7 Reasons Why Ottolenghi's New Cookbook Is the Best Thing to Happen to Weeknight Dinner — Cookbooks

Never did I think I'd be pulling an Ottolenghi cookbook from my bookshelf to make a weeknight dinner. And the fact that I've done just that many times in the past month still surprises me. It's nothing against Yotam Ottolenghi — it's just that I keep a rather strict set of parameters for weeknight cooking. I rely on recipes that can be meal prepped, require few ingredients, come together with freezer or pantry staples, or can be pulled together and on the table in 30 minutes or less. And the more boxes a recipe checks, the better.

If you've ever cooked from any of his previous books, like Ottolenghi, Jerusalem, Plenty, or Plenty More, then you know that as wonderful as they are, they usually don't quite fit the bill for weeknight cooking — or, at least my parameters for weeknight cooking, that is. His new book, Ottolenghi Simple, is an entirely different story.

Out of his cookbook roster, this one is easily my favorite. The recipes are so clearly and distinctly Ottolenghi — you'll see it in the photos and taste it in every dish you make — but they check the boxes that meal preppers and weeknight home cooks, like me, are looking for. From reasons that vary from a short ingredient list or cook time, to dishes that rely on pantry items or can be prepped ahead of time, the recipes in Ottolenghi Simple are just that: simple. Here's why you should pick it up.

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