Books
25 Essential Cookbooks Every Kitchen Must Have To Get You Through Every Dinner Party, Holiday, And Brunch Ever
Cooking is so much more than just preparing your next meal. It can be a way to de-stress after a long day at work, an excuse to try new foods, a means of eating healthier or just ordering out less, and a great reason to get friends and family together around the table. Cooking is a hobby, an art form, and a science all in one.
If you love cooking, or you're just starting to get into it, you probably have all the gizmos and gadgets you need. But what about recipes? So many people turn to the web for cooking tutorials, and although food blogs and other sites are a great source for new and exciting recipes, cookbooks are essential to every kitchen. Not only do they have ingredient lists and step-by-step instructions, but most good cookbooks have illustrations, color photographs, and a wealth of information about cooking techniques, selecting the right produce, food and drink pairings, and so much more. So whether you are a master chef in your own right, or new to the kitchen entirely, here are 25 cookbooks for your kitchen needs.
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'The Joy of Cooking' by Irma S. Rombauer
For more than 75 years, novice cooks and experienced chefs alike have called this hefty volume their cooking Bible. It covers everything, including what ingredients to keep in your pantry, how to pick the right cut of meat, and how to troubleshoot common mistakes. No matter what happens in your kitchen, this will have you covered.
'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' by Julia Child
The step-by-step instructions and accompanying illustrations in this kitchen staple make it easy for you to channel your inner Julia… or Julie for that matter. Like Julia Child said herself, “People who love to eat are always the best people,” so get busy chowing down on your own French cuisine creations.
'The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone' by Deborah Madison
Whether you’re a full-blown vegetarian or just a produce-lover, this is your ultimate guide to vegetarian cooking. Recently updated to include 1,600 creative and unique recipes, this book will prove once and for all that there’s so much more to vegetables than roasted eggplant and tossed salads.
'Momofuku' by David Chang and Peter Meehan
While many restaurant chef-written cookbooks can be tricky to navigate unless you already have decent culinary skills, award-winning NYC-based chef David Chang makes Asian-fusion accessible from the comfort of your own kitchen. You’ll want to make pork buns and noodle bars at home so often, your Seamless delivery guy will wonder what happened to you.
'How to Cook Everything' by Mark Bittman
The title says it all: this enormous book will teach you how to cook just about everything. The simple, user-friendly recipes require basic equipment and common ingredients, so, really, there are no more excuses for why you keep ordering out.
'Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun' by Ina Garten
If you enjoy throwing parties at home, this handy addition to Ina Garten’s extensive cookbook library will make your life infinitely easier. If the tasty recipes the book has to offer aren’t enough to convince you, then the complete menus for a variety of seasonal holidays and different sized parties, decorating tips, and personal anecdotes from the seasoned chef will be.
'The New Family Cookbook' by America's Test Kitchen
With the help of a shopping guide, step-by-step photos, resource material, and illustrated tutorials, the people from America’s Test Kitchen bring you more than 1,100 new timeless recipes that have been tried and tested by the best. If you can’t find it in this cookbook, it probably hasn’t been invented yet.
'Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' by Marcella Hazan
If Julia Child made French cooking accessible to every cook, despite location, than you can thank Marcella Hazan for doing the same with Italian food with this indispensable cookbook. With Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking , you’ll finally be able to make much more than Chef Boyardee and frozen pizza.
'The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook' by Allysa Torey and Jennifer Appel
You will never have to wait in line for a vanilla buttercream cupcake again with this surprisingly uncomplicated collection of recipes from New York’s legendary bakery. The old-fashioned, homestyle desserts, from a red velvet layer cake to a rich banana pudding, will help you conquer any birthday, holiday, or party dessert table.
'The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics' by Kendra Bailey Morris
Every kitchen needs at least one slow cooker recipe book, and this one of southern favorites should be it. You’ll learn how to make country-style ribs, black eyed peas, peach upside-down cake and so much more, all in one big pot. If you hate doing dishes, these recipes will be your new best friends.
'Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes' by Joy Wilson
There comes a day in everyone’s life when they just need some cake for breakfast, and when that day comes, make sure you have this famed blogger’s cookbook on the ready. The Single Lady Pancakes and Peanut Butter Birthday Cake you’ve surely heard about from a friend or coworker are only the beginning.
