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5 Ingredients: Quick & Easy Food
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Food & Cookbooks (2017)With easy, quick, and cheap recipes that taste delicious, bestselling author Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients shows how accessible healthy food can be at home and will revolutionize the way readers cook.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 24, 2017
1321 people are currently reading
9652 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Oliver
249 books1,147 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Trevor "Jamie" Oliver, sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef and media personality well known for his growing list of food-focused television shows, his more recent roles in campaigning against the use of processed foods in national schools, and his campaign to change unhealthy diets and poor cooking habits for the better across the United Kingdom.
James Trevor "Jamie" Oliver, sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef and media personality well known for his growing list of food-focused television shows, his more recent roles in campaigning against the use of processed foods in national schools, and his campaign to change unhealthy diets and poor cooking habits for the better across the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
June 18, 2018
I think this is one of the best Jamie's cookbooks. Perfect for people that would like to have a home cooked dinner/lunch but do not care to spend too much time in the kitchen cooking or, worse, washing dishes. I review cookbooks after I try at least 10 recipes but with this one I probably made more than 20.
As the name suggests, each recipes uses 5 ingredients (expect for staples such a vinegar, oil, salt, pepper) and are very easy to make. Even though there are so few ingredients there isn't a lack in flavor. Some of the recipes use ready made pesto and other pastes but i would not bother to make them from scratch anyways. Also, the ingredients are mostly easy to find, not many strange ones, only available in specialty stores.
After being not so thrilled by 15 and 30 minutes meals (better titled 40 min and at least 1h30) this one delivers what the names suggests and more. Lovely, lovely.
Among my favorite recipes are:
Harissa Squash Salad
Crispy Smoked Mackerel
Lemony Courgette Linguini
Gnarly Peanut Chicken
Harissa Chicken Traybake
Creamy Mustard Chicken
Smoky Chorizo Salmon
Epic Rib Eye Steak
Chickpea Chard Pork
As the name suggests, each recipes uses 5 ingredients (expect for staples such a vinegar, oil, salt, pepper) and are very easy to make. Even though there are so few ingredients there isn't a lack in flavor. Some of the recipes use ready made pesto and other pastes but i would not bother to make them from scratch anyways. Also, the ingredients are mostly easy to find, not many strange ones, only available in specialty stores.
After being not so thrilled by 15 and 30 minutes meals (better titled 40 min and at least 1h30) this one delivers what the names suggests and more. Lovely, lovely.
Among my favorite recipes are:
Harissa Squash Salad
Crispy Smoked Mackerel
Lemony Courgette Linguini
Gnarly Peanut Chicken
Harissa Chicken Traybake
Creamy Mustard Chicken
Smoky Chorizo Salmon
Epic Rib Eye Steak
Chickpea Chard Pork
September 4, 2017
As with all Jamie's books, the ideas and concepts make this more than just a recipe book. He encourages thinking out of the box, with a focus on good quality ingredients and flavourful herbs. Adding the nutritional information for each dish is also another marvelous way in which Jamie makes us aware of what we're putting into our bodies. As a mother and home-cook, I appreciate this information immensely. I liked this book very much, yet I have one criticism and that is that the ingredients are not easily or widely available everywhere. I am able to substitute some, but then it becomes a whole other dish. So it's not a total fail, because I am still sticking to his basic concept. But I do wish the ingredients in the book were readily available here. In terms of presentation, this book is a winner. It's bright and fresh and the pictures are superb. I particularly like the inclusion of Jamie's 5 kids in the book's dedication, referred to as his 5 favourite ingredients.
December 23, 2019
Five ingredients, maximum flavor, minimum fuss. Food on the table in 30 minutes – that’s what the book promises, and it’s exactly what I need, because I need more time to read, but we can’t have frozen things all the time…
It’s great that there is a chapter devoted to egg recipes, another one to diet-friendly dishes, and one to sweet treats. (Though highlighting the latter two seems now a little bit contradictory...)
Too much garlic and mushroom to my taste, but otherwise it’s an awesome and practical book.
It’s great that there is a chapter devoted to egg recipes, another one to diet-friendly dishes, and one to sweet treats. (Though highlighting the latter two seems now a little bit contradictory...)
Too much garlic and mushroom to my taste, but otherwise it’s an awesome and practical book.
January 25, 2018
I hate to say it, but this may be his best book yet. For me personally, I like the Superfood books the best, but for an alrounder that has appeal to all walks of life, 5 Ingredients is a cracker.
Just the layout alone is enough to get 4 stars; for its simplicity and its accessibility.
