10 Best Vegetarian Cookbooks in 2022 (Vegetarian Writer-Reviewed)
Looking for a way to make delicious plant-based meals at home? Regardless of whether you're a new or seasoned vegetarian, a vegetarian cookbook is a great way to experience new flavor combinations and build up your knowledge of cooking techniques. Plus, many modern vegetarian cookbooks are flavorful enough to please meat-eaters!
Of course, it can be difficult to find the right book that best suits your needs. In this guide, we’ll talk about what to look for in a vegetarian cookbook and how to choose the best one. Plus, The VegBlogger, an expert on vegetarian food, added her insights to our guide. We’ve also carefully chosen 10 cookbooks based on the points in our guide, including our favorite, America's Test Kitchen's The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook. We love that it offers hundreds of thoughtful recipes and reference information, making it great for newbies and pros alike.
Quick List - Top Vegetarian Cookbooks
Kathryne Taylor
Best Hearty and Healthy Meals You Can Tweak
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Table of Contents
- Why You Can Trust Us
- How to Choose Vegetarian Cookbooks
- Make Sure to Pick a Book That Fits Your Skill Level1
- Find a Book With Accessible Ingredients and Information2
- If You're Short on Time, Look for Quick and Simple Recipes3
- Consider a Book That Teaches You Techniques and Flavor Theory4
- Focus on a Specific Cultural Cuisine for Coherent Flavors5
- See if It Can Accommodate the Meat Eaters in Your Life6
- 10 Best Vegetarian Cookbooks Ranking
- No. 1America's Test Kitchen |
- No. 2Kathryne Taylor | Rodale Books – Love Real Food: More Than 100 Feel-Good Vegetarian Favorites to Delight the Senses and Nourish the Body
- No. 3Mark Bittman |
- No. 4Elizabeth Thomson |
- No. 5Andrea Duclos | The Experiment – The Plantiful Table: Easy, From-the-Earth Recipes for the Whole Family
- 5 more products
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can vegetarians eat eggs?
- Are vegetarian diets healthy?
- More Handy Vegetarian-Friendly Recipes
- Amazon's Best Selling Vegetarian and Vegan Cookbooks
- In Collaboration With Vegetarian Expert The VegBlogger
Why You Can Trust Us
Every mybest article is crafted with hours of in-depth research and interviews with experts. Each month, we are continually expanding our database of products based on our research. By emphasizing user insight and reliable information, we deliver trustworthy content to readers.
How to Choose Vegetarian Cookbooks
There are many vegetarian cookbooks available, making it challenging to find the best one for you. Keep the points below in mind to help you find the best option! We also reached out to Jacqueline, who has been a vegetarian since 1995, for expert insight.
Make Sure to Pick a Book That Fits Your Skill Level
Make sure to consider your experience when choosing a cookbook. Are you a beginner in the kitchen, or are you ready for a culinary challenge?
Versatile Cookbooks Cover All Meals for Beginners
Look for a book that covers everything, from breakfast to snacks to dessert, so that you will have your bases covered when it comes to daily meals. This style of cookbook often includes tried-and-true recipes with clear directions. For extra guidance, look for recipes with step-by-step photos.
A large, general cookbook will also let you explore different recipes, letting you see what types of dishes and techniques you enjoy. After all, as a beginner, it might be best to have too many choices than too few. With a shorter cookbook, you may struggle to find something that appeals to your palate or suits your lifestyle.
If you are going to something like a potluck or celebrating a special meal, you want to have some specialized cookbooks on hand to find some recipes for those events. If there’s something you really want to specialize in, you want to make sure you have a cookbook just for that topic.
More Specialized Cookbook for Non-Beginners
If you already have the basics down, you may not need a general cookbook with basic recipes and techniques. Instead, we recommend choosing options that focus on a meal, cuisine, or cooking method.
This will allow you to improve your skills in one area, like if you want to master using a slow-cooker or learn authentic Indian recipes. Choosing one focus may also be more practical, depending on your lifestyle. For example, if you usually only cook dinner or often crave homemade dessert.
Find a Book With Accessible Ingredients and Information
For a lot of people switching to a vegetarian diet, the biggest concern is ensuring that meals are well balanced. It’s pretty simple to do, especially if you get the right cookbook.
