Notes about Recipes in this book

• Mortadella and mozzarella frittata

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Meh - made me realise how much I hate mortadella!! Will try with different meat if I do this again.

• Crustless pizza

  • pistachiopeas on April 01, 2017

    This was certainly quick and easy but felt a bit stodgy to me.

• Crisp chicken cutlets with salad on the side

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Bland and not really worth the amount of work involved.

  • rpepper on March 24, 2016

    Easy and delicious

• Cheesy chili

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    5.13 Yummy - def repeat.

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Added mushrooms - can't have chilli without. Very tasty.

  • pistachiopeas on April 01, 2017

    Easy and delicious. The Spanish chorizo added a lot. Leftovers froze well (without the mozzarella). Served with tortilla chips.

  • okcook on March 25, 2013

    Easy is right. Made mine with Rick Bayless' home made chorizo. Added a couple of halves of habenaros while it simmered to add a nice floral note.

  • ozmcp on March 03, 2011

    Everyone loved this. Very easy to make

  • Futuregirl23 on November 18, 2022

    I subbed some of the mince with green tinned lentils which I added near the end (didn’t have enough mince) and it worked perfectly. Really lovely. Only went 4 ways in my house, not 6!

• Barbecued ground beef

  • sideshoes on October 03, 2011

    The flavor was good, but this was way too soupy.

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Agree with sideshoes - good flavour but much too soupy

• Sweet and sour chicken

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Lovely! A great midweek supper.

• Chicken teriyaki

  • KarinaFrancis on April 10, 2014

    Very quick, easy and tasty. I served it with udon noodles, even simpler than rice, and worked well.

  • Jane on January 29, 2011

    Very quick and easy everynight supper. Chicken marinated for 15 mins then cooked, served with sushi rice and veg. Couldn't be much easier.

  • kari500 on June 06, 2019

    Add hot pepper flakes and top with sliced scallions. A simple, easy, tasty meal.

  • hirsheys on May 26, 2019

    Like others, I found this very simple and quite tasty. I agree that some red pepper flakes would be welcome here, but I made this as written for my first attempt (though I sprinkled with some scallions at the end). Next time, I'd love to try it with chicken breasts instead (which I slightly prefer to thighs for dishes that are quick cooked). Definitely a keeper.

  • Ro_ on July 03, 2020

    Simple, easy and tasty. I'd make this again, and it would probably be good cold too as part of a bento box for lunch.

• Pasta alla Genovese with green beans and pesto

  • JJ2018 on April 17, 2018

    This didn’t do much for me - overall I just found the recipe bland

• Turkey meatballs in tomato sauce

  • Ro_ on March 22, 2020

    In these lean times I used frozen turkey pieces which I partially defrosted and blitzed up in the food processor to make turkey mince. Also used tinned chopped tomatoes instead of plum, as it's what I had. Didn't have an egg to bind the meatballs, so added a dash of milk. Other than that, stuck to the recipe. Overall it was pretty nice but not outstanding. The sauce would have benefited from some red wine and tomato paste I think, to give a thicker, richier constistency. Turkey meatballs need plenty of seasoning.

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    I added half the liquid to the sauce than stated in the recipe and even that was too much. Meatballs were okay - a bit bland and of course because they are turkey mince they also look rather insipid!

• African drumsticks

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Very moreish - made with our family recipe chilli jam for extra kick!

  • lilham on October 20, 2021

    I quite like this. Tasty and simple to make. Good mid week dinner recipe.

  • KarinaFrancis on January 05, 2014

    I wasnt crazy about this dish (rare for a Nigella recipe). If I was to make it again, I'd up the amount of jam and lower the tomato sauce. It might work well with chicken wings...

  • angrygreycat on October 03, 2018

    Made this for dinner tonight. It was fine but felt like it was missing something. Either up the jam or add some heat, not really sure what is needed.

• Spaghetti with Marmite

  • hirsheys on May 29, 2019

    I think I might like Marmite! This is surprisingly tasty - easy as can be and bursting with umami. This feels like the ultimate comfort food and I'm not entirely sure what it would match well with food-wise. Still, it would be a great pantry lunch.

  • lilham on October 14, 2020

    This is so simply yet delicious. (Disclaimer: I’m a marmite lover). I used standard British marmite and doubled the amount listed in the recipe. I served it with green (spinach) pancakes with lime butter from Ottolenghi. The pairing was simply so the children had some comfort food on their plates. They could be funny with green food.

  • Foodycat on July 06, 2018

    I used vegemite and added a sprinkling of chives. Very simple, delicious and savoury.

• Tarragon chicken

  • annapanna on February 04, 2013

    Pretty tasty and very easy to make. I put leek instead of scallions, and I didn't have vermouth so I used white wine.

  • Cheri on November 29, 2011

    This was ok, but a bit bland.

