• karen_b0jywu on February 06, 2026

  The ruby noodles are fantastic. So simple to make and yes they are better cold!

• DKennedy on August 01, 2025

  Doing a proper read through now. I see her appeal. Nigella is a chatty Cathy which I appreciate in a cookbook author. So many of her intros have led me to tab recipes I would have otherwise overlooked. And I love that she gives credit to others for some of the recipes or their inspiration. Lots of GF options.

• DKennedy on July 20, 2025

  A gift from Conor on 7-19-25. On 7-31, made the marzipan pound cake. On 8-1, sat down with the book and did a proper read through. Many more recipes tabbed.

• eurotaster on November 11, 2020

  The rice pudding cake is fantastic

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Anchovy and garlic dressing

  • Foodycat on December 13, 2020

    When she says a small pinch of mace she means A SMALL PINCH. What my German cookbooks call a knifetip - I used a measure which is 1/4 of 1/8 of a teaspoon and it was still a bit dominant. The flavour was very good in it but that's the outside of enough. I used it to dress a chicory and walnut salad (using lemon juice instead of vinegar) and served it with roast chicken, which was a very good combination.

• Spinach with anchovies and cream

  • SheilaS on December 05, 2023

    Delicious - the anchovy flavor doesn't dominate but adds a great umami boost to the spinach

• Caesar mayo

  • wester on October 05, 2023

    I made my normal stick-blender mayo with mustard, lemon juice and garlic, then added the anchovies and cheese. Approved of by my daughter.

• Spaghetti with chard, chilli and anchovies

  • danibattle on February 06, 2021

    Tasty. My anchovy avoidant husband liked this very much. Definitely will make again

  • Astrid5555 on February 20, 2021

    Don’t skimp on the anchovies, they make this dish. Will make again!

  • KarinaFrancis on June 10, 2021

    Delicious and super easy! I added a spoonful of currants because I love them with chard. Will absolutely make this again

  • Geric on June 12, 2021

    Very tasty. Will make again.

  • Lepa on October 24, 2021

    This was a quick and delicious Friday night meal. Everyone in my family liked it.

  • Jane on October 29, 2021

    This became my favorite dinner during rainbow chard season. It's so quick and really flavorful. I should own up I use the whole can of anchovies (without the oil) just for me which probably ups the flavor a lot.

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    Just okay. I love anchovies, but found this to be a bit much.

  • rmardel on December 07, 2023

    I really loved this. I used proportionally more chard and less pasta per serving, which suited my tastes perfectly. I was also generous with the anchovies. Such a rich, generous combination of flavors.

  • bernalgirl on December 15, 2023

    Easy umami goodness. I used a full tin of Spanish anchovies (about 10), a medium bunch or rainbow chard, and 9 oz. of pasta. I look forward to repeating this one.

• Celeriac and anchovy gratin

  • wester on December 22, 2020

    Mixed reception: my daughter loved it, I quite liked it, my son thought it was just OK and my husband disliked it. Good instructions though, very clear. Personally, I would have liked both more anchovy flavor and more creaminess, both of which should be pretty easy to fix.

  • marydulwich on January 31, 2021

    This was deliciously creamy and really easy to adjust the portion size - I used a very small dish to make a side for two and it worked really well.

• Celeriac rémoulade

  • Hansyhobs on February 04, 2023

    Easy and delicious, I added a little lemon juice and the acidity was welcomed

• Anchovy elixir

  • firetriniti on February 12, 2023

    Fab with steak and pretty much everything else. Have made this several times. The better the anchovies, the better the results, but bog standard tinned anchovies work well too and get better with time.

• Steak with anchovy elixir

  • firetriniti on May 01, 2026

    This is the same anchovy elixir from Cook, Eat, Repeat that I adore, but I used this version this time, with my usual changes. I prefer to double the garlic and halve the water, to make what is essentially a rich anchovy mayo emulsion. I made this today to go with a grilled côte de boeuf. 1 jar of good Cantabrian anchovies (100g jar; 60g drained weight) with all its oil goes in with 5-6 roughly chopped fat garlic cloves and the lemon juice, then blitz with a stick blender. The balance of olive oil is added in batches (2 x 60ml), plus 60 ml water to thin out the mixture to a lusciously thick sauce that's great on steak and also as a makeshift Caesar dressing. The sauce keeps for a few days in the fridge, and will need stirring to reincorporate the water when it splits out.

• No-knead bread [Jim Lahey]

  • Lolly87654 on November 24, 2020

    By far the best tasting bread I’ve ever made and without the kneading! I proved it for 24 hours as I was working and it was still fine, a very crusty loaf with the flavour of a sourdough, this will be my go to bread recipe from now on!

  • anya_sf on September 11, 2021

    I used 50 g medium rye flour in lieu of some bread flour and added 1 Tbsp potato flour and 1/4 tsp citric acid. Despite liberal flouring, the dough stuck to the kitchen towel; next time I'll use my banneton. This had all the qualities that make me love this type of bread: flavorful, hearty, chewy, crusty.

  • Pandan on May 04, 2026

    Wanted to test my new Dutch oven and it worked out perfect with this recipe

• Old-fashioned sandwich loaf

  • Foodycat on January 19, 2021

    Very successful - I used 200g strong wholemeal and 300g strong white flour. I don't get on with Dan Lepard's 10 second knead method, so I mixed the ingredients, let rest for 15 minutes and then kneaded with the dough hook on the stand mixer for 5 minutes. It made a very successful loaf.

  • anya_sf on September 18, 2021

    I made this twice in a row. The first time I used sour cream, the second time plain yogurt + 2 Tbsp butter and 100 g white whole wheat flour. Both versions turned out great - tasty and soft yet sturdy. The sour cream version was also rather spongy. Both rose quite high and baked in 40 minutes. The first loaf baked in a 9"x5" pan, the second in a 10"x5" pan, and I'll use the larger pan going forward.

