The Cookbook Recipes That Rule Them All

Some recipes turn out great. But some are as reliable—and wise—as old friends.

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We all have recipes that we return to again and again—recipes that put dinner on the table quickly, recipes we pull out for birthdays. But every once in awhile, a recipe comes along that does more than just deliver. It illuminates. It gives pause. Then it changes the way you cook forever.

These are the "category killers"—recipes that are the culinary equivalent of a mic drop in a karaoke battle. Cook any one of the recipes from these brilliant cookbook authors, and it'll hitch a ride with you. You'll never want to make a random roast chicken again—you'll make the Zuni roast chicken. You won't bake a batch of chocolate cookies—you'll make Dorie's cookies. You'll make these recipes so many times, in fact, that they'll become your family recipes, too.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan

I put off trying this recipe for years—seriously, butter in tomato sauce, how can that be good? How I was mistaken: The short list of pantry ingredients bubble and marry together, resulting in a dead simple sauce that tastes like it took all day to make. It’s now the only sauce I make. —Sheela Prakash, Editorial Assistant

World Peace Cookies

Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

I thought slice-and-bake cookies were for amateurs. I thought French sables were too difficult. But these slice-and-bake sables are both impressive and easy—which means it's a cookie (a cookie!) that's proved me wrong, twice. And despite the fact that I hate being wrong, I love these salty, crumbly confections more than anybody should really love a cookie. And I'll never be wrong about that.—David Tamarkin, Editor

Boeuf Bourguignon

Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck

This recipe taught me that building layers of flavor and slow-cooking beef in a ton of red wine can transform it into something magical. Set aside an afternoon to let this dish simmer away and serve it for any occasion. It's impressive for a dinner party (and it's even better if you make it in advance) but cozy enough for an evening for two.—Rhoda Boone, Food Editor

Zuni Roast Chicken with Bread Salad

Zuni Cafe Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers

All roast chickens are not created equal. This chicken made a name for Judy Rodgers, first at her San Francisco restaurant Zuni Cafe, and then in her now-legendary cookbook of the same name. Yes, it's fussy. Yes, it's nearly five pages long. But it changed the way I roast chicken forever. (Salt your birds early, people!)—Paula Forbes, Senior Editor

Shakshuka

Jerusalem: A Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

There are thousands of shakshukas online, but this is the one that put the dish on America's Weeknight Dinner roster. Its success is in its simplicity: A can of whole tomatoes is cooked down with a chopped red pepper, plenty of garlic, and a few spoonfuls of spicy harissa. Slip in a few eggs and dinner (or brunch) (or a midnight snack) is done.—SP

Chicken Marbella

The Silver Palate Cookbook, by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso

Had Julee and Sheila called this recipe "Baked Chicken with Green Olives and Prunes," it probably wouldn't have become the number-one chicken dish of buffets everywhere. But they had the good sense to give it a vague name. And not only is Marbella mysterious, it's also a host's dream—it can be made ahead, and it can feed a dozen people. That's why people make the recipe the first time; they make it the second, third, and thirteenth times because—who knew?—when you bake chicken with olives and prunes, it's impossible not to like.—DT

No-Knead Bread

My Bread, by Jim Lahey

Making bread is a hassle. It’s messy, it's time consuming, and with lots of easy access to expertly-made bread, I saw no reason to bother with it. Then Lahey’s no-knead method was published in the Times. It gave me the courage to attempt making my own bread at home, mostly because it was so dead simple and required so little effort on my part. Truthfully, most of the time I still buy bread. But the process of making my own for special occasions is something I never regret.—Matt Duckor, Senior Editor

Raised Waffles

The Breakfast Book, by Marion Cunningham

I love Cunningham's breakfast book for many reasons. It contains recipes for charmingly old-fashioned things like "Bridge Creek Heavenly Hots." It contains Marion's wisdom on toasts: "Another nice thing about them is that they are practical and manageable if you get the notion to carry them back to bed." And most importantly, it contains the recipe for possibly the most delicious thing you'll ever eat: Raised Waffles. They will seem like a more time-consuming variation on the typical baking powder waffle. They are not. Don't ask me to explain why, but the yeast doesn't just make these airy and light—it makes them impossibly crispy. Bite into a raised waffle, ideally with the indentations overflowing with melted butter and maple syrup, and stars will explode behind your eyes.—Adina Steiman, Special Projects Editor