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The Dinner Plan: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Maggie Hoffman
Figuring out what to make for dinner can be exhausting. The Dinner Plan helps you start every week with fresh cooking inspiration, thanks to Maggie Hoffman and a roster of top cookbook authors. You'll get dinner ideas for every season, advice on how to make weeknight meal planning easier, smart budget cooking and grocery shopping tips, and easy dinners to make when you're short on time and energy. Guests on The Dinner Plan include experts like Molly Baz, Melissa Clark, Justine Doiron, Hetty Lui McKinnon, J. Kenji López-Alt, Hailee Catalano, and more. Guests answer questions like: What store-bought shortcuts make your weeknight dinners more flavorful? How do you meal prep or ingredient prep without getting bored? What weeknight dinner recipes would you text to a friend? Where do you find dinner ideas when you don't feel like cooking?
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 4 days ago1h 0m
How One-Pot Pasta Found Its Way to Your Table
In this episode of The Dinner Plan, cookbook author Nora Singley shares the story behind Martha Stewart's famous one-pot pasta, a pasta recipe that's been riffed on so many times you probably don't even remember the first time you saw it. Nora's new book dives deep on the method, and here, she shares the many reasons why it can actually be better to skip the separate pot of boiling water when you're making weeknight dinners. She walks us through her finely-tuned version of the popular cooking method, and explains why it works so well for carbonara, cacio e pepe, and even lasagna. Nora also shares her most-loved pantry staples, her go-to easy dinner, and the wildest story of a cooking disaster we’ve had on the show yet.Get Nora’s recipe for Creamed Spinach and Minty Trenne (Plus Rotisserie Chicken) on The DinnerPlan.Substack.comCheck out our sponsors:Lotus Professional Series: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Lotuscooking.comMaraBela: Find Marabela Alcohol-Free Sparkling Tea at MaraBelaTea.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find Nora’s book, One-Pot Pasta, wherever you buy cookbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago51 min
Fuchsia Dunlop’s Flavor Templates for Easy Weeknight Dinners
“A lot of my books have been very much about reflecting traditional Chinese cooking and trying to just report accurately on what I find in China,” Fuchsia Dunlop says in this episode of The Dinner Plan podcast. For her new cookbook, Five Tastes, the author of Land of Fish and Rice, The Food of Sichuan, and Every Grain of Rice, among other Chinese cookbooks, found herself reflecting on the flavor combinations she learned in culinary school in Sichuan but applying those templates to dishes and ingredients that are more common in the UK. The result: a more personal book that reflects what Fuchsia's been cooking at home lately. Fuchsia shares her go-to quick and easy dinner ideas for nights when she hasn't been shopping, and helps us think through a dinner party menu for less stressful hosting.Get Fuchsia’s recipes on TheDinnerPlan.Substack.comCheck out our sponsors:CookShelf: Use code DINNERPLAN for 25% off your first year at CookShelf50Hertz: Use code TINGLYDINNERPLAN for 15% off at 50hertzfoods.comLotus Professional Series: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Lotuscooking.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offerHardie Grant Books: Find Taiwanese? by Eric Sze wherever you buy cookbooks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago46 min
How Jeanine Donofrio Got Her Love of Cooking Back
Jeanine Donofrio of Love and Lemons was in a cooking rut. Rushing through busy weeknight dinners made cooking so much less enjoyable, and she missed the days when she had time to linger in the kitchen. Her dinners felt boring, too. With small kids underfoot, “If I took 20 minutes longer to do something, everyone would kind of be off the rocker. And it’s just not enjoyable to cook that way," Jeanine says. In this episode, Jeanine explains how she found her way to easy dinners that are still super-flavorful. These simple recipes (and flexible flavor-boosters) are featured in her new book, Love and Lemons: Pop of Flavor. If you're overwhelmed with meal prep and not excited about the dinners you cook, this episode is for you.Get Jeanine's recipe for BBQ tofu bowls with apple ranch slaw at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.comCheck out this week's sponsors:Find STAUB enameled cast iron Dutch ovens at Staub.comMcEvoy Ranch: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at McEvoyranch.comDirty Labs: Use code DINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find Just Date at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Kroger or online at enjoyjustdate.com.Chronicle Books: Find Nik Sharma's Fundamentals of Flavor wherever you buy books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago48 min
John Kanell: Preppy Kitchen’s Tips for Joyful Baking Every Day
John Kanell of Preppy Kitchen is practical about dinner; he’ll use two air fryers at once to get chicken on the table fast. But the former middle school teacher sees baking as an important outlet for his family, and a way to make even leftovers-for-dinner nights feel special. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, John shares his go-to quick dinners, the doughs he'll stash in the freezer for enjoying later, and his advice for lower-stress baking with kids. You’ll also hear smart tips for make-ahead homemade rolls and pie crusts...Thanksgiving is coming!Get John’s recipe for Buttermilk Dinner Rolls at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.comGet John’s book: Preppy Kitchen Everyday BakingCheck out our sponsors:Lotus Professional Series: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Lotuscooking.com.CookShelf: Use code DINNERPLAN for 25% off your first year at CookShelf.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Nectar & Nest: Find reusable bread bags at NectarAndNestHome.comNordic Ware: Use code DINNER10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase at Nordicware.com. (Nordic Ware note: Excludes sale items. Offer can not be combined with other promo codes, and only one promo code may be used per customer. The offer is valid for U.S. online purchases only. This promotion is non-transferable, not redeemable for cash, and not valid on prior purchases, special orders, or taxes. Discount is valid until 11:59 PM CST on December 31st, 2026.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago45 min
