What do you think?
Rate this book
The Minimalist Kitchen: 100 Wholesome Recipes, Essential Tools, and Efficient Techniques
Melissa Coleman, creator of The Faux Martha, shares her refreshingly simple approach to cooking.
The Minimalist Kitchen: 100 Wholesome Recipes, Essential Tools, and Efficient Techniques is a cookbook, but more importantly, it’s a framework for creating a minimalist kitchen, a kitchen pared down to the essentials so you can create more. This framework will touch everything in your kitchen from your ingredients, tools, pantry, to your cooking techniques, meal planning, and shopping habits. Once the framework is in place, you can make 100+ wholesome, mix and match recipes. You'll find Blueberry-Orange Breakfast Rolls, Banana-Coconut Baked Oatmeal, White Wine Spring Pasta, BBQ Black Bean and Quick Slaw Tacos, Crispy Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Chickpea Tikka Masala, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, and Two-Bowl Carrot Cupcakes.
It’s true what they say—less is more. But this is also true—achieving simplicity is difficult. How do you know what to keep and what to get rid of? This comprehensive guide will hold your hand through the process and make dinnertime (and the kitchen) feel doable again. For best results, read this cookbook like a novel, from the beginning. Chapter 1: The Minimalist Kitchen sets the stage for how to make and use the recipes in Chapters 2–8: Breakfast, Main Dishes, Burgers Wraps & Sandwiches, Soups & Salads, Sides, Drinks, Dessert. Melissa’s recipes are the practical application of the minimalist kitchen—using a pared down kitchen to its full potential. You’ll find them to be vegetable forward and simple without compromising flavor. They’re intentionally designed to fit the rhythm of the week and labeled weekday, weekend, and make ahead accordingly. Weekday recipes are quick and efficient, while weekend recipes are slower and celebratory. Some recipes have make ahead components to increase efficiency and break up prep times. You’ll find ingredient lists ranging from 3 to 20 ingredients. But don’t be scared by the longer list, as most of the ingredients are sitting in your well-stocked pantry. Look for Melissa's minimalist tips offering recipe-specific advice, a seasonal produce guide, and a handy metric equivalents chart to take the stress out of cooking.
Melissa Coleman is a home cook and baker, designer, wife, mama, and minimalist. Her popular blog, The Faux Martha, was named a Huffington Post Top 10 Food Blog and was selected as a Better Homes and Gardens Top 10 Baking Blog nominee and a Saveur Blog Awards Style & Design finalist. After spending three decades bouncing around the states, she’s happily planted under the snow banks of Minneapolis, MN with her husband, Kevin, and tiny sous chef, Hallie. Melissa cooks with the rhythm of the week—simple, modern, and mostly vegetarian on weekdays and slow and classic with a heavy dose of brunch on the weekend. She is in the process of decorating The Fauxhouse, their modern, city farmhouse. The Minimalist Kitchen is her first book, publishing in April 2018. Learn more about Melissa's design aesthetic and cooking philosophy at thefauxmartha.com.
The Minimalist Kitchen: 100 Wholesome Recipes, Essential Tools, and Efficient Techniques is a cookbook, but more importantly, it’s a framework for creating a minimalist kitchen, a kitchen pared down to the essentials so you can create more. This framework will touch everything in your kitchen from your ingredients, tools, pantry, to your cooking techniques, meal planning, and shopping habits. Once the framework is in place, you can make 100+ wholesome, mix and match recipes. You'll find Blueberry-Orange Breakfast Rolls, Banana-Coconut Baked Oatmeal, White Wine Spring Pasta, BBQ Black Bean and Quick Slaw Tacos, Crispy Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Chickpea Tikka Masala, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, and Two-Bowl Carrot Cupcakes.
It’s true what they say—less is more. But this is also true—achieving simplicity is difficult. How do you know what to keep and what to get rid of? This comprehensive guide will hold your hand through the process and make dinnertime (and the kitchen) feel doable again. For best results, read this cookbook like a novel, from the beginning. Chapter 1: The Minimalist Kitchen sets the stage for how to make and use the recipes in Chapters 2–8: Breakfast, Main Dishes, Burgers Wraps & Sandwiches, Soups & Salads, Sides, Drinks, Dessert. Melissa’s recipes are the practical application of the minimalist kitchen—using a pared down kitchen to its full potential. You’ll find them to be vegetable forward and simple without compromising flavor. They’re intentionally designed to fit the rhythm of the week and labeled weekday, weekend, and make ahead accordingly. Weekday recipes are quick and efficient, while weekend recipes are slower and celebratory. Some recipes have make ahead components to increase efficiency and break up prep times. You’ll find ingredient lists ranging from 3 to 20 ingredients. But don’t be scared by the longer list, as most of the ingredients are sitting in your well-stocked pantry. Look for Melissa's minimalist tips offering recipe-specific advice, a seasonal produce guide, and a handy metric equivalents chart to take the stress out of cooking.