Photos of the 5 ingredients you need are shown down the side of each recipe and the recipes are not complicated, which is great for a lot of people who don't want to spend hours in the kitchen doing prep before you even get to start the recipe. And, let's face it, that is what Oliver's books are usually like. A lot of prep! A lot of processes before you can even start pulling together the final dish! It is exhausting to cook his recipes a lot of the time.
I got this for myself for Christmas and have already cooked from it. It isn't going to be the only Oliver book I cook from, as sometimes I feel like doing tons of prep beforehand in order to get the better flavoured dish. ie in other Oliver cookbooks he has you making the spice paste, in 5 Ingredients he has you buying the premade spice paste.
Doing spice mixes, spice pastes and marinades yourself instead of buying them in jars always makes for a nicer meal, but when I am in a hurry or don't want to be slaving over a stove, the 5 Ingredients book will be what I reach for.
Just the layout alone is enough to get 4 stars; for its simplicity and its accessibility.
Photos of the 5 ingredients you need are shown down the side of each recipe and the recipes are not complicated, which is great for a lot of people who don't want to spend hours in the kitchen doing prep before you even get to start the recipe. And, let's face it, that is what Oliver's books are usually like. A lot of prep! A lot of processes before you can even start pulling together the final dish! It is exhausting to cook his recipes a lot of the time.
I got this for myself for Christmas and have already cooked from it. It isn't going to be the only Oliver book I cook from, as sometimes I feel like doing tons of prep beforehand in order to get the better flavoured dish. ie in other Oliver cookbooks he has you making the spice paste, in 5 Ingredients he has you buying the premade spice paste.
Doing spice mixes, spice pastes and marinades yourself instead of buying them in jars always makes for a nicer meal, but when I am in a hurry or don't want to be slaving over a stove, the 5 Ingredients book will be what I reach for.
June 18, 2018
After the phenomenal success of his blood-thirsty revolution across the antipodes, not to mention the thrill of ten minute meals, Mr Oliver introduces a bold new front in the game of hide and seek:
5 Ingredients that cannot be found . . . unless you happen to be:
1. A Russian Oil tycoon.
2. A dentist registered in Venice Beach.
3. A former Spice Girl.
4. All of the above.
5 Ingredients that cannot be found . . . unless you happen to be:
1. A Russian Oil tycoon.
2. A dentist registered in Venice Beach.
3. A former Spice Girl.
4. All of the above.
January 29, 2019
5 Ingredients. 5 Stars.
Best. Recipe. Book. Ever.
I'm obsessed with this book! Jamie Oliver knows his ingredients and he knows flavour profiles like no other! With as little as 5 ingredients per dish, I find myself whipping up some pretty tasty stuff!
The layout of this book is beautiful! I could give 4 stars for the layout alone with the big and bold colours and the easy to understand ingredients list and method for cooking.
My only gripe with this book is that not all the ingredients are readily available in local supermarkets (Singapore) and I have to source for them via redmart online. It would have been useful if Jamie Oliver had included replacements or variants of hard to find ingredients.
Nevertheless, that doesn't deter from the fact that this book is amazing. It definitely motivates me to cook more as I get easily discouraged by complex recipes with a neverending list of ingredients. This book however is fool-proof and everything in it is simplified and laid out perfectly in a way that even a kitchen klutz like me can understand. Since the dishes are so simplified, you can even put your own spin on it and experiment with additional ingredients!
Bon Appétit
Best. Recipe. Book. Ever.
I'm obsessed with this book! Jamie Oliver knows his ingredients and he knows flavour profiles like no other! With as little as 5 ingredients per dish, I find myself whipping up some pretty tasty stuff!
The layout of this book is beautiful! I could give 4 stars for the layout alone with the big and bold colours and the easy to understand ingredients list and method for cooking.
My only gripe with this book is that not all the ingredients are readily available in local supermarkets (Singapore) and I have to source for them via redmart online. It would have been useful if Jamie Oliver had included replacements or variants of hard to find ingredients.
Nevertheless, that doesn't deter from the fact that this book is amazing. It definitely motivates me to cook more as I get easily discouraged by complex recipes with a neverending list of ingredients. This book however is fool-proof and everything in it is simplified and laid out perfectly in a way that even a kitchen klutz like me can understand. Since the dishes are so simplified, you can even put your own spin on it and experiment with additional ingredients!
