10 Best Soul Food Cookbooks in 2022 (Chef-Reviewed)

This collection of soul food recipes by Rosie Mayes is organized by meal, from breakfasts to main courses to desserts, and even drinks like sweet iced tea. These meals use easy-to-find ingredients. Most recipes are traditional, but some have unique twists.

Many reviewers raved about how the recipes in this cookbook end up tasting amazing. Home cooks liked that the instructions are easy to follow and appreciate the vivid picture references. The author's secrets and tips were also highly appreciated by readers. 

This soul food cookbook, much like its author, Robbie Montgomery, is rooted in the south. It features recipes that were passed to her by her mother, including smothered pork chops and salmon croquettes. Heart-warming stories bound to make you laugh are spread throughout the cookbook, giving it a laid-back feel. 

Some reviewers weren't impressed by the recipes, considering that the author is a famous soul food restaurant owner. Others wished that there were more pictures. However, many home cooks said that these recipes brought back heart-warming family memories. People also liked that the ingredients listed are simple and easy to find.  

TV chef Carla Hall's soul food cookbook gives you a fresh perspective on the richness of this cuisine. It features classic soul food recipes that the author has added her own spin to, including poured caramel cake and Carribean-smothered chicken with coconut, lime, and chiles. They're healthy and rich in flavor. 

Some reviewers found the healthier adaptations of the soul food recipes to be too far from the original ones, saying they turn out too light. However, many reviewers loved that the cookbook features a ton of vegetable-based recipes. People also said that the recipes are easy to follow and that the author's family stories were entertaining. 

With recipes as rich as the moving stories featured in this book, Toni Tipton-Martin's cookbook celebrates Black cooks and their enormous contributions to American cuisine. It contains famous soul food recipes as well as dishes that aren't as well-known, like spoon bread and bourbon or apple hot toddies.

A few reviewers point out that the font used can be hard to read. But most raved about this award-winning cookbook's combination of African-American history and cuisine. Readers liked that the author included the rich background of each recipe. The vivid pictures and writing style made this cookbook highly engaging. 

Patty Pinner gives readers more than a soul food cookbook featuring desserts. She shares personal stories of her childhood growing up in a little town in Michigan. The cookbook features 95 sweet dishes including pies, cookies, cakes, candies, puddings, and even ice cream! 

A few wished that this cookbook included more pictures, and others didn't like that some recipes use cake mixes. However, many raved about the classic desserts in this gem of a cookbook. People also loved the novel-like feel of the cookbook, which included a lot of the author's family history. 

Nadira Jenkins-El's vegan soul food cookbook gives you 101 delicious plant-based recipes. It features adaptations of classics by substituting meat and other animal products with easily-accessible vegan foods. It also gives you a crash course on the vegan diet. 

Quite a few reviewers complained about this book not having any pictures. However many home cooks loved the vegetable substitutions as well as the easy-to-follow recipes. People also appreciated that the ingredients for the meals were not hard to find. 

This collaboration cookbook features a collection of recipes served at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture's own cafe, and for every kind of meal, from soups, snacks, and bread to main dishes and dessert. It also sheds a light on the impact African-Americans have made on American cuisine. 

Some felt the recipes were too modern, and like watered-down soul food. But many reviewers loved the variety of the recipes. Others said that they liked the photos and stories placed throughout the book. Readers also appreciated the history behind the featured dishes.

Tanya Holland, who is a chef and owner of the famous soul food hub Brown Sugar Kitchen in California, serves you a collection of her restaurant's favorite soul food recipes. From shrimp gumbo to a mouth-watering caramel layer cake, this book also includes some of the author's recipe interpretations which feature seasonal ingredients. 

A few reviewers said that some ingredients weren't so easy to find outside of big cities. However, many reviewers raved about how delicious the recipes are, with the waffles being one of the crowd favorites. Others appreciated the easy-to-follow, straight-forward instructions when it comes to cooking techniques. 

Jenne Claiborne's collection of 100 vegan soul food recipes is diverse, featuring creative dishes that blend flavors, like peach date barbecue jackfruit sliders and sweet potato-Tahini cookies. She uses a lot of fresh, easy-to-find ingredients, so these dishes are both healthy and quick to make.

A few reviewers found the recipes a bit too complex, and others said the food combinations sounded weird, but that was usually before they tried them! Many reviewers liked that there were a lot of different recipes, including plenty for sweet potatoes. People also liked the vivid photographs for reference.

In this cookbook, Marcus Samuelsson celebrates African-American culture in its entirety, going past cuisine. Tackling culture and history, this collection of recipes celebrates the diversity of the diaspora. It features recipes with modern and regional twists, but still includes soul food inspired dishes. 

Many reviewers liked that the book traces Black cuisine back through time. Many loved the historical information and stories of Black cooking pioneers paired with the delicious recipes. Home cooks raved about the diversity of the featured dishes and the celebration of culture.