Editors' Picks: 17 Recipes We're Excited to Make in 2022

Baked Alaska
Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Each new year brings an opportunity to experiment in the kitchen. Maybe it's dedicating time to mastering a new technique, such as baking bread from scratch. Maybe it's finally, finally making that recipe you've had bookmarked for ages. Now that we're officially in 2022, our editors are talking about all of the dishes we're trying over the next 12 months, from Baked Alaska to crispy fried tofu. We ended up with a grand total of 17 delicious, definitely resolution-worthy recipes. Some editors have their eyes on warming soups, like Basque Garlic Soup and Sopa de Lima; others are going all-out with cheese and whipping up feta queso-topped nachos, a three-cheese (and crab-studded) macaroni gratin, and a cheese! curd! grilled! cheese! (Take a look at the recipe and you'll understand exactly why we're so excited.) We can't wait to fill our year with these satisfying meals—read on to find out how to make them all.

01 of 17

Seared Scallops with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon

Seared Scallops with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

"I'm a sucker for a good, meaty scallop. I love how this recipe offers next-level accompaniments that feel luxe and restaurant-worthy, but I can make it with things I regularly stock up on. The bright colors and refreshing citrus are just what I need to brighten up my weeknight kitchen routine." –Nikki Miller-Ka, interim social media editor

02 of 17

Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos Recipe
Greg Dupree

"For a Mexican who loves and grew up eating plenty of the cuisine, I don't cook a lot of Mexican food. This year I'm hoping to change that, and can't think of a better way to get started than with the dish that's been blowing up everywhere—birria! Lucky for me, I also picked up a couple of tips from Claudette Zepeda's Birria! Birria! Birria! seminar at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen last year, so I'm ready to make this the year of birria." –Sam Gutierrez, senior social media editor

03 of 17

Chicken Mole

Chicken Mole
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

"As a recent college grad living in a tiny apartment in NYC, I spent most of 2021 opting for one-pot meals and a lot of take-out. This year, my New Year's cooking resolution is to be more intentional in the kitchen by taking on bigger projects, and Ofelia Barajas' recipe for Chicken Mole is at the top of my list. This dish has deep, complex flavors from layers of chiles, tomatoes, chocolate, and lots of garlic. I cannot wait to cozy up with this rich, velvety Chicken Mole and hibernate 'till spring." –Lucy Simon, wine fellow

04 of 17

Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

"I've never made Baked Alaska, and after reading this recipe, realized that it doesn't seem too difficult despite how impressive it looks. I'm happy to see a good deal of it can be made ahead of time, too. For extra drama, after toasting the meringue I'm going to flambé it!" –Sarah Crowder, visuals editor

05 of 17

Miss Kim's Fried Tofu

Miss Kim's Fried Tofu
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

"I dare anyone to accuse tofu of being boring after making this sweet-sticky-crunchy-spicy version from Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It's one of my all-time favorite restaurant dishes, and given that I live several thousand miles away from the restaurant, my goal in 2022 is to master this recipe, so I can whip up a batch whenever the craving inevitably hits every week, like clockwork." –Khushbu Shah, restaurant editor

06 of 17

Crab Macaroni Gratin

crab gratin
Jennifer Causey

"If there's cheese involved in a recipe—especially Gruyère, one of my all-time favorites—there's not much you need to do to convince me to make it. But this gratin is particularly enticing because it also includes fresh crabmeat, uniting it with Gruyère, white cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pasta shells for the ultimate baked macaroni and cheese. Rich, creamy, and savory, this dish has been on my radar ever since we published it, and I'm determined to make it before 2022 comes to a close." –Bridget Hallinan, staff writer

07 of 17

Basque Garlic Soup

Basque Garlic Soup
Greg DuPree

"Every time I promote this soup on our social platforms, my mouth starts watering—not only is it beautiful to look at, but it sounds amazing too! With tendrils of eggs, bread as a thickening agent, and of course, lots and lots of garlic, it's a soup that ticks all the savory boxes." –S.G.

08 of 17

Sopa de Lima (Yucatán Lime and Chicken Soup)

Yucatán Lime and Chicken Soup
© Maura McEvoy

"I'm absolutely being THAT person right now—goes to Yucatán once, won't shut up about it. But to be fair, even when I was in Izamal and Mérida, my traveling companions and I couldn't stop talking about Sopa de Lima, especially while we were eating it (which we did as frequently as possible). Citrus abounds in this Mexican state, showing up in drinks, sweets, and savory dishes that I enjoyed with gusto, but the region's signature soup particularly captivated me. Recipes vary, and tend to work well with either chicken or Yucatán's omnipresent turkey, but the magic meld of Mexican oregano, pungent limes, allspice, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, tortillas, and poultry simultaneously excites and soothes my senses, stoking my boundless want for the next sip and the next trip." –Kat Kinsman, senior editor

09 of 17

Loaded Pita Nachos with Lentil Chili and Feta Queso

Loaded Pita Nachos with Lentil Chili and Feta Queso
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

"I cannot wait to make one of the ultimate snack foods into this luxurious platter of plant-powered joy, bursting with spice and tangy, rich flavors. I fell in love with this recipe after watching Cassie Piuma's F&W Cooks video. I love how each and every element of these nachos is handmade and layered to perfection." –N. M-K.