Search for a Book that Provides You With Essential Nutrients
One of the biggest concerns people have when going vegetarian is getting all the nutrients, like protein, their bodies need. For peace of mind, you can look for a cookbook that includes nutritional information about a vegetarian diet in general or for each specific recipe.
Some vegetarian cookbooks seem more like side dish cookbooks. Since you're getting all of your nutrients from plant fare, you will need more than that. So you want to look for a cookbook that includes recipes hearty enough to stand alone as a main dish. You can confirm this by looking at page previews and reviewer comments.
There are also options dedicated to specific nutritional needs and diets, like gluten- or dairy-free. Even if the book isn't centered around a certain diet, it can be helpful to see if they include ingredient substitutions for common allergies. For example, substituting eggs with applesauce or mashed bananas in baking recipes.
I ensure my family is eating well by trying to incorporate meals that offer a good source of whole grains, served up with a lot of fruits and vegetables. We aim to get a variety of nutrients by eating different types of vegetarian foods.
Having a healthy vegetarian protein source is important, so we like to have dishes that include beans, quinoa, lentils, tofu, nuts, or some vegetarian meat substitutes.
Look for Seasonal and Locally-Available Ingredients
There are a ton of vegetarian ingredients that might sound interesting, but if you can't find them, then you won't be able to use them! So make sure that the cookbook you choose has things that you can find at your local supermarket or farmer's market.
Some unique ingredients may be purchased online, like nutritional yeast. However, uncommon produce, like enoki mushrooms or ghee, may be more challenging to source.
Since produce loses nutrients over time, look for locally-grown or frozen options. They both will have the highest amount of nutrients, unlike fruit and veggies that have been shipped fresh across the country. Some balanced frozen veggies may have slightly less nutritional value, but most frozen produce doesn't have any nutritional difference.
Another thing to consider is seasonality. While most fruits and veggies are available year-round thanks to air transport, there will still be times when it’s hard to find certain items.
So it might be good to search for a cookbook that has recipes that are seasonally appropriate or contains recipes for fall, summer, winter, and spring. If it doesn't mention seasonality, make sure that the recipes use a diverse range of produce so that you will always have something to cook.
You are likely getting more nutrients, better tasting food, and lowering your carbon footprint by opting for foods that are more in season. Produce will often taste better the closer to home you purchase it, plus you can speak with the farm regarding their practices using chemical fertilizers.
The down side to sticking to seasonal produce or foods grown closer to home is that you will limit yourself to, naturally, the seasons. Balancing it, by opting for mostly seasonal foods and including a few other items here and there, is a good way to go.
If You're Short on Time, Look for Quick and Simple Recipes
If you find yourself rushing around, you're going to need recipes that you can make fast. Look for cookbooks featuring recipes you can make in under 30 minutes or with only a few ingredients. This will save you the frustration of flipping through a regular cookbook looking for something quick and easy.
It's also helpful to see if the book offers meal planning, giving you a grocery list that includes everything you need for a week's worth of recipes. This can save you time shopping and prevent food waste.
Being able to have quick recipes—such as for casseroles, soups, and pastas—is important for those who are busy or just transitioning to vegetarianism. Also, it’s a great idea to have at least one good vegetarian crockpot cookbook in your collection so you can get the ingredients on in the morning and then it’s ready in the evening.
Consider a Book That Teaches You Techniques and Flavor Theory
If you’re new to cooking, it might be a little difficult to just jump into a recipe. To help you along, look for a cookbook that includes information on techniques. Learning basic knife skills, how to use appliances, and food safety will help your recipes taste their best.
Even if you’re comfortable in the kitchen, new vegetarians may benefit from a robust informational section. It can be challenging to make flavor pop with vegetarian ingredients, so look for insight into learning how to build flavor without meat.
This extra information on flavor theory will also help you understand why the recipes taste good, allowing you to make your own creations in time. For example, the author may teach you how to pair flavors or what cooking methods are the best for each ingredient.
If you are a visual learner, you can start with the info in the book and then log online to find a video of someone demonstrating the technique. I’ve found technique information in cookbooks and in online videos to be very helpful in learning how to prepare various things.
Focus on a Specific Cultural Cuisine for Coherent Flavors
Cutting out meat doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on your favorite cuisines! Choosing a cookbook that focuses on one cuisine is an excellent way to try vegetarian versions of cultural dishes you grew up with or try something new from another culture.