  • annettle on December 22, 2022

    I've made this numerous times with a wide variety of substitutions for the creamy element: yoghurt, sour cream, whipping cream, vegan versions of all three of those, creme fraiche and plain milk (I'll put anything I need to use up in there, with a little butter if it's on the lower fat end of the scale) and they all come out slightly differently but every one has been a delicious loaf. I was skeptical about the tiny amount of kneading to start with, but I follow the instructions and it truly works. The quantities given make slightly more dough than ideal for my lidded Pullman pan, so I either scale back by 10%, or take 10% of the dough and shape that into a bun to bake alongside.

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    Love this recipe. I've used 2% milk, cream, whole milk, and the recipe always produces a beautiful loaf.

  • dmass on April 07, 2026

    I have been searching for a recipe for an everyday sandwich loaf that’s easy and tasty. The search is over, I have found it! I will definitely make this one again and again. I made the sour cream version and followed the directions as written. Delicious!

• Fish finger sandwich

  • anya_sf on March 18, 2022

    I used sriracha (not too much) in place of her fermented hot sauce. I liked this, but prefer a fish finger sandwich with more traditional tartar sauce. Google tells me lettuce isn't traditional for some reason, but I did enjoy the crunch from the iceberg.

• Crab mac 'n' cheese

  • Foodycat on January 23, 2021

    I doubled the sauce ingredients and then mixed half the bechamel with the crab and layered it with lasagne sheets before topping with the rest of the bechamel and baking. Made a huge meal for 2 or sensible portions for 3. Delicious.

  • danibattle on January 26, 2021

    It was rich and creamy, but the crab got lost in the sauce somehow. I steamed cauliflower and added this to the pasta when combining with the sauce (so I could pretend that it contained veggies lol), and this worked well. I will try another brand/type of crab (used fresh local as in Cornwall), and see if it improves. However, lovely, easy and comforting recipe.

  • misskatyenglish on February 15, 2021

    Incredddible. So rich and comforting. A proper treat.

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    Agree with other poster, the crab flavor is totally lost in this sauce. Found the texture to be a bit stringy (melted cheese) and grainy (crab bits). I'd prefer a creamy sauce with only Parmesan and lemon, then the crab would be detectable. Surprised this was a fail, everything else from this book has been a big dub v.

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Was heavily written about when book came out but I was underwhelmed. Was ok but not that special. Would make quite a good starter in small portions as quite rich.

  • firetriniti on February 12, 2023

    Haven't personally made it, but partner made it for me and I crave it every once in a while when I want a really pimped up, luxe Mac and cheese. Quite pricey though for the ingredients.

  • anya_sf on March 10, 2024

    I made 1/2 recipe, but with the full amount of (canned) crab, and really liked it. The more delicate flavor of fresh, local crab would probably get lost.

  • katmagdunn on December 20, 2025

    I was surprised that the crab, at least the dark meat, was surprisingly strong and fishy tasting. I didn’t love it honestly, and I do like crab normally. Just white meat would have been lost I think. I would do this with a good quantity of pancetta instead… it is really insanely rich.

  • eleanor_a29a0o on April 11, 2026

    Lovely recipe, I always make it around new year as it feels luxurious and special

• Wide noodles with lamb shank in aromatic broth

  • Foodycat on November 11, 2020

    Really simple and delicious. My lamb shank was huge so I used less cabbage and pappardelle. And I used a really disappointing, insipid British supermarket version of gochujang so I added a teaspoonful of doubanjiang to give it a bit more oomph. Will make again.

  • marydulwich on January 19, 2021

    Lamb turned out beautifully but I found the broth a bit underwhelming.

  • Boffcat on May 29, 2021

    I found this quite underwhelming, with the broth needing a fair bit of help from chilli sauce.

  • stepharama1 on January 14, 2022

    Broth is awesome. It's incredibly aromatic and flavorful with the star anise, gochujang and cinnamon. I used the broth to make the Cheat's Laghman from Caroline Eden's "Red Sands" and the dish turned out fantastic.

  • rpepper on January 23, 2022

    This has become a new favorite.

  • Clog on September 11, 2022

    Stunning broth. I would happily eat/serve this on its own.

  • bernalgirl on December 09, 2023

    This recipe results in a much richer broth than I’d expect without first browning the meat. The flavors are solid although it benefitted from extra shallots and gochujang. We’d just had cabbage so opted for seared broccolini on the side. Something I’d definitely make again.

  • cadfael on February 22, 2024

    This was delicious. I made with home made pasta.

• Gochujang pork noodles

  • Italianbean on April 08, 2026

    Use the pasta water instead of just plain water. This works with shorter regular pasta, as well.

• Fish finger bhorta

  • Foodycat on November 23, 2020

    The pink pickled onions in the headnote to this recipe turn up in a few other things as well - the easiest version of them I have tried. The bhorta itself is good - I cooked some rice to have with it because I thought it sounded a bit insubstantial but it really isn't. The 2tbs of hot English mustard sounds like loads but it's a really mellow flavour.

  • KarinaFrancis on November 28, 2020

    I thought this sounded like a cross between trashy and delicious, and it was! The flavours somehow work together and the nostalgia of fishy fingers was a bonus. I served it with a dollop of kewpie and it was the perfect finish

  • misskatyenglish on February 15, 2021

    Hands down my favourite recipe of 2020. We make it weekly now! My only edit is to use 1tbsp of the mustard instead of 2, because I found it too spicy.

  • anya_sf on February 24, 2021

    Definitely the most interesting use of fish sticks I've ever encountered. I cooked 18 fish sticks and doubled the spinach, but didn't increase the other ingredients. This served 3 over rice. Some plain yogurt would have been nice with it. Hubby liked the pickled onions, but I could skip them as there was plenty of acid from the lime juice.

