The 14 Best Cookbooks of 2023

Start Here is from content creator, recipe developer, media personality, and former Bon Appetit editor Sohla El-Waylly. El-Waylly, who also contributes to New York Times Cooking, created her debut cookbook with home cooks in mind. This cookbook delivers in-depth culinary knowledge, delicious recipes that have been tested multiple times, and helpful advice in a way that only El-Waylly can do. While this cookbook places recipes at the forefront, El-Waylly wants readers to also look at it as a form of inspiration. “I think recipes are a good way to get your foot into cooking, and become confident,” El-Waylly told The Kitchn. “But ultimately I want you to be able to break away from the recipes.”

Chili Crisp is from The Kitchn's very own culinary producer and chili crisp connoisseur James Park, who you may know from his viral TikTok videos (like Chili Crisp Fried Eggs.) and recipes using (yes) chili crisp like Chili Crisp Brussels Sprouts and Chili Crisp Turkey. As you may have guessed from the book’s title and beautifully shot cover photo, Park’s book includes anything and everything related to chili crisp, the beloved condiment made from chili peppers, oil, and flavorful aromatics. And it covers every type of chili crisp pairing you can think of, and more! Park uses the versatile condiment in everything from savory oats for breakfast to Basque cheesecake.

Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs & Juice is from iconic cookbook author and food historian, Toni Tipton-Martin. It’s safe to say that Tipton-Martin is a pioneer in the food publishing industry, particularly as it relates to the history of African American foodways. This cookbook further demonstrates Tipton-Martin’s expertise and accomplishments seen in work such as Jubilee, and explores the rich history of Black mixologists, including Tom Bullock, the first Black author to publish a cocktail manual.

Dinner's Ready! is from food media personality and entrepreneur Ree Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman. This cookbook joins a varied lineup of previous cookbooks from Drummond, including The New Frontier, Super Easy!, and A Year of Holidays. This time around, Drummond is dedicating this book to all things dinner — without the stress and time constraints, that is. You’ll come across delightfully familiar yet quick-to-prep recipes like Seafood Casserole, Pork Marsala with Mushrooms, and Cast Iron Hamburger Pizza.

Natasha’s Kitchen is the debut cookbook from content creator and founder of the successful blog Natasha’s Kitchen, Natasha Kravchuck. Kravchuck’s recipes are beloved for not only their creativity and ease, but also their affordability and family friendliness. This cookbook is stocked with over 100 simple yet delicious recipes, like Salmon Piccata, Turkey Meatball Soup, and cozy Ukrainian dishes she learned from her mother like Borscht. In fact, Kravchuck credits her mothers as being an amazing home cook who introduced her to tons of recipes.

Cook It Up is from renowned chef, restaurateur, and Food Network personality Alex Guarnaschelli, as well as her daughter Ava Clark. While Guarnaschelli has previously released other great cookbooks like Cook with Me and The Home Cook, this cookbook in particular is inspired by both her own expertise as well as Clark’s amazing culinary talent. The 50+ recipes in the cookbook are made from beloved family meals, Ava’s modern take on food and cooking, and even recipes for homemade dog treats!

Snacking Bakes is from baker, food stylist, and photographer Yossy Arefi who previously published the successful cookbooks Snacking Cakes and Sweeter Off the Vine. The cookbook’s exciting cover follows the simplistic style of Arefi's previous reads, which gives a promising indication of what you’ll find on the inside! The book has lots of delicious recipes related to baked goods that also double as the perfect anytime snack! You’ll be sure to find recipes for dishes like Magical Peanut Butter Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars, Everything Bagel Biscuit Bread, and much more. The best part, though, is that Arefi shot the recipes in the cookbook herself, too!

Company is from the James Beard Award-winning author and former colleague of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten Amy Thielen, who previously published The New Midwestern Table. Thielen’s Company takes an interesting approach to talking about food and recipes with the perspective of party planners in mind. The book emphasizes recipes that are best suited to serving to a crowd, but are also easy to prep ahead of time. Additionally, Thielen makes cooking with fresh produce a large part of the book’s overall objective. What is most exciting about the book’s recipes, however, is that many are presented in the form of a menu to further emphasize the love for food and celebration.

Ever-Green Vietnamese is from cookbook author and food writer Andrea Nguyễn, who has previously authored the books The Pho Cookbook, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, and Vietnamese Food Any Day. This cookbook explores the amazingly versatile nature of Vietnamese cuisine as well as its emphasis on the use of plants, herbs, and vegetables to create all sorts of delicious meals. The cookbook includes recipes like Smoky Tofu-Nori Wontons, Nuoc Cham Cabbage Stir-Fry, Oven-Fried Crispy Shiitake Imperial Rolls, and Fast Vegetarian Pho.

Flavor+Us is from author and chef Rahanna Bisseret Martinez, who placed second on season one of Top Chef Junior. Since being on the show, Martinez has continued to work and intern at renowned eateries around the globe like Dominique Ansel Bakery LA, Chez Panisse, and Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel Air. This cookbook from Martinez has lots of easy-to-follow recipes inspired by cuisines from around the world, including Mexico (Masa Doughnuts with Earl Gray Glaze), Haiti (Makawoni au Graten), Korea (Yachaejeon with Cho Ganjang), and The Philippines (Dungeness Crab Tinola).

Let’s Eat is from content creator, recipe developer, and author Dan Pelosi, known for the delightful recipes he often shares via Instagram. This debut cookbook from Pelosi showcases his love for comfort food and particularly his connection to Italian American cuisine. The recipes in the book are a mix of family recipes that have evolved over the years and recipes Pelosi developed out of inspiration. You’ll find recipes like Prosciutto & Mozzarella–Stuffed Chicken Parm, Zabaglione, and his viral Vodka “Sawce.” Plus, the cookbook also has base recipes for foundational Italian American staples like dough and marinara sauce.

For the Culture is from chef, recipe developer, and founder of For the Culture magazine, Klancy Miller. The book highlights the extraordinary work from Black women and femmes in the food industry related to entrepreneurs, chefs, mixologists, and historians. You will find stories about icons like Dr. Jessica B. Harris, Edna Lewis, B. Smith, and Leah Chase, as well as household names like Nicole Taylor, Mashama Bailey, and Carla Hall. The book includes not only recipes, but also in-depth history and stories from these talented women in food.

The book Salad Seasons is longtime contributor and former editor at The Kitchn Sheela Prakash’s second cookbook, and it has completely upended the way I feel about salads. The dish is no longer a second-thought side now with Sheela’s recipes as my guide. Her recipes are inspired, yet easy to follow as she walks through making salads with seasonal ingredients in unexpected ways. Sheela's recipe for Warm Spinach-Artichoke Salad with Quinoa Crunchies shows how the recipes in this book reimagine salads and familiar flavors as something completely new. Salad Seasons is filled with beautiful photographs and salads that will inspire you all year long.

Bake Smart is from recipe developer, content creator, and author Samantha Seneviratne. “Samantha Seneviratne is someone I've long admired. So when her latest cookbook, Bake Smart, debuted in November, I quickly snapped up a copy,” says The Kitchn editor Kristina Razon. Each chapter is smartly dedicated to a primary ingredient: butter; sugar; eggs; flour, nuts & cocoa; and yeast. Her ingenious mash-up recipe for Frangipane Brownies, her weeknight-friendly Berry-Cottage Cheese Skillet Cake, and her toasty Browned-Butter Shortbread are at the top of our to-bake list.