Tenderheart: A Book About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds by Hetty Lui McKinnon

    • Categories: Dressings & marinades; Cooking ahead; Asian; Vegan; Gluten-free; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: dried porcini mushrooms; eschalots; garlic; flaked almonds; white sesame seeds; cinnamon sticks; chilli flakes; gochugaru; neutral oil of your choice; soy sauce; roasted sesame oil; sea salt flakes
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Notes about this book

  • SULibraries on October 18, 2025

    641.56362 M47725 (LOU)

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Umami crisp

    • Astrid5555 on March 04, 2024

      Made this to go on the broccoli wantan and it was amazing. Since then I have had it on pasta as a quick home-office lunch several times already.

    • bernalgirl on March 17, 2025

      This does have a wonderful umami quality but is not nearly spicy enough for my family. Next time I’d double the gochugaru in addition to the full two tablespoons of chile flakes.

    • crandall57 on April 29, 2025

      We like this chili crisp very much and have used it on the Pea Egg-Drop Macaroni soup and dipped crackers in it. We're excited to try it on other things. I used Tamari, as it is gluten free, and less salt, because the Tamari was salty.

  • Choy sum and feta galette

    • Melissa_427 on July 19, 2023

      Such a stunning dish, especially with the turmeric pastry. Used a couple substitutions as offered by Hetty: cream cheese for mascarpone and spinach for choy sum and it was perfect! I really loved that the green went into the galette raw - made the recipe that much more approachable.

    • Ganga108 on September 17, 2023

      What a great dish! I made the pastry with wholemeal flour and it was divine. The mascarpone base really makes the dish. Mine wasn't as pretty as in the book but it was every bit as delicious.

    • SheilaS on March 16, 2024

      Nice layers of flavor here with tumeric and black pepper in the pastry, green onion and garlic blended into the mascarpone, a big pile of Asian greens, tangy feta and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. I assumed the greens would be sautéed first but, no, they're just piled on to the crust! After baking, that layer is a bit wet but not too bad and the mascarpone layer prevented the crust from getting soggy. Worthy of making again.

  • Charred gai larn and farro with soy tahini

    • christineakiyoshi on July 27, 2023

      Love this! Great way to prepare Chinese broccoli and the sauce is delicious

    • Ganga108 on September 05, 2023

      I made this with some cauliflower that was rapidly fading in the fridge. It is AWESOME. I used buckwheat as trying to eat more gluten-free (but not entirely GF). The sauce is very special - I used Lao Gan Ma Chiili Crisp for the chilli oil. So delicious. A favourite.

    • SheilaS on March 16, 2024

      This is a great vegan meal on its own or a fine side that combines both a vegetable and grain. I I added a few squeezes of lemon to the sauce because I thought it needed a little acid. Served with seared ahi tuna.

  • Grilled baby bok choy with miso-gochujang butter and crispy chickpeas

    • crandall57 on March 06, 2024

      Excellent way to prepare bok choy. We used regular, bok choy from the Lettuce Grow, baby bok choy probably would have been easier to get the marinade on. The crispy chickpeas were awesome and we would use them on salads and other vegetable dishes, even just for a snack. For two people, I cut the chickpea recipe in half and made the full amount of sauce. To cut the chickpea recipe in half, use one can of beans, 2 1/2 tablespoons of chickpea flour and 1/2 teaspoon gochugaru.

    • SheilaS on March 20, 2024

      This was delicious. A bit salty for my taste so I will reduce the amount of miso next time. Half a can of chickpeas per serving is a lot and less would be sufficient for most folks.

    • breakthroughc on April 08, 2024

      This didn’t work for us a main course. I would make the bok choy again as a side. It was delicious. I cut the chickpeas back to 2 cups and it was still too much. They are very crispy, but very dry. I prefer pan fried crispy chickpeas. I made a lemon, olive oil yogurt sauce and the dish really needed it as it eats very dry. It was edible and filling, but It is an odd combination imo that just doesn’t work.

    • patioweather on November 11, 2024

      We ate the heck out of this. I didn't have a ton of bok choy, so I subbed okra which was great. The yogurt was the weakest part of the recipe but I'm not sure what to replace it with next time.

    • prkrgrant on April 18, 2025

      Very yummy! I think the overall technique would work on a variety of veg and for the effort this was very tasty

    • RRuth on January 29, 2026

      Very nice and extremely easy.

  • Soy-butter bok choy pasta

    • cheffreddie on November 14, 2023

      A delicious and simple recipe that my guests devoured. I added a little more butter than the recipe called for and the sauce was beautifully silky and decadent. For the large quantity of soy sauce the recipe calls for, I used half Kikkoman low sodium soy sauce alongside my usual Pearl River Bridge light soy so it wouldn't be too salty - seemed to be just right in terms of seasoning.

    • crandall57 on March 06, 2024

      This dish was both delicious and easy. Will make this again. Watch the salt in the butter and tamari, maybe use unsalted butter. We had it as a main dish, but it would also be great with grilled fish or chicken. We topped it with gluten free Furikake and gluten free pasta.

    • SheilaS on March 16, 2024

      Prepared as written, I wouldn't say this dish is going to knock your socks off but it's so easy, very tasty and adaptable. I can imagine adding additional vegetables, tofu, chicken, shrimp or even slices of grilled meat. Perfect for making at a vacation house without your usual pantry.

    • bernalgirl on May 14, 2024

      We enjoyed this, as others have. I used some fresh Asian noodles that needed using, they absorbed way more sauce so the leftovers are a bit limp, but we didn’t find this salty. Next time I’d use spaghetti and would run the bok choy through the food processor since an uneven chop seems to be what’s called for.

    • djnielsen64 on May 19, 2024

      Enjoyed this, will make again!

    • bfurrow on January 29, 2025

      I gave this a 3. It’s a pretty basic recipe, but quick to throw together. I’d probably double the veggies next time. Not sure what other tweaks I’d make. I made as written other than using low sodium soy sauce.

    • Astrid5555 on February 07, 2025

      Very easy, tasty and can be made in no time. The butter soy sauce combi makes for a luscious sauce.

    • Churchim808 on May 15, 2025

      I doubled the bok choy and don't think I'd make it any other way in the future. It was still mostly pasta. Very quick and tasty.

    • Nancarrow on December 19, 2025

      Delicious and straightforward. Yet each time I've made this I've baulked at the amount of soy sauce called for -- I use half and it seems salty enough.

    • chefengineer on February 15, 2026

      Terrific. To solve the greens-to-pasta ratio question: Use both the bok chop stems (chopped reasonably small) and greens - cook the stems for 4 or 5 minutes on their own, then add the chopped leaves and garlic and cook some more. Transfer the spaghetti from the pasta pot to the saute pan using tongs, and stop when the ratio is where you like it. Most probably there will be enough water clinging to the spaghetti that you won't need to add more. Low-sodium soy sauce does seem best. Delicious, not at all hard! A wonderful and wonderfully different way to use that farm box bok chop!!

    • amy_ky231a on March 12, 2026

      Divine

    • justine_0m1c9h on April 11, 2026

      Super easy recipe. Just double the bok choy, and don't look back.

    • Indio32 on April 19, 2026

      Really good.. Didn't have any sesame seeds but will be making again.

    • ljl1989 on May 03, 2026

      This is nothing revolutionary, but very good and easy. As some other reviewers, I’d double the bok choy if I made it again; it’s pretty pasta heavy. I sometimes view garnishes like green onions are optional but think they’re quite necessary here - they really help round out the flavor.

    • john_0dr7c7 on May 27, 2026

      Easy weeknight meal. Very low fuss. Added shrimp for some protein

  • Ong choy, five-spice tofu and noodle stir-fry

    • bernalgirl on June 04, 2024

      So much umami goodness, the ong choy plays perfectly with the tofu strips. I made this with a rustic white miso, can’t wait to try it with fermented tofu.

    • SheilaS on June 11, 2024

      So easy and so good! I used baked tofu instead of five-spice tofu and white miso instead of fermented tofu and it was still excellent.

  • Stir-fried lettuce

    • christineakiyoshi on June 15, 2023

      Delicious! We subbed baby bok choy. Quick meal and full of flavor.

    • bernalgirl on February 23, 2024

      This was a sleeper hit at our Lunar New Year dinner. I used oyster sauce (a recommended alternative to her vegetarian stir-fry sauce), which my family loves and which really works well with iceberg lettuce. The result is an addictive savory combination of texture and tenderness.

  • Broccoli forest loaf

    • Frogcake on June 02, 2023

      This was unique and delicious! I did not steam the broccoli ahead of time. Instead I sliced thin “trees” and stuck them into the bread dough before putting it in the oven. I added a half tsp of salt to the dough . I thought the bread turned out really well; there are many possible variations for this loaf!

    • rachelblair on October 27, 2023

      I love this recipe and like to serve it with a side salad for a fuller meal. I put way more broccoli in to basically cover the top completely and just bake it a bit longer than the recipe calls for to account for the extra moisture/ingredients on top.

    • pattyatbryce on March 23, 2024

      What a fun recipe. I could see making this for visiting kids. We had it with tomato soup for a meatless dinner. Only changes - I added a little salt to the dough and might cook it a tad longer next time. We cooked up a couple of pieces in butter for breakfast - yummy!

    • Omnivorous on February 04, 2026

      Delicious. I used kalamata olives and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

  • Charred broccoli reuben salad

    • Ganga108 on September 18, 2023

      Delicious!

    • shylastrath on January 23, 2024

      Fewer croutons and more spinach and gherkins next time. Added more garlic. Delicious special sauce!

    • crandall57 on July 09, 2024

      Great salad! I used gluten-free sourdough caraway/rye bread. Great special sauce, too. I used regular mayonnaise. We had it with chopped romaine lettuce. I put two gherkins in the special sauce and might add a third next time. Will make this again.

    • Katie on December 22, 2025

      Heresy, but I had some leftover short rib pastrami and I added that in, and it was amazing. Pretty great without too.

    • katie_uspqdv on January 20, 2026

      Easy, added bacon, no dill

  • Sesame broccoli with crumbled tofu

    • christineakiyoshi on June 15, 2023

      Love, love, love this! So easy, perfect meal.

    • Churchim808 on May 04, 2024

      I didn’t expect to like this. Boiled tofu and broccoli? But the flavors are great! Very satisfying and healthy.

    • Tealismyname on May 04, 2025

      Really was not a fan. The seasoning is salt and a tiny bit of chili oil. So if you like boiled vegetables and salt then this dish is for you. On the flip side it was very quick and I enjoyed it more when I used the leftovers to make fried rice by adding soy and oyster sauce as well as more chili oil.

    • anothersarah on April 07, 2026

      Unexpectedly great. The seasoning is simple but it works. Easy, quick, one pot and kid friendly. Will definitely be trying again. Subbed great northern beans for butter beans.

  • Roasted broccoli and crispy chickpeas with Sichuan dukkah

    • SesJB on December 26, 2022

      So good, and roasted chickpeas good as snack also (with from scratch chickpeas)

    • SheilaS on June 28, 2023

      I really liked this. The chickpeas can lose some crispness sitting with the broccoli and black vinegar so consider keeping them separate if preparing ahead.

    • rachelblair on October 27, 2023

      Love this salad and it keeps fairly well. I added some roasted asparagus one time I made it since I had a bit leftover from another recipe and it was really nice.

