Yotam Ottolenghi is a world-renowned chef and best-selling cookbook author known for his bold Middle Eastern-inspired recipes. Though he is not strictly vegetarian himself, Ottolenghi has created several popular vegetarian and vegan cookbooks.
Ottolenghi’s Vegetarian Cookbooks
Here are some of Ottolenghi’s most notable vegetarian and vegan cookbooks:
- Plenty (2010) – Ottolenghi’s first vegetarian cookbook featuring 120 vegetarian recipes.
- Plenty More (2014) – The follow-up to Plenty with over 150 new vegetarian recipes.
- Simple (2018) – A cookbook focused on “smart, achievable” vegetarian dishes.
- Ottolenghi Flavor (2020) – Over 100 vegetarian recipes centered around brand new flavor combinations.
- Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things (2022) – The latest vegetarian cookbook with plant-based recipes developed in Ottolenghi’s test kitchen.
In total, Ottolenghi has published five vegetarian/vegan focused cookbooks. Plenty and Plenty More are considered his landmark vegetarian works, highlighting creative recipes like cauliflower cake with roasted garlic oil and nutmeg, and purple figs poached in spiced syrup. Simple offers more weekday-friendly vegetarian fare, while Flavor and Extra Good Things continue to push the creative boundaries of veggie cooking.
Ottolenghi’s Vegetarian Recipes Philosophy
Though Ottolenghi does enjoy his meat and fish, he is a strong proponent of vegetable-centric cooking. His vegetarian recipes are designed to capture the vibrancy, versatility, and bold flavors one normally associates with meat dishes. As he writes in Plenty:
“My approach is all about putting vegetables center stage and treating them with the same care and attention to detail as you would meat.”
Ottolenghi aims to bring out the natural flavors of produce through unique spice blends, marinades, and cooking methods. His recipes celebrate both familiar and forgotten vegetables, reinventing classics like eggplant and potatoes, while introducing more obscure ingredients like pandan leaves and preserved lemons. Texture also takes center stage, with many recipes calling for contrasting crispy, creamy, and chewy elements.
Acclaim for Ottolenghi’s Vegetarian Cookbooks
Ottolenghi’s vegetarian cookbooks have been met with widespread critical and commercial success. Here is a sampling of praise his veggie books have received:
- Plenty won the Galaxy National Book Awards “Food and Drink Book of the Year” in 2010.
- Plenty More was selected as the Observer Food Monthly’s best vegetarian cookbook.
- The New York Times called Simple “a master class in achieving maximum flavor with minimum fuss.”
- Ottolenghi Flavor was named best vegetarian cookbook of 2020 by the James Beard Foundation.
The vegetarian recipes from Plenty and Plenty More especially generated excitement, with many review outlets claiming Ottolenghi had succeeded in making vegetarian cooking exciting. Both amateur home cooks and restaurant chefs found creative inspiration in these groundbreaking veggie books.
Availability of Ottolenghi’s Vegetarian Cookbooks
All of Ottolenghi’s vegetarian/vegan cookbooks remain in print and are widely available for purchase. Here are some options for getting your hands on his veggie works:
- Purchase new copies online: Amazon, Bookshop, Waterstones (UK)
- Find used copies online: Amazon, AbeBooks, eBay
- Look for them at your local bookstore or library
- Buy digital editions for Kindle or Apple Books
Ottolenghi’s earlier books like Plenty and Plenty More are available at lower price points since they have been out for longer. Newer releases like Simple, Flavor, and Extra Good Things will be priced higher. Purchasing used copies can help save money on these coveted vegetarian cookbooks.
Ottolenghi’s Impact on Vegetarian Cooking
It’s no exaggeration to say that Ottolenghi’s inventive vegetarian recipes have made a significant impact on the world of cooking. Here are some of the effects his veggie-focused books have had:
- Made vegetable dishes exciting – Ottolenghi’s bold spices and global influences brought new life to familiar produce.
- Inspired more chefs to go meatless – Both at home cooks and pro chefs found new inspiration in Ottolenghi’s vegetarian cuisine.
- Scientific approach to flavors – His recipes are meticulously tested to achieve specific taste experiences and textures.
- Introduced new ingredients – He encouraged the use of diverse vegetables, grains, herbs and spices in place of meat.
- Proved veggie food can be filling – With his flavorful bean, grain, and vegetable mains, Ottolenghi showed vegetarian food can be hearty and satisfying.
While vegetarian cooking was often seen as limiting before, Ottolenghi threw open the doors to a world of flavor possibilities. He remains one of the most influential voices promoting creative, vegetable-focused cuisine.
Conclusion
Yotam Ottolenghi has undoubtedly produced some of the most important vegetarian cookbooks of recent decades. Titles like Plenty, Plenty More, Simple, Flavor, and Extra Good Things are filled with show-stopping yet achievable vegetable recipes. These books have inspired both home cooks and professional chefs to embrace meat-free cooking and drawn new attention to the creative possibilities of vegetables. Ottolenghi has shown that vegetarian food can be every bit as vibrant, satisfying, and packed with flavor as dishes with meat. His cookbooks have had a lasting impact, cementing his status as one of the preeminent voices in vegetable cooking today.