• Tfrederick on November 29, 2020

  Every time I want to prepare a special dinner, this is the cookbook I end up using. Every single time. I've deliberately tried to use others for variation, I guess, but recipes from other cookbooks can't match the flavorful, gorgeous, and elegant recipes in this book. I don't usually review books (or anything for that matter), but this one stands so far above the rest, I felt compelled to share.

• Vanessa on May 22, 2011

  I've had this (and the original Greens) for years and didn't use them too much until I got EYB. Since then, I use this frequently. It seems that the ingredients in my refrigerator keep pointing me in this direction! I have always found these two books to be hard to read (literally, difficult to read the typeface). I especially recommend the pastas, risottos, and egg dishes.

• rathgrith on March 04, 2010

  I've never used this. We are carnivores, but my husband had this for some reason. Maybe I'll actually use it now that I have it in my database!

• gcottraux on February 01, 2010

  One of my favorite vegetarian restaurants. Always good to have vegetarian recipes that actually use vegetables rather than relying on cheese or other dairy.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Garden lettuces and rocket with summer beans, goat cheese, and hazelnuts

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2022

    Delicious salad. For the greens I used arugula, red leaf lettuce, and romaine. To make the salad more substantial, I doubled the beans and added diced, cooked beets. I used walnut oil in the dressing as I didn't have hazelnut oil, but did use hazelnuts in the salad (but walnuts would be good too).

• Red and green romaine hearts with avocado, mango, and ginger

  • anya_sf on June 18, 2021

    I used 2 large hearts of green romaine, 2 mangos, 2 avocados, and 2 Tbsp pine nuts as a base for a main course salad, topped with grilled tuna, to serve 3. Used a cube of crushed ginger in the dressing so it was easy to shake in a jar. There was extra dressing to drizzle over the fish. Very tasty.

• Winter greens with pears, walnuts, and warm Roquefort croutons

  • radishseed on October 16, 2012

    This salad is wonderful. Ate it with lentil soup. It's also good if you skip the croutons and just crumble the cheese on top.

• Mango-papaya salad with citrus-ginger vinaigrette

  • blozoff on August 06, 2018

    Only make if papaya is very ripe. I skipped the orange juice and increased lime juice and Zingerman's vinegar

• Spinach salad with tangerines, red onions, and sesame-ginger vinaigrette

  • CordovaBayCook on April 16, 2023

    Simple but lovely fresh, crunchy salad with Asian-inspired dressing. I added some thinly sliced red cabbage for colour.

• Basmati and wild rice salad with tangerines and pine nuts

  • anya_sf on December 09, 2022

    My wild rice took 40 min to cook and the water did not get completely absorbed, so it needed to be drained. This was a tasty, refreshing salad, with good texture and a nice touch of sweetness. A chopped green herb, such as parsley, would be a colorful addition.

• Spring vegetables with Meyer lemon vinaigrette

  • michalow on April 17, 2019

    I made this vinaigrette for a green salad and thought it needed only about 5 Tbs of olive oil and half the salt called for in the recipe.

• Sicilian salad with roasted eggplant, peppers, and garlic

  • Laura on May 08, 2012

    Pg. 54. With fresh eggplants and watercress from the farmers market, this recipe seemed intriguing. I followed the directions exactly with the exception that I added capers and more kalamata olives than it called for. It took much longer than 15 minutes to blister the red peppers and I thought that the roasting time for the eggplants and garlic was too short as well. I let it marinate on the counter for a couple of hours before serving. We enjoyed it but not so much that I'd go to the trouble of making it again.

• Beets with watercress and orange

  • anya_sf on December 31, 2022

    Light and refreshing. For convenience, I used 8 oz cooked, vacuum-packed beets with half the dressing. Served over a larger volume of arugula instead of watercress, tossed with more dressing, but with 1 Tbsp added olive oil. Since half the orange was left over, I sliced it and added it to the salad, a nice addition.

• Mushrooms and roasted pepper with rocket

  • TiaGoats on March 08, 2022

    I made this without the arugula or capers -- basically just marinated mushrooms with home-roasted peppers (so easy to do!), and it was absolutely delicious.

• Chinese cabbage with lemon and ginger

  • blozoff on June 11, 2020

    I used napa cabbage. Also a bit more ginger and lemon juice

• Tomato, white bean, and sorrel soup

  • jenburkholder on May 23, 2022

    Good, straightforward with a nice tang from the sorrel. Nothing amazing but certainly solid and tasty.

• Spicy corn and chick-pea soup with chilies

  • bloncosky on July 09, 2013

    This is a great soup for the summer corn season. It is really versatile too,you can leave out the hominy and add more fresh corn. You can use your own canned chickpeas and just add 2 cups stock to make up for the bean liquid. A couple hints for omnivorous, you can add a couple pieces of leftover chopped bacon and even substitute chicken for the hominy.