    • klrclark on January 14, 2024

      Excellent. Didn’t have cashews or green onions. But great taste and easy to make.

    • christineakiyoshi on February 12, 2024

      The dukkah is so tasty! I liked this but it is a little dry, may add some chili oil next time.

    • MariaSwe on January 12, 2025

      This was really nice, I will definitely make again. The recipe didn't really say but to me this was more of a side dish. That didn't stop me from eating it on its own for dinner, but next time I will serve it on the side. The times in the oven were perfect and also the seasonings.

    • bernalgirl on January 22, 2025

      I loved this but my family was underwhelmed by the dukkah. I have lots more and look forward to sprinkling it on salads and leftovers rice plates.

    • Lsblackburn1 on June 19, 2025

      I was worried that the cardamom would be too much, but I ground the spices in the grinder and was surprised by how much I like this. Even made it twice in a row to use up the dukkah - once to take to a gathering and once for dinner at home.

    • gootenbeez on May 18, 2026

      Delicious. Ate it for two days and leftovers were just as good as day 1. Loved the dukkah. Might have to add this to the salad rotation.

  • Food court omelette

    • et12 on February 20, 2024

      This was a nice comforting meal with well balanced flavours. I had a difficult time flipping the omelette due to the egg to vegetables ratio. Think I would do more egg next time. The gravy is nice with it.

    • crandall57 on July 10, 2024

      We really enjoyed this dish. I would cut the broccoli smaller the next time and maybe add one extra egg. I cut the recipe for the omelet in half for two people, but made the full amount of gravy. I served it with brown rice.

    • RRuth on January 29, 2026

      Nice but simple. Not as mind blowing as other simple recipes in this book. Blanched the broc and sauteed the onions & garlic before adding them and would do so again. Was very lovely with/needed spicy smashed cucumbers with black vinegar and chili crisp.

  • Huck's broccoli and lettuce salad with an accidental ranch

    • breakthroughc on April 03, 2024

      I just made the ranch dressing and it’s was so easy and good. Added finely chopped chives and parsley as I had them along with a pinch of salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of white wine vinagar.

  • Turmeric-yoghurt roasted broccoli

    • bernalgirl on January 22, 2024

      I was excited about this recipe but did not end up enjoying it. The yogurt started to burn before the broccoli was fully cooked and also interfered with caramelization and crisping. I’d much prefer the tandoori yogurt sauce drizzled on properly roasted broccoli

    • crandall57 on April 28, 2026

      We thought this dish was both delicious and easy. We served it with gluten free naan. I used sheep's milk yogurt and halved the recipe for two people. We will make this again.

  • Broccoli and mint soup with spicy fried chickpeas

    • babyfork on March 16, 2025

      I made this quite a while ago, so the details are a bit fuzzy, but I think I followed the recipe pretty closely. I do remember thinking that making the spicy fried chickpeas were hard on the lungs and not worth the trouble. Had to open the doors and windows and turn on all the fans in the kitchen! They do kind of make the dish, though! I just defrosted the last of the soup and ate it, so that's fresh in my mind at least. It's earthy and minty, but I think I'd rather just have minty pea soup instead. I'm giving this four stars because, as made, it is good, but I don't think I'd bother with it again.

  • Broccoli wontons with umami crisp

    • Astrid5555 on March 04, 2024

      The only thing I can complain about here is the time needed to prepare this dish, which I completely underestimated. If you are a wantan folding novice like me this is not a weeknight dinner dish as I falsly assumed. Apart from that these are amazing and even my teenage son who never ever eats broccoli asked me to make them again asap.

    • crandall57 on February 15, 2026

      Another tasty treat from this cookbook. I made homemade wontons (from The Very Hungry Coeliac's Gluten Free Feasts). It makes a lot of filling, we're going to put the rest into a frittata for breakfast. It is very time consuming, but worth it.

  • Red-braised Brussels sprouts and tofu

    • Ganga108 on September 17, 2023

      Easy to make, deeply darkly delicious, takes about 30 mins or so to make. Aromatic and beautiful. There are a few brussels sprouts and tofu recipes in my library I notice - one from Lucillian Delights, one from Ottolenghi, another from the blog of Where's My Beef, and 2 from earlier cookbooks by Hetty. It is a lovely pairing, unusual but good.

    • Lepa on September 24, 2023

      I feel like this could use more salt but the caramelized Brussels sprouts were pretty good. I had to cook the sauce for an extra ten minutes to reduce it.

    • hbakke on October 10, 2023

      I really overcooked the Brussels sprouts and they were soggy and sad. I forgot to remove the star anise and Ty bit into one...unpleasant. We enjoyed the flavors, but I don't think I would make this again.

    • Astrid5555 on March 04, 2024

      So good, easy to make, delicious in combination with the tofu!

    • christineakiyoshi on November 12, 2024

      Easy dish to make. I cooked the tofu in the air fryer and left out the star anise. As with Hetty’s other recipes, this comes together quickly and is very good. 4.5 stars

    • jenburkholder on December 05, 2024

      Surprisingly good. Halved the sugar and feel that was a good choice.

    • bfurrow on January 10, 2025

      Made July 2024. I think this recipe was delicious but I found it a little bit lacking in flavor. The longer it sat, the better it got so maybe I just shouldn’t eat it right away. The steps were easy to follow, but I’d definitely recommend mise en place if it’s not already part of your practice. I did have trouble with the sugar attaching to my metal utensils so I’d recommend using a silicone spatula to see if that helps. My partner suggested maybe reducing the sauce down as it’s pretty liquidy which may increase the flavor as well. I would make it again!

    • MariaSwe on January 19, 2025

      I am not really a fan of tofu but it is something I want to change. The preparation in this recipe was the closest I have come to actually liking it. Very easy recipe. I halved the sugar and wish, like a previous poster, that I had not used a metal spatula. I will make again!

    • Churchim808 on February 17, 2025

      This was pretty good but if I made it again, I would only add a half cup of water and not cook the brussel sprouts so long. I did NOT reduce the sugar but I also fished the tofu and sprouts out of the sauce so most of the sugar is left behind in the pan.

    • bernalgirl on May 09, 2025

      This recipe was a slam dunk with an immediate request to make it again. My family likes spicy heat so I added five dried Chinese chiles and garnished with slivered Serrano to go with the scallions. I also doubled the sauce and added rice cakes for a one-pan meal. Turns out increasing the sauce by 1/2 would have been enough.

    • john_0dr7c7 on January 29, 2026

      Excellent flavors, especially if you add some pickled veg

    • katewalton on March 02, 2026

      Good, but always feels like something is missing..

  • Brussels sprouts two ways with pear and mustard chutney

    • Lsblackburn1 on November 24, 2024

      Delicious Friendsgiving side! I used 2 lb of Brussels and 2 cans of chickpeas - seemed like a good ratio. Chutney was excellent!

  • Caramelised Brussel sprouts and kimchi with rice cakes

    • hbakke on November 06, 2023

      Easy, tasty dinner. I accidently overcooked the Brussels sprouts and rice cakes, but this still had great flavors. I added a drizzle of chili crisp on top for a little crunch and spice. I would make this again.

    • bernalgirl on February 17, 2024

      Such an easy and satisfying dinner! The chewy texture of the rice cakes, the charred sprouts and kimchi work together beautifully.

    • Lsblackburn1 on February 25, 2024

      This was delicious. I made it as part of a game day spread and it was a great addition.

    • crandall57 on January 27, 2025

      Easy and delicious! I used udon rice noodles instead of the rice cakes. We will make this again.

    • patioweather on November 09, 2024

      My partner loves Brussels so this was a win. I like this method of cooking them quickly.

    • Gingko on February 07, 2026

      Made it with broccoli this time and it was great!

  • Celery leaf soup

    • SheilaS on June 21, 2023

      I had an especially leafy bunch of celery so this soup was a perfect use for all those leaves. It's a great soup. The potato makes it creamy but not heavy and the ginger adds brightness. I used a veg stock that was pretty flavorful and wish I'd just used water to let the celery shine.

    • Melissa_427 on July 18, 2023

      Currently in the freezer but the few sampled spoonfuls were tasty@

    • yelizaveta_38dvwk on March 31, 2026

      Really fun way to use leafy, farm-fresh celery. Intense flavour.

    • Gingko on November 13, 2025

      We liked this. After pureeing the soup, I added a couple of handfuls of greens that were in the fridge and leftover wild rice. The additions helped give it a little more body.

    • michalow on November 19, 2023

      This was intense! I made it with fresh-from-the-farm celery leaves (which I think are more pungent than the leaves on grocery store celery). The first few bites were bracing, but it quickly grew on me. I stirred in a bit of chili crisp (one of the recommended garnishes) and garnished with a swirl of yogurt; these really helped balance out the flavors.

  • Tomato and coconut-braised cabbage and lentils

    • hbakke on June 23, 2023

      We loved this easy, flavorful lentil stew-like dinner. I used canned diced tomatoes in place of the tomato puree. I don't know if my lentils were old, but they took double the recommended time in the recipe to fully cook. I would make this again.

    • SheilaS on April 29, 2024

      Loved the contrast between creamy coconut milk and bright lime juice, both of which keep this bowl of cabbage and lentils from being stodgy. This is a winner!

    • bfurrow on January 26, 2025

      This dish is really balanced and delicious. We both enjoyed it. I also liked that it’s a one-pot meal and was relatively quick, and uses pantry staples as well as cabbage which I always have half of one to use up it seems.

    • pomona on March 24, 2024

      Absolute keeper of a recipe. So yummy.

    • et12 on February 18, 2024

      We really enjoyed this dish. The braised cabbage was particularly nice.

    • MariaSwe on January 12, 2025

      I wasn't crazy about this. It was too rich and I will half the coconut milk next time. I forgot the lime and I really think that would have cut down some of the richness.

    • ethacher on January 23, 2026

      Easy, tasty, healthy! Put in a whole napa cabbage, lite coconut milk, extra turmeric. Brown lentils took closer to an hour to be cooked.

    • prkrgrant on January 02, 2026

      I absolutely loved this but my partner did not care for it much. For the effort it was good and I love anything that makes lentils delicious, the dinner felt quite healthy for how good it was.

    • yelizaveta_38dvwk on April 24, 2026

      This was tasty and relatively easy, but probably not a make-again for me; just not a standout and lots of other cool recipes in this book I’d like to try. Note that it took MUCH longer than the stated 15 mins for the cabbage to soften in the final braise.

  • Roasted wombok with sesame sauce

    • christineakiyoshi on June 26, 2023

      I had green cabbage on had so sliced it into steaks. The sesame sauce is so delicious. Very easy to make and quite fulfilling. Will be making this again!

    • bfish on March 18, 2026

      Just mad the sesame sauce to go with a rice bowl dinner. It was so good.

    • snackbaby on August 11, 2025

      this is super easy and the sauce is delightful and would work with anything.

    • Babycarrot on January 13, 2024

      Very easy and tasty. Used napa cabbage. The sesame sauce would be good on green beans and really any other cabbage like veg (brussels, etc).

    • Ganga108 on August 29, 2024

      The sesame sauce is also very good with braised cabbage.

  • Fennel and gnocchi salad with fennel frond pesto

    • SheilaS on June 27, 2023

      This was really good. Bright, fresh flavors. Doesn't scream FENNEL! My only adjustment was a big squeeze of lemon juice. Next time, I'll try slicing the fennel more thinly but I did like the crunch of the thicker slices.

