Nothing Fancy

Having people over should be fun, not a source of dread, and Alison Roman builds this cookbook around that idea. Nothing Fancy is for the unplanned weeknight dinner with a neighbor, the weekend table of fifteen friends, and every kind of gathering between. All of the recipes are new, and none of them ask you to be a perfectionist.

The collection leans on vegetables that are simple to get right and grains that can go in many directions. It gives real attention to crunchy, salty snacks, and it has plenty of room for meat. The dishes are the kind guests actually want to eat: a DIY martini bar, platters of tomatoes, a pot of coconut-braised chicken and chickpeas, and a pan of lemony turmeric tea cake.

Roman is a New York Times columnist and the author of Dining In. Alongside the recipes she offers practical tips, a good deal of sass, and the confidence to pull dinner off without fuss. The aim is to make any night of the week feel worth celebrating.