“One of the best soups I’ve come across in some time”
That’s me, on this curried coconut and red lentil soup.
Five Weeknight Dishes
December 2, 2025

May I interest you in some soup?

We’re in the quiet lull between Thanksgiving and Holiday Party Season, that lone week in early December when you can have a bowl of soup for dinner, affix yourself to the couch and then get a good night’s sleep.

Because of this, I’m giving you one of the best soups I’ve come across in some time, a plush red lentil soup made with coconut milk and curry powder. It’s light enough to let you feel as if you’re taking a break from the giant meals, but substantial enough to be a real dinner. That recipe, plus four other options that called out to me this week, are below.

Requests? Feedback? Write to me at dearemily@nytimes.com. I, too, will be on the couch and would love to hear from you.

I’m also making:

Challah French toast; cold noodle salad with spicy peanut sauce; pork tenderloin; shortbread.

Two bowls of creamy orange soup with swirls of chile crisp on top. A small bowl of chile crisp and some sliced limes sit nearby.
Ghazalle Badiozamani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

1. Curried Coconut and Red Lentil Soup

Red lentils cook quickly, so they’re ideal for weeknights. Zaynab Issa simmers and blends them with coconut milk for a rich, creamy soup, and a drizzle of chile crisp is a kicky finishing touch.

View this recipe.

A wooden bowl of rice noodles topped with greens and other fresh vegetables, cooked ground beef and herbs.
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

2. Laab Noodle Salad

Kay Chun has reimagined laab, the utterly delicious Thai salad, as a noodle dish, with browned beef, fresh vegetables, cool rice noodles and a vinaigrette made with fish sauce and lime. I can’t wait to make this.

View this recipe.

A white plate holds schmaltzy chicken thighs coated in sauce with capers, garlic and herbs. A half lemon sits on one side of the plate.
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

3. Garlicky Chicken With Lemon-Anchovy Sauce

Melissa Clark’s recipe for chicken thighs with lemon, anchovies, garlic and capers is a salty, brawny New York Times Cooking classic. It’s a must-try if you’ve never made it.

View this recipe.

Two white plates hold white rice topped with crispy tofu and cashews, with small piles of blistered snap peas on the side.
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

4. Crispy Tofu With Cashews and Blistered Snap Peas

The sauce is the star of this Yewande Komolafe recipe, made with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, coconut milk and molasses (or brown sugar, or honey). You’ll want to dunk a spoon right into the pan and taste it.

View this recipe.

Three foil packets have been opened to reveal pink salmon fillets with basil and tomatoes.
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

5. Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil

Maybe you just want something very simple for dinner, like this staple from Mark Bittman. Make foil packets for salmon, slick with oil, fill with cherry tomatoes and basil, bake and eat.

View this recipe.

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