    • patioweather on May 14, 2024

      My partner loved it. I found the pesto too oily so I will make it again (to use up fronds) but use less oil.

    • eyeGillian on February 19, 2025

      This was a fabulous meal - especially with our homemade sweet potato gnocchi. I sliced the fennel finely with a mandolin and it was delicious tossed with pesto. I also found the pesto too oily, although adding lots of Parmesan made the texture drier. I also added a good squeeze of lemon juice. Definitely will make again.

  • Cashew celery

    • christineakiyoshi on July 15, 2023

      Another great recipe. We used bok choy as the green since we had it on hand. I was worried about the amount of alcohol in the sauce but the flavor was outstanding! Great way to use celery you have on hand.

    • Melissa_427 on July 18, 2023

      Substituted mushrooms for tofu and used spinach for my greens. Very tasty dish and a lovely use of celery.

    • hbakke on August 05, 2023

      Well-seasoned, flavorful stir-fry. I used gai lan for the greens and a plain firm tofu since I couldn't find five-spice marinated tofu. This was a repeatable, easy dinner.

    • Lsblackburn1 on January 23, 2026

      This was fine… a little boring. I used 10 oz of tofu so I could use the whole package- maybe should have doubled sauce ingredients.

    • bernalgirl on January 29, 2026

      This is delicious and light. I used kale for the greens, which I blanched first, doubled the tofu because it needed using, increased the celery and sauce by one third, and decreased the cashews by half. The finished dish is texturally interesting and flavorful. I’ll happily make this again.

    • megann_b5gxnm on April 30, 2026

      Great flavor. Loved the cooked celery. Would try with gai lan next time instead of power greens for a more robust green. Not crazy about the tofu but it was fine.

    • rosie_t81cht on May 05, 2026

      I was surprised how flavourful this recipe turned out. Simple and delicious. Very chicken-y. (Used torn tofu which i fried up before the veg).

    • ellen_gvlooi on March 18, 2026

      had to roast my own cashews and they got a bit overdone (def do closer to 10 min instead of 15 in toaster oven), but really liked how this came together

  • Cabbage and kimchi okonomiyaki

    • christineakiyoshi on July 15, 2023

      Made this with green cabbage. We are vegan so used flax eggs. This was good but still looking for a recipe for this that isn’t so heavy on the flour.

    • SheilaS on June 20, 2024

      Excellent! The gochujang ketchup is amazing - try it with fries or tater tots and do NOT skip it here! The recipe calls for covering the pan for most of the cook but I like to give these another flip and cook uncovered to add bit of crispness to both sides.

    • jenburkholder on December 08, 2023

      Nice version of okonomiyaki; the kimchi added a bit of a different twist. I didn’t make the gochujang ketchup and instead topped with Bulldog sauce, kewpie mayo, bonito and spring onions.

    • Babycarrot on January 09, 2024

      Good but messier than I’d hope for. Used green cabbage - make sure this is sliced very thin. She calls for chopped but it crisps up easier if it’s thinly sliced. I skipped the ketchup sauced and instead used Japanese bbq sauce and kimchi mayo. Also used veggie stock instead of dashi. Added an egg.

    • Blitzkolsch on May 27, 2026

      Absolutely delicious and pretty simple and hands off to prep and cook. This will definitely become a regular recipe for us.

  • Fennel and lentil avgolemono soup

    • allisonsemele on July 20, 2023

      Did not make the topping this time, but this is a nice soup even without it. The fennel and thyme make for a pretty fancy-tasting version of avgolemono. It doesn’t cook very long, so my celery didn’t fully soften—I would cut it into even smaller pieces next time, and I would also reduce the thyme by half. I used my immersion blender for the egg-lemon component, which worked well, and blitzed the soup a bit, too, which took care of my tough celery and any stray chunks of miso.

  • Smoky eggplant and lentil stew with baked feta

    • allisonsemele on August 04, 2023

      My lentils took an extra 20min. Used maple syrup, but cut back to 1t. Couldn’t decide how I felt about the flavor it added. Served with orzo. I’d say this serves at least six. This is a pretty intensely flavored dish.

    • crandall57 on August 02, 2025

      This is a delicious dish, but it makes a lot. The feta is necessary to balance the dish. We didn't serve it with anything (pasta, rice, flatbread, etc.).

    • breakthroughc on January 02, 2026

      This is seriously delicious! Deeply flavored, egglplant cooks down and gives a creamy mouthfeel to the dish. My lentils took 50 minutes to cook and they could have used another 5. Skimp on the salt for the sauce as the eggplant is not rinsed. Don’t skimp on the feta, the broiled feta is super scrumptious and adds a lot to the dish. It makes a lot, more like 6 servings. Served with naan and a simple cucumber, tomato and red onion salad.

    • Saladly on August 19, 2025

      Was out of feta so used mozzarella on top and served with mashed potato. Beautiful!.

    • Jenkneebee on January 05, 2024

      This is the first eggplant recipe I've truly loved. I make it all the time, but with canned chickpeas usually because I'm lazy. Sometimes I add a little cinnamon and za'atar for a more middle eastern flair.

    • gootenbeez on January 21, 2026

      Delicious, nutritious and filling. I live for feta and this did not disappoint. Made 6-8 portions depending on how you serve it.

    • Tealismyname on April 18, 2025

      Really delicious. We also added courgette. Hetty has a tendency to over season and I'm glad I skipped quite a few of her references to salting. We salted the eggplant and that was that! Especially with the feta, it didn't need any more.

    • pomona on March 24, 2024

      Another brilliantly tasty dish from this book.

    • Lsblackburn1 on January 28, 2026

      Tenderheart has become my go-to book for weeknight cooking and this was another solid recipe. I used my Rancho Gordo sunshine lentils and they were still a bit al dente after 50 minutes - should have cooked longer. (But I made this in my brasier and just used the lid - not foil. Would that make a difference??) Still delicious!

  • Marinated celery with couscous and pickled golden raisins

    • mllamas on January 03, 2024

      Surprisingly delightful. We both loved this. Great textures, great combo of flavors.

    • SheilaS on March 09, 2024

      I liked this a lot. Leftovers keep well for lunch the next day. I used sliced, dried apricots instead of raisins and liked their color and tangy flavor.

    • michalow on September 03, 2023

      I made this with barley instead of couscous and pistachios instead of almonds, and I added some steamed carrots for extra veg and color. It was full of contrasting textures and bright, nutty flavors. Will make again for sure. https://tovegetableswithlove.substack.com/p/an-exclusive-tenderheart-recipe-excerpt

    • paulabee on January 26, 2025

      this was great! an excellent way to use of leftover celery when you buy a bunch and don't need all of it. Bright and punchy. I used queso fresco instead of feta b/c that's what I had. I did use the couscous as written; I could see this being lovely with other grains as well.

    • gootenbeez on January 01, 2026

      Wow this was delicious! I was intrigued buy the dish and it far exceeded expectations. I used dill, parsley and cilantro and added some feta. This is absolutely a keeper.

    • babyapricot on April 27, 2026

      So delicious and easy. Used cilantro for herbs and pistachios for the nuts. Ended up putting all the pickling liquid from both the celery and the raisins in the couscous. Definitely added the feta. Can’t wait for leftovers!

    • meghan957056 on January 03, 2026

      Did half craisins and half golden raisins with parsley, dill, and cilantro

    • jasmine_1terst on December 23, 2025

      So delicious and refreshing! I looked forward to eating this for lunch every day. Added some air fried chicken from Pinch of Yum for protein and it was great flavor. Will be making this again!

  • Stir-fried cauliflower with capers, chilli and parsley

    • JoanN on March 23, 2026

      Excellent. Tossed with 3 ounces of penne. More than enough.

    • crandall57 on May 24, 2025

      We really enjoyed this dish. I had flowering cauliflower from the farmer's market. I used one serrano pepper, and that made it too spicy. I served it over rice with feta on top.

    • christineakiyoshi on April 05, 2024

      Absolutely fantastic. I love capers and the chilis give this a nice kick.

  • Roast sweet potato wedges with aji verde

    • SheilaS on July 06, 2023

      Excellent! I served this on a bed of greens to make it more of a salad. Love the aji verde sauce and would like to try it on other things.

    • Ganga108 on October 25, 2024

      Excellent dressing! (Used my HM preserved limes instead of lime juice. Very nice.) I used the dressing with the sweet potatoes and with A French Market's Lentil croquettes. I forgot the hot water process, so the sweet potatoes took longer.

    • pattyatbryce on March 25, 2024

      The sauce was excellent. Not sure I liked her cooking method. Even with 10 more min, they didn't get crispy. I think it needs higher heat.

  • Pickled fennel Niçoise

    • SheilaS on February 06, 2024

      I wasn't sure the fennel quickles were going to take the place of tuna in a Niçoise salad but I thoroughly enjoyed this and didn't miss the tuna at all. I tossed the potatoes with some of the dressing while they were still warm to give them more flavor and was happy with that.

  • Fennel quickles

    • SheilaS on February 06, 2024

      I really liked the combo of fennel and rice vinegar. I added some thinly sliced fennel stalks and will do that again.

  • Sticky gochujang Brussels sprouts

    • SheilaS on February 06, 2024

      I liked this a lot. I didn't use all the sauce but found it a delicious condiment to drizzle on other things.

    • Deja1 on January 28, 2026

      I wasn’t a huge fan of this recipe, but that might be because my Brussels sprouts were a bit old and tasted bitter. I’ll probably give it another try

    • jeannie_e6npgb on October 13, 2025

      Delicious! Used the marinade to coat salmon and roasted that as well.

    • christineakiyoshi on August 23, 2024

      I made this with cauliflower and it was just ok. Would try again with Brussels sprouts. 3 stars with cauliflower

    • Saladly on December 05, 2025

      Easy and great. Substituted Brussels sprouts for broccoli. Made double the marinade, then baked slabs of tofu that had been smothered in the marinade (and then drizzled on some more afterwards, as suggested).

    • MariaSwe on January 03, 2025

      I used this as a side so didn't use the yoghurt. I liked it a lot, but a bit sweet.

    • bernalgirl on January 20, 2024

      These were good but not my favorite preparation. I had good caramelization before adding the sauce, and was careful not to over sauce, but still missed the crispy edges.

  • Carrot peanut satay ramen

    • SheilaS on March 16, 2024

      I had some dashi "tea bags) on hand so I brewed up a pot of that instead of making the vegan dashi. I just used a pinch of sugar instead of a teaspoon/bowl and added a couple of big spoons of chili crisp to my bowl to "warm" it up! Very easy and satisfying.

    • NicoleBrown on October 04, 2024

      My first recipe to have from this book, and it did not disappoint! My husband made this one. I just got to be the eater. Super delicious & flavorful!

    • Beck001 on January 22, 2026

      Enjoyed dish. Very filling. Would increase greens. Maybe a little less peanut butter and more carrots. I am glad to have used immersion blender for broth.

    • dosojosazules on January 18, 2024

      Enjoyed this. Carrots add a great texture to the broth. Will make again

    • djnielsen64 on June 15, 2024

      Delicious! Will def make again!

