The most recommended recipe books

Who picked these books? Meet our 13 experts.

13 authors created a book list connected to recipes, and here are their favorite recipe books.
Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What type of recipe book?

Loading...
Loading...

Book cover of The Cancer Revolution: A Groundbreaking Program to Reverse and Prevent Cancer

Ginny Dent Brant Author Of Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer

From my list on showing you how to help prevent and survive cancer.

Why am I passionate about this?

Unleash Your God-Given Healing is the book I never wanted to write. As an educator and trained researcher, I uncovered some of the reasons I got a cancer I had no risk factors or genetics for. I also discovered what I could do to help my doctors to beat my cancer and prevent a recurrence. After surgeries and then chemo and immunotherapy for a year, my cancer was gone. My doctors called me their “Rock Star” cancer patient and attributed my lifestyle changes as to why I fared well and returned quickly to vibrant health. I realized that what I learned could help many people. The treasures I learned are in this book. 

Ginny's book list on showing you how to help prevent and survive cancer

Ginny Dent Brant Why did Ginny love this book?

Dr. Connealy, an integrative medical oncologist, gives practical ways that cancer patients can be a part of reversing their cancer. She is a sought-after speaker and oncologist. After reading this book, you’ll see why cancer patients travel a distance to consult with her. She shares much wisdom in this book. I’ve also had the privilege of hearing her lecture several times. She is on the cutting edge of cancer.

By Leigh Erin Connealy,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Integrative health pioneer offers her groundbreaking approach to treating (and preventing) cancer, based on 6 Revolutionary Findings, with a practical program and strategies.

When it comes to cancer, conventional doctors are trained to treat their patients exclusively with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. These methods are grueling on the whole body--and they don't treat beyond the tumor or the cancer itself. The focus is on the disease, not the whole person--and because of this, the outcomes in conventional medicine can be bleak.

But it doesn't have to be this way. Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy has developed a whole-person approach to treating…


Book cover of The Complete Low FODMAP Diet Plan: Relieve symptoms of IBS using a food-first approach

Kirsten Jackson Author Of Take Control of your IBS: The step-by-step guide that actually works

From my list on gut health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated with the impact of gut health since becoming diagnosed with coeliac disease and IBS myself. As a registered dietitian, I was able to translate the complex science of gut health into a step-by-step format, which improved my symptoms, and I then went on to dedicate my career to this space and become a Consultant IBS Dietitian. I now run The IBS Dietitian, which is an online platform for people with IBS and includes online courses, a free podcast, and a book. One of the most important things you need to do to stay up to date with research in this area is to read.

Kirsten's book list on gut health

Kirsten Jackson Why did Kirsten love this book?

I find a lot of clients confused over the low FODMAP diet, and this book really lays it out in a simple and accurate way to help those with IBS identify what their triggers are. Like many of the other recommendations on this page, the book is written by a registered dietitian which means the advice can be trusted and is free of any fads.

By Priya Tew,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Complete Low FODMAP Diet Plan as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Take control of IBS with this ground-breaking diet plan

The low-FODMAP diet is a medically proven approach to managing and relieving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that are difficult to digest and known to cause unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms, such as bloating, excessive gas and stomach pain.

Full of essential information, this easy-to-follow beginner's guide will help you understand and apply the diet with the support of your dietitian, and shows you how, by making simple changes to what you eat, you can alleviate symptoms of IBS and live life to the full again. Includes:

A…


Book cover of The Flavour Thesaurus: More Flavours: Plant-led Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for Cooks

Anthony Gladman Author Of Gin A Tasting Course: A Flavor-focused Approach to the World of Gin

From my list on cocktail-loving flavour fans.

Why am I passionate about this?

I think I was always meant to write about drinks for a living, it just took me a while to realise. Ever since my Dad gave me a copy of Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails as a kid (to look at the cartoonish illustrations) I've been fascinated by these particularly adult delights. I've also followed flavour around all my life like a Loony Tunes figure in the thrall of a beckoning wisp of fragrant steam. Studying this stuff for various drinks industry qualifications has only made that interest grow stronger, and so I take it out on you, dear reader, in the nicest way, of course.

Anthony's book list on cocktail-loving flavour fans

Anthony Gladman Why did Anthony love this book?

Ok, you got me: this isn't a drinks book. But if you're interested in drinks, properly interested, I mean, above and beyond a fondness for getting drunk, then you're interested in flavour.

