You might know him from his New York Times cooking column or the videos he hosts on YouTube, but before that, Eric Kim was an editor right here at Food52—and, during his tenure, he created a lot of recipes, many of which remain community favorites to this day. From his column, Table for One, to his simple, streamlined takes on desserts like cheesecake and ice cream, you really can’t go wrong. But, if you’re looking for a place to start, we’ve got you covered. Here are 22 of Eric’s most popular and highly rated recipes.
From Our Shop
1. Miso-Eggplant Spaghetti
Tossing spaghetti with roasted eggplant and caramelized miso results in this quick, satisfying meal your weeknights need. Says Eric: “If ever there were a dish you'd want to eat on repeat, then this umami-packed eggplant spaghetti must be it.”
2. Sheet-Pan Shrimp Scampi for One
This take on shrimp scampi holds a perfect five-star rating, and it’s easy to see why: “When roasted at high heat in a quarter sheet pan like this, marinated shrimp cooks up gorgeously and begins to caramelize in its own juices, creating a sauce that's made even saucier thanks to a last-minute pat of butter and spritz of lemon juice.”
3. Crispy Yangnyeom Chickpeas With Caramelized Chickpeas
Taking inspiration from Korean fried chicken, these chickpeas are sticky, sweet, spicy, and utterly addictive. Try the sauce with other proteins—tofu or fish would also be delicious—or any veg you have on hand.
4. Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
With the help of an Instant Pot, you can have this beloved, hearty soup on the table in under an hour.
5. Blue Cheese Burger
Blue cheese and burgers are a classic pairing. Here, the cheese in question is incorporated into a rosemary mayo that steals the show. All you need, in addition to the patty and sauce, is a well-toasted bun and a handful of peppery arugula to cut through the richness.
6. No-Bake Lime Cheesecake
This cheesecake is the perfect summer dessert: It’s easy, there’s no oven or stovetop cooking required, and it’s full of bright, refreshing lime flavor.
7. Beef Short Rib Bourguignon With Garlicky Panko Gremolata
Classic beef bourguignon gets an upgrade with an herby breadcrumb gremolata that adds just the right amount of texture and brightness.
8. Seasoned Salmon With Warm Sushi Rice
Warm, comforting sushi rice and fresh, sushi-grade salmon—along with cilantro stems, scallions, sesame oil, and capers—makes for an ideal lunch or low-maintenance dinner.
9. Crispy Chicken Parmesan With Fresh Tomato Sauce
This chicken parm isn’t just a community favorite—Eric has a soft spot for it, too. “I can say this without an ounce of hesitation,” he wrote at the time. “In my two years of writing my column, Table for One, this is my favorite recipe I’ve ever developed for it.”
10. Risotto Alla Carbonara
Here, the familiar flavors of Roman carbonara—guanciale, Pecorino Romano—are applied to another staple of Italian comfort food: risotto.
11. Asian Pear Galette With Cardamom Whipped Cream
Crisper and less grainy than other pear varieties, Asian pears make an excellent filling for a galette. Don’t skip the cardamom whipped cream, which gives the dish a warming finish.
12. Sheet-Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
This broccoli-cheese-rice casserole is comfort food at its finest, and baking the whole thing on a sheet pan maximizes the best part: those crispy, chewy edges.
13. Red Velvet Cookies
Inspired by the cupcake craze of the late 2000s and early 2010s, these cookies have a tender center and a crackly, sugared exterior. The best part? You can make them in under an hour.
14. No-Churn Scotch Ice Cream
Yes, it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. Here, Scotch (or whatever spirit you have on hand) not only flavors the dessert—but because the alcohol won’t freeze, it provides a creamier, less icy final product.
15. Pan-Fried Lamb Chops With Minted Pea Salad
Lamb chops are often assumed to be the kind of dish you only serve to a crowd, maybe for a special occasion or holiday. This recipe, however, proves that they’re just as worthy of a casual, solo night in.
16. Ketchup Spaghetti for One
“Spaghetti Napolitan (named after Naples, Italy), or what I like to call "ketchup spaghetti," was invented by the head chef at the New Grand Hotel,” says Eric. “Since tomato sauce was a rare ingredient in postwar Yokohama around the 1950s, ketchup was used as a substitute.”
17. Tamagoyaki-Inspired Scrambled Eggs
Influenced by the savory, slightly sweet flavors of tamagoyaki—a Japanese rolled omelet—these eggs are simply scrambled, no special technique required. Serve with rice and eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
17. Celeriest Celery-Potato Soup
“Raise your hand if you've ever bought an entire head of celery, only to be asked by a recipe for two measly ribs?” asks Eric. “Here's where you can put the other seven to eight ribs to use, finally, and enjoy a solo night of endless not-chewing.”
18.
This spicy, hearty stew tastes like it took far longer than 40 minutes to come together. Serve it with freshly steamed white rice for a superbly comforting meal.
19. Fall Weeknight Pasta
Roasted butternut squash and guanciale (plus some kale added in the last ten minutes or so) makes for one of the easiest, most hands-off pastas imaginable.
20. Pesto Risotto for One With Shrimp
Making risotto is a meditative and satisfying task—especially when the final product is creamy, herbaceous, and finished with juicy shrimp.
21. Jean's Spam Kimchi Fried Rice
This recipe for kimchi fried rice, which comes by way of Eric’s mom, Jean, only requires a few ingredients that, together, are way more than the sum of their parts. Think: salty, fatty Spam, spicy kimchi, nutty sesame oil, leftover rice, and a runny-yolked fried egg.
22. Clementine Chocolate Lava Cakes
Requiring just 15 minutes and a few ramekins, chocolate lava cakes are surprisingly easy to make at home. These are perfect for those who love a chocolate-orange flavor combination, but if that’s not your thing, simply leave out the citrus zest.
