Food

24 Recipes from Tip-Top Chef Tom Colicchio

By

Jodie Kautzmann

Updated on April 19, 2024

A serving of braised short ribs served over mashed potatoes — Photo:
Diana Chistruga

Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio is known for many things: his 20-plus-season tenure as head judge on the Emmy Award-winning culinary competition show Top Chef; his flagship restaurant, Craft; his food advocacy and commitment to sustainability; and co-founding New York City's Gramercy Tavern. But first and foremost, 1991 F&W Best New Chef Colicchio is famous for his delicious dishes. Get a taste of the star chef's cooking by trying delicious Tom Colicchio recipes at home.

01 of 24

Grilled Sea Bass with Marinated Eggplant

Grilled Sea Bass with Marinated Eggplant — John Kernick

In this beautiful and super-simple recipe, Tom Colicchio makes a marinade with olive oil, chiles, and a mess of fresh herbs that he uses to marinate eggplant before and after it's grilled for extra flavor. Try this technique with other vegetables like peppers, summer squash, carrots — whatever is in season and at its best!

02 of 24

Mini Herb Frittatas with Smoked Salmon

Mini Herb Frittatas with Smoked Salmon — © William Meppem

For these elegant hors d'oeuvres, frittatas made with tarragon, chopped dill, chives, and scallions are cut into one-inch squares and topped with crème fraîche, smoked salmon, and dill sprigs. The frittatas can be baked up to three hours before serving.

03 of 24

Braised Short Ribs

A serving of braised short ribs served over mashed potatoes — Diana Chistruga

Tom Colicchio is an expert with meat, and his tender, succulent braised short ribs are much in demand at his Craft restaurants. He marinates the short ribs along with vegetables in wine, then discards those vegetables and braises the ribs with fresh vegetables. To make this dish at home, use the same vegetables in the marinade and the braise.

04 of 24

Casarecce with Sausage, Pickled Cherries, and Pistachios

Casarecce with Sausage, Pickled Cherries and Pistachios — © Con Poulos

This creamy pasta comes together in just minutes, though you’ll have to make the pickled cherries the night before.

05 of 24

Zucchini with Niçoise Olives and Burrata

Zucchini with Niçoise Olives and Burrata — © Michael Turek

Tom Colicchio captures the essence of zucchini by braising it quickly and then tossing it with briny olives. Creamy burrata and vibrant squash blossoms top the dish.

06 of 24

Lemony Chickpea Salad

Chickpea Salad — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee

This chickpea salad is accented with lemon, garlic, rosemary, and oregano, and gets a kick of flavor from quick-pickled onion and chopped peperoncini. Serve it with warm, soft pita bread to soak up the olive oil dressing.

07 of 24

Egg Salad Crostini with White Anchovies

Egg Salad Crostini with White Anchovies — © William Meppem

This elegant egg salad crostini appetizer from chefs Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar is perfect for a cocktail party. The soft-boiled eggs can be refrigerated overnight, and the crostini toasts can be stored in an airtight container overnight. Mix the egg salad and assemble the crostini up to 30 minutes before serving.

08 of 24

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes — © Michael Turek

In summer, most people don't bother to cook tomatoes. But Tom Colicchio likes to see what flavors he can bring out. "I was just messing around with cherry tomatoes, and I decided to try cooking them low and slow, with garlic," he says. The result: extravagantly juicy tomatoes with amped-up flavor.

09 of 24

Walnut Pesto and Goat Cheese Dip

Walnut Pesto and Goat Cheese Dip — © William Meppem

Make-ahead tip: The dip can be refrigerated overnight without the avocados. Bring to room temperature and fold in the diced avocados before serving.

10 of 24

Apple Cider-Braised Cabbage

Apple Cider-Braised Cabbage — © John Kernick

Tom Colicchio uses both apple cider and apple cider vinegar to braise cabbage wedges so they’re fruity and tangy. This recipe is super versatile: You can make it with red cabbage instead of green and serve it with a huge array of proteins, from seared scallops or fish to roast pork or chicken.

11 of 24

Sweet and Tangy Corn with Roasted Peppers

Sweet and Tangy Corn with Roasted Pepppers — © Michael Turek

"Some people get sick of corn, but I never do," Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio says. He serves this mix of corn and roasted red peppers as a salad, but it also makes a terrific relish for grilled fish or poultry.