  • ALawson25 on June 13, 2021

    Against the consensus, we both really, really did not like this recipe. Flavours were overpowering, and I cooked exactly as written. Would not make this one again.

  • kari500 on September 13, 2022

    Wow, I LOVED this. Didn’t think the onions were that special. If I made onions again (and I agree with Anya that they’re not necessary) I’d probably use the recipe from Season, which is also very easy but better. I served this with the onions, naan, and yogurt. Cooked this in my wok. Absolutely fantastic dinner.

  • firetriniti on February 12, 2023

    Quite tasty! Very quick as well and good use of fish sticks if you're stuck for protein options. I especially liked the pickled onions and have used them to accompany other dishes to bring a needed pop of acidity.

  • bernalgirl on February 23, 2024

    We enjoyed this — the mustard goes amazingly well with the sautéed spinach and onions and the pickled onions and cilantro offer essential flavor and freshness. We enjoyed this as a wrap on TJs paratha with various chutneys.

  • chawkins on March 09, 2024

    Another good use of my Costco fish fingers other than fish tacos. I would put in twice the amount of spinach next time. I served it with naan.

• Roast red peppers with anchovy dressing

  • SheilaS on December 11, 2023

    I added some cooked white beans to this and spooned it over toasted bread. Delicious!

• Eggs and spinach with harissa and anchovy dressing

  • SheilaS on December 02, 2023

    This is great! I used arugula instead of spinach as it's what I had on hand and had it with a slice of toast. Next time, I'll plan ahead and put everything over polenta.

  • rmardel on December 06, 2023

    Fabulous! Following SheilaS's lead I used Spigiarello from my garden, and I think this would work well with a wide variety of tender greens. I me a big bowl of greens and a couple of eggs, the combination of egg, spicy harissa, salty anchovy, and grassy greens is compelling and satisfying.

• Poached egg on toast with anchovies

  • SheilaS on December 06, 2023

    I made the whipped anchovy butter that Nigella recommends "if you are feeling fierce in the morning," and added a bit of parsley. Delicious stuff!

• Smoky squid and beans

  • kari500 on September 16, 2022

    Loved this. Made with shrimp, which I cut up. Used 2 cans Great Northern (cooking for 3, did 1 1/2 x recipe). A little extra garlic. Served with toast and a salad. Very happy with this.

  • SheilaS on December 15, 2023

    I used Rancho Gordo Christmas Lima beans and subbed in vermouth for the dry sherry. Very flavorful for something so quick and easy. I served the Scandi Cucumber Salad from the same book alongside and would definitely recommend something pickle-y like that to go with the rich flavors here. I'll make this again.

  • RThoma on March 10, 2024

    This was ridiculously delicious. I think having good quality squid made the dish as the squid I got was so fresh and tender. I used Rancho Gordo beans that I cooked the same day.

• Fried chicken sandwich

  • Foodycat on November 14, 2020

    I didn't do the pink pickled onions. This was very good - I thought her timing of 3-4 minutes for frying the chicken was a bit meagre but it was spot on. Very juicy but cooked through and beautifully crunchy on the outside.

  • joneshayley on January 15, 2021

    Lovely recipe. The burger is gently spiced, juicy and crunchy. Loved the chilli oil mayo and the kimchi!

  • marydulwich on January 19, 2021

    Great potential but once fried, my crispy batter slid off the chicken. Not sure where I went wrong but a shame as seems to be one that most people love.

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    A delicious treat. Some great flavours. Used a bread recipe featuring squash purée that worked really well as a burger bun. Good combination of substance and softness

• Chicken with garlic cream sauce

  • Foodycat on November 11, 2020

    Didn't do the chicken her way, just made the garlic cream sauce to have with barbecued chicken. Absolutely gorgeous - so rich but completely delicious.

  • Popisdead on November 13, 2020

    Super easy Nigella winner. Really tasty with minimum work. I served with oven cooked potatoes (not really roast, more hash or home fries) and chard. Sauce went with all of it.

  • peacheater on December 17, 2025

    This is delicious! Served with green beans with snail butter and boiled little potatoes.

  • bernalgirl on December 09, 2023

    This resulted in a perfectly cooked bird with lovely crispy skin on top. The cream sauce was going to be painfully bland so I stirred in a heaping spoonful of a Persian chile-herb paste. I made extra knowing my family would want it on the roasted potatoes and cabbage too and I wasn’t wrong.

  • KarinaFrancis on February 12, 2022

    So easy and oh so good. I was very liberal with the garlic sauce over chicken and some roasted potatoes

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Basically roast chicken without gravy. Nice change. Sauce was good. Would be good with simply cooked chicken portions

• Chocolate, tahini and banana two ways 2: warm pudding

  • KarinaFrancis on November 21, 2020

    I was impatiently waiting for my copy of the book to arrive when I saw this recipe online. I had all the ingredients (including a Nigella-esque stash of ripe bananas in the freezer so I went for it and it was fantastic. Chocolate and banana is given depth by the tahini and the cream was a much needed foil for the richness. The leftovers were still nice cold the next day.

  • Lolly87654 on November 22, 2020

    We loved this banana bread, added milk chocolate chips instead of dark, you could taste the tahini but it wasn’t overwhelming, will definitely be making this one again, a hit with all the family

  • anya_sf on October 30, 2022

    My family loved this, especially with vanilla ice cream. Baked 40 min, the pudding was just slightly molten in the center.

• Chicken in a pot with lemon and orzo

  • Indio32 on November 22, 2020

    Had this for a Sunday night supper using a good quality farmers market chicken. Was a bit worried about the cooking time as proper free range chickens can take a little longer to cook but the recipe instructions were spot on. The tarragon seemed to get slightly lost and next time I'd try with only 1.5 lemons worth of juice (mine might have been on the large side) but apart from that it was delicious and will definitely be doing this again.

