Cookbook Review: Ali Slagle, I Dream of Dinner
A can't-put-it-down, must eat.
Welcome to the first cookbook review of Can’t Help But Cook. I could not be more excited to share this review with you! I’ve been hard at work in the kitchen making my way through 75 of the 150 recipes (this does not include the many iterations that Ali Slagle provides for a majority of the recipes), and honestly, I would happily have worked my way through the entire book. I certainly plan to keep chugging away, but I want to bring you other cookbook reviews, so I had to stop somewhere. You can find the full list of 75 recipes at the very end of this review.
PSA: This is long. So long that you probably didn’t get the full thing in your inbox. Don’t feel like you need to sit and read it all at once (or do, and I won’t tell your boss). It’s intended as a reference. There are a few linked recipes provided at the end, but otherwise, read parts of it now and then finish if/when you get Ali’s cookbook.
A Summary.
In one word…economical
In one sentence… Ali Slagle’s cookbook, I Dream of Dinner (a James Beard Award nominee), is the everyman’s/everywoman’s cookbook, and any person who wants scrumptious food without the baggage of time, prior skill, or random ingredients should keep this book within arm’s reach in the kitchen.
Before I started this cookbook…I had degrees of stress in the kitchen that I was hitherto unaware of.
This cookbook is for…the newbie cooking enthusiast; the overextended parent; the person who really hates putting food to waste; the person who is always forgetting that one ingredient at the grocery store; the college student with high standards and a limited budget; the newlyweds; the family with diverse taste buds; the veggie lover.
This cookbook might not be for you if… you are regularly cooking for groups of more than 6 adult eaters, but even then, there is a way to make it work well.
The breakdown analysis.
Flavors/Vibes: unique, bright, warm and cozy, spicy, creamy
Skill Level: little-to-no prior skills required (see “A Note on Salt” below)
Instructions: Easy to follow and well-thought-out for 24 out of every 25 recipes
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
You might be asking why I say that I Dream of Dinner is for the everyman/woman, when it looks like the Brothers Karamazov of cookbooks. At 399 pages, it doesn’t necessarily exude ease. Don’t judge a cookbook by its size, though, it’s what’s gonna be inside your tummy (and how relaxed you’ll feel) that counts.
I’m only being a little hyperbolic when I say I could pitch this cookbook to you in 500 different ways. So, first, let me start by saying I will NEVER give a cookbook a glowing review unless the recipes are “WOW'' levels of deliciousness. Because ease means nothing if the food doesn’t taste good. Second, I present my oil-splattered, water-stained, toddler-signed cookbook to you as evidence. It is weather-beaten and quite literally falling apart at the seam, but I promise it’s all from love. In my household, it’s the pristine cookbooks, which aren’t falling apart, that you should be wary of.
So, given that, I will say that the true genius of this cookbook is its utility. The bio that is included on the back cover describes Ali as “a recipe developer….[who lives] in Brooklyn, without a dishwasher, food processor, or stand mixer [emphasis majorly added].” (yes, many NYC apartments are without dishwashers…not a typo)
What else do you need to know?
Ali Slagle thought about the future you working in the kitchen when she wrote this, and she wanted you to feel relaxed and calm, possibly even pour yourself a glass of wine.
She says explicitly in her introduction that there isn’t any hidden work in the ingredients list. For example, rather than listing “garlic, finely grated” under her ingredients, she simply lists “garlic”. It is only when you move to the instructions that she proceeds to tell you to grate the garlic. This might sound like a minor detail but let me assure you that it is a game changer. If you’ve ever had the experience of looking up a recipe to see that it requires 15 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cook time but, in reality, it takes you 55 minutes to make it, THIS IS WHY. There is work hidden in the ingredients list. In fact, I should warn you that after cooking through any Ali Slagle recipe, you might become more irritated with other recipes that don’t take such a practical approach to cooking. And, while it might be a negative for some that almost all of her meals serve 4, this consistency is also very reliable. You know going into every meal approximately how much it will make; it’s basically another variable you don’t have to think about.
I highly recommend reading the introduction. It puts you into a zen-culinary frame of mind. I will admit that I made a few recipes before I read the introduction, and they were good, but upon reading the introduction, I assumed a level of ease and confidence that changed the way I approached the entire book. Maybe it's confirmation bias, but I swear almost every recipe since reading the introduction has tasted better than those I made before.
