Alison Roman’s Fuss-Free Menu for Busy Weeknights, Impromptu Dinner Parties, and Everything in Between
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Over the past decade, Alison Roman has garnered legions of followers by showing them how to take simple ingredients and—with a few strategic moves—make culinary magic. Take, for instance, her viral Caramelized Shallot Pasta, of pandemic-era fame: Shallots, tomato paste, and a tin of anchovies are cooked down into an umami-rich paste, tossed with cooked pasta, and topped with fresh parsley and garlic.
The dish undeniably speaks to Roman’s easygoing cooking style and is just one of the many unfussy yet flavor-driven recipes immortalized in her new cookbook, Something from Nothing (November 11). A must for time-strapped cooks and spontaneous hosts alike, it highlights the potential of a well-stocked pantry, where a humble can of beans can become a hearty cassoulet and an opened box of noodles can become a stunning carbonara at a moment’s notice.
While cooks have long admired Roman for her culinary practicality, it stands to reason that she’d write an entire cookbook about doing more with less when you consider the busy few years she’s had. After the release of her third cookbook, 2023’s best-selling Sweet Enough, she opened a grocery store (specializing in pantry goods, no less), got married, and welcomed a new baby boy, on top of writing a new cookbook.
Here, she shows us how to take just a few ingredients—many of which you likely already have in your kitchen—and reimagine them into a meal worth celebrating.
Crisp, Hot Roast Chicken with Leeks
An extraordinary dish doesn’t have to require an extraordinary amount of effort, as this recipe proves. Throw the chicken in the oven for about an hour—no drying or brining beforehand—along with whatever you’ve got on hand (potatoes, mushrooms, torn pieces of bread). The crowning glory is the charred leeks, which roast alongside the chicken and absorb the savory goodness, but the leek salsa verde and homemade aioli (for dipping the chicken) come in a close second.
Toasted Rice Pilaf with Crushed Walnuts and Dates
While the journey to a perfectly fluffy rice pilaf may seem daunting, Roman writes that success is entirely achievable with less fussing and “more ignoring.” The rice is cooked in butter with turmeric and lemon (you can use fresh lemon or preserved lemon, an Alison Roman standby). It’s then simmered in chicken broth and gently tossed with a garlicky mixture of toasted walnuts and chopped dates, balancing sweet, salty, and savory in the most comforting way.
Labne with Caramelized Harissa
Calling for just six ingredients (including salt and pepper), this dip is a solid addition to any busy cook’s arsenal. Roman caramelizes the harissa, an essential in any well-provisioned pantry, for deeper flavor, then swirls it into a bowl of lightly seasoned labne. Although this would make an excellent companion to the rice pilaf, it’s also great served as an appetizer, with flatbread, raw vegetables, or crackers.
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