  • wester on November 30, 2017

    I think I have tried enough recipes with vermouth now to decide I just do not like to cook with it. Too sweet, not enough acidity, and those nice bitter and herbal notes get lost when you cook with it. Apart from that, this was an OK version of this recipe, but not one I'll repeat with so many versions around.

  • Ro_ on September 01, 2022

    This was a fairly easy and pretty dish for a weeknight dinner. I would have liked more sauce, next time I would add more cream and maybe some stock too.

• Red currant and mint lamb chops

  • seherhussain on September 07, 2011

    sauce needs a little tweaking to make it more balanced, less redcurrant jelly and more worcester and red wine vinegar. and pour off most of the fat in the pan before making it, otherwise its too greasy. quite good with the adjustments!

  • redjanet on April 08, 2012

    I made this recipe without any adjustments and found it very good, though not all that different from the lamb in port sauce recipe also in this book. Nice meal for two, though.

• Speedy scaloppine with rapid roastini

  • seherhussain on September 07, 2011

    didn't try the scaloppine, but five stars for the rapid roastini, a great way to cook gnocchi

• Scallops with Thai-scented pea purée

  • L.Nightshade on May 04, 2019

    Suffice it to say, this is a very quick and easy recipe, perfect for busy weeknights, but still a little elegant. I made the pea purèe in the FP, probably should have used the vitamix, as it was a bit peel-ish, even after a long process. It was very tasty, but I had to use almost three times the one tablespoon of the green curry paste specified in the online recipe. The book calls for one to two tablespoons. Although the flavor combination was a bit surprising to my tongue, after a few bites I decided that the curry works well with the sweetness of the petite peas. The best bites included a bit of scallop, with their buttery-limey sauce, and a bit of pea. I topped the plate with a bit of chopped Thai basil, which was a nice addition.

  • HilaryLittle on April 28, 2013

    My late stepfather loved this recipe, he even requested it as a starter for Christmas Day! A lovely simple recipe, one that will always remind me of a very special man.

• Korean calamari

  • Foodycat on August 07, 2021

    I couldn't get baby calamari so I cut a couple of calamari tubes into pieces. The sauce, spring onions and baby corn was delicious but the calamari itself didn't float my boat - the texture was too reminiscent of raw which I don't like. I'd make it again with prawns though.

  • seherhussain on September 19, 2011

    the sauce needs balancing or its too spicy. a little more sesame oil and replace the sugar with 1 tbsp honey for next time

• Korean keema

  • lilham on July 25, 2013

    Very quick and very tasty. A winner.

  • Jane on January 19, 2015

    Not great. It probably didn't help that my ground turkey was finely ground so when the sauce was added it looked like pink slime. From her description it sounded like the turkey should be sitting in the marinading sauce whereas mine was all absorbed. But also was pretty boring taste.

  • embk27 on November 11, 2018

    We enjoyed the taste of this - our first time using gochujang paste! Had the same experience as Jane - the mince absorbed all the sauce. I added 100ml of chicken stock to loosen and stirred the cooking rice through rather than served on the side. I added the juice of a lime at the end as I thought it was quite salty.

  • Lynb on January 14, 2021

    The chilli paste was much too mild for my taste but a Birdseye chilli added the kick I wanted

  • Lilacali on December 06, 2021

    I pressure cooked this in my Instant Pot. Fried off some onion and garlic then browned the meat. Added the sauce and peas then pressure cooked for 6 mins. I'd add some chilli next time but overall a quick tasty meal.

  • FayeR on December 07, 2021

    Very quick, very tasty. Served in a bowl so the rice soaked up the sauce (there was a lot), used 250g cooked weight of rice. Didn’t use coriander as none in.

• Lone linguine with white truffle oil

  • Charlotte_vandenberg on July 10, 2017

    I decreased the amount of pasta a bit, so there was plenty of sauce. Also added some baby spinach leaves, to eat some vegetables and for the color. Very nice feelgood food.

• Vietnamese pork noodle soup

  • Ro_ on March 23, 2023

    I loved how simple this was to make, and it delivered on flavour too. It wasn't the most zingy, explosion-of-flavours soup ever, the flavours were more subtle, but still good.

• Irish oaten rolls

  • No1Alicat on November 03, 2015

    Really didn't like this. I made one large loaf, following the instructions to do so rather than the rolls. The bread didn't cook through so I treated it as a part-baked loaf and gave it another blast the next evening. This improved the texture slightly, but the taste was still heavy and over-poweringly 'Guinness-y' so I won't be bothering with this one again.

• Arugula and lemon couscous

  • Yildiz100 on May 09, 2019

    Very heavy on the arugula which kind of all tangles together. Would be better if chopped and reduced. Bit bland overall, but the cooking technique was pretty good.

• Indian-rubbed lamb chops with butternut, arugula, and pine nut salad

  • Pangur Ban on November 22, 2015

    Really liked this. Salad easy to do, used Crown Prince & it was delicious.