    • alysekstokes on February 05, 2026

      More of a noodles + sauce dish than the brothy soup I expect from ramen, but the flavor was nice. I skipped the egg and topped with some tofu.

    • Rinshin on September 17, 2024

      I was very skeptical of this “ramen”. But, surprised at its excellent flavor somewhat similar to complex miso or sesame paste based ramen. I used my own traditional dashi made from kombu and bonito flakes for the soup portion. I had no idea caramelized carrot bits combined with peanut butter would produce flavor this complex and tasty. Not sure the added seasoning sauce was really needed except the chili based condiment oil. Added cooked chicken slices as topping for my husband. Photo added.

    • katiesue28 on March 21, 2025

      Truly a perfect recipe. Fast and immensely enjoyable. Make it!

    • bernalgirl on January 19, 2024

      This is an easy and outstanding soup. I made it as written using vegetable broth and hondashi, and subbed Napa cabbage for the greens and fresh soup noodles in place of packaged ramen. This was a huge hit with the whole family, one they asked me to make again.

    • pomona on March 24, 2024

      Tasty.

    • pattyatbryce on March 16, 2024

      Really good and filling enough for a meat eater. I'd add more bok choy out of preference and an extra egg. I used regular dashi because it is what I had.

    • Jviney on February 23, 2024

      Jumping on the band wagon with this one. Very good. I could only find bok choy and had to use veggie broth but it was really good. Not so much a broth as a sauce but we all enjoyed it.

    • breakthroughc on April 28, 2024

      Fabulous recipe. My husband said at least 3 times while eating “this is so delicious.” I used chicken broth with good results. I teaspoon of chili oil per bowl is quite a bit for me. I might cut my portion to a half teaspoon. Will definitely make again.

    • Catbiscuit on May 02, 2026

      Delicious! It’s not a hard recipe but there’s a fair amount of chopping and multiple ingredients that contribute to making it so tasty and multiple steps where things are cooking quickly for a very short while. Next time I make this I’ll have all my kitchen space cleared first and everything chopped first and ready to go.

  • Fennel and black pepper ice cream

    • SheilaS on May 11, 2024

      The flavors of the fresh fennel, fennel seed and black pepper make this an interesting palate cleanser to serve after dinner. I didn't care for the texture of the fennel seed bits that remained after blending (maybe I should have blended longer) so I froze the mixture in a Ninja Creami container and gave ti a spin to take care of those seeds. Delicious!

  • Ras el hanout cauliflower wedges with mashed chickpeas

    • SheilaS on May 27, 2024

      I served this on a bed of arugula and it made a great meal with a lot of texture and flavor contrasts. Cauliflower and ras el hanout are great partners!

    • crandall57 on September 20, 2024

      Delicious! Easy to prepare. Great for a light lunch. For two people, I made the whole cauliflower and half of the chickpeas.

    • justine_0m1c9h on March 22, 2026

      Good. I cut up cauliflower to get more flavor. Swapped in dill for preference, and used only one can of chickpeas, though I may have over-salted. Good flavor.

    • megann_b5gxnm on January 24, 2026

      The flavor is delicious, love the complexity of the ras el hanout seasoning. In the future I will cut the cauliflower up into bite sized pieces before roasting just to get more even coverage of the seasoning on every bite.

    • dsbingham on August 31, 2024

      FANTASTIC!!

  • Tangy stir-fried cabbage and glass noodles

    • SheilaS on June 19, 2024

      an excellent way to turn some simple cabbage into a meal. I doubled the cabbage to 200g/serving, reduced the noodles to 40g/serving and added tofu. It was a bit sweet and also too salty for me so next time, I would reduce or omit the maple syrup and reduce the soy sauce. Still a very enjoyable meal.

    • crandall57 on September 28, 2024

      Loved the flavors of the dish. Would not use glass noodles next time; the noodle texture is off-putting for us. Will make again.

    • snackbaby on November 12, 2023

      so good! added some tofu "mince", fried with a little msg and soy, and some sezchuan pepper in the sauce. pleasing combination of flavors and textures, felt indulgent despite containing a ton of cabbage.

    • hmckimmey on February 05, 2026

      Used coleslaw mix instead of chopping cabbage, really quick recipe!

    • pomona on March 24, 2024

      Great sauce. Very quick lunch when working from home.

    • bernalgirl on March 04, 2024

      I followed the recipe to the letter on this one, substituting Napa cabbage as offered, and found it a little too vinegary for our tastes. I’ll make this again, decreasing the black vinegar and using green cabbage, which gets silkier with cooking and would be a better contrast to the glass noodles.

    • Tealismyname on January 25, 2025

      This was okay- I think it needed a bit of spice to it. We used green cabbage but perhaps red cabbage would add some depth.

  • Silken tofu pudding with ginger syrup

    • Apollonia on August 09, 2023

      Easy, light, delicious. I made it several times before I realized I was using half the amount of tofu called for (oops), but I think the proportions were perfect with 400g tofu to the recipe's directed amount of syrup. I used Chinese brown sugar which worked perfectly.

  • The whole turnip pasta

    • Apollonia on January 25, 2024

      I didn't have turnip greens, so followed the recipe's alternative suggestion of kale for the pesto. We enjoyed the pan fried turnips (I wouldn't have thought to put them in a pasta). The set up otherwise was fairly bog standard, but tasty enough.

    • SheilaS on April 13, 2024

      At first bite, I thought this was just OK but it really grew on me and I'd absolutely make it again. As written, and to my taste, this needs a hit of acid to brighten and contrast with the sweetness of the cooked turnip and bitterness of the greens. I added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the pesto and a sprinkle of diced preserved lemon rind to the finished dish and was happy with that. I think crumbled feta would also work. The crunch from the roasted pistachios is key but another crunchy ingredient could fill in. I always use 2 oz of pasta/serving rather than the 4 oz in the recipe and thought this was good as a vegetarian main but one could easily add shrimp, chicken or salmon, either to the dish or alongside.

    • crandall57 on July 09, 2024

      Really enjoyed this. Would add a squeeze of lemon to the pesto. We put Pecorino-Romano in the pesto and on top of the pasta. I think feta would also be good on top. Pistachios on top are key.

    • Melissa_427 on August 08, 2024

      I utilized the turnips from my garden which were abundant in greens and lacking in turnips, thus the addition of shrimp! This was my first time eating Turnip greens and they were a bit more bitter than I anticipated, but quickly grew on me. As others who have prepared this dish mention, a squeeze of lemon really goes a long way and I'm glad we opted for that addition to the recipe.

  • Spinach with sesame miso and soba noodles

    • MollyB on September 06, 2023

      Delicious, healthy dish that was perfect as a light summer dinner. And it was a great way to use up a lot of spinach!

    • Astrid5555 on March 04, 2024

      Excellent, perfect quick weeknight dinner. Both kids happily ate this, no complaints (soba noodles!).

    • patioweather on November 06, 2023

      This took me about ten minutes to make, making it a good lunch dish. I tried to use my nutribullet to blend the sauce because I didn't want to use a mortar and pestle. That didn't work great, but even with mostly whole seeds this worked. I thought some of the proportions were suspicious, but I went along with it and it all worked out perfectly. I added cooked chickpeas for extra protein.

    • pattyatbryce on March 15, 2024

      Super easy and great flavor. I used a "just for spice" coffee grinder for the sesame seeds. Add a piece of fish or a couple of eggs to get some protein for a complete meal.

  • Wombok and pomelo salad with coconut-peanut crunch

    • crandall57 on March 06, 2024

      The flavors in this salad were awesome! I had the shiso leaves in the Lettuce Grow, so I was able to follow the recipe exactly. I cut the recipe in half, except for the dressing (which is great and I will try to remember to use for other dishes). We had leftover dressing, pomelo and crunch, so we'll be making this again! (Wombok is Napa cabbage)

  • Fennel, orange and halloumi grain salad

    • crandall57 on June 28, 2024

      We thought this dish was awesome and that it had great flavors. I used short grain brown rice in place of the pearl barley. I will make this again. Made this again in December of 2024 and it was as delicious as the first time. Didn't make the rice this time, just served with home made crackers on the side.

    • pattyatbryce on January 20, 2024

      Good, but I've had better. A bit bland.

  • Upside-down rhubarb and ginger olive oil cake

    • crandall57 on August 12, 2024

      First recipe in this book we didn't care for. The cake was good; the rhubarb was a little bitter.

    • Blitzkolsch on May 26, 2026

      This was fine. A very middle of the road rhubarb dessert. I didn't have the same problem with the rhubarb going bitter.

  • Cabbage carbonara-ish

    • crandall57 on December 19, 2024

      Delicious. Difficult to cut in half for two people, so I made the full amount of sauce. Might want to try to cut the sauce in half next time, we had a lot of extra sauce. Quick and easy to put together. Will make this again.

    • MariaSwe on January 19, 2025

      Really good! I made with green cabbage but might try with savoy also.

    • patioweather on April 23, 2025

      The sauce worked out perfectly, and this is one of the few recipes in the world that uses a whole (small) head of cabbage. I do miss the chewy bits from a traditional or mushroom carbonara.

    • bernalgirl on September 28, 2024

      Carbonara-ish is a great descriptor for this recipe which results in a creamy, umami-rich sauce with silky cabbage to compliment the pasta. I craved the leftovers for breakfast. Definitely something to make all winter long.

    • pomona on March 24, 2024

      Again, very tasty but if I made it again I would leave out the egg. As it turns out, I don't like eggs cooked by latent heat.

  • Grilled eggplant and soba noodle salad with nearly nuóc chấm

    • crandall57 on October 09, 2025

      We loved this salad. I used a combination of fairy tale and Asian eggplant and didn't cut them into batons, as they were already small. I used Thai Basil, cilantro and mint. Next time, maybe use less, or no, brown sugar in the Nearly Nuoc Cham.

    • Lsblackburn1 on June 26, 2024

      Delicious summer dinner! I roasted the eggplant for 30 minutes at 420 degrees instead of broiling it.

    • bernalgirl on September 04, 2024

      An easy and sparklingly fresh dish — as anything with this much herbs and nuóc ch?m is bound to be. I like the technique of broiling the eggplant, which can be done while everything else is prepped. I used fish-sauce-based nuóc ch?m and added a small block of tofu for a more complete light meal.

    • paulabee on October 13, 2023

      loved this; perfect for a late summer meal, would make again!

    • dosojosazules on August 06, 2023

      This is just fabulous and comes together quite nicely. Used cilantro and mint for herbs, would love to try with others suggested.

  • Brussels sprouts and green onion oil noodles

    • Astrid5555 on October 21, 2025

      A very tasty bowl of noodles, needed some more soy sauce on top. Do use the optional black vinegar if you have some.

    • bernalgirl on April 04, 2024

      This comes together exactly as written and results in a tasty and comforting bowl of noodles. I worried it would feel heavy and oily, but it didn’t. I added chile flakes in the final minute of frying the sprouts and scallions.

    • katiesue28 on September 15, 2023

      Delicious. Top with some chili crisp!

    • prkrgrant on April 27, 2025

      For active time cooking this is pretty easy. I do agree with others that it could use a bit of help flavor wise. Not that it wasn't good as is but a bit of acid and heat would help quite a bit. Next time will likely add a bit of rice wine vinegar and either chili crisp or some sort of spicy pepper flake in the sauce. Overall a nice and comforting dish

    • Breannetuttle on December 11, 2024

      This is the one recipe from Tenderheart that didn’t land for me. It wasn’t very flavorful. I ended up adding more soy sauce to the noodles directly to make it taste like something. Chili crisp per the other notes might have been a good idea.