This book sets my mind racing about the combinations I could conjure up between drink, garnish, and snack. Just imagine, you open a page at random, and there's Segnit's pairing of caraway and poppy seed. Delicious! How much more so might it be next to a nice glass of Madeira, or perhaps something that's sat for a while in a sherry cask taking on all those flavours?

Another one: sesame and shiso. Ok. I know some gins flavoured with shiso. This could work. I flick through this book, and a million new paths open before me, leading me on to tasty treats.

By Niki Segnit,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The hugely anticipated follow-up to Niki Segnit's landmark global bestseller The Flavour Thesaurus In More Flavours, Niki Segnit applies her ground-breaking approach to explore 92 mostly plant-based flavours, from Kale to Cashew, Pomegranate to Pistachio. There are over 800 witty and erudite entries combining recipes, tasting notes and stories to bring each ingredient to life.


Book cover of Pie

M. Liz Boyle Author Of Chased

From M. Liz's 12-year-old's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Homeschooling mama Adventure seeker Rock climber Sunshine fan Brainstormer

M. Liz's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Plus, M. Liz's 6, 10, and 12-year-old's favorite books.

M. Liz Boyle Why did M. Liz's 12-year-old love this book?

This is a timeless story of friendship and mystery, family legacies, and hidden talentsIt’s one of our favorite read-aloud books (although my husband has to read the epilogue because I cry every time), or go for the audiobook to hear all of Alice’s little ditties performed by a beautiful voice.

My 12-year-old checks this out from the library again and again. Get ready to crave pie, find a catnapped pet, strike up an unlikely friendship, and let your individual talents shine. 

By Sarah Weeks,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pie as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

From the award-winning author of SO B. IT, a story about family, friendship, and...pie!

When Alice's Aunt Polly, the Pie Queen of Ipswitch, passes away, she takes with her the secret to her world-famous pie-crust recipe. Or does she? In her will, Polly leaves the recipe to her extraordinarily fat, remarkably disagreeable cat, Lardo . . . and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice.Suddenly, the whole town is wondering how you leave a recipe to a cat. Everyone wants to be the next big pie-contest winner, and it's making them pie-crazy. It's up to Alice and her friend…


Book cover of Positively Vegetarian

Veronika Sophia Robinson Author Of The Mystic Cookfire: The Sacred Art of Creating Food to Nurture Friends and Family

From my list on conscious plant-based cookery.

Why am I passionate about this?

Veronika Sophia Robinson has eaten a plant-based diet for forty-eight years and knows what healthy and delicious vegan and vegetarian food should taste like. She has had extensive experience in cooking for others whether around her kitchen table or in a yurt with no electricity feeding up to fifty families for five days (for many years). The Mystic Cookfire is a tome of over 400 pages. It is an expression of her deep love and respect for food, conscious cookery, and intentional eating. Her second recipe book Love From My Kitchen is a collection of vegan, gluten-free recipes based on the four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. She’s delighted that her granddaughter is a fourth-generation vegetarian.

Veronika's book list on conscious plant-based cookery

Veronika Sophia Robinson Why did Veronika love this book?

I bought this treasure of a recipe book after dining at Demuths. The food was exquisite. A recipe book that’s based on meals which have been tried and tested over and over by a judicious public is different to other recipe books. In its time, more than sixty thousand people a year have eaten in Demuths. Surprisingly, many of those diners weren’t vegetarian but omnivores.  This book is a magnificent collection of the most frequently asked for recipes. Some of the best recipe books are those which don’t feature colour photographs: the focus is entirely on the written recipe and easy-to-find ingredients. This book remains unrivalled in the vegetarian-recipe field.