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Didn't do the lamb chops yet but really not keen on the butternut salad - it was a rather strange mix of texture & flavour which had little appeal. One of the rare occasions we've not been able to face finishing a dish :-(

  • Popisdead on March 14, 2020

    Really easy, tasty recipe. Will definitely do again.

• Spring chicken

  • Foodycat on April 13, 2021

    Very nice, although I either need a dryer cider or to use white wine instead - the sauce was just a bit sweet. I served it with creme fraiche and wild garlic mashed potatoes.

  • KarinaFrancis on September 19, 2013

    Loved this for a spring lunch. Light and delicious and reasonably quick to make.

  • Elbea on October 23, 2020

    This is delicious, easy comfort food. I tend to add the petit pois with only a few minutes of cooking remaining, so they keep their colour. There are so many tweaks that can be made to this dish - sausages instead of chicken, stock or wine instead of cider, added beans (butterbeans, cannellini, borlotti etc) Reliable and a regular meal in our house, especially in the colder months.

• Spanish chicken with chorizo and potatoes

  • KarinaFrancis on December 29, 2013

    Loved this! Easy, delicious, juicy chicken, crispy skin and the oven does all the work! Will make this again.

  • Fiona on July 28, 2011

    This is a great throw everything in the one dish with delicious results. A favourite mid-week meal with the family when I'm short of time.

  • Jane on April 17, 2020

    This was a great, quick and easy dinner. Well, quick in prep - it takes an hour in the oven. The chorizo throws off a lot of oil which coats the potatoes and chicken in color and flavor. I used the cute little mini cooking chorizo which I could get in the UK but have never seen in the US.

  • ellemoro on September 21, 2014

    Seems not to be in the Index but is on Page 100 in the UK version 978-0-701-18740-8

  • stef on April 16, 2020

    This was delicious but for some reason I didn't get that nice roasted look. I shook some paprika on the dish and put it under the broiler, that worked

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    10.13 Scrumptious.

• Chicken with Greek herb sauce

  • Cheri on April 20, 2011

    Ehhh. Ok, probably won't make again. Nothing special.

  • Ro_ on January 04, 2023

    I agree with the other comment: this is a bit "meh". Not a fantastic yoghurt/herb sauce, and the chicken is a bit nothingy. I took off the bone to serve with wraps and salad, but wouldn't repeat this overall.

• Mexican lasagne with avocado salsa

  • JJ2018 on April 10, 2018

    Love this recipe. Used cheddar instead of goats cheese. Always do extra avocado.

  • lilham on May 03, 2017

    Very good. I made a half recipe to serve 2 adults and 2 small children. I skipped the avocado salsa because the lasagne looked very large after assembly. There is enough leftover for lunch for me. I used frozen sweet corn instead of canned. Also omitted the coriander because I don't have any.

  • Kathymelb on May 04, 2017

    Really good!

  • lou_weez on October 13, 2022

    Made this the night before and it cooked up beautifully the next day.

  • swegener on February 01, 2015

    This was pretty good--though I added some chicken to the filling.

• Tomato curry with coconut rice

  • MsMonsoon on June 23, 2020

    Healthy and easy. I’ve never made curry before because it seemed like it would be complicated, but this was simple and uses spices easily found in the grocery store (English mustard, turmeric, garam masala, etc.) Coconut rice also a wonderful accompaniment, but I felt there was too much liquid (4 cups to one cup of rice).

  • cassiemcgannon on November 25, 2012

    Quick, easy, tasty, and can be made entirely with things I usually have in the pantry and freezer.

  • JenMar on May 06, 2019

    Really tasty and easy to make. I've made it with ordinary rice, but it tastes so much better with the coconut rice.

• Salmon and sushi rice with hot, sweet and sour Asian sauce

  • JJ2018 on April 17, 2018

    This is so quick and easy and tasty. I was dubious there would be enough liquid sauce to make is tasty but it’s really nice

• Lemony salmon with cherry tomato couscous

  • Ro_ on May 31, 2021

    I just made the cherry tomato couscous, to go with something else. It was nice but not great, I didn't love the raw onion in it. Probably wouldn't repeat.

• Parsley pesto

  • westminstr on October 27, 2019

    Made a half recipe w full garlic clove. Quite good! Gentle but tasty.

• Universally useful blue cheese dressing

  • KarinaFrancis on October 05, 2014

    Really good, I used it as a sauce with buffalo wings but Nigella is right, it would have a lot of uses. I used lite sour cream instead of buttermilk because that's what I had on hand.

• Apple and cinnamon muffins

  • wester on June 11, 2017

    The family thought these were excellent - I made two batches today and still we don't have any leftovers. I used plain flour and sliced almonds. One-third of the amount of topping is enough. ETA: also good as pop cakes. Bake for 20 mins at 180C.

