The 16 Spring Cookbooks Our Team L-O-V-E-S
Spring’s about renewal, rebirth, refreshment—and reassessing the way you cook and eat. (Think New Year’s resolutions, lite.)
Luckily, there’s a whole crop of new cookbooks to help you do just that: One will teach you how to make Indian dishes in the Instant Pot, one will guide you through breakfasts around the world (and inspire you to step away from that box of Reese’s Puffs), and another will help you cook like it’s the weekend every day (...within reason).
Since there are so many new titles to choose from, we made every bookworm on the BA team pick a favorite. Here are the books we can’t wait to start cooking from.
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Photo by Chelsie Craig1/16Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan
From the minute I opened Yasmin Khan's Palestinian travelogue-meets-cookbook Zaitoun, I knew I needed to read—and cook through—the entire thing, starting with the hummus with spiced lamb and ending with the banana-tahini ice cream. A former human rights activist, Khan doesn't shy away from describing the harsh political realities of the region, but the book is ultimately a celebration of Palestinian people and their rich, varied cuisine. —Amanda Shapiro, senior editor
Photo by Chelsie Craig2/16Vietnamese Food Any Day by Andrea Nguyen
I’ve looked to Andrea as an authority on Vietnamese food for years. (When I went to Vietnam for the first time, she gave me recommendations for places to eat all over the country.) Her newest book makes the fresh, vibrant flavors of Vietnam accessible to home cooks across the world, which means I can recreate the bánh xèo (crispy rice crepes) I ate in Hanoi and also try something new, like Shaking beef. Nguyen cleverly incorporates techniques and ingredients from other parts of the world into her Vietnamese recipes to make it possible for someone almost anywhere to shop and cook on any old weeknight. — Andy Baraghani, senior food editor
Buy It: Vietnamese Food Any Day by Andrea Nguyen, $17 on amazon.com
3/16Where Cooking Begins by Carla Lalli Music
I’m the type who wanders indecisively through grocery store aisles, never entirely sure what to buy. Carla Lalli Music is going to change all that for me. Where Cooking Begins is as much playbook as cookbook, schooling me on how to shop strategically, arming me with essential techniques that every home cook should master, and providing me with the kind of manageable but memorable recipes that I’ll return to over and over and over again. —Adam Rapoport, editor in chief
Buy It: Where Cooking Begins by Carla Lalli Music, $20 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig4/16Indian-ish by Priya Krishna
Priya’s writing features the hilarious, heartwarming stories about her family, and while I’ve never met her parents, I feel like I know them (mom loves a good wine pairing, dad loves yogurt, both love Dunkin’ Donuts). Not a lot of cookbooks pack as much personality and fun—plus these are guaranteed cookable, fantastic recipes. I've already made the saag paneer but with feta. —Alex Beggs, senior staff writer
Photo by Chelsie Craig5/16Perfect Pan Pizza by Peter Reinhart
If anyone can part the sea of Bread Bros and deliver you safely to the other side, it’s Peter Reinhart. His 2002 book The Bread Baker’s Apprentice is one of the most helpful, lucid, and easy-to-follow introductions to artisan bread baking that I know, and I cannot wait to dig in to this exploration of the wide, crispy-edged world of pan pizzas—the only kind anyone should ever bother making at home, IMHO. —Amiel Stanek, senior editor
Buy It: Perfect Pan Pizza by Peter Reinhart, $15 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig6/16The 100 Most Jewish Foods by Alana Newhouse
It’s an impossible task to list the most important Jewish foods when everyone knows (cue eye roll) that there’s nothing Jews like to argue about more than food. But that’s exactly why this book needs to exist—not so much for the recipes, but for the introductory descriptions of each food by various writers and chefs making a case for why each entry deserves its spot. Put out a copy and see what happens when your guests start browsing through it amidst bites of margarine-laden cakes (“It does what it needs to do, which is restore dignity to both the kosher-keeping and lactose-intolerant among us,” says writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner) or bagels with schmear (“The bagel is the least Jewish food in the world,” argues journalist Liel Leibovitz). Yup, more arguing. And so the cycle continues. —Carey Polis, digital director
Buy It: The 100 Most Jewish Foods by Alana Newhouse, $15 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig7/16The Tiny Mess by Maddie Gordon, Mary Gonzalez, and Trevor Gordon
I live in Manhattan; my twin sister lives in a van. The kitchen situation is limited—a two-burner propane camp stove and an icebox cooler—which provides ample opportunity to get, shall we say, creative. Every object has a purpose, and I hope she'll make space for The Tiny Mess. The photo-driven cookbook features recipes created in unconventional homes, from a handbuilt treehouse perched 40 feet above the Columbia River Gorge to a 1955 Chevy school bus parked on a tiny island in northern Washington's Salish Sea. Think stovetop granola, pantry staple curry, and a slew of other recipes perfect for life on the road less traveled. It's a decidedly different kind of "aspirational lifestyle cookbook"—you won’t find monochromatic smoothie bowls or maximalist charcuterie platters here. —Aliza Abarbanel, editorial assistant
Buy It: The Tiny Mess by Maddie Gordon, Mary Gonzalez, and Trevor Gordon, $17 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig8/16Ruffage by Abra Berens
My favorite cookbooks (see Small Victories by Julia Turshen and Where Cooking Begins by our own Carla Lalli Music) include suggestions for ways to riff on the written recipes. In Ruffage, the chef and former farmer Abra Berens doesn't just give you a recipe for, say, blistered cucumbers with cumin yogurt and parsley. She also includes a handful of variations, which are basically "mini recipes," that show you how those same cucumbers would also be delicious paired with peaches, mint, and chili oil, or tossed with buttermilk, tomatoes, and herbs. This is the book I want on my shelf right next to my well-loved copy of Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden; it's a total classic in the making. —Christina Chaey, associate editor