Melissa Coleman is a home cook and baker, designer, wife, mama, and minimalist. Her popular blog, The Faux Martha, was named a Huffington Post Top 10 Food Blog and was selected as a Better Homes and Gardens Top 10 Baking Blog nominee and a Saveur Blog Awards Style & Design finalist. After spending three decades bouncing around the states, she’s happily planted under the snow banks of Minneapolis, MN with her husband, Kevin, and tiny sous chef, Hallie. Melissa cooks with the rhythm of the week—simple, modern, and mostly vegetarian on weekdays and slow and classic with a heavy dose of brunch on the weekend. She is in the process of decorating The Fauxhouse, their modern, city farmhouse. The Minimalist Kitchen is her first book, publishing in April 2018. Learn more about Melissa's design aesthetic and cooking philosophy at thefauxmartha.com.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published April 10, 2018
131 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
June 30, 2018
So far, every recipe I've tried in this cookbook has been delicious. The book is divided into seven sections:
1) breakfast
2) main
3) burgers, wraps, and sandwiches
4) soups and salads
5) sides
6) drinks
7) desserts
There is also a section in the very front about stocking your minimalist kitchen. Author Melissa Coleman gives tips on what you need in your pantry, which pans are essential, and which utensils and small appliances you really need. I agree with most of her advice, though we have extras of certain items (like measuring spoons and cups) because we use them so much. I will say that this section inspired me to clean out my spices--and made me realize that we had some in our cabinet that expired four years ago, eek... I'm usually such an anal retentive neat freak so, you know, gross.
So far, I've made blueberry bourbon biscuits (oh my god so good), chicken pesto sandwiches (delicious), and two mixed drinks, including Maple Salty Dogs (heaven). Her recipes make sense, are easy to follow, and, most important, end with goodness. I've been happy with this cookbook so far, and I'm really looking forward to cooking more recipes. I don't usually get excited about salads, but I am SO excited to make some of these salads. They look amazing.
Overall, a great bunch of recipes in an aesthetically-pleasing and easy to follow book. I'm super happy with this one.
Thanks to Oxmoor House and Amazon Vine for the ARC!
See more of my reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com!
1) breakfast
2) main
3) burgers, wraps, and sandwiches
4) soups and salads
5) sides
6) drinks
7) desserts
There is also a section in the very front about stocking your minimalist kitchen. Author Melissa Coleman gives tips on what you need in your pantry, which pans are essential, and which utensils and small appliances you really need. I agree with most of her advice, though we have extras of certain items (like measuring spoons and cups) because we use them so much. I will say that this section inspired me to clean out my spices--and made me realize that we had some in our cabinet that expired four years ago, eek... I'm usually such an anal retentive neat freak so, you know, gross.
So far, I've made blueberry bourbon biscuits (oh my god so good), chicken pesto sandwiches (delicious), and two mixed drinks, including Maple Salty Dogs (heaven). Her recipes make sense, are easy to follow, and, most important, end with goodness. I've been happy with this cookbook so far, and I'm really looking forward to cooking more recipes. I don't usually get excited about salads, but I am SO excited to make some of these salads. They look amazing.
Overall, a great bunch of recipes in an aesthetically-pleasing and easy to follow book. I'm super happy with this one.
Thanks to Oxmoor House and Amazon Vine for the ARC!
See more of my reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com!
December 11, 2017
If you are looking to pare down your cooking style reading and adopting some of the ideas presented by Melissa Coleman should help you achieve your goal. Coleman writes about how paring down the kitchen is a lot like paring down to a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is made up of core outfits that can be used to create a wider variety of outfits. The same goes for the minimalist kitchen.
Some of the recipes you'll find in her cookbook include:
Breakfast Tostadas
Blender Dutch Baby
Fresh Spinach Quiche
Red Pepper Wraps
Pan-Fried White Fish
Almond Joy Macaroons
I loved her Sample Dinner Plans chart, her recipe tags, and her ideas on building a minimalist kitchen.
Recommend.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
Some of the recipes you'll find in her cookbook include:
Breakfast Tostadas
Blender Dutch Baby
Fresh Spinach Quiche
Red Pepper Wraps
Pan-Fried White Fish
Almond Joy Macaroons
I loved her Sample Dinner Plans chart, her recipe tags, and her ideas on building a minimalist kitchen.
Recommend.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
June 7, 2018
The part on kitchen equipment was excellent -- except it recommended having only one cast iron skillet. One size skillet does not fit all recipes -- just as one size clothing never really fits all. I have more than six cast iron skillets and I use them all. Plus the big ones are good exercise for adding upper-body strength.
I also thought the recipes were over-elaborate. A minimalist kitchen deserves minimalist recipes -- those with five or six ingredients or less. Most of the recipes in this book have at least 10 ingredients, many with more than twenty, and some with almost 40 or 50!
