While F&W contributor Andrew Zimmern may be most well-known for his work as the creator and host of award-winning television series like the Bizarre Foods franchise and What's Eating America, he is also an accomplished chef who helped to open and run a dozen restaurants in the Twin Cites area before turning to a career in media. From family recipes like crispy potato latkes to dishes inspired by his travels around the world and time in restaurant kitchens, these Andrew Zimmern recipes are ones we love.
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Corn, Crab, and Shrimp Chowder
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A simple stock made with corn cobs and shrimp shells is the secret to this seafood chowder's incomparable depth. Starchy potatoes and plenty of butter and heavy cream give the soup a luscious texture and flavor.
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02of 30
Cold-Poached Salmon with Cumin Yogurt Sauce
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Zimmern developed this simple and delicious recipe for a cooking class to teach poaching, a basic cooking skill. He simmers a fillet of salmon in water, wine, and aromatics, then lets it sit on a platter to finish cooking. A tangy, herbaceous yogurt sauce comes together quickly while the salmon cooks.
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03of 30
Crispy Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crabs
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Tender soft shell crabs are coated in a delicate batter that's seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and sugar, then fried until crispy. A flavorful, umami-packed dipping sauce is the perfect complement to the fried crab.
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04of 30
Cioppino with Mussels
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For this classic Italian-American stew, seafood simmers in a tomato-based broth spiked with white wine. Zimmern packs his version with mussels, shrimp, and chunks of red snapper.
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05of 30
Hannukah Brisket
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Rubbed with an aromatic blend of thyme, sweet paprika, and sage, this holiday-worthy brisket centerpiece is browned on the stove, then cooked low and slow in the oven alongside onions and fennel bulbs. A rich braising liquid keeps the meat from drying out.
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06of 30
Cold Cucumber Soup with Yogurt and Dill
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This refreshing cucumber soup comes together in the blender and requires zero cooking. Shallots and fresh herbs perfume the pureed cucumbers while Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and olive oil give the soup a tangy flavor and silky texture.
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07of 30
Creamy Lemon Pasta
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Zimmern was inspired to create this recipe by a dish at L'Antica Trattoria in Sorrento, Italy, where lemon juice is tossed with just-cooked pasta until absorbed. Here, fettuccine is served with a bright lemon cream sauce and garnished with Meyer lemon supremes for an extra pop of acidity.
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08of 30
Baltimore-Style Crab Cakes
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"This is the best crab cake recipe you will ever find," says Zimmern. "If you don't overmix, and don't pack your mounds too tightly, you will experience pure, unadulterated crab cake heaven." The recipe comes from his best friend's wife, and includes minimal filler ingredients to put the focus on the buttery crab meat.
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09of 30
Sea Bass Piccata With Fried Capers and Leeks
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Zimmern developed this recipe after his son, Noah, declared the sea bass from their local Italian restaurant to be the best dish he had ever eaten. Fresh sea bass is seared in a skillet, then served with a lemony leek mixture, garlicky arugula, and fried capers for a briny pop.
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10of 30
Rigatoni with Asparagus-Pistachio Pesto
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This springtime pasta came from the menu of Café Un Deux Trois, an acclaimed French restaurant in Minneapolis where Zimmern was executive chef in the 1990s. Pistachios, pine nuts, bacon, and fresh herbs and vegetables add textural and flavor contrast to the restaurant-worthy dish.
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11of 30
Killer Potato Latkes
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"These Jewish potato pancakes are so good that posting the recipe alone is a mitzvah (blessing) of the highest order," says Zimmern, who serves these for Hannukah. The traditional latkes include matzo meal in the batter, yielding extra-crispy pancakes.
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12of 30
Picadillo Vainica
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This easy ground beef and asparagus stir-fry was inspired by a trip to Costa Rica, where Zimmern tried the traditional dish at a local restaurant. "The beef and green beans play well together, and the easy elegance of this dish will quite simply blow your mind," he says.
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13of 30
Roasted Pepper Pissaladière
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ZImmern says this version of the Provençal tart is one of his all-time great recipes. He first developed it when he was 15 as an homage to a version he'd shared with his dad in France, and has tweaked it throughout the years. A puff pastry crust is topped with slow-cooked onions, roasted red pepper strips, olives, and anchovies for this stunning appetizer.
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Steamed Chicken with Scallions and Ginger
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Inspired by Hainanese chicken, marinaded whole chickens slowly steam in an aromatic sake and ginger liquid, yielding flavorful, perfectly cooked meat. The carved chicken pieces are served with a delectable scallion-laced dipping sauce.
