15 Vegan & Vegetarian Cookbooks That Belong In Every Kitchen
Modern Cookbooks for Vegans, Vegetarians, & the Veg-Curious Alike
As consumers, even our meals can be chosen thoughtfully whenever possible. What we eat not only fuels us as individuals, but contributes to the overall well-being of our planet and its living creatures. Simple, plant-based foods provide our bodies with pure, clean energy that we can naturally and gently process. Meal plans rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains not only make our stomachs grumble for exactly what they need most, but also help avoid factory farming and pollution.
These cookbooks, written by passionate chefs and bloggers, are among our most adored kitchen essentials. Collections of endless recipes, nutritional information, cooking techniques, shopping lists, and organization strategies will equip you with all the information you need to transition into healthier relationships with food, yourself, the planet, and animals.
You might also like our guide to healthy and organic meal delivery services.
1. Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking
Author | Dana Schultz
What We Love | Dana and her husband, John, founded Minimalist Baker in 2012, a blog devoted to simple cooking. The Portland-based couple continues to create plant-based recipes, beautifully captured on their website and in their cookbook. This guide for everyday cooking contains 101 delicious recipes that require 10 ingredients or less, one bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare.
Our Favorite Recipe | Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bread
Review | “The entire cookbook is a work of art and the recipes are easy and delicious. The cookbook will satisfy plant-based eaters and meat lovers alike.” —Werner Pfau
Price | $35, or find secondhand
2. The Self-Care Cookbook
Author | Gemma Ogston
What We Love | Plant-based chef Ogston makes self-care and satiating dishes more interconnected and accessible with this lovely (and handheld!) cookbook. Divided into sections based on different parts of a self-care routine like Rebalance and Renew, there are over 60 recipes that will appease any vegan or flexitarian. Nourish your mind and body all at once.
Our Favorite Recipe | Vegan Comfort Pie
Review | “A really lovely little hardback book full of self-care tips and awesome recipes. That rare find in a cookery/lifestyle book in which I would like to make and enjoy every single recipe, rather than just one or two.” —Lydia B.
Price | $20, or find secondhand
3. Sweet Potato Soul
Author | Jenné Claiborne
What We Love | Claiborne is the popular vegan chef, instructor, and blogger behind Sweet Potato Soul. Growing up eating Southern staples (like biscuits and smoky sausage), Claiborne felt like she’d miss out on soul food when transitioning to veganism. But after tweaking countless recipes, “Sweet Potato Soul” offers dozens of plant-based substitutes without compromising on the comfort of soul food. We love the rich history shared behind each dish.
Our Favorite Recipe | Bourbon BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches
Review | “Quickly becoming one of my favorite cookbooks! These recipes taste wonderful (and wonderfully soulful!) while still being vegan.” —Diana R.
Price | $19.98, or find secondhand
4. La Vida Verde
Author | Jocelyn Ramirez
What We Love | If you’re a fan of smoky, savory Mexican flavors, you’ll love Los Angeles-based chef Ramirez’s cookbook. Inspired by her upbringing with her Abuela, she takes traditional classics like queso and tacos and transforms them into heartier, better-for-you dishes that will still make your mouth water.
Our Favorite Recipe | Mole Verde con Champiñones (Mushrooms in Green Mole)
Review | “For anyone looking to veganize their cultural foods and flavors, this is an excellent example of how to do so without giving up one’s cultural foods, tastes and memories.” —Claudia Serrato
Price | $21.99, or find secondhand
5. Plenty
Author | Yotam Ottolenghi
What We Love | Ottolenghi has become synonymous with vibrant Mediterranean-inspired cooking, and his new cookbook does not disappoint. Bringing together unconventional pairings like hazelnut and zucchini, Ottolenghi reimagines what vegan-friendly dishes can be. Because recipes are organized by ingredient, you can easily stock up on just a few for an entire week, while regularly switching up flavors and textures.
Our Favorite Recipe | Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango
Review | “It is wonderfully inventive… and the introductory notes to each recipe show how these dishes have evolved as readers wrote in with comments and Ottolenghi tweaked ingredients over time. ” —Lisa F.
Price | $35, or find secondhand
6. Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen
Author | Richa Hingle
What We Love | Whether you love Indian food already or are trying to add more lentils to your diet, Hingle’s cookbook knocks it out of the… kitchen! Readers will come to understand the staple Indian flavors and textures and how they can translate into simple dishes (thanks to modern-day appliances and step-by-step instructions!). Beginners and experts alike will find much to love here.
Our Favorite Recipe | Avocado Naan
Review | “Richa’s recipes for the vegan dietary lifestyle are rich and comforting. Love the refreshing take on some of the classics that often rely heavily on dairy.” —Raghavan Iyer
Price | $24.95, or find secondhand
7. Vegan Goodness
Author | Jessica Prescott
What We Love | Jessica, the Berlin blogger behind Wholy Goodness, was originally inspired to go vegan by both her love for animals and her mother’s home-cooking. “Vegan Goodness” not only showcases a collection of tangible, easy vegan recipes, but also includes her own stunning hand-lettering and photography. Prescott’s funny, no-nonsense writing voice will keep you entertained as you cook.