Bon Appétit
October 10, 2017
How often have you googled recipes only to realize that the ingredients required are five times more than the number of servings or that the time needed to prepare the dish is a lot longer than what you're ready to invest? With Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients Quick Easy Food, you don't need to worry about a thing! It has clear cut instructions, pictures of ingredients, so you know exactly what's required and drool-worthy snaps of the end product. If that's not motivation, I don't know what is. From basic dishes like egg fried rice and and steak sandwich to extravagant meals like smoky mushroom frittata and succulent lamb stew, this cookbook offers something for everyone. Split into 11 sections based on the nature of the dish (veg, fish, salads, sweet treats, pork etc.), this volume is diverse and incorporates different cuisines. So now, you can cook as per your mood and have a fabulous meal ready in no time! Concerned about nutrition? Flip to the very end where you'll find tons of information about staying healthy, straight from a nutritionist.
Cooking is not one of my favourite things to do. And yet, when I had a glimpse of what this book offers, I knew I had to get a copy. I was pleasantly surprised by how everything had been made convenient for the reader. For starters, the instructions to each and every recipe are written in a simple and direct manner, that too in just a couple of paragraphs. More often than not, I've found that lengthy procedures make the whole ordeal even more troublesome because you have to take care of so many elements. Since the specialty of this book is that all the dishes were made out of 5 main ingredients, it was very comforting. Secondly, the structure of this book earns major brownie points. Each section has 9 - 12 recipes on average. That way you don't need to run to the grocery store, every time you intend to cook. 85% of the ingredients are basics like eggs, sugar, meats, sauces, bread, vinegar and so on. The only thing that bothered me a little is that a select few of the sauces and vegetables aren't as easily available where I live. Another thing that I really liked about this cookbook is that pictures of the ingredients are aligned to the left in a strip format. So you can flip through the pages and pull out recipes relevant to ingredients that you have at home.
You can't go wrong with a cookbook that has been put together by a renowned chef such as Jamie Oliver. All of the dishes look really enticing. I've tried out three recipes at random, and true to the word, they have all turned out spectacular with minimal effort! *pat on the back* I highly recommend this book to everyone, even if you're not much of a cook. Don't be intimidated by the names of the dishes, they are as easy as can be. Get a copy and see for yourself!
What do you get out of it? You learn how to cook different cuisines with ease, while retaining the quality of the dish. Quick, quality cooking at your fingertips.
Cooking is not one of my favourite things to do. And yet, when I had a glimpse of what this book offers, I knew I had to get a copy. I was pleasantly surprised by how everything had been made convenient for the reader. For starters, the instructions to each and every recipe are written in a simple and direct manner, that too in just a couple of paragraphs. More often than not, I've found that lengthy procedures make the whole ordeal even more troublesome because you have to take care of so many elements. Since the specialty of this book is that all the dishes were made out of 5 main ingredients, it was very comforting. Secondly, the structure of this book earns major brownie points. Each section has 9 - 12 recipes on average. That way you don't need to run to the grocery store, every time you intend to cook. 85% of the ingredients are basics like eggs, sugar, meats, sauces, bread, vinegar and so on. The only thing that bothered me a little is that a select few of the sauces and vegetables aren't as easily available where I live. Another thing that I really liked about this cookbook is that pictures of the ingredients are aligned to the left in a strip format. So you can flip through the pages and pull out recipes relevant to ingredients that you have at home.
You can't go wrong with a cookbook that has been put together by a renowned chef such as Jamie Oliver. All of the dishes look really enticing. I've tried out three recipes at random, and true to the word, they have all turned out spectacular with minimal effort! *pat on the back* I highly recommend this book to everyone, even if you're not much of a cook. Don't be intimidated by the names of the dishes, they are as easy as can be. Get a copy and see for yourself!
What do you get out of it? You learn how to cook different cuisines with ease, while retaining the quality of the dish. Quick, quality cooking at your fingertips.
November 16, 2020
Giving myself credit for “reading” this cookbook, since I’ve cooked almost every recipe in it this year. 😂 www.Instagram.com/sharon_the_aspiring...
November 14, 2017
I am loving this cookbook. Everything I've tried so far has worked perfectly, and has been delicious and satisfying. The dishes have also been quick and easy and creative, and therefore don't feel like a burden to take on at the wrong end of the working day. They are also (so far!) quite healthy in terms of what I need right now, so that takes some stress out of the whole deal.
Each recipe does indeed feature five ingredients, no more and no less. I like this straightforward approach to combining a few flavours in bold ways.
