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The New Basics Cookbook

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It's the 1.8-million-copy bestselling cookbook that's become a modern-day classic. Beginning cooks will learn how to boil an egg. Experienced cooks will discover new ingredients and inspired approaches to familiar ones. Encyclopedic in scope, rich with recipes and techniques, and just plain fascinating to read, The New Basics Cookbook is the indispensable kitchen reference for all home cooks.

This is a basic cookbook that reflects today's kitchen, today's pantry, today's taste expectations. A whimsically illustrated 875-recipe labor of love, The New Basics features a light, fresh, vibrantly flavored style of American cooking that incorporates the best of new ingredients and cuisines from around the world.

Over 30 chapters include Fresh Beginnings; Pasta, Pizza, and Risotto; Soups; Salads; every kind of Vegetable; Seafood; The Chicken and the Egg; Grilling from Ribs to Surprise Paella; Grains; Beef; Lamb, Pork; Game; The Cheese Course, and Not Your Mother's Meatloaf. Not to mention 150 Desserts! Plus, tips, lore, menu ideas, at-a-glance charts, trade secrets, The Wine Dictionary, a Glossary of Cooking Terms, The Panic-Proof Kitchen, and much more.

Main Selection of the Better Homes & Gardens Family Book Service and the Book-of-the-Month Club's HomeStyle Books.

864 pages, Library Binding

First published January 10, 1988

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About the author

Julee Rosso

26 books25 followers
Julee Rosso is an American cook and food writer. In 1977 she and Sheila Lukins opened and ran a gourmet food shop in New York City called The Silver Palate. In the 1980s they wrote, with Michael McLaughlin, The Silver Palate Cookbook, The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, and others. A 25th Anniversary update of the Silver Palate Cookbook is forthcoming.

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5 stars
3,288 (39%)
4 stars
2,642 (31%)
3 stars
1,780 (21%)
2 stars
456 (5%)
1 star
184 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
Profile Image for okyrhoe.
301 reviews113 followers
August 18, 2009
This is more of an encyclopedia/ reference book than a cookbook. It's over 800 pages, to begin with. In addition to the recipes, there are countless sidebars and panels with valuable information - quotations, anecdotes, techniques, lists of fruit and vegetable varieties, wine selections, etc.

There is also a wealth of information on how to set up your kitchen - what tools to purchase, what ingredients to stock up on. And you'll learn the basics of several ethnic cuisines - Moroccan, French, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Thai, etc.

I found myself using this as a research manual rather than actually preparing recipes, although several of them have indeed become 'basics' in my cooking repertoire - the pie crust, tomato sauce, corn chowder, california sandwiches, caesar salad dressing, carrot cake, etc.
(You must absolutely try out the Carrot Cake! If you're too lazy to make it yourself, you can find it ready-made at Barbara's Food Company in Athens. Actually, Barbara admits to relying on recipes from Julee Rosso's & Sheila Lukins' The Silver Palate Cookbook.)

But there are soooo many variations and fusions, sometimes I wonder if the authors are more keen on showing us their expertise and their ability to invent trendsetting combinations than teaching us the 'basics'. It's all about having fun in the kitchen, yet sometimes I'm just looking for a simple, fool-proof recipe.

Profile Image for lindsey dee.
11 reviews
March 20, 2008
while i love cook books and cooking magazines, i typically don't read a cook book cover to cover. however, i'm in the delayed process of moving and had already packed all my books except 1 which i just finished. luckily "the new basics" was left out because i recently used it.
what i love most about this book is not the recipes themselves but that the authors explain the ingredients used and show you many ways to use them. i've never read "the joy of cooking," but i use this book in a similar way. i'm pretty intimidated by cooking meat, but the authors explain different cuts and the best methods of preparing each one. that information alone is invaluable to me. i also love that the recipes range from the everyday ("meal in a hamburger" and a whole chapter dedicated to cookies) to the sublime (several uses of caviar and explanations of how different caviar from different types of fish taste and a recipe for a red wine sorbet). i highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cooking at any skill level. personally, i'm a novice, a passionate novice, but a novice none the less.
Profile Image for Leona.
1,737 reviews18 followers
December 26, 2017
Meh...okay, but not great. There are better cookbooks out there. I bought this one years ago and have made a few recipes from it, but not a ton. I heard so much about the The Silver Palate Cookbook, I decided to buy this one instead. I now own both, and I would say that The Silver Palate Cookbook is better.