If you were perusing this cookbook on the shelf, you might notice that there isn’t an estimated prep or cook time for any recipe. That is because every recipe should take 45 minutes or less to make…this is stated in the intro. You’ll notice that the list of ingredients is always short. Again, this is intentional (read the intro!) Every recipe has 10 ingredients or less and most are five to eight. She also mentions in her intro that she assumes you’ll have a few ingredients on hand: “olive oil, neutral oil, butter, sugar, red pepper flakes, water, and S&P” (pg. 16). I’ll say it again, read the introduction! It guides the approach you should take with this cookbook and that approach is ease and flexibility without risking flavor. What more could any of us ask for?
On a quick, related note, Ali Slagle actually launched her own substack - 40 Ingredients Forever - just last week. If you find yourself in love with her recipes, as I did, you’ll be happy to know there’s a place to get more recipes on the reg.
The organization.
The book is organized first by a central ingredient. There are eight: Eggs; Beans; Pasta; Grains; Vegetables; Chicken; Beef, Pork & Lamb; and Sea Creatures. Each section, then, is further broken down by the cooking/preparation process. Take Sea Creatures, for example. There are two subsections: Cook fast & hot and Cook fast & low. Additionally, each subsection is preceded by a two-page guide, which explains everything you need to know to make the recipes delicious (it’s as simple as that).
If all these pages of text feel overwhelming to you, if you feel like I am giving you homework before you even step into the kitchen, my advice is to pick one subsection. If you are truly overwhelmed, go to the Chicken section and find the subsection Start with Leftovers. What I would do is buy a rotisserie chicken, so you don’t even have to focus on the making-of-the-chicken part. Next, read the guide on page 274 and pick one recipe. Every recipe in this section is phenomenal; I think my personal favorite is the Chicken & Rice with Smoked Paprika. You feel like a bonafide chef flipping the pan over onto the plate, but you definitely don’t have to flip the pan to enjoy this recipe. But, if even the idea of maybe flipping the pan stresses you out, start with the Marbella Chicken Salad.
A Note on Salt.
As noted above, the prior skill required for this cookbook is fairly minimal. If you are kitchen-curious but never learned how to fry an egg without overcooking the yolk, you shouldn’t be intimidated. Ali provides very straightforward directions for each recipe (and very helpful cooking tips in the guides that proceed each section, mentioned directly above).
I would argue that the single greatest skill you will need to learn is salting correctly, and you should be using kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal. Don’t ask me why. It’s just what all the experts say.
Often, Ali will just tell you to S&P to taste. This might feel like you’re being taken out to sea on a foggy day with no compass (or Google Maps) and told to row back to shore, but I assure you it’s a bit easier than that. I will say, however, that there is some trial and error in learning to salt correctly, but learning to salt is essential, so your education will not be in vain! Developing an instinctual sense for how much salt to use will serve you very well here and beyond. If you really want to delve into the best approaches to salting, watch (but preferably read) Samin Nosrat’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. If you feel like that is just too much right now, I’ll pass along Samin’s best tip for salting: taste and adjust. Every time Ali tells you to S&P to taste (assuming the food isn’t raw), nibble or slurp on a small amount of the pasta/soup/concoction. You want to aim to salt the appropriate amount on the earlier side, but remember you can always add salt at the end. For meals when the food is raw (meat, eggs, fish), develop your muscle memory and remember to adjust accordingly next time. If food is oversalted you can add fat (e.g. heavy cream, butter) or acid (e.g. vinegar or lemon), and if it’s under-salted…well, add salt. Finally, remember that for every under or oversalted meal, you’re expanding your cooking knowledge. And if things go south, Ali says, “[D]rown it in hot sauce. There’s always tomorrow” (pg. 17).
