Cookbook reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 300 Reddit reviews across 33 subreddits and 103 posts to rank the best Cookbook brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/CookbookLovers, r/Cooking, r/cookingforbeginners, r/mexicanfood, r/moderatelygranolamoms. Top-rated brands include Mark Bittman (4.8/5), America's Test Kitchen (4.9/5), Marcella Hazan (4.9/5).
Stats
Reviews300
Subreddits33
Posts103
Brands86
Products56
300 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Mark Bittman
4.8
(15)
"Any of Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Anything books."
"Is an excellent, although a bit old, book."
"Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything"
"Mark Bittman - How To Cook Everything"
"How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman sounds right up your alley."
"Is excellent."
"Depending on how young your teen is."
"One of my favorites. It has loads of options for all skill levels, and goes into the nitty gritty on various preparation methods, ingredients, substitutes, etc."
"Its the most idiot proof book I have encountered in a long life of being a professional kitchen creep."
"Covers everything from snacks to full meals using basic ingredients."
#2
America's Test Kitchen
4.9
(10)
"America's Test Kitchen makes several great books. They extensively test everything so you can be very confident all the recipes will work if followed closely."
"They have a whole series of cookbooks that teach skills and recipes."
"America's Test Kitchen is also very reliable."
"You should look at the America's Test Kitchen books."
"America's Test Kitchen's Vegan for Everybody and I Can Cook Vegan are great for beginners."
"The recipes are down to perfection and tested."
"Anything by America's Test Kitchen."
"Why not just explore ATKs vast library of books. There are so many to choose from."
"Americas test kitchen! I got it as a gift for christmas one year and it was life changing."
"I really like America's Test Kitchen's vegan and vegetarian books (Vegan for Everybody and The Complete Vegetarian)."
#3
Marcella Hazan
4.9
(10)
"Hazan is the Gold Standard. It incorporates all types of Italian food from Pasta to fish, to meats."
"There is no other answer. Hazan is the gold-standard."
"Agreed! She doesn't overcomplicate, unlike many newere recipe writers... and I love her no-nonsense tone."
"Agree, Marcella Hazan’s book is excellent. Guests have raved about the food that I’ve made from the book’s recipes."
"Marcella Hazan - Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Recipes are straightforward, not particularly and always come out exactly as described and delicious."
"Marcella Hazan "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking""
"Essentials of Italian Cooking- Hazen."
"I have and love Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and Marcella's Italian Kitchen by Hazan."
"Great, I haven’t been disappointed with anything I’ve made out of it yet."
"Italian cook books written in English: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking."
#4
Smitten Kitchen
5.0
(7)
"Smitten kitchen! Everything was tested in her small east village kitchen and a lot of recipes were adapted from nyc restaurants."
"Smitten kitchen - you can also follow them on insta and their recipes are posted."
"Any of the Smitten Kitchen or New York Times cookbooks!"
"Smitten kitchen has a book but her website is also incredible with an actually organized very helpful recipe index"
"Has fantastic vegetarian and vegan recipes."
"Really great resource for tons of basics and meal prep ideas"
"Her first cookbook is my most used cookbook by far."
#5
Diana Kennedy
5.0
(7)
"Dianna Kennedy."
"The Art of Mexican Cooking by Diana Kennedy is for my money the best intro to Mexican cooking."
"I am firmly in the anything Diana Kennedy, Rick Bayless, Pati Jinch club."
"“the art of Mexican cooking” by Diana Kennedy."
"Books are a great place to start."
"I'd go with either a Diana Kennedy book, or Mely Martinez' book"
"Diana Kennedy or Rick Bayless for Mexican"
#6
Madhur Jaffrey
4.7
(7)
"I go back to these classics constantly."
"Any books by Madhur Jaffrey; Raghavan Iyer did 660 Curries (incredible), also On the Curry Trail; Meera Sodha, again, anything she writes."
"Madhur Jeffrey, Julie Sahini are classics."
"You can't go wrong with any of Madhur Jaffrey's cookbooks."
"My desert island cookbook."
"Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian was a lifesaver. It's specifically vegan but there's lots of options in there."
"World Vegetarian by Madhur Jeffrey is like 600 pages of good ideas and general cooking advice."
#7
Joy of Cooking
5.0
(6)
"Joy of cooking. There might even be cooking for dummies book."
"Joy of cooking and Harold Magee."
"Covers a TON."
"Joy of Cooking - I think a lot of people overlook it, but the newest addition has some great added recipes from around the world."
"Maybe showing my age but Joy of Cooking."
"Joy of Cooking. The best thing I ever got as a gift."
#8
Claire Saffitz
5.0
(6)
"I've heard great things about this cookbook. I'm definitely a 'dessert person' so it would be totally fitting for me."
"One nice thing about Dessert Person is that there are a lot of videos up on Youtube."
"They’re excellent."
"My cookbook club recently did Dessert Person. It was a hit!"
"Whats for Dessert and Dessert Person are by Claire Saffitz of Bon Appetit fame."
"I would absolutely second Beatrix Bakes/ Nat Paull. Every recipe is a stone cold classic."
#9
The Joy of Cooking
5.0
(6)
"We also have a copy of The Joy of cooking."
"The Joy of Cooking has more recipes than I feel I could cook in a lifetime."
"The Joy of Cooking."
"Joy of Cooking was my bible for years."
"The joy of cooking."
"Joy of cooking. It tells you EVERYTHING."
#10
Rick Martinez
5.0
(6)
"Mi Cocina - Rick Martinez. Everything I’ve cooked from this has been excellent."
"Cooking out of Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez and Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden."
"Every. single. recipe. SLAPS."
"We’ve made a few things out of it so far and they’ve all been delicious."
"I love Rick Martinez’s book."
"Rick Martinez or Rick Bayless books"
#11
Betty Crocker
4.3
(7)
"Betty Crocker or Better Homes and Gardens."
"Is my go to for nearly everything."
"Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens."
"And for just learning to cook Betty Crocker cookbook has so much info."
"I would recommend a Betty Crocker, Taste of Home, or Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) cookbook."
"Betty Crocker. Most OG shit, and some basic info as well."
"Get an old Betty Crocker cookbook."
#12
Ottolenghi
4.7
(6)
"If you want to up your game, Ottolenghi Simple... have both had me cooking dishes I never dreamed I was capable of."
"A cookbook that everyone seems to love."
"All of Ottolenghi's books fit your description. I recommend starting with _Ottolenghi: Simple_."
"Ottolenghi Simple"
"Introduced me to Ottolenghi and a way of approaching flavors and textures unlike any cookbook."
#13
Rick Bayless
5.0
(5)
"If you want the “best” for each author and aren’t easily intimidated, “authentic Mexican” by Rick Bayless."
"He breaks down recipes and explains the origins."
"Any book by Rick Bayless"
"Anything by Rick Bayless. His first book is amazing."
"Any cookbook by Master Chef Rick Bayless"
#14
Kenji Lopez-Alt
5.0
(5)
"The Food Lab by Kenji Lopez-Alt goes deep into food science."
"Kenji Lopez-Alt - THE FOOD LAB."
"The Food Lab by Kenji Lopez Alt."
"Won a James Beard award. I haven’t cooked out of it personally but it is highly regarded."
"The Wok by Kenji Lopez-Alt is, by far, the cookbook I've used most over the past year."
#15
Deborah Madison
5.0
(5)
"The Korean Vegan, or Vegan Japaneasy are faves!"
"A fave this time of year."
"Deborah Madison, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone."
"I would go with something by Deborah Madison. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is super solid."
"Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is the encyclopedia every household needs."
#16
The Food Lab
4.8
(5)
"Just… find yourself a copy of The Food Lab."
"I would also recommend The Food Lab."
"Cannot say enough about Kenji’s ‘The Food Lab’."
"The Food Lab, On Food and Cooking, The Whole Fish Cookbook."
"The Food Lab is a science-based cookbook; it explains why processes work etc."
#17
Better Homes and Gardens
4.8
(5)
"It's a great basic cookbook. It gives lots of variations on some recipes."