9/16Madhur Jaffrey’s Instantly Indian Cookbook
The only Instant Pot cookbook the world still needs is one by Madhur Jaffrey. Long considered one of the utmost authorities on Indian cuisine in the U.S., Jaffrey’s first book, An Invitation to Indian Cooking showed Americans a world beyond “curry,” where Indian food did not need to be dumbed down to appeal to western palates. This book is similarly uncompromising in its recipes, marrying the convenience of the Instant Pot with Jaffrey’s wealth of expertise, not just on the cuisine of her hometown of Delhi, but also of Gujarat, Kerala, and Kashmir. It’s refreshing that, unlike most Instant Pot cookbooks, Jaffrey does not treat the device as a cooking cure-all. “It will not, in most cases, take over and cook for you. It takes some experimentation to master.” You can always count on Madhur to keep it real. —Priya Krishna, contributing writer
Buy It: Madhur Jaffrey’s Instantly Indian Cookbook, $15 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig10/16Breakfast: The Cookbook by Emily Miller
I was first introduced to Emily during her BreakfastClub series, where she worked with chefs (like Fabian Von Hauske Valtierra and Jeremiah Stone of Contra) to dream up special breakfast menus for one-day-only pop ups. Emily spent the last three years researching breakfasts around the world, and I'm especially excited to learn about the countries that aren't always given their 15 minutes of fame. I'm obsessed with the pork floss and sticky rice at East Village Taiwanese restaurant Ho Foods, so I can't wait to start there and see where I end up. —Emily Schultz, social media manager
Buy It: Breakfast: The Cookbook by Emily Miller, $31 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig11/16Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook by Tyler Malek and JJ Goode
Ever since my parents gave me the ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid for Christmas, the only dessert I've been making is ice cream. I originally sought out this book solely because of the Meyer Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Custard, which I sampled when the Salt & Straw team visited the BA office. It is the greatest ice cream flavor that's ever existed and, because it's only a seasonal flavor in their stores, I needed the recipe so I could make it whenever I wanted. Next up, I’ll try one of their unique combos: pear-blue cheese or honey-lavender. —Kate Fenoglio, associate production manager
Buy It: Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook by Tyler Malek and JJ Goode, $25 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig12/16Every Day is Saturday by Sarah Copeland
Cooking, which should be fun, too often feels like a struggle (even for us professionals). So when I first heard the title of Sarah Copeland’s latest cookbook, Every Day is Saturday, I instantly understood. My life felt a lot closer to every-day-is-Monday until I realized that weeknight joy meant putting down my phone, playing some music, and not getting annoyed at my kids for wanting to hang out instead of sleep. These days, I try to break out of my recipe safe space and cook new things, even if that means my kids aren’t into it. Although in the case of Copeland’s Chocolate Chip Buckwheat Banana Pancakes, I think we’re in pretty safe territory. Saturday, here we come. —Chris Morocco, senior food editor
Buy It: Every Day is Saturday by Sarah Copeland, $30 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig13/16My Mexico City Kitchen by Gabriela Camara
For a "chef" cookbook, there's something unusual about My Mexico City Kitchen: It has so many words in it! I’m psyched about this book not just because I’ll be able to impress friends and internet strangers with what I'm sure will be my extremely imposter version of Gabriela Camara's signature red-and-green grilled snapper, but also because it’ll provide more insight into how she thinks as a cook (and a person!). —Julia Kramer, deputy editor
Buy It: My Mexico City Kitchen by Gabriela Camara, $22 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig14/16Batch Cocktails by Maggie Hoffman
I used to do this thing as a host where I'd make each guest at my dinner party their own drink as they arrived. It was fun for a while, but then they'd want seconds—or thirds—before I’d even taken my first sip. Now that I’m older, wiser, and lazier, I know to batch it all ahead of time. Now I’m leaning on the large-format drinks in this book to help me get out of my negroni rut. Sure some recipes require homemade syrups and infusions, but there are plenty that consist of bottles I already have on my bar cart. Maybe I’ll finally put them to good use! —Sasha Levine, senior editor
Buy It: Batch Cocktails by Maggie Hoffman, $14 on amazon.com
Photo by Chelsie Craig15/16The Modern Cook’s Year by Anna Jones
If there’s anyone who can placate my cries for tasty, filling, gorgeous vegetarian recipes, it’s Anna Jones. A Modern Cook’s Year makes it look easy—and joyful—to pass on the meat without eating chickpeas (or cereal) for every meal. Organized by season, the book is a natural mix of weeknight dinners, cooking projects, snacks, desserts, breakfasts, and lunches (the majority of which I’ve already dog-eared). It’s hippie enough to feel down-to-earth but hip enough to feel inspiring. It’s aspirational enough to give me something to strive for (like keeping salted chocolate truffles coated in crushed rose petals in the fridge) but real enough to feel doable (plenty of pasta). And it’s got all of the whole seeds, citrus, nuts, and buckwheat to keep my healthyish side satisfied. —Sarah Jampel, contributing editor
Buy It: The Modern Cook’s Year by Anna Jones, $25 on amazon.com
16/16Tu Casa Mi Casa by Enrique Olvera
Eating at Enrique Olvera's Mexico City restaurant Pujol was an out-of-body, highly transcendent experience. But it's food I would (and could) never make myself. That's why I'm so excited about the cookbook that's got all the genius of Olvera's signature cooking but optimized for me, the home cook. —Rachel Karten, social media manager
Buy It: Tu Casa Mi Casa by Enrique Olvera, $32 on amazon.com