I also thought the recipes were over-elaborate. A minimalist kitchen deserves minimalist recipes -- those with five or six ingredients or less. Most of the recipes in this book have at least 10 ingredients, many with more than twenty, and some with almost 40 or 50!
February 6, 2018
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
This is a varied, inspiring book designed to pare things down and keep it all a bit simpler whilst cooking, and particularly how to 'slim down' your pantry so you don't have an unnecessary amount of utensils, ingredients and spices hanging around and getting in the way. There are also tips and tricks for ensuring you're as efficient as possible in the kitchen. I found this interesting but ultimately was more excited about the recipes!
Now, these don't claim to be super healthy recipes, but they sure are tempting! The breakfast recipes feature a lot of baked goods and some really tasty oatmeal recipes. For me, breakfast is great but I really want inspiration for exciting lunch and dinner options. Enter: the 'main dishes' section!
Here you'll find a range of flavours, styles and complexities to suit various abilities and tastes, from Chickpea Tikka Masala (which I've tried and loved!) to Soba Bowls with Peanut Sauce (I've tried the sauce part which was delicious), and Butternut Pasta which is high on my list to try when I feel like a carb-heavy meal!
Because my partner is pescetarian I tend to cook just veggie or fish-based meals for both of us, and there's a good number of those in here. However most of the main-course recipes include some form of meat, and look very enticing! The maple-soaked salmon looks absolutely delicious and temptingly simple (I love a fairly short list of ingredients, it's far less intimidating!) and there are also some really lovely looking desserts which I've added to my 'to cook' list!
The photography is lovely and really adds to the book's elegant and - you guessed it - stylishly minimalistic aesthetic, and it would make a lovely gift for someone too!
Many thanks to the Time Inc. Books for providing an ARC of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
This is a varied, inspiring book designed to pare things down and keep it all a bit simpler whilst cooking, and particularly how to 'slim down' your pantry so you don't have an unnecessary amount of utensils, ingredients and spices hanging around and getting in the way. There are also tips and tricks for ensuring you're as efficient as possible in the kitchen. I found this interesting but ultimately was more excited about the recipes!
Now, these don't claim to be super healthy recipes, but they sure are tempting! The breakfast recipes feature a lot of baked goods and some really tasty oatmeal recipes. For me, breakfast is great but I really want inspiration for exciting lunch and dinner options. Enter: the 'main dishes' section!
Here you'll find a range of flavours, styles and complexities to suit various abilities and tastes, from Chickpea Tikka Masala (which I've tried and loved!) to Soba Bowls with Peanut Sauce (I've tried the sauce part which was delicious), and Butternut Pasta which is high on my list to try when I feel like a carb-heavy meal!
Because my partner is pescetarian I tend to cook just veggie or fish-based meals for both of us, and there's a good number of those in here. However most of the main-course recipes include some form of meat, and look very enticing! The maple-soaked salmon looks absolutely delicious and temptingly simple (I love a fairly short list of ingredients, it's far less intimidating!) and there are also some really lovely looking desserts which I've added to my 'to cook' list!
The photography is lovely and really adds to the book's elegant and - you guessed it - stylishly minimalistic aesthetic, and it would make a lovely gift for someone too!
Many thanks to the Time Inc. Books for providing an ARC of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
January 25, 2018
54399136
Mme LionHead's review Jan 24, 2018 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: netgalley
I had come across Coleman's blog, The Faux Martha, in the past while searching for simple and yet decadent recipes. I remembered bing impressed by the way Coleman presented her dishes. This book is an extension to her online success.
There are many existing cookbooks being marketed as the go-to book for simple and fast recipes. Coleman set her book apart from others by focusing on simplifying the tools used for preparing meals and decluttering the environment. I think this approach makes cooking a lot less intimidating for beginners. It is also very helpful for people who are looking to reorganize and declutter their lives. I especially like that Coleman adds symbols of major appliances used for preparing the dishes at the bottom of each recipe. I think that's a nice detail to her book. I also appreciate her recommendations on essential kitchen appliances and tools and essential pantry stock. She has definitely given me some good ideas for when I move into my own place.
I would also like to point out that at least 3/4 of the recipes are beautifully photographed. To me, that is a huge bonus to any cookbook. I like to see what the dish can/should look like. It not only helps me decide whether I want to make the dish or not, but also helps me arrange the dish and make it more presentable. At last, about 25% of the recipes in this book are combinations I had never seen or thought of before. It made reading this book that much more interesting. I will be testing few of her recipes in the coming weeks.
I think this cookbook is especially suitable for young adults who have just taken on the task of feeding themselves responsibly. It's a 4-star book based on browsing through cover to cover (without testing the recipes).