"A good simple cook book I refer to often is Better homes and Gardens."
"Both have not only a wide range of recipes of varying difficulty."
"It's a great beginner textbook, and every recipe is solid."
"Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens."
#18
Meera Sodha
4.8
(5)
"I love Meera Sodha's East and her new book, Dinner."
"I have very nearly “Julia and Julia-d” it, and I love it."
"I love every recipe I’ve made from Meera Sodha’s books."
"I’m a big fan of Meera Sodha’s books, particularly East."
"If you like Indian cuisine, Made in India by Meera Sodha would be a good one for this."
#19
Cookie and Kate
4.8
(5)
"Love Real Food by Cookie and Kate."
"I love the cook book from the woman behind the website Cookie and Kate."
"Her corn chowder is amazing, I add chorizo and grilled chicken."
"I love the Love Real Food cookbook. It's vegetarian but super approachable."
"I really like the website and cookbook from cookieandkate.com."
#20
SkinnyTaste
4.6
(5)
"Skinnytaste! Website is also helpful."
"Are amazing and super easy."
"Any of the SkinnyTaste cookbooks (Gina Homolka) - or even just the recipes her website! TONS of delicious recipes of all kinds that are WeightWatchers adjacent, so they’re using lots of real food and taking macros into account."
"The Skinnytaste cookbooks are all very approachable."
"The Skinnytaste ones are good."
#21
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
4.6
(5)
"It explains the science of cooking and includes alternative ingredients for each recipe"
"Is a good option too."
"Salt Fat Acid Heat (watch the Netflix series of the same name too)."
"This a good one for beginners starting out on the carnivore diet. also i like the salt fat acid heat cookbook."
"Salt Fat Acid Heat is good to listen to since the first half of the book is just text."
#22
Julia Child
5.0
(4)
"That book has EVERYTHING in it."
"Give it a whirl with Julia Child."
"It's a huge book full of various recipes and good ideas."
"Lots of helpful shit."
#23
Carleigh Bordug
5.0
(4)
"Both Plant You, and Plant You Scrappy Cooking by Carleigh Bodrug are fantastic."
"PlantYou by Carleigh Bordug"
"Check out plant you! has an excellent falafel recipe that i make once a week"
"Plant You! Vegan, easy, delicious."
#24
Julia Turshen
5.0
(4)
"Small Victories by Julia Turshen! You learn one recipe, then how to make variations on it."
"I'm a bit fan of Julia Turshen’s first book (Small Victories)."
"A great place to start all around."
"I love Small Victories so much, it's the coziest book."
#25
Ali Slagle
5.0
(4)
"I like Ali Slagle's I Dream of Dinner."
"Ali Slagle's 'I dream of dinner' is a great cookbook that I use all the time for easy meals."
"It is designed for recipes to have relatively short ingredient lists."
#26
Moosewood Restaurant
5.0
(4)
"The one I actually use the most is Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special. I think it is maybe the best soup cookbook I own AND the best salad cookbook I own."
"I think Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home would probably be the consensus choice."
"Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special is great for soups and salads."
"Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home is my favourite. I use it all the time."
#27
Melissa Clark
4.3
(4)
"Melissa Clark’s Dinner in One sounds like it was written for you."
"Dinner in one is a recent addition to my collection! Very flavorful recipes so far."
"My first thought is Dinner in One by Melissa Clark, all one pan one pot kind of recipes like you're looking for."
"I do love Melissa Clark’s “dinner in one” which has a mix of single dish meals."
#28
Dishoom
4.0
(4)
"Dishoom (Indian, complicated but delicious)"
"I borrowed it from the library recently, and it is now on my wish list."
"Dishoom does have a mix of more basic and more advanced recipes but it can be very ingredient heavy."
"Is a great book but be aware it’s about the specific cuisine of Iranian cafe in Bombay."
#29
Sohla El-Waylly
5.0
(3)
"Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly. It covers all the basics."
"Sohla El-Waylly's new cookbook, it's great for beginners."