Rachel’s Recommendations
If you want to get a sense for Ali’s kitchen vibe, I would recommend trying the Shortcut Chicken Chili or the Tortellini with Mortadella & Peas. I recommend the Shortcut Chicken Chili for those days when you walk into the kitchen, thinking hard about what you might make for dinner, and come up blank. The Tortellini with Mortadella & Peas is also easy, but it’s better for when you have a smidge more energy and a craving for something bright and exciting. And, do NOT miss the lemon-roasted pistachios. If you don’t have raw pistachios, you go out and get them (I’m very serious) or simply make another meal (maybe the chili?). The tortellini is out of this world tasty and only uses one non-stick skillet. The only downside to making this one is that it doesn’t scale up easily, so I don’t recommend making it if you’re cooking for a group larger than four people. I admit it doesn’t look the most appetizing (blame the mortadella), but it is. Just focus on the melting butter!
I draw your attention to pg. 386 of I Dream of Dinner, where Ali Slagle has grouped recipes according to “Recipes by Cravings, Mood & Realities”. Find a sticky note somewhere in your home, and plop it on this page. Enjoyable, yummy cooking is so dependent on your mood, so having a list of recipes when you’re not feeling well or need “To set it and forget it” is ideal. My recommendations below expand on her suggestions.
Best on a budget. A common rebuttal that I hear from people who are hesitant to cook is that formal recipes cost too much money. I hear you. Many recipes, online and in cookbooks, often ask you to buy random ingredients. You spend $5 on hoisin sauce, use a literal scant teaspoon of it, and then $4.97 of it sits in your fridge taking up space and mental anguish. Here are recipes that are the antithesis of that. The list is not exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start:
Blitzed Peppers with Mozzarella & Croutons, pg. 233
Lemon Black Pepper Shells, pg. 130
Spaghetti Aglio et Olio, pg. 129
Pasta with Chopped Pesto and Peas, pg. 153
Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas, pg. 104
Black Bean Soup with Lots of Fritos RR: or corn tortillas, pg. 100
Turmeric-Dill Rice & Chickpeas, pg. 193 (pictured below)
Rice & Cheese, pg. 200
Best for when you don’t want to cook (like really don’t want to cook). These are the recipes to make when you’re at your wit’s end after a long day. I recommend starting a Notes tab on your phone and listing the required ingredients for each recipe (e.g. Sausage & Gnocchi: Gnocchi, Arugula, Pickled Peppers, Italian Sausage. I even came up with an acronym for you: GAPPI, rhymes with HAPPY). The number of ingredients needed for each is incredibly short. If you ever find yourself on your way home from work, unsure what to make for dinner, just check your Notes app. You’ll be in and out of the grocery store before you can make your way over to the Ben & Jerry’s section.
Rice & Cheese (and each of its iterations), pg. 200
Marbella Chicken Salad, pg. 277
Pan Con Tomate plus White Beans, pg. 68
Sausage & Gnocchi, pg. 308
Chorizo & Brussel Sprout Tacos, pg. 309
Salumi Butter Rigatoni, pg. 120
Oregano Lamb Pita, pg. 321
Green Soup to the Rescue, pg. 248
Good Sauce of So-So Tomatoes, pg. 139
Sheet Pan Fish with Bitter Greens, pg. 361
Best for large groups. As I mentioned above, most of Ali Slagle’s meals are for 4 people (or 3 really hungry people). Some recipes cannot be easily scaled up. This happens most often when the recipe calls for a non-stick skillet, which makes clean-up incredibly easy. But, non-stick skillets have a max capacity, so it is impossible to double this recipe without two skillets or some Harry Potter magic. However, there are a few recipes that make a lot as-is, and there ARE recipes that can be easily scaled up. There is one recipe below that you can make as-is to serve a larger group (~ 5-6). Aside from that one, I would try doubling everything for the other recipes. I haven’t done this yet, but I don’t foresee there being any issues. You thought you could get out of inviting all your in-laws over, but you thought wrong! Call them up, because here you go:
Cheesy Bread Potpie (pictured below; make as-is…it makes a lot), pg. 286
All-Corner-Pieces Baked Pasta, RR: try two sheet pans + add 5-8 min, pg. 143
Pan Con Tomate plus White Beans; RR: This also makes a good appetizer, pg. 68
Marbella Chicken Salad, pg. 277
Kimchi Tempeh Salad, pg. 88
All the Time Chicken Thighs, pg. 268
Shortcut Chicken Chili, pg. 286
Best for practicing salting (a vital skill). I mention the importance of this above, so I’ll say no more about it here other than practice makes perfect…and you likely aren’t using enough kosher salt.
