A brilliant, beautiful salmon dinner
Crisp-skinned fillets are nestled into a mix of green beans and red pepper.
Cooking
October 22, 2025

Good morning! Today we have for you:

Yewande Komolafe’s salmon and green beans in red pepper sauce. Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

A Brilliant, Beautiful Salmon Dinner

It’s leaf peeping season in the Northeast, and I’ve just spent a few magical days driving roads fringed with luminous golds and flame reds, dappled with those few dark green leaves still hanging on to their chlorophyll. It makes me tingly all over, year after year.

These same vivid hues show up in Yewande Komolafe’s salmon and green beans in red pepper sauce, whose flavors are not a bit less vibrant. Yewande stews green beans and roasted red peppers until they soften, creating a silky, savory bed for crisp-skinned seared salmon. Then, she adds anchovies and miso for a gentle, salty depth to round out the sweetness. This colorful sauce also works with other proteins, like chicken thighs, pork chops and seared tofu. So be sure to bookmark it to use all year long — any time you want to bring the vibrancy of leaf season to your table.

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Salmon and Green Beans in Red Pepper Sauce

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More food for thought:

Spicy sheet-pan chicken with sweet potatoes and kale: Evoking that same autumnal palette, Yasmin Fahr’s sheet-pan chicken thighs turn golden and becomes burnished from a simple harissa-yogurt marinade that also keeps them juicy. The chicken needs only 15 minutes to marinate, which is enough time to heat the oven and prep the sweet potatoes and kale. After roasting, Yasmin finishes the dish with a piquant herb oil scented with lime.

Tofu and mushroom jorim: This soy-sauce-braised tofu from Kay Chun is based on the Korean dish jorim, which is traditionally made with beef. Kay’s meatless version lets squares of tofu soak up the garlicky, gingery soy sauce, while shiitake mushrooms add an earthy, meaty contrast. As a terrific bonus, it’s just as good cold as it is hot, which means tomorrow’s lunch is all set.

Taco soup: We’re not talking traditional Mexican tacos here. Naz Devarian drew inspiration for this savory soup from those American-style hard-shell beef tacos that may have been part of your childhood. Make your own spice blend in two minutes, or use a seasoning packet if you like. You can also skip the meat and add an extra can of beans for a fabulous vegetarian meal.

Shrimp tacos: Perhaps you feel like making the kind of taco you can hold? Yewande’s speedy tacos are ready in half an hour, with cumin- and cayenne-spiced shrimp, crisp red cabbage and creamy avocado tucked into warm tortillas. Serve it with homemade or store-bought salsa or pico de gallo to get just the right tangy note.

Made-in-the-pan chocolate cake: Mollie Katzen’s chocolate cake is as easy as it gets: Mix, bake and serve from the same pan. Instead of icing, she dusts the top with just enough powdered sugar to contrast with the bittersweet cocoa crumb. Cut it into thick squares, pour a glass of cold milk and savor the after-school snack vibes.

That’s all for now, except to remind you that if you’re stuck in a technical snafu, email the smart people at cookingcare@nytimes.com for help. And I’m at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to say hi.

I’ll see you on Monday.

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Article Image

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Spicy Sheet-Pan Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Kale

By Yasmin Fahr

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarUnfilled Star

1,396

1 hour

Makes 2 to 4 servings

Article Image

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Tofu and Mushroom Jorim (Soy-Braised Tofu)

By Kay Chun

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarUnfilled Star

1,259

20 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Article Image

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Taco Soup

By Naz Deravian

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

2,273

1 hour 15 minutes

Makes 6 servings

Three partly open tacos, filled with shrimp cabbage, herbs and a creamy sauce, on a green platter are photographed from overhead.

Kelly Marshall for The New York Times

Shrimp Tacos

By Yewande Komolafe

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

3,239

35 minutes

Makes 4 Servings

Article Image

Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Made-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Mollie Katzen

Adapted by Margaux Laskey

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarUnfilled Star

3,203

45 minutes

Makes 9 to 12 servings

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Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties.

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Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties.

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