This also helps you create meals with coherent flavors, giving you all the recipes you need to make main dishes, side dishes, and desserts with complimentary flavor profiles. These focused cookbooks may also teach you the techniques not found in general cookbooks, like making your own tortillas or how to use a bamboo steamer.
The cooking techniques are similar, but the ingredients you use in ethnic foods often vary. It can be fun to try a new ethnic recipe and learn the ingredients. And whether you liked it or not, you at least expanded your horizons and tried something new.
See if It Can Accommodate the Meat Eaters in Your Life
Although you are a vegetarian, you may still be cooking for people who eat meat. It may be helpful to consider cookbooks with recipes that will appeal to meat-eaters. There are ways you can fry and season tofu so that it’s as succulent as meat, but it can take practice to pull off.
You might want to approach fake meats with caution. While you might have acclimated yourself to them, some people may find them off-putting. However, plant-based meat has come a long way, and some omnivores may like the familiarity of a burger.
One of the key things that people love about meat is its hearty, savory flavor. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to achieve that with vegetarian ingredients! Consider a cookbook that focuses on umami flavors, like mushrooms, cheese, dried tomatoes, and fermented vegetables.
When serving meat eaters, I stick to something that is simple and they can understand and relate to. Serve things they are used to eating, but make those dishes vegetarian. Then, as they become more used to those flavors, start to incorporate things like tofu, mock meats, etc.
Even if they never completely go vegetarian, they will most likely increase their intake of vegetarian meals, which is a great thing.
10 Best Vegetarian Cookbooks Ranking
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | America's Test Kitchen | | Best Practical Daily Cookbook With Dietary Substitutions | |
2 | Kathryne Taylor Rodale Books – Love Real Food: More Than 100 Feel-Good Vegetarian Favorites to Delight the Senses and Nourish the Body | | Best Hearty and Healthy Meals You Can Tweak | |
3 | Mark Bittman | | Best Reference Book for Vegetarian Cooking | |
4 | Elizabeth Thomson | | Best Easy Healthy Recipes With Nutritional Information | |
5 | Andrea Duclos The Experiment – The Plantiful Table: Easy, From-the-Earth Recipes for the Whole Family | | Best for the Whole Family | |
6 | Deborah Madison | | Best Large Collection of Recipes and Theory | |
7 | Yotam Ottolenghi Chronicle Books – Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi | | Best Interesting Mediterranean-Inspired Dishes | |
8 | Urvashi Pitre | | Best for Making Easy Meals in an Instant Pot | |
9 | Lukas Volger | | Best for Recreating Restaurant-Quality Asian Dishes | |
10 | Jenne Claiborne | | Best for Flavorful Vegan Comfort Food |
Best Practical Daily Cookbook With Dietary Substitutions
Pros:
- 700 recipes covering all meals
- Includes hundreds of vegan and gluten-free options
- Includes 300 recipes that take 45 minutes or less
- Hundreds of step-by-step photos
- Explains the thought behind each recipe
Cons:
- Reports of poor binding
Looking for practical daily meals? This cookbook from America's Test Kitchen has an impressive 700 recipes covering all meals and different cuisines, meaning there's always something new to make. We love that the thought behind each recipe is explained, too. Plus, there are hundreds of gluten-free and vegan options.
While there are some reports that the binding of the physical book isn't the strongest, this cookbook is widely praised for its practicality, depth of information, and scope. Reviewers confirm that the recipes are well-tested and appeal to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, making it excellent for mixed-diet families. Many say that this is a staple for everyday cooking.
Kathryne TaylorRodale Books – Love Real Food: More Than 100 Feel-Good Vegetarian Favorites to Delight the Senses and Nourish the Body
Best Hearty and Healthy Meals You Can Tweak
- Many recipe photos
- Includes ingredient substitutions
- Offers tips, like altering the recipe or using seasonal produce
- Healthier recipes
Cons:
- No table of contents or prep times listed
- Not as many main dishes
This cookbook by blogger Kathryne Taylor focuses on healthy, tasty meals. We like that most recipes have substitutions for different diets, like gluten-free or vegan, as well as tips on how you can make it your own. Plus, she offers seasonal ingredient swaps and focuses on accessible ingredients.
Some reviewers dislike that there's no table of contents or prep times. However, the vast majority love the abundant photos and the healthy, hearty, and flavorful dishes. Even non-vegetarians love these recipes! They also appreciate the practical ingredient substitutions.
