7Must Try Recipes from Stanley Tucci, Anthony Bourdain, and a Few Others

Whether it’s entertaining company or a simple weeknight dinner with the family, I love diving into my favorite cookbooks for meal inspiration. I thought I’d share a few recipes I revisit often and wholeheartedly recommend.

1.Ina Garten’s Herb Shrimp

My husband cooked up what‘s now dubbed “Proposal Shrimp” the night he popped the question. He knew the way to my heart (and a guaranteed “yes”) was through a meal from Queen Ina. Following her cookbook’s recommendation, he served it with her spicy Mango Salsa. From her Parties! cookbook.

2. Jamie Oliver’s Tuna Meatballs

This is the GOAT of all alternative meatball recipes. I make it at least once a month, and it is usually on the menu for the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. Serve it lightly over greens or over pasta if you are in the mood.

3. Stanley Tucci’s Spaghetti con Zucchine alla Nero

It's a fresh, beautiful summer pasta recipe that Tucci declared one of the best things he’s ever had. I think you might agree. From his 2021 memoir Taste.

4. Anthony Bourdain’s Deviled Eggs with Variations

Serving a spread of deviled eggs is a great entertaining idea. Every variation is a fun twist on the original, especially the one for caviar eggs. From Bourdain’s 2016 Appetites cookbook.

5. Chrissy Teigen's Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Cranberries, Walnuts and Blue Cheese

If you need to convince someone (yourself?) to eat  Brussels Sprouts, this is the dish. From Teigen’s 2016 Cravings cookbook.

6. Nora Ephron’s Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette is one of my go-to salad dressings. It’s from Nora Ephron’s 1983 novel Heartburn, which I picked up after reading about 2022’s Wilde-Styles-Sudeikis drama. Supposedly, leaked text messages from Olivia Wilde’s former nanny referred to “a special salad dressing” made for her then-boyfriend Harry Styles, and no longer for ex-fiancé Jason Sudeikis. A few internet sleuths recognized Ephron’s recipe after Wilde posted “her” dressing on Instagram. I get why Sudekis got so angry: the dressing is fantastic, and whether or not he was missing Olivia, he must have been missing that vinaigrette.

7. Andrew Carmelini’s Lamb Meatballs Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Inserting tiny balls of goat cheese into the center of these delicious meatballs is a game-changer. From Carmellini’s incredibly awesome Urban Italian cookbook.