Mme LionHead's review Jan 24, 2018 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: netgalley
I had come across Coleman's blog, The Faux Martha, in the past while searching for simple and yet decadent recipes. I remembered bing impressed by the way Coleman presented her dishes. This book is an extension to her online success.
There are many existing cookbooks being marketed as the go-to book for simple and fast recipes. Coleman set her book apart from others by focusing on simplifying the tools used for preparing meals and decluttering the environment. I think this approach makes cooking a lot less intimidating for beginners. It is also very helpful for people who are looking to reorganize and declutter their lives. I especially like that Coleman adds symbols of major appliances used for preparing the dishes at the bottom of each recipe. I think that's a nice detail to her book. I also appreciate her recommendations on essential kitchen appliances and tools and essential pantry stock. She has definitely given me some good ideas for when I move into my own place.
I would also like to point out that at least 3/4 of the recipes are beautifully photographed. To me, that is a huge bonus to any cookbook. I like to see what the dish can/should look like. It not only helps me decide whether I want to make the dish or not, but also helps me arrange the dish and make it more presentable. At last, about 25% of the recipes in this book are combinations I had never seen or thought of before. It made reading this book that much more interesting. I will be testing few of her recipes in the coming weeks.
I think this cookbook is especially suitable for young adults who have just taken on the task of feeding themselves responsibly. It's a 4-star book based on browsing through cover to cover (without testing the recipes).
November 5, 2017
I was not familiar with Melissa Coleman or her blog but was intrigued by the title of the book. I am not one to click on the ‘Buy Me Button’ every time a new must-have kitchen gadget is unveiled, but I have to admit, even though my kitchen is organized, every cabinet and drawer are full. I hoped that a minimalist’s kitchen might help me decide what I really need and what I could do without. The author introduced me to her kitchen which holds only essentials that she will use regularly. She also made a great suggestion to weed out rarely used items, pack them away for a few months and if you didn’t need them, let them go gracefully to another home. With summer memories fading and fall moving towards winter, I will be doing a deep clean and reorganization in my kitchen before the holidays and plan to follow her tip.
The author focused on pantry staples and then recipes. For me, a winning cookbook has recipes built around nutritious ingredients as well as gorgeous, mouthwatering photos and instructions I can follow without having to first graduate from culinary school. This book ticked those boxes and I liked the breakdown between Make Ahead, Weekday (simpler recipes), and Weekend (more preparation required) recipes. A good selection of recipes and certainly a philosophy that appeals to me.
Thank you, Melissa Coleman, Time Inc. Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author focused on pantry staples and then recipes. For me, a winning cookbook has recipes built around nutritious ingredients as well as gorgeous, mouthwatering photos and instructions I can follow without having to first graduate from culinary school. This book ticked those boxes and I liked the breakdown between Make Ahead, Weekday (simpler recipes), and Weekend (more preparation required) recipes. A good selection of recipes and certainly a philosophy that appeals to me.
Thank you, Melissa Coleman, Time Inc. Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2017
I received a free ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
As the title suggests, this book sets out to provide pointers towards a more minimalist approach to cooking and organising kitchen. The opening chapter does pretty much that, with the author sharing her philosophy about how much gadgetry there is needed in the kitchen and suggesting how to equip one's pantry. The ideas are reasonable and not that difficult to implement, the main lessons being: keep the tools that you use, let go of those you don't; simplify your life in the kitchen by using the same tool (e.g. measuring cup) to do various things; let the kitchen serve you; a full pantry can save your dinner on a bad day.
The rest of the book consists of recipes, divided into well-organised chapters. The recipes are clearly written out and fairly easy to follow. Unfortunately the flavour profile doesn't really match what I enjoy eating on a daily basis, but I did learn a few interesting recipes and now have some inspirations for taste combinations. The pictures are worth mentioning, as they are very pretty and give the reader a good idea of the outcome of the recipe.
As the title suggests, this book sets out to provide pointers towards a more minimalist approach to cooking and organising kitchen. The opening chapter does pretty much that, with the author sharing her philosophy about how much gadgetry there is needed in the kitchen and suggesting how to equip one's pantry. The ideas are reasonable and not that difficult to implement, the main lessons being: keep the tools that you use, let go of those you don't; simplify your life in the kitchen by using the same tool (e.g. measuring cup) to do various things; let the kitchen serve you; a full pantry can save your dinner on a bad day.
The rest of the book consists of recipes, divided into well-organised chapters. The recipes are clearly written out and fairly easy to follow. Unfortunately the flavour profile doesn't really match what I enjoy eating on a daily basis, but I did learn a few interesting recipes and now have some inspirations for taste combinations. The pictures are worth mentioning, as they are very pretty and give the reader a good idea of the outcome of the recipe.
February 2, 2018
I received a copy of The Minimalist Kitchen by Melissa Coleman from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Although I am new to the the minimalist approach in the kitchen - and would have a LOT of purging to do to pare things down to just the essentials equipment-wise - I think it is a desirable end goal.
