Ina Garten's Go-To New Year's Eve Dinner Only Takes 10 Minutes To Make
We get it, New Year's Eve is a holiday meant for toasting to the future with a drink in hand. And since the U.S. is known to throw back over 360 million glasses of sparkling wine in honor of what's to come (per Insider), it can be easy for those celebrating to forget about dinner — especially if you decide to spend the last day of the year in bars instead of at a party with a spread of dips and finger foods ripe for the eating. But when you come home from a night of fun to say your final farewell to the current year, you shouldn't have to do the countdown on an empty stomach.
While you may not have much energy (or time) left after hitting the club, renowned chef Ina Garten wants you to know you don't have to resign yourself to ordering late-night pizza for New Year's Eve dinner. The "Barefoot Contessa" star, who is famous for her simple approach to cooking, has long used her website to show at-home chefs that dinner can be easy and tasty with recipes like Chicken Pot Pie Soup and Weeknight Bolognese.
Now, in a Food Network clip from Garten's show on YouTube, the chef revealed there's a way to make a quick and delicious holiday dinner before the ball drops.
Ring in the New Year by making Lemon Capellini
In the "Barefoot Contessa" clip, Ina Garten took audiences through the process of whipping up light and luxurious Lemon Capellini. However, while its name may sound intimidating and its flavor is restaurant-level impressive, Garten explained she only needs three ingredients (lemon, butter, and capellini) and five minutes to prep this meal — which has made it her go-to midnight feast after spending a long night out celebrating New Year's Eve.
If you're wondering what makes this meal such a quick fix, Garten explained that the secret is in the capellini. As the chef notes, capellini boils far faster than your average spaghetti. So while a lemon spaghettis' pasta would take at least 10 minutes to make (via BBC Good Food), Garten notes that her Lemon Capellini's main ingredient only takes four minutes to boil.
Even if you've never made Lemon Capellini before, you'll still be able to use Garten's recipe to whip up a tangy holiday meal before you can say, "Happy New Year." Just remember to take the chef's advice and top your New Year's Eve feast with caviar for extra festive flair.