'The Pleasures of Cooking for One' by Judith Jones
Just because you’re alone for dinner doesn’t mean you should eat single-serving frozen meals. Judith Jones proves that you can still be crafty and creative in the kitchen, despite your lack of house guests.
'Meat: Everything You Need to Know' by Pat LaFrieda and Carolyn Carreno
Who better to give you advice on your meat purchases and preparations than a third generation butcher and meatpacking business owner? With this authoritative guide, you’ll learn everything from selecting the right cut of meat, the best methods preparing it, right down to serving it. This is a must-have for every meat-lover’s kitchen.
'In the Small Kitchen: 100 Recipes From Our Year of Cooking in the Real World' by Cara Eisenpress and Phoebe Lapine
Aimed at a younger crowd living in tiny city apartments, this fun and user-friendly cookbook is great to keep around at any age. Filled with simple recipes that require minimal tools, basic techniques, and a reasonable budget, this is a great guide to daily cooking.
'Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook: A Treasury of Timeless, Delicious Recipes' by Pam Hoenig
If you haven’t gotten your first set of cast iron pans, it’s time you do — just make sure to pick up this handy recipe book when it happens. From traditional recipes that made the cookware so popular to new, experimental meals, The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook has you covered.
'The Kitchen Decoded: Tools, Tricks, and Recipes for Great Food' by Logan Levant and Hilary Hattenbach
If you have more kitchen gadgets than you know what to do with, but you don’t know how to use them, this book is a must-have. Organized in recipes by appliances, The Kitchen Decoded will finally explain what that thingy-ma-bob on the whats-it-called really does.
'Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give a F*ck' by Thug Kitchen
If you want to eat healthier, then you need this funky cookbook in your kitchen. Not only will it help you prepare delicious vegetarian meals, but it guides you in an all-around healthier lifestyle, so you can start giving a… crap.
'The Gluten-Free Bible: The All-in-One Guide to Enjoying Fabulous Food Without Gluten' by Tate Hunt and Marilyn Pocius
Whether or not you are on a gluten free diet, it’s always handy to have a GF cookbook at your fingertips. Learn how to make pizza, pasta, and desserts that taste just as good as their gluten-infused counterparts, so you can bring an allergy-friendly dish to your next potluck.
'True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure' by Andrew Weil, Sam Fox, and Michael Stebner
The best meals are those made from the freshest ingredients, and the masterminds behind True Food Kitchen will teach you how to do just that in their guide to seasonal cooking and eating. In addition to fresh and fantastic recipes, True Food includes essays on adjusting your diet based on your health needs, finding the right products for you at a farmer’s market, meal portioning, and much more.
'The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook' by Deb Perelman
Leave your laptop out of the kitchen and pick up the hard copy of experienced food blogger Deb Perelman’s delectable yet accessible recipes instead. As the master home chef says herself, there are no bad cooks, just bad recipes — and trust me when I say you won’t find a single one in this collection.
'The Grilling Book: The Definitive Guide from Bon Appetit' by Adam Rapoport
If you want to kick your grilling skills up a notch, there is no better way than pick up a copy of this authoritative guide. From fire-cracked pepper to sweet-roasted corn, this book will let you do so much more than just burgers and hot dogs. It even includes recipes for classic sides, salads, slaws, and drinks, so your next cookout can go off without a hitch.
'Ruhlman's Twenty: 20 Techniques, 100 Recipes, A Cook's Manifesto' by Michael Ruhlman
If you are easily overwhelmed by the endless tricks and techniques in the kitchen, then Twenty could be your go-to guide to cooking. Michael Ruhlman condenses all of his culinary knowledge into 20 simple skills that will allow even the newest foodies to create masterpieces.
'Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi' by Yotam Ottolenghi
Another vegetarian cookbook, Plenty is a great tool to help you reinvigorate your vegetable cooking game. Original and unique, these fresh and seasonal recipes will wow even the biggest meat-eaters in your life.
'The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor' by Gina Homolka
If one of your most frequently visited pages is the Skinnytaste blog, then you should consider adding the official cookbook to your physical library. All 150 recipes are rich, flavorful, and taste like anything but the low-calorie dishes they actually are.
'The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century' by Amanda Hesser
Celebrated food columnist Amanda Hesser pulls together more than 150 years of mouth-watering recipes from the pages of the New York Times. This book has 1,000-plus recipes from before dinner cocktails to after dinner desserts, all from the most trusted food journalists the last century and a half has to offer.
