light summer desserts.

Pineapple orange mousse whips evaporated milk into a light frozen dessert with tropical orange and crushed pineapple. Old-fashioned two-step chill method, no gelatin or ice cream maker needed.

Maryland crab cakes with a pound and a half of lump crab, oil-soaked bread, and whipped egg whites for lightness. Pan-fried in butter until golden on both sides.

Pasta with artichoke sauce tosses fettuccine in a quick sauté of artichoke hearts, garlic, oil-cured olives, white wine, and lemon zest topped with Parmesan. Light and Mediterranean.

Linguine deliziose tosses lightly floured shrimp and salmon with sauteed leeks, mushrooms, garlic, and white wine, then finishes with linguine in a buttery marjoram-parsley sauce. San Francisco surf-and-pasta feast.

Mediterranean rosemary chicken stew with potatoes, carrots, black olives, lemon juice, and a triple-herb finish of rosemary, basil, and parsley. Light, brothy, sun-soaked, on the table in an hour.

Pasta with white clam sauce made with fresh littleneck clams steamed in fish stock, white wine, garlic, and olive oil. A light, briny Italian seafood pasta with no cream.

Braised duck breast in a peach-orange cream sauce with mushrooms, honey, and guava jelly. An elegant French-inspired dish finished under the broiler.

Low-fat strawberry cheesecake swaps cream cheese for pureed cottage cheese folded with gelatin and whipped egg whites for a light, mousse-like filling. Finished with a glossy crushed-strawberry glaze.

Silky pureed cucumber soup with a French pistou swirl of basil, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan, and fresh tomato. Light, elegant, and built on leeks and chicken broth.

Thick seitan steaks baked until firm, then simmered in a savory tamari broth with kombu and fresh ginger for deep umami flavor. Brushed with sauce and broiled until lightly charred, these vegan steaks have real chew and satisfying meatiness.

Paper-thin veal scaloppine seared with crispy prosciutto strips in a garlicky white wine reduction, showered with freshly grated Parmesan. A light, elegant Italian dinner for two in 30 minutes.

A chilled Hungarian-style cherry soup made with Bing cherries, claret wine, cinnamon, and lemon, thickened with egg yolk. Served cold as an elegant starter or light meal.

Alice's lemon pie is a heritage 9-ingredient meringue pie with a cornstarch-thickened lemon filling and powdered-sugar meringue topping. Light, tart, and finished in a deep dish pastry shell.

Straw and Hay pasta combines regular and green fettuccine with mushrooms, peas, ham, and a light Parmesan cream sauce. A classic Italian dish named for its two-toned pasta, made lighter with skim milk.

Herbed cheesy popovers with cheddar, thyme, sage, and basil baked in a cold-start oven until puffed and golden. Light, hollow, and crispy with a savory cheese flavor throughout.