By Rachel Demuth,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

This is the 1st recipe book that we self-published way back in 1997.
It's a collection of our most frequently asked for recipes at Demuths Vegetarian Restaurant in Bath.
It contains a wealth of vegan & vegetarian soups, starters, main dishes, salads & puddings.
Sixty thousand people eat in Demuths each year. Many of them are vegetarians but many more of them are omnivores.
The recipes are easy to make & delicious to eat when made with love & attention.
This book is for those who care for their friends & themselves because at the end of the day a…


Book cover of The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer's Through Food

Christine Buckley Author Of Plant Magic: Herbalism in Real Life

From my list on that prove eating locally is also delicious.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an herbalist dedicated to teaching people practical approaches to herbalism and creativity. I do this on my Substack, in clinical intakes with my herbal clients (I work mostly with artists), and in workshops and classes. My life and herbal practice revolve around food. I’ve cooked professionally for over 15 years, worked on organic farms, and grow food at home for myself and pollinators in my region. The best bet we have at caring for ourselves and our communities is through the food we grow, buy, prepare, and eat. I like to say most people are already doing herbalism, they just don’t know it's happening in their kitchens at breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

Christine's book list on that prove eating locally is also delicious

Christine Buckley Why did Christine love this book?

Dr. Annie Fenn is a board-certified ob-gyn and chef who focused her work on degenerative brain disease after her mothers dementia diagnosis.

I worked as part of the food styling team on this book in Idaho and Wyoming cooking and eating from Annie’s garden and local farmer’s markets. Her Italian-American heritage shines throughout her book, organized by foods with neuroprotective properties, most of them plants. Each of the 100 recipes are brain healthy, flavorful, and deeply satiating.

The book is educational and hopeful: she sites study after study that found the number one dementia-reducing behavior is a brain-healthy dietary pattern. As an herbalist and someone who recently lost a loved one to Alzheimers, I know compliance is key.

We are all more likely to eat a brain health diet if its flavorful, satiating, and adaptable to our social lives and familial traditions. Annie is…

By Annie Fenn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Brain Health Kitchen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A physician and chef identifies the top ten brain-smart ingredients and shows that eating to maintain brain health is easy, accessible, delicious, and necessary for everyone. The foods we choose to eat (or not) sit at the core of the Alzheimer's epidemic. In The Brain Health Kitchen, readers will learn exactly how making the right choices about the foods we select and cook, and how we eat them, can keep our brains younger, sharper, more vibrant, and much less prone to dementia. Scientific studies show that there are ten foods with powerful neuroprotective properties. None should come as a surprise-leafy…


Book cover of The Cooking of Provincial France

Clifford A. Wright Author Of A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes

From my list on provincial French cooking for home cooks.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an independent research scholar, food writer, and cook who won the James Beard Cookbook of the Year award and the Beard Award for the Best Writing on Food in 2000 for A Mediterranean Feast. I have written 19 books, 17 of which are cookbooks, and two on politics and history. I wrote all the food entries for Columbia University's Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and the entry for tiramisu and other sweets in the Oxford Companion to Sweets. I have written articles on politics, military affairs, foreign policy, history, and botany.

Clifford's book list on provincial French cooking for home cooks

Clifford A. Wright Why did Clifford love this book?

The Time-Life Foods of the World series first published in the 1960s is hands down, to this day, the best books on the various cuisines of the world. Every book in the series is top-notch but the one on provincial French cooking was edited by the famous food writer M. F. K. Fisher. The book, as all in the series, is not written from a chef's point of view, but for the home cook. The recipes are classics and easily do-able by an even slightly competent home cook. They were originally sold as a box set consisting of a large book of text with several recipes and alluring photographs and a smaller spiral-bound book of recipes.

Book cover of The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook: Featuring More Than 1,200 Kitchen-Tested Recipes

Dinah Bucholz Author Of The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook

From my list on cookbooks for novice and experienced chefs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved cooking and baking since I was a little girl. I attempted to bake a chocolate cake when I was nine without a recipe and put the resulting glop in a plastic bowl in the oven. Luckily, I forgot to turn the oven on and my mother discovered it later, no harm done. I was always a foodie but also a tremendous reader with a great love for the English language, so food writing marries my two passions. My published works include The New York Times bestselling The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook (over a million copies sold), and I write a food column for a women’s magazine.

Dinah's book list on cookbooks for novice and experienced chefs

Dinah Bucholz Why did Dinah love this book?

If you are starting out in life and can only get one cookbook, get this one. It contains recipes for the classics as well as the familiar, basic dishes you must have in your repertoire—and the recipes are foolproof. Because the recipes are thoroughly tested, you can hardly go wrong if you follow the detailed instructions.