I enjoyed reading he Minimalist Kitchen by Melissa Coleman because everything was simple, straightforward and genuine-seeming (not at all preachy or judgmental). Then for the recipes...oh my gosh - so many things that I'd actually enjoy making and eating. I've only tried a few recipes thus far, but am looking forward to attempting more soon!!
Although I am new to the the minimalist approach in the kitchen - and would have a LOT of purging to do to pare things down to just the essentials equipment-wise - I think it is a desirable end goal.
I enjoyed reading he Minimalist Kitchen by Melissa Coleman because everything was simple, straightforward and genuine-seeming (not at all preachy or judgmental). Then for the recipes...oh my gosh - so many things that I'd actually enjoy making and eating. I've only tried a few recipes thus far, but am looking forward to attempting more soon!!
February 3, 2020
I’ve made 50% of these recipes and intent to make them all. They have all been wonderful and this book is a staple in my kitchen.
December 8, 2017
Very practical for people who want to get delicious food on the table:
Whether you are just moving into your first home or you have already had your kitchen for a couple of years, Melissa Coleman's approach to a mimimalist kitchen saves time and opens up a lot of valuable kitchen space for some serious cooking. Right now my kitchen cabinets are relatively full with stuff that has accumulated over the years. This is why I like Melissa's list of essential cookware and kitchen utensils. It provides me with a reality check of what I really need in a functional kitchen. Anything other than those items take away from the openness of the space and can actually be in the way of cooking. Melissa's kitchen reminds me of some minimalist equipped kitchens I had when staying in vacation homes. I always had fun cooking there and cleaning up was a breeze. Melissa's delicious recipes are all quite easy to cook. This makes cooking enjoyable. The recipes are also good for casual entertaining. And I can actually prepare those recipes for my family when I am under a time constraint. My goal for now is to pack all items that are not essential for cooking into boxes and take them out of the kitchen to see if this really makes a difference. I am pretty sure it will.
Whether you are just moving into your first home or you have already had your kitchen for a couple of years, Melissa Coleman's approach to a mimimalist kitchen saves time and opens up a lot of valuable kitchen space for some serious cooking. Right now my kitchen cabinets are relatively full with stuff that has accumulated over the years. This is why I like Melissa's list of essential cookware and kitchen utensils. It provides me with a reality check of what I really need in a functional kitchen. Anything other than those items take away from the openness of the space and can actually be in the way of cooking. Melissa's kitchen reminds me of some minimalist equipped kitchens I had when staying in vacation homes. I always had fun cooking there and cleaning up was a breeze. Melissa's delicious recipes are all quite easy to cook. This makes cooking enjoyable. The recipes are also good for casual entertaining. And I can actually prepare those recipes for my family when I am under a time constraint. My goal for now is to pack all items that are not essential for cooking into boxes and take them out of the kitchen to see if this really makes a difference. I am pretty sure it will.
November 5, 2017
Over the years I have "collected" various pieces of kitchen equipment that at the time seemed like a good idea. In this book, Melissa Coleman shows just what kitchen equipment is really necessary as well as shares some wonderful recipes that do not need specialty equipment or fancy ingredients. I will be weeding out my kitchen drawers and cupboards taking the advice from the Minimalist Kitchen.
Great advise, delicious recipes and beautiful illustrations. I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Great advise, delicious recipes and beautiful illustrations. I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2017
I really enjoyed this cookbook. The photography is beautiful and clean, and the recipes I tried (spinach quiche, biscuits, caramelized carrots) were well-written, as well as delicious. I was not familiar with the author prior to reading this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. I also appreciate the recipes being broken down into weekend, weeknight, etc., as well as proving a small graphic as to what cooking implement(s) you'll need.
I received a free ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received a free ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 18, 2018
Oh so beautiful. The style of this book got me, so simple and modern, the images are stunning. I want to up and move into this book. The author writes in a nice style, a lovely ease that feels warm and welcoming. A great section on Minimalism and how to achieve it at the start of the book, including equipment and ingredients. the recipes are broken down into weekend, weekday and make ahead to make planning easier. There is also a large section on how to plan out your meals so not to waste food. A great book!
This book was kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book was kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
October 17, 2017
The Minimalist Kitchen is a cheerful, straightforward honest cookbook aimed to help home cooks pare down to the real essentials, and still have the ability to make a wide variety of meals.
I like minimalist design, and I like simple, clean dishes. This was a great book, although I did find a lot of recipes that I have seen before.
*eARC Netgalley*
I like minimalist design, and I like simple, clean dishes. This was a great book, although I did find a lot of recipes that I have seen before.
