Handy Chef
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
While Ina Garten, television star and author of cookbooks like Go-To Dinners and Modern Comfort Food, might have a reputation for making complicated recipes, we’ll let you in on a little secret: one of the reasons why we love the Barefoot Contessa so much is that many of her recipes are actually really easy to make.
Related story
6 Ina Garten Tips & Recipes for the Best Burgers Ever
She knows how to work magic with a handful of ingredients, and because she’s such a rigorous recipe tester, she often finds ways to simplify cooking processes that have been needlessly complicated in the past. You don’t need a culinary degree to make most of Garten’s dishes, and thanks to her skill, they’ll still turn out perfectly every time.
If you’ve been feeling burnt out by weeknight cooking but are still craving tasty, elegant, homemade flavors, then Garten’s easy recipes are here to help. From velvety homemade soups to sheet pan meals, skillet chicken to baked risotto, these simple Ina Garten recipes will make you feel like a star chef, without taking up hours of your free time. Mix yourself one of Garten’s gigantic quarantine cocktails and get ready to cook.
-
Chicken with Goat Cheese & Basil
Image Credit: robynmac/Adobe. Making a dinner party-worthy dinner doesn’t have to take all day, or call for dozens of fancy ingredients. Ina Garten’s simple chicken with goat cheese and basil is made with just four ingredients, but has tons of flavor thanks to the hack of using garlic and herb goat cheese instead of plain.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Egg Salad Tartines
Image Credit: O.B./Adobe. Whether you need an easy dinner for a hot summer night or are hosting a casual brunch or lunch, these easy egg salad tartines are a simple, flavorful, satisfying option.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Easy Eggs in Purgatory
Image Credit: gkrphoto/Adobe. What’s the secret to Ina Garten’s easy eggs in purgatory? Store-bought arrabiata sauce (Garten recommends Rao’s in her recipe), which takes care of a lot of the heavy lifting. Pair with Garten’s vanilla coffee shakeratos, and brunch is served.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Vanilla Coffee Shakerato
Image Credit: Africa Studio/Adobe. Hosting brunch without coffee is never a good idea, but you don’t need to be a pro barista to whip up a tasty drink, thanks to Ina Garten’s Vanilla Coffee Shakerato recipe, which is ready in less than a minute.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Hot Dogs in Puff Pastry
Image Credit: Sergio Hayashi/Adobe. Leave it to Ina Garten to have a recipe for hot dogs that feels like you could serve to company! Storebought puff pastry is key.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Cacio e Pepe Roasted Asparagus
Image Credit: zi3000/Adobe. How do you dress up a simple bunch of asparagus? Give it the cacio e pepe treatment, with plenty Pecorino cheese, Parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta
Image Credit: grinchh/Adobe. The next time you fire up the grill, toast some slices of sourdough and make Ina Garten’s herbed ricotta bruschetta. Then, mix ricotta with fresh herbs, and you’ve got an easy appetizer or light lunch. Feeling fancy? Garten includes a recipe for homemade ricotta, and has a recipe for an accompanying side salad if you want to make this into a meal.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Image Credit: fahrwasser/Adobe. Roasted brussels sprouts are flavored with pancetta and balsamic vinegar in this six-ingredient recipe (and that includes olive oil, salt, and pepper, which you probably already have on hand).
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Arugula Salad With Parmesan
Image Credit: Yulia – stock.adobe.com If you dread making salad because of all of the chopping, this recipe will come as a relief. All you need to make it is peppery arugula, a simple lemon vinaigrette, and a chunk of quality Parmesan cheese.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Creamy Chicken Thighs With Lemon and Thyme
Image Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto. What does the Barefoot Contessa herself have to say about this recipe? “This is one of my favorite chicken recipes from Go-To Dinners because it’s stunningly easy to make.” That’s enough for us to want to try it.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Baked Cod with Garlic & Herb Ritz Crumbs
Image Credit: South China Morning Post via Getty Images. Cod is one of our favorite fish to cook at home, because it cooks quickly and has a mild flavor and tender, flaky texture. In Garten’s recipe, she bakes lightly seasoned cod with a craveable topping made from seasoned Ritz cracker crumbs and Panko.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Orange Marmalade–Glazed Ham
Image Credit: Getty Images. Ham is one of our favorite recipes for easy entertaining, because it’s already cooked — you just need to warm it up. Baste with a sticky glaze made from marmalade, brown sugar, port wine, mustard, and chutney, and you’ll be ready for your dinner party.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Easy Parmesan Risotto
Image Credit: South China Morning Post via Getty Images. This hands-off risotto recipe has the rice bake in the oven with chicken stock. Right before serving, it’s stirred vigorously with a little more stock, Parmesan cheese, wine, and butter, which makes it creamy and silky, just like the kind you’d have if you stirred constantly over the stove for 30 minutes. How easy is that?
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Balsamic Roasted Baby Peppers
Image Credit: Getty Images/RooM RF. We love the sweet mini peppers that have become so readily available at the store. They make for a tasty side dish, roasted with thyme then drizzled with balsamic, though you can also add them to pasta, quesadillas, rice, and more.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Image Credit: Getty Images. This simple soup has a complex taste that will make people think you were hovering over the stove for hours. Simply sautée onions and curry powder in your favorite soup pot, then add squash, apples, and water. Simmer until everything is tender, then blend until smooth.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Image Credit: Getty Images. Go-To Dinners is full of convenient recipes like these glazed sweet potatoes. They’re simply sautéed in a covered skillet until tender with water, butter, and olive oil, then get drizzled with maple syrup and balsamic vinegar before serving.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Hasselback Kielbasa & Veggies
Image Credit: The Washington Post via Getty Images. Garten’s sausage and veggies sheet pan dinner feels a little special thanks to the clever way she cuts the kielbasa. It fans open as it roasts, getting crispy at the edges as it’s basted with a honey mustard glaze.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts
Image Credit: Getty Images. Not only is this 4-ingredient brussels sprouts recipe delicious on its own as a veggie side dish, it’s also delicious tossed with pasta for an easy, fresh meal. Make sure you use the “good” balsamic for this one.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Summer Garden Pasta
Image Credit: Getty Images/500px. When you have great tomatoes, whether grown in your garden or bought at the store, you don’t need to do much to make them the star of a recipe. A no-cook tomato sauce is the perfect showcase for their sweet and tangy flavor. Toss with angel hair pasta (it cooks in three minutes or less), and dinner is served.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Salmon Teriyaki and Broccolini
Image Credit: The Washington Post via Getty Images. Tender roasted salmon brushed with a homemade teriyaki-inspired glaze is joined by roasted broccolini in this weeknight meal that’s perfect served over rice.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
Easy Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Croutons
Image Credit: Getty Images. Ina Garten’s tomato soup recipe takes a little bit more work than opening a can, but the payoff is totally worth it. Add some grilled cheese croutons on top (they’re literally just pieces of a grilled cheese sandwich) and you’ve got something you’d be happy to pay for at a restaurant, all without leaving home.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
-
21 Ina Garten Recipes That Are ‘Stunningly Easy’ To Make
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings