Our top 10 most useful cookbooks
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Why do we need a top 10 recipe books list?
We all need cookbooks right? There is nothing nicer than a hardback recipe book filled with sumptuous photos of food you salivate over making. But, there are cookbooks and there are cookbooks! We have so many beautiful books filled with recipes that are poorly written, have ingredients you can only get in the most expensive or exotic places or are aimed at a two Michelin starred chef! So here we have compiled a list of our top 10 (in no particular order) cookbooks, we’ve incorporated vegan recipe books too because they were that good, not because we had to.
To make life easier - if you click any of the buttons, or images in the article it will take you straight to that book on Bookshop.org or Waterstones. Enjoy!
#1 The Food of China - Dek-Ta Hsiung and Nina Simonds
Cuisine:
Chinese, with regional recipes as well as classics.
Why we love The Food of China:
This is a sumptuous coffee table size recipe book from the “food of” series. As with all of the books in the range (we have Food of the World, China, Spain and Thailand), the photography is gorgeous and the layout is super simple to follow and cook from. There are small anecdotal “factoids” about core elements of Chinese cooking like crispy duck, noodles and dim sum.
The Food of China is also a really convenient size to cook with, it fits in our recipe book holder well and the font is large enough to read at a glance while cooking.
What we would improve about The Food of China:
This is an older generation recipe book, so there could be more vegetarian dishes and there are virtually no vegan dishes!
Our favourite recipes from The Food of China
Hainan Chicken
Image from The Food of China
An all time favourite in the Cook, Eat, Repeat! household. Succulent, poached chicken with the rice cooked in the poaching liquor - fantastic!
Click the image or header to see this recipe on Cook, Eat, Repeat!
Healthy and hearty, these meatballs sit in a light gravy over Chinese greens. They make for a wonderful Sunday winter lunch. Click here to find the recipe
Sweet and Sour Pork
Image from The Food of China
A firm classic from most takeaways, this recipe is much more authentic and is done the right way!
Who is the Food of China cookbook aimed at?
Chinese food lovers of all cooking abilities, meat lovers. There are hundreds of recipes and they are all good!
#2 Eat More Veg - Annie Rigg
Cuisine:
Vegan and vegetarian cooking.
Why we love Eat More Veg:
Eat More Veg is a gorgeous, compact vegetarian cookbook that focusses on seasonality and flavour. This book is from The National Trust and here the vegetables take centre stage. Many of the recipes are really tasty and vegan - with a good emphasis on the range of different vegetables that can make a meal. It doesn’t go down the “vegetables as a meat substitute” route and instead finds classic and contemporary ways of using vegetables so they sing in their own right. The selection of vegetarian recipes is vibrant, varied and covers a range of different cuisines from Asian through to Mediterranean.
What we would improve in Eat More Veg:
This is an excellent book and we don’t have any major criticism, perhaps the font could be a touch larger and more green veg recipes in the book, but that’s just us being picky.
Our favourite recipes from Eat More Veg:
Spaghetti with Sicilian Cauliflower Sauce
Image taken from Eat More Veg
This has the piquancy of capers, pine kernels and the sharpness of lemon running throughout the sauce. It’s a bright, zingy, pasta dish which sings during a dull autumn day. Really easy to make and great for vegan food lovers.
Summer Rolls Filled With Rainbow Veggies, Rice Noodles and Leeks
Image from Eat More Veg
This is a really fun recipe to make, and could be a good one to cook with kids. This recipe heavily influenced our Tofu and Mushroom Spring Rolls as we found the rolls are great just wrapped and eaten cold or popped in the air fryer to puff up. This is a recipe that takes a little setup time but is actually easy. Again it is vegan.
Thai Sweetcorn Fritters
Image from Eat More Veg
Another Cook, Eat, Repeat fave, this recipe is comfort all the way through! A great side for a nibbles style meal or an afternoon snack to lift spirits when they’re down. These fritters take no time at all to make and are really cheap too!
Who is Eat More Veg aimed at?
Vegan and vegetarian foodies who are looking for something beyond fake bacon and mock duck.
#3 Paul Hollywood’s How to Bake
Cuisine:
Baking - duh!
Why we love How to Bake:
This is the absolute daddy of baking recipe books! The huge amount of key tips and tricks we’ve learned from the bread recipes from How To Bake is ridiculous. Just the smallest things - like not using all of the water listed in a recipe, have taken our bakes to the next level. It is rare that this book sits on our bookcase for any length of time as there is always something we are baking from it. This recipe book shows how easy it is to make bread, and so it’s become one of our weekly tasks rather than buying sad supermarket bread. We cannot recommend this one highly enough!
What we would improve in How to Bake:
Some of the more regional breads, such as pide or flatbreads aren’t quite there compared to other recipe books. Also this book completely misses out Japanese baking, which is currently the best in the world by quite some margin.
Our favourite recipes from How to Bake:
Basic White Tin Bread
One of our weekly loaves
Super easy to make and the way Paul Hollywood describes the method just makes everything so simple
Ciabatta
Image from How to Bake
Who knew Ciabatta was so easy? This recipe walks easily step by step through how to make a crispy crusted ciabatta.
Milk Loaf
Image from How to Bake
Soft, slightly sweet and super fluffy dough every time. These loaves are a standard for us week in, week out. This is a simpler alternative to shokupan when we don’t want the extra faff. This recipe also makes great buns for bacon and egg sandwiches!
Who is How to Bake aimed at?
Anyone who has just bought (or been gifted) a Kenwood Chef or a stand mixer with a dough hook. Or someone with big arms!
#4,5 and 6 - The Wagamama Cookbook Trilogy
Cuisine:
Faux Asian/Fusion/Western versions of Asian dishes
Why we love the Wagamama Cookbooks:
The Wagamama Ways with Noodles Cookbook was one of the first recipe books we owned. The recipes are aimed at beginners, are laid out like a restaurant menu and have favourites from the Wagamama range. Our first choice would be Feed Your Soul. It has all the current Wagamama classics like Katsu Curry, Ramen and Gyozas. There is a good range of vegetarian and vegan recipes too.
What we would improve in the Wagamama Cookbook Range:
These cookbooks are very much a western take on Asian cuisine and there are lots of different cuisines mashed together (Japanese, Korean and Chinese). Don’t get these books if you’re looking for authenticity.
Our Favourite Recipes from the Wagamama Cookbook range:
Wagamama Ways with Noodles - Chicken curry noodles
Image from Ways with Noodles
This is such a simple, old fashioned, recipe. It’s basically Thai Green Curry, but it’s a reminder of a time when we were first starting out on our cooking adventure.
The Wagamama Cookbook - Wagamama Ramen
Image from The Wagamama Cookbook
This is the Wagamama signature dish (although not their most popular). It has no flavour resemblance to a Japanese Ramen (see our Ramen Guide here for more information on that), but it is really tasty all the same.
Wagamama Feed Your Soul - Tiri Karage
Image taken from Wagamama Feed Your Soul
Karage chicken is THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN ON THE PLANET and this recipe is a very good stab at it. Very simple to make, works well in an air fryer. Pop this on a stick as a snack that will lift you for the rest of the day.
Who are the Wagamama books aimed at?
Beginner cooks, Wagamama fans, and anyone who loves Asian style food, but want to know where to start.
#7 Rick Stein’s From Vienna to Istanbul
One of those rare book designs where the hardback underneath the dust jacket is prettier than the dust jacket!
Cuisine
Mediterranean, Oriental, Spice Route, Greek, Turkish
Why we love From Venice to Istanbul:
The depth and range of recipes here are great. Lots of fish (it is Rick Stein after all), veggies, breads from anywhere between Venice and Istanbul with a few from some of the lesser known cuisines like Croatia. This is a really good book if you want to knock together a mezze for a crowd.
What we would improve about From Venice to Istanbul:
There is something that has annoyed us for years with Stein’s books. They are the cooking equivalent of Steve Jacksons “Choose your own adventure” novels in the ‘80s. Every recipe has ingredients or sauces that says “turn to page xxxx” and that’s frankly useless when you’re mid cooking in the kitchen. I always feel like this range of cookbooks should say “you must gather your vegetables before venturing forth…” #iykyk
Our favourite recipes From Venice to Istanbul:
Chicken and Tomato Stew with Orzo
We love orzo, somehow this little pasta makes everything it’s in so soulful and nourishing. This recipe is classic Greek, simple ingredients, simple technique - complex result. An easy weekend winner.
Lamb and Pistachio Kofte
Image from Rick Stein’s From Venice to Istanbul
We make flatbreads all the time, so finding easy and tasty things to fill them with is always rewarding. Another relatively simple recipe, bosh the ingredients together, grill and slap on a flatbread. Done!
Halloumi Saganaki
This image taken From Venice to Istanbul
This is a lunch time favourite of ours. Cheese and honey, with black sesame seeds, fried until sweet and crispy. A stunning brunch option.
Who is this book for?
For DnD fans who love cooking, and cooks who love something a little more complicated and prepped.
#8 Charred: The complete guide to vegetarian grilling and BBQ. Genevieve Taylor
Cuisine:
BBQ for vegetarians and anyone wanting to be more creative than just flame grilling meat.
What we love about Charred:
Charred is something a little different. It’s a BBQ book but it celebrates and highlights how versatile vegetarian food can be when using flame to cook. It has a really nice variety of recipes, is compact and easy to use.
What we would improve about Charred:
Not much to be honest! The font could be larger for kitchen use, but otherwise it’s great.
Our favourite recipes from Charred:
Mechouia
Image from Charred: The complete guide to vegetarian grilling and BBQ
A spiced, grilled vegetable salad from Tunisia, it has hard boiled eggs, peppers, tomatoes and chillis. It’s simple to make and is amazing with homemade flatbreads.
Gozleme - stuffed flatbreads with feta and spinach
Image taken from Charred: The complete guide to vegetarian grilling and BBQ
We could eat these all day everyday! Classically flavoured parcels that pack a punch and are great with so many different types of salad.
Baked Sweet Potatoes, Sri Lankan-spiced caramelised red onions
Image taken from Charred: The complete guide to vegetarian grilling and BBQ
Sweet potatoes roasted on the BBQ are sweet and amazing, combine this with the spiced onions and yoghurt and you have a healthy, but interesting lunch or dinner.
Who is Charred for?
A flame cooking enthusiast who loves their veggies!
The Geometry of Pasta - Caz Hildebrand & Jacob Kenedy
Cuisine:
Italian and neighbouring countries
Why we love The Geometry of Pasta:
If you wanted the absolute guide to all pastas, how to make them and which sauces to use them with - then make this your bible. This is an incredibly comprehensive recipe book, but without being cumbersome or complicated. There are hundreds of unusual, uncommon or very regional Italian dishes in here to try, and every recipe feels like an adventure. Plus have you see the imagery? So stylish, so cool!
What we would improve about The Geometry of Pasta:
This isn’t a book that is packed with photography for you to drool over. Sometimes the style gets in the way of effectively nailing a recipe
Our favourite recipes from The Geometry of Pasta:
Fettucine Al Triplo Burro
Image from The Geometry of Pasta - and yes we know this is farfalle not fettucine!
This involves butter… Lots and lots of butter, oh and cream too, and also cheese! What more do you need for a great pasta recipe? I also only takes the length of time to cook fresh fettucine to make.
Lasagne alla Bolognese
Image from The Geometry of Pasta
Lasagne is the greatest dish ever invented by humans. Recipe is here, nothing more needs to be said!
Penne Ragu Napoletano
Image from The Geometry of Pasta
This is a labour of love that will reward the patient. Penne Ragu Napoletano is a brilliant recipe for dinner parties structure for primi, secondi etc. as the sauce from this ragu coats the pasta for the primi course then the meat is served at secondi. This recipes involves stewing beef and braising pork together for 3 hours with passata and garlic until very tender. Then the sauce is served with the penne. This also works with rigatoni and spaghetti.
Who is The Geometry of Pasta for?
The adventurous cook who loves making their own pasta and adores stylish Italian cooking.
#10 Curry Easy - Madhur Jaffrey
Cuisine:
Indian Asian
Why we love Curry Easy:
Simple, authentic, curries with a healthy mix of vegetarian and meat based dishes. Madhur is a reliable friend to have in the kitchen and a lot of these recipes feel adventurous but are still simple to make.
What we would improve in Curry Easy:
Not a lot! A pretty book with easy to follow recipes.
Our favourite recipes from Curry Easy:
South Indian Potato Curry
Image from Curry Easy
Curried potato is particularly moreish, this curry has coconut milk as the base and goes especially well with naan breads and chapattis.
Okra with Shallots
Image from Curry Easy
Okra is such an underrated vegetable, it’s versatile, has great flavour and is healthy. Its one big drawback is the way it goes slimy when poorly prepared. This recipe quick fries the okra with spices and shallots and so enhances the flavours of the vegetable while keeping it crispy.
Rajasthani Red Meat
Image from Curry Easy
This is a proper curry! Hot, deep, complex flavours of tender lamb in a rich sauce. Another great curry for a naan or paratha.
Who is Curry Easy for?
Curry Easy is for curry lovers looking for accessible recipes. A great book for beginners
Conclusion:
Recipe books are always a matter of taste (pun intended). Finding a good one can start some amazing foodie adventures. They also make amazing presents for the person who has everything.
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