Better Than Takeout

By Food & Wine
Updated March 08, 2018
Credit: Paola + Murray
It's easy to give in to the temptation of ordering takeout—but not with these recipes in your arsenal. Our takes on lamb shawarma, Thai chicken curry and more will have you putting down that phone and picking up your knife.
Start Slideshow

1 of 13

Beef Fried Rice

Go to Recipe

Much healthier and tastier than the standard fried-rice neighborhood restaurants can deliver.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 13

Lamb Shawarma

Credit: © Kate Mathis
Go to Recipe

In Midtown New York City, the Kwik Meal cart serves amazing $7 lamb-over-rice. Here, F&W's version.

3 of 13

Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews

Go to Recipe

Cashews contain oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat that makes olive oil so heart-healthy.

Advertisement

4 of 13

Double-Pork, Double-Cheese Burgers

Go to Recipe

Ground pork is cheaper than ground beef, and you can use any creamy or pungent cheese you have in the fridge if you don't have Camembert or Gorgonzola on hand.

5 of 13

Chicken Burritos with Black-Bean Salsa and Pepper Jack

Credit: © Todd Porter & Diane Cu
Go to Recipe

Pepper Jack cheese looks innocent enough but adds a nice kick to these burritos. If you prefer a milder taste, use regular Jack instead.

6 of 13

Chicken-and-Lemongrass Dumplings

Go to Recipe

You can use gyoza wrappers instead of making dumpling dough.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 13

Thai Chicken, Zucchini and Tomato Curry

Credit: © Kana Okada
Go to Recipe

Stir-frying isn’t always fast—not when there’s too much chopping. But this tasty recipe from F&W’s Marcia Kiesel requires minimal prep.

8 of 13

Sichuan Peppercorn Shrimp

Credit: © David Tsay
Go to Recipe

The peppercorns and chiles give this dish a lot of heat best treated with a citrusy white ale.

9 of 13

Soft Pork Tacos with Spicy Black Beans

Go to Recipe

A healthy alternative to takeout, these tacos feature black beans—rich in cholesterol-lowering fiber and loaded with protein—as well as lean pork tenderloin.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 13

Three-Cheese Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Pimientos

Go to Recipe

Fontina, Roquefort, and Parmesan are fantastic companions to the pimientos and sweet golden onions.

11 of 13

Green-Chile Burgers with Fried Eggs

Go to Recipe

To make preparation even easier, feel free to use any fresh bread you have in place of the buns.

12 of 13

Green-Tea Fortune Cookies

Go to Recipe

Joanne Chang likes having fun with the fortunes she puts inside these large cookies, like "Give the chef a big kiss." Shaping the tuiles while they're hot can be tricky, so consider using cotton gloves.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 13

Original Egg Rolls

Credit: Paola + Murray
Go to Recipe

Instead of using standard egg roll wrappers, Wu bundles the filling in egg “crêpes,” then dips them in batter before frying.

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Food & Wine