Slow-roasted Salmon with Chile Oil, pg. 379
Sheet Pan Fish with Bitter Greens, pg. 361
Sour Cream & Onion Fish, pg. 358….basically all the fish recipes! You don’t hate fish, you just need to salt it better. I promise!
One-Pan Chicken Piccata & Orzo, pg. 289
Skirt Steak with Corn & Feta, pg. 318
All the Time Chicken Thighs, pg. 268 (pictured below)
Ideal Sweet Potatoes with Buttered Nuts, pg. 241 (pictured below)
Best for a “nice” meal (think ‘date-night-at-home vibe’). We have three kids under the age of two, so our diaper budget is a level of unreal that I won’t get into, and as a result, our date night budget is basically non-existent. But, we make date nights happen! Sometimes it’s an 8:49 pm meal with candles and a bottle of wine, surrounded by crumbs of PB&J and two Baby Bjorn bouncers (yeah, twins). Make these for a romantic evening with your favorite person:
Chile Shrimp Pasta, pg. 134 (pictured below)
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, pg. 129 (+ 4 Anchovies, see Ali’s note)
Slow-Roasted Salmon with Chile Oil, pg. 379
Gochujang Shrimp & Shishitos, pg. 349
White Bean Scampi Stew, pg. 350
One-Pot Puttanesca, pg. 140
Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for.
And the Oscar goes to (a list of favorites).
Favorite Section: Beans, pg. 61. Honestly, it's just so unique. College Rachel needed this section because college Rachel had high-taste standards and very little money.
Favorite Subsection: Beans - Stew, pg. 94. Make the Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas. Add bell peppers like Ali suggests and serve over feta, like Ali suggests (see photo below). Also, make the Kinda Refried Beans, pg. 96, for dinner or a pre-dinner bean dip, and never fret about making refried beans again.
Most Surprising: Harissa Eggs with Pita & Dates, pg. 24. I’ll admit that I might not have made this one if I wasn’t writing a review. But, I made it. I ate it. And then I thought about it regularly until I made it again.
Most Fun in the Kitchen: Pasta with Chopped Pesto & Peas, pg. 153. Honestly, chopping the basil and toasted walnuts while folding in pinches of salt is my version of a cooking game. And, no food processor needed, which is also a plus!
Favorite breakfast: Ricotta Frittata with Lemon Crumbs, pg. 32. I know the title of the book suggests it’s dinner specific, but I assure you that you want the Ricotta Frittata at 8 am.
Favorite Lunch: Blistered Peppers with Mozzarella & Croutons, pg. 233. It’s so good that I don’t think there are words to describe it. It simply must be experienced. And DO NOT substitute anything for the Sherry Vinegar.
My Least Favorite: Bacon Jalapeño Smashburgers, pg. 272. I was soooooo excited for this one, which may be why my opinion of it is less favorable. It’s like getting too hyped up for a movie, there’s only one direction for your opinion to go and that’s down. Either way, if I am being honest I am not inclined to make this one again.
Deceptively Complicated: Pork Sausage Burgers, pg. 311. It’s rare for any Ali Slagle recipe to be more complicated than you imagine, but I found this one to be a bit much for me after spending all day with demanding kids and the house in indescribable levels of messy.
My 21-month-old son’s Favorite: Tortellini with Mortadella & Peas, pg. 125. As I mentioned, each recipe serves approximately four but that assumes we’re talking about adults. When I made this for myself, my husband, our 18-month-old son (at the time), and my brother-in-law, I assumed the three adults would get a fairly healthy-sized portion because our son would only have a little, but oh how wrong I was.
My husband’s favorite: Corn & Spicy Sausage Orecchiette, pg. 149. This recipe wins two awards (see below). But, basically, my husband requested the one recipe in the cookbook that is guaranteed to turn your kitchen upside down, even if you’re Monica Geller. But, I love him, so I will make it again. All he has to do is ask.
My favorite: Sheet Pan Fish with Bitter Greens, pg. 361. I really wanted to cheat here and pick a few. In truth, I don’t know if I can pick an absolute favorite, but I made this one more than any other recipe because it is easy, D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S, and has lots of garlic mayo. NB: I used sockeye salmon (pictured way above).
