Kendra Vaculin
Contributor
Originally from the San Francisco East Bay, Kendra has worked in food media (Epicurious, Eater, Food52) and test kitchens (Blue Apron) across New York City since 2014, as a writer, recipe developer, food stylist, and producer. She was Bon Appétit's Test Kitchen Editor until 2025, where she thought a lot about what you should make for dinner, developing recipes for her monthly column Speedy Does It and overseeing the Dinner Is Served section of the print magazine. Outside of weeknight cooking, she loves back-pocket desserts, produce-centric picnic food, and stuff to make for a party. She likes ice cream more than vegetables, but it's much closer than you'd think.
Recipes
Mushroom Stroganoff(ish)
An ultra savory take on the vegetarian classic, with soy sauce, scallions, and wonton noodles.
.jpeg)
Recipes
Spiced Lamb Ramen With Cucumbers and Yogurt
Inspired by Japanese mazemen, this brothless dish is dreamy on a warm night.
Cooking
This Undone Dumpling Soup Meets You Where You Are
On days when you’re not feeling buttoned-up, let it all fall apart.
Recipes
Pork and Cabbage Not-Quite-Dumpling Soup
Versatile dumpling wrappers eat like noodles when cooked in the hot broth.
Recipes
Spicy Tomato and Black Olive Grandma Pie
A speedy take on a focaccia-based pizza (only 40 minutes of rest required!) with Calabrian chile–spiked sauce and salty cured olives.
Recipes
Creamy Preserved Lemon–Black Pepper Orzo
This bright and luscious dairy-free pasta relies on blended raw cashews for creaminess and a cooking method similar to risotto—in a fraction of the time.
Recipes
Broken Lasagna Pasta Salad
This robust main-course-worthy pasta salad balances buttery olives, bitter radicchio, and crunchy almonds with a bright, herbaceous dressing.
Recipes
Cheesy Chickpea Salad Toast
Humble canned chickpeas become the stuff of open-face sandwich dreams with the help of a few flavorful, crunchy mix-ins and a whole lot of sharp cheddar.
Recipes
Hummus Bowls With Merguez-Spiced Tempeh
This vegan twist on a lamb sausage hummus bowl features a trio of textures—creamy, crisp, and meaty—that will keep you coming back for more.
Recipes
Crispy Tortilla Salad With Snap Peas and Avocado
A twist on the classic fattoush salad, with a creamy avocado and lime dressing and crispy fried tortilla strips standing in for the traditional pita chips.
Recipes
Spring-y Rice and Lentils with Coconut Yogurt
Inspired by Middle Eastern mujadara, this rice and lentil pilaf gets a seasonal spin thanks to a tumble of spring-y green vegetables and flavorful tadka.
Cooking
Forget Chocolate Bunnies—This Easter, Eat Rabbit Bolognese Instead
Welcome spring with a cozy pasta that’s just the right amount of festive.
Recipes
Creamy Rabbit Bolognese
This cozy pasta is a twist on a white Bolognese, with no tomatoes in sight. Swap in chicken legs if you prefer—rabbit tastes a lot like dark meat poultry.
Recipes
Meatball Soup With Beef Stew Vibes
All the flavors of classic beef stew in just one hour, with tender meatballs standing in for long-braised, shredded beef.
Cooking
The Quickest Beef Stew Is Actually Meatball Soup
All the same long-cooked flavors in half the time.
Recipes
Pork and Asparagus Soba
Chili crisp and tahini team up to create a savory, spicy sauce for ground pork, snappy asparagus, and nutty soba noodles.
Recipes
Warm Chicken Piccata Salad
Turn classic chicken piccata into a salad by using the lemon-and-caper-spiked pan sauce as the base for a warm vinaigrette.
Recipes
Potato and Pea Chowder
Studded with green peas and enriched with a swirl of cream, this pea and potato chowder feels light and bright—perfect for a cool spring evening.
Recipes
Crispy Mushroom and Ricotta Toast
This loaded ricotta and mushroom toast becomes full-blown comfort food thanks to a ladle-full of umami-forward broth on the bottom of the bowl.
Recipes
Cozy and Quick White Chicken Chili
Lightly mash some of the white beans for a creamy, velvety texture without any added dairy.