Delicious NYU-Inspired Recipes to Make at Home

NYU-inspired Pancakes

Recipe by Ryan St. Germain,
Executive Director, Development & Alumni Relations, NYU College of Dentistry

Whether you’re making pancakes to delight the young ones at home or the young at heart, these pancakes will add plenty of Violet Pride to your breakfast spread.  

1. Start with a pancake recipe of your choosing, then, once the batter is made, gather your culinary crafting tools.
   
2. Get a common clear condiment bottle (like you would use at a picnic), then cut the tip of the bottle so that you have one with a very small opening and another with a wider opening.
3. Color the batter by adding five to ten drops of food coloring (cooking and temperature may darken colors, so think about that when mixing).
   
4. Fill the bottles with the colored batter of your choice
5. Use the bottle with the small opening to trace your design
6. Fill your design on the cooking sheet
7. Bake and eat!

Cuban Rice and Beans

Recipe by Lourdes Castro (STEINHARDT ‘93)

Lourdes Castro (STEINHARDT ‘93), Culinary Director of the NYU Food Lab, registered nutritionist, and an NYU alumna and professor is passionate about Latinx cuisine and cooking healthy foods. Try her gluten-free, traditional Cuban rice and beans recipe and visit her website for more delicious recipes.

Caramelized Leek & Seared Mushroom Toast

Recipe by Bryant Terry (GSAS ’01)

In his new cookbook, Vegetable Kingdom, Bryant Terry (GSAS ’01) plays with ingredients, cooking techniques, and traditional Black dishes throughout the world to create unique recipes that draw on African, Asian, Caribbean, and American Southern flavors. Try his caramelized leek and seared mushroom toast that blends fresh tarragon, thyme, and pine nuts for an aromatic treat.  

Adobo-Fried Chicken and Waffles

Recipe by Edward Lee (CAS ’95)

You may recognize Edward Lee (CAS ’95) as the author of Smoke and Pickles and Buttermilk Graffiti, as a culinary extraordinaire on Top Chef and The Mind of a Chef, or as a celebrated restaurateur, but what is most recognizable is Lee’s passion: to reimagine Southern cooking. Try this adobo-fried chicken and waffles recipe with notes of red pepper, garlic, and habanero that will make you rethink what you know about fried chicken.
 

Veal and Ricotta Meatballs

Recipe by John DeLucie (GAL ’89)

Brooklyn native and celebrity chef, John DeLucie (GAL ’89), knows a thing or two about shaking things up. Author of The Hunger and a proponent of innovative dishes, DeLucie brings an Italian-American twist to classic meals that have attracted foodies around the world. Try his veal and ricotta meatballs topped off with a healthy dose of parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

Herb Roasted Chicken and Veggies

Recipe by Sheila Lukins (STEINHARDT ’70)

Sheila Lukins (STEINHARDT ’70) was a cook and food writer known as the co-author of the critically acclaimed cookbook series, The Silver Palate, as well as The New Basics Cookbook. Throughout her lifetime, Lukins encouraged Americans to explore new dishes and bring French, Southern, and Eastern European cooking techniques and ingredients into the kitchen. Try this herb roasted chicken and vegetable recipe, perfect for a Sunday meal or holiday feast.  

Cheesy Cornbread

Recipe by Martine Dardignac (CAS ’02)

Growing up in New York, Martine Dardignac (CAS ’02) has always been connected to her Haitian roots and the flavors coming from her mother’s kitchen. As the owner of Taste Buds Required, a catering business specializing in Haitian and Caribbean cuisine, Dardignac shares that connectivity with her customers everyday. Try her scrumptious cheesy cornbread recipe and check out Taste Buds Required for catering services for family events throughout New York City and the Hudson Valley.

Cold Tomato Soup With Grilled Zucchini & Basil Tapenade

Recipe by Amanda Cohen (CAS ’95)

Amanda Cohen (CAS ’95) is the James Beard-nominated chef and owner of Dirt Candy, the award-winning vegetable restaurant on New York City's Lower East Side. Her talent allowed her to be one of the Iron Chefs on Iron Chef Canada as well as a board member and treasurer of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Try her cold tomato soup with grilled zucchini and topped with basil tapenade, a perfect cool-down dish for summer.

Spanish Potato Omelet With Roasted Peppers

Recipe by Maricel Presilla (GSAS ’79, ’89)

Maricel Presilla (GSAS ’79, ’89) is an award-winning author, chef, and restaurateur who is widely recognized as the nation’s pre-eminent expert on Latin and Caribbean cuisine. As the chef at Cucharamama, a pan-Latin restaurant in Hoboken, she creates authentic dishes hailing from Chile, Peru, Argentina, and beyond. Try her Spanish potato omelet with roasted peppers, also known as tortilla de patatas.

Vegetarian Squash Chili

Recipe from Dining with Dysphagia, a cookbook created by Speech@NYU, a master's in speech language pathology from NYU Steinhardt

Food is something that everyone should be able to enjoy. This is the premise for the NYU Steinhardt Iron Chef Dysphagia Challenge competition, during which contestants prepare food that maximizes nutrition, texture, and taste for people with dysphagia — the medical term for chewing and swallowing difficulties. The result? A cookbook of flavorful dishes for all abilities. Try their vegetarian squash chili, simmering with cumin, garlic, and fresh peppers.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Recipe from Dining with Dysphagia, a cookbook created by Speech@NYU, a master's in speech language pathology from NYU Steinhardt

For a sweet, creamy, and easy treat, try this chocolate chia pudding from the Dining with Dysphagia cookbook. Drizzle with coconut milk, mint leaves, or cacao nibs for a picture-worthy presentation that would delight any dessert enthusiast.

Grilled Corn and Quinoa Salad

The NYU Food Lab has long been home to innovative dishes that experiment with grains and flavors from around the world—and this grilled corn and quinoa salad is a colorful example of that vision. A staple grain in Peru, quinoa is a nutritious base that can be enhanced with corn, tomatoes, cilantro and lime to create a bright side-dish or healthy snack.  

Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Let your love for Mexican cooking step into the kitchen with this vibrant chicken enchiladas recipe by the NYU Food Lab. Warm, garlicky, simmered with onions, and garnished with cilantro, this culinary creation will leave your taste buds happy.
Tip: serve some tangy Mexican crema on the side for an extra kick!