Cookbooks reviews from Reddit

"If you already know technique and just want some beginner friendly recipes, America's Test Kitchen makes several great books."

"America's Test Kitchen is also very reliable."

"America's Test Kitchen has three really good ones. The original, an instant pot one, and a second/revised MD one called like "more Mediterranean". All of them are excellent - each recipe they explain why it works etc, and there is a TON of awesome info on various ingredients you may not be familiar with, condiments, all kinds of stuff."

"I appreciate anything by America's Test Kitchen. I think their instructions are clear and ingredients relatively simple."

"*Vegan for Everybody* from America's Test Kitchen is a great introduction."

"The recipes will be terrific and bulletproof."

"Cooking for One by America’s Test Kitchen."

"America's test kitchen cooking for two. It's amazing how following the instructions delivers a stellar meal each time."

"The americas test kitchen books are very beginner friendly and very informative."

"Cooking for One: Scaled Recipes, No-Waste Solutions, and Time-Saving Tips by America's Test Kitchen. It's great."

"Any of Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Anything books."

"How To Cook Everything: The Basics by Mark Bittman."

"“How To Everything: The Basics” by Bittman, or any of his books in that vein."

"Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything"

"It’s comprehensive; he suggests a lot of substitutions."

"Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything.”"

"How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman."

"I learned to cook from Bittman more than twenty years ago."

"Mark Bittman How to cook everything: the basics."

"How to cook Everything by Mark Bittman."

"If you really want to learn the basics, and to cook with more character and improvisation, read Salt Fat Acid Heat."

"Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat."

"Check out Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat."

"I second Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat."

"* Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat."

"Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat."

"Might be the single best cookbook ever conceived."

"Will teach you how to cook intuitively."

"I really like Salt Fat Acid Heat."

"Has EVERYTHING."

"Joy of Cooking, hands down."

"I think Joy of Cooking as your first cookbook."

"I would recommend any of these 3, The Joy of Cooking, Mark Bittman's How to cook everything or Kenji's Food Lab."

"Joy of Cooking is a great general cookbook."

"Dinner in One by Melissa Clark."

"Dinner in One, Melissa Clark might be my current fav."

"Is full of one-pot dinners and tray bakes."

"I have a couple that I use regularly."

"I really like Dinner in One from Melissa Clark."

"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."

"Joy of Cooking."

"The Joy of Cooking is worth having."

"The Food Lab by Kenji Lopez-Alt goes deep into food science."

"Kenji’s first cookbook. The Food Lab. He will explain what is happening while you do stuff."

"Is what I recommend to new cooks now."

"* The Food Lab by Kenji Lopez-Alt."

"For Chinese, look for anything by Fuchsia Dunlop."

"Fuchsia Dunlop has a bunch of great cookbooks."

"Every Grain Of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop."

"Fuchsia Dunlop is really good."

"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"

"I like the Plant You cookbooks by Carleigh Bodrug."

"Plant You by Carleigh Bodrug!!!! There's two books and all recipes I have found to be quick, easy and cheap!"

"The Korean Vegan Cookbook"

"I recommend 'The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes from Omma's Kitchen'."

"The Korean Vegan!"

"The Korean Vegan."

"This also applies to books by Milk Street (they focus a bit more on foreign cuisine)."

"I’m a Milk Street fan, Kimball and team take the guesswork out of me trying to figure out what I’m eating when I just don’t have the time."

"Milk street books are pretty easy and always delicious."

"Milk Street cooking for one."

"Is amazing!"

"Isa Does It or I can cook Vegan - both by Isa Chandra Maskowitz."

"2 Good Cookbooks for you to learn from: Taste of Home Cooking School: Cooking School Cookbook."

"Try the Taste of Home cookbooks."

"Taste of Home (also has a website and a magazine subscription)."

"Taste of home , Pinterest"

"To Asian with Love by Hetty McKinnon +1"

"So many great, out of the box recipes."

"Check out Tenderheart by Hetty Lu McKinnon."

"To Asia with Love by Hetty McKinnon."

"Better Homes and Gardens has been making and updating that sort of cookbook for decades."

"Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens."

"Better Homes and Garden (red/white checkered cover) was the standard for many US homes."

"The ol’ red & white checkered “Better Homes & Gardens” cookbook was one of the very first cookbooks I owned."

"I also own East by Meera Sodha."