By America's Test Kitchen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Like the best treasured cookbooks of the past, The America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook offers more than 1,200 kitchen-tested recipes, more than 1,500 4-color photos and much more. Here are some of the special features of this book: *Test Kitchen Tips Illuminate Key Recipe-Specific Facts *Hundreds of Variations Give Cooks Lots of Recipe Choices *Equipment Ratings Point Out Our Favorite Brands and Explain Why *Ingredient Testings Rate All Manner of Supermarket Ingredients So Cooks Can Make the Best Choices *Fast Recipes are Highlighted Throughout the Book *Prep Times and Total Times Make Clear How Long a Recipe Will Take *A…


Book cover of Mastering Diabetes: The Revolutionary Method to Reverse Insulin Resistance Permanently in Type 1, Type 1.5, Type 2, Prediabetes, and Gestational Diabetes

Glen Merzer Author Of Own Your Health: How to Live Long & Avoid Chronic Illness

From my list on healthy cooking, eating, and lifestyle.

Why am I passionate about this?

Heart disease ravaged both sides of my family. When I was a teenager, my mother developed heart disease and her two brothers died of heart attacks. In response, at the age of seventeen, I gave up meat. Now, after a career writing comedy for the stage and television, I write books on health, and all my extensive research on nutrition has vindicated my instincts from the age of seventeen but taught me that there is far more to a healthy diet than just avoiding flesh foods. I have authored or co-authored eleven books that, in different ways, make the case for the health benefits of plants. 

Glen's book list on healthy cooking, eating, and lifestyle

Glen Merzer Why did Glen love this book?

Mastering Diabetes explains the nature of the disease, and why the standard treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in particular is counterproductive. The authors draw from their own personal experience and the experiences of those they have counseled, but they provide evidence from a raft of scientific studies. They have had striking success, which they report with energy and enthusiasm. With confidence born of that success, they stand conventional diabetes wisdom on its head.

By Cyrus Khambatta, Robby Barbaro,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The instant New York Times bestseller.

A groundbreaking method to master all types of diabetes by reversing insulin resistance.

Current medical wisdom advises that anyone suffering from diabetes or prediabetes should eat a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. But in this revolutionary book, Cyrus Khambatta, PhD, and Robby Barbaro, MPH, rely on a century of research to show that advice is misguided. While it may improve short-term blood glucose control, such a diet also increases the long-term risk for chronic diseases like cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, and fatty liver disease.

The revolutionary solution is to eat a…


Book cover of The Horror Movie Night Cookbook: 60 Deliciously Deadly Recipes Inspired by Iconic Slashers, Zombie Films, Psychological Thrillers, Sci-Fi Spooks, and More

Bridget Thoreson Author Of The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook For Kids: 50 Fun and Easy Recipes for Tricks, Treats, and Spooky Eats Inspired by the Halloween Classic

From my list on pop culture cookbooks for fans of just about anything.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a writer based in Brooklyn, NY. My books include The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook, XOXO: A Cocktail Book, and consulting for Are You My Wine? Clearly, I am very interested in drinking, eating, and pop culture. When we started talking about a follow-up project for The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook, my mind first went to my daughter Beatrice. I was excited for the day when she could watch the movie with me and share a part of my own life as a kid. I knew that many other millennial parents probably felt the same way, and so I knew I wanted to do a book that would enhance that experience. 

Bridget's book list on pop culture cookbooks for fans of just about anything

Bridget Thoreson Why did Bridget love this book?

If you like the horror movie genre, you’re going to love this book!

The author covers a ton of classic horror movies like Psycho, Jaws, Scream, and more and writes recipe intros that are super clever and full of excellent movie references.

One thing that I really like about this cookbook is that the author includes a dish and a drink for every movie and also puts in some fun suggestions for games to play while you watch!

By Richard S. Sargent, Nevyana Dimitrova (photographer),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Horror Movie Night Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Slay movie night with frighteningly delicious food and cocktail creations inspired by your favorite scary movies, perfect for fans of spooky season and movie buffs alike!

If you're looking for kitschy Pinterest recipes like coffin-shaped cookies or zombie finger sandwiches, look elsewhere. With The Horror Movie Night Cookbook, you’ll enjoy thoughtful and tasty food and cocktail pairings inspired by the actual content of chilling classics like Jaws, Psycho, Scream, The Conjuring, The Evil Dead, Halloween, and more of horror’s most frightening favorites! Inside you’ll find recipes like:
Crawling Steak (Poltergeist) Campfire Sour (The Blair Witch Project) Zombie Baby Kale Salad…