  • Sweet potato and black sesame marble bundt

    • Astrid5555 on February 09, 2024

      Split opinions about this one, while the majority loved this not too sweet, texturally very interesting (mochi meets cake) bundt, there were those who generally did not like the black sesame in the cake (made for a striking appearance though). Since I am a big fan of this flavor combo I would make it again in an instant.

    • Lsblackburn1 on November 19, 2024

      Nice cake if you’re a fan of black sesame! Easy to make and came out beautifully after one hour in the oven.

  • Black sesame mushrooms with soba noodles

    • Astrid5555 on August 15, 2023

      Delicious, quick and easy, perfect for mushroom lovers. Substituted ramen noddles for soba noodles, and used a mix of oyster, cremini and shiitake mushrooms.

    • Lsblackburn1 on January 27, 2026

      Very quick to put together and tasty enough for a weeknight meal. Served with tofu along side.

  • Soy-pickled tomatoes with silken tofu

    • eliza on September 04, 2023

      I made the tomato component and it was a great way to have some small tomatoes from the garden. I used black rice vinegar and soy sauce in the dressing. Very easy to make and I’m sure it would be good on silken tofu. This recipe is readily available online.

    • Tealismyname on June 14, 2025

      Very easy to put together and refreshing during the height of summer. Have made a few times now and it is delicious--I wouldn't reccomend if the tomatoes are not in season.

    • Babycarrot on September 05, 2023

      Absolutely delicious. It is difficult getting the silken tofu out of the packaging in one piece but luckily it stayed intact for the most part. This was so great on a really hot summer evening. Quick to put together. I used tamari for soy and rice vinegar. I didn’t have shiso leaves so omitted. I served this with the recommended white rice.

  • Kale, ginger and green onion noodles

    • bernalgirl on February 04, 2024

      I made this with dried wheat noodles at the precise proportions in the recipe and it was a bit bland. I added oyster sauce and served it with chili crisp and it was absolutely delicious.

    • astarmu on December 29, 2025

      I agree that this recipe is a bit bland, despite the ginger and garlic flavors. Oyster sauce is a fantastic suggestion. Still works as a side for marinated tofu or other protein.

  • Cheesy kale and rice cake bake

    • bernalgirl on January 31, 2024

      Even with a recommendation, when I pulled this out of the oven I thought it was going to be a massive failure. It was soupy and soooo cheesy and yet my family — including my dad — loved it. I used red chard instead of kale and added more chard stems and carrots to bulk it up a bit, and tossed in some cut up shrimp at the end. It seems like a vegetarian riff on buldak chicken so I put it under the broiler to brown it up a bit and regretted not adding a good dollop of gochujang. Mine was soupier than I’d want and if you can believe it, too cheesy. But it was a huge hit and I’d be in trouble if I didn’t make it again.

    • JoanN on June 22, 2024

      I adore this recipe. It's like the best ever mac 'n' cheese. I at least double the amount of kale, using however much comes in the bunch. I use 2.2 pounds of tteok because that's how much comes in the package. I add a big dollop of gochujang. And I sometimes, but not always, cut back a bit on the amount of broth. I'm cooking for one and this makes a huge amount. But it freezes well, and I'm always happy to discover it there. I find that the soupier version of this dish defrosts and reheats better than the less soupy version. And whatever broth may be left in the bottom of the bowl is positively slurp able.

    • jenburkholder on February 02, 2025

      I enjoyed the flavor of this, but found it too soupy even after decreasing the water by about a third. Added gochujang per bernalgirl’s suggestion and found that a great addition. Subbed cabbage for kale and liked that a lot. Found it was better as leftovers, where the tteok could soak up the sauce more. Won’t run to make again, but good with tweaks.

    • JanayBlaze on April 13, 2026

      This was good, but I found it to be too soupy, even after I halved the liquid.

    • ljl1989 on January 18, 2026

      We LOVED this. I'm not even sure what to compare it to - mac and cheese or a pasta bake is the obvious comparison but it's much lighter than that. The flavor is exceptional - we made exactly as written but added 2 tablespoons of gochujang for a little more heat. Also just used an entire bunch of kale which was probably more than 6 oz. There is a lot of broth left in the finished product - I had to serve it in bowls - and I'm not sure if that's intentional or an issue with the way the recipe is written, but we actually liked it. That said, I think if you wanted it to be more casserole-like, you'd need to either cook the broth and tomato mixture down much longer than 10 minutes or reduce the broth by a cup or two.

    • ShayLRoss on January 27, 2026

      I really loved this! I ended up making a few swaps with cabbage for kale, and goat cheese for mozzarella as that is what I had, and it was so wonderful. I also did half the amount since my pan wasn't large enough, which is easy to do for 1 pound. If you're looking for a rice cake recipe for the tubular kind that is a step further, I highly recommend making this.

  • Brussels-sprouts-instead-of-egg salad

    • Blitzkolsch on January 24, 2026

      This recipe is delicious and has become a regular recipe for us. I'll often add some hard-boiled eggs to it for extra protein to make it last more as a meal.

    • lily_z5lwe7 on April 07, 2026

      Would make a great picnic dish! Sprouts are nice because they get a little sweet when roasted, which balances all the flavors.

  • Carrot top gremolata breadcrumbs

    • Hellyloves2cook on December 23, 2023

      Made this in January 2023 to sprinkle on roasted carrots with black eyes peas recipe also in this book.

  • Roasted carrots with black-eyed peas and basil green goddess

    • Hellyloves2cook on December 23, 2023

      Made this Jan 2023. Once gathered together all the ingredients this is an easy salad meal to whip up. Another recipe that tastes delicious.

    • prkrgrant on April 27, 2025

      Great recipe and active time is super minimal! Definitely a keeper.

  • Carrot and vermicelli buns

    • erininfae on January 26, 2026

      I really liked these even though i found the side with the folds a little overly thick (you can see that they are thick on the folded side in her cross-section photo too). I think I'd figure out what kind of buns these actually imitate and watch some videos to get the fold to be less thick. Still, really like having these in the freezer for a quick meal. I also would add a little more soy or salt to the filling. It's a bit on the bland side.

  • Carrot and cannellini bean tray bake with yuzu vinaigrette

    • ZoeLovesFood on August 29, 2025

      I used hazelnuts instead of almonds and it was delicious. My kids loved it too. I served it with some nice crusty bread and a little chili crisp (I can't resist) and it was a perfect meal.

    • john_0dr7c7 on April 23, 2026

      Pretty good

    • juliacampari on August 29, 2025

      Makes a wonderfully simple weeknight dinner, with more richness of flavor than I necessarily expected. You can order yuzu juice online (I like YuzuCo brand) or they sell bottles of it at a lot of Asian grocery stores. Or if you don't have it, lemon and/or lime would also be delicious here.

    • anothersarah on May 01, 2026

      Weeknight and fairly kid friendly! Made with chickpeas, lemon instead of yuzu, chopped almonds instead of flaked and served over farro. It was a nice blend of textures.

    • pomona on January 09, 2024

      Preparation is very quick, very good week night dinner

    • bernalgirl on June 09, 2024

      good potluck item or a veg option at a holiday dinner

    • Tealismyname on April 18, 2025

      Good if not a bit forgettable. We couldn't get yuzu so used the Trader Joe's Yuzu hot sauce which I bought when visiting the states.

  • Olive oil-braised carrots and chickpeas

    • katylynnf on February 01, 2024

      Easy, pantry staples, and SO delicious. Even better leftover the next day. Huge win.

  • Carrot-almond cake with lemon drizzle

    • katylynnf on February 01, 2024

      Easy to make and SO tasty. Fudgy and moist. Absolute winner, and great for you GF/DF friends!

    • stockholm28 on July 04, 2024

      I made this because I had some almond meal that I needed to use up. This is unlikely to be a repeat for me. I’d only make this again if someone wanted a gluten-free, vegan carrot cake. This was moist but very dense. Some of the slices fell apart. I also thought it was very sweet.

  • Cauliflower Manchurian

    • christineakiyoshi on September 28, 2023

      This is delicious. I love that the batter on the cauliflower is so light. Can’t wait to make it again.

    • Ganga108 on September 19, 2023

      Excellent! This book is turning out to be my favourite book on vegetables. Hetty is amazing. And this Indo-Chinese dish is very special. I left the vegetables a little more chunky that she indicates.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 25, 2026

      Another great recipe from this cookbook,

  • Cauliflower adobo

    • christineakiyoshi on April 25, 2025

      Simple to make and I liked it very much. 4 stars.

    • bernalgirl on March 04, 2025

      A nice twist on charred broccoli. I would make this again!

  • Hoisin-glazed cauliflower with mixed grains and peanuts

    • stockholm28 on June 23, 2024

      This is basically cauliflower tossed in a homemade hoisin sauce, roasted on a sheet pan, served over mixed rice and quinoa, and sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro. I liked this, but not so much I want to make it again. It was a bit sweet for me, but hoisin sauce is sweet so that was not a surprise.The takeaway for me was the homemade hoisin. It was easy and made with ingredients that I nearly always have in my fridge or pantry. I’ll make the hoisin sauce again rather than buying a jar. Her technique of cooking the brown rice, white rice, and quinoa all together didn’t work for me. I ended up with a mushy blend of rice and quinoa rather than separate grains. If I made this again, I’d cook the grains separately.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 25, 2026

      We loved this one!

  • Cauliflower and kale pesto pasta salad with burrata

    • Breannetuttle on July 30, 2024

      This was really good. I used pasta water to loosen the pesto up instead of more oil. Would make again for sure.

    • NicoleBrown on February 10, 2025

      Omgosh this was good. I had a lot of kale on my hands and this made good use of it! I confess I couldn’t bring myself to use 120ml of olive oil for the pesto. Since it was supposed to be chunky I believe I did around 50ml and that felt like plenty to still be delicious to me. Repeater for sure!

    • prkrgrant on March 31, 2025

      For the effort this is very good. Agreed on other notes of using pasta water to loosen the pesto. Did it without the burrata and was good, think it would be great with. Only note is I only had 100g of kale which was still quite a bit. I can't imagine using 2.5x that per the recipe but I'll try it next time, would've definitely increased the amount of pesto I could've made.

    • roroj1 on December 20, 2023

      Loved this dish! Went heavier on the citrus and wish I had made more of the walnut pesto

    • Lsblackburn1 on December 10, 2025

      Very tasty. I only used one bunch of kale - maybe not enough? Added cubes of fresh mozzarella.

    • lily_z5lwe7 on February 25, 2026

      Solid! Served warm

    • drew_b4af58 on April 12, 2026

      I made this with roasted parsnips along with broccoli rabe instead of celery & store bought pesto but it was still amazing!!

    • jobie_ixahwf on June 03, 2026

      Lovely pasta salad. I would add more cauliflower next time.

  • Charred cauliflower and crispy tofu with sweet peanut sauce

    • Lsblackburn1 on October 10, 2025

      I roasted my cauliflower but otherwise made this as written. Very tasty combination of ingredients.

