79 books like Arabiyya

By Reem Assil,

Here are 79 books that Arabiyya fans have personally recommended if you like Arabiyya. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book cover of The Lebanese Cookbook

Edy Massih Author Of Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

From my list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Lebanese-born, New York-based Caterer, Chef, and Owner of Edy’s Grocer in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Born and raised in Lebanon, I have a passion for Middle Eastern food, culture, and, cookbooks. Growing up with a grandmother who never wrote one recipe down, it's been a journey to nail each recipe she used to make. When I moved to America, it was so hard to find good Middle Eastern cookbooks. Fast forward to 2024, a plethora of talented chefs have written books to help transport me back to Lebanon, sharing our Middle Eastern cultures, flavors, and heritage in such a beautiful way. I am proud of these cookbooks representing the Middle East.

Edy's book list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines

Edy Massih Why did Edy love this book?

Any of the books Salma Hage comes out with are absolutely amazing. She has the perfect approach to bringing authentic Lebanese food to the Western palate. This beautiful and massive cookbook is the encyclopedia of a Middle Eastern kitchen—it’s like my bible.

It’s been a reference for me throughout the years, like a stepping stone into Lebanese cookbooks. It was one of the first I ever picked up—512 pages with 500 recipes!

By Salma Hage,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Lebanese Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The definitive book on Lebanese home cooking, featuring 500 authentic and delicious easy-to-make recipes

On the shores of the eastern Mediterranean and a gateway to the Middle East, Lebanon has long been regarded as having one of the most refined cuisines in the region, blending textures, and ingredients from a myriad of sources. First published as The Lebanese Kitchen and now back in print under its new title, The Lebanese Cookbook, this is the definitive guide, bringing together hundreds of diverse dishes, from light, tempting mezzes and salads, to hearty main courses, grilled meats, sumptuous sweets, and refreshing drinks.


Book cover of Bahari: Recipes From an Omani Kitchen and Beyond

Edy Massih Author Of Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

From my list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Lebanese-born, New York-based Caterer, Chef, and Owner of Edy’s Grocer in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Born and raised in Lebanon, I have a passion for Middle Eastern food, culture, and, cookbooks. Growing up with a grandmother who never wrote one recipe down, it's been a journey to nail each recipe she used to make. When I moved to America, it was so hard to find good Middle Eastern cookbooks. Fast forward to 2024, a plethora of talented chefs have written books to help transport me back to Lebanon, sharing our Middle Eastern cultures, flavors, and heritage in such a beautiful way. I am proud of these cookbooks representing the Middle East.

Edy's book list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines

Edy Massih Why did Edy love this book?

What Dina Macki did with this book is beautiful, specifically the visuals and how she showcases the food. Many people, myself included, don’t know much about Omani food specifically, and this book dives deep into the unique food, culture, and region, including beautiful photos taken locally throughout her travels and mini-history lessons.

This is the first Omani cookbook ever written, and she did it well.

By Dina Macki,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bahari as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With honesty and curiosity, British-born Omani-Zanzibari chef Dina Macki explores the unique foodscape of Oman, in the first Omani cookbook to be written by an Omani chef.

Bahari, meaning "ocean" in Swahili, is a culinary exploration of the rich flavors and history of Omani cuisine, a food culture shaped by boundless coastlines and complex maritime history, with origins and influences spanning Pakistan, Iran, India, the Swahili coast, and Portugal.

In this distinctive cookbook, Dina Macki travels across Oman and Zanzibar, unearthing regional delicacies and recreating the food of her heritage. With more than 100 recipes for meat, fish, vegetables, homemade…


Book cover of Maydan: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond

Edy Massih Author Of Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

From my list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Lebanese-born, New York-based Caterer, Chef, and Owner of Edy’s Grocer in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Born and raised in Lebanon, I have a passion for Middle Eastern food, culture, and, cookbooks. Growing up with a grandmother who never wrote one recipe down, it's been a journey to nail each recipe she used to make. When I moved to America, it was so hard to find good Middle Eastern cookbooks. Fast forward to 2024, a plethora of talented chefs have written books to help transport me back to Lebanon, sharing our Middle Eastern cultures, flavors, and heritage in such a beautiful way. I am proud of these cookbooks representing the Middle East.

Edy's book list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines

Edy Massih Why did Edy love this book?

Rose from Washington DC’s Maydan also takes a deep dive into her cookbook, from growing up in Lebanon and the recipes she grew up with to opening the restaurant and watching it grow.

It’s cool to see that whole journey represented in a cookbook and Lebanese food on display in another beautiful cookbook.

By Rose Previte, Marah Stets,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Maydan as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The debut cookbook from Rose Previte, creator of the Michelin-starred restaurant Maydan and beloved Compass Rose, explores bold flavors, accessible, shareable recipes, and overlapping foodways, spanning from the Middle East to North AfricaRose Previte introduces readers to the eclectic cultures of the region spanning North Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East through food, offering a nuanced, informed, and yet entirely warm and personal way in. Before opening her beloved Washington, DC, restaurants Maydan and Compass Rose, Previte traveled old spice trade routes to learn from home cooks, and it became apparent how adjacent cooking traditions informed and folded back…


Book cover of Sofreh: A Contemporary Approach to Classic Persian Cuisine

Edy Massih Author Of Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors & Culture from Edy's Grocer

From my list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Lebanese-born, New York-based Caterer, Chef, and Owner of Edy’s Grocer in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Born and raised in Lebanon, I have a passion for Middle Eastern food, culture, and, cookbooks. Growing up with a grandmother who never wrote one recipe down, it's been a journey to nail each recipe she used to make. When I moved to America, it was so hard to find good Middle Eastern cookbooks. Fast forward to 2024, a plethora of talented chefs have written books to help transport me back to Lebanon, sharing our Middle Eastern cultures, flavors, and heritage in such a beautiful way. I am proud of these cookbooks representing the Middle East.

Edy's book list on diverse Middle Eastern cultures and cuisines

Edy Massih Why did Edy love this book?

This cookbook is not really for the everyday home cook. The recipes are not simple, and they are not modernized. And that’s what’s so cool and special about this book and Nasim’s cooking.

She cooks, showcases, and writes about beautiful classic Persian food so well, keeping the integrity of the food and the recipes throughout the book. 

By Nasim Alikhani, Theresa Gambacorta,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sofreh as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The much-anticipated cookbook—an exquisite collection of Persian recipes—from the James Beard–nominated chef of Sofreh, one of Brooklyn’s most acclaimed restaurants.

A Best Book of the Year: Los Angeles Times, Epicurious

"I got lost in the flavors of Nasim’s mint oil, saffron rice pudding, and meltingly tender chicken stew laced with sweet-tart flavors from Pink Lady Apples and sour cherries. Her naan e-barbari is the best!" —Suzy Karadsheh, New York Times best-selling author of The Mediterranean Dish Cookbook

Growing up in Isfahan, a province in central Iran, Nasim Alikhani was a passionate cook from childhood, spending the first years of her…


Book cover of Yalla, Let's Eat!: Delicious, Authentic Arab Meals Made Easy

Haniyeh Nikoo Author Of A Persian Kitchen Tale: Discover Exciting Flavors Through 60 Simple Recipes

From my list on cookbooks that are made easy to travel the world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Haniyeh Nikoo, a full-time recipe developer, food stylist, and food photographer.

My passion for food does not stop at my Iranian roots but goes beyond the borders. It is my way of experiencing and learning about the world, cultures, and people. I not only care about how a dish tastes but also how it looks and how it invites you to take a bite and get on a journey of trying something new.

Haniyeh's book list on cookbooks that are made easy to travel the world

Haniyeh Nikoo Why did Haniyeh love this book?

This book makes me hungry every time I go through it. It features a great selection of Arab and Palestinian recipes that look and sound amazing but also don’t seem pretentious or hard to make.

The book features 60 recipes, but once you go through it, the options seem endless—from hearty pilaffs to mouthwatering grilled meals, tasty dips, and delicious small bites. I love to add a few of the recipes to my gatherings’ menu because they are easy to prepare and always please my guests.