  • Avocet on February 26, 2021

    Delicious soup, great with pantry items. Used frozen white corn, one can of chickpeas, canned tomatoes. Didn't use the jalapeno peppers or the cayenne, the chipotles gave it lots of flavor and heat. Used more lime than called for. Toasted tortillas to sprinkle on top.

• Green corn soup

  • michalow on September 18, 2023

    Sweet and intense -- a small serving will suffice. I had to fiddle a bit to get this where I wanted it, but in the end it was very tasty. I doubled the cilantro and included the potato from the stock before pureeing to add more creaminess (perhaps to compensate for my lack of a food mill).

• Gazpacho

  • deboChicago on August 30, 2019

    This is a wonderful recipe. It is a great idea to puree just half the tomatoes and chop the rest. I made a few other changes: I prepared it with half the tomatoes, so the ratio of other ingredients to tomatoes is higher, I peeled but did not seed the tomatoes, I added a bell pepper and a couple of garlic cloves, and also, I blitzed EVERYTHING (except half the tomatoes) in the blender. I had two colors of tomatoes from the farmer's market so I blitzed the green zebra ones and chopped the red ones. So delicious! I am going to make it again today, I think!

• Butternut squash soup with apple confit

  • Cheri on January 24, 2010

    Fabulous

• Mexican lentil soup with roasted garlic and chilies

  • michalow on December 31, 2012

    Terrific depth of flavor. Roasting and pureeing the garlic and making the chile pastes can seem time consuming, but there's not a great deal of chopping to be done, and this recipe can easily be scaled up and freezes very well. A favorite!

  • Laura on May 01, 2014

    Pg. 101. This recipe is very labor-intensive, so I was expecting something spectacular. It was good, but it was not so good that it justifies in my mind all of the work and the numerous pots, pans, blenders and grinders. I wouldn't bother to make it again.

• Potato soup with pesto

  • radishseed on May 02, 2012

    This is a very nice soup. I substituted parsnips for carrots and cooked the onions extra long, till they were more or less caramelized (that was an accident, but it turned out great). I stirred in pesto made from fennel greens at the end, which added a nice herbal flavor.

  • Laura on September 03, 2014

    Pg. 102. I made the Light Vegetable Stock recipe (pg. 79) prior to starting the soup, so this was a rather labor-intensive endeavor. I followed the directions to the letter, including using a food mill to puree the cooked potatoes. What I ended up with after milling the potatoes bore a strong resemblance to mashed potatoes and I was fearful that I was on track for a total fail on this recipe. But, after adding 2 more cups of the stock to the potato puree it turned into a thick, but not too thick, soup that had just the right texture and amount of liquid. The diced carrots and potato were a bit too al dente, so I would cook those longer. I also felt that the garlic was too strong, so would cut back on that in future. The pesto (from VCFE, not the recipe in this book) added a nice flavor punch. I'm not convinced the soup was worth all the work -- the result was fine, but nothing special.

• Potato, leek, and celery root soup

  • wester on September 26, 2012

    Not wild about this - a bit bland. I did like the orange crème fraîche though, I might use it in other recipes.

• Spicy black bean soup

  • TiaGoats on April 29, 2022

    Absolutely delicious! And tastes great with various time-saving measures such as using canned beans.

• Moroccan lentil soup

  • michalow on October 12, 2019

    This soup is relatively easy to prepare and reasonably tasty. I might make it again if I happened to have the ingredients on hand, but there are other lentil soups that I like more.

• Carrot soup with North African spices

  • michalow on September 29, 2018

    This was more subtly spiced than I expected, but it grew on me. Very easy and worth making again. I think I might prefer a sharper citrus than orange juice--will try lime next time.

  • dgiles on April 22, 2021

    I thought this soup was even better served cold.

  • clkandel on July 01, 2024

    Used berbere in place of the called for spices. Loved the flavor. Made this in the Instant Pot. Sautéed onions, adding garlic and ginger when they were just softening. Added berbere. Added other ingredients except for the OJ. High pressure, 10 minutes, natural release. Blended with immersion blender. Mixed in OJ. Served hot with a drizzle of harissa oil.

• Roman tomato-lentil soup with mint

  • Laura on April 24, 2010

    Pg. 116. This makes a tasty lentil soup, if nothing too exciting. The cook times leave the lentils and vegetables still somewhat crunchy, which we liked; if you prefer less crunch, you'll want to increase the cooking times. I would also increase the amount of mint -- the mint flavor did not come through

• Fettuccine with Swiss chard, currants, walnuts, and brown butter

  • jessica_qyreaf on January 26, 2026

    Have made in the past but not recently. Was a perfect winter dish as previously made in the summer and brown butter felt too rich. But on a cold January evening the same richness and sweetness from the dried fruit was very welcome. We subbed in a different pasta, chopped tart cherries and raisins for currants, and a large shallot for the onion. We also chopped chard stems and salted with onions as we normally do in other chard recipes.

• Linguine with chanterelles and leeks

  • Laura on November 19, 2020

    Pg. 133. Having both chanterelles and spinach linguine on hand, this recipe seemed interesting. It was easy and quick to prepare. And it was pretty good, too. In case it’s not obvious from the recipe, this does not produce a ‘sauce’ per se. There is virtually no liquid left by the end. In fact, it’s important to watch that the mushroom and leek mixture doesn’t burn.

• Tomato-mushroom stock for risotto

  • Laura on September 05, 2012

    Pg. 157. This recipe creates an earthy broth that is darkly reddish-brown in color. Compared with meat-based stocks, this is far less time-consuming, as it simmers for only one hour. It made a great base for the Risotto with Summer Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Basil.

• Risotto with summer beans, tomatoes, peppers, and basil

  • Laura on September 04, 2012

    Pg. 160. We really liked this dish. We always enjoy a dish when we are able to use a lot of foods from the farmers market: green beans, tomatoes, basil, red pepper, onions. I made the Tomato-Mushroom Stock the day before and I think it is well worth the effort -- it provided a nice earthiness to the dish and, of course, colored it a pale red. I also added the saffron and I think that is a good touch. I waited to add the basil until the dish was done so that the basil flavor would be more prominent. Grated parmigiano-reggiano over the finished dish. I would make this again.

• Fall risotto with chanterelles and late harvest tomatoes

  • Laura on March 13, 2010

    Pg. 162. Could not resist the sale at my local Whole Foods on Chanterelles ($9.99 /lb!). Consulting EYB, I discovered this recipe and it was quite delicious, although I confess I did not use the tomatoes because they're out-of-season here. Served it with a spinach salad with roasted beets and red onions, ricotta salata cheese and an orange vinaigrette. Edited to add: just had the leftovers for lunch and I believe it's even better today.

  • Cheri on October 15, 2013

    Yumm! We have beautiful wild chanterelles here in the Northwest right now, and this dish shows them off nicely. It's the kind of dish that when you have all the right fresh ingredients it is really superb. I will make this again next fall if the mushrooms are again as plentiful and delicious (and I still have some good tomatoes!) I did reduce quantities, using only 1cup of rice, and 3-3/4 cup broth to meet the qty. of mushrooms that I had. She indicates that the dish will be soupy when finished. I cooked longer and slower to absorb all the liquid, which I would recommend for a more authentic risotto.

• Pizza with roasted pepper sauce, leeks, and olives

  • Nancy402 on May 28, 2024

    Very tasty. Using roasted red peppers for the sauce was particularly delicious. I used roasted peppers from the deli counter, and that made things really easy.

• Mushroom-leek pizza

  • amanda_0pyxbi on March 29, 2026

    We’ve been making this pizza regularly for 30 years. It is phenomenally delicious.

• Greek pizza with spinach feta cheese, and rosemary

  • amanda_0pyxbi on March 29, 2026

    A family favorite for years. We have this at least once a month. Never disappoints!

• Spring vegetable curry with Sri Lankan spices

  • johanson on September 21, 2021

    I followed the recipe except I did not do the step with snap peas or English peas. Instead I added frozen peas at the end and that worked out fine.

• Winter vegetable curry

  • Laura on December 05, 2010

    Pg. 190. This is very good.

  • radishseed on May 30, 2012

    This curry has a lovely, rich sauce. I would suggest adding a little honey to taste at the end (one or two teaspoons) and some lime juice to highlight the flavors.

• Creole mushroom and pepper stew

  • deboChicago on September 10, 2019

    This turned out really well. Each step took a bit longer than advertised but the resulting flavor was excellent.

• Gratin of eggplant, roasted peppers, and garlic

  • Vanessa on July 12, 2012

    Awesome. Even though I made it with bottled marinara sauce and used three slightly older (seedy) graffiti eggplants rather than the Japanese eggplants called for me, it was a hit. Husband said "make this any time". Sons (20 and 21, and NOT eggplant fans) both scarfed down their portions too.

• Yeasted tart dough

  • michalow on April 16, 2019

    Nice tart dough--rich but with a light texture. Takes about an hour to rise, and once that's done it is easily pressed into shape in the pan. I didn't care for the optional lemon zest--I thought this would complement my filling nicely but it tasted too perfumy.