    • hbakke on March 03, 2024

      Nice, simple dinner. I added a small head of broccoli to use it up. I've never used chickpea flour before, and I'm not sure I'm wild about the flavor. The peanut sauce was tasty combined with the cucumber and cauliflower. I would make this easy recipe again.

  • Celery and vermicelli spring rolls

    • Kabinetka on May 24, 2025

      Could not stop eating these. So good.

  • Tiger salad with green tea noodles

    • jenburkholder on January 26, 2025

      Decent. Needed more sauce. Not too complex or filling, but easy to throw together and could easily add tofu, nuts etc.

  • Mapo eggplant

    • john_0dr7c7 on March 18, 2026

      So delicious. Great depth of flavor

    • alinutzamica on August 07, 2025

      For a vegetarian mapo version, this is very good. It took awhile to cook the aubergine.

    • bernalgirl on August 10, 2025

      A very nice eggplant preparation although I’d make a few changes next time: halve the five spice, and dice the tofu, or at least half of it. I may have over-crumbled it, but I would like more pieces and less mush. I’d also finish with Sichuan peppercorns for that numbing effect.

    • Lsblackburn1 on January 27, 2024

      Very delicious and easy to make.

  • Eggplant balls with spicy tamarind tomato sauce

    • alinutzamica on January 08, 2026

      Excellent! I had a jar of readily prepared roasted aubergines, found at the local Middle Eastern shop, which worked well instead of the boiled aubergine. I was not sure about the flavours initially. I added the aubergine balls to the sauce and left them to infuse for an hour. The flavours really came together an hour later so I'm glad I didn't serve the dish straight away.

  • Eggplant, 'char siu' style

    • prkrgrant on January 02, 2026

      Enjoyed this quite a bit. Think it would be good in or on other dishes, as a standalone not quite enough going on. But very easy, very tasty, and was a good way to easily use up some extra eggplant.

    • cheffreddie on November 14, 2023

      A super easy recipe to add some vegetarian oomph to your dinner! This came out great with the generic, out-of-season globe eggplants from my grocery store. My husband is not an eggplant fan but ate several slices happily. Love having a hands-off oven recipe so I can use my stovetop for other side dishes (in this case, we paired it with Hetty's Soy Butter Bok Choy noodles).

    • RRuth on January 29, 2026

      Very nice and extremely easy like many recipes in this lovely book

    • Lsblackburn1 on December 11, 2024

      This was just okay for me. I wanted it to be saucier or juicier or just more delicious. Served over rice.

    • patioweather on October 31, 2023

      I put these in frozen bao buns. This will likely become my regular eggplant dish because the texture gets chewy so my partner who doesn't like eggplant ate it happily. Next time, I will score or slice the skin so that you can bite chunks of it without the entire slice sliding out of the bao. (That wouldn't be an issue if it's served on rice the way she suggests.)

    • bfurrow on January 07, 2025

      I don’t think I like Chinese 5 spice. This recipe was a miss for me.

    • pomona on June 25, 2025

      A bit sweet, but pretty tasty. I used the same marinade for roasting some firm tofu slices, too.

  • Chocolate-eggplant brownie

    • earthflesh on March 04, 2024

      This is delicious! I love a hidden-healthy-ingredient recipe. You can't even tell there's eggplant if you puree it well. It's super rich and fudgy, which is delightful but also means I can only handle a small piece at a time!

  • Fennel frond pesto

    • djnielsen64 on October 12, 2025

      Very good! Accidentally used pistachios instead of pumpkin seeds and it was great!

    • rmardel on June 12, 2025

      Absolutely love this pesto. The sweet brightness of the fennel fronds is refreshing and somewhat surprising in a pesto, but it makes it very versatile with lots of dishes.

  • Fennel and black olive fried rice

    • djnielsen64 on January 27, 2024

      Loved it! Comes together easily once all prep is done.

  • Ginger jook with frizzled ginger and garlic

    • Ganga108 on September 10, 2023

      Excellent congee! Oh my! The sesame oil adds a fragrance that can be noticed while it is cooking. I added a little yuba for protein and creaminess. Topped with garlic, ginger, crispy fried onions, Laoganma chilli crisp, coriander leaves, sesame seeds, spring onions.

  • Ginger and coconut mochi cake

    • Babycarrot on April 15, 2024

      This makes a lot of mochi batter and although the recipe calls for quite a bit of sugar I enjoyed the not so sweet final product. I’m not sure the 8 1/2 in square pan is the way to go here as I makes for thick squares and it’s hard to tell whether it’s fully done or not. It was quite easy to whip up though, and it was fun to make something that I’ve never made before.

  • Ginger and date sticky rye puddings

    • Kabinetka on April 26, 2025

      I thought this was horrible. The taste of olive oil (of which there is an enormous quantity, 3/4 cup!) pervades this pudding, very discordant from the classic sticky toffee flavors, and even more so when topped with the coconut toffee sauce. I thought the use of rye flour was clever, and I would try that again in a more classic recipe.

  • A sesame-infused kale salad

    • katylynnf on February 01, 2024

      Wow, I did not have high expectations for this but it was incredible. So easy and so flavorful. I used baby swiss chard in place of the kale as that is what I had on hand and it was fantastic. A for sure repeat.

    • crandall57 on April 09, 2024

      This salad is delicious! We had it with the Turnip Tortilla on page 476. I cut the recipe in 1/2 for two people and only used one tablespoon of sesame oil.

    • abrownb1 on June 10, 2024

      This is amazing! The avocado truly makes it so creamy and spectacular. I used lacinato kale and it was excellent. So quick to make - this will be on repeat all summer.

    • bernalgirl on December 15, 2024

      I love a massaged kale salad and I love the juxtaposition of flavors and textures in this one. I left half the avocado diced since the sesame oil is sufficient to break down the kale. Per her recommendation, I tossed the salad with dumplings, in this case the mini chicken and cilantro wontons from Trader Joe’s, which I loved. I think I’d also enjoy this salad with soba or green tea noodles. Makes for a great workday lunch!

    • Dcampos on February 08, 2026

      Fantastic & easy!

  • Kale and risoni

    • Lsblackburn1 on February 05, 2026

      Delicious! My orzo took about 18 minutes to cook and I used extra feta. Really loved the flavors in this.

    • purrvicz on March 06, 2026

      Delicious, I added sliced kalamata olives and some aleppo pepper and omitted the dried mint. Next time i'd do the same but maybe double the kale and maybe add fennel to the saute.

  • Kale dumplings with brothy butter beans

    • Saladly on May 21, 2026

      Very impressive dish. Easy to prepare.

    • Lsblackburn1 on October 27, 2025

      This is delicious. My dumplings took about 20 minutes to get cooked. I had some flageolet beans that I needed to use up, but I think a larger, less delicate white bean would work better.

    • crandall57 on June 18, 2024

      This dish was excellent! I made the full amount of sauce, but only used one jar of beans for 2 people. I used Borlotti Beans from Jovial foods. I only used 2 tablespoons of tomato paste (I freeze it in one tablespoon portions). I used sherry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. I cut the dumpling recipe in 1/2 for two people. Because of a gluten allergy, I used Cup for Cup gluten free flour (contains xanthan gum); the one without milk powder. I used Earth Balance butter (casein allergy) and sheep's milk Manchego cheese. I used 1/2 an egg and Barista Oat milk. I will make this again. I was not a lot of work for a lot of great flavor. I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop and, using that scoop, I made 9 dumplings, so I think mine were smaller than intended. They cooked perfectly in the 15 minutes she recommended.

    • roroj1 on January 23, 2024

      Incredible! The dumplings did take way longer to cook than what was stated in the recipe though

  • Mushroom, leek and walnut pate

    • ArberaBarbera on June 07, 2025

      Loved this! I used oyster mushroom and chestnut mushrooms as the fresh mushroom input. It is very nice and savoury. We had some as appetizers on toast and I will use it on sandwiches too. The recipe makes a lot! About 600 g I think.

    • samfrances on January 17, 2024

      Not as flavorful as I had hoped. I think I may have under-salted though.

    • astarmu on November 11, 2025

      Best mushroom pate ever! I don’t understand the low rating. I’ll be making this on repeat.

    • drew_b4af58 on April 15, 2026

      This would be so good on a banh mi

  • Mushroom khao soi

    • takemori on November 26, 2024

      Amazing flavor base, 10/10 would make again

    • ArberaBarbera on July 22, 2025

      Loved this a lot! I used a red onion instead of shallots, and some Patak's curry paste in lack of curry powder. Soaked a few dried shii-take and used them in the paste together with oyster mushrooms, while using the soaking water as a base for the broth. Halved the coconut milk and added some cashew nuts in the end for protein.

    • spacebaby on March 13, 2025

      Didn't have lime leaves and added more chiles but otherwise followed recipe. The curry base is awesome and the recipe is easier than it looks. Next time I will double the mushrooms or add different vegetables/proteins, since it makes a lot of noodles.

  • Mushroom and potato coconut chowder

    • ArberaBarbera on July 09, 2025

      Swapped leeks for white onions,rice vinegar for lemon juice and added celery leaves. Used oyster mushrooms. Added some cashew nuts for protein. Really loved the result!

    • justine_0m1c9h on April 14, 2026

      Very good easy soup.

    • Blitzkolsch on August 31, 2025

      This ingredient list is missing the celery that is listed in my book, so I ended up making it with yellow onion instead because that's what I had on hand. It was still very delicious and will be making it again.

  • Southern fried mushrooms

    • ldtrieb on September 20, 2023

      This was a nice crispy alternative to actual fried mushrooms I used the air fryer. I lightly sprayed the coated mushrooms before air frying at 450. I used “maitake” . This is a keeper, not messy at all once they were dipped in the batter. We had them for dinner with coleslaw and tomatoes.

  • Creamy mushroom udon noodles

    • breakthroughc on February 24, 2026

      This was okay, but will not be a repeat for us. It was creamy, but it was too bland. As it cooled it got quite stodgy. I’m not sure we will eat our way through the leftovers. I used the black vinegar and was glad I didn’t use soy sauce as it was on the verge on being too salty.

    • ArberaBarbera on June 07, 2025

      This is was nice and easy. The tofu sauce turned out too garlicky. Next time I will leaved out the raw garlic. The fried leek has enough of it already.

    • bethanyck on March 13, 2024

      Excellent recipe. The tofu cream will become a standalone favorite. Only recommendation is to stick to the 1/2 cup of water. I added about 3/4 and it was a smidge looser than I wanted.

    • djnielsen64 on May 20, 2024

      Yum! Will make again.

    • justine_0m1c9h on April 17, 2026

      Didn't love. Definitely had to take her suggestions of adding in lemon juice and nutritional yeast to add in some flavor. Also, the tofu sauce was still a bit grainy.

    • drew_b4af58 on April 28, 2026

      I liked it but I feel like it needs something crunchy. I might add some chili crisp or some fried shallots ontop next time.

  • Mushroom cheung fun

    • Cathyschuh on June 26, 2023

      I made this tonight-my first time! and took a few practice noodles but I got that hang of it. Added in shrimp.

  • Miso mushroom ragu with baked polenta

    • ldtrieb on July 12, 2023

      This was delicious. I used oyster mushrooms, it would be good with any combination. The baked polenta took an extra 20 minutes. Next time I’ll cook it in the instant pot, less opportunity for spillling.The best part is the balsamic and miso added at the end. Do not leave this out, it makes the dish. Miso does not easily dissolve in liquid so I used the balsamic and some extra stock mixing in a little bowl first.

