602 water recipes

Orzo with spinach and toasted pine nuts, cooked risotto-style in garlic-infused water with Parmesan. A 15-minute Mediterranean side dish or light vegetarian dinner.

Classic French country pate with ground pork and veal marinated overnight in white wine and brandy, lined with fatback, and baked in a water bath until firm. A make-ahead appetizer.

Basic miso soup with wakame, onion, carrot, and a swirl of miso paste stirred in off-heat for an authentic Japanese starter ready in 20 minutes.

Lettuce-wrapped steamed cod with lemon juice and black pepper, ready in 20 minutes. A clean, low-calorie fish recipe with no oil and no fuss.

Easy angel cookies use just three ingredients: angel food cake mix, water, and chopped fruit. Light, puffy, and ready in 20 minutes with no eggs, butter, or oil.

Vegan gumbo with okra, corn, crushed tomatoes, and the Cajun holy trinity sautéed in water instead of oil. A quick 30-minute plant-based soup that's full of Southern flavor.

Chicken base is basically dehydrated, powdered chicken stock. If you can't find it in the supermarket, grind chicken bouillon cubes. For the asparagus, cut about two inches off the stem end. You don't need to peel it. To blanch spinach, simply drop it in boiling salted water for one minute and then immediately submerge it in ice water to stop the cooking and retain the color. The spinach will provide the soup with a vibrant green hue.

Easy roast pork loin seasoned with a five-ingredient dry rub of onion powder, allspice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Hot water in the oven keeps it moist; rest before slicing for juicy results.

Homemade cappuccino mix with instant coffee, powdered creamer, sugar, and crushed orange hard candy for citrus warmth. Shelf-stable jar blend ready to scoop into hot water.

Vegetable stock simmers carrot, celery, turnip, asparagus, potato, parsley, and dandelion greens or kitchen scraps in water for hours until concentrated. A zero-waste freezer staple for soups, risottos, and braises.

Teno salmon is a Finnish method of poaching salmon steaks in water until dry, then finishing in butter. Simple, traditional, and lets the fish speak for itself.

Greek stuffed grape leaves (dolmades) filled with ground lamb, pine nuts, fresh mint, parsley, and lemon juice, then baked in water until tender. A classic Mediterranean appetizer.

Diabetic pumpkin custard: a sugar-free single-serve pumpkin custard sweetened with saccharin and baked in a water bath. A light fall dessert for anyone watching carbs.

Nondairy chocolate rum mousse melts chocolate chips with water and rum, then folds in beaten egg whites for an airy four-ingredient dairy-free dessert. Keeps a week in the fridge.

Frijoles de la olla are Mexican pot beans cooked from dried pintos with just water and salt. Partially mashed for a thick, creamy sauce and served with warm flour tortillas and salsa.

A creamy, tangy tahini sauce blended from sesame paste, garlic, lemon juice, and water in 10 minutes. The essential Middle Eastern drizzle for falafel, shawarma, and roasted vegetables.