• Spring tart with asparagus and red onions

  • michalow on April 17, 2019

    Not amazing, but good and pretty straightforward to assemble. Will reduce salt by about 25% next time. Tart was filled to the brim when it went in the oven, so set it on a sheet pan and don't try to sneak in any extra ingredients.

• Spicy corn cakes with smoked cheese and chilies

  • michalow on October 08, 2025

    Smoky, spicy, corny, and cheesy, exactly as promised. A bit more work than you might expect, what with all the chopping, sautéing, whipping, and folding--but they are indeed delicious.

• Rhubarb-strawberry cobbler

  • Laura on May 11, 2010

    Pg. 378. This was very disappointing -- not much flavor at all -- even the orange flavor did not come through.

  • michalow on January 01, 2013

    Love the filling and the topping, though biscuit topping does not always cook through, and gummy cobbler is a bummer. Keep dollops of batter small.

• Ginger-lemon muffins

  • wester on November 21, 2010

    These make your house smell lovely. They taste lightly spicy, not too much. I thought the amount of ginger looked a bit much, so I used one tablespoon less - maybe with the full amount they would get a bit sharp. I made this with yogurt instead of buttermilk. I had to add a bit more to keep the batter thin enough.

• Oatmeal-raisin scones

  • michalow on May 27, 2013

    Very nice flavor and texture -- tender, buttery, and a little nubby from the oats. A little on the sweet side, especially if using raisins -- I will decrease sugar a bit next time.

• Goat cheese, pears and walnuts on toasted sourdough bread

  • radishseed on September 12, 2013

    This is a great, simple tartine. I've made it with fresh pears and with Karen Solomon's Pickled Asian Pears. Both are delicious.

• Orange-pecan scones

  • radishseed on February 09, 2014

    I used this recipe to make Meyer lemon-hazelnut scones. Nice combination.

• Cranberry lattice tart

  • michalow on December 03, 2014

    Beautiful and delicious -- excellent value for effort. Added a cinnamon stick and a bit of cardamom to the crans as they simmered. Might try a bit of lemon zest in the pastry next time.

• Warm cannellini beans with sage

  • hyperbowler on October 26, 2016

    The seasonings are great, something I'll make again. However, the bean-cooking technique should be replaced by another recipe--- 35-45 minutes, uncovered, for cannellini beans? Mine took more than two hours, and several replacements of water.

• Pickled red onions

  • dkazmercyk on April 17, 2017

    This recipe is quick and easy and the results are fabulous!

• Port beurre rouge

  • anya_sf on March 20, 2019

    The sweetness from the port and balsamic vinegar give this sauce a more mellow, smooth flavor than traditional beurre blanc, which can be rather sharp.

• Chocolate-almond biscotti

  • michalow on August 06, 2021

    These taste a little too boozy for me.

• Cranberry-pear relish

  • hashi on November 24, 2022

    This is the first time I've made cranberry sauce from scratch (I know, I know!) and now I'll be making this one every year. It's super easy, fast, and delicious.

  • Tfrederick on November 29, 2020

    I look forward to Thansgiving every year because of this dish! The pears add texture and flavor, and the orange liquor adds complexity. It's gorgeous on the table. Cointreau works as well as Grand Marnier.

• Basmati and wild rice pilaf

  • anya_sf on December 28, 2023

    i cooked slightly more wild rice in the rice cooker per those instructions; if made as written, the wild rice would need to be drained, but the recipe doesn't mention that. Although I used a heaping cup of basmati rice, it turned out slightly mushy, so I'd use less water next time. I omitted the pine nuts since I served this with another nut-containing dish, but would add them otherwise. Overall, this was a nice side dish, and I'd make it again with the noted changes.

• Raspberry-almond bread

  • anya_sf on September 16, 2020

    I used half white whole wheat flour and whole milk yogurt instead of creme fraiche. I only had 1/2 cup almonds but it seemed like plenty. The bread turned out very moist and sweet (it's more like cake than bread) with a really nice flavor. Unfortunately, most of the raspberries sank; only the broken bits stayed towards the top, but those turned blueish gray. Next time I'll put some of the batter in the pan before stirring the raspberries into the remaining batter. I'd also decrease the sugar a bit.

• Sweet pepper rice

  • sdeathe on January 26, 2023

    This was such a pretty dish! I made it with a red pepper, and the turmeric turned the rice deep yellow. Easy to prepare, not too much chopping, and very good. Worth repeating.

• Peach-blueberry pie

  • janecook on August 21, 2021

    Love this peach pie. It has a wonderful all butter crust recipe which I use for all my pie recipes, including pumpkin pie.

• Buttermilk pancakes

  • jessica_qyreaf on January 29, 2026

    Our go to recipe. Not too doughy but a bit of lift. When we don’t have buttermilk we’ve used the sub method with yogurt and or milk with lemon. It works but these are really the best with buttermilk.