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
Pearl Onion and Sweet Pepper Skillet
With a bag of frozen pearl onions (so cute, no peeling required!) and a bag of mini sweet peppers, you’re well on your way to dinner.
Recipes
Seedy Cumin Sprinkle
A crispy, crunchy granola-like topping you can make on the stovetop featuring honey and cumin seeds. It goes well atop salads as well as your yogurt.
Recipes
Cinnamon Butterscotch
No need for a candy thermometer in this easy recipe for butterscotch hit with warming ground cinnamon and a hefty pinch of salt.
Recipes
Blueberry Compote With Coriander
Fresh or frozen blueberries team up with ground coriander in a versatile compote you can enjoy over yogurt, ice cream, or even toast.
Recipes
Beets and Farro With Honey Goat Cheese
We love precooked beets—and this speedy, hearty dish proves why.
Recipes
Balsamic Mushroom and Sausage Pasta
Dark and moody in color but surprisingly bright and light to eat, this satisfying dish comes together in just 30 minutes.
Recipes
Gnocchi-Leek Soup With Greens
Shelf-stable gnocchi makes this play on potato-leek soup a speedy one-pot cozy wonder.
Recipes
Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad
The beloved bar food gets transformed into a 20-minute salad featuring broiled chicken thighs, crunchy celery, and a bright, creamy dressing.
Recipes
One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Olive Gremolata
Spiced, schmaltzy rice and tender braised chicken legs cook together in one Dutch oven—and the result feels like a warm hug.
Recipes
Honey Mustard Pretzel Roast Chicken
Fans of those tangy, oniony honey mustard pretzels will love this one-skillet chicken dinner—complete with pretzel breadcrumbs.
Recipes
Sour-Cream-and-Onion Tortilla Española
By using potato chips, this spin on the Spanish classic is doable on a weeknight.
Recipes
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Imagine chicken pot pie in half the time. All the same flavors come together in a quick soup—no assembly required.
Cooking
This Brisket Bourguignon Got Me Out of My Hosting Slump
It’s make-ahead, hands-off, and holiday-ready.
Recipes
Spiced Lamb and Shaved Carrots
Tagine-inspired flavors, saucy lamb, and crunchy raw carrot salad—what’s not to love?
Recipes
Smoky Chicken and Avocado Kale Salad
Once you mash avocado into raw kale, you might never eat the hearty leafy green any other way.
Recipes
Herby Salmon and Potato Salad
A sheet-pan dinner gets the salad treatment with help from lemon-dressed herbs, briny olives, and sweet pickled peppers.
Recipes
Matcha Swirl Spritz Cookies
Grinch-colored, bite-size, and deeply adorable, these cookies make the case for buying a cookie press.
Recipes
Mostly Chard Tiny Pasta Salad
Swiss chard, bitsy ditalini, salty feta, toasted pistachios, and sage take your average pasta salad into winter territory.
Cooking
A 3-Ingredient Pomegranate Spritz, No Measuring Needed
A little tart, a little sweet, and extremely festive.