Cooking Fast and Slow: Easy, Comforting, (Mostly) Plant-Based Recipes for Busy People

by Natalia Rudin

A collection of over 100 simple, satisfying, plant-packed recipes that are low on effort but big on flavor, from Natalia Rudin, the viral creator behind Nat's Nourishments.

Loved for her quick and delicious recipes whipped up after a long day as a personal chef, Natalia Rudin has created a show-stopping cookbook full of (mostly) plant-based recipes that are guaranteed to comfort, nourish, and delight.

With chapters organized by timeframe that take less than 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour; slower recipes to savor at the weekend or with friends; meal-prep ideas to elevate your packed lunches; breakfasts to be enjoyed slow or on the go; and treats to satisfy every sweet tooth, there is a recipe for every occasion. These recipes are short on ingredients but big on flavor and nutrition, with plenty of suggestions for additions and substitutions to suit what you eat and what you have available.

Smashed Miso Butterbeans and Crispy Soy Mushrooms
Basil, Zucchini, and Pistachio Mafaldine
Blistered Tomatoes and Chickpeas over Creamy Polenta
Romesco Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl
Fluffy Buckwheat Pancakes with Date Caramel
Chai-Spiced Chocolate and Pecan Blondies

Filled with silky sauces, sweet treats, and morning delights, Cooking Fast and Slow takes simple ingredients and elevates them so that every meal feels special and tastes incredible.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Annmarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cooking Fast and Slow
By Natalia Rudin

The subtitle says it all --- easy, comforting, (mostly ) plant based recipes for busy people.
Rudin’s introduction explains how her upbringing and travels influence her cooking as well as her experience with clients and Instagram.
The Ingredients section is particularly helpful. I always look for cookbooks that feature “in my pantry ingredients “ This ingredients section helpfully lists items such as kimchee, harissa paste, etc. that you might not already have so that you can stock up and be able to cook these recipes easily. That is a big help.
The Chapters are unique but obvious:
15 Minutes or Less
30 Minutes or Less
1 Hour or Less
1 Hour +
And then:
Meal Prep – featuring recipes for the work week
Breakfast, Fast
Breakfast, Slow
Dips and Sides
Sauces and Dressings
Sweet Things
This book is easy to work from after work or school prep times that suit the circumstance while still enabling heathy, good eating.
Most recipes have photos, all have US and Metric measurements, give servings number and are made with easily available ingredients. The book lies completely flat when open and features a beautiful yellow ribbon bookmark– a plus. Good student, working person or busy person cookbook. Great graduation, shower, first apartment or holiday gift.
Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.

[Denise Mullins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is more a coffe table book than a cookbook IMO. Yes, photos for recipes are full-page and detailed with saturated color, but do I really need multiple pix of the author in a dazzling white tank roaming her estate? Each recipe is typically prefaced with a location and memory of an A-lister spot that I am unable to relate to. Now I'll confess: I don't have pomergranate seeds readily available or some of the other exotic ingredients required. But is it really necessary to use Malfada shaped pasta? Sure it's very eye-catching, but the premium cost is just a tad gimmicky to me.Also, if you highlight a section of recipes that can be cooked in 15 minutes or less, please don't instruct simmering some of the ingredients for 30-45 minutes (yes, check out page 26 for the pancake soup).
To her credit, Rudin uses a lot of beans-especially cannelini(my favorite), but the actual recipes basically rely on simple quality ingredients to a very large extent, so I really didn't find something that I'd consider trying.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cooking Fast and Slow is a great cookbook for those interested in plant-centric meals with flexibility. According to your tastes, recipes can be adapted to be vegan or vegetarian with a few recipes including a meat option. What I loved most about this book is the fact that recipes are grouped into categories according to how much time is needed to prepare meals (15 minutes or less, 30 minutes or less, 1 hour or less, 1 hour+). I gravitated towards the 15 minutes or less recipes and was rewarded with delicious meals such as sticky chicken skewers and sun-dried tomato pasta. Dishes requiring more time such as the slow-roasted oyster mushroom ragu (1 hour+) are not necessarily more complicated but merely require roasting which adds extra time. Outside of the time categories there are separate sections for breakfasts, dip, sides, sauces, and desserts. The jeweled tiffin is phenomenal. Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book: the opinions are my own.

[Zuzana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great new cook book on the market with inspiring recipes I cannot wait to try.