There is a slight 'cheat', in that it is assumed you also have five staple ingredients already in the pantry: olive oil for cooking; extra virgin olive oil for dressing; red wine vinegar for cooking and dressing; and sea salt and black pepper for seasoning. Fair enough, and my only complaint is that the relevant ones aren't included in the list of ingredients for the recipes, so you have to read and re-read the very prosy (not step-based) instructions in order to keep track as you go.
But that's a minor complaint, and not worth knocking off a star for!
Each recipe does indeed feature five ingredients, no more and no less. I like this straightforward approach to combining a few flavours in bold ways.
There is a slight 'cheat', in that it is assumed you also have five staple ingredients already in the pantry: olive oil for cooking; extra virgin olive oil for dressing; red wine vinegar for cooking and dressing; and sea salt and black pepper for seasoning. Fair enough, and my only complaint is that the relevant ones aren't included in the list of ingredients for the recipes, so you have to read and re-read the very prosy (not step-based) instructions in order to keep track as you go.
But that's a minor complaint, and not worth knocking off a star for!
October 17, 2017
I loved the photos and the layout more than the content of the recipes
December 5, 2017
Only having 5 ingredients for each recipe makes this such a simple book to use :)
June 14, 2020
I have read through this entire book and have tried about 15 recipes (some several times already) and only found one that I did not enjoy immensely. Everything is easy to follow and with only 5 ingredients you don't need a massive stocked pantry or extensive range of kitchen appliances to back you up.
My only problem with the book is that some of the ingredients can only be found in specialty stores in the USA. In the UK, supermarkets carry a much larger range and variety of products than their American counterparts.
Note: The subtitle 'Quick and Easy Food' only applies to the prep time, not the overall time. There are a few oven stews and things that have a 4 hour cook time. Meltin' Mustardy Beef is one of those and it's delicious, my favorite so far.
My only problem with the book is that some of the ingredients can only be found in specialty stores in the USA. In the UK, supermarkets carry a much larger range and variety of products than their American counterparts.
Note: The subtitle 'Quick and Easy Food' only applies to the prep time, not the overall time. There are a few oven stews and things that have a 4 hour cook time. Meltin' Mustardy Beef is one of those and it's delicious, my favorite so far.
Read
June 30, 2023I don't watch Jamie Oliver so I'm not sure what I was expecting. This is a bougie cookbook with very few vegetarian options. Most recipes don't seem very easy or appealing. But I will refrain from rating it since I will be returning it to the library without trying anything.
August 19, 2018
fantastic book with easy recipes and fast to make meals.
great mixture of different ingredients and ideas!
great mixture of different ingredients and ideas!
March 3, 2019
I don't think I've read a Jamie Oliver cookbook before, and I'm sorry I started with this one. He's obviously got talent to have gotten where he did, but this book was really disappointing. Not only is it disappointing as someone who must be gluten free and tries to be vegan--I counted no more than 10 recipes in here that would work for me, and not all of those were appealing--only three of the recipes actually interested me, and it turns out one of those is too complicated for me to make. But also, it's disappointing for the fact that I like 5 ingredient cookbooks for their promise of simplicity--limited ingredients suggest to me also accessibly ingredients and reasonably simple prep. But this book doesn't really offer those. I haven't got a free standing mixer, and don't know where I'd find kicap mani, or chili jam, or clotted cream, or firm black pudding or balti curry paste, or any of the other obscure (presumably common British) ingredients required. Oliver doesn't offer substitutions for any of the more obscure ingredients, nor any context for or explanation of the recipes, aside from some very minimalist directions. There were very specific names for dishes, like Buddy's Flapjack Biscuits or Spicy 'Njuda Vongole or St. Clements Polenta Biscuits that felt like there was a story or some other context behind them that might have added to the interest of the recipe.
Instead, in exchange for 5 ingredient recipes (that still call for additional ingredients, like olive oil and salt and pepper in the directions), we get lists of sometimes extremely obscure ingredients, and directions that seem cumbersome, with requirements for advanced kitchen equipment. I should have known better when the cover of a cookbook, instead of featuring food in any way, just has a laughing picture of the chef sitting at a clean counter. Instead I was lured in by the back cover's promise of "quick and easy food". which was a lie. I probably won't ever try any of these recipes. I'm just glad I borrowed this from the library, so I can return it without a loss to my wallet.
Instead, in exchange for 5 ingredient recipes (that still call for additional ingredients, like olive oil and salt and pepper in the directions), we get lists of sometimes extremely obscure ingredients, and directions that seem cumbersome, with requirements for advanced kitchen equipment. I should have known better when the cover of a cookbook, instead of featuring food in any way, just has a laughing picture of the chef sitting at a clean counter. Instead I was lured in by the back cover's promise of "quick and easy food". which was a lie. I probably won't ever try any of these recipes. I'm just glad I borrowed this from the library, so I can return it without a loss to my wallet.
