Fresh ricotta is one of those magic ingredients that elevates a dish with its presence. It casts its spell in all kinds of recipes, lightening texture and adding a certain tenderness to dishes as varied as baked pasta (below), lemon pancakes and turkey meatballs. Fresh ricotta is a standout on a charcuterie board and makes a cloudlike base for squash on toast — a great Thanksgiving appetizer, as it happens.

That pasta bake and four other easy dishes that will help you get through these busy holiday weeks.

1. Ricotta Pasta Bake

Thanks to a whole lot of ricotta, this baked pasta is so creamy and milky that it’s nearly as fluffy as pudding. The dish has a sweet tang from roasted lemon and tomatoes, plus a crisp breadcrumb topping to contrast all that plushness. Because the sauce is mostly cheese, it’s worth seeking out ricotta that doesn’t have gum or stabilizers; you’ll get the best results from ricotta that is made of just milk, salt and perhaps a vinegar or natural culture.

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Salt and pepper

1 small to medium lemon
2 pints cherry or other small tomatoes
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 sprigs of sage, oregano, thyme or basil (optional)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound shells, orecchiette or tubular pasta
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
1 pound whole-milk ricotta

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Zest the lemon into a medium bowl, then cut it into quarters.
In a 9-by-13-inch/3-quart baking dish, toss together the lemon quarters, tomatoes, onion, 3 herb sprigs (if using) and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast until onion is tender and tomatoes burst, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until 1 minute short of al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta. To the bowl of lemon zest, add the panko, half the Parmesan, plus the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper then set aside. Finely chop up to 1 tablespoon of herb leaves (if using).
Use tongs to squeeze the roasted lemons into the tomatoes. Discard the spent lemons and herb sprigs. Stir the ricotta, 1 cup pasta water, remaining Parmesan and chopped herbs (if using) into the tomatoes until combined. Stir in the pasta, then season to taste with salt and pepper. If your dish doesn’t have sauce pooling, add the rest of the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle with the panko mixture and bake until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Baked Salmon

Baked salmon. Lidey Heuck gives us a straightforward way to bake salmon, using seasonings you might already have on hand. Food styled by Cyd Raftus McDowell. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)

This simple oven-baked salmon comes together in just 20 minutes and leans on everyday seasonings including garlic, brown sugar, paprika and pepper for an easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to swap in your favorite spices or blends, or serve with some fresh, chopped herbs if you have them on hand. Center-cut salmon fillets will take a few minutes longer to cook because of their thickness, so monitor doneness with a fork (the fish will flake easily when cooked). Serve with simple weeknight sides such as couscous and sautéed kale, or use as a protein to top salads or grain bowls.

By Lidey Heuck

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 (6-ounce) skin-on or skinless salmon fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Half a lemon, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and place on the sheet pan. Brush the fillets all over with the olive oil.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, brown sugar, salt, paprika and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the fillets, pressing gently to coat the tops and sides.
Bake the salmon until it flakes easily and is just cooked in the center, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Squeeze the lemon over the fish and serve.

3. Crispy Green Bean and Potato Sabzi

Crispy green bean and potato sabzi. Priya Krishna adds almond butter to a green bean and potato sabzi in this recipe. Food styled by Cyd Raftus McDowell. (David Malosh/The New York Times.)

Indian cooking is filled with one-pan sabzis that come together fast and deliver big, complex flavor. This variation on a potato and green bean sabzi has a twist: almond butter, which gives the vegetables a nutty, almost tempura-like coating, made fragrant with warm spices, ginger and garlic. The green bean and potato combination makes for a nice contrast of textures, but you can easily make swaps: potatoes for sweet potatoes, green beans for broccoli. Chaat masala — a salty, tart and delightfully funky spice blend — is widely available in South Asian grocery stores or online and is well worth having in your pantry to give sabzis like this one some extra sparkle.

By Priya Krishna

Yield: 2 main-dish or 4 side-dish servings

Total time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon neutral oil or olive oil
1 medium russet potato, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (such as Morton)
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
Lime juice, to taste
Chaat masala (optional), for garnish
Rice or roti (optional), for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a large (lidded) nonstick skillet over high heat, warm the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potato and half the salt and let cook, undisturbed, until the cubes develop a golden-brown crust on the bottoms, 3 to 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium, give the potatoes a toss and add the green beans, the remaining salt and 1/4 cup of water. Cover and let cook for about 3 more minutes, until the beans are starting to soften but still a little crunchy, and the potatoes have a little firmness but can be pierced with a fork.
Add the coriander, cumin, pepper, garlic and ginger. Toss to coat the potatoes and green beans, then let cook until you can smell the strong fragrance of the spices, ginger and garlic, about another minute.
Turn the heat down to low, stir in the almond butter, and as it melts, toss it with the vegetables to coat. Cook the sabzi for another minute or two, just to let the almond butter dry out a little and form a crust on the vegetables.
Remove the pan from heat, and sprinkle the top with lime juice and a light dusting of chaat masala, if using. Serve by itself, or with rice or roti alongside.

4. Sheet-Pan Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Fennel

Sheet-pan chicken with sweet potatoes and fennel. This hit recipe from Yewande Komolafe works well for kids, but it’s also sophisticated enough for the adults at the table. Food styled by Monica Pierini. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)

This easy, sheet-pan dinner sings thanks to its zingy vinaigrette of sharp pecorino, warming cracked pepper and bright lemon — which you’ll want to slather on everything. These flavors really get a chance to shine drizzled on top of roast chicken and seasonal vegetables. Don’t be afraid to substitute the sweet potatoes and fennel with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Serve the dish with a handful of leafy greens and a generous amount of the vinaigrette.

By Yewande Komolafe

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 10 to 12 ounces each)
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 small fennel bulb, cut into 1-inch wedges, fronds chopped and reserved
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 lemon, zested, plus 2 tablespoons juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup crumbled or grated pecorino cheese
1/4 cup parsley, leaves and tender stems
4 cups leafy greens, such as baby spinach or torn kale (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss chicken with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and arrange on a large rimmed baking sheet, skin-side up.
In the same bowl, toss potatoes and fennel with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and arrange in an even layer around the chicken.
 Roast until chicken and potatoes are a deep golden brown and fennel is starting to caramelize at the edges, about 35 to 45 minutes.
As chicken cooks, combine vinegar, lemon zest and juice, mustard, garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a thin stream and stir in pecorino. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest. Toss the fennel fronds and parsley with the roasted vegetables.
To serve, cut the chicken off the bone and slice. Divide chicken and vegetables among plates. Serve with a handful of leafy greens if you like, and spoon the pecorino vinaigrette over everything.

5. Coconut-Lime Shrimp

Coconut-lime shrimp. This creamy, gingery, lime-accented dish from Melissa Clark is fast to make, and it’ll disappear from the pot just as quickly. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

You can make this gingery, lightly sweet shrimp stew as tangy and spicy as you like by adjusting the amounts of chile and lime juice. Using full-fat coconut milk gives you the richest and most flavorful dish. But light coconut milk will also work, resulting in something brothier and more souplike. Be sure not to overcook the shrimp. As soon as they turn pink, they’re done.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 shallots, diced
1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, seeded if you like, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated or minced ginger
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (1 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 pound peeled large shrimp
1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon coconut sugar or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce, plus more to taste
Cooked rice, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Heat sesame oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in shallots, jalapeño and a large pinch of salt, and cook until starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in ginger and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.
 Stir in coconut milk, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
Stir in shrimp, lime zest, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Continue to simmer until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more lime juice, salt or fish sauce, or all three, if needed.
Serve over rice, with remaining cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

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