  • AlineLorieri on January 05, 2021

    Thank you @indio32 for your note. I used only one lemon a little extra tarragon. Wow! This was so delicious! Her mom's "Praised chicken" is one of my favorite recipes ever, and I when I saw this one with orzo (which I love), I had to try. Now I'm not sure which one is my fav. Will definitely make this again!

  • tui on June 19, 2021

    This was delicious and lovely to bring to the table in its casserole dish. I have added it to my list of favorites as I will cook it many times again.

  • Astrid5555 on November 08, 2021

    Excellent, used thyme instead of tarragon and did not cover the pot for the last 15 minutes in the oven to crisp up the skin.

  • kari500 on March 25, 2023

    Delicious and homey. I've made this twice now, and while it isn't extremely exciting, it is a very nice cozy meal. Takes a while but not a lot of work. I like it with more tarragon, and lots of cayenne (leave out for Barb). Against my gut I did as she asks and cooked breast side up. The breast got a little dried out the second time, but I cooked it longer, thinking that a larger bird needed it. Maybe not so long next time. More than 2 leeks were needed to make 5 cups, and I used 5 carrots cut into coins to up the veg factor.

  • carly_ztnb88 on April 19, 2026

    A lovely comforting meal, simple to cook and feel light and healthy. Was more of a light broth than I expected but was enjoyed by all the family. My little boy actually asked if I can make it every week!

  • anya_sf on December 03, 2022

    Delicious comfort food. Instead of tarragon, I used herbes de Provence. Added the juice of 1.5 lemons, which seemed good. Didn't top with Parmesan (might next time), but did sprinkle with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Next time I might stir in some wilted spinach.

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Good dish overall but thought ratios were out a bit. Found result a bit soupy. Would start next time with less liquid and adjust as necessary.

• Chocolate, tahini and banana two ways 1: bread

  • lou_weez on November 25, 2020

    This is so good. Great flavour, moist and keeps well for days.

  • Astrid5555 on November 25, 2020

    Great way to use overripe bananas. Nice, moist cake with a very subtle tahini taste. Older son called it the perfect home-schooling snack to make distance learning more bearable.

  • Raquelcooks on December 31, 2020

    Very disappointed. Made the pudding and no one liked it. It was dry and not at all gooey after only 37 mins.

  • Cali369 on August 20, 2025

    Love this chocolatey banana bread with a nutty sesame flavour from the tahini. Have made several times and been asked for the recipe!

  • kathryn_2wt2rc on January 11, 2026

    The banana bread is lovely. I've also made it in muffin form - they don't really rise (understandably) but they make a nice pre portioned snack.

  • ruxandra_jgesnh on May 17, 2026

    Moist and keeps well in the fridge. I make a double batch loaf. I reckon it would freeze well

  • sayeater on October 04, 2022

    I really liked this! A sweet treat for sure with lots of chocolate flavor. The tahini and sesame seed topping just made it more special. Will definitely make again!

• One-pan chicken with apricot harissa and sweet potatoes

  • KarinaFrancis on December 28, 2020

    I made the apricot harissa and I’m glad I did. It wasn’t difficult and the flavour was great, cooking dialed down the heat and somehow brought out the tang of the apricot. I couldn’t find leeks so I subbed some very thick shallots and left out the peppers because I couldn’t get them either but the dish still turned out beautifully A definite make again (especially since the smallest bag of Kashmiri chilli I could find will make 9 more batches of harissa)

  • Jane on February 28, 2026

    A good sheet pan dinner - quick to pull together. I had made the apricot harissa previously (though with figs rather than apricots).

  • Keith_P on March 30, 2025

    Substituted rose harissa from a jar to good effect.

  • angrygreycat on January 04, 2023

    Made this tonight and served with cous cous. I just thought it was okay, but my daughter really liked it so I guess I would make again.

• Short rib stew for two

  • marydulwich on January 19, 2021

    A fair bit of effort but great results with delicious rich, flavoursome meat and sauce.

• Mine-all-mine sweet and salty chocolate cookies

  • marydulwich on January 19, 2021

    Top cookie recipe, super gooey.

  • Astrid5555 on April 02, 2021

    Excellent cookies! Recipe comes together super quickly, love the fact that they are egg-free. I don’t like big cookies, so I used my smallest 3cm cookie scoop and got 8 small cookies. Definite keeper!

  • sosayi on August 17, 2025

    Lovely cookies! Very fragile without egg, but excellent flavor. Made a 8x recipe, which yielded ~32 smaller (40g each) cookies.

  • firetriniti on February 12, 2023

    Haven't made it for myself, but bf has made this several times for us when he fancied a midnight cookie. Good one to have in the file when you really want a quick and easy cookie for one. Nice and gooey.

• Pappardelle with cavolo nero and 'nduja

  • marydulwich on January 19, 2021

    Sadly I found this slightly disappointing and surprisingly a little bland.

  • Pandan on January 29, 2024

    Tasted a bit boring. I used a vegetarian Nduja Paste and added loads of parmesan

  • Popisdead on May 15, 2024

    Needs a good powerful nduja. Highlights all the ingredients.

• Fear-free fish stew

  • montecristo99 on February 03, 2021

    Delicious. Very good when first made, but even better as leftovers after the spices have mellowed. As noted in the recipe, this is highly adaptable. We're looking forward to making it again, both the fish version and as a vegetable stew.

  • Astrid5555 on March 17, 2021

    Mixed reactions to this one. While I found this to be utterly delicious, husband thought it was just ok, younger son devoured the sauce without the fish and older one just ate the accompanying naan bread I had made.

  • Lepa on May 18, 2021

    This has an interesting flavor profile and my family liked it.