August 12, 2018
Several of the recipes are missing ingredients that would vastly improve them if not for the arbitrary number 5. Every single recipe includes the phrase "season to perfection with sea salt and pepper." The recipes that are edible are so-so at best, and the worst ones are terrible. There are far, far superior books for people looking for quick, simple meals. A thorough disappointment.
August 2, 2018
Delicious, quick and easy recipes. Brilliant!!:
July 29, 2025
Excellent recipes and ideas. Good layout and pictures. Easy for the eyes to navigate.
June 9, 2022
4,25 stars - English Ebook
What a beautiful cookbook! It is obvious it was well thought out before it was written.
Every recipe has 2 pictures. One is a picture of the ingredients, like a list, along the side of the recipe. It’s a snapshot of what you need right away before you even begin to read the recipe. The other picture is a full page picture of the prepared dish.
The books format made a real simple page turner. I was able to go through the entire 300 plus pages and select a few recipes to try this week in less than an hour.
The ingredients, for the most part, are familiar to the home cook. He does throw in a couple of surprise ingredients now and then.Directions are pretty simple. I plan on using 2 recipes this week.
What a beautiful cookbook! It is obvious it was well thought out before it was written.
Every recipe has 2 pictures. One is a picture of the ingredients, like a list, along the side of the recipe. It’s a snapshot of what you need right away before you even begin to read the recipe. The other picture is a full page picture of the prepared dish.
The books format made a real simple page turner. I was able to go through the entire 300 plus pages and select a few recipes to try this week in less than an hour.
The ingredients, for the most part, are familiar to the home cook. He does throw in a couple of surprise ingredients now and then.Directions are pretty simple. I plan on using 2 recipes this week.
April 18, 2018
Nothing really special, but still I like that he makes cooking homemade food as simple as possible so more people can try it.
March 19, 2019
Great looking recipes, looking forward to trying some
November 5, 2017
Half term delight which assisted in making my charges aka play neices and nephews, quiet in the kitchen. Great way to get the childrena and adults involved without a lot of headaches and screaming tantrums (adults thats you lot).
March 22, 2019
There are a lot of good recipes in this book. My biggest issue is how many of the recipes include a specialty ingredient that’s really five or ten in one like a curry paste or rose harissa. Rose harissa?? That is too obscure. I do not want to have to make up random uses for rose harissa just so I can use it up.
I didn’t have curry paste so I made one from curry powder and seven other ingredients. The cauliflower, chicken and potatoes were phenomenal with it but that’s really skirting the idea of five ingredients to me. And it’s true of multiple recipes. You could easily fill your house with little $20 jars of pastes and potions just to make a few recipes.
I didn’t have curry paste so I made one from curry powder and seven other ingredients. The cauliflower, chicken and potatoes were phenomenal with it but that’s really skirting the idea of five ingredients to me. And it’s true of multiple recipes. You could easily fill your house with little $20 jars of pastes and potions just to make a few recipes.
September 5, 2017
Delicious, easy and colourful
This book is right up there with Jamie's usual standard of book. I found it simple yet colourful and interesting. Amazing recipes, tasty and filling. Lovely.
This book is right up there with Jamie's usual standard of book. I found it simple yet colourful and interesting. Amazing recipes, tasty and filling. Lovely.
November 8, 2017
Interesting dishes, simple recipes, nicely presented in the book (each recipe has a lovely picture of the finished result, plus a picture of each ingredient) but some of the instructions could be a little clearer.
June 6, 2022
I love Jamie Oliver’s style of cooking. Great photography, easy recipes. But another European book where inexpensive and abundant ingredients that are expensive and harder to find where I live. However, I am expecting to use this book as there are plenty of fast and easy recipes to choose from.
April 3, 2018
This book is my new best friend! I’m not great in the kitchen and I don’t have a lot of money to spend on food but with this book all my meals are full of flavour, easy to cook and are safely in my budget. I would highly recommend this to everyone!
January 17, 2019
Beautifully photographed and simple idea. But I don't think any of the recipes called out to me to make.
January 19, 2019
I marked 46 recipes to try on the first pass through this book. I love the simplicity of the recipes. Not sure if I am able to “season to perfection” but I’ll get it a shot.
March 10, 2019
I LOVE this cookbook! One of the best cookbooks that I’ve ever had! Can’t wait to try every single one!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews