Recipe Roundup: Our Best New Recipes of 2013

As we start off a new year, we’re also looking back on the past one, celebrating all the delicious recipes created by the Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen in 2013. We scoured our website to create a list of the recipes our customers loved best, based on top-notch reviews and glowing comments. Read on to see them all — we’re thrilled you tried them!

 

Did you have any other favorites? If so, tell us in the comments. As always, thanks for cooking with us!

 

Pappardelle with Bolognese Sauce A combination of ground beef, ground pork and pancetta lends great flavor to this classic Italian sauce, which is tossed with wide pasta noodles, or pappardelle. Be sure to cook the pasta until it’s just al dente—tender but still a bit chewy.

Spring Pea Soup with Bacon Bread Crumbs Showcasing the garden-fresh flavors of spring, this pea soup gets a flavor boost from a sprinkling of bread crumbs and bits of bacon. For a fun garnish, cut bacon slices in half lengthwise and fry until crisp, then place upright in each glass of soup just before serving.

Triple Citrus-Ginger Quick Bread Zest from three types of citrus fruit—orange, lemon and lime—adds a refreshing note to this quick bread, while candied ginger lends a sweet undertone.

Pomegranate-Merlot Braised Lamb Shanks Pomegranate juice gives this slow-cooked lamb dish a sweet-tart flavor, while cinnamon, cumin and allspice add an undertone of spicy warmth. Serve over couscous to soak up the delicious sauce.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon This simple asparagus dish is perfect for spring, with the bright, fresh flavors of lemon and garlic. Serve it alongside seafood or roasted meats at brunch or dinner.

Cauliflower-Kale Soup with Crispy Kale Topping Kale lends a beautiful green color to this silky cauliflower soup, which is completely vegan when you use vegetable stock instead of chicken. A garnish of crispy kale chips and pine nuts adds a satisfying crunch.

Quinoa Salad with Grilled Vegetables and Feta Showcasing a medley of summer vegetables, this fresh, vibrant salad is perfect for entertaining. And prep is simple—the vegetables are cooked on a stovetop grill pan, so you don’t have to fire up your outdoor grill.

Moussaka Moussaka is a great choice when you’re serving a crowd, and it’s a nice departure from more common pasta dishes or casseroles. You can do much of the work in advance; prep the meat sauce and béchamel the night before and refrigerate.

Kale-Cucumber-Apple Smoothie This smoothie combines lots of nutritious green ingredients, including kale, cucumber, apple and romaine lettuce. We blend them with our antioxidant smoothie mix for an extra boost.

Seafood Stew with Fennel and Tomatoes Our version of the classic seafood stew is prepared in a Cuisinart multicooker, so the ingredients simmer unattended until the last few minutes, when the fish and shrimp are added. Serve this hearty stew the traditional way, with crostini and rich aioli.

Warm Corn, Tomato and Arugula Salad When corn and tomatoes reach their seasonal peak, combine them in this simple side dish, which cooks in just 5 minutes. It’s a great accompaniment to grilled or pan-roasted steaks and roasted potatoes — an easy but elegant menu.

Pumpkin-Braised Pork with Greens Perfect for a cold-weather meal, this comforting braise is easy to prepare, thanks to the use of a slow cooker and our pumpkin braising sauce. Serve it over polenta or buttered rice noodles.

Blackberry-Brown Sugar Quick Bread A wonderful breakfast treat, this bread gets a deep, rich flavor from brown sugar. Because the recipe calls for frozen blackberries instead of fresh, you can make it year-round.

Grill-Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Bell Peppers Cooked on a grill using a vertical roaster, these chickens emerge moist and flavorful, with crisp, golden brown skin. Potatoes and bell peppers cook in the roaster’s base, so you’ve got a complete summer meal.

Kale Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing This salad is nutritious but still completely crave-worthy. It calls for kale instead of the more traditional lettuce; the heartier leaves stand up well to the creamy dressing. Torn croutons add a rustic touch to the dish.

Pea Soup with Grilled Ham and Cheese When spring arrives, transform fresh peas into this delicious soup, which is made in the powerful Vitamix blender. Add a grilled ham and cheese sandwich for a dinner that the whole family will love.

Ginger-Soy Red Snapper en Papillote Here, an Asian-inspired marinade amps up the flavor of red snapper, which is cooked in a parchment-paper packet along with carrots and napa cabbage.

Warm Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Hazelnuts Combining whole-grain farro with chunks of butternut squash, crunchy hazelnuts and dried cranberries, this salad is not only beautiful, it’s also packed with nutrients. Pack it for lunch, or serve alongside roasted meats or poultry for dinner.

Family-Style French Toast with Strawberry Syrup Looking for an easy way to prepare French toast for a crowd? Try this recipe, which uses a frittata pan to cook a large round of French toast that’s cut into wedges for serving.

Five-Spice Chicken Breasts with Cherry-Madeira Sauce Fragrant five-spice powder lends a wonderful layer of flavor to this chicken dish that’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner yet impressive enough for guests. Serve with creamy, cheesy polenta to round out the meal.

Heirloom Tomato and Arugula Pizza Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best. Use your favorite heirloom tomatoes for this fresh summer pizza, topped with peppery arugula leaves and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Turkey, Two-Bean and Sweet Potato Chili Here, we’ve lightened up classic chili by using ground turkey instead of beef, plus a medley of spices for flavor without the fat. Offer a selection of garnishes and let everyone top off their bowls as they please.

Honey-Wheat Sandwich Bread This hearty yeasted bread has a wonderfully light texture and a hint of sweetness — it’s great for breakfast toast or for sandwiches in a lunch box.

White Wine-Braised Chicken with Root Vegetables Braise chicken and root vegetables to perfect tenderness in record time by using a pressure cooker — you won’t believe how easy it is with this recipe.