  • anya_sf on June 26, 2021

    My family liked this fine, but didn't love it. I used less fish and added baby spinach and peas. The flavor seemed like it was missing something. I had sweet smoked paprika rather than hot, so added some Aleppo pepper and also lots of extra salt, which helped. We had it over rice, and some plain yogurt was nice on top. Fish stock (or similar) instead of water might round out the flavors, plus a more flavorful fish (I used frozen cod).

  • TrishaCP on April 16, 2022

    The orange zest was really lovely in this. I made the soup base in advance and added the fish before serving. The flavors had time to meld and we liked it.

  • Clog on December 09, 2023

    Basic version is excellent. The orange works very well. I'm looking forward to experimenting and adapting it.

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Really liked the flavour combos in this dish. Sort of sweet and savoury. Made veg version. Added some parsnips to ingredients. Served with rice and flatbreads.

• Beef cheeks with Port and chestnuts

  • Emily Hope on February 03, 2021

    Made this a few weeks ago so it's a little fuzzy, but in general I think that we enjoyed this--very wintry and substantial stew. Beef cheeks have that slightly oozy cartilaginous quality that I love, and this was a nice showcase. Only change that I recall was to sub lemons for the orange zest (C is not a fan of cooked orange). Most time-consuming part was removing the membrane from the cheeks. Left overnight to rest as described. Served once with pasta and maybe once with potatoes? (Also with a celeriac remoulade salad--was thinking about the celeriac gratin she recommends, but thought it would be too much richness--plus too much labor!)

  • rmardel on December 20, 2023

    Loved this, a decadent and yet surprisingly not at all heavy stew. The beef cheeks were tender and delicious and the flavors all came together nicely after a 24 hour rest. I would certainly make this again, and I think it would balance the celeriac gratin she recommends. Served with rice the beef cheeks were still delicious but a little side richness could have been added.

• Black pudding meatballs

  • Popisdead on February 28, 2021

    Could do it on a weeknight. Meatballs really flavourful. Personally I prefer my tomato sauce recipe as it has a deeper flavour, but that takes 3 hours and is more of a Sunday gravy. But this is a simple to follow weeknight dinner.

  • Foodycat on March 08, 2021

    Really tasty. I didn't expect them to be so light. We had them with spaghetti instead of colcannon.

• Marzipan loaf cake

  • etcjm on March 06, 2021

    Guilty of not reading this recipe properly until I had already started... I didn't realise there was ground cardamom in it. I have noted plenty of recipes with this as an ingredient but never been brave enough. I still wasn't and opted for 1 teaspoon instead of 1.5. The length of time to cook (or the temp) is not right for this cake. At 150fan (recommended) it was still a batter at 30mins, and this was when I was supposed to be putting foil on to stop it burning... Anyway, after 50 minutes it was just about done. When eaten warm, I think the cardamom was overpowering. Cold - it's quite nice. I need to see if it grows on me. Very easy to do though when all chucked in the food processor, and a nice smaller cake in a 1pound tin. I did it gluten free.

  • Lepa on May 13, 2021

    This cake knocked my socks off. It was so delicious, moist and buttery. My cake took 45-50 minutes. As instructed, I tented it with foil after 30 minutes. I can't wait to have another slice in the morning.

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    Even my mother in law liked this. And she likes nothing.

  • DKennedy on August 01, 2025

    7/31/25 1st recipe baked from this book. A hit. I blitzed all the ingredients in the food processor. The batter is quite dense and did not quite fill the pan 1/3 up the sides. I worried it was going to be a flop. To quote Will, not to worry, all will be well. Mine needed 5 minutes more in the oven (with the temp increased to 350 for the last 5 minutes) to fully cook through. Lined with parchment, it lifted right out. A lovely cake. Not overpoweringly sweet but next time consider if the sugar could be omitted. Opt for fresh ground cardamom or increase the amount. And Lime zest would be a nice touch.

  • anya_sf on April 20, 2023

    Super moist like most almond cakes, with very prominent flavors - I actually thought the cardamom could be reduced (I used Burlap & Barrel), but my mother-in-law thought it was perfect. My cake took 55 min to bake in a fully-lined pan.

• Lasagne of love

  • DinahDough on March 11, 2021

    This was a lot of effort but SO worth it, best lasagne I've ever had. I made too much and we reheated it next day. I wouldn't normally want to eat the same thing two days in a row but was happy to make an exception for this and it tasted just as good reheated.

  • anya_sf on January 05, 2022

    I used 4 oz pre-chopped pancetta (and chopped the vegetables by hand), dried bay leaves, and 8 oz fresh mozzarella on top (glad to have more cheese). Here in the U.S., lasagne is more commonly made with ricotta and lots of mozzarella instead of bechamel, but we loved this version. My Staub casserole is nearly identical in size to Nigella's and the layers just fit, although initially I forgot to place it on a baking sheet and some sauce dripped on the oven floor. A 1 lb box of Barilla curly-edged lasagne (not no-boil) was just enough, with the noodles placed sideways, broken to fit (2 noodles were left over). I loved that the noodles did not need to be boiled. Will definitely make this again when I have lots of time!

  • IvyManning on October 29, 2022

    I've made this three times now. I love her writing, but in this case it's really inefficient. You have to flip pages, read, reread. A tighter edit would have helped make it easier to follow. The sauces are good, but it makes 11 to 12 cups Bolognese and I only need 3 1/2 cups for my deep 9 x 13 inch Staub lasagna pan. Instead of thyme, I'm going to use Italian seasoning from now on. Recipe also makes too much bechamel. I also find that it burns a bit on edges and bottom, I'm going to reduce heat to 375 or even 350F from now on.