#30
Gena Hamshaw
5.0
(3)
"Power Plates by Gena Hamshaw"
"Two of my favorites are Power Plates by Gena Hamshaw and Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson."
"Gena Hamshaw's books, Power Plates and The Vegan Week might be up your alley."
#31
Dessert Person
5.0
(3)
"I like “Dessert Person” and make quite a few recipes from it regularly."
"I absolutely love it. It has a matrix in the front that shows how difficult and how time consuming each recipe is."
"Dessert Person is great!"
#32
Enrique Olvera
5.0
(3)
"Beautiful through and through."
"Tu Casa Mi Casa, Enrique Olvera"
"Lots of basic salsas and dishes"
#33
Carleigh Bodrug
5.0
(3)
"I'm a big fan of Plant You by Carleigh B previously suggested"
"Carleigh Bodrug PlantYou: 140+ Ridiculously Easy, Amazingly Delicious Plant-Based Oil-Free Recipes"
"Her cookbooks are my favorites out of the many that I have."
#34
The Silver Spoon
5.0
(3)
"Seconding the Silver Spoon! I'm from Italy and it's one of those cookbooks that we consider part of our holy cookbook trinity!"
"Silver Spoon nd Marcella Hazan are very good recommendations."
"If you want just want, go with a classic tome like The Silver Spoon."
#35
Park and Choi
5.0
(3)
"Park and Choi’s The Korean Cookbook is a thing of beauty."
"I came here to recommend this one as well. It’s excellent."
"Second this one for sure! I believe this is the best cookbook of the decade thus far."
#36
Najmieh Batmanglij
5.0
(3)
"I would suggest Najmieh's Food of Life, reminds me of home."
"While they are both excellent I would recommend the former first."
"I think of it as my point of reference that covers almost everything within Persian cuisine."
#37
Snoop Dogg
5.0
(3)
"Snoop Dogg's "From Crook to Cook" Cookbook is perfect for young guys."
"Snoop Dogg has two great cookbooks."
"Best orange chicken recipe I've ever made."
#38
Silver Spoon
5.0
(3)
"According to the Italian food subreddit, it's the Silver Spoon and LA Cucina: regional cooking of Italy."
"Silver Spoon Hands down."
"The “Silver Spoon” series of cookbooks are like the Betty Crocker Cookbook of Italian cuisine."
#39
Samin Nosrat
5.0
(3)
"Nothing has sparked quite as much creativity for me across the board as 'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat'."
"It changed the way I cook."
"Made for people who want to learn cooking without a recipe while following recipes."
#40
The Loopy Whisk
4.7
(3)
"Her two cookbooks are even better!"
"The Loopy Whisk (blog and cookbooks) are THE BEST! Everything I've tried has turned out awesome."
"The Loopy Whisk books"
#41
Carla Lalli Music
4.7
(3)
"That Sounds So Good: 100 Real-Life Recipes for Every Day of the Week: A Cookbook by Carla Lalli Music."
"That Sounds so Good from Carla Lalli Music was my favorite for the past year!"
"This book probably looks more advanced, but she writes her recipes clearly and in order of procedure."
#42
Moosewood Cookbook
4.7
(3)
"I have very old beat up/well loved and well used original Moosewood Cookbook and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest."
"Moosewood Cookbook"
"I feel like the classic Moosewood Cookbook might be a good fit."
#43
Joshua McFadden
4.7
(3)
"Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden would be great for this."
"The recipes are all about making the ingredients shine, and are pretty straightforward for a home cook."
"Six Seasons (Joshua McFadden?) would also be up your alley."
#44
Vegan Richa
4.7
(3)
"Is much better than Meera Sodha's East. I know everyone loves East but I own both and I use the former far more often."
"She has instant pot and conventional stovetop instructions for all her recipes."
"It looks very healthy and tasty but I haven't tried any of it yet, but it's got a lot of vegetable recipes."
#45
Defined Dish
4.3
(3)
"Defined dish!! So healthy and tasty"
"Defined Dish also has a lot of really great gluten free recipes."