  • No1Alicat on November 03, 2015

    I omitted the almonds because of family member with nut allergy. The muffins were a delight - a perfect balance of cinnamon and sweetness, and very light. Muffins are so easy and foolproof and because these are extremely tasty I can see them featuring again and again.

• Strawberry and almond crumble

  • kari500 on June 06, 2019

    Verrrrry easy and pleasant.

• Coconut and cherry banana bread

  • Yildiz100 on May 10, 2019

    Warning-needs more time in the oven. I forgot my bread and the oven and, in a panic, pulled it out without checking for doneness some 5 minutes after the longest bake time in the given range. Big mistake-it was VERY raw in the middle. It even looks like the bread in the picture in the book is underbaked!

  • MsMonsoon on February 10, 2021

    A nice alternative to the basic banana bread. Good with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt for breakfast. The top was still a little soft at 50 minutes so I gave it another 10 minutes in the oven. I used a 2lb. loaf pan, and didn't have parchment, but didn't have sticking problems. However, I couldn't get neat slices, despite trying regular and serrated knives. I'd saw the loaf and the crust side would slice, but the middle just turned into get a pile of cake. It could be user error as I forgot to add the eggs with the butter and sugar, and instead added after the dry ingredients went in.

• Chocolate banana muffins

  • MsMonsoon on October 19, 2020

    Really easy and fast. Got a good rise. Try with sprinkle of sugar on top next time.

  • Yildiz100 on April 30, 2019

    Super easy to throw together and pretty tasty with a slightly dense texture from the bananas and cute little domes. Although they have lots of sugar they might not please people who like really sweet muffins because the cocoa powder mutes the sweetness.

  • eliza on December 04, 2020

    Really great muffins that are easy and quick to make. I reduce sugar a bit.

  • Rachelgallops on January 04, 2021

    These are very good. Could probably decrease sugar a bit. Also chocolate chips would make more decadent! Worked out perfectly for 12 using regular size ice cream scoop foe batter.

• Chocolate chip bread pudding

  • danielis on March 06, 2018

    I don't like dried fruit so the chocolate chips in this were a perfect alternative to the traditional bread and butter pudding.

• Pear pandowdy

  • wester on February 04, 2017

    Extremely simple and totally delicious. My cover had quite a lot of holes but that didn't matter really - it's more like a crumble than a pie anyway. The filling caramelizes quite a bit too, which was unexpected but really nice.

• South Indian vegetable curry

  • Jane on July 09, 2018

    I (and my son) thought this was very bland. Admittedly I did not have any tamarind paste but I can't think that would redeem this enough. The only way to make it tolerable was to add a lot of Thai green curry paste, then squeeze on a lot of lime juice and cover with chopped cilantro. Not one I will repeat.

  • Sue21 on January 08, 2011

    If you are using a tamarind block, prepare this first as it takes 20 mins to soak to create the paste. I took Nigella's advice and served this curry in a bowl and it somehow tasted better for it.

  • Lmor on November 03, 2015

    Sauce freezes well

• Chocolate brownie bowls

  • L.Nightshade on May 10, 2019

    This recipe specifies the use of a 6-cavity dessert shell pan, but I used individual shortcake pans that once belonged to my mother. I suspect they were a little smaller than the cavities in the pan called for, as the recipe made eight instead of six. I don’t know why they are called chocolate brownie bowls, as they aren’t brownie-like at all. The recipe uses half cocoa powder and half malted milk powder, so it’s got a little malt flavor and is not deeply chocolate-y. But they’re pretty good anyway. I filled each of these with a scoop of local three-berry ice cream, and topped them with a few blueberries. I really like the idea of the individual, fillable cakes, and I’m happy to have another use for mom’s shortcake pans. Next dinner party, I may use the concept but with a different recipe for the cake.

• Lemon meringue fool

  • JenMar on May 06, 2019

    So quick and easy to make. A perfect last minute dessert. Really tasty.

• Orange and blackberry trifle

  • jammydodger on July 21, 2014

    Changed this beyond all recognition. Had a damaged chocolate sponge cake to use up (lining tins is not optional), so adapted this recipe by using Amaretto and raspberries. It was lovely, and a very, VERY easy pudding. Also a handy way to use up leftover cake, if there is such a thing.

• Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake

  • Lillibet on June 30, 2011

    Best made the day before as needs time to cool.

  • Lillibet on June 30, 2011

    An absolutely fabulous, rich dessert that looks impressive but is very easy to make.

  • redjanet on November 25, 2012

    This is a must make for any fans of the chocolate and peanut butter combination. Easy and makes a wonderful, rich and impressive dessert for a big gathering.

  • mmask on February 01, 2012

    This cheesecake is as luscious and "full bodied" as Nigella. It is spectacular, but should only be eaten in small amounts - it is very rich.

• No-fuss fruit tart

  • KarinaFrancis on December 05, 2020

    Super easy as promised! The crust was a bit crumbly even though I added 90g of butter rather than the 75g in the recipe. The filling was tangy and creamy, which I love. A note on quantities I used 500g of cream cheese (our packets are 250g) and 300g lemon curd to keep the ratio and I’m glad I did or the tart would be a bit empty. I think the filling would be perfect layered in a glass.

