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Some weeks the produce drawer is a vibe check you are failing. Something from Nothing: A Cookbook by Alison Roman (Clarkson Potter, November 11, 2025) is written for that exact mood: more than a hundred recipes that start with what is already on the shelf, beans, anchovies, olives, noodles, the spicy jar you bought once on purpose.
Cover: Something from Nothing by Alison Roman (Clarkson Potter). Publisher cover art via BookSense.
Who this book is for
- You cook loosely and hate recipes that demand six specialty produce runs
- You want Tuesday pasta that still feels a little chic
- You like a cookbook with a point of view (Roman has never been shy)
It is not a beginner baking manual. It is a dinner brain for people who keep a real pantry and want it to pull more weight.
What we like for chaotic weeknights
Think soups you can finish with a soft egg, beans that get crispy in the oven, pasta that leans on roasted vegetables or a strong tin of something salty. The through-line is flavor density without a long shopping list, useful when school pickup ate the afternoon.
Roman’s earlier books (Dining InNothing FancySweet Enough) already trained a generation of home cooks to trust anchovies and brown butter. This one doubles down on the shelf-stable backbone.
Shop it
Tiny pantry audit before you buy
If you already stock olive oil, salt, garlic, canned tomatoes, a bean or two, pasta, and one funky flavor bomb (chili crisp, harissa, anchovies), you will get mileage. If your cabinets are cereal and hope, fix that first, then this book becomes a weapon.
Feature photo: Wikimedia Commons, “Spaghetti aglio e olio.jpg” by 10Rosso. Cover art for Something from Nothing © Clarkson Potter / Alison Roman; we reference the official jacket for identification and link to purchase pages.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Spaghetti aglio e olio.jpg by 10Rosso
Photo credits: Cover: Something from Nothing via Clarkson Potter / BookSense.