By Maha Kailani,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Yalla, Let's Eat! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Making your favourite Arab dishes is easier than ever with this contemporary guide to effortless Middle Eastern cooking from Maha Kailani, creator of Make Delicious Happen. These show-stopping recipes honour all the vibrant flavours of traditional Arab cuisine but use quick shortcuts and helpful appliances like the Instant Pot (R) and Air Fryer to cut down on prep and cook time. Breeze through incredible yet simplified recipes such as:

Flavor Bomb One-Pot Chicken Kabseh,
Skillet Beef Shawarma,
Dawood Basha (Syrian- Style Kofta Meatballs and Pomegranate Potato Casserole),
Quick Palestinian Msakhan Rolls,
Traditional Tangy Tabbouleh,
Classic Lebanese Fattoush,
Cheat Baba Ghanouj,…


Book cover of Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon

Melissa Addey Author Of A String of Silver Beads

From my list on exploring Morocco’s culture.

Why am I passionate about this?

On a trip to Morocco, immersed in new sounds, smells, sights, and tastes, I was hit with the idea for a novel about a woman in the 11th century, a time when a Berber ruler took over the whole of North Africa and Spain. It led to many years of research and correspondence with historians, and became not one novel, but four, telling the story of four women’s lives that interweave as a newborn empire rises. The books I have listed here were some of the ones that brought the place, the culture, and the era alive for me. I hope they can do the same for you!

Melissa's book list on exploring Morocco’s culture

Melissa Addey Why did Melissa love this book?

Gorgeous to look at, this recipe book lists food that provides a real feast for the senses, from orange blossom-scented cakes to Morocco’s famous tagines (my favourite is with preserved lemons) and everything in between. When I research for historical fiction, food is one of my first ports of call, and this book brought Morocco alive on my table. Read, cook, eat, and be in bliss!

By Claudia Roden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Arabesque as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon offer some of the world's most exciting cuisines. In this delectable cookbook, the award-winning, bestselling author of The Book of Jewish Cooking and Claudia Roden's Mediterranean translates the subtle play of flavors and cooking techniques to our own home kitchens.

Interweaving history, stories, and her own observations, she gives us 150 of the most delicious recipes: some of them new discoveries, some reworkings of classic dishes—all of them made even more accessible and delicious for today’s home cook.

From Morocco, the most exquisite and refined cuisine of North Africa: couscous dishes; multilayered pies; delicately flavored tagines;…


Book cover of Zaitoun: Recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen

Zuza Zak Author Of Amber & Rye: A Baltic Food Journey: Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania

From my list on travelling through food.

Why am I passionate about this?

Some people travel through food–they seek out authentic foods when they are travelling, visit certain places just to eat their specialties, and travel from their own kitchens when they are at home. This book list is for them. The same has always been the case with me, and I have continued this habit of exploring culture through food in the writing of my own cookbooks. Amber & Rye was the book for which I physically travelled the most, and my partner did all the travel photography too, so it was a family experience.

Zuza's book list on travelling through food

Zuza Zak Why did Zuza love this book?

It’s quite painful opening this book at this moment in time (when Gaza is being bombed), yet it remains one of my favourite food-travel books for the human stories it contains within it.

Khan used to be a human rights campaigner before she started writing cookbooks, and her previous incarnation comes across in the writing. The recipes are colourful and joyous, while also being simple enough to make you want to cook them immediately.

By Yasmin Khan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Zaitoun as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Yasmin Khan unlocks the flavors and fragrances of modern Palestine, from the sun-kissed pomegranate stalls of Akka, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, through evergreen oases of date plantations in the Jordan Valley, to the fading fish markets of Gaza City.

Palestinian food is winningly fresh and bright, centered around colorful mezze dishes that feature the region's bountiful eggplants, peppers, artichokes, and green beans; slow-cooked stews of chicken and lamb flavored with Palestinian barahat spice blends; and the marriage of local olive oil with earthy za'atar, served in small bowls to accompany toasted breads. It has evolved over several…


Book cover of Delights from the Garden of Eden: A Cookbook and History of the Iraqi Cuisine

Felicia Campbell Author Of The Food of Oman: Recipes and Stories from the Gateway to Arabia

From my list on best international cookbooks for both culture and food.

Why am I passionate about this?

Felicia Campbell is a food writer, editor, and author of The Food of Oman: Stories and Recipes from the Gateway to Arabia, the first English-language cookbook on Omani cuisine. She earned her masters degree in culinary anthropology from New York University with a specialization in Middle Eastern foodways. She has lectured on Omani food and food in zones of conflict at the Smithsonian Institute, Leiden University, New York University, and Arizona State University. She is currently developing a documentary series about endangered cuisines around the world. 