• Slut's spaghetti

  • eeeve on March 16, 2015

    The best ever Spaghetti Puttanesca recipe – quick, easy, delicious. Has become a firm favourite in our household and is being made on a regular basis - even by the husband who's quite a lazy cook...

  • Yildiz100 on July 07, 2019

    Great sauce but not enough for 500 grams of spaghetti, so take care before mixing the sauce with the whole batch of cooked pasta.

  • L.Nightshade on May 27, 2019

    We had fettuccine on hand, so that is what I used. I used salt-packed anchovies and salt-packed capers, both rinsed, soaked, rinsed, etc. It was fast and easy, but not sure it will replace my regular puttanesca, which has a bit of onion, more garlic, a touch of fresh oregano, and a few mixed fresh chiles. Perfectly decent though! I kind wished I had red lipstick and a cigaret.

  • milgwimper on October 31, 2018

    I think I have cooked this before a long time ago. This may not be the best Pasta Puttanesca recipe but it is fast and really tasty. I used salted capers that I soaked in fresh water to get rid of excess salt. I also chopped the capers for more picky diners. It was a hit with all the diners old to young.

  • kari500 on May 17, 2019

    Delicious and easy. We all loved this, and it immediately went into the repeat folder. Used a full can of anchovies (only slightly more than she calls for).

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    7.13 Yummy, easy & quick. My favourite Puttanesca recipe!

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Not being a lover of anchovies or olives or capers.....Not sure why I tried this! Maybe just to prove I wouldn't like it?!

• Pasta with pancetta, parsley, and peppers

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Quick, easy, very very tasty!

• Mixed meat pilaf

  • Ro_ on April 14, 2023

    This was nice enough but I found the textures a little off - don't know if my rice ended up a bit undercooked or I didn't like the crunch of the almonds or what. I liked the idea and simplicity of the dish enough to want to try it again with some adjustments (more water to cook rice more thoroughly, almonds only on top not throughout)

• Indian roasted potatoes

  • okcook on January 10, 2015

    The instructions are to roast the potatoes for one hour at 200C. I felt this was too long. The potatoes were crisp on the outside but a little dried out. I will try 45 minutes next time. Be sure to make the red onion/lime juice topping which really makes the dish sing.

• Curly pasta with feta, spinach, and pine nuts

  • ozmcp on March 03, 2011

    Works well with roasted red capsicum in the place of spinach

  • KIGirl on August 22, 2014

    Tastes better than it looks !

  • MsMonsoon on December 04, 2021

    I was excited to make this as it seemed so easy, but I couldn’t get the sauce to work. Instead of melting to make a smooth creamy sauce, the feta kind of seized up, became rubbery, and created large clumps of spinach that couldn’t be distributed throughout the pasta. Not sure what I did wrong. I used a 1/2 cup of pasta water, too. Could it be the type of feta I used (block feta in brine), or did I heat it too long? The flavor was good, though. Will try again.

• Everyday brownies

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    7.13 Not bad - next time adjust cooking time. 20 mins was a bit too long for me.

  • jennycalling on July 17, 2015

    My stand-by brownie recipe, delicious and quick with ingredients usually in the cupboard. The full recipe uses milk chocolate and light brown muscovado sugar - Nigella says substitute extra cocoa powder and caster sugar if you don't have these handy. The ingredients list here includes corn syrup - this is not in Nigella's recipe.

• My mother's praised chicken

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Heavenly chicken - very moist and flavoursome. Not sure it's quite up to Sunday lunch because it does rather look a mess, but absolutely worth doing if you want cooked chicken meat for other dishes. I think I am likely to do this again and again.....

  • scarlettchef on October 22, 2012

    Works every time yielding gorgeous moist chicken, particularly good in Nigella's Chicken Caesar Salad. I've even done it in the slow cooker whilst I'm out at work with excellent results. I tend to use the resulting stock for soup or risotto. Stock particularly good in Nigel Slater's Roast Chicken Risotto from "Real Food", using the Sunday leftovers.

  • redjanet on January 13, 2013

    This is a really nice dish for a Sunday lunch. Warm and hearty and it smells wonderful while cooking - just like my grandmother's chicken soup! I followed the basic recipe as this was my first time making this, but may try following one of Nigella's variations next time as I did find this ever so slightly bland. Still, the chicken was so soft and juicy that it was falling off of the bones as I lifted it out of the pan. I'm looking forward to the leftovers.

  • AlineLorieri on January 05, 2021

    The most delicious dish ever! This dish is a regular at our home. It's so full of flavour, the chicken falls off the bone and once you have the first spoon you won't be able to stop!

