NPR has an appetite for great recipes. Every year, when NPR staffers and critics offer their recommendations for Books We Love — NPR’s annual, year-end books guide — plenty of cookbooks get thrown into the mix. Here are 11 cookbooks with a broad array of recipes from (dare I say it?) Cooks We Love. If you’re hungry for more, head over to Books We Love for our full menu of food recommendations for 2024.
Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora by Khushbu Shah
Amrikan is Khushbu Shah’s answer to “What is Indian food in America?” It’s a thoughtful celebration of adaptation: American influences on Indian foods, Indian influences on “American” foods and some untouched Indian classics. This book was my introduction to Rajma – who knew that the humble kidney bean could be so swoon-worthy? I served it alongside the beautifully simple Cabbage Nu Shaak with some rice and yogurt, and the meal was a hit. I am also a convert of Shah’s Masala Deviled Eggs and Jaggery and Fennel Rice Krispie Treats. The photos are gorgeous and the recipes are concise and easy to follow, making this an inviting collection for a range of occasions. — Nicolette Khan, researcher and archivist, Research, Archives and Data Strategy
Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook by Nini Nguyen with Sarah Zorn
According to New Orleans-based chef and teacher Nini Nguyen, “Đặc Biệt” translates loosely to “extra special,” a term that could also be applied to her first cookbook. In addition to the classics (pho, bánh cuón) Nguyen freely riffs on French and Vietnamese techniques and ingredients, as in the succulent and acidic Shaking Beef with Watercress Salad, or mouth-puckering, juicy Shrimp Caramelized with Tamarind. When you feel unadventurous, simple dishes like ginger-braised chicken and cabbage charred with garlic will do nicely. But chances are Nguyen will convince you, like me, to finally venture into shrimp paste territory. Don’t fear the fermented! — T. Susan Chang, food writer
Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots by Georgina Hayden
Not everyone who loves Greek food is lucky enough to have a Yiayia to teach them to hand-roll dolmas and work with phyllo dough. Fans of the cuisine also don’t necessarily have the time it takes to lovingly prepare specialty dishes that would typically take hours or even days to come together. Enter Georgina Hayden with a collection of recipes inspired by her Greek-Cypriot heritage, adapted for busy home cooks. The flavors and dishes manage to feel both classic and fresh, inspiring Tuesday night dinner options that will transport your family. — Tayla Burney, director, Network Programming and Production
Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking: Vegan Recipes, Tips, and Techniques by Joe Yonan
Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan has been marching in a plant-forward direction for years now, but his latest offering is definitive. Flavor-building details add dimension to basics like Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup and Crunchy Kale Chips “Your Way.” Reach for handfuls of fresh herbs for eerily crablike Lion’s Mane Mushroom Cakes; raid the spice cabinet for Avocado Salad with Dukkah Croutons and Harissa. Bringing together two dozen vegan or vegetarian chefs and 300-plus recipes, Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking demonstrates once and for all that you needn’t sacrifice taste, texture or excitement in a vegan kitchen. — T. Susan Chang, food writer
Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year by Christopher Kimball
If you follow Milk Street Magazine recipes, you’ll recognize the sweet spot: globally inspired, streamlined, about a dozen ingredients. You could cook for over a year from Milk Street 365 without repeating yourself, and there isn’t a clinker in the bunch. Dry Fried Beef with Celery, Crisp Oven-Fried Cauliflower with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce, Coconut Curry Salmon, Turkey Herb-Mayo Parmesan Burgers: All are crowd-tested and most sail through weeknight prep in under an hour of active cooking time. Do you have, or know where to get, Thai basil, harissa, pomegranate molasses, poblano chiles? Then this one’s for you! — T. Susan Chang, food writer
Ottolenghi Comfort: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi with Helen Goh