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Mussels Fra Diavalo
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For this simple yet irresistible dish, mussels steam in a spicy wine-infused tomato sauce. Serve with crusty bread as an appetizer, or toss with pasta to turn it into a meal.
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16of 30
Jerk Chicken with Scallion-Pepper Sauce
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While this Caribbean dish is traditionally grilled over pimento wood, Zimmern uses a charcoal grill. Two chickens are spatchco*cked so they cook evenly and coated in a fiery, vinegar-packed marinade before grilling.
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Saffron Chicken Tagine
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While this North African dish classically cooks in a vessel of the same name, Zimmern's recipe for the deeply-flavored stew is designed for a large cast-iron casserole. Skin-on chicken pieces marinate in a spice-perfumed mixture overnight, then brown in the casserole and simmer with the reserved marinade, chicken broth, carrots, fennel, peas, and green olives.
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18of 30
Welsh Rarebit
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These classic melted-cheese toasts are a great drinking snack. Using crumbly cheddar in the beer-spiked sauce adds a slightly grainy texture and nutty flavor.
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19of 30
Passover Matzo Ball Soup
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Zimmern has said he serves this soup as a first course at his Passover Seder, but it's delicious any time of year. He begged his mom's friend for the recipe and swears by the texture of the matzo balls, which are light enough to float but dense enough to be good "sinkers."
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Pasta Carbonara
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For this classic Italian pasta dish, Zimmern adds chewy rigatoni to a creamy sauce made of guanciale and its rendered fat, eggs, and Pecorino Romano. Adding the egg mixture gradually to the pasta keeps the sauce from turning into scrambled eggs.
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21of 30
Pork and Asparagus with Chile Garlic Sauce
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This flavorful dish comes together in just 30 minutes. Zimmern stir-fries ginger, garlic, sugar, dried chiles, and scallions, then adds boneless pork shoulder and asparagus. A cornstarch slurry and toban jgang, a fermented chile-garlic sauce, are the secret to the dish's velvety texture and powerful umami flavor.
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22of 30
Bread Pudding with Irish Whiskey
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This irresistible bread pudding is soaked in a mixture of milk, eggs, cream, almonds, warm spices, and Irish-whiskey soaked raisins. The reserved soaking whiskey is stirred into a custardy sauce.
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23of 30
Pasta with Braised Pork, Red Wine, and Pancetta
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Zimmern developed this hearty, warming pasta dish for classes he taught at Cooks of St. Crocus in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he met his wife. Zimmern suggests making this dish with a tubular pasta so the sauce has lots of nooks and crannies to cling to.
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24of 30
Boiled Pork and Cabbage Dumplings
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These dumplings are easy to make and can be frozen for up to two weeks. Zimmern fills a simple homemade dough with a flavorful mixture of ground pork and steamed cabbage before boiling.
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25of 30
Skewered Shrimp and Ham with Apple Jelly
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This easy party appetizer hits multiple flavor notes: sweet, salty, and spicy. Shrimp marinated in hot sauce and fresh herbs are wrapped in ham, then glazed with an apple jelly and grilled.
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26of 30
Apple-Raisin Crumb Cake
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Caramelized apples are folded into the batter for this lightly spiced crumb cake. It's topped with a buttery pecan streusel before baking.
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27of 30
Hunter's Sausage-and-Sauerkraut Stew
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Zimmern uses lightly smoked bacon, skinless chicken thighs, and kielbasa in his take on Eastern European bigos. Roasted and pureed bell peppers add depth to the tomatoey stew, while tangy sauerkraut cuts through the richness of the meat.
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28of 30
Strawberry-Champagne Granita
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For this simple and refreshing treat, Zimmern blends fresh strawberries with sparkling wine, sugar, and fresh lemon juice before freezing overnight. It's the perfect make-ahead dessert for a summer party.
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29of 30
The Zimmern Family's Chopped Chicken Liver
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Zimmern says his grandmother made this dish for every holiday. Onions and chicken livers are cooked in chicken fat and pulsed in a food processor with chopped eggs, parsley, and more chicken fat.
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Grilled Beef Rolls with Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce
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These Vietnamese beef rolls are traditionally wrapped in betel leaves, which come from the betel pepper that is cultivated throughout Southeast Asia. For this version, Zimmern wraps ground sirloin in briny grape leaves and serves the rolls with nuoc cham, a classic umami-forward Vietnamese dipping sauce.
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