Also, I've experienced the same issue as other reviewers. The book binding is coming undone in places. Since, it's not a cookbook I reach for too often, it's not a showstopper. However, given the price I paid, I expected better quality.
Profile Image for Lisa.
293 reviews7 followers
September 4, 2008
This is a good book for novice cooks. The recipes vary in difficulty and are easy to understand. The authors give concise explanations of cooking terms and methods, and various foods. I know a later book by Rosso (I think it was "Great Good Food") got a drubbing from the critics when it was revealed she didn't actually test all the recipes in a test kitchen. But this isn't THAT book. This does have basics like "how to cook a turkey", with some nice simple vegetable sides.
Profile Image for Kris.
8 reviews1 follower
February 27, 2009
If you are just starting out and have a desire to cook great food then this is the book for you. It breaks cooking down and simplifies everything. I have made many of these dishes and my family now considers them ours. I love the fajita recipe and the "guacomole is hot" and the "Black Bean Salsa". These recipes are loaded with flavor and I go to them again and again. I have given this book many times for wedding showers.
62 reviews3 followers
February 22, 2016
This is one of my 'dirtiest' cookbooks. This means that it has been used, used, used! I have so many 'go-to' recipes which came from this book and they fill such a wide range. Strawberry shortcake, cilantro and black bean pestos (make them both so that you use the entire bunch of cilantro!), grilled butterflied lamb, fajitas, I can go on and on and on....
223 reviews43 followers
November 29, 2023
Purchased this book because the Silver Palate Cookbook the our guidebook for special / holiday meals and was hoping New Basics would be as useful to our day to day meals but this wasn't too be. It's a fine cookbook, but there are numerous other cookbooks which provide recipes which were quicker, tasty, with more complete nutritional information.
Profile Image for Nancy.
43 reviews
November 2, 2021
Pick up the first book she wrote with Sheila Lukins:
"The Silver Palate Cookbook" and skip the other two.

Profile Image for Anne Wingate.
504 reviews15 followers
March 26, 2021
Not Quite Basic

There are some basic recipes and even a few whole sections of basic information and recipes.
But in general, and especially in the first section, what is presented is anything but basic.
The authors seem to assume that we all have unlimited budgets and can easily buy scads of such things as saffron and imported ingredients of all kinds.
They assume that we all have unlimited time and can spend hours or in some cases days on one meal or even one recipe.
They assume that none of us have any medical, religious, moral, or financial reason for not matching every food to the appropriate wine or including alcohol in every dish it can possibly be thrust into.
Don't waste your money on this one. I wish I hadn't
Profile Image for Ashley Lambert-Maberly.
1,437 reviews12 followers
January 4, 2023
I not only cooked from it, I read it. It was exactly the right book at the exact right time ... I was in my mid 20s and feelings like I should know how to cook, it used real (but not incredibly obscure) ingredients at a time when grocery stores were actually stocking them (e.g. celeriac, arugula), and the food was delicious and not too difficult or time-consuming. It's still a great cookbook.

(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
Profile Image for Catwalker.
72 reviews2 followers
August 26, 2020
Another of my three 'fat' cookbooks. I have two other Silver Palate books--the recipes are great.

This book is beautifully designed, and perhaps because the authors are caterers, it has some unusual sections. There is section at the front called 'Amusements' that contains really interesting recipes for finger food. Another section is called Microwave Miracles, although the authors also have some reservations about microwave ovens. As you would expect for a book on basics, there is a page or two of information on handling and preparation of the standard ingredients, and helpful tables for ingredient types like citrus fruit, beans, and salad greens, where there are a lot of choices.

Profile Image for Jenny.
824 reviews22 followers
August 17, 2022
I am trying to cook through all of the cookbooks on my shelf to determine which are keepers and which should be gotten rid of. I tried to take on this Goliath and, ultimately, I was defeated. This cookbook has loads of recipes, most of which I did not do. However of the 19 recipes I made, the majority were either so-so (9) or bad (2). Some were good (8) but in approaching the cookbook I was never excited about the recipes. Many recipes felt outdated. In the end I decided to cut my losses and get rid of the book.
Profile Image for Ashlyn H.
10 reviews
September 12, 2019
Best cookbook, especially for the inexperienced cook who wants to go beyond the basics and know the why. Very empowering! I received as a wedding gift 39 years ago and I regularly give as a wedding gift now. Line sketches add to the fun. The descriptions and how-to aren't quite prose, but enjoyable and full of insight. Only down side is that the binding didn't last very long! I had to have it spiral bound, and chose to do that into 2 sections.
Profile Image for Scott Andrews.
430 reviews5 followers
December 9, 2022
First read since 1989 and it is a knock-out.

They are basic recipes, but recipes you forget about when you are 1) working on complex recipes on the weekend or 2) just feeding yourself to get through the week.

Glad I reconnected with this one.

It is a modern classic.
9 reviews
April 11, 2018
I’ve had this book for years, and always go back to it for great basic ideas. I have several of Julie and Sheila’s cookbooks and they never disappoint.
Profile Image for Lori Pulichino.
67 reviews
December 30, 2018
This is a basic go to in my family for any recipe at any time. Great suggestions for menus, easy to follow, and a broad swath of recipes. A must get for a person who loves to cook.
Profile Image for Juliana.
702 reviews52 followers
October 13, 2020
Chicken fajitas--I've been making these for decades. Great for parties.

