Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love: Recipes to Unlock the Secrets of Your Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer
Overall Ranking: 4) Politely Pass
Who Wrote This and Why Should I Care?
Yotam Ottolenghi may as well be considered the king of cookbooks. His influential writing is credited with making za'atar, tahini, and pomegranate molasses household staples. Before his influence, "Middle Eastern flavors" were often relegated to specific ethnic aisles. He brought a vibrant, herb-heavy, "sunny" style of cooking to the mainstream that values texture and acidity as much as heat.
The Ottolenghi cookbook empire began in 2008 with the publication of his debut namesake cookbook, Ottolenghi, co-authored with Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi. This partnership laid the groundwork for a global culinary phenomenon, most notably through the 2012 landmark volume Jerusalem, which explored the flavors of their shared home city. Between these pillars, Ottolenghi fundamentally shifted the Western perspective on plant-based cooking with his vegetable-forward masterpieces, Plenty (2010) and Plenty More (2014), books that proved produce could be the undisputed star of the plate.
As his influence grew, the bibliography expanded to capture the diverse facets of his London-based empire. He translated high-end restaurant techniques for the home cook in Nopi (2015) and delved into the world of patisserie with Sweet (2017), co-written with Helen Goh. By 2018, he addressed the "too many ingredients" critique with Ottolenghi Simple, a massive bestseller that prioritized accessibility without sacrificing his signature vibrance. This was followed by the technique-driven Ottolenghi Flavor, co-written with Ixta Belfrage, and most recently, Ottolenghi Comfort (2024), a collaborative effort with Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller, and Tara Wigley.
The current "OTK", Ottolenghi Test Kitchen, era represents a distinct shift away from his own creations and leans more on collaboration. That means with Shelf Love and Extra Good Things, while Yotam’s name is on the spine, this book introduces the world to his "ideas engine room." Led by Noor Murad, the Test Kitchen team is a diverse group of chefs from around the globe (Bahrain, Germany, Italy, etc.). These volumes focus on the "pivot"—the ability of professional chefs to create world-class meals using the humble contents of a home pantry. If a recipe made it into this book, it has been poked, prodded, and refined by some of the best culinary minds in London.
With over 1.5 million copies sold in North America and 5 million worldwide, the brand’s evolution continues with the highly anticipated Simple Too, slated for release in October 2026.
Why I Love it/Like It/Pass on It/Avoid It:
Ottolenghi is a legend. Period. And I hope that you can grasp that given my five paragraphs of semi-glazing above. As such I am choosing my words as carefully as possible here. Shelf Love is Ottolenghi's Green Lantern. His John Carter. His Joker: Folie à Deux. It is a flop.
I don't go about this lightly. I've tried about ten recipes in total. I will admit I did go in with high expectations given his historic megahits. I started easy with the Roasted Potatoes with Aioli and Buttered Nuts. It was a lot of work and the outcome was nice. I posted a video before the chips had even cooled off praising its crispy potatoes with its cool, slightly funky dip. I was swept up in simply being in the shadow of a legend. But when I asked myself if I would make it again, I found my answer came quickly and unexpectedly. No.
And it kept happening. Each subsequent recipe I tried followed a familiar pattern of working harder than the output felt was worth and then never feeling the need to make it again. I think chasing this expectation of greatness, working hard for it, and finding something that was 'fine' weighed down on me. It left me feeling unenthusiastic about returning to its pages. After ten recipes I can't muster the energy to take it back off the shelf.
Again, I wish to reiterate that everything turned out. All of it was good. Some meals were unique, but most of them were not worth repeating. And the recipes that I could see adding to my weekly rotation? Just a fun way of making salad. For the work you have to put it, it's disappointing the amount lackluster results.
I also have a bone to pick with the premise. The idea is that with Shelf Love is that was designed to help you use up random ingredients from the cupboard (i.e. Tahini). Which is great. My pantry is so full of fun stuff that I don't use enough. It's just poorly executed. Most of the recipes that I was interested in required ed a bunch of other random ingredients that you probably won’t just have lying about. So to use up one item you have to replace it another, equally random bit. It is creating a cycle instead of exploring or elevating the ingredient you originally set out to use.
I already spoke of the effort, but I also want to point out the time it takes from start to finish. There are not many recipes that can be made in under an hour. The recipes do give estimated times, but those can mostly be ignored since those times only accounted for cook time and not prep, stopping to read and reread the recipe, or anything additional. I would say that overall, these recipes are much more involved and elaborate than you would want an average home meal.
