7,151 light recipes

Butternut squash dal simmers red lentils and sweet squash with onion, garlic, ginger, and curry until soft and creamy, then a light mash brings it together. A cozy, vegetarian one-pot Indian-style dal that's hearty and wholesome.

Five Lilies Chowder is an allium-lover's soup built from five members of the lily family: onions, shallots, garlic, leeks, and chives. A light, elegant chowder with white wine and sherry in a clear chicken broth base.

These banana fritters stay crispy thanks to a flour-dusted coating under a light egg-and-milk batter. Deep-fried golden in minutes and served hot for a crunchy, sweet snack or dessert.

Poppy seed breakfast cake baked in a Bundt pan with buttermilk, almond extract, and a hidden cinnamon-sugar swirl through the center. Light, tender crumb from whipped egg whites folded into the batter.

Turkey Waldorf salad turns leftover roast turkey into a crisp, light meal with chopped apples, celery, green onions, and a tangy yogurt-mayo dressing brightened with lemon. The day-after-Thanksgiving lunch hero.

Quick raisin muffins skip the butter and oil entirely, using just milk and an egg to bind a lightly sweet, raisin-studded crumb. Ready in 40 minutes start to finish with pantry basics.

Orange bread machine recipe with fresh orange juice, zest, and egg for a soft, citrus-scented loaf. A bright, lightly sweet yeast bread that fills the house with the smell of fresh oranges.

Noodle, cheese and vegetable casserole, egg noodles tossed with a tangy yogurt and cottage cheese binder, green beans and onion, then topped with cheddar and baked golden. A light, high-protein vegetarian bake.

Pepper poached pears simmer in white wine with black peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon and a whisper of chili heat, then chill in a syrup reduced from the poaching liquid. An elegant, lightly spiced dessert.

Vegetable lo mein with dried mushrooms, celery, and bamboo shoots tossed with fresh wheat noodles in a light broth. A classic Chinese wok technique that beats takeout in under 30 minutes active time.

Romulan Lucernae is a DIY tangerine oil lamp, not a dish. Hollow the fruit, wick the pith, fill with olive oil, and light for a warm citrus-scented glow at the dinner table.

Classic German chocolate cake: three light layers of sweet chocolate cake with whipped egg whites folded in, stacked with a cooked coconut-pecan frosting made from evaporated milk and egg yolks. The real, from-scratch version.

Jack-o-lantern cookie pops made with spiced molasses dough cut into pumpkin shapes on lollipop sticks, decorated with tinted ornamental frosting. A fun Halloween baking project for kids.

Golden cornbread that bakes up light, tender, and slightly sweet, with a soft golden crumb. A quick, classic bread to serve warm with butter or ladle creamed chicken over for an old-fashioned supper.

This cake is remarkable; no one would ever believe that it is so low in fat and calories.

Saged turkey loaf with fresh and dried sage, shallots, thyme, marjoram, and a hint of orange zest. A lighter, herb-forward alternative to classic meatloaf.