We tried a soup--the summer squash and potato. It was nutritious, but a little bland.
Profile Image for Deneen.
67 reviews
December 18, 2021
I have owned and used this book for going on 30 years!! Definitely a great reference book as well as a great source for recipes.
5 reviews
January 21, 2022
This has been a staple in my kitchen for years, with its great recipes for soups, stews, and pastas. (Pasta sauce Raphael is a particular favorite). Mine is coming apart, it's been so well used.
1,558 reviews36 followers
January 6, 2015
my dear friend Rosary gave me this -- my first cookbook -- and I managed to lose it during some blasted move or other! i'll have to pick up the revised edition that just came out (hopefully with full-color and copious photos?). some of these recipes are superb.

OF NOTE: sheila lukins's eggplant/chevre/bechamel lasagna bomb CHANGED my freaking LIFE. it's amazing. it takes, like, several brief lifetimes to compile, but when made as written, it will not only convince you that eggplant is not gross (huge hurdle!) but also that bechamel is not scary and ought to be in ALL OF THE FOODS.

now, pardon me; i'm off to stir some bechamel into my coffee.

oh. wait. no i'm not. a note on the production: as with The Silver Palate Cookbook, this book's line drawings are completely charming. BUT! the lack of any photographs of finished products is a huge, HUGE bummer, especially because some of the recipes are so unfamiliar to me. basically, cooking their recipes is a leap of faith, both for the flavor profiles and the lack of reassuring photographs. but what you get if you listen closely is vurrah, vurrah good.

NOW done.
Profile Image for Little Black Car.
462 reviews
February 7, 2011
I love that this offers basic information on common ingredients, buying advice, and suggests seasonings to complement many of the foods.

However, I absolutely hate the layout. The text is tiny and crowded in to make room for oversized titles and goofy 1980's-style border designs, which are distracting and make it feel more disorganized than it probably is. A plain layout like those used in older cookbooks would have been much better, especially since there are no photographs to accommodate.

I don't care for the recipes, either, but I'm not sure that's either here or there since it's largely a matter of taste, and the recipes aren't the focus of the book.
Profile Image for Jessica.
391 reviews42 followers
August 19, 2007
For a number of years, this was my go-to reference cookbook -- when I needed to know what to do with a celery root, when I was looking for a recipe for coq au vin. At the time, its new wave takes on classic dishes seemed refreshing. Now these twists feel a little dated to me, but it's still full of sound and useful advice on food preparation and entertaining, and it's well organized, so I'll often start there, even if I don't always end up there.
Profile Image for Amy Kat.
234 reviews8 followers
August 12, 2022
Crammed with breads, salads, vegetable, grains, desserts, savories, seafood and soup. Simple and easy. Also has simple charts about the different kinds of grains, fish, greens, nuts, pastas, etc. their qualities and how to cook or use them. Good diagrams: like how to properly cut and shell a lobster and how to carve poultry, and cut meat. The tarragon chicken salad and carrot-dill soup are favorites.
Profile Image for Cookingdiamond.
1 review1 follower
January 27, 2014
I love this book, it,s one of my favourites, I,ve got many!!! I found it in a bookstore when on a trip to Canada many years ago. Being English the style of cooking and recipes were a revelation to me, such fresh tasty food, all carefully explained . This was back in the day before I found amazon and suchlike, so I have always treasured it. I now have several by the same author and her partner in crime, Sheila Lukins, love them both .x
Profile Image for Diana.
316 reviews8 followers
August 3, 2016
This was a staple in my house when I was growing up, and I have my mother's copy with food stains and hand-written notes throughout. There are many recipes in here that I love to make as they are comforting familiar treats from my childhood, and many others that I've discovered as an adult. This is always a source of inspiration for parties or breaking out of a cooking rut, and I recommend it highly!
Profile Image for Lisa.
242 reviews1 follower
May 23, 2007
All recipes I have had/made from this cookbook have been GREAT! Unfortunately, for me anyway, it is not really an 'everyday' type of cookbook- there are a lot of ingredients in most recipes, they are not 'quick' and definitely not particularly healthy. It is sort of a special occasion/things to take to a party or dinner kind of cookbook for me.
Profile Image for Susan.
56 reviews
September 13, 2007
I know it's a little silly to review cookbooks here, but this is a really great one. It's reasonably priced and makes a nice gift. There are no shortcuts, yet the recipes are not needlesly complicated. One of the authors owns a B and B in Saugatuck, Michigan, and Chris and I went there for our first anniversary. Guess whose idea that was?
Profile Image for Allisonperkel.
774 reviews36 followers
July 4, 2009
In many ways this was the cookbook that taught me how to cook. I cut my teeth on their lasagna and Moroccan chicken. However the book hasn't aged well. I rarely turn to it these days, and when I do I leave a little disappointed. Its not a bad book and it can still help you learn the basics however the recipes are very 1980s - a little too much for my tastes these days.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews

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