In short, I recommend you politely pass on this one. If my words are unconvincing, then I do have a slightly used copy in near pristine condition that you can take off my shelf.
Recipes I Tried from "Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love" and what I thought about them
Roasted Potatoes with Aioli and Buttered Nuts
This is the first recipe I am trying from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi. I think it's a perfect dive into what we can expect as the roasted sliced potatoes, golden and crispy, serve as the perfect canvas for the rich, garlicky aïoli and buttery, spiced pine nuts. It's a harmonious blend of textures and flavors—creamy, nutty, smoky, and vibrant—that's easy enough to prepare yet "sophisticated" enough to impress.
Ingredients 🥔 1 lb 10 oz/750g baby new potatoes, skin on and halved lengthwise2 tbsp olive oil½ cup/5g parsley, roughly choppedsalt and black pepper
Aioli2 large garlic cloves, minced1 tsp Dijon mustard1 large egg1 large egg yolk7 tbsp/100ml olive oil7 tbsp/100ml sunflower oil1 tbsp lemon juice½ cup/75g Greek yogurt
BUTTERED PINE NUTS2 tbsp unsalted butter3 tbsp pine nuts½ tsp smoked paprika
Directions 📜 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 2. Boil potatoes in salted water for 6 minutes until nearly tender. Drain, pat dry, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Sprinkle with parsley. 3. For the aïoli, blend garlic, mustard, egg, yolk, and salt in a food processor for 10 seconds. Slowly add oils while blending until creamy. Mix in lemon juice and yogurt, then set aside. 4. In a pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook for 3–4 minutes until golden. Stir in paprika and transfer to a bowl. 5. Spread aïoli on a platter, top with warm potatoes, and spoon buttered pine nuts over them.
Gnocchi with Sumac, Onions, and Brown Butter Nuts
I've never had sumac before so this gnocchi with sumac onions and brown butter nuts from Ottelenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love was a fun experiment.
Bold flavors, fun textures, and a new technique for piping and simmering the gnocchi that I found very.... Unique. I can see how it would be stupid effective for a kitchen but for a little hungry guy like me it was not as reliable as more traditional rolling of the dough.
Sumac brought a bright, tangy contrast. But as much as it was enjoyable to try, it’s not something that’ll make it into the regular rotation. The effort-to-reward ratio didn’t quite hit that perfect sweet spot, and while the flavors were good, they weren’t the kind of comforting, craveable ones that demand a repeat. Still, always worth testing something new because you never know until you try so give the recipe a go and let me know your thoughts!
Ingredients 🥔
3 lb (1.4kg) russet potatoes
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp(110g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
5 tbsp (70g) unsalted butter
rounded 1/4 cup (35g) pine nuts
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup (5g) parsley leaves
salt and black pepper
1/3 cup (80g) crème fraîche, to serve (optional)
SUMAC ONIONS
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp sumac
Directions 📜
1. Bake the Potatoes:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Poke with a fork and then bake whole potatoes on the rack for 45 minutes to 1 hour until cooked.
2. Make the Onions:
Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Cook onions and ½ tsp salt, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until browned.
Add garlic, cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in sumac, remove from heat.
3. Make the Dough:
Slice open hot potatoes, scoop out flesh, discard skins.
Mash onto a work surface or use ricer.
Sprinkle evenly with egg yolks, flour, and ½ tsp salt.
Chop with a bench scraper until evenly mixed.
Gather into a ball (do not knead).
Transfer to piping bag.
4. Cook the Gnocchi:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Pipe 1/2 to 1 inch pieces directly into water, cutting with a knife.
Cook 1–2 minutes until gnocchi float.
Remove with a slotted spoon, drizzle with oil.
Repeat for 4–5 batches.
5. Sauté the Gnocchi:
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the rinsed pan over medium-high heat.
Sauté ⅓ of the gnocchi for 4 minutes until golden.
Repeat, adding ½ Tbsp oil each time.
6. Finish & Serve:
Melt butter in the pan.
Toast pine nuts with ½ tsp salt & pepper for 2 minutes.
Lower heat, stir in gnocchi, sumac onions, lemon juice, and parsley.
Serve with crème fraîche (optional).
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