    • CourtneyT on December 21, 2025

      Gorgeous!

    • ArberaBarbera on August 04, 2025

      Delicious and easy! I used pre-cooked PAN polenta (because it's what I had) and mixed it with the prescribed other ingredients, which is faster than the recipe and worked out fine as well.

    • Tealismyname on October 11, 2025

      Absolutely delicious! We used the polenta recipe from Med since I only had instant polenta.

    • Astrid5555 on February 24, 2025

      Another winner from this book and an absolute umami bomb. The baked polenta was absolutely delicious and nobody missed the Parmesan cheese I would normally add. Love the technique and my polenta was done in the time stated in the recipe. ldtrieb is correct though that the best part of the ragu is the balsamic and miso added in the end. I followed their advice to dissolve the miso in the vinegar and it worked perfectly. A definite keeper!

  • Miso-maple sugar snap pea, turnip and strawberry salad

    • crandall57 on April 28, 2025

      This was a great salad. All the ingredients worked well together to create an unusual, yet, delicious salad.

    • SheilaS on April 14, 2024

      Simple salad that’s easy to prep in the time it takes the quinoa to cook. I enjoyed the combination of flavors and textures.

  • Peas and burrata

    • bernalgirl on March 29, 2025

      A really nice salad, the interplay of the vegetal peas shoots, sweet snap peas, creamy burrata and lemony dressing works beautifully. I tore the burrata for ease of serving, and topped with a dusting of sumac and Aleppo pepper.

    • Hellyloves2cook on July 23, 2024

      Husband made this for a dinner party one evening. It was light and fresh - the crunch of the sugar snap peas contrasted nicely with the softness of the mozzarella.

  • Tingly 'cacio e pepe' snow peas with rice noodles

    • bernalgirl on March 27, 2026

      This is a nice fusion recipe, I love the funk of white pepper and the tingly Sichuan peppercorns. My sauce was a little gluey, perhaps it want liquids enough when I added the cheese. I used a combination of slivered snap and snow bead, and added slivered green garlic because Spring!

    • Schooffiecooks on April 02, 2026

      Simple and very nice!

  • Pea egg-drop macaroni soup

    • crandall57 on April 29, 2025

      We really enjoyed this dish. It cut in half easily for two people. I used fresh peas from the farmer's market and gluten free elbows. We topped it with the Umami Crisp from page 27. We'll make this again.

  • Thai curry snow pea stir-fry

    • Melissa_427 on July 18, 2023

      Served with Sriracha shrimp and coconut rice. A very quick and simple stir fry that I'd happily return to!

  • Smushy spiced peas with any roasted vegetable

    • Hellyloves2cook on December 23, 2023

      Made this as part of a meal for a friend. Used roasted potatoes and roast carrots to go along with the smushy peas. Added a long red chilli as didn’t have jalapeño or Serrano available. It was easy to make and absolutely delicious to eat. Will definitely make again.

  • Roasted potato and lentil salad with black sesame aioli

    • Tealismyname on April 18, 2025

      Delicious and fairly simple. I think the grated carrot helped to balance the flavours. Would make this again as a side :)

    • astarmu on January 05, 2026

      Boiling the garlic with the lentils makes it loose flavor. I added it to the potatoes and the carrot, in the last 5 minutes - caramelized carrot flavor works much better in this recipe than raw carrot. The black sesame aioli was delicious and very creative.

    • Pandan on April 07, 2024

      I messed this up a bit: recognised too late that I didn’t have any roasted sesame oil left, so I used more black sesame seeds, roasted these before grinding and swapped it out with black seed oil. I also thought it would be a good idea to just add the rest of the aioli ingredients to the mixer. Turns out, it wasn’t :D it made the aioli look grey and also made it liquid. Despite these fails the dish still tasted really delicious!

    • drew_b4af58 on April 21, 2026

      I used a mix of potatoes and parsnips because that’s what I had on hand! I also used the recommended substitute for chickpeas such a great spring salad

    • elherman on May 30, 2026

      Black sesame didn't really come through. Was tasty, but would serve over a bed of greens next time

  • Baked potato dinner

    • crandall57 on November 15, 2024

      This dish is excellent! It was real easy, just needed a lot of time in the oven. We will make this again.

  • Big potato pancake with quick-pickled apple salad

    • RRuth on February 06, 2026

      Great. Simple. Biggest effort is keeping an eye on the pan and flipping. Cast iron worked a charm, so did grating the (waxy) potatoes on the Magimix and squeezing them in a kitchen towel afterwards. Added some sprouted broccoli, blanched then grilled.

  • Crispy potato tacos

    • RRuth on February 11, 2026

      Good. Would make some version of it again. Added some pickled jalapeno to the potato mixture as per the suggestion of another user here. Also defrosted some leftover shredded chicken in a bit of the salsa and added to the tacos. Make sure the salsa is spicy enough :)

    • katiesue28 on July 17, 2024

      Delicious and endlessly customizable! I had a lot of homemade salsa leftover (Guerilla Taco's Tomatillo and Avocado salsa), so I skipped the salsa recipe from the book. I added some sour cream, chile powder, and white wine vinegar into the mashed potatoes to pump up the flavor some. Great way to use up potatoes/salsa/tortillas!

    • Melissa_427 on October 10, 2023

      Absolutely delicious! As soon as I saw these as an option, I knew I had to make time for them. Lots of "moving pieces" so perhaps not the best for a weeknight, but then again, homemade salsa isn't required and the potatoes can be made a day or two ahead of time. Would absolutely make again!

    • francisfrancis on January 24, 2026

      This is on frequent rotation, I usually add chopped pickled jalapeños to the potatos for a bit of heat and acid. Leftover potatos are great with beans and eggs in a breakfast burrito.

  • Salt and pepper potato gems

    • dmass on November 11, 2024

      These are delicious! Great treat for movie or game day. Very easy as well.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 19, 2026

      Made it a bit simpler. Just fried some potatoes, and made a mix of the herbs adding some chili powder. Mixed it all together and added the chopped spring onions on top. Delicious and definitely on repeat!

  • Kabocha miso soup with ramen noodles

    • CourtneyT on January 20, 2026

      Easy, tasty and filling. A very good winter meal.

    • lily_z5lwe7 on February 17, 2026

      Good, not my all time favorite ramen recipe, but good. I added soy sauce at the table to balance the sweetness.

  • Roasted delicata and radicchio with date vinaigrette

    • Lsblackburn1 on December 10, 2025

      Excellent fall salad. I especially liked the crunch of the pumpkin seeds. Didn’t add cheese, but next time I would.

  • Miso-roasted pumpkin and chickpeas with kale

    • Tealismyname on January 25, 2025

      I really liked the pumpkin and chickpeas. We didn't have kale so we used swish chard and sauteed it. To add crunch we quick pickled the stems. We changed the salad aspect of the recipe far too much to give it a rating currently.

    • patioweather on October 14, 2024

      I love squash, but I have been let down by squash salads in the past. This one was great. I didn't feel like I was chewing too much and it didn't feel monotonous.

    • et12 on September 28, 2025

      Made this with a small pumpkin and it was really nice. Served on abed of rice for dinner and it was very filling. I used kale which I felt was a bit too crunchy. Perhaps chard would be a better option. The roasted pumpkin seeds on top really help tie in the flavours of the dish.

    • chefoclairo on February 01, 2026

      This was okay, the roasted pumpkin was tasty enough but not amazing. My rating is lower because this dish was average but thanks to other comments about the kale being bland, I dressed my kale with a tangy mustard dressing and for crunch made parmesan-crusted kale chips.

    • Ganga108 on April 11, 2023

      I made with butternut pumpkin, and shredded zucchini with lemon and garlic for the kale. Nice. I served alongside Lemony Roast Potatoes with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic from Roden's cookbook Med.

    • hbakke on October 13, 2023

      I used a mutant butternut-ish squash that had been growing in my compost pile all summer. I had relatively low expectations for this recipe since I'm not a big fan of kale or chickpeas, but was happy with the results. We liked the miso-maple sauce on the squash and chickpeas combined with the lemony kale. I would make this again.

    • jessica_qyreaf on January 17, 2026

      The kale part of this was great and the sauce tasted great before cooking. I think our squash used was too bland and I wanted a bit more flavor from the sauce so next time I might use a bit more. I liked it even better the next day eaten cold for lunch.

  • Butternut pumpkin 'lasagne'

    • paulabee on December 05, 2023

      Delicious. I had half of a large butternut and was able to halve the recipe and serve in a small baking dish. Also seems like a good vehicle for dispensing with leftover fridge bits; I roasted a leek with the squash and added one layer of some sautéed spinach I needed to use up. Otherwise made as written.

    • patioweather on February 16, 2025

      Just FYI, this is mostly cheese by weight. Some people will love that and some won’t.

  • Pumpkin egg custard tarts

    • Lsblackburn1 on October 20, 2025

      Delicious although I only had enough custard to fill 7 tarts. Next time I’d just use one sheet of puff pastry.

  • Seaweed burnt butter pasta

    • vegwithtastebuds on January 10, 2024

      Name of recipe is actually ”seaweed brown butter pasta” not burnt. It’s delicious! I made is with macaroni because it was on hand and still turned out great

  • Spinach and mint ruffled milk pie

    • Boffcat on June 01, 2024

      I love this, and make it regularly - it's popular, impressive-looking and delicious. The filo pastry most readily available where I live only has around 12 sheets in a pack (versus the 16 to 18 called for in the recipe), so I just make a two thirds quantity of the custard to keep the proportions broadly right.

  • Spinach and black bean enchilada bake

    • patioweather on March 03, 2025

      One of the more traditional recipes in the book. The only twist here is not rolling up the tortillas, which I never do anyway because it’s a pain. Rachelblair said it’s essential to use good tortillas. I disagree and will say that it’s the enchilada sauce you need to pay attention to. There’s a provided recipe for sauce but it also suggests skipping that to buy your own. Most of the flavor is coming from the sauce so if you do that, it had better be a good one. I do agree with rachelblair though that it could use more vegetable heft in comparison to the tortillas.

    • rachelblair on October 27, 2023

      Really delicious and using good tortillas is a must to really get the best out of the recipe. I did find the ratio of tortillas to vegetables a bit off though so next time I make it I'm going to add more black beans and maybe some other veg like red peppers or some pre roasted squash to bulk it up a bit and make it feel more balanced. I may even remove a layer of tortillas.

  • Green curry spinach and lentil soup

    • patioweather on October 27, 2023

      Everyone said it was good while eating it, but no one went for leftovers the next day. I did make it too salty, thinking I knew. better than Heddy.

  • Inspired by chana saag

    • Lsblackburn1 on January 21, 2026

      Loved this! I used one can chickpeas and 8 ounces of halloumi that I needed to use up. Served with flatbread.

    • Ceciliaisabel on December 31, 2025

      Needed many intermittent dashes of salt, upped garam masala to 1.5 teaspoons, and used just one 5.4 oz can of coconut cream (what I had on hand) at once while cooking (same veg measurements), skipped the drizzle. Cannot emphasize enough that this needs an acid—squeezed a whole lime after turning the heat off and it was perfect.

  • Sweet potato panang curry

    • anothersarah on May 24, 2026

      Delicious. I had to make several subs and it still came out great.