*eARC Netgalley*
April 1, 2018
A wonderful guide to minimalism in the kitchen.Delicious recipes the concept less works so well.I am now following her dIly blog fauxmartha&lookingbfoward to making my kitchen much more minima.Thanks#netgalley&Timesincbook for advance copy
August 4, 2018
Beautiful photographs, I thought this was going to be from the blog Minimalist Baker (which is a vegan food blog) but it wasn’t. If you eat animals, you may enjoy the recipes. The pantry suggestions are helpful too. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
November 6, 2017
There is no denying that this is a beautiful looking cookery book, full of stunning photos that really enhance it. However, some of the recipes feel extravagant to me for a minimalist cookery book and too many are full of dairy ingredients (I'm lactose intolerant!) I was hoping for some original recipes and whilst there are a few, many are simply rehashed versions of old ones. That said, it does provide an excellent guide to the minimalist kitchen and so I can only say that whilst this book is not one for me, there is definitely a place for it out there. I'm sure it will be a popular addition to many home cooks' collection.
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC, for which I have given a voluntary and unbiased review.
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC, for which I have given a voluntary and unbiased review.
January 21, 2021
I quite enjoyed some of the recipes I tried, especially the falafel! Just be aware that these are not necessarily simple, fast or few ingredient recipes. The concept is that with some planning, strategic grocery shopping and prep time on other days, the recipes come together nicely. The author notes this in the intro, but seeing as not everybody will read that part - now you are warned. There is a photo for every recipe which is quite helpful.
January 3, 2023
Extremely insightful in the decision process of “essential” kitchen and pantry staples/stocking practices.
I really enjoyed the author’s strong voice throughout. Even her recipe instructions are refreshingly kind and full of purpose.
No flipping pages in a dire attempt to escape a flood of pointless stories or background…
May need to purchase as an addition to my tightly-curated cookbook shelf!
I really enjoyed the author’s strong voice throughout. Even her recipe instructions are refreshingly kind and full of purpose.
No flipping pages in a dire attempt to escape a flood of pointless stories or background…
May need to purchase as an addition to my tightly-curated cookbook shelf!
May 1, 2019
LOVE LOVE LOVE this so much! I checked it out from the library and it's on my list to buy!
November 12, 2019
Loved this book, simple, concise, the lists are a great guide to minimizing your kitchen, and pantry. The recipes, linking with timelines. A great read for everyone!
May 14, 2020
My mom started using this cook book and holy smokes she’s made some good meals from it.
October 22, 2022
Minimalist my ass.
April 8, 2018
As described in chapter 1 of The Minimalist Kitchen, minimalizing is as much an art form as a practical cooking philosophy. This book covers not only paring down your Kitchen Gadgets but also helps you make over your pantry.
The author, Melissa Coleman, describes minimalism as living efficiently, with only the essentials. Most people have far more gadgets, utensils and food than they actually use on a regular basis. A Minimalist Kitchen will help you control the excess.
While some books have recipes with five ingredients or less, those five ingredients will be different throughout each of the individual recipes. This can cause you to have a multitude of items in your pantry which you will only use once or twice. The recipes in this book are designed to use the same ingredients as other recipes in the book but in different ways, providing a wide range of flavors.
Following the introduction to a Minimalist Kitchen, The Essential Tools provides an overview of the most important tools to keep on hand. Next comes How To Build A Minimalist Pantry, describing how to organize yourself and your pantry items.
How To Stock A Minimalist Pantry explains how to decide what goes into your pantry and how to keep it minimalist. With How To Build A Minimalist Spice Cabinet you will always have the spices you need on hand without unnecessary extras.
The Ingredients section provides a list of the ingredients recommended to keep on hand. This will of course change to your own preferences based on the recipes you choose as your 100 go-to recipes.
In The Recipes, you learn how to best use the recipes in the rest of the book. There is also a Simple Dinner Plan included.
Recipe chapters include:
Breakfast
Main Dishes
Burgers, Wraps & Sandwiches
Soups & Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Each of the recipes starts with a paragraph about how it came to be. They also include hands-on time, and total time, as well as yield. Icons included at the bottom of each recipe indicate which kitchen pot, pan or other kitchen equipment you will need.
Many of the recipes have labels like Weekday, which means it’s quick to prepare, Weekend which means it takes a little longer has more components etc. and Make Ahead which requires advanced prep and extra time.
Each of the recipes includes luscious full-page photographs of the finished dish. The abundance of photographs rather surprised me (in a good way) given the minimalist nature of the book.
After all of the recipes comes a Seasonal Produce Guide, which will help you choose the appropriate pantry inclusions for each season. Next, a Metric Equivalents set of tables is followed by the Recipe Index.
A Necessary Concept For Any Kitchen
Putting aside the number of people needing to downsize, retirees for example, and the prevalence of Tiny House and RV Living, I think any kitchen can benefit from this book.
Too many of us have entirely too many gadgets in our kitchens. Many of us also end up buying condiments or other ingredients for use only once leaving so much wasted and unused in our pantries.