• Chinatown chicken salad

  • Ro_ on August 27, 2022

    This was nice-not-amazing. I could have done with more or the dressing, and even for the dressing I'd like liked something else in it like maybe a bit of sesame paste or peanut butter.

• Quick chick Caesar

  • scarlettchef on January 05, 2013

    This is a fabulous chicken caesar salad. I used only egg yolks rather than the whole egg, for a more sumptuous, rich dressing. Also a chopped avocado is a brilliant addition. A meal in itself, or can be padded out by having some tasty new potatoes on the side.

• Thai chicken noodle soup

  • veggie va on March 28, 2011

    Quite good and very fast. I couldn't find the tamarind paste, so I left that out. I also left out the sugar. I used bean thread noodles, shrimp instead of chicken and for the veggies I used asparagus, snow peas and bean sprouts. I like the encouragement to use whatever veggies are on hand, though I doubt asparagus is very authentic.

• Maple pecan bundt cake

  • KarinaFrancis on December 18, 2017

    It looked good and cut beautifully but was a little disappointing. I only cooked it for 35mins and I found it a little dry and the filling lacked a real maple hit. It was tricky to make a wall around the filling so it didn't stick to the tin. Don’t think I’d try it again (Photo)

• Blueberry cornmeal muffins

  • SplashyWatermelon on July 18, 2020

    This recipe is supposed to make 12 small muffins but I've found there's only enough for 10.

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Very popular in this house. I love using polenta in bakes for the little bit of crunch you get.

  • MsMonsoon on April 22, 2022

    Rich with butter, oil, eggs, ricotta and yogurt. Great anytime-occasion cake. Pretty easy and mine looked like the photos online. I’ve seen this same Huckleberry recipe online with a springform pan and 3 cups of blueberries instead of just one. This is what I used and it turned out well. I think 1 cup would be too skimpy.

• Red velvet cupcakes

  • wester on December 25, 2018

    My son had to make some cakes for the scouting Christmas activities and he chose these. They were such a lovely color that we did not bother frosting them, and everybody liked them. We used yogurt instead of buttermilk and coloring powder instead of paste. I always love how simple and dependable Nigella's baking recipes are. If we had made the frosting we probably would have used less sugar, the suggested amount seems extreme.

• Devil's food cake

  • EatPictures on January 06, 2012

    Looks as if it's going wrong - sloppy, runny, hopeless - at every stage. Then turns out absolutely stunning at the last second.

  • annapanna on November 07, 2013

    The cake turns out nice and moist, if you make sure you do not overbake it. I agree the mixture is very runny at first. As for the frosting, I needed to let it cool much longer than the recipe says, I actually put it into the fridge for a while, to make it reach the right consistency. So if it looks too liquid, just wait for it to set a bit.

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    7.13 I use this icing recipe a lot. Great for a large celebration cake. You just need a bit of time to let it cool.

• Chocolate chip cookies

  • MsMonsoon on January 15, 2018

    Surprisingly good, with a great density, and really easy to make! Butter is melted and eggs are used cold, so you can whip these up so quickly. I used less than my 10 oz. bag of Trader Joe's semisweet chocolate chunks. I think the 11.5 oz of chocolate chips in the recipe is a bit too much. Using the 1/4 cup scoop size as the recipe instructs makes a nice generous cookie. But you can use a 1/8 cup scoop (2 tablespoons) to make a smaller, more standard cookie.

  • Livmichelle on May 06, 2020

    Good classic CC cookies, kids loved them, nice size

  • kateastoria on May 07, 2019

    Great recipe, added 1/2tsp salt. Only had 200g of chocolate chips but seemed plenty

  • Jane on January 25, 2011

    These are really good cookies. They have depth, both of flavor and some heft in the hand though I made them half the size she suggests. She says 1/4 cup (60ml) and I did 2 tbl (30ml) so I don't know how I got 17 cookies and she suggests a yield of 14 of her double-sized ones. Anyway, they're good.

  • Ro_ on May 18, 2020

    Agree with commenter saying that you don't need as big a quantity of chocolate chips as the recipe suggests. I used 200g plain chocolate cut up small, which still gave me cookies with an abundance of chocolate. These cookies tasted great and went down really well with my family. I gave them 15 minutes at 160 fan, and I think next time I'd try just 12 minutes to get them slightly softer and gooier.

  • AlineLorieri on May 16, 2021

    We made these tonight. I used about 250g of chocolate and that was definitely enough. They are super quick to make and turned out delish, they don't spread much actually, hold shape quite well. I froze half of the dough for future freshly baked cookies. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh cookies :)

• Lemon polenta cake

  • Melanie on July 22, 2016

    This was a winner of a recipe. Converted to cupcakes (used liners) and reduced the temperature and cooking time. Lovely moist texture.

• Coffee and walnut layer cake

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    5.13 Great flavours - just don't overcook the cake - or let it dry out.

• Flourless chocolate lime cake

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    8.13 Definitely a dessert cake - the lime adds a different taste - Would definitely like to try the cream if serving for dessert w icecream also.

