Podcast · Arts & Books

The Dinner Plan

by Maggie Hoffman · English · Arts & Books

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 budg

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 50 min
Latest: 12 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026 · 45 minNew

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…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E133 · 8 Oct 2026 · 44 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…
E132 · 5 Oct 2026 · 55 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…
E131 · 1 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
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…
E130 · 28 Sep 2026 · 52 min
Sara Bradley’s Soup Season Tips
Two-time Top Chef finalist Sara Bradley loves to play with soup recipes, and in this episode of The Dinner Plan, she shares her favorite ways to dress up squash soup, tomato soup, corn soup, and cantaloupe soup. (Yes, cantaloupe soup.) Sara also shares the story of her famed cornbread salad, the flavor-boosting ingredients that she reaches for most, and the easy dinner she makes when she really needs to clean out the fridge and keep her family happy. Sara’s Book: The Kitchen I Came Home To RECIPES OF THE WEEK: Get Sara’s Cornbread Salad and Pimento Cheese Waffles on…
E129 · 24 Sep 2026 · 1 hr
Meherwan Irani’s No. 1 Best Indian Cooking Tips in the World
As a teenager, Meherwan Irani would sneak out to eat street food against his mother’s wishes. These days the chef of Chai Pani and Boti Walla shares the flavors of his childhood in India with guests at his restaurants, and cooks at home through the pages of his new cookbook, No. 1 Best Indian Cookbook in the World: At-Home Recipes from the Streets, Truck Stops, Villages, and Palaces of India . In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Meherwan shares his current cooking obsession; the key lessons home cooks can learn from street vendors; the best way to julienne okra, carrots, or ginger; and how…
E128 · 21 Sep 2026 · 37 min
Nik Sharma Breaks Down the Science Behind His Best Cooking Tricks
Nik Sharma wants home cooks to better understand food science; in this episode of The Dinner Plan, he shares some of the best cooking tips from his new book, Fundamentals of Flavor: 100 Recipes for the Science of Better Cooking , and why they work. If you’ve ever struggled with dry pork tenderloin, you’ll want to listen in before you try to make that quick dinner staple again. Hear about Nik’s favorite flavor-boosting pantry essentials, his favorite fall dinners, and the one ingredient he could have named this book after, too. RECIPES OF THE WEEK: Get Nik’s recipes for Caramelized Shallot…
E127 · 17 Sep 2026 · 49 min
Swanky, Low-Stress Entertaining With Cortney LaCorte
Cortney LaCorte—also known as Cheese Gal—joins The Dinner Plan this week to share her best advice on how to make a cheese plate and all the ways she makes entertaining more relaxed. That includes tips on what to cook for a dinner party, the most important thing you can do for a dinner party guest, and the cleaning detail you really can skip. What to make with Boursin? Cortney's all over that. On this episode, she also shares snack ideas for TV nights on the couch, memories of her mother's dinner parties, and her favorite recipe for a quick dinner you can make with grocery store fried…
E126 · 14 Sep 2026 · 44 min
For Olivia Tiedemann, Rich People Food Comes Down to the Right Moves
Olivia Tiedemann will be the first to tell you that working as a private chef isn't easy. You've gotta know what each guest likes and doesn't like, all the dietary restrictions, "who doesn't eat anchovies, who doesn't eat onions, who doesn't eat dairy. And there's 12 of them, and they're all there at one time," Olivia says. "How am I going to contort this same entree seven different ways?" But ultimately, she loves cooking for her clients, and shares everything she's learned in her new cookbook, Eat (Like) The Rich . In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Olivia talks with host Maggie Hoffman…
E125 · 10 Sep 2026 · 51 min
Pati Jinich Cooks the Bold Flavors of the Mexican Border
You may know Pati Jinich from her long-running series, Pati’s Mexican Table, or her previous cookbooks, but this fall you’ll be seeing a lot more of her, including her new docuseries, Panamericana, and her new cookbook, Foods of La Frontera . In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Pati chats with host Maggie Hoffman about the surprising dishes she tried while traveling along the Mexican-American border, and the way her time on the road has changed how she cooks at home. Pati shares favorite Mexican recipes from a wide range of border regions: lobster burritos, vegetarian pozole, surprising…
E124 · 7 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Carla Lalli Makes Dinner the Best Part of a Bad Day
When Carla Lalli separated from her ex and moved part-time into a sublet after decades of marriage, the first thing she did was make dinner. “I cooked because it gives me a sense of comfort,” Carla says in this week’s episode of The Dinner Plan. “It makes me feel like I’m in power, and it’s soothing, and it is a way to shut off other noise.” Carla shares the meals she made as she got in touch with her own cravings again and what freedom and flexibility she found cooking for one or cooking for two instead of four, and also gets into what she thinks a cookbook written by a human can offer in…
E123 · 31 Aug 2026 · 50 min
The High-Protein Vegetarian Dinners Grace Elkus Makes on Repeat
The high-protein vegetarian recipes in Grace Elkus's new cookbook, Protein-Packed Vegetarian , are exactly the kind of dinners I crave, packed with flavor and easy to make, even on a busy weeknight. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, I talk to Grace about her must-have kitchen gear, how to cook tofu so it actually gets crispy, and what to do if you just haven't come around to the idea of cottage cheese. I've been making the easy dinners from Grace's book over and over already, and I think you'll love them too. Get Grace's recipes for sheet-pan veggie parm and unstuffed eggplant parmesan…
E122 · 24 Aug 2026 · 53 min
Fresh Thai Cooking With Pim Techamuanvivit
I've been looking forward to chef Pim Techamuanvivit's Thai cookbook for years. It's an essential guide to cooking Thai food, including fresh curry pastes, grilled dishes, curries, soups, and laab. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, I talk to Pim about how she learned all the Thai recipes she'd missed from home, why it matters that you seek out Thai ingredients to cook these recipes, and everything she'd put on a September dinner party menu, whether the guests eat meat or are vegetarian. You'll hear about Pim's favorite cookbooks and her advice for dealing with cooking burnout, too. Get…
E121 · 20 Aug 2026 · 54 min
Grocery Prices Are Wild. The 99% Cooking Club Can Help.
Steel Russell started The 99% Cooking Club after walking out of the grocery store with a single bag of food that cost $150. He focuses on tips for making easy, cheap meals taste complex and flavorful, and shares recipes for family dinners that stretch your grocery budget. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, we talk through the best budget-friendly ingredients to buy right now, and how to think about meal planning when you're trying to save money. We’re all in this together, Steel reminds us. "I wanted to be able to show people how to make good food for cheap, but I also wanted to find a way…
E120 · 17 Aug 2026 · 45 min
Alex MacLaren’s 10-Day Grocery Strategy
When you ask cookbook author Alex MacLaren how to save money on groceries, her answer is simple: don't go to the store for as long as possible. The author of We Use What We Have is known for making family dinners on a budget, thanks to smart substitutions and a lot of flexibility. Sometimes, you just gotta let things run out. In this episode, Alex explains why she doesn't think about meal plans until after she's already shopped, how she gets her kids to eat leftovers even when they claim to hate leftovers, and how she stretches a small amount of meat into a full meal. If back-to-school…
E119 · 13 Aug 2026 · 45 min
Pierce Abernathy’s Peak Summer Dinners
Pierce Abernathy is my go-to source for summer vegetable inspiration, and he's exactly the recipe developer I turn to when I want to make the most of summer corn and tomatoes in every dinner I cook before the season ends. But Pierce's new cookbook, Every Leaf, Every Stem , goes beyond the pretty produce that gets all the attention and aims to help you fall in love with celeriac and rutabaga, mushrooms and squash. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, we talk about the best way to cook corn, Pierce's dream low-stress end of summer dinner party menu, and the way he'd meal plan for a week of…
E118 · 10 Aug 2026 · 1 hr
Caroline Chambers Needs Even Quicker Dinners Now
Caroline Chambers knows how to make easy dinners easier , and the mother of four needs quick weeknight recipes now more than ever. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Caroline shares a bit of her behind-the-scenes chaos and her strategy for meal prep that won’t leave you bored. She says everything that’s going on has made her an even better recipe developer, because her mindset is "if you’re putting any effort into it, it better freaking be good! Or else just get pizza!" Caroline's new book, What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast , is full of quick dinner ideas that you…
E117 · 3 Aug 2026 · 45 min
Omi Hopper Cooked Through the Hardest Year of Her Life to Get Here
Next Level Chef contestant Omi Hopper has published a new cookbook full of essential Puerto Rican recipes—the ones that feel like a welcome home to the folks who follow her on Instagram and TikTok. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, she shares her story. She was working as a makeup artist when her husband was laid off; she worried about how they'd pay for groceries. Find out how she ended up cooking on TV and writing her own cookbook, Cooking con Omi , plus learn what she cooks for parties and how she stays creative in the kitchen. For Omi's recipe for stewed beans, head to our newsletter…
E116 · 27 Jul 2026 · 57 min
Serena Wolf’s Easy Summer Dinner Ideas
Serena Wolf hosts a big pool party every year, and in this episode of The Dinner Plan, she's sharing her go-to bbq menu and the mac and cheese trick that always impresses her guests. Her new book, You Do You , is full of easy dinner recipes, all including advice on simple ingredient swaps. She offers meal planning advice that's really helpful, too. Quick summer dinners shouldn't be stressful, and Serena's tips will make you feel more confident in the kitchen, whether you're hosting a dinner party with friends or figuring out what to make with melon or nectarines for dinner at home tonight.…
E115 · 20 Jul 2026 · 49 min
Recipes for College Cooks and First Apartments from Claire Thomson
Getting your kid ready to go to college includes a lot of tangible stuff, like dorm setup. But they might also be cooking dinner for the very first time in their first apartment or a university-housing kitchen, and chef Claire Thomson has all the advice they need for that. Her new book, Dear Grace , is full of quick dinner recipes and meal planning advice for new cooks, including ways to cook on a budget—even when you're feeding friends after a night out. In this episode, Claire shares some of the most important cooking advice she'd give to first-time cook: how to make the most of cheap…
E114 · 13 Jul 2026 · 49 min
Tuscan Summer Cooking: Giulia Scarpaleggia’s Vegetable Playbook
This episode highlights so many Italian vegetable recipes: ideas for cooking eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and all the other produce that's at its peak right now. Your expert guide: Tuscan cooking teacher and cookbook author Giulia Scarpaleggia, whose most recent book is Vegetables the Italian Way . Tune in to learn why you should salt your eggplant even though modern versions aren't as bitter, what to make with tomatoes that aren't fantastic, and the most important steps to making pesto. Recipes and links, plus our big summer giveaway: TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com –––––– Thanks to…
E113 · 6 Jul 2026 · 41 min
Relaxed Summer Entertaining With Mélanie Masarin
Mélanie Masarin wants you to feel less stressed out about hosting. She says that her rule with friends is: “If I’m home, you can come over.” Her pantry is stocked with tinned fish and olives, and other little snacks to serve—but her ideal setup for a dinner party is prep-ahead recipes like ratatouille that can be served at room temperature. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Mélanie shares a behind-the-scenes look at her new cookbook, Riviera, and her advice for making homemade aioli to eat with crunchy vegetables. This episode is full of seasonal recipes that are more about assembly than…
E112 · 29 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
King Arthur Baking’s Secrets for Better Pizza at Home
Want to make better pizza at home but not sure how to start? Today's guest, David Tamarkin of King Arthur Baking Co., is the co-author of The Book of Pizza . This episode of The Dinner Plan podcast is packed with advice, sharing how to hack your oven for better pizza crust, how to choose toppings depending on the style of pizza you're making, and how to fit pizza-making into a weekday schedule. Why is your pizza soggy? David has the answer to that, too. Get the recipe for King Arthur's Weeknight Detroit Pizza at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com. ____ Thanks to this week's sponsors: Straus Family…
E111 · 25 Jun 2026 · 49 min
Going Camping? Here’s What to Cook
Camping food doesn't have to mean freeze-dried meals you reconstitute with water. On this week's episode of The Dinner Plan, Emma Frisch, the author of Feast by Firelight, shares cooking inspiration for your next outdoor adventure, and tips for camping trip meal planning, the best way to pack your cooler, and thinking ahead so you don't end up cooking dinner in the dark. Get Emma's pork chop and corn salsa recipe this week at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com . ______ Thanks to this week's sponsors: Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream: Find Bubbies at Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Albertsons, and other…
E110 · 22 Jun 2026 · 57 min
Easy Meal Prep, the Japanese Way
A traditional Japanese meal highlights a range of flavors and cooking methods, but that doesn't have to mean a ton of weeknight cooking. The key, according to cookbook authors Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat, is a common version of meal prep that's highlighted in their new book, Japanese Comfort Cooking . So many sozai—those side dishes that go with your rice—can be made in advance to serve over the course of a few days. In this conversation, Tadashi and Harris share a few favorite recipes that work especially well for meal prep, as well as a handful of quick Japanese recipes that they…
E109 · 17 Jun 2026 · 51 min
Best Cookbooks of 2026 (So Far) With Matt Rodbard
It's early to name the best cookbooks of 2026, but spring was so impressive and jam-packed that The Dinner Plan team joined up with Matt Rodbard of This Is TASTE , another favorite food podcast, to produce this special episode highlighting the best cookbooks from the first half of the year, along with a preview of some of the really exciting new cookbooks that will be published this fall. Get links to the cookbooks mentioned here, plus a special limited-time discount on paid subscriptions to The Dinner Plan at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com . ______ Thanks to this week's sponsors: McEvoy Ranch :…
E108 · 15 Jun 2026 · 50 min
Salads for Every Season With Alexandra Stacey of French Family Food
You've probably seen Alexandra Stacey's Instagram account, @frenchfamilyfood, but now she has a whole cookbook of salad recipes that make the most of whatever produce is in season. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman talks with Alexandra about the French salads Alex grew up with, the way she devises new dressings for different types of salads, and the worst salad she ever had. When it's too warm out to turn on the stove to make hot food, this new cookbook is going to be your go-to for meal planning. TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com : recipes + a chance to win Salads for All…
E107 · 8 Jun 2026 · 45 min
Georgina Hayden’s Best Tricks for Modern Mediterranean Cooking
Georgina Hayden has written cookbooks that highlight traditional Mediterranean recipes, but her latest, MEDesque , is a little looser, full of weeknight dinner ideas inspired by various ingredients and dishes that are beloved in the region. "I've interviewed priests and grannies" about traditional Greek and Cypriot cooking, Georgina says, "But with this one, I've just had a bit more fun and been a bit playful with it." In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Georgina explains how she simplifies Greek classics like spanakopita and moussaka, offers advice for cooking and meal planning when you're…
E106 · 1 Jun 2026 · 43 min
Claudette Zepeda’s Secret Ingredients for Bigger, Bolder Flavor
If you looked in chef Claudette Zepeda's fridge, you’ll likely find the sauce she needs to turn a Costco rotisserie chicken into quick weeknight enchiladas for her kids, but there are a few more key flavor boosters, which she tells us all about in this episode of The Dinner Plan. Claudette shares some of the techniques and iconic Mexican dishes highlighted in her new cookbook, Cooking the Borderlands , plus the story of her attempt to recreate the original Caesar salad to the exacting requirements of the family that owns Caesar's Restaurant in Tijuana, where the dish originated. This episode…
E105 · 23 May 2026 · 53 min
Move Your Meal Prep to the Grill With Noah Galuten
Meal prep is much easier when you're grilling, and Noah Galuten's new cookbook, Grill Time! , will inspire you way beyond boring containers of plain grilled chicken. Noah offers fun ways to season grilled vegetables, smart salad inspiration, and the trick for turkey burgers that never dry out (and don't fall apart either). In this conversation with The Dinner Plan host Maggie Hoffman, Noah shares lots of advice, including how to grill sausages without making them burst, how to grill chicken breast that's evenly cooked, and how to think about grilling over the weekend for easy weeknight meals…

About The Dinner Plan

The Dinner Plan is a English arts & books podcast from Maggie Hoffman. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Maggie Hoffman
Language: English
Category: Arts & Books
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 50 min
Latest episode: 12 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1769201553
Rights: Margaret Hoffman

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