Luxury and simplicity aren’t mutually exclusive. Take, for example, spaghetti carbonara, which requires no fancy ingredients but is salty, silky and abundantly satisfying. There’s an outrageousness to how delicious it is and a disheveled quality that only makes the dish taste better. It’s a meal to get excited about. (Picture yourself bellowing the word, Oprah-style: Carbonaraaa!) And it may be the ideal recipe for a New Year’s Eve dinner.

Still in need of options? We have New Year’s recipes galore, including Champagne cocktails, a miso-marinated pork roast and a sexy bowl of chocolate mousse for the evening. For Jan. 1, consider a German pancake, a quick smoked salmon tart or a pot of black-eyed peas. Plus, of course, the four other excellent recipes below.

Reach out to me anytime at dearemily@nytimes.com. Wishing you an excellent 2026, rich with carbonara or whatever generosity and happiness taste like to you.

1. Spaghetti Carbonara

Ian Fisher’s recipe comes with a how-to video, so you won’t miss an eggy, peppery beat. (Should you need it, Kay Chun’s vegetarian version uses smoked cheese in place of the guanciale.)

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2. Skillet Chicken With Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

In this recipe, Yasmin Fahr takes the golden-allium pleasures of French onion soup and funnels them into a skillet dinner. I’d serve it over egg noodles.

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3. Curry Shrimp and Sweet Potato

Finely tuned and nicely spiced, this recipe from Ashley Lonsdale is great for something easy that tastes anything but.

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4. White Bean Shakshuka

If you want to make a dish heartier, add a can of beans. Ifrah F. Ahmed does that here for a saucy, satisfying meal that is just as good for a quiet dinner as it is for a New Year’s Day brunch.

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5. Pan-Seared Steak With Red Wine Sauce

Casually chic in the manner of so many bistro classics, Melissa Clark’s pan-seared steak may just be the simple and celebratory recipe you’re looking for.

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