"Have you ever looked at the books by Meera Sodha?"

"East by Meera Sodha."

"East by Meera Sodha."

"Veganomicon for sure."

"Another vote for Veganomicon!"

"I love the veganomicon! I’m not vegan but I still make recipes from here."

"It has seasonal recipes and is wonderful for cooking straight from your garden."

"Is really interesting and my current favorite for vegetables."

"I second Defined Dish but also want to offer up Skinnytaste."

"I cook a lot from skinnytaste during the week for simple and family friendly."

"The Skinnytaste cookbooks are all very approachable."

"Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji"

"Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji."

"It's a vegan cookbook that talks shit to you."

"It is a great cookbook nonetheless."

"Thug kitchen."

"The resulting book, *Twelve Recipes* by Cal Peternell is quite different from most cookbooks."

"I always recommend Cal Peternell's *Twelve Recipes* (2014, HarperCollins)."

"[America’s Test Kitchen] This is what you need."

"Any America’s Test Kitchen, Cooks Illustrated, Cooks Kitchen, or Milk Street cookbooks are excellent."

"Love, love, love Pinky Cole's "Eat Plants, Bitch!"."

"The coconut milk base mac and cheese is one of our family favorites."

"It really starts from the basics."

"It covers a lot of the absolute basics for the complete beginner."

"...and Salt Fat Acid Heat."

"1. Salt Fat Acid Heat is wonderful."

"Definitely Christophe adam books. You can find few of them online if you want to check them first before you make a purchase."

"Christophe Adam has a series of cookbooks on very specific French techniques that are incredible."

"I would also recommend The Food Lab."

"The Food Lab."

"Ottolinghi simple."

"A great book with lots of interesting recipes."

"Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian is a classic that's worth having."

"One of my first cookbooks was Jacque Pepin's, LA TECHNIQUE where one learns the skills necessary to be successful with recipes."

"Try the iconic Jacque Pepin, cookbook, La Technique."

"Love the Woks of Life!"

"I highly recommend for Chinese recipes! Every recipe I’ve made I’ve loved."

"The only book I need and use! Japchae is yum!!"

"For me, Ken Hom is the master."

"For me, Ken Hom is the master."

"L.A. Son by Roy Choi I think is a memoir with recipes"

"Was incredible. Loved my kimchi and lots of other recipes."

"Agree that Woks of life is amazing!!! I love how they include Chinese American dishes and more traditional Chinese dishes."

"Woks of Life has been a great source for Chinese food."

"If you like quiche or want some great lessons in working with pastry, The Perfect Quiche by Denise Hawley."

"Totally awesome step by step instructions and advice for constructing your own combos."

"I would look at Alton Brown’s cookbooks."

"I was a big fan of his show Good Eats, when a cousin gave me his book, I'm Just Here For the Food."

"The books by Guilliano Bugialli like The Fine Art of Italian Cooking or Classic Techniques of Italian Cooking. That will get you started."

"Get into Guilliano Bugialli. His food is *superb* and absolutely authentic. Great techniques and flavors. Start with his Fine Art of Italian Cooking."

"Maybe Sohla El Waylly’s Start Here? Joy of Cooking also has instructions about every possible thing."

"Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook."

"Shelf Love is soooo good"

"I’ve had my eye on Shelf Love for a while and I’ve heard great things about Everyday Lagos."

"Nancy Singleton Hachisu is fantastic. Her first book, Japanese Farm Food is my favorite."

"Focus is on the seasonality of Japanese food and farms."

"I second any Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa book, delicious food and brilliant easy to follow instructions."

"Barefoot Contessa. Ingredients are always accessible, she’s made her recipes hundreds of times."

"Cooking by Hand- Paul Bertolli"

"Paul Bertolli's Cooking by Hand is maybe the most romantically written work on Italian cuisine."

"It has recipes like Fish and Lotus Chips as well as Miso Apple Pie."

"Wafu Cooking, Sonoko Sakai"

"For some truly bangin' baking recipes."

"Fannie Farmer."

"Very cool mix of east asian and western ingredients using Chinese methods and techniques"

"The Chinese Way, Betty Liu"

"Years ago when I lived on my own my mom gave me Delia Smith's 'One is Fun' cookbook."

"Delia Smith: One is Fun."

"Dessert person is amazing!!!"

"I love Dessert Person."