"Defined Dish"
#46
Milk Street
4.3
(3)
"If you want to up your game, ... Milk Street the world in a skillet have both had me cooking dishes I never dreamed I was capable of."
"I really enjoy Milk Street The World in a Skillet!"
"Milk Street's The world in a skillet. It's supposed to be a bunch of 12-in skillet meals pulled from cuisines around the world."
#47
Whole 30
5.0
(2)
"I really like the Whole 30 cookbook because it has tons of sauce recipes in it and none of it will have gluten."
"Really like the whole30 cookbook the entire back explains basic cooking techniques."
#48
Budget Bytes
5.0
(2)
"Not a cookbook but I love Budget Bytes for simple, wholesome, and easy recipes."
"What I love specifically about Budget Bytes is you can adjust the recipe to the number of servings."
#49
Stella Parks
5.0
(2)
"Bravetart by Stella Parks is fantastic and it has gf substitutions listed for most of the recipes."
"She is a brilliant baker, and she really breaks down the 'why' behind different ingredients."
#50
No Gluten No Problem
5.0
(2)
"'No Gluten No Problem Pizza' is a favorite of mine!"
"No Gluten No Problem Pizza by Bronski."
#51
Simple Suppers
5.0
(2)
"I like Simple Suppers best."
"Simple Suppers"
#52
Bryant Terry
5.0
(2)
"Bryant Terry has some good ones."
"It’s very inspiring for ways to make vegetables super delicious."
#53
Fuchsia Dunlop
5.0
(2)
"Gets used in my house at least weekly, highly recommend."
"The food of sichuan by fuschia Dunlop"
#54
Michael Greger
5.0
(2)
"Those are my go to books along with all of Michael Gregers books :)"
"The Michael Greger cookbooks are all pretty solid."
#55
RecipeTin Eats
5.0
(2)
"RecipeTin Eats published two cookbooks and have some great varied recipes."
"Nagi - Recipetin Eats. She's Australian, but she has a huge US following."
#56
The Korean Vegan
5.0
(2)
"Is amazing, everything I've made so far is delicious and nothing is too complicated."
"Reflections and Recipes from Omma's Kitchen."
#57
J. Kenji López-Alt
5.0
(2)
"Salt fat acid heat as well as others have mentioned."
"Covers a lot of territory, and is good for cooks who already know what to do."
#58
Emily English
5.0
(2)
"Emily English - So Good. I love her recipes and have cooked so much out of this book."
"Actually healthy recipes which taste fantastic, and more importantly work!"
#59
Gonzalo Guzman
5.0
(2)
"Nopalito by Gonzalo Guzman."
"I like Nopalito."
#60
Isa Chandra Moskowitz
5.0
(2)
"Veganomicon is my bible."
"Veganomicon."
#61
Molly Katzen
5.0
(2)
"Healthy, delicious, and approachable recipes."
"Nearly all of the vegetarian recipes can be modified to vegan."
#62
The Weekday Vegetarian
5.0
(2)
"It really does simplify a lot."
"Weeknight Vegetarian - great book for getting into vegetarian cooking."
#63
Aaron Huh
5.0
(2)
"[Simply Korean by Aaron Huh](https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Korean-Recipes-Favorites-Anyone/dp/0744063523?crid=3GFUZB4L2XOW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fUux_GZgZ-dhi6SRGotCh_O2t1JT1R2U3cIvfmjX_wM.JXn_CdDMEUScVn2GAIhRBKJcl5j-ECghYs41ardrs3M&dib_tag=se&keywords=aaron+huh&qid=1731961995&s=books&sprefix=aaron+huh%2Cstripbooks%2C119&sr=1-1)"
"Best Korean cookbook ever. Aaron and Claire also have an active YouTube station."
#64
Salt Fat Acid Heat
5.0
(2)
"We also have... Salt Fat Acid Heat."
"There are two books that are perfect for you Salt Fat Acid Heat, and The Food Lab."
#65
Best Vegan Thai Cookbook
5.0
(2)
"The recipes are authentic."
"I love this vegan Thai digital cookbook."
