Pickle lemonade summer is a go

And yes, it's very good
Cooking
May 31, 2025
Kasia Pilat's pickle lemonade. Joel Goldberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Pickle lemonade? Pickle lemonade!

By Mia Leimkuhler

I love pickles a lot, but I willingly bow down to New York Times Cooking's resident pickle queen, Kasia Pilat. You might recognize her name from these recipes for ogórkowa zupa (pickle soup) and chłodnik litewski (chilled beet soup), the latter of which doesn't have pickles but does land that sour tang with kefir and sour cream. Now, just in time for summer, Kasia has given us pickle lemonade.

Pickle lemonade! If you're dubious, I promise you, as someone who gulped down two glasses of this when she brought it into the office, it really works. The sweet, vinegary, slightly vegetal tang of the pickle brine melds easily with lemons and sugar. This is exactly the sort of thing I'd drink after a long bike ride (all those electrolytes) or mix with vodka for a fun, refreshing cocktail. But it's perfect on its own. Pickle lemonade summer is a go.

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Pickle Lemonade

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AN OUTDOORSY MENU THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A GRILL

Easy and breezy: highly spiced kebabs, a refreshing cucumber salad and perfectly portable cookies.

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David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Oven Chicken Kebabs

By David Tanis

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

46

1 hour 35 minutes

Makes 8 kebabs

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David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Herbed Cucumber-Yogurt Salad

By David Tanis

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarUnfilled Star

31

20 minutes

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Coconut Almond Blondies 

By Samantha Seneviratne

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

212

40 minutes

Makes 16 servings

Today's specials:

Easy chicken tortas: Not enough sandwiches use refried beans (homemade or otherwise) as delicious, savory Spackle. How else are you going to keep your pan-fried, chile-seasoned chicken cutlet, lettuce, tomato and avocado from sliding out after the first bite? Kristina Felix urges us not to skimp on the pickled jalapeños here, and I'm more than happy to oblige.

Mujadara (lentils and rice with fried onions): We all know how I feel about rice, and the words "fried onions" get a similar heart-eyed reaction from me. Combined with tender lentils and plenty of cumin? Pass me a plate. My thanks to Naz Deravian.

Roasted fish and leeks vinaigrette: Perhaps you, like me, will want to make this after reading only the first line of Lidey Heuck's recipe note: "This zippy sheet-pan dinner takes inspiration from leeks vinaigrette, a French bistro dish in which leeks are boiled until tender and dressed with a mustard vinaigrette." (For a vegetarian take on those classic mustardy leeks, you'll want to make Hetty Lui McKinnon's five-star miso leeks with white beans.)

Herby pearl couscous and sugar snap-pea salad: This make-ahead Hetty number features the earthy, tangy flavors of tabbouleh, with plenty of chopped mint and parsley. Serve with your go-to rotisserie chicken — either alongside or shredded in — and that's a pretty perfect early-summer dinner.

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

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Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.

Easy Chicken Torta

By Kristina Felix

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

7

45 minutes

Makes 4 sandwiches

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Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Mujadara (Lentils and Rice With Fried Onions)

By Naz Deravian

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

115

1 1/2 hours

Makes 6 servings

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Joel Goldberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Roasted Fish and Leeks Vinaigrette  

By Lidey Heuck

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

26

45 minutes

Makes 4 servings

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Joel Goldberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Herby Pearl Couscous and Sugar Snap Pea Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarUnfilled Star

29

30 minutes 

Makes 4 servings

Fresh, delicious dinner ideas for busy people, from Emily Weinstein and NYT Cooking.

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Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties.

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Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties.

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