Best Reference Book for Vegetarian Cooking
Pros:
- Comprehensive book with over 1,000 recipes
- Includes meals, sauces, condiments, smoothies, and more
- Teach you basic and more advanced skills
- Has vegan and quick options
Cons:
- Doesn't have a lot of photos
This book has over 1,000 recipes from a variety of cuisines, covering everything from main dishes to condiments. It also explains how to best cook vegetables and make vegetarian-friendly substitutions in any recipe. This makes it an excellent reference book to have on hand for beginners and pros alike.
Reviewers note that the book could use more photos, and some report that its large size makes it unwieldy to use. On the other hand, many applaud the author's attention to detail. They love how comprehensive this cookbook is, saying there is a lot of helpful information and tasty recipes.
Best Easy Healthy Recipes With Nutritional Information
Pros:
- Healthy, easy recipes from a certified health coach
- Includes nutritional information for each dish
- Includes ingredient substitutions and leftover meal storage info
- Explains vegetarian nutritional needs
Cons:
- No photos of the finished recipes
Unlike most cookbooks, this option includes nutritional facts for each recipe. Plus, the author, a certified health coach, explains how to eat healthy as a vegetarian. We also like that the recipes are easy enough for beginners!
This cookbook doesn't have photos, which some reviewers find disappointing. Otherwise, many appreciate its simple yet tasty dishes! They appreciate the information about eating healthy as a vegetarian, including meal planning. They also confirm that the recipes are easy and use accessible ingredients.
Andrea DuclosThe Experiment – The Plantiful Table: Easy, From-the-Earth Recipes for the Whole Family
Best for the Whole Family
- Includes over 125 kid-friendly vegan dishes
- Includes reference info, like doctoring leftovers and getting kids involved
- Has ingredient substitutions
- Plenty of photos
Cons:
- May be too simple for foodies
Focused on quick recipes that the whole family will love, this book has over 125 vegan dishes to please picky eaters and omnivores. It also includes information for beginners as well as tips on how to get kids involved with cooking.
A few recipes are a bit too ordinary for some reviewers. However, most love that each recipe is easy to make and uses accessible ingredients. They also confirm that the dishes are a hit with kids and spouses, including those who aren't vegan.
Best Large Collection of Recipes and Theory
Pros:
- Over 1,600 recipes, including vegan options
- Covers all types of meals and side dishes
- Includes comprehensive reference information and theory
Cons:
- Not many photos
This cookbook by Deborah Madison has a reputation for being a vegetarian classic, covering every meal and side dish. It has over 1,600 recipes, reference information, and cooking theory. It also includes a thorough discussion of vegetarian ingredients and detailed preparation notes.
This cookbook isn't as visually pleasing as some others, as the pages aren't glossy and there are few photos. However, most reviewers love the depth of information, stating the author explains cooking theory and how to make each dish very well. They also like that the broad scope of recipes means there's always something new to try.
Yotam OttolenghiChronicle Books – Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi
Best Interesting Mediterranean-Inspired Dishes
- Recipes are grouped by vegetable, making it easier to eat seasonally
- More interesting, complex recipes for experienced home cooks
- Has a photo for each recipe
Cons:
- Sometimes calls for unique ingredients
This cookbook is from world-renowned restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi and teaches you how to make restaurant-worthy vegetarian dishes at home. The book is separated into chapters based on the main veggie, making it easier to eat seasonally. Plus, the strong flavors should appeal to meat-eaters!
That being said, this book is not for beginner cooks and does include some difficult-to-find ingredients. Otherwise, most reviewers love that the recipes are new, exciting, and flavorful. Even though some recipes are lengthy and time-consuming, many say that the delicious results are worth it.
Best for Making Easy Meals in an Instant Pot
Pros:
- Focuses on easy meals in an Instant Pot
- Includes information on Instant Pots, including tips
- Specialized options, like vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, low-carb, and more
Cons:
- Calls for some hard-to-find ingredients
This cookbook has 100 easy vegetarian and vegan recipes made in an Instant Pot, making it great for those short on time. It also includes many options suitable for special diets, like nut-free, gluten-free, and egg-free. Plus, it includes a mix of cuisines ranging from Italian to Indian.
A few reviewers report a little trouble getting the correct results from their Instant Pot. However, the vast majority praise the recipes for being easy, tasty, and healthy. Many confirm that this cookbook is great for busy people, and they love the inclusion of allergy-free recipes.