12 of 24

Rabbit Ragout with Soppressata and Pappardelle

Rabbit Ragout with Soppressata and Pappardelle — © Petrina Tinslay

Tom Colicchio perfected the dish here when he was working at Manhattan's Gramercy Tavern, braising the tender rabbit with sweet tomatoes, spicy soppressata, and olives.

13 of 24

Grilled Octopus with Ancho Chile Sauce

Grilled Octopus with Ancho Chile Sauce — © Con Poulos

Tom Colicchio was inspired by the smoky flavors of Mexico while filming season 12 of Top Chef. He incorporated many of those elements into the menu at his now-shuttered restaurant Beachcraft in Miami Beach. In this dish, the octopus is first braised in sherry, then the skin is removed to make it extra tender before it’s finished on the grill and glazed with a tangy ancho chile sauce.

14 of 24

Jicama Salad

Jicama Salad — © Con Poulos

To keep the jicama crisp in this simple, refreshing salad, Tom Colicchio suggests you start with a very firm root and cut the julienne a bit thicker than you usually would.

15 of 24

Steamed Mussels with Tarragon

Steamed Mussels with Tarragon — © Michael Turek

One of the first recipes that Tom Colicchio learned to cook, when he was about 13, was a version of these steamed mussels, packed with tomatoes and fresh tarragon.

16 of 24

Thai-Style Radish and Watermelon Salad

Thai-Style Radish and Watermelon Salad — © Michael Turek

According to Tom Colicchio, "Radishes are the unsung heroes of the vegetable world." He has been passionate about them ever since he was a kid in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he'd pick them from his grandfather's small garden. Here, he tosses them with watermelon, chiles, and a fish sauce dressing for a refreshing salad.

17 of 24

Poached Peaches with Baked Ricotta

Poached Peaches with Baked Ricotta — © Michael Turek

"In hot weather, I like the idea of a simple fruit dessert," says Tom Colicchio. He serves his poached peaches in lemon verbena-infused syrup with squares of baked ricotta.

18 of 24

Braised Lamb Shanks with Roasted Tomatoes

Braised Lamb Shanks with Roasted Tomatoes — © Armelle Habib

Here, lamb is braised in vegetable-laden chicken stock and served with roasted tomatoes, arugula, garlic, and cannellini beans for a hearty entrée. Be sure to ask the butcher to saw the lamb shanks in half for you.

19 of 24

Two-Cheese Panini with Tomato-Olive Pesto

Two-Cheese Panini with Tomato-Olive Pesto — © William Meppem

Fresh mozzarella and provolone are paired with an oregano-laced sun-dried tomato and black olive pesto for this crowd-pleasing appetizer. For an even more flavorful sandwich, brush the bread with the oil from the jar of tomatoes.

20 of 24

Brandy-Wine Punch

Brandy-Wine Punch — © William Meppem

When making a punch, opt for affordable, high-quality wines and spirits. For the sparkling wine, try Cava from Spain. If you don't have Cointreau stocked in your bar, try using Grand Marnier or another triple sec.

21 of 24

Balsamic Onion and Garlic Confit Marmalade

Balsamic Onion & Garlic Confit Marmalade — © Chris Court

Tom Colicchio served this beloved marmalade with filet mignon when he was chef at Gramercy Tavern. It now appears in the roast turkey, avocado, and bacon on ciabatta at his ’Wichcraft sandwich shop.

22 of 24

Grilled Whole Fish with Chile and Lime

Grilled Whole Fish with Chile and Lime — © Michael Turek

"I've been fishing since I was about five," says Tom Colicchio. "I release almost everything I catch. When I do occasionally kill a fish, it's usually a bass, and I like to cook it whole." Here, he grills this show-stopping whole sea bass with Asian flavors like cilantro, lime, and hot chile sauce.

23 of 24

Corn Relish

Corn Relish — © Chris Court

Colicchio makes this sweet-tangy relish with red bell peppers, chiles, and freshly shucked corn kernels, which remain crisp during pickling. It’s a fabulous accompaniment to grilled meats and seafood.

24 of 24

Tomato-Ginger Jelly

Tomato-Ginger Jelly — © Chris Court

Tom Colicchio’s tangy, brightly flavored tomato jelly is great with grilled white fish, roast pork, or poached chicken.

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