#66
King Arthur Baking School Book
5.0
(2)
"I am going to second the King Arthur recommend. For me it is the foundation of breads."
"The King Arthur Baking School Book!"
#67
Mely Martinez
4.5
(2)
"The book is a good price and great quality with beautiful pictures and easy follow recipes."
"The Mexican Home Kitchen, by Mely Martinez."
#68
Sami Tamimi
4.5
(2)
"Just a fantastic book with really solid food."
"Sami Tamimi's book Falastin is also great!"
#69
Ambitious Kitchen
4.5
(2)
"Reallllly loved the Ambitious Kitchen cookbook that came out this year."
"I like ambitious kitchen (just the blog, the cookbook isn’t that exciting)."
#70
Martha Stewart
4.5
(2)
"I still have her cookbooks that I used decades ago."
"If it were American, I'd go for Martha Stewart (home cooking), or Julia Child (basic French)."
#71
Good and Cheap
4.5
(2)
"Try the Good and Cheap cookbook."
"I'm a big fan of *Good and Cheap*. It’s not specifically lunch prep, but it does have a "large batches" section."
#72
Lucky Peach
4.5
(2)
"I LOVE this cookbook. I've owned it for years and it's one I return to all the time."
"I bought this cookbook several years ago and it's quite good. It came out during the years of Lucky Peach magazine and has several different recipe contributors."
#73
Alison Roman
4.5
(2)
"Not at all Belgian, but Alison Roman's books are gold if you can find them."
"Really good with vegetables."
#74
BOSH
4.5
(2)
"The first two Bosh books are amazing."
"Not sure where you’re based but the BOSH books are great."
#75
Meal Kits
4.5
(2)
"My teen and young adult sons love doing meal kits!"
"Meal kits taught me how to cook."
#76
Ottolenghi Test Kitchen
4.5
(2)
"I second Simple! It's my most used cookbook and almost everything from it that I've cooked has been a winner."
"Simple and Ottolenghi Test Kitchen/Extra Good Things!"
#77
Ann Crile Esselstyn
4.5
(2)
"Ann Crile Esselstyn Be A Woman Warrior: Live Fierce, Stay Bold, Eat Delicious: A Cookbook"
"I would recommend... The Plant Based Woman Warrior (nothing about the recipes are just for women though) if you are looking for really health-focused cookbooks."
#78
Oh She Glows
4.5
(2)
"We used Oh She Glows when we were dealing with a medical issue with my son and liked everything we made."
"I've found the recipes in 'Oh She Glows' to be relatively simple to make and quite tasty."
#79
Pasta Grannies
4.5
(2)
"Pasta Grannies is super cute, would be cute as a gift!"
"It is indeed a cute concept and great book!"
#80
Jamie Oliver
4.5
(2)
"My brother swears by them."
"Plant you, Save with Jamie, the zero waste chef, cook more waste less."
#81
Modern Vegan Baking
4.0
(2)
"For pastries i like Modern Vegan Baking, photos are ok but the recipes are quite good."
"[Modern Vegan Baking] has a great easy to follow recipes."
#82
The Veganomicon
4.0
(2)
"The Veganomicon and basically everything else by the same author."
"I'm just gonna go with the cookbook title that popped into mind when I read your post's title--The Veganomicon."
#83
Gluten Free on a Shoestring
4.0
(2)
"Gluten Free on a Shoestring is a blog that sells books of their recipes."
"Gluten Free on a Shoestring has been helpful for my household."
#84
Tom Kerridge
4.0
(2)
"The one by Tom Kerridge seems to be quite good even if you are not on a diet."
"The one by Tom Kerridge seems to be quite good even if you are not on a diet."
#85
The Hungarian Cookbook
4.0
(2)
"I found it on Lira.hu... It is cheaper on Lira, and is available (apparently) in many stores."
"I went to Libri, found these two: The Hungarian Cookbook and Hungarian Kitchen The Simple Way."
#86
Buddy Oliver
3.5
(2)
"It seems like a great book for kids learning to cook."
"Buddy Oliver lets cook (also haven’t tried this one)"
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