diff --git a/doc/emacs/files.texi b/doc/emacs/files.texi
index 062185fb4af..5c80cfe1904 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/files.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/files.texi
@@ -2222,13 +2222,16 @@ recently-opened files, reading file names from a buffer.
 
 @findex recentf-mode
 @vindex recentf-mode
+@findex recentf-open
 @findex recentf-save-list
 @findex recentf-edit-list
-  If you enable Recentf mode, with @kbd{M-x recentf-mode}, the
-@samp{File} menu includes a submenu containing a list of recently
-opened files.  @kbd{M-x recentf-save-list} saves the current
-@code{recentf-list} to a file, and @kbd{M-x recentf-edit-list} edits
-it.
+  If you enable Recentf mode, with @kbd{M-x recentf-mode}, Emacs
+maintains a list of recently opened files.  To open a file from this
+list, use the @kbd{M-x recentf-open} command.  When this mode is
+enabled, the @samp{File} menu will include a submenu that you can use
+to visit one of these files.  @kbd{M-x recentf-save-list} saves the
+current @code{recentf-list} to a file, and @kbd{M-x recentf-edit-list}
+edits it.
 
 @c FIXME partial-completion-mode (complete.el) is obsolete.
   The @kbd{M-x ffap} command generalizes @code{find-file} with more
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 5e81cc0fe8b..01354a65f0f 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -1893,6 +1893,11 @@ This means that e.g. "/home/foo/bar" is now displayed as "~/bar".
 Customize the user option 'recentf-filename-handlers' to nil to get
 back the old behavior.
 
+---
+*** New command 'recentf-open'.
+This command prompts for a recently opened file in the minibuffer, and
+visits it.
+
 ---
 ** The autoarg.el library is now marked obsolete.
 This library provides the 'autoarg-mode' and 'autoarg-kp-mode' minor
diff --git a/lisp/recentf.el b/lisp/recentf.el
index d8016077ebd..601b2642f76 100644
--- a/lisp/recentf.el
+++ b/lisp/recentf.el
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-;;; recentf.el --- setup a menu of recently opened files  -*- lexical-binding: t -*-
+;;; recentf.el --- keep track of recently opened files  -*- lexical-binding: t -*-
 
 ;; Copyright (C) 1999-2022 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
@@ -23,10 +23,19 @@
 
 ;;; Commentary:
 
-;; This package maintains a menu for visiting files that were operated
-;; on recently.  When enabled a new "Open Recent" submenu is
-;; displayed in the "File" menu.  The recent files list is
-;; automatically saved across Emacs sessions.
+;; This package maintains a list of recently opened files and makes it
+;; easy to visit them.  The recent files list is automatically saved
+;; across Emacs sessions.
+
+;; There are three ways to access recent files:
+;;
+;; (1) `M-x recentf-open' prompts for a recently opened file.
+;;
+;; (2) When this mode is enabled, a new "Open Recent" submenu is
+;;     displayed in the "File" menu.
+;;
+;; (3) `M-x recentf-open-files' lists recently visited files in a
+;;     buffer.
 
 ;; You can customize the number of recent files displayed, the
 ;; location of the menu and other options.  Type:
@@ -45,17 +54,17 @@
 ;;; Internal data
 ;;
 (defvar recentf-list nil
-  "List of recently opened files.")
+  "List of recently opened files for `recentf-mode'.")
 
 (defun recentf-enabled-p ()
-  "Return non-nil if recentf mode is currently enabled."
+  "Return non-nil if `recentf-mode' is currently enabled."
   (memq 'recentf-save-list kill-emacs-hook))
 
 
 ;;; Customization
 ;;
 (defgroup recentf nil
-  "Maintain a menu of recently opened files."
+  "Maintain a list of recently opened files."
   :version "21.1"
   :group 'files)
 
@@ -465,6 +474,26 @@ Return non-nil if F1 is less than F2."
         (recentf-string-lessp (file-name-nondirectory f1)
                               (file-name-nondirectory f2))
       (recentf-string-lessp d1 d2))))
+
+
+;;; Open files
+;;
+
+;;;###autoload
+(defun recentf-open (file)
+  "Prompt for FILE in `recentf-list' and visit it.
+Enable `recentf-mode' if it isn't already."
+  (interactive
+   (list
+    (progn (unless recentf-mode (recentf-mode 1))
+           (completing-read (format-prompt "Open recent file" nil)
+                            recentf-list nil t))))
+  (when file
+    (funcall recentf-menu-action file)))
+
+;;;###autoload
+(defalias 'recentf 'recentf-open)
+
 
 ;;; Menu building
 ;;
@@ -1344,7 +1373,13 @@ That is, remove duplicates, non-kept, and excluded files."
 
 ;;;###autoload
 (define-minor-mode recentf-mode
-  "Toggle \"Open Recent\" menu (Recentf mode).
+  "Toggle keeping track of opened files (Recentf mode).
+This mode maintains a list of recently opened files and makes it
+easy to visit them.  The recent files list is automatically saved
+across Emacs sessions.
+
+You can use `recentf-open' or `recentf-open-files' to visit
+files.
 
 When Recentf mode is enabled, a \"Open Recent\" submenu is
 displayed in the \"File\" menu, containing a list of files that