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Food September 15, 2025

Dig in to Samin Nosrat's everyday recipes from new 'Good Things' cookbook

PHOTO: Samin Nostrat shares recipes from her cookbook "Good Things" on "Good Morning America" on Monday, Sept. 15.
Aya Brackett
Samin Nostrat shares recipes from her cookbook "Good Things" on "Good Morning America" on Monday, Sept. 15.

Chef and cookbook author Samin Nosrat, who won a James Beard Award in 2018 for her first cookbook, "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking," is back with a second cookbook, titled "Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love."

Below, check out some of Nosrat's new, everyday recipes from "Good Things."

Samin Nosrat's Olive Oil-Fried Bread

Ingredients
Country bread
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Set a pan over medium-high heat -- cast iron works especially well. Then add enough olive oil to coat the bottom generously -- don't skimp! Lay in a slice or more of bread, leaving ample room between pieces. Once the first side is well coated with oil, flip it and add more oil as needed to saturate the second side. Cook over medium-high heat, rotating and tending to the bread to ensure even browning. After 2 to 3 minutes, when the bread is browned, flip it and repeat on the other side.

Samin Nosrat's Confit of Little Tomatoes

Ingredients
Sweet cherry or ping-pong-ball-size tomatoes
Basil leaves
Peeled garlic cloves
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Directions

Place 4 cups of stemmed cherry tomatoes or 2 pounds of little tomatoes in a single layer in a shallow roasting dish over a bed of basil leaves and a handful of peeled garlic cloves. Add about 2 cups of extra-virgin olive oil -- the tomatoes don't have to be submerged, but they should all be in contact with oil. Season them liberally with salt, give them a stir, and cook at 300 F for about 35 minutes. At no time should the dish ever boil -- a simmer, at most, is fine. You'll know the tomatoes are done when they're tender all the way through and the first skins start to split. Pull them from the oven and let them cool a bit.

Serve warm, or at room temperature. Keep tomatoes refrigerated, in their oil, for up to 5 days. Toss the still-warm tomatoes and a bit of their oil with just-cooked pasta, torn basil, and marinated goat cheese or Parmesan for a simple pasta dish. Spoon confit and oil over rice or eggs, or serve as a saucy vegetable with fish, chicken, meat, or tofu. Strain, save, and reuse the oil for a second round of confit, a vinaigrette, or a truly amazing pan of Refried Beans.

Samin Nosrat's Pickled Onions

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds red onions (about 3)
1 2/3 apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 bay leaf
1 dried Calabrian chile
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 few black peppercorns

Directions

Use a sharp knife or mandoline to thinly slice the onions and tightly pack them in a sterilized 1-quart canning jar.

In a nonreactive medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, salt, bay leaf, chile, oregano and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisked to encourage the sugar to dissolve. Once the sugar has dissolved, pour the boiling brine into the jar and allow it to cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight before using.

Samin Nosrat's Creamy Oregano Dressing

Ingredients
1/3 cup aquafaba
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 packed tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a liquid measuring cup or wide-mouth jar, combine the aquafaba, vinegar, and mustard. With an immersion blender running, add the oil in a thin stream. Once all the oil is incorporated, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, oregano, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and blend into a smooth, creamy dressing. Taste and adjust with salt, lemon juice, and vinegar as needed.

Samin Nosrat's Preserved Meyer Lemon Paste

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients
10 Meyer lemons, preferably organic and unwaxed, washed
Kosher salt
1-inch fresh turmeric root, peeled and thinly sliced (optional)

Directions
Discard lemon seeds. Puree ingredients together. The final paste should be savory, slightly sweet, and funky -- but never bitter.

Samin Nosrat's Garbanzo Bonanza Chickpea Salad with Cucumbers and Dill

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
2 cups drained, cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup Bright Pickled Onions
1 tablespoon Preserved Meyer Lemon Paste
4 roll-cut Persian cucumbers
2 ounces feta-style cheese in large crumbles
1/4 cup finely chopped dill fronds

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups drained cooked chickpeas, 1/4 cup Bright Pickled Onions, and 1 tablespoon Preserved Meyer Lemon Paste. Toss with Creamy Oregano Dressing to combine, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes to marinate. Just before serving, add 4 roll-cut Persian cucumbers, 2 ounces feta-style cheese in large crumbles, and 1/4 cup finely chopped dill fronds. Add more dressing as needed to coat, toss to combine, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Serve immediately.

Samin Nosrat's Simple Chicken Thighs

Makes 4 to 6 thighs

Ingredients
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 packed teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill

Directions

Spread the chicken thighs in a single layer on a sheet pan. Use one hand to generously season with salt, and the other hand to turn the chicken over. Then use your dry hand to season the second side with salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the garlic, lemon zest, and oil. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir to coat. Cook right away or marinate for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Bring up to room temperature before cooking.

When ready to cook, prepare a grill. If using charcoal, light a fire, let the flames die down, and wait until the coals ash over. Push the coals over to one side of the grill to create a medium-high zone and an indirect-heat zone. If using a gas grill, set up a medium-high-heat zone and an indirect-heat zone.

Scrub the grill grates clean, then rub the grates with a well-oiled kitchen towel. Begin the chicken over the hot part of the grill, moving to a cooler zone as needed if browning too fast, until well browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Excerpted from Good Things by Samin Nosrat. Copyright © 2025 by Samin Nosrat. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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