  • Rachaelsb on December 02, 2023

    This was exceptional! My first time making a Nigelka Lawson recipe-I love her warmth and familiarity-her directions felt like she was talking directly to me! As others have said-this takes a fair amount of time but so worth it. The tomato/meat sauce is deliciously rich with the vegetables shining through. This was a proud dish!

  • pattyatbryce on December 04, 2023

    I'm a contrarian to those who have put in notes. I really didn't love this recipe and wished for more cheese and flavors. All I taste is bay. I'd kill for some more garlic, oregano, basil, etc.

  • sophie_x3fcvd on December 29, 2025

    I love this recipe. I make it so often that it feels easy now! A real showstopper perfect for making ahead for dinner parties!

  • nomeshk on January 20, 2026

    Very labour intensive and time consuming, but amazing results with plenty of leftovers - minimum of 8 portions, possibly more.

  • anyapeach on January 16, 2026

    So worth all the effort

  • Pimlicocook on May 15, 2022

    The lasagna of my dreams. Yes, it takes some time, but it’s oh-so-worth-it. Gobbled up by my 4-year-old goddaughter and her parents alike. Made the whole thing the day before so entertaining on the day was a breeze. Made 2/3 of the recipe, which filled my Le Creuset 3l ceramic dish perfectly and fed 3 adults and two small children with second (and one third) helpings, plus a portion of leftovers. This could the “the one”.

• Lemon and elderflower drizzle cake

  • Lepa on May 21, 2021

    First, I will say this is a lovely cake. We loved the flavor and texture. It did take longer than the recipe stated (at least ten additional minutes). In addition, it seemed like the ingredients weren't mixed enough and there was a different texture for part of the cake. It all ended up fine once the cake was completely cooked but I made this in a mixer and think using a processor, as recommended in the recipe, would have worked a bit better. I do think we will be making this again.

  • KarinaFrancis on August 14, 2021

    Light, fresh and tender crumb cake. After reading the previous note I used the processor and it turned out perfectly. Will absolutely make again. We also made the cocktail from the head notes for a nightcap

  • danibattle on June 19, 2023

    Yummy. Made for guests, who loved how light it was, and the elderflower cordial in the drizzle. A keeper recipe!

  • jude404535 on March 23, 2026

    Excellent moist and delicious. Needed longer in the oven though - more like 35-40 mins

• Toasted marshmallow and rhubarb cake

  • ALawson25 on June 10, 2021

    The sponge recipe was unusual but it did turn out very well- a good texture and not at all dry. The rhubarb was lovely, but I would have added more if possible to counterbalance the crazy sweetness of the marshmallow topping! Or I wouldn't add the whole icing next time, it was too sweet for some people.

• Soupy rice with celeriac and chestnuts

  • Hansyhobs on January 17, 2022

    This was fine. It didn't look very appetising and I can't say I'd make it again but it was fine.

• Roast cauliflower with apricot harissa and spinach

  • Jane on January 28, 2026

    I didn’t plan this well, as didn’t allow enough time for marination and found I had run out of dried apricots. Even without the marinating and using soft dried figs instead of apricots, it was a nice dish. And I now have a jar of fig harissa in my fridge.

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    Lovely, easy, pretty. Perfect.

  • KarinaFrancis on September 07, 2023

    I really liked the apricot harissa and can see myself making more of it. The dish is delicious but I made a few tweaks by adding half a red onion that I had in the fridge (I’d add a whole one next time) and after I took the photo I felt it needed a little something so I rippled some of the harissa through some yogurt and dotted it on top.

  • debbates on April 06, 2026

    This was lovely. I might add pine nuts to finish.

• Brown butter colcannon

  • mllamas on January 01, 2022

    I subbed sliced shallots for the green onions - worked perfectly well and added an extra touch of color.

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    Didn't love this. Going back to Coleman Anderew's recipe for colcannon.

  • Foodycat on December 09, 2020

    I used regular white cabbage instead of kale. It was good - the brown butter made it a less appealing colour but gave it a wonderful flavour. We had it with sausages. A half quantity made loads for 2 people (full quantity serves 4-6 but they must be VERY hungry) with a lot left over to make into potato cakes.

  • Lepa on March 02, 2025

    My family really enjoyed this. We ate it with a side of bacon, as recommended, and it was an extremely satisfying dinner.

• Green salad with shallot and chive dressing

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    I liked this salad. The shallots really give it a boost. Served it with her lasagna.

  • anya_sf on January 05, 2022

    Used half romaine, half iceberg, as recommended. This was a great accompaniment to the lasagne of love. I feared the shallots might be too sharp, but they were nice here, mellowed by the vinegar.

• Fennel gratin

  • IvyManning on January 02, 2023

    This was delicious! I used "plant cream" by Country Crock and it worked very well and I was able to eat it. Yay!

  • Lepa on May 10, 2026

    This was extraordinary. We fought over every bit of burnt cheese and cream left on the gratin pan. Highly recommend.

• Luscious vegan gingerbread

  • TrishaCP on February 28, 2022

    For gingerbread fans only. We loved this but it is so deeply flavored that not everyone is going to be a fan. We ate this after letting it sit one day, but I think it needs more time since there was a bitter note that wasn’t present after another day or so. I agree with the “squidgy and light” assessment from Foodycat.

  • Foodycat on February 15, 2022

    Fabulous. The recipe recommends wrapping it and storing it for at least a day before eating. I made it on Friday and cut it on Tuesday and it was perfect. Somehow manages to be both squidgy and light - and not too sweet because of the black treacle.

• Chocolate peanut butter cake

  • lilham on November 14, 2020

    One of the best cake recipes I have made. The cake was lovely and moist. The icing was delicious. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you will love this cake.

  • marydulwich on January 19, 2021

    Delicious sponge, delicious buttercream. A great recipe.

  • Pamsy on August 29, 2022

    Scrumptious.