The absolutely gorgeous, easy to follow recipes aside I would buy this book just for chapter 1. The information on how to pare down your kitchen to just the essentials is invaluable. This would also make an excellent gift for anyone setting up their first kitchen.
See the full review and the recipe for Garlicky Potato Wedges at The RecipesNow! Reviews And Recipes Magazine. This review is written in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.
The author, Melissa Coleman, describes minimalism as living efficiently, with only the essentials. Most people have far more gadgets, utensils and food than they actually use on a regular basis. A Minimalist Kitchen will help you control the excess.
While some books have recipes with five ingredients or less, those five ingredients will be different throughout each of the individual recipes. This can cause you to have a multitude of items in your pantry which you will only use once or twice. The recipes in this book are designed to use the same ingredients as other recipes in the book but in different ways, providing a wide range of flavors.
Following the introduction to a Minimalist Kitchen, The Essential Tools provides an overview of the most important tools to keep on hand. Next comes How To Build A Minimalist Pantry, describing how to organize yourself and your pantry items.
How To Stock A Minimalist Pantry explains how to decide what goes into your pantry and how to keep it minimalist. With How To Build A Minimalist Spice Cabinet you will always have the spices you need on hand without unnecessary extras.
The Ingredients section provides a list of the ingredients recommended to keep on hand. This will of course change to your own preferences based on the recipes you choose as your 100 go-to recipes.
In The Recipes, you learn how to best use the recipes in the rest of the book. There is also a Simple Dinner Plan included.
Recipe chapters include:
Breakfast
Main Dishes
Burgers, Wraps & Sandwiches
Soups & Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Each of the recipes starts with a paragraph about how it came to be. They also include hands-on time, and total time, as well as yield. Icons included at the bottom of each recipe indicate which kitchen pot, pan or other kitchen equipment you will need.
Many of the recipes have labels like Weekday, which means it’s quick to prepare, Weekend which means it takes a little longer has more components etc. and Make Ahead which requires advanced prep and extra time.
Each of the recipes includes luscious full-page photographs of the finished dish. The abundance of photographs rather surprised me (in a good way) given the minimalist nature of the book.
After all of the recipes comes a Seasonal Produce Guide, which will help you choose the appropriate pantry inclusions for each season. Next, a Metric Equivalents set of tables is followed by the Recipe Index.
A Necessary Concept For Any Kitchen
Putting aside the number of people needing to downsize, retirees for example, and the prevalence of Tiny House and RV Living, I think any kitchen can benefit from this book.
Too many of us have entirely too many gadgets in our kitchens. Many of us also end up buying condiments or other ingredients for use only once leaving so much wasted and unused in our pantries.
The absolutely gorgeous, easy to follow recipes aside I would buy this book just for chapter 1. The information on how to pare down your kitchen to just the essentials is invaluable. This would also make an excellent gift for anyone setting up their first kitchen.
See the full review and the recipe for Garlicky Potato Wedges at The RecipesNow! Reviews And Recipes Magazine. This review is written in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.
July 30, 2018
I have a very small kitchen and a very busy life and a love of great food, so this was an awesome book for me.
I enjoyed the front section about paring down tools and how to stock, and I felt her ideas were great for timid, new, and experienced cooks.
There are several categories of recipes in the book, and all have clear, easy directions. The pictures also offer a great preview.
While I have not tried any of the recipes, I greatly enjoyed browsing through this book.
I enjoyed the front section about paring down tools and how to stock, and I felt her ideas were great for timid, new, and experienced cooks.
There are several categories of recipes in the book, and all have clear, easy directions. The pictures also offer a great preview.
While I have not tried any of the recipes, I greatly enjoyed browsing through this book.
April 3, 2018
In The Minimalist Kitchen, Melissa Coleman takes us back to our cooking roots. She takes cooking to an artistic level while keeping things simple.
The book starts with a note from the author defining what minimalism is and what it means to have a minimalistic kitchen. Ms. Coleman then tells more about her background and how she herself became a minimalist. She also includes helpful charts like a seasonal produce guide and metric equivalents, which is great for beginner cooks like myself.
Though the cover is quite simplistic, the inside of the book is chock full of incredibly gorgeous photos, with pictures of the author and her family sprinkled throughout, really giving it a homey feel. What really charmed me about this book is the little stories that the author has at the beginning of each of her recipes. It gives the instructions a more personable feel and you can tell that each recipe written was written with great thought and love.
There are a lot of wonderful tips through the book as well as many recipes that I myself have never tried or even heard of before, like the Roasted Chickepea Bánh Mì Salad, but most of the recipes are familiar recipes that all of us have either eaten or made, like Peach Cobbler, but the author puts her own unique spin each and every one, and shows you the minimalistic way to make them. The recipes are also very easy to follow and the author does give variations to many of her recipes so you can feel comfortable substituting if you wish.