What Mark Bittman Actually Makes for Dinner
Mark Bittman's latest cookbook, How to Cook Everything Vegan, isn't meant to convince you to declare yourself a 24/7 vegan. Instead, Mark explains in this episode of The Dinner Plan with Maggie Hoffman, he's trying to inspire you to cook more plant-based meals. (And trying to help you make them delicious.) "If I say to you, we're doing How to Cook Everything Grilling, everybody goes, 'Oh, great. We know exactly what that means,'" Mark says. "But no one thinks, 'Oh, Mark is now suggesting that we grill everything.'" Bittman offers his advice on how to make cooking dinner easier, plus his ideas for unexpected ways to cook tofu, mashed potatoes, and grains. We also get a peek at the dinner he made last night, and the way he thinks about batch cooking things like rice and beans.Get Mark Bittman's recipe for Crisp Sheet Pan Exploded Whole Grains on TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com ➡️Check out our sponsors:Lotus Professional Series: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Lotuscooking.com.Equator Coffees: Use code DINNERPLAN for 25% off your first order at EquatorCoffees.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find Just Date at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Kroger or online at enjoyjustdate.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago44 min
How Kay Chun Plans a Week of Easy Dinners
Kay Chun has created numerous recipes for the New York Times, and worked in the test kitchens at Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Food + Wine in addition to being a restaurant chef. She's one of my go-to trusted names when I'm looking for new dinner recipes. In this episode, Kay talks about how her youth practicing tae kwon do prepared her for life in a restaurant, and shares the way she thinks about meal planning for a busy week of dinners without too much repetition. Her new cookbook, Gather Around My Table, is full of smart techniques and ingredients that make for extra-flavorful dinners. Get Kay's meatball recipe on the newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com →Check out our sponsors:Kuhn Rikon: Use code DINNER26 for 25% off at KuhnRikon.com (does not apply to items on sale)Lotus Professional Series: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Lotuscooking.com.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Chronicle Books: East to East by Rachel Gurjar is available on Amazon and wherever you buy books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago54 min
Leah Victoria’s Meal Prep for Real Life
Meal prep systems can feel like an all-or-nothing commitment, but Leah Victoria thinks there’s a reasonable way to prep some dinner building blocks without committing to a full week of recipes that you cook on Sunday and get sick of by Wednesday. In Episode 132 of The Dinner Plan, Leah shares her flexible meal planning philosophy, ideas for what to make with shredded chicken, ways to use up leftover meatballs, and flavor boosters you can make ahead on the weekend for easy meals all week long. She picks pantry staples you'll want to have on hand for easy dinners, and explains how you can do a little meal prep while still staying flexible and open to last-minute cravings or inspiration. “I think people put a lot of pressure on themselves to make it, like, this whole production. And it really just doesn't have to be that,” Leah says.Get recipes and show notes on our newsletter: TheDinnerPlan.Substack.comGet Leah Victoria’s cookbook, And That's Dinner! ➡️Check out this week’s sponsors:Lotus Professional Series: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Lotuscooking.com.Cangshan Cutlery: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15 percent off a purchase of $100 or more until Dec 31, 2026 at CangshanCutlery.com.Dirty Labs: Use code DINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4 weeks ago1h 4m
Even Yotam Ottolenghi Gets Nervous Before a Dinner Party
Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Simple Too, makes weeknight dinners even easier than the original book did. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Yotam admits that he feels pressure to host the perfect dinner party, and so he’s set himself a few rules to cut down the stress of entertaining. He walks us through the whole menu he's preparing for guests tonight, and also shares his favorite no-fuss techniques for cooking vegetables, the shortcuts and simple recipes he relies on on busy weeknights, and a peek behind the scenes of the Ottolenghi test kitchen.Get the recipes on The Dinner Plan.Substack.com ➡️Check out today’s sponsors:Find Just Date at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Kroger or online at enjoyjustdate.com.Une Femme Wines: Use code DINNERPLAN at unefemmewines.com for 20% off. Must be 21+Find the CookShelf app on iOS and Android, and use code DINNERPLAN for 25% off your first year.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Dirty Labs: Use code DINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About The Dinner Plan
Figuring out what to make for dinner can be exhausting. The Dinner Plan helps you start every week with fresh cooking inspiration, thanks to Maggie Hoffman and a roster of top cookbook authors. You'll get dinner ideas for every season, advice on how to make weeknight meal planning easier, smart budget cooking and grocery shopping tips, and easy dinners to make when you're short on time and energy. Guests on The Dinner Plan include experts like Molly Baz, Melissa Clark, Justine Doiron, Hetty Lui McKinnon, J. Kenji López-Alt, Hailee Catalano, and more. Guests answer questions like: What store-bought shortcuts make your weeknight dinners more flavorful? How do you meal prep or ingredient prep without getting bored? What weeknight dinner recipes would you text to a friend? Where do you find dinner ideas when you don't feel like cooking?
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