Our Readers Share Their 10 Favorite Recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s “Plenty”
Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty is Kitchn’s January pick for our Cookbook Club. See how you can participate here.
This month we kicked off the year (and decade) with a classic cookbook I imagine many Kitchn readers might have on their shelves: Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty. For the last 30 days, people have been sharing their photos on Instagram using the #kitchncookbook tag and reviewing recipes in our private Facebook group (you are following along, right?). To wrap up the month, I asked everyone in the group to tell me their favorite recipe — so people who are just catching up can figure out what to make first. Here’s what they had to say!
1. Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce
It’s not a surprise that so many people decided to cook the cover this month. It’s one of the least fussy recipes in the book. The base ingredients are eggplants, pomegranate seeds, buttermilk, and Greek yogurt. So good!
Get the recipe: Ottolenghi’s Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce
2. Black Pepper Tofu
I knew the second I saw this recipe that this one was going on my must-make list. Many people in our Facebook group noted that it’s a little more complicated than they were expecting (you need 12 shallots!) but also said it’s worth the extra effort.
Get the recipe: Ottolenghi’s Black Pepper Tofu
3. Caramelized Garlic Tart
This was hands-down the most popular recipe in our Facebook group. So many people said this was their favorite thing in the book and it’s easy to understand why. I mean, HELLO, garlic! The simple kale salad that the above Instagrammer mentions sounds like a perfect pairing.
4. Green Couscous
This recipe looks like the perfect thing to prep for make-ahead lunches. It’s fresh, filled with herbs, and gets a nice crunch from the pistachios,. I can see it as a great base for adding other ingredients too, like rotisserie chicken or roasted vegetables.
5. Black Bean Quesadillas
One person on our Facebook group mentioned that she’d been cooking out of Plenty for years, and that this black bean quesadilla is one of her go-tos. I’m sold.
6. Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango
This unusual flavor combo was all over our Facebook group this month. This feels like a dish that you could make for just about anything: lunch, dinner, a potluck, a dinner party. You get the idea.
7. Mushroom and Herb Polenta
Is there anything more glorious than a plate (or a dish) FILLED with mushrooms? This recipe from Ottolenghi makes me (and many of our readers) a believer.
8. Pasta and Zucchini Salad
Gosh, where do I even begin with this pasta dish? This was personally one of my favorite things I made for the month. It hits all the right notes: homey, healthy, salty, cheesy, and just plain delicious.
9. Lentils with Oven-Dried Tomatoes and Gorgonzola
Interesting vegetables, interesting grains, interesting cheese. It’s a good lunch waiting to happen (as it did for many of our readers).
10. Baked Eggs with Greens and Chile
These baked eggs are another classic recipe from Plenty, and something that kept popping up on our Facebook group. As this Instagrammer says so well: “This dish feels both healthy and decadent.” What’s better than that?
What’s your favorite thing you’ve cooked out of Plenty? Let us know in the comments!