One common thread throughout The Minimalist Kitchen is the author's use of "high-quality mayonnaise." You will see this ingredient used in a lot of her recipes. She does mention that this is one of her staples, and does give a good explanation why, I just thought it was worth mentioning.
My only compliant is that I wish the author would've taken more care with people who have nut allergies. I myself have a almond allergy and there are quite a few dessert recipes that I can't eat and am not sure if I can substitute the almonds for another nut or omit altogether. This most likely isn't the authors fault and more mine for not being a more seasoned chef and knowing these type of things.
I really enjoyed The Minimalist Kitchen cookbook and can see me putting quite a few of the recipes into my monthly meal rotation.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Time Inc. Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
The book starts with a note from the author defining what minimalism is and what it means to have a minimalistic kitchen. Ms. Coleman then tells more about her background and how she herself became a minimalist. She also includes helpful charts like a seasonal produce guide and metric equivalents, which is great for beginner cooks like myself.
Though the cover is quite simplistic, the inside of the book is chock full of incredibly gorgeous photos, with pictures of the author and her family sprinkled throughout, really giving it a homey feel. What really charmed me about this book is the little stories that the author has at the beginning of each of her recipes. It gives the instructions a more personable feel and you can tell that each recipe written was written with great thought and love.
There are a lot of wonderful tips through the book as well as many recipes that I myself have never tried or even heard of before, like the Roasted Chickepea Bánh Mì Salad, but most of the recipes are familiar recipes that all of us have either eaten or made, like Peach Cobbler, but the author puts her own unique spin each and every one, and shows you the minimalistic way to make them. The recipes are also very easy to follow and the author does give variations to many of her recipes so you can feel comfortable substituting if you wish.
One common thread throughout The Minimalist Kitchen is the author's use of "high-quality mayonnaise." You will see this ingredient used in a lot of her recipes. She does mention that this is one of her staples, and does give a good explanation why, I just thought it was worth mentioning.
My only compliant is that I wish the author would've taken more care with people who have nut allergies. I myself have a almond allergy and there are quite a few dessert recipes that I can't eat and am not sure if I can substitute the almonds for another nut or omit altogether. This most likely isn't the authors fault and more mine for not being a more seasoned chef and knowing these type of things.
I really enjoyed The Minimalist Kitchen cookbook and can see me putting quite a few of the recipes into my monthly meal rotation.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Time Inc. Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
July 29, 2018
After reading the first section of this book, I purged my kitchen. Love the minimalist idea. I’ve got a long way to go, but it feels great for the clutter to be gone and just have the essentials. Need to start trying out the recipes soon. What an accomplishment, Melissa!
July 29, 2018
I absolutely loved this - I read it like a book... cover to cover. Now I’m going to actually try some of the recipes... and buy a high speed blender!
February 12, 2019
I feel 3 stars is a bit generous here. The introduction of which tools and appliances are important to have on hand was fairly thorough. Aside from a cookie dough scoop which I don’t see as a necessity in a minimalist kitchen, the rest was pretty concise.
I knew I was in for some skepticism of how minimalist this kitchen really is by the time I got to the very long list of pantry items you should always have on hand. The condiments alone had me scratching my head. One I had never even heard of! A lot of the items seemed like things you would use occasionally, and would probably go bad before finishing them.
The kicker was how many ingredients were listed in the recipes. Averaging 15-20 ingredients in one recipe doesn’t give the impression of minimalist I was expecting. One recipe had 20 ingredients AND one was the chuck roast from another recipe. So add 7 more ingredients and however many steps to the original recipe.
Do the recipes look good? Yes! But no different than any other cookbook on the market, in my opinion.
I knew I was in for some skepticism of how minimalist this kitchen really is by the time I got to the very long list of pantry items you should always have on hand. The condiments alone had me scratching my head. One I had never even heard of! A lot of the items seemed like things you would use occasionally, and would probably go bad before finishing them.
The kicker was how many ingredients were listed in the recipes. Averaging 15-20 ingredients in one recipe doesn’t give the impression of minimalist I was expecting. One recipe had 20 ingredients AND one was the chuck roast from another recipe. So add 7 more ingredients and however many steps to the original recipe.
Do the recipes look good? Yes! But no different than any other cookbook on the market, in my opinion.
November 9, 2017
First, I love it that the author is a "graphic designer by day and food blogger by night" - I knew that this book would be beautiful; I was not disappointed. The photos and layout are great (and minimalist) however I wasn't as awed by the 'minimalist' aspect of the recipes/book. If it didn't have the word 'minimalist' in the title, I would have mistaken it for a regular cookbook. I really liked the 'minimalist tips' that popped up as well as the easy-to-identify tags. I think to keep with a minimalist approach, the recipes are fairly standard (not created for interesting tastes/mixes). That being said, I have friends that would really appreciate this book, and I think it would make a great resource and/or gift.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews