I’m still working my way through the “best cookbooks of spring 2025” but this might be the last post for that season. (That is unless I can get Coastal by Scott Clark from the library.) There’s a “best of summer 2025” cookbook list out now so I will probably be moving on to it soon. Snacking Dinners by Georgia Freedman is today’s feature.

About the book:

Snacking Dinners is an ode to the joys of snacking meals with over 50 recipes that pull from a global pantry and reference snacking (and light meal) traditions from across the globe

50 recipes that pull from a global pantry and reference snacking (and light meal) traditions from across the globe.

Solo diners unite! Ask yourself: what do you want to eat when you have no demands from family and friends? What is your idea of a meal that is all delight and zero obligation? Maybe it’s cream cheese and lox on rye bread; or tuna hand-rolls made ingeniously with tinned fish; jammy eggs topped with numbing Sichuan pepper; or for a splurge, caviar sandwiched between toast points. Snacking dinners are the ultimate form of self-care, a meal comprised of favorite foods, expanded to be balanced and perfectly satisfying.

These meals are the secret weapon of busy people. They are endlessly versatile, can accommodate any food preferences, and are easily scaled up or down, making them perfect for when you might be sharing your meal with family or friends. They are magical in their simplicity and promise, something every cook should have in their repertoire. Treat yourself to a snacking dinner tonight. (Taken from Harding Grant Publishing website.)

About the author:

Georgia Freedman is a California-based editor, recipe developer, journalist, and the author of Cooking South of the Clouds: Recipes and Stories from China’s Yunnan Province as well as the co-author of The Ranch Table and There’s Always Room for Chocolate. Formerly the managing editor of Saveur, Georgia has also worked as a freelance editor at a variety of national and regional publications and edited more than a dozen cooking and lifestyle books. (Taken from Epicurious.)

You can read more about Freedman at her website and learn about her extensive interest in global foods. You can also get more snacking recipes and see her videos at Snacking Dinners.

What I thought…

Upon my first perusal of Snacking Dinners, I wasn’t supremely impressed. I enjoy reading an introduction that really tells a story and where I learn more about the author and what makes them tick. I didn’t get a lot of that here. But let me tell you, when I started reading the recipes, I was more than intrigued. I just couldn’t stop making stuff.

Freedman encourages you to make something good even if you’re flying solo: “I’d like to encourage you to make flavors, delightful meals for yourself whenever you want something fun” (8). Her philosophy obviously goes beyond those simple and weird meals we whip up for ourselves when it’s just us. To speak honestly for myself, these would be weird creations like a baked sweet potato topped with cottage cheese and avocado or poached eggs on toast with warm V-8 juice poured on top. Nope. Freedman freed me from these meals and introduces some fanciness to dining at home alone but also gives some great snacks when friends and family converge on your home!

I love a cookbook that includes menus and how to combine the recipes into delicious combos and board ideas (10-11). Freedman includes ideas for After-School Snacks and Movie Night to more exciting menus for Tokyo Nights (Okonomiyaki Tater Tots and Make-Your-Own Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls) and Sichuan Snack Street (Cold Tofu w/Scallions, Tomato & Chile Crisp and Sweet & Spicy Chilled Sesame Noodles). At the bottom of most recipes, there’s a “Bulk Up the Plate” note. These are ideas for making the snack into a more substantial meal—things like adding cherry tomatoes, cottage cheese, prosciutto, jammy eggs, Wasabi peas and Japanese rice crackers, Sichuan pepper peanuts, dried fruits, etc. These ideas create a wide range of full dinner menus.

While every recipe in the book could be classified as snacks (obviously), the first section is “Fresh & Fast Snacks.” Easy but “Meal-Worthy Toasts” (14-15) begins this section where she shares “your next toast adventure” (14). She begins with the simple Elvis (peanut butter & banana on white bread) to the more exotic Uni & Roe (uni and caviar on milk bread with lemon spritz and chives). Other recipes (which in my opinion go beyond “fast snacks” and are virtual meals include Turkish Breakfast for Dinner (29) and Spanish Tuna, Tomato & Olive Salad (27).

“Pantry Snacks” includes a list of items that are must haves for the snacking philosophy. It begins with suggested store bought snacks to have on hand. I wish she had offered up some favorite brand names other than “good cheese,” “good bread,” and “rustic crackers.” Where to source some of these items would have been a great addition too. This section offers recipes like dips, open face sandwiches, and more toasts. I tried the Black Bean Picadillo with Chips (61) and it was a winner. I adapted the recipe just a bit.

I used golden raisins, fresh Roma tomatoes and some jalapeno-garlic stuffed olives. I also used a full can of black beans.

Black Bean Picadillo Dip

Based on Black Bean Picadillo with Chips from Snacking Dinners by Georgia Freedman.

Ingredients

• 2 T. golden raisins
• 5-6 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 5 green olives (I used some giant olives stuffed with garlic and jalapenos.)
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 t. Kosher salt
• 1/4 t. soy sauce
• 1/8 t. Cinnamon
• 1/4 t. smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Rough chop the raisins and place them in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and let soften for 5 minutes. Dice the tomatoes and slice the olives and set aside.

2. Drain the raisins and dry a bit with a paper towel. Heat the olive oil in a small nonstick pan over high heat. Add the raisins and the olives to the pan. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato and garlic and cook some more, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes. Add the beans, salt, and soy sauce and turn the heat to low. Stir until just warmed through. Add the cinnamon and paprika and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to incorporate.

3. Transfer to a bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature with tortilla or pita chips. 

Yield: 4

This recipe was more than a solo meal. We snacked on it one night with chips and then rolled the rest of the dip in flour tortillas for some impromptu taco rolls.

“Classy Snacks and Variations” starts off with a great technique for Jammy Eggs (71) followed by lots of ideas to top them: chile crisp, chopped kimchi, sambal, prosciutto, pesto. There are lots of delicious combos here (72-73).

“Prep-Ahead Snacks” is where I found my new favorite hummus recipe. Okay, maybe the hummus recipes featured is nothing spectacular but I tweaked it of course. The topping is fabulous using raisins, olives, pine nuts, almonds, smoked paprika, cinnamon and cumin. In fact you could use a store bought hummus and top it with Freedman’s Spiced Nuts, Olives & Raisin topping (108) and it would be a huge hit. I am not printing the topping recipe because that is pretty darn rude but I will share my hummus recipe which I based on hers. (I used a full can of chickpeas, increased garlic and cumin, and added lemon juice.)

Easy Hummus

I tweaked Freedman’s hummus recipe. A Vitamix makes quick and easy work of this but you can use a food processor as well.

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained (reserve aquafaba)
• 2-3 garlic cloves (rough chop these if not using a Vitamix)
• 2 T. tahini
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1/2 t. Kosher salt
• 1/2 t. ground cumin

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a powerful blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add the reserved aquafaba until you reach the desired consistency. 

2. Refrigerate hummus for up to five days (but it won’t last that long).

3. Buy Freedman’s book and top the hummus with the Spiced Nuts, Olives and Raisins recipe.

Yield: 4-6

Other recipes I want to try are Sweet Potato Chip “Salad” w/Hot Honey & Fresh Herbs (21). Actually, I just want to make the yogurt/feta dip that goes on top of those chips and drizzle it with hot honey. Speaking of feta, I also have her Broiled Feta & Tomatoes w/Crusty Bread (30) earmarked. I could go on and on but I will just end the list with White Bean & Salami Toast (51) and some great spice ideas for popcorn (58).

Some food writers turned cookbook authors can be food snobs but Freedman is not opposed to elevating some low-brow pantry staples like packaged seasoned ramen noodles by adding fresh veggies, herbs, and an egg (76) and Velveeta by adding mango, chile crisp, and Sichuan pepper oil for a twist on nacho cheese dip (79).

There are, however, some very high end snacks like Caviar Sandwiches (127) Pâté Banh Mi Bites (131) Pâté de Campagne w/Baguette and Pickles (132), and Baked Brie with Truffle Sauce (136). 

My only issues with this cookbook is I wanted a bigger hook in the introduction and the Pantry Snacks section (42-46) needed some source references (as did the Global Pantry Glossary). Substitution ideas would have been helpful, too. For some of the recipes, one would definitely have to pre-plan and source things like black vinegar, Chinese sesame paste, shiro mitten powder, and chaat masala. (Or, at least I would.) While the photos were beautiful and helpful, I would have loved photos for every single recipe.

Honestly, these criticism are quite minor and the bulk of great recipes makes up for the above rant. Would I buy this cookbook? YES!

I’m linking up with Foodies Read.