  • CindyinOttawa on July 09, 2019

    I absolutely love this dessert. The cake was perfect and very chocolately - I've made and eaten similar cakes in the past...this one is great...I left it soft in the centre. The Margarita cream is quite spectacular. I had everything on hand to make this dessert...just had to pick up some whipping cream (heavy cream). My 19-year old Mexican houseguests loved it as much as us older folks. Will be making this again.

  • redjanet on July 20, 2014

    Squidgy, chocolately, limey and very easy to make. I didn't bother making the accompanying margarita cream as I don't normally drink tequila and didn't feel it was worth buying a bottle for one tablespoon or so. It went very well with vanilla-flavoured double cream however. Perfect for entertaining a gluten-free friend.

  • Jane on October 28, 2018

    A lovely dessert. The cake itself is a fairly standard flourless chocolate cake - the lime was not noticeable (I wish recipes with limes would list zest and juice quantities as they vary so much in size). But with the margarita cream this is great. A good gluten-free dessert to have in your back pocket - and handy as I always have these ingredients in stock.

• Guinness gingerbread

  • ithyt on October 19, 2015

    7.14 Good but I prefer Waihi recipe.

• Chocolate orange loaf cake

  • JJ2018 on November 03, 2019

    Adapted recipe slightly for bonfire night. Topped cake with a layer of chocolate ganache, crushed biscuit and marshmallow then grilled for colour to make a chocolate orange s’mores cake. It was delicious but I think if left plain I would have found the cake a bit plain

• Sweet and salty crunch nut bars

  • embk27 on April 07, 2018

    The chocolate turned a little grainy and seemed to separate from the butter - had some liquid leak out of the tin so would double line with the foil next time. Nice when set but extremely rich so only need small pieces. Would be nice with dried fruit added, maybe raisins or cranberries.

  • KarinaFrancis on October 10, 2016

    My chocolate started to split and turn grainy, but I think it might have been user error rather than any fault of the recipe. Once it set it was delicious. I cut it up into small cubes to serve at an afternoon tea and it was very popular. I made it with all milk chocolate, will try the milk/dark version next time.

• Blondies

  • MsMonsoon on October 21, 2021

    Heartier than a typical brownie because of the oatmeal. My US version of the cookbook calls for quick-cooking oats. I used regular rolled oats and it seemed ok. They do seem to fall apart a bit more than a gooey blondie, though I could have overbaked, or overmixed, or used too much egg. (I halved the recipe to make in an 8x8, but forgot to halve the egg.). There's no vanilla in the recipe but I guess the sweetened condensed milk provides that type of flavor. Good and super easy. Not as decadent as the Violet Bakery butterscotch blondies. Note says that these keep 5 days.

  • Cati on October 25, 2012

    Note the indexing shows quick cooking oats. Nigella makes a point of saying porridge oats not instant oats.

  • Tashb on January 28, 2018

    A delicious recipe made time after time, also delicious with white chocolate!

• Beer-braised beef casserole (Carbonnade à la Flamande)

  • Ro_ on April 17, 2023

    Really tasty, I did as advised and made this on a Sunday to eat on a Monday. It's simple enough to do that you can put it together while you're cooking something else. My only complaint is that the sauce was quite thin (though massively flavourful), not sure if it was supposed to be thicker? I boiled with the lid off a little bit towards the end to thicken it up a bit. This should be served with delicious crusty bread to soak up all the sauce.

  • Boffcat on December 13, 2016

    Meltingly delicious, with a wonderful rich taste. Dark Belgian beer isn't that easy to come by, and according to the staff in my local beer shop would be an odd thing to cook with - last time I used Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale, which worked very well.

  • KarinaFrancis on May 28, 2016

    Perfect comfort food for a chilly night. The total exceeds the sum of it's reasonably simple parts. I made a few minor tweaks firstly I cooked the onions for about 30 mins at low heat and at the end I took out most of the sauce and reduced it on the stovetop by about 2/3. I couldn't wait a day to eat it, but it was delicious right away. I can imagine it would be even better if I'd planned ahead. Update: made this again, this time a day ahead and it is fantastic! Forward planning was rewarded

• Pappardelle with butternut and blue cheese

  • MsMonsoon on March 21, 2018

    Easy way to cook butternut squash. Could increase the onion, smoked paprika, and sage, if desired. I made with regular pasta (rigatoni), not pappardelle, and it worked fine. My butternut squash got mushy, so I will watch it more closely next time.

  • Ro_ on March 18, 2020

    Couldn't get butternut squash so used a different type. Now considering I'm not actually much of a squash fan, this was definitely one of the nicer squash dishes I've tried. The smoky paprika, blue cheese and pine nuts really complemented the sweet squash well, and it looked very pretty and autumnal on the plate (shame I made this at the start of Spring but hey ho).

