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
Grilled Banh Mi for a Party
These juicy grilled pork burgers amped up with the flavors of a classic banh mi are built to fuel your next backyard bash.
Recipes
Slow-Cooker Peanut Butter Chicken
Peanut butter and soy sauce are the base of this flavorful sauce for chicken thighs that get perfectly tender. Don’t forget the rice and a big squeeze of lime!
Recipes
Green Bean and Farro Picnic Salad
It’s excellent at any temperature and sturdy enough to make ahead.
Recipes
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup
Cozy, rich but not heavy, and it doesn’t require a box of broth. Is this your dream soup?
Recipes
Crispy Buttermilk-Fried Catfish
The best fried catfish starts like fried chicken, with a seasoned buttermilk soak. Once fried to a golden brown crisp, serve with ketchup and this pickle-studded rémoulade.
Recipes
Green Ribollita
A twist on the classic Tuscan soup, this version features blended sautéed kale, which turns the whole bowl a bright, spring-y green.
Recipes
Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish made from pounded flat chicken breasts dredged in all-purpose flour, pan-fried, and topped with a lemony white wine and caper sauce.
Recipes
Sicilian Pizza
Sicilian pizza is an Italian-style pizza recipe identified by its thick, chewy, bready crust under a layer of toppings like tomato sauce.
Recipes
Sheet-Pan Chicken With Grapes and Fennel
Lots to love about this low-lift dinner, but the crispy croutons might be the best part.
Cooking
If You Love Tinned Fish, Try Tinned Octopus
This oft-overlooked canned seafood makes a wildly good pantry pasta.
Recipes
Cabbage and Bacon Okonomiyaki
Comprised of a custardy pantry-forward okonomiyaki batter studded with shredded cabbage and bacon, this Japanese pancake is a fast track to dinner.
Recipes
Lentil Soup With Greens and Rice
Inspired by the flavors of qorma-e-sabzi, an Afghan spinach stew, this simple soup relies on pantry staples and a box of frozen spinach.
Cooking
These 15-Minute Greens Taste Like They Braised All Day
They’re buttery, smoky, and speedy as can be.
Recipes
Orange-Coriander Salmon
Bright coriander (as a crust for salmon and in a velvety orange sauce) takes center stage in this weeknight dinner bursting with citrusy flavor.
Recipes
Pork and Chickpea Stew With Cinnamon
Bust out the cinnamon sticks for this simple, cozy one-pot braise—they’ll imbue the dish with a gentle warming flavor over 4 hours of hands-off cook time.
Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower With Turmeric Sauce
Plain roasted cauliflower? Snore. Dress it up with this turmeric-spiked coconut milk sauce and a handful of crunchy toppings.
Recipes
Cumin Steak and Scallion Pitas
This super quick weeknight steak dinner uses ground cumin two ways: as a rub for the beef itself, and stirred into yogurt as a creamy condiment.
Recipes
Ragù Paprikash
Classic Hungarian chicken paprikash is reimagined as a bright pasta dinner, with ground chicken, aromatics, and a dollop of sour cream swirled in for richness.