Best for Recreating Restaurant-Quality Asian Dishes
- Covers a variety of hard-to-find vegetarian recipes, like ramen, pho, and dumplings
- Explains ingredients, tools, and techniques
- Includes seasonal dishes
- May be too challenging for beginners
- Calls for some hard-to-find ingredients
If you've ever craved a bowl of vegetarian ramen, this is the cookbook for you! It includes a variety of Asian recipes that are often challenging to find vegetarian versions of. Plus, the author is mindful of seasonality and teaches you about new ingredients and tools.
Some reviewers report that some recipes are more complex and call for ingredients that may be hard to find. However, this cookbook is widely praised for its creative, flavorful dishes! They appreciate that it teaches the reader new techniques and flavor combinations, leading to restaurant-worthy results.
Best for Flavorful Vegan Comfort Food
Pros:
- Includes a lot of reference information, like cooking techniques
- Explains the history of soul food
- Focuses on flavorful vegan recipes
- Has a lot of photos
Cons:
- Calls for some rare ingredients, like vegan cheese
This cookbook is by Jenné Claiborne, a vegan chef that grew up eating soul food. You will learn how to make vegan versions of Southern classics, from sweet potato biscuits to jackfruit jambalaya. She also includes plenty of information on preparation and ingredients, like the difference between sweet potatoes and yams.
There are reports that this cookbook may be too complex for beginners. However, most reviewers love its unique and comforting recipes! They confirm that the dishes are very flavorful, even for meat-eaters. Plus, many appreciate the author's sunny personality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Becoming a vegetarian takes a little extra effort, and sometimes questions make pop up. Check out our frequently asked questions below to learn more about eating a plant-based diet!
Can vegetarians eat eggs?
Yes, vegetarians can eat eggs. Most vegetarians eat certain animal products that don't contain flesh, like eggs, milk, and cheese. This is what sets vegans apart from vegetarians, as vegans eat nothing derived from animals.
Lacto-vegetarians only eat plant-based foods and dairy. So, if you don't want to eat eggs, you would be a lacto-vegetarian. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and eggs.
Some vegetarians may not want to eat eggs that have been fertilized since they have to potential to become chickens. However, most eggs at supermarkets are unfertilized.
How do vegetarians get protein?
There are a ton of ways to get protein on a vegetarian diet! Simply incorporate protein-rich ingredients into your daily meals. Some of the highest sources are seitan (wheat gluten) and soy products like tofu, tempeh, and edamame. Tofu, seitan, and tempeh are great as meat replacements.
Other excellent protein sources include lentils, beans, seeds, nuts, and quinoa. If you are ok with animal products, cheese, yogurt, and eggs are also protein-rich.
Suprinsgly, some veggies contain a good amount of protein! Green peas, potatoes, sweet corn, spinach, and Brussels sprouts all have a few grams per serving. Drinking milk, either dairy or not, is another easy way to add protein to your diet.
Are vegetarian diets healthy?
Vegetarian diets can be healthy. Just like a non-vegetarian diet, it all comes down to your choices! You have to be sure to get enough nutrients from your food.
Sometimes vegetarians may lack protein, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. To see if you should add supplements to your daily routine, talk to your doctor.
But, research shows that vegetarian diets are generally healthy and may offer health benefits, like a lower risk of heart disease. To get these health benefits, make sure to eat a balanced diet and avoid over-eating unhealthy foods.
More Handy Vegetarian-Friendly Recipes
If you're looking for more cookbooks or recipe apps with vegetarian options, take a look at some of our favorite options below!
In Collaboration With Vegetarian Expert The VegBlogger
This expert reviewed the contents of the buying guide for accuracy and provided factual corrections when necessary. They did not participate in the product selection process, nor are they affiliated with any of our choices unless explicitly stated so.
Top 5 Vegetarian Cookbooks
No. 1: America's Test Kitchen ｜
No. 2: Kathryne Taylor｜Rodale Books – Love Real Food: More Than 100 Feel-Good Vegetarian Favorites to Delight the Senses and Nourish the Body
No. 3: Mark Bittman｜
No. 4: Elizabeth Thomson｜
No. 5: Andrea Duclos｜The Experiment – The Plantiful Table: Easy, From-the-Earth Recipes for the Whole Family
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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