Messiest: Corn & Spicy Sausage Orecchiette, pg. 149. As you will come to see, I think of kitchen messes only in positive terms. A messy kitchen is a kitchen that is preparing a delicious meal, and this one did not disappoint.
Concluding Thoughts.
Sometimes the flexibility can be overwhelming. If you’re a Type A planner who likes directions, like me, I’d advise you to stick with the official recipes, at least at first. Conversely, if you prefer to treat recipes as suggestions, you have AMPLE opportunity to do so. As one example, the Salad That Never Repeats (pg. 222) stressed me out so much that I didn’t end up making it, even though it was originally one of the 75 recipes I had selected to make. On paper, the flexibility which this salad allows for should have been welcome, but it just required too many decisions on my part. I’m a creative-follower in the kitchen. I like to be told what to do, and I only improvise here and there when impulse calls me to do so.
Related to this, the iterations are an added bonus! They don’t appear in every recipe, but they are frequent. If you find a recipe you enjoy, it’s highly possible you’ll have a few different ways (i.e. different flavors) waiting for you. For example, I loved the Skirt Steak with Corn & Feta (pg. 318; pictured below), so I cannot wait to try the iteration that uses Gochujang Mayo & Kale in place of Paprika-Lime Mayo and Corn & Feta. Sometimes, however, the iterations require a little “mental math.” If you want to make one but aren’t sure how, refer to the two-page guide at the beginning of each subsection as a reference. E.g. she’ll tell you to always add the aromatics first or add the acid at the end or something like that.
If I could change one thing…I would ask Ali Slagle to add a section for “Large Gatherings.'' I want to know how Ali would prepare a meal for a party of 9 because cooking for large groups can be stressful, but Ali’s meals are the antithesis of stressful, ergo maybe her approach to cooking for 9 people would be much easier than my current approach.
If you make the Lemon-Pepper Chicken & Potatoes, I do not recommend using aluminum foil, which Ali does suggest in her note. When I did this, I am not going to lie, the aluminum foil melted. In all likelihood, this was user error, but just in case, make it as is and accept that the sheet pan will be messy (soap + water overnight, my friends).
This cookbook has elevated my standards for what a cookbook should be. Or, put another way, it’s ruined other cookbooks for me a bit. While working on the recipes for this cookbook review, I made recipes from a number of other recipe developers, and anytime a cook had extra work built into the ingredients list (rather than in the instructions where all the work should be) I found myself frazzled and annoyed.
I learned that….
There are such things as double- and triple-concentrate tomato paste (Am I the only one?)
I prefer walnut pesto to pine nut pesto. Not sorry.
Chicken thighs are infinitely better than chicken breasts. (I feel like I shouldn’t admit out loud that I am only just realizing this)
⅛ tsp of salt per egg is the gold standard for salting scrambled eggs (also add a few dollops of creme fraiche, sour cream, or yogurt)
Anchovies rock! I added them to my list of pantry staples.
Orange is the best complement to salmon (sorry not sorry, lemon)
Finally Finally (for real this time).
I plan to conclude each cookbook review with a short reflection on how I have changed as a cook as a result of working my way through a specific cookbook because cooking should change us.
In my opening remarks, I alluded to the fact that before starting Ali Slagle’s cookbook, I was unaware that I sometimes harbored stress while cooking in the kitchen, which is a crazy thing to say out loud because I love cooking. In some ways this helps me empathize with anyone who expresses instant stress at even the remote idea of a cutting board. If I live to cook and, yet, cooking can be a source of stress to me…what levels of stress does the indifferent cook feel? Dare I ask about one who hates cooking?
Stress and anxiety are emotions that I struggle with, and in some ways cooking has always been a way to separate myself from those daily struggles. When I’m in the kitchen I have a declared goal: I have to make a certain recipe, and preferably by a certain time. I also have to use my hands and focus on the instructions, which means I don’t really have the time or energy to give to anything else. But, the ease of Ali Slagle’s meals has relaxed me. It’s like when your yoga or Pilates instructor (or your mom) tells you to relax your shoulders, you don’t realize your shoulders have been tightly hunched up. This was the pre-Ali Slagle Rachel, cooking away with my shoulders raised to my ears.