Felicia's book list on best international cookbooks for both culture and food

Felicia Campbell Why did Felicia love this book?

When I want a truly traditional recipe for an Iraqi dish, or any classic Middle Eastern food, I reach for Nawal Nasrallah’s tome. As a culinary historian, she spares no detail when describing the origins of the food of her homeland, and interspersed with recipes are folkloric tales, cultural tidbits, and bite-sized histories. What you come away with is a deep appreciation of the complex, ancient culinary traditions of the fertile crescent, as well as recipes for the best falafels you’ve ever made (spoiler: use both fava beans and chickpeas for heartier flavor).

By Nawal Nasrallah,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Delights from the Garden of Eden as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is a concise version of the award-winning and highly acclaimed second edition published in 2013. It is luxuriously illustrated throughout with colour photos, paintings, medieval miniatures and sketches and displays the diversity of the region's traditional culinary practices, delicious and enduring. This edition book contains 300 of the original 400 recipes, all tested and easy to follow, and covers all food categories with ample choice for both vegetarians and meat lovers, and many that will satisfy a sweet tooth. Ingredients and cooking techniques indigenous to the region are fully explained.

Unlike the majority of cookbooks, the book uniquely traces…


Book cover of California Native Plants for the Garden

Pam Peirce Author Of Golden Gate Gardening,  The Complete Guide to Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area & Coastal California

From my list on California Mediterranean Gardening.

Why am I passionate about this?

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you know that its climate is unique in the U.S. and that there are many microclimates within the region. It’s all mediterranean, as you can tell by its dry summers and mild, wet winters. But near the coast, summer fog carpets the land for weeks and winter is rarely frosty, while inland summers are hot, winter frosts are frequent. I live here and use my academic and first-hand experience with plants to help regional gardeners create year-round beauty and harvests in all of our wonderful, often perplexing microclimates.

Pam's book list on California Mediterranean Gardening

Pam Peirce Why did Pam love this book?

Historically, California native plants were often grown in European gardens before they were accepted into California gardens. Now they are being grown in California for their beauty and frequent drought tolerance. Here you will see photos of plants in garden landscapes with information about the regions in which they will grow, their needs, and their care. 

By Carol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O’Brien

Why should I read it?

1 author picked California Native Plants for the Garden as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

California Native Plants for the Garden is a comprehensive resource that features more than 500 of the best California native plants for gardening in Mediterranean-climate areas of the world. Authored by three of the state's leading native-plant horticulturists and illustrated with 450 color photos, this reference book also includes chapters on landscape design, installation, and maintenance. Detailed lists of recommended native plants for a variety of situations and appendices with information on places to see native plants and where to buy them are also provided.


Book cover of The Time of the Dark

Mike Shevdon Author Of Sixty-One Nails

From my list on characters that shine through.

Why am I passionate about this?

We’ve all read them: the girl who is unknowingly of royal blood but was sequestered to an ordinary family to protect her identity. The detective with the broken home and a drink problem is driven to solve the crime. The action hero who can shoot their way out of any encounter. While these tropes are the bread and butter of genre fiction, they get overused. I found that my favorite and most engaging characters were those with complicated lives whose pasts might catch up with them at an inconvenient moment. Here are some of my favorite stories with unconventional characters that shine through the narrative.

Mike's book list on characters that shine through

Mike Shevdon Why did Mike love this book?

My copies of this series are so worn by reading and re-reading that they are falling apart. There’s no higher praise from me as a reader. 

This is my comfort read, which is odd because it’s about the fall of a civilization—and The Dark, in particular, is terrifying. We never really see them. That’s partly because they aren’t entirely corporeal and can change size and shape at will. It’s also because anyone we know in the story who encounters them is almost certainly fighting for their life.

Are The Dark one character or many? Certainly, what one of them knows, they all know. The key to this conundrum is what motivates them to do as they do, and alien as they are; their motivations are as unexpected as they are profound. 

This is beautifully written classic fantasy in all its glory. If you only read one book of these five,…

By Barbara Hambly,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Time of the Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Gil, a graduate student, discovers that her nightmares of people fleeing in panic from a hideous evil are not dreams and that she is standing in the doorway to another world


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Arabs, California, and presidential biography?

Arabs 19 books
California 397 books