Our Favorite Recipe | Kale Scones
Review | “If you only want one vegan cookbook, [this] is a good choice… Prescott illustrates her cookbook with her own photos, and they are outstanding.” —George Erdosh
Price | $24.99, or find secondhand
8. The Love & Lemons Cookbook
Authors | Jeanine Donofrio & Jack Mathews
What We Love | “The Love & Lemons Cookbook” (and blog) has been described by the New York Times as “happiness in itself tossed in every bowl.” It celebrates an adoration for local farms and farmers markets with 100+ simple recipes. The cookbook emphasizes seasonal cooking, guides for filling the pantry, and ingredient pairing suggestions.
Our Favorite Recipe | Chipotle Apple Guacamole
Review | “You’ll find yourself coming back to these lightning-fast recipes again and again to make fresh, healthy meals bursting with flavor.” —Angela Liddon, author of “The Oh She Glows Cookbook”
Price | $32, or find secondhand
9. Food52 Vegan
Author | Gena Hamshaw
What We Love | One of Food52’s manifestos, “Eat thoughtfully, live joyfully” sings loudly in this cookbook, “Food52 Vegan”. Alongside captivating photography, Hamshaw reveals recipes and ideas to help readers incorporate plant-based meals into their daily routines. More can be found via Food52’s online vegan directory, bringing together chefs around the world to share images and recipes.
Our Favorite Recipe | Smoky Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
Review | “This is vibrant, delicious, crowd-pleasing food… It’s an inspiring book for anyone looking to work more veg-centric meals into their repertoire.” —Heidi Swanson
Price | $22.99, or find secondhand
10. Nom Yourself
Author | Mary Mattern
What We Love | This vegan superstar from Baltimore has spent her days cooking up meals for celebrities like Ellie Goulding. What started as a personal Instagram account eventually became “Nom Yourself”, the “perfect book for the vegan-curious.” Mattern’s inspired others to see just how delicious and easy a vegan lifestyle can be, thanks to this fun and relatable read.
Our Favorite Recipe | Beer-Battered Buffalo Wings
Review | “Chef Mary has opened up a new world for me and I am feeling better than I ever have. I can’t wait for her to publish another cookbook!” – Tiffany Retzer
Price | $25, or find secondhand
11. Superfoods Superfast
Author | Julie Montagu
What We Love | “Superfoods Superfast” comprises 100 recipes that can each be made in 20 minutes or less, ideal for those with a busy lifestyle. Montagu herself is a yoga instructor, blogger on The Flexi Foodie, creator of her own energy snacks, and the mastermind behind an online nutrition course. Full of meal plans and organized recipes, this cookbook serves as a gift to anyone who owns it.
Our Favorite Recipe | Fruity Turmeric Breakfast Bowl
Review | “I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to eat clean while adding healthy foods to your diet.” —D. Jacobs
Price | $24.95, or find secondhand
12. Plant-Based Cookbook
Author | Trish Sebben-Krupka
What We Love | “Plant-Based Cookbook” is one of our absolute favorites. With 200 recipes, it serves as a vegan kitchen essential. Sebben-Krupka educates readers about the benefits of a plant-based diet by explaining how it can reverse heart disease, soothe the aging process, and increase overall health. This cookbook will ease anyone’s transition into veganism with helpful guides, food lists, and meal plans.
Our Favorite Recipe | Fudgy Oatmeal Thumbprints
Review | “As a 15-year vegetarian who is leaning more towards a vegan lifestyle… this cookbook has brought inspiring, delicious, and easy new recipes to my family’s meals.” —Ed Schwalje
Price | $25, or find secondhand
13. Crossroads
Authors | Tal Ronnen with Scot Jones & Serafina Magnussen
What We Love | “Crossroads” exemplifies just how easily our food cravings can be satisfied without any animal products. The authors avoid the basics like soybeans, and instead create sophisticated Mediterranean fare. The recipes, served at their LA restaurant, are perfect for the modern palate. They’ve cooked for well-loved talk show hosts like Oprah, and teach vegetarian workshops at Le Cordon Bleu.
Our Favorite Recipe | Spicy Tomato-Pepper Jam
Review | “[Their] food is terrific. Delicious, nourishing, and plant-based, it can change your whole approach to eating healthy.” —Former President Bill Clinton
Price | $35, or find secondhand
14. But I Could Never Go Vegan!
Author | Kristy Turner
What We Love | We adore Turner’s voice in “But I Could Never Go Vegan!”, as she refutes popular excuses not to go vegan with confidence and gentleness. By sharing her personal story on how veganism improved her quality of life, she rids readers of common doubts. Turner’s cookbook and food blog, developed in collaboration with her husband Chris, provide thoughtful plant-based food alternatives. There’s also a family-friendly edition!
Our Favorite Recipe | Pecan-Date Cinnamon Rolls
Review | “This is an essential cookbook for anyone considering veganism but daunted by the idea of giving up non-vegan foods… All [the] recipes are delicious and use ‘regular’ ingredients.” —Shannon Yenter
Price | $24.95, or find secondhand
15. The Oh She Glows Cookbook
Author | Angela Liddon
What We Love | Liddon’s cookbook is an undeniable gem. Through work and real life examples, Liddon empowers readers by sharing how she overcame an eating disorder, emphasizing vegan eating as her lifeline. The flip-side of her difficult experience is revealed through plant-based recipes. Liddon’s blog also sheds light on the power of healthy vegan food.
Our Favorite Recipe | Broccoli & Cashew Cheese-Quinoa Burrito
Review | “It’s filled with indulgent nacho dips, doughnuts and veggie loaves—food we never imagined a healthy, vegan version of. It’s an inspiring reminder that there are no limits to vegan cooking.” —David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl
Price | $27, or find secondhand
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