• Buttered peas and radishes

  • peacheater on February 07, 2026

    This was very good! Used tarragon and mint. Did not thaw peas first. Vermouth makes this a tad sweet - might try a different alcohol next time. Or wine as suggested.

  • anya_sf on August 26, 2022

    I used scallions instead of garlic and parsley and dill for the herbs. Also added blanched snow peas and a fair amount of extra salt. This was an enjoyable, pretty side dish. My radishes weren't that flavorful though. And there is no need to thaw frozen petite peas first.

• No-churn cheesecake ice cream

  • JFM on November 25, 2020

    In the book's recipe index, the recipe is noted under page 23 instead of page 235. (I spent 10 minutes looking for it last night, after seeing it on tv.....).

• Poinsettia cocktail

  • bernalgirl on December 09, 2023

    I made this as a batch cocktail for a cocktail party. It’s festive and was extremely popular with our guests served garnished with a dried slice of orange. I remedied mine with an extra dash of soda water.

• Slow-roast lamb with pomegranate molasses

  • Nossovitzky on May 07, 2024

    Delicious! Releases a lot of fat (or my ribs did at least) so possibly worth cooking the day before and chilling so you can lift the fat off. Had with rice and veggies.

• Oxtail Bourguignon

  • rmardel on January 25, 2024

    This a bit of a project. First there is the prep, then the dish goes in the oven for a few hours, happy hours when the cook can do other things, then it rests in the fridge for a day or more, just in time for a second cook. After the second cook, none of the ingredients really stand out anymore, the onions, oxtail and mushrooms all come together in a rich flavorful collagen-rich stew. There is not a lot of spice or seasoning in this dish but the flavors all play off each other magnificiently. Even a small serving is richly satisfying. I made this during a recent snowstorm when I was stuck inside so there were a few minor alterations to the recipe. I was out of celery; I added carrots. My mushroom mix was heavy on portobellos with a few oyster mushrooms thrown in. The portobellos held up nicely over both cooks, and add a rich "meaty" flavor and texture that balances the collagen-richness of the actual oxtail meat. I've made a note of this in the book for future reference.

• Cavolo nero with chilli and garlic

  • rmardel on August 23, 2025

    Classic. A basic technique that always works.

• Cherry and almond crumble

  • danibattle on March 01, 2023

    Good, though I felt the almond and cherry flavour a little lacking, and the juices should be thicker. Next time going to try and find all sour cherry (or some dried sour cherries), mix fruit with a little instant tapioca to thicken, and boost the almond in the topping.

• Jansson's temptation

  • Foodycat on June 25, 2021

    Really delicious. My mum used to make it with canned anchovies, but I had no idea how much difference the proper pickled sprats/ ansjovis would make. The slightly sweet spiciness adds a huge amount of flavour. I used a bit less salt than the recipe stated but next time will reduce it more - it was on the outside edge for seasoning. And rich! The combination of milk and cream is intense. My husband agreed that next time we wouldn't have it as a side dish, we'd have it as a main course with a green salad.

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Loved this dish. The Swedish ansjovis were a revelation. Chopped them quite finely so were well distributed in the dish. Have had this dish with regular tinned anchovies but this was much more subtle. Relatively mild taste. May try putting in some of juices from tin next time. Used this Brand - Grebbestads Ansjovis Original

  • anya_sf on December 25, 2021

    Thanks to Foodycat and others who informed me that Swedish anchovies are actually sprats. The closest I could find were Latvian sprats (1 160-g tin), which were smoky and salty and lacked the spices, so I didn't use any of their liquid. I also went light on the salt (used Maldon flaky sea salt) and the resulting saltiness was just right. Forgot the bread crumbs. Baked covered for an hour, then uncovered for 30 min. I had to put the dish on a sheet pan to catch drips. This was rich and delicious.

• Gluten-free banana bread with chocolate and walnuts

  • Beth891 on September 21, 2025

    Delicious banana bread! Definitely one to make again. Cooked in fan oven and as my 2lb tin is very tall it needed about 10mins extra and I probably should have given it an extra 15 in total as it's still just a bit gooey in the middle. It still tastes awesome though and it's went straight to my favourite banana bread recipes.

  • Pamsy on September 27, 2025

    Twice the number of ingredients as my usual banana cake but nicely flavoured and moist. Short of ripe bananas so used a 1lb tin. Still baked for 50 minutes and checked with a digital thermometer.

• Crème caramel for one

  • anya_sf on April 26, 2023

    Made exactly as written except the custard took an extra 30 min in the oven to set. (I don't know if it's me, but I find things often take much longer than stated when baked in a water bath.) The creme caramel was silky smooth and just sweet enough. A lovely treat for one!

• Rhubarb and custard trifle

  • lindseyshannon34 on May 14, 2023

    The flavors were absolutely lovely. I used pound cake and the amount of rhubarb/vermouth liquid was way too much for it. It was a bit goopy. I would make it again but reduce the liquid significantly.

• Apple and beetroot soup

  • Clog on November 23, 2022

    Don't overlook the horseradish. It really complements the soup.

• Oven-baked rice

  • firetriniti on February 12, 2023

    My go-to oven pilaf recipe. I brown off aromats before stirring in rice to coat in oil and then deglazing with booze, then in with the stock and toppings and into the oven for 30 min. Have made it several times and it always turns out perfectly cooked. Very adaptable. Mushroom pilaf is a particular favourite.

• Spiced bulgur wheat with roast vegetables

  • rpepper on January 23, 2022

    Outstanding recipe.

  • pattyatbryce on December 04, 2023

    Fantastic! Though I'm sensing that I have American tastes. I loved the spicing and found this a great recipe. I made with barley and adjusted the cooking time and water and it was fantastic.

