College dorm survival tips: easy recipes

By Sharon Attia

The New York Times

Let’s be real, cooking in a college dorm isn’t always easy. Tiny communal kitchens, barely any counter space and maybe just a microwave to work with? We’ve been there.

But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with ramen and granola bars forever. Whether you’re craving something quick between classes or need a midnight snack, these dorm-friendly dishes have your back.

PACK A LUNCH

Chickpea Spinach Salad With Curry Yogurt Dressing

Highly transportable and sunny, this no-cook salad is perfect for outdoor meals or potlucks — but it’s also evergreen enough to be a desk lunch any time of year. Stained and seasoned with curry powder, the chickpea salad’s bold flavor is brightened with fresh herbs, scallions and a splash of vinegar. Mashing a portion of the chickpeas offers a pleasant variance in texture and helps thicken the sauce; a little yogurt brings everything together. You can throw this salad together quickly for an impromptu meal, or even make it a whole day ahead, as it gets better with time. As it sits, the spinach softens and shrinks slightly; if you prefer a fresh, crunchy bite, then toss in the spinach at the last moment before serving.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons full-fat yogurt

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 scallions, light green and white parts sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas, rinsed

3 packed cups (3 ounces) baby spinach

DIRECTIONS

1: In a large serving bowl or transportable container, mix together the curry powder, vinegar, yogurt, olive oil and mustard until smooth. Stir in the scallions and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add the chickpeas and toss to coat.

2: Use a fork to mash a quarter of the chickpeas. Add the spinach and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt, as needed. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days. (If making ahead, remove from the fridge and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature; drizzle lightly with olive oil before serving.)

Recipe by Yasmin Fahr.

A QUICK BREAKFAST

Matcha Overnight Oats

Oats and a matcha latte make a wonderful breakfast pairing, but this recipe goes one step further to combine them into matcha overnight oats, an effortless breakfast that will delight lovers of efficiency and morning matcha. For vibrantly colored oats and a strong matcha flavor, whisk the oat mixture with a full teaspoon of matcha powder, but feel free to decrease that amount for a more delicate flavor or lower caffeine level. Refrigerate the oat base at least 3 hours to thicken (or overnight), then adjust the desired thickness to taste, adding more milk to thin as desired. To serve, top with thick, creamy Greek yogurt and vibrant fruits of choice, like raspberries, mangoes and blueberries.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups oat milk or milk of choice (plus more for serving, if desired)

7 teaspoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon unsweetened high-quality matcha powder

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup/95 grams rolled oats

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Vanilla Greek yogurt and fruit, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1: In a lidded quart container or other similar vessel, whisk the milk, maple syrup, sifted matcha powder and vanilla together until smooth and no matcha lumps remain. Stir in the oats and chia seeds until thoroughly combined.

2: Cover the mixture and store in the fridge at least 3 hours or overnight.

3: Mix to combine thoroughly before serving, and thin to taste with more milk, if desired. Top with yogurt and fruit. The oats can last, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days.

Recipe by Ifrah F. Ahmed.

RAMEN WITH A TWIST

Peanut Butter Noodles

This nutty midnight pasta is a dream to cook, as it requires just a handful of pantry staples and one pot. Peanut butter (the less fancy, the better) anchors a creamy sauce swathed in umami. Accentuated by a good, salty Parmesan, these noodles recall those cheesy peanut butter sandwich crackers. They make an ideal dinner for one, but the amounts can easily be doubled or quadrupled as needed. For an equally gripping vegan alternative, try swapping out the butter for olive oil and the cheese for nutritional yeast.

Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

Salt

4 ounces spaghetti or 1 individual package instant ramen (seasoning packet saved for another use)

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon soy sauce

DIRECTIONS

1: Bring a pot of water to a boil (and salt it, if using spaghetti). Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles and return to the pot. Turn off the heat.

2: Add the peanut butter, butter, Parmesan and soy sauce. Vigorously stir the noodles for a minute, adding some reserved cooking water, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles. Season to taste with salt.

3: Top with more cheese, if you’d like, and serve immediately.

Recipe by Eric Kim.

NO STOVE NEEDED

Tuna Mayo Rice Bowl

This homey dish takes comforting canned tuna to richer, silkier heights. Mayonnaise helps to hold the tuna together and toasted sesame oil lends incomparable nuttiness. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste: Use as much or as little soy sauce as you’d like for a savory accent. You can lean into the nuttiness of this rice bowl by sowing the top with toasted sesame seeds, or amp up the savoriness with furikake or scallions. A staple of home cooking in Hawaii and South Korea (where it is sometimes called deopbap), this simple meal is a workday workhorse.

Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

1 (5-ounce) can tuna (preferably any variety stored in oil), well drained

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1 cup cooked white rice (preferably short- or medium-grain)

Toasted white or black sesame seeds, furikake or chopped scallions, for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1: In a small bowl, stir the tuna, mayonnaise, sesame oil and soy sauce to combine.

2: Add the white rice to a bowl and spoon the tuna mixture on top. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, furikake or scallions, if using.

Recipe by Eric Kim.

ZAP A DESSERT INTO EXISTENCE

Microwave Nutella Pudding Cake

This warm, gooey, flourless chocolate cake requires just 3 ingredients, 5 minutes and a zap in the microwave. Nutella does the heavy lifting here, standing in for sugar, fat and flour and offering its milky cocoa sweetness and toasty hazelnut flavor to every spoonful. This cake is best slightly underbaked so the center is molten like a lava cake. A dollop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt is optional, but a wonderful way to balance the richness of the cake beneath.

Makes 1 to 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup/75 grams chocolate hazelnut spread (preferably Nutella)

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1: In a microwave-safe bowl, ramekin or mug that holds at least 12 fluid ounces/1 1/2 cups, whisk together the chocolate hazelnut spread and egg until smooth.

2: Sprinkle with the baking powder and whisk until combined.

3: Microwave until the edges are set but the middle is still slightly wet, 40 to 60 seconds. Top with a spoonful of ice cream or yogurt, if desired, and eat right away.

Recipe by Ali Slagle.