10 of 17

Thousand-Layer Duck Fat Potatoes

Thousand Layer Duck Fat Potatoes
Victor Protasio

"Hunkering down in my apartment away from the ice and snow outside, I've decided that the theme for this winter is duck fat, and all the things I can fry in it. This recipe for duck fat fried potatoes is just what I need to turn an everyday ingredient into something a little fancy and a little extra. Pull out your mandoline if you have one (wear a safety glove!) to slice up the potatoes. Then, piece them together like a tasty little jigsaw puzzle—here, all that quarantine puzzling really pays off! I love brushing each layer of potato with melted duck fat and seasoning them with kosher salt; it's the kind of care potatoes rarely get but deserve. I made these to take to New Year's Eve dinner with friends, and the crispy, fanned out layers of potatoes were a fun companion to Champagne. Next time, I might whip up a little romesco sauce or aioli to dip them in, but honestly, they are enough on their own. With Champagne, of course." –Chandra Ram, senior digital food editor

11 of 17

Ossola-Style Gnocchi with Sage-Butter Sauce

Ossola-Style Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Missie Neville Crawford

"I'm excited to host a pasta party this winter and make all of Meryl Feinstein's amazing pasta recipes, starting with the Ossola-Style Gnocchi with Sage-Butter Sauce! The warming, chestnut-forward flavor brings a uniqueness to an otherwise classic, cold-weather dish." –Nina Friend, associate features editor

12 of 17

Lobster Frites

lobster frites
Justin King

"Lobster and french fries are two foods I adore but have always been too intimidated to make in my own home. That changes this year." –Maria Yagoda, senior editor

13 of 17

Viet Rice Paper Rolls

Viet Rice Paper Rolls
Greg DuPree

"One of the keys to having a happy 2022 for me is having a well-stocked pantry. This year, I'm making sure to buy a couple of packets of Vietnamese rice paper to keep on hand. The thin, dry rounds are made by drying steamed rice crêpes, and just need to be rehydrated to be ready to eat. I'll be using them to make a lot of Viet Rice Paper Rolls in '22. I am a huge fan of Andrea Nguyen's recipes, and her Vietnamese rolls are fun and easy to make: you dip a sheet of rice paper in water to soften it, whereupon the dry round turns translucent, and takes on a soft, chewy, silky, springy texture. Then you wrap it around an assortment of prepared fillings (rice noodles, herbs, lettuce, shrimp, and julienned carrots and cucumber). Then you do it again. Served with Nguyen's delectable sweet-sour-savory nuoc cham, these rolls are delicious. I love them for quick weekend lunches or light weeknight dinners. And now that my pantry's stocked, I look forward to making them all year long." –Karen Shimizu, executive editor

14 of 17

Roast Chicken with Chile-Basil Vinaigrette, Charred Broccoli, and Potatoes

Roast Chicken with Chile-Basil Vinaigrette
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

"This recipe requires brining, air drying, and marinating, so it's a bit involved but its promises of heat from the chiles, a bit of freshness from the basil, and a mellow sweetness from roasted garlic make it seem absolutely worth it. I might have to plan a dinner party just to try it out." –S.G.

15 of 17

Grilled Cheese-and-Bacon Sandwiches with Cheese Curds

Grilled Cheese-and-Bacon Sandwiches with Cheese Curds. Photo © Fredrika Stjärne
© Fredrika Stjärne

"I've been searching for a recipe involving cheese curds that did not involve frying them or dousing them in gravy and I found it in this beatific sandwich. I'm looking forward to stacking this over-the-top grilled cheese sky high and making those curds squeak and melt with every buttery bite." –N. M-K.

16 of 17

Cacio e Pepe Broccolini with Crispy White Beans and Burrata

Cacio e Pepe Broccolini with Crispy White Beans and Burrata
Victor Protasio

"Beans! Broccolini! Burrata! Hetty McKinnon packs all the tasty B's into this meal, which I plan on trying as soon as Broccolini season hits." –B.H.

17 of 17

Toulouse-Style Cassoulet

Toulouse-Style Cassoulet
Tina Rupp

"On cold winter weekends, I love a multi-step cooking project that culminates in a meal fit for a party. Paula Wolfert, the queen of clay pot cooking, shared her recipe for cassoulet with Food & Wine back in 2005 and it remains my favorite version. First, you coordinate the different cuts of pork and duck with your butcher (or order them from dartagnan.com), then salt the pork and soak the beans on Friday night. Saturday, cook the meat with loads of garlic, aromatics, and Tarbais beans (from ranchogordo.com). On Sunday, layer the pork and bean ragout with legs of duck confit and garlic sausages before baking under a crust of breadcrumbs. Invite a dozen friends over, open lots of wine, and tuck in to a proper cassoulet feast!" –Mary-Frances Heck, senior food editor

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