"Has a very thorough guide to croissant making, which allowed me to succeed the first time I made them."

"I've been recommended Dessert Person and Claire's other book before."

"This guy is Australian and is recognised as one of the best thai cooks in the world."

"Thai food (David Thompson)"

"I've enjoyed many meals from **Indian-ish**"

"I like and would try Indian-ish by Priya Krishna."

"Chinese Enough by Kristina Cho came out this year and has received rave reviews!"

"Chinese Enough, Kristina Cho"

"Thai: Night + Market."

"[Night + Market](https://www.amazon.com/Night-Market-Delicious-Facilitate-Fun-Having/dp/0451497872/ref=asc_df_0451497872?mcid=15d86310e0f73f419fd53d39e52f1daf&hvocijid=961405334716944356-0451497872-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=961405334716944356&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9192107&hvtargid=pla-2281435180018&psc=1)"

"Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens."

"The most basic cookbook I know of is Betty Crocker."

"The bible of italian cooking from scratch"

"The Silver Spoon is at least in English, the defacto encyclopedia of Italian cooking."

"Marcella Hazan and Lydia Bostivonich for Italian"

"Start w/ Marcella Hazan. Learn the less-is-more approach."

"Julia Pacheco helped me out when I had nothing but a toaster oven and a rice cooker."

"Julia Pacheco for cheap basic meals."

"What to Cook and How to Cook It as well as the Pioneer Woman books have photos of all the steps."

"Pioneer Woman’s cookbooks are good for beginners. She has step by step pictures and ingredients that are easy to find."

"Jamie Oliver has a selection of books."

"For 'simple' look to some of Jamie Oliver's books."

"I also make burgers from Happy Herbivore cookbooks a lot. They are less interesting, but very simple and tasty."

"For basic and sort of fun and easier recipes I’ve always liked the Happy Herbivore books."

"Check Dr. Mcdougall’s website for loads of free recipes, chef Aj and Broccoli Mom on YouTube have lots of free recipe videos and also books to buy, all of Mcdougall’s books, Engine 2 recipes, and I second a comment above for anything from Ann Esselstyn."

"I love the original Pok Pok cookbook (by Andy Richer) if you're willing to cook from scratch."

"My go-to is 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster. Lots of information around gluten-free cooking and tips for managing food in a kitchen that's not gluten-free."

"Ann Crile Esselstyn Be A Woman Warrior: Live Fierce, Stay Bold, Eat Delicious: A Cookbook"

"The one to start with is Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well by Pellegrino Artusi. That is the foundation you are looking for."

"I’ve made all the soups from the first forty days by heng ou to prepare for each of my three babies and a few of my friends too."

"I think Cook This Book by Molly Baz could be a good choice."

"BIKER BILLY COOKS WITH FIRE!!!! Billy's a New Jersey legend."

"I will recommend Dinner by Nagi Maehashi specifically because I feel she cooks to your criteria."

"I have a great vegan one I use - Sweet Potato Soul by Jenna Claiborne"

"Charcuterie - Michael Ruhlman(?)"

"The 2 books that will drastically improve the mood of someone suddenly cut off from favourite foods is: Simply Gluten Free Desserts by Kicinski"

"Cooks Illustrated Magazine is fun, and the illustrations are beautiful."

"Le Cordon Bleu also publishes 'Complete Cooking Techniques'."

"Canadian living Complete baking is a great book with easy straightforward recipes, no exotic ingredients, no crazy difficult techniques."

"Was incredible with choux pastry in Masterchef Australia."

"Are great."

"Honestly, it sounds silly but Eric Wareheim’s cookbook 'Foodheim' is my favorite."

"RecipeTinEats.. either book is fine. I used "Dinner" as a beginner and is really what made me fall in love with cooking."

"Try 'The Pie Room' by Calum Franklin."

"Serious New Cook is a great book with pictures."

"Company’s Coming Books. Basic, good and solid recipes."

"One of my old favorites is Fifty Ways to Cook Everything by Andrew Schloss."

"James May's Oh Cook. A cookbook by a guy known for a car show seems weird but the recipes are really good."

"Also roast chicken by Hopkinson is good but you kinda wanna have a more narrative approach to love it."

"Vij’s Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine"

"The Pizza Bible is a good book but the new Gozney book is my current point of reference."

"Maybe Rachael rays 15 minutes books ..they are older but maybe simple for a beginner."