Many celebrity chefs who churn out a yearly cookbook experience a certain mission creep. Not so with Yotam Ottolenghi and his team, who continue to deliver provocative, doable recipes with virtuoso consistency. Slather Curry Leaf Dukkah Butter over your trusty weeknight roast chicken; sizzle some sage leaves and hazelnuts to adorn your orecchiette. While Ottolenghi and his cohorts don’t shy away from some far-flung terminology (Carrot and Vadouvan Quickbread, Peanut Rayu, Tortang Talong Omelet) thoughtful explanations and substitutions offer a glide path to efficient feasts that make the most of your most obscure pantry items. — T. Susan Chang, food writer
The SalviSoul Cookbook: Salvadoran Recipes and the Women Who Preserve Them by Karla Tatiana Vasquez
Karla Tatiana Vasquez was born in El Salvador, but her family fled to Los Angeles because of war. Food became a way for her to stay connected to her culture. She began documenting recipes and stories of the women who preserve Salvadoran traditions. That work led to The SalviSoul Cookbook. It’s her tribute to El Salvador, its people and the diaspora. This is the first cookbook focused on Salvadoran food from a major U.S. publishing house. — Milton Guevara, producer, Morning Edition
Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook: All the Best (and Most Surprising) Things People Have Put Between Slices of Bread by Barry W. Enderwick
On social media, Barry W. Enderwick, aka @sandwichesofhistory, makes sandwiches from all sorts of historical sources, to mixed results. In this cookbook, he’s given us a range of 50+ recipes from the classic (Croque Monsieur) to the unexpected (Pineapple Cucumber). Each recipe includes the cookbook and year it came from (Beverages and Sandwiches for Your Husband’s Friends, 1893, is a particularly delightful example), as well as some light historical context. Sometimes he offers us his signature “Plus Ups” – ways to make an OK sandwich great (often adding heat, spice, texture or contrast). The book is chatty and accessible, offering coaching and encouragement the way you would to a friend. To borrow a phrase from him, I recommend you give this cookbook … a go. — Melissa Kuypers, audio engineering and operations manager, NPR West
Sprout & Co Saladology: Fresh Ideas for Delicious Salads by Theo Kirwan
“I’d LOVE salad for dinner!” If you’re like me, you say it every summer – before traitorously throwing another slab of protein on the grill. Behold, a salad book for meat lovers! In Saladology, restaurateur-farmer Theo Kirwan (who with his brother Jack runs Dublin’s Sprout & Co. franchise) assembles explosively flavored, globally inspired quasi-salads that stand alone as a meal: Shredded Chicken in Mala Sichuan Dressing, Vietnamese-Style Pork Meatballs with Rice Noodles and Lemon Grass Dressing, Smacked Cucumbers with Chili Crisp and Tahini, Miso Butter Bean Mash with Sauteed Leeks and Crispy Aromatics. A salad-esque splash of green appears in each, though lettuce is clearly optional. — T. Susan Chang, food writer
What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities by Julia Turshen
“What Goes With What” is the fifth accessible, unfussy cookbook from the highly organized brain of Julia Turshen. This time, each section begins with a formula and variations, in chart form. A great lettuce salad has a Base, a Crunchy Thing, a Rich Thing and a Dressing (e.g., chopped romaine, sliced pepperoncini, diced salami, pizzeria vinaigrette). Chicken-Zucchini Meatballs with Dill and Tahini (Meat + Binding + Seasoning + Sauce) light up the palate. The irony is, this book makes you feel so organized … you might just end up thinking you don’t need it. — T. Susan Chang, food writer
When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes with Contributions from 70 Women Writers by America’s Test Kitchen
This cookbook geek, and longtime Southern cook and eater, was thrilled to get this gorgeous tome from America’s Test Kitchen and the editors of Cook’s Country. It’s a bible of Southern cuisine told via stories of remarkable women from the diverse cultures that make up the American South. Think chefs, farmers, seed savers, shrimpers, pitmasters, canning pioneers and even the queen of bootleggers! I love reading about the roots of Southern classics like hoecakes, shrimp and grits, pimiento cheese and tamale pie. This will be a go-to in my kitchen. I’ve already tried the pickled shrimp recipe, a huge hit on my game day table. Next up – Sweet Potato Corn Bread with Ginger Honey Butter, just in time for the holidays. — Debbie Elliott, correspondent, National Desk
This is just a fraction of the 350+ titles we included in Books We Love this year. Click here to check out this year’s titles, or browse nearly 4,000 books from the last 12 years.