I’m not saying I’ll never make another complicated recipe again. And, I can’t control if a cook decides to hide extra work in the ingredients list (although I can roll my eyes), but Ali Slagle’s recipes have given me a new standard, as I mentioned above. I am no longer under the impression that complicated = automatically more scrumptious. Ali has given me the gift of delicious food, and the even greater gift of ease and calm in my favorite space, the kitchen.
Below are the 75 recipes I made. If you buy this cookbook, I’m happy to answer any questions that arise. Please ask them in the comments at any point. If you already have this cookbook, I’d love to know what your favorite recipes are and/or if you have any questions!
See you in the kitchen!
Xo,
Rach
The 75 (in order of appearance).
Harissa Eggs with Pita & Dates
Green Eggs & Ham Quesadilla
Stovetop Frittata Any Way
Bacon-Chile Frittata
Ricotta Frittata with Lemon Crumbs
Eggs with Smoky Scallion Oil
Garlic Bread Egg in a Hole with Mushrooms
Marinated Beans with Crunchy Vegetables
Pan Con Tomate plus White Beans
Kimchi Tempeh Salad
Kinda Refried Beans
Black Bean Soup with Lots of Fritos
French Onion White Bean Bake
Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas
Harissa Chickpeas with Feta
Salumi Butter Rigatoni
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Lemon Black Pepper Shells
Pasta with Rosemary-Fried Walnuts
Chile Shrimp Pasta
Good Sauce of So-So Tomatoes
One-Pot Puttanesca
All-Corner-Pieces Baked Pasta
Corn & Spicy Sausage Orecchiette
Pasta with Chopped Pesto & Peas
Tahini-Herb Pasta Salad
Chipotle-Tomato Baked Rice
Turmeric-Dill Rice & Chickpeas
Rice & Cheese
Mixed Grain Porridge
Farro Carbonara with Brussels Sprouts
Coconut Ginger Rice & Lentils
Charred Vegetables with Turmeric Peanuts
Blistered Peppers with Mozzarella & Croutons
Cheddar Broccoli with Mustard Crumbs
Ideal Sweet Potatoes with Buttered Nuts
Creamy Tomato Soup (No Cream)
Green Soup to the Rescue
Green Beans & Grains with Gochujang Butter
Chicken with So Much Garlic
Sesame Chicken Meatballs
Skillet Thighs with Peas & Pickled Chiles
Lemon-Pepper Chicken & Potatoes
All the Time Chicken Thighs
Chicken-Dill Patties with Zucchini
Bacon Jalapeño Smashburgers
Marbella Chicken Salad
Chicken & Rice with Smoked Paprika
Kids’ Menu Enchiladas
Cheesy Bread Potpie
Chicken Larb
One-Pan Chicken Piccata & Orzo
Sticky Chicken with Pickled Vegetables
Not Just Another Chicken Caesar
One-Pan Sausage & Lentils
Sausage & Gnocchi
Chorizo & Brussels Sprouts Tacos
Pork Sausage Burgers
Steak & Potatoes with Herb Sauce
Skirt Steak with Corn & Feta
Oregano Lamb Pita
Sizzled Pork & Pineapple
Mighty Meatballs
Pork & Beans Alla Gricia
Gochujang Shrimp & Shishitos
White Bean Scampi Stew
Crispy-Skinned Fish with Creamy Cukes
Sour Cream & Onion Fish
Sheet Pan Fish with Bitter Greens
Fish & Chips Tacos
Slow-Roasted Salmon with Chile Oil
Citrus Salmon with Black Olives…it was actually 76, oops!
Thanks, Ali! I cannot reiterate how much your cookbook means to me. I've always cooked, as I said in the review, but I found a new joy with your recipes; I meant every word. I will be following up each of my cookbook reviews with an essay or two...stories on my experience cooking a specific recipe. I hope you enjoy! And, I plan to request some recipes with smoked paprika (and/or sherry vinegar) over in 40 Ingredients Forever because the Blistered Peppers was amazing. Thank you, again!
Rachel, it's totally amazing that you've cooked half the book! Thank you for sharing your experience, and for your detailed review.