  • anya_sf on May 26, 2023

    Loved this, served with fish as suggested. I used 2 medium red onions instead of leeks and omitted the radishes (didn't have). In a 9"x13" Pyrex dish, the vegetables were fairly crowded and never dried out, so I roasted them an extra 15 min to get them softer. Occasionally I got a bite where the whole spices were overly strong, so I might scale back on those next time. Would definitely repeat.

  • ClaireJ55 on January 22, 2026

    Always fabulous, with or without the veg!

  • Clog on January 13, 2024

    The bulgur wheat and lentils were great and will definitely find a space in my repertoire. The roast vegetables on the other hand were pretty boring; nothing special about that side of the recipe.

• Butternut with beetroot, chilli and ginger sauce

  • RRuth on February 07, 2026

    Very nice! More than the sum of its parts. Even with precooked beets from the supermarket (which Nigella forbids..). Served alongside samosas from Jamie’s Everyday Superfood and the sauce worked well for those as well!

• Spice-studded rice with crispy shallots, garlic and cashew nuts

  • Clog on May 20, 2023

    Definitely now on my list of things to do with rice when you don't want it plain.

  • marydulwich on January 19, 2021

    One of my favourite recipes in the entire book, oddly as it's not one of the most exciting. The flavours were fantastic and the cooking method left me with perfectly cooked rice (which I'm normally useless at).

• Summer pudding

  • AllieTaylor on August 22, 2023

    No black currants so used more raspberries and blackberries Can’t get white sliced bread here (and no time to bake a loaf) so used sliced brioche instead My mold bigger (?1.5L) so we’ll see… Used a 400g tin of dog food to weight it down. Perfect. Going to make double cream (found a recipe online) and I can get milk straight from the cow! This was wonderful! Brioche worked. The cream was a disaster (I didn’t even try to use it but…discovered that melted vanilla ice cream is, essentially, double cream)

• Basque burnt cheesecake

  • breadenthusiast on October 22, 2025

    Such a quick recipe and it turns out great. I've made it with the ingredients at room temperature and sometimes straight out of the fridge, and I don't notice any difference. Big fan of the liqourice sauce and even guests that don't really like liquorice enjoy the sauce too -it's quite subtle.

  • rmorse on March 13, 2021

    This was great and easy to make. I made a simple strawberry sauce as the topping as licorice is too divisive in my house.

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Easy to make. Lovely soft texture. Not as dark as picture but consistency was good so didn’t want to cook longer. Not that keen on the liquorice sauce. Was good served with raspberries and a little crème fraiche

• Vegan lemon polenta cake

  • Pamsy on February 24, 2025

    All round lovely! Nigella is one of the few mainstream cookery writers who regularly include gluten/dairy/egg free recipes in their books. UPDATE 14/2/26 - Served with Waitrose lemon sorbet and a glass of Bottega Limoncello....fabulous. A and J loved it.

• Norwegian pork ribs

  • stepharama1 on January 03, 2022

    Excellent flavor but the bottom of the ribs got a bit charred.. I suggest using extra large onions and dividing each onion only in half rather than thirds (one more onion will be necessary) to prop up the ribs in the pan. Also monitor that the ribs are not drowning in the rendered oil and thus slowly charring in the hot oil. Once you read through the long recipe, this becomes a low stress dish as most of the cooking is done low and slow in the oven.

• Stir-fried rice and pork

  • SalsaSister on January 03, 2026

    Instead of pork belly, I used left over pork loin roast from New Year’s Day. I got a bag of Rainbow Veggie Slaw, which had broccoli, cauliflower , kale and cabbage in the reduced produce section and threw it in the stir fry. I also scrambled a few (3) eggs in the pan and mixed through after cooking the veggies and before adding the rice. No measurements are noted so I just winged it. Came out great!. Honestly, I’ve made Pork Fried Rice many times and never use a recipe.

  • SalsaSister on January 04, 2026

    Kind of a do your own thing, clean out the vegetable drawer recipe.I added eggs to the stir fry and used her suggestion of adding water to the fermented hot sauce. Turned out great !

• Green, mean, dirty martini

  • anya_sf on December 25, 2021

    Definitely striking to look at, but too salty for my taste. I could see making this again with half the cucumber liquid. To be fair, I made a different cucumber recipe that I now realize calls for 50% more salt than Nigella's. Made both gin and aquavit versions and preferred the gin. This drink went exceptionally well with pickled herring on crisp bread.

• Beetroot and feta spaghetti

  • rosemary_3az7m1 on February 09, 2026

    I used pureed roasted beetroot to make the sauce

• Fermented hot sauce

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Very good Kimchee like flavour. have also added a chopped red pepper to the mix to bulk up.

• No-knead black bread

  • stephengk on February 03, 2023

    Just did everything in Thermomix. Combined and mixed liquids first. Didn’t use charcoal. Very sticky and difficult to shape. Have to just drop in tin. Rose and cooked well. Loved the flavour and texture. Think the flavour is a little too strong for delicate smoked salmon. Good with strong sharp cheese and cooked ham.

  • anya_sf on July 02, 2021

    Delicious, dense bread with a tight crumb, like a really good deli pumpernickel (the kind meant for canapes). Nice dark color even without charcoal. I forgot the topping and the outside of the loaf wasn't much to look at, but slices looked good and were easy to cut thinly.

  • Glinys on January 02, 2021

    Very easy well behaved dough - let it rise overnight- I think it needed more salt Superb with smoked salmon and cream cheese and made good toast the next day - topped with avocado and a poached egg It’s quite rustic so hard to make into dainty canapes

• Linzer cookies

  • Duncanarmour on December 31, 2025

    Excellent biscuits.

• Black Forest brownies

  • marydulwich on January 31, 2021

    These were nice but not quite as gooey as hoped. The sour cherries were the perfect antidote to the richness of the chocolate though and I really enjoyed their sharpness.