  • Sweet potato panang curry pizza

    • anothersarah on May 26, 2026

      Something lost in translation for me. The curry on its own is delicious but I found the flavor muted in the pizza form. The combo of curry and pizza may also not be one for me, think I prefer them separate.

  • Sweet patatas bravas salad

    • Tealismyname on October 19, 2025

      Could use somethign to bulk it out as it doesn't have much protein. delicious though.

    • celestekahn on February 02, 2026

      Very yummy! I used half sweet potato and half delicata squash since that’s what I had on hand. The veg didn’t turn out as crisped as I would have liked so if I do it again I’ll cook them in the air fryer!

  • Tomato and Gruyère clafoutis

    • bernalgirl on September 14, 2024

      This is absolutely lovely made with in-season cherry tomatoes, they barely cook under the clafouti batter, making for a bright, savory, and surprisingly light dish. That said, hand-popping — I don’t think crushing is intended — the cherry tomatoes is a messy busines, even if you add the garlic afterwards like I did. Next time I’ll use a much deeper bowl and try a potato masher. I baked this in my countertop annd oven served this with a Caesar salad and tinned fish, it was a perfect summer dinner.

  • Walk away tomato sauce with pici pasta

    • bernalgirl on September 10, 2024

      This truly is a walk-away dish and the sauce achieves a wonderful consistency. That said, I’m not sure about the heavy dose of cumin. While I love cumin, a full tablespoon overwhelms the other flavors and makes this harder to conceive as a pasta dish. I did enjoy the leftovers with small cubes of fresh mozzarella and sautéed greens mixed in.

  • Tomato, watermelon and feta salad

    • et12 on May 19, 2024

      I had seen versions of this recipe before in other books but appreciated the author’s suggestion of substituting other melon if watermelon is unavailable, which is the situation I was in. I substituted with honeydo melon and it made for a fresh, tasty and well balanced salad.Perfect for the hot summer day we had. Definitely something I would do again.

  • Gemista

    • christineakiyoshi on August 23, 2024

      Fantastic recipe, full of flavor and great way to use summer tomatoes. Left out the feta because we are vegan and used less oil than called for. 5 stars.

    • Tealismyname on August 19, 2025

      This was very yummy- not pretty but delicious. We made a mistake with the oil and put too much with the rice but it worked out okay in the end.

  • Salted tomatoes with tomato and white bean dip

    • roroj1 on December 20, 2023

      The white bean dip was amazing! I actually liked it better without the tomatoes

  • Turnips with harissa cashew cream, kale and lemony breadcrumbs

    • bernalgirl on January 24, 2024

      Overall I liked the combination flavors and textures, the cashew cream was under-seasoned made to the recipe, I added more harissa, garlic, and salt, but with those changes it was an excellent foil for the kale and turnips — to which I added chile flakes — with the seasoned breadcrumbs for texture.

    • crandall57 on November 11, 2024

      We really enjoyed this dish. I used Hakurei turnips and gluten free panko breadcrumbs. I put 2 teaspoons of spicy Harissa in the cashew cream, along with an extra clove of garlic. Both the cashew cream and the breadcrumbs would work with other dishes.

  • Miso butter-glazed turnips with black rice

    • ljl1989 on January 12, 2026

      Can’t review the full recipe as I didn’t make as written, but did make the miso / garlic / maple sauce to drizzle on a bunch of roasted winter radishes and it was fantastic. I imagine it would be great on salmon as well.

    • tarae1204 on March 09, 2025

      Very easy and quite good. Adding wet leaves at the end of cooking reintroduced moisture that had cooked off and spoiled the nice caramelization of the turnips. But the spice of the turnip leaves was a great foil to the sweet turnips.

  • Turnip tortilla

    • bernalgirl on March 04, 2026

      Texturally this is different from a traditional Spanish tortilla but the turnips add a silky dimension and I appreciated the boost of vegetables. Great on its own warm and a delicious way to start the day on toast with arugula pesto or whatever you have on hand.

    • Babycarrot on February 27, 2024

      This tastes great but was more reminiscent of an omelet than a spanish-style tapas-esque tortilla. That being said it really did taste great which was surprising given that there were only 5 ingredients. The flipping part was a bit of a hassle. Previous reviewers on Facebook have mentioned that it was oily, so I cut down on the oil quite a bit and used regular turnips instead of hakurei. Next time I would finish in the oven as someone had recommended.

  • Roasted turnips with red onion, lentils and wasabi aioli

    • rmardel on June 12, 2025

      This is utterly fabulous! The sweetness of the roasted turnips and red onion plays very nicely with the wasabi mayonnaise and the meatiness of the lentils. Will definitely make again.

  • Daikon with cold spicy noodles

    • patioweather on November 18, 2024

      Quite spicy. The daikon got a bit lost in this, making it a good option if you need to hide vegetables from someone.

    • bernalgirl on January 10, 2025

      Spicy and delicious! I left out the daikon and used the thin mung beans noodles I had on hand. I’d love to find the thicker ones in the book photo but even without this is a great cold salad, especially if it sits a bit before serving so the daikon and noodles can absorb the flavors.

    • Apollonia on November 23, 2024

      I had a daikon that needed using so made this. It was... fine? As with the commenter below, we found we really couldn't taste the daikon (or the carrot I added), and the sauce was nothing to write home about (certainly nothing like liang pi, which the headnote suggests this was inspired by). Not sorry I made it but won't make again.

  • Fried zucchini pasta

    • Astrid5555 on May 01, 2024

      A little time consuming because of the frying step, but oh so good.

    • Tealismyname on July 22, 2025

      Pretty time consuming and because I used a range of different courgettes-- some were more watery than others.

    • vaneater on January 05, 2026

      This was a pretty labour intensive recipe to make it was a lot of frying and then more frying and stirring all the other ingredients in to make it but it was incredibly delicious and me and my husband both had seconds when we have this I would recommend taking the time to make it but just because it's zucchini even pastor it's not the most quick thing to make so worth the noting that.

    • Lenny_Simon_KK on October 07, 2024

      Made the fried zucchini the day in advance and worked perfectly! It is delicious.

    • jenburkholder on August 25, 2023

      Nice but very rich. Used short pasta instead of bucatini and didn’t mind the change.

  • Zucchini, dill and tahini soup

    • christineakiyoshi on June 26, 2023

      I used cashews for this. Hearty soup, I like it very much. You could probably reduce the nuts to 1/2 cup to make it a little lighter. Great way to use excess zucchini from the garden.

    • pomona on April 14, 2024

      Tasty hot and cold, much like ajo blanco. I used yuzu olive oil for the dressing. A quick dish.

  • Za'atar zucchini ramen noodles

    • Schooffiecooks on March 25, 2026

      Very easy and very nice!

    • crandall57 on June 26, 2024

      Delicious! I used the spiralizer for the zucchini (the large holes). Great flavor; be sure to add the mint. I used gluten free rice noodles and Earth Balance vegan butter. Easy to cut in half for two people. Quick and easy to make. Made this again, julienned the zucchini, instead of using the spiralizer. Just as delicious as the first time.

    • SheilaS on July 02, 2024

      I wasn't sure how I'd like the combo of za'atar, mint, butter and cheese but it turned to be just great. I added some slivered sugar snap peas for crunch and little cherry tomatoes for a hit of acid and sweetness.

    • snackbaby on August 03, 2025

      super delightful and very quick meal! mint is crucial

  • Charred zucchini and sweetcorn with basil Caesar-ish sauce

    • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

      There’s nothing Caesar-ish about the dressing, but this salad is wonderfully peak summer. I tossed in 1/2 cup of leftover pan-charred green beans, which fit right in. The fresh herbs and red wine vinegar (or lemon juice) are essential to keeping this bright and the result is a new keeper summer salad.

    • Hellyloves2cook on January 31, 2025

      I have made this twice now. The first time I cooked the zucchini in batches on the stove top in batches which took a while. I made it a meditative process and didnt have any time constraints so all was fine. The second time involved the barbecue which was much quicker. This salad was a great way to use a glut of zucchini. Very easy to make and even easier to eat. In fact I am making it tonight for dinner as I have more corn cobs to use along with another glut of homegrown zucchini.

  • Zucchini flower pajeon

    • crandall57 on July 09, 2024

      Very tasty! I used gluten-free flour (with xanthan). Really like the dipping sauce, too. I used miso instead of doenjang. Will make these again.

  • Matcha kale noodles

    • astarmu on December 29, 2025

      I made this with collard green and kale stalks. Great use for them!

  • Salt and vinegar kale chips with fried chickpeas and avocado

    • megann_b5gxnm on January 10, 2026

      Delicious flavor but a bit labor and dish intensive . Made half a recipe but 1 can of beans for 2 servings was still a lot. Next time will probably roast the chickpeas in the oven instead of on the stove top. Served with roasted potatoes for breakfast.

  • Hijiki baked rice wrapped in nori

    • Blitzkolsch on January 24, 2026

      An easy and delicious meal that has become a regular in our house.

  • Triple treat salad

    • jenna_3nrekj on May 18, 2026

      This recipe was so so good, easy, and satisfying. I could have this for dinner just on it's own, but it would be fun to have as an appetizer when friends come over.

    • olivia_q6vdxl on March 11, 2026

      This was delicious. Instead of serving this as side — we had this as a main and made the tofu a bit more substantial — we coated the the tofu in cornstarch and fried it so that it was crisp (then tossed it in a mixture of five spice, salt, pepper, and ginger). I made the rest of the recipe as directed — except for I made twice the seaweed (honestly would have made even more it was so good) and dressed the cucumbers a seaweed seperatly so that we had three piles that we could mix together on the plate (inspired by the picture)! We did not dress the tofu. Would absolutely make this again.

  • Japanese turnip curry

    • rosie_t81cht on May 18, 2026

      Not the best photo but a really hearty curry dinner. Substituted potatoes for turnip. Yum. The recipe made 6+ portions, plus enough of the curry roux to freeze half for next time.

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  • ISBN 10 1035054590
  • ISBN 13 9781035054596
  • Published Aug 15 2024
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 528
  • Language English
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher Bluebird

Publishers Text

'A love letter to vegetables and almost a memoir through recipes, this truly special book speaks to the soul as much as to the stomach.' - Nigella Lawson

Winner of the James Beard Vegetable-Focused Cooking Book Award

Heritage and food have always been linked for Hetty Lui McKinnon. Tenderheart is a loving homage to her father, a Chinese immigrant in Australia, told in flavourful, vegetarian recipes. Growing up as part of a Chinese family in Australia, McKinnon formed a deep appreciation for her bicultural identity, and for her father, who moved to Sydney as a teenager and learned English while selling bananas at a local market. As he brought home crates full of produce after work, McKinnon learned about the beauty and versatility of fruits and vegetables.

Tenderheart is the happy outcome of McKinnon's love of vegetables, featuring twenty-two essential fruits and vegetables that become the basis for over 180 outstanding recipes including:

  • Miso Mushroom Ragu with Baked Polenta
  • Carrot and Vermicelli Buns
  • Crispy Potato Tacos
  • Kale, Ginger and Green Onion Noodles
  • Broccoli Wontons with Umami Crisp
  • Soy-Butter Bok Choy Pasta
  • Sweet Potato and Black Sesame Marble Bundt


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