7,151 light recipes

Flounder fillets poached in white wine with carrots, snow peas, and fresh ginger sauce. A light, one-skillet fish dinner ready in 30 minutes with crisp vegetables and delicate pan juices.

Rice Pilaf with Apricots, Raisins and Pine Nuts recipe

Traditional Finnish rye bread (ruisleipa) with a tender crumb and golden crust. Choose beer, buttermilk, milk, or potato water as the liquid for different levels of tangy, sour flavor.

Fried rabbit in breadcrumbs: a double-dredged, crisp-coated classic that treats rabbit like fried chicken. Milk-flour wash, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Serves with sautéed potatoes and greens.

A classic French Buche de Noel with a light sponge cake rolled around chocolate butter cream filling, then coated in chocolate frosting scored to look like bark. The centerpiece of any Christmas table.

Rum flan cake with caramelized sugar, a rum-orange custard layer, and a light chiffon cake baked together in a water bath. A magical two-in-one dessert that inverts into flan on top and cake below.

Italian rice and spinach soup (minestrina) simmered in chicken broth with arborio rice, garlic, and olive oil, finished with freshly grated Parmesan. A light, brothy bowl from the Italian home cooking tradition.

Crisp, crumbly Swedish coconut cookies leavened with baker's ammonia for an ultra-light snap. Rolled into walnut-sized balls and baked until golden. Makes 4 dozen buttery, coconut-flecked treats in under an hour.

Lemon sponge bakes in individual custard cups in a hot-water bath. The filling separates magically into a tangy curd layer below and a feather-light cake-like sponge on top.

Rum chocolate mousse folds melted semi-sweet chocolate, rum syrup, beaten egg whites, and whipped cream into a light, boozy three-ingredient dessert. Chilled in sherbet glasses for an elegant finish.

Smooth pureed celery soup with potatoes, onion, and herbs, finished with milk and topped with fresh grated carrot and celery for crunch. A light, nourishing bowl ready in about an hour.

Spiced pizzelles flavor the classic Italian wafer cookie with warm nutmeg and floral cardamom. Crisp, lacy, and lightly spiced, perfect for stacking on a holiday cookie tray or sandwiching with mascarpone.

Shibu Kawa-Ni: Japanese chestnuts simmered first in green tea, then in a light sugar and soy sauce syrup. A refined, minimalist appetizer with just 4 ingredients and subtle, earthy sweetness.

Spinach pasta soup with orzo, tomato paste, and chicken broth, ready in 30 minutes. A light, low-sodium soup loaded with fresh greens and tiny pasta in a savory tomato broth.

A chilled Scandinavian-style fruit soup made with berries simmered in warm spices, thickened with cornstarch, and stirred into sour cream and milk. Served cold as a starter or light dessert.

Macaroni cheese puffs with whipped egg whites folded into a cheesy macaroni base for a light, soufflé-style bake. A retro casserole with pimiento and American cheese that puffs up golden.