Preparing a delicious meal for a family or dinner guests can feel like an unwanted chore. It’s easy to get into a routine of cooking the same meals over and over again because it takes little effort to remember the steps and ingredients involved in the preparation. But, wouldn’t it be nice to implement a variety of recipes into the usually mundane dinner plans?
One of the best, yet simplest things you can do to solve this classic problem is to invest in a few informative recipe books. Following the instructions from a qualified professional will not only produce tasty, decadent meals, it will teach you how to pair ingredients to tinker with your own creations. In short, owning the right recipe book will instill confidence that the meal you are preparing will totally wow your guests.
In this article, we will provide a list of recipe books for every occasion, conveniently grouping them into specific categories so you can identify the books that will suit your needs.
Comfort Food
- Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan
- Jamie Oliver’s Comfort Food, by Jamie Oliver
- 500 Best Comfort Food Recipes, by Johanna Burkhard
- Carla’s Comfort Food, by Carla Hall
- Favorite Comfort Food, by Martha Stewart
- French Comfort Food, by Hillary Davis
- Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home, by Nigella Lawson
Asian Cuisine
- Thai Street Food, by David Thompson
- The Great Dishes of the World, by Robert Carrier
- Lucky Peach Presents 101 Easy Asian Recipes, by Peter Meehan
- A Spoonful of Ginger, by Nina Simonds
- The Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Quick and Easy Dishes to Prepare at Home, by Diana Kuan
Classic American Dishes
- The American Cookbook, by Carolina Bretherton and Elena Rosemond-Hoerr
- James Beard’s American Cookery, by James Beard
- 30 Years of Southern Living Recipes
French Recipes
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child
- French Provincial Cooking, by Elizabeth David
- Barefoot in Paris Tr-Fold Recipe Note Cards, by Ina Garten
- The French Laundry Cookbook, by Michael Ruhlman, Susie Heller, and Thomas Keller
- The French Recipe Cookbook, by Carole Clements
Italian Cookbooks
- The Classic Italian Cookbook, by Marcella Hazan
- Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes, by Giada De Laurentiis
- Molto Italiano, by Mario Batali
- Flour + Water: Pasta, by Thomas McNaughton
- Rustic Italian Food, by Marc Vetri
- The Italian Baker, by Carol Field
- The Glorious Pasta of Italy, by Domenica Marchetti
Indian Recipes
- Tandoor: The Great Indian Barbeque, by Ranjit Rai
- Gordon Ramsey’s Great Escape, by Gordon Ramsey
- Curry Easy, by Madhur Jaffrey
British Cookbooks
- English Food, by Jane Grigson
- The Kitchen Diaries: A Year in the Kitchen with Nigel Slater, by Nigel Slater
- Traditional British Cooking: Simple Recipes for Classic British Food, by Susannah Blake
- Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making/ Edition 3, by James Peterson
These are just a few of the many recipe books on the market today. The variety of different recipes that can be found with the click of a button is astounding. So, don’t limit yourself to those three or four go-to meals you’ve been cooking for years. Pick up a professionally authored cookbook and begin creating new and delicious meals today.
What are some of your favorite cookbooks? Share their names with us below!
