Honestly, All You Need To Go Vegan Is A Few Really Great Cookbooks
Honestly, All You Need To Go Vegan Is A Few Really Great Cookbooks
Honestly, going vegan—or just eating a more plant-based diet—is so not as simple as just skipping the meat and dairy aisle.
After all, you still want to eat a balanced diet, which means you have to learn how to cook healthy plant-based meals. (And not turn lentils into complete mush every dang time...)
Luckily, with new cooking gadgets cropping up constantly (not sure where I'd be without my Instant Pot) and a growing awareness about the health benefits of plant-based eating (including lowered risk of chronic disease), it’s never been easier—and more appealing—to cook up more plants.
Not sure where to start? Try one of these top-rated vegan cookbooks.
Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
THUG KITCHEN
amazon.com
$14.89
Vegan cooking can be alienating for newbies, but this cookbook from the cult-status blog Thug Kitchen makes it accessible and fun thanks to a hearty dose of foul language and funky recipes like tofu ricotta lasagna and grilled eggplant soba noodles.
Fuss-Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized
Sam Turnbull
amazon.com
$18.29
Despite growing up in a household full of chefs, butchers and, yes, even hunters, author Sam Turnbull is pretty much the queen of vegan.
Proving a vegan lifestyle doesn’t need to be all kale and quinoa, this cookbook offers 101 vegan comfort food recipes, from ooey gooey burritos to fudge brownies to Alfredo sauce.
Mississippi Vegan: Recipes and Stories from a Southern Boy's Heart
Timothy Pakron
amazon.com
$24.99
Let's be real: 'Vegan' and 'Southern cooking' don't exactly seem to go hand-in-hand.
Yet, in this heart-warming cookbook with a memoir slant, forager, photographer, and cook Timothy Pakron makes it happen. He shares a whopping 125 recipes that boast signature Southern charm, including okra and tomatoes, gumbo, and tofu po’boys.
DIY Nut Milks, Nut Butters, and More: From Almonds to Walnuts
Melissa King
amazon.com
$9.31
With Melissa King's decadent recipes for nut butters, bars, desserts, and more, you'll never need processed store-bought stuff again.
If you’ve got a blender and a family-sized bag of nuts on-hand, this comprehensive guide will be your bible the next time you need to whip up something tasty and nutty—fast.
The Keto Vegan: 101 Low-Carb Recipes For A 100% Plant-Based Ketogenic Diet (Recipe-Only Edition) (vegetarian weight loss cookbook)
Lydia Miller
amazon.com
$15.99
Once upon a time, the keto diet was reserved for steakhouse regulars and cheese plate devotees. As the trend continues to grow, though, it's become much more inclusive of herbivores. Enter over 100 exciting vegan recipes, like truffle 'Parmesan' bread and tofu curry, that’ll keep you burning fat while staying cravings-free.
Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook
Richa Hingle
amazon.com
$19.20
Indian takeout lovers, rejoice: The fragrant cuisine isn’t all tandoori chicken and lamb skewers! From aromatic curries to lentil-rich dal to pillowy nan bread, award-winning recipe developer Richa Hingle’s cookbook is the answer to restaurant-quality vegan dining at home.
Happy Herbivore Abroad: A Travelogue and Over 135 Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes from Around the World
Lindsay S. Nixon
amazon.com
$14.89
If you’ve used up your vacation time at work, eat your way through chef Lindsay S. Nixon’s cookbook. Perfect for families, these crowd-pleasing vegan meals from Vietnamese, French, Lebanese cuisines, and more certainly keep plant-based eating interesting!
Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen: 150 Pizzas, Pastas, Pestos, Risottos, & Lots of Creamy Italian Classics
Chloe Coscarelli
amazon.com
$15.75
Cozy Italian cooking is, in fact, possible without meat and cheese. (Who knew!) Beloved vegan chef Chloe Coscarelli makes it easy to whip up vegan versions of the classics, including eggplant 'Parmesan,' white lasagna, and rotini with sun-dried tomato cream sauce.
Eat Feel Fresh: A Contemporary, Plant-Based Ayurvedic Cookbook
Sahara Rose Ketabi
amazon.com
$1.99
The term "Ayurvedic" in this cookbook's title might be intimidating to some, but Sahara Rose Ketabi proves it can be anything but. Ketabi first helps you determine your dosha (your unique mind-body needs), and then provides a slew of plant-based ingredients and recipes that'll do you good. This book packs everything from turmeric-filled golden milks to healing seaweed broths.
The No Meat Athlete Cookbook: Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes to Fuel Your Workouts—and the Rest of Your Life
Matt Frazier and Stepfanie Romine
amazon.com
$10.99
Forget the chalky protein powders and pre-workout supplements. What’ll really sustain you throughout everything from barre class to CrossFit: whole, plant-based foods.
The recipes in this pick, from olive-chickpea waffles to slow-cooker coconut-matcha brown rice, supply oodles of fueling nutrients—and taste.
Raw Cakes
Caroline Fibaek
amazon.com
$9.99
Vegan and raw? The dessert gods have spoken. With these easy, mouth-watering recipes, you can treat yourself without consuming a shred of dairy, sugar, gluten, additives, or animal byproducts.
?Salud! Vegan Mexican Cookbook: 150 Mouthwatering Recipes from Tamales to Churros
Eddie Garza
amazon.com
$10.99
Taco Bell, who? You don’t need meat and cheese to enjoy the invigorating flavors of Mexican cuisine. Nourishing plant-based Mexican staples like black beans, avocado, fresh homemade salsa, and sautéed fajita veggies bring this pick's 150 savory dishes to life.
The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes
Nisha Vora
amazon.com
$14.99
You don’t often see the words "indulgent" and "plant-based" side by side, but that happy marriage is exactly what food blogger Nisha Vora (known for her blog, Rainbow Plant Life) achieves in her debut cookbook. She uses the handy-dandy Instant Pot to create breakfast-worthy enchilada casseroles, savory mushroom risotto, and sweet pears poached in red wine.
Vegan for Everybody: Foolproof Plant-Based Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and In-Between
America's Test Kitchen
amazon.com
$24.99
America’s Test Kitchen is arguably one of the most authoritative sources on all things delicious and easy to prepare.
Their Vegan for Everybody cookbook provides a veggie-focused solution for every meal of the day—and every member of the family. From creamy coconut ice cream to crispy orange seitan, the flavors are so bold you won’t even realize you’re skipping out on meat.
Forks Over Knives―The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes for Plant-Based Eating All Through the Year
Del Sroufe
amazon.com
$10.89
Forks Over Knives, the movement that inspired tons of Americans to go plant-based, makes vegan eating easy with this essential cookbook. With over 300 recipes (including polenta pizza with tomatoes and basil and apricot fig squares), it opens up a whole new world of eating.
The College Vegan Cookbook: 145 Affordable, Healthy & Delicious Plant-Based Recipes
Heather Nicholds
amazon.com
$11.19
You don’t have to live in a cramped campus dorm to appreciate this cookbook. Whether you’re a college freshman or adulting hard, these recipes make plant-based eating fun and affordable. Barbecue cauliflower wings and chickpea omelets, anyone?
The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out
Angela Liddon
amazon.com
$20.00
Chef Angela Liddon’s colorful plant-based recipes will leave such a visible glow on your face, your friends will think you’re in love. And you might be—with her Thai peanut and orange-maple miso noodle bowls! Some of these recipes require a little extra patience, but that glow is well worth it.
The Super Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Cookbook: 100 Easy, Healthy Recipes That Are Ready When You Are
Toni Okamoto
amazon.com
$14.39
Each requiring no more than 15 minutes of prep, these vegan slow-cooker meals give ordinary staples like chili and stew new life. Okamoto's book is a must-have for anyone who wants to cook once and eat for days.
Modern Vegan Baking: The Ultimate Resource for Sweet and Savory Baked Goods
Gretchen Price
amazon.com
$12.49
Feeling fancy? In her book, professional pastry chef Gretchen Price shows you how to shake up your baking routine with vegan masterpieces like no-knead garlic and herb loaves, mocha brownies, and lemon lavender shortbread.
Field Roast: 101 Artisan Vegan Meat Recipes to Cook, Share, and Savor
Tommy McDonald
amazon.com
$18.37
One of the biggest challenges of going vegan is finding a substitute for a hearty and satisfying piece of meat. Well, it was, until now. McDonald's Field Roast will teach you how to liven up festive feasts with a vegan Wellington and simplify weeknight dining with orange Szechuan grains and broccoli.
Start with these.