• Saffron risotto

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Tasty but I cooked this as a main and it's really too rich - smaller portion would be a lovely starter

  • NoaBC on January 28, 2019

    This was really wonderful and very simple to make. While it was rich, I made it right after a spin class so we easily devoured the whole thing! It might be too much for a regular night.

  • Hansyhobs on February 24, 2023

    Easy and very tasty. Used my homemade chicken stock. The two of us could have easily eaten much more of this. Good thing we also made a salad or would have still been hungry. I had marsala to use up so I used a huge amount in this, which worked absolutely fine.

• Risotto Bolognese

  • SplashyWatermelon on June 13, 2020

    Delicious! Definitely worth the effort here, a rich and hearty meal.

• Beer braised pork knuckles with caraway, garlic, apples, and potatoes

  • okcook on April 19, 2012

    Made a variation based on an A16 recipe....bone the shanks and stuff with sausage meat. I had home made hot Italian sausage that I took out of the casings and mixed in parsley, garlic, and dry vermouth.

• Asian braised beef shank with hot and sour shredded salad

  • Ro_ on March 13, 2023

    I made this with stewing beef. I loved the contrast between the beef and the fresh salad, and how easy it was to prepare everything in advance then just shove it in the oven. But I found the balance of flavours in the beef to be off: too salty. Next time I would use less soy sauce.

• Fiery potato patties with fried eggs

  • saarwouters on February 01, 2018

    We used 500 gr. of mashed potato and it made 10 patties (I used a 1/4 cup as a measure for each patty). The patties did stay very soft inside while we fried them, but maybe that's how they were supposed to be? They tasted great, although we had to scoop them up carefully otherwise they would fall apart. Great side dish!

• Roasted duck legs and potatoes

  • KarinaFrancis on June 05, 2022

    So simple, so delicious - why haven’t I made this before? It didn’t hurt that I had the most delicious, market fresh potatoes. So good! I cooked it at 180deg for 30 mins and it looked close to done so I gave it another 20mins at 160.

• Thai tomato salad

  • Ro_ on August 04, 2020

    A nice variation on a tomato salad. Particularly good for less ripe/flavourful tomatoes eg cherry tomatoes.

• Spicy sausage patties with lettuce wraps

  • wester on June 26, 2019

    I liked this but they are indeed spicy. Simple to make. Would be good on the barbecue.

• Sherry-glazed chorizo

  • wester on January 05, 2017

    The sherry did not make much of a difference.

• Avocado quesadillas

  • Ro_ on March 08, 2020

    These were lovely, and simple to make. I used extra mature cheddar instead of manchego, and tinned jalapeno peppers. I thought the quantities of cheese/avocado semed a bit skimpy, but actually they were fine - I'd possibly bump up the cheese a little bit next time, but not much. Family loved these, even with the spicy jalapenos!

• Soup made with garlic and love and pumpkin scones

  • No1Alicat on November 16, 2015

    Soup was a murky, bland mess so I added a load more stuff & some cooked chicken to turn it into proper soup! Not tried the scones yet

• Toad in the hole

  • anya_sf on December 17, 2020

    I didn't bother removing the sausages from the casings; mine were smaller anyway (9 per pound). The batter was fairly heavy, not as airy as we'd have preferred. Unlike some recipes, there was LOTS of batter. The thyme was nice, but annoying to eat being on the stem. Onion gravy was tasty.

  • redjanet on January 08, 2012

    This was very easy to make and worked really well. My first attempt at what is basically a big Yorkshire pudding with embedded sausage patties and it came out perfectly. Next time I'll make the gravy to go with it and maybe also use more sausages than suggested.

  • JJ2018 on April 10, 2018

    This is my default toad in the hole recipe, it works out great every time.

• Pork and apple hotpot

  • Sparkles75 on April 19, 2019

    I love this recipe it's super yummy for those cold winter months when you are looking for something a bit richer and comforting. Pretty easy to put together and I make exactly as per recipe and serve with mashed potatoes and veg.

• Slow roasted pork belly

  • okcook on November 08, 2020

    This is a great way to cook a pork belly...very little mess in the oven. My only complaint is the bottom of the belly gets very, very well done because it isn't placed on a rack for cooking. I will try that for at least part of the long cook next time I make this. The skin is beautifully rendered and crispy.

  • KarinaFrancis on February 22, 2015

    This got the thumbs up from the whole family. The meat is meltingly tender and the crackling was super crispy and crunchy - just as pork belly should be. After trying a few different recipes, this is now my go-to. I left the pork uncovered over night to dry out the skin.

• Texas brisket

  • needlezen on September 08, 2012

    Too much vinegar and smoke for our taste. I decreased them and increased worcestshire and A1 so that the overall amount of liquid remains the same.

• Bibliocook

  Packed full of recipes that I’ve been trying out since the day I got it, Nigella’s Kitchen is already well stained with use. In short, I’m loving it.

  Full review