10 cookbooks I reallllyyyy want to cook from

A glimpse at my cookbook wishlist, aka help me decide which to buy next!

To say that I adore cookbooks is an understatement. The IKEA shelf I’ve had for 15+ years can barely hold the tomes I’ve picked up over the years. I’ve got them scattered around the house for the odd free moment—a few in my living room, a couple on my bedside table. On lazy weekend mornings, I like to (attempt) to take my coffee and a cookbook to the couch, and once in a while my daughter will grab the closest book within reach and sit down with me, saying “Mommy, vamos a leer recipes!”

For any other cookbook lovers out there, tell me you can relate: The joy of a beautifully written head note, the spark of inspiration upon a recipe that just sounds so good, and the comfort of a well-used cookbook, pages stained and water-warped. I’ve got so many cookbooks I love and return to often, and slowly but surely I continue to add a handful to my collection each year.

Since becoming a mom, I was in survival mode for a while, and that turned into no-recipe cooking—classics like Spanish stews, chicken noodle soup, pasta with haphazardly thrown together bolognese sauce, my mother-in-law’s meatballs, and pork cheeks.

But as my kids get older (Noe turns 2 on Sunday! What?!), I can feel myself inching back to my cookbooks. I’ve been jotting down the ones I’d like to add to my collection like crazy—I’ve been mega inspired by some of the new ones coming out recently (and some not so recently!), and I thought I’d let you in to see my current wishlist.

I’d be so grateful if you’d weigh in below—which one should I go for next?!

1. Tahini Baby: Bright, Everyday Recipes That Happen to Be Vegetarian by Eden Grinshpan

I stumbled upon Eden Grinshpan’s Instagram last year and was immediately pulled in—fresh vegetables, dreamy legumes, healthy glugs of olive oil, and meals that had me hitting save on almost everything she posted. This book actually just came out yesterday, and it’s quickly gone up to the very top of my list. I'm so inspired by the way she cooks, and I can’t help but daydream about Mediterranean-inspired dinner parties, tahini-drenched salads, and vibrant veggie-forward meals.

The recipe calling my name: Eggplant schnitzel with spiced tomato sauce and garlicky tahini; Baked feta with olives & citrus

2. By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear by Hailee Catalano

My sweet friend Erin sent me Hailee’s Instagram page innocently enough, and from the first video, I was hooked! I love her wholesomeness and sincerity. Case in point: This sweet video of her parents seeing her cookbook for the first time! Her recipes somehow manage to stradle the perfect balance between approachable and gourmet, a pretty perfect place to strive for if you ask me. I can’t imagine a world in which this cookbook isn’t a 10/10. (Meredith: This is on my list, too!)

The recipe calling my name: Spicy carrot rigatoni

3. What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities by Julia Turshen

I’ve been a Julia Turshen fan ever since she co-wrote It’s All Good in 2013. Her recipes are simple, straight-forward, and uncomplicated in the best way. They’re the kind I reach for again and again and again. I own everything else she’s written (Small Victories is one of my favorite cookbooks to gift because I love that there’s a small victory to find in everything you cook), because I know I’ll get so much use out of them. I’ve had my eye on this one for a while, and honestly, I can’t say what’s been holding be back!

The recipe calling my name: Beef, spinach + feta meatballs

4. Galette!: Sweet and Savory Recipes as Easy as Pie by Rebecca Firkser

We had the pleasure of interviewing Rebecca Firkser, and her entire approach to cooking on a budget enamored me. When I saw she had a book solely filled with galette recipes, it instantly went on my list. I’ve been trying (and failing) to make great pies since I moved to Spain in 2010, so I’m absolutely all-in on a cookbook that offers all the flavor of a pie but none of the fuss or disappointment!

The recipe calling my name: A good crust (the versatility of mastering this recipe really speaks to me!)

5. Pass the Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes by Carolina Gelen

I (along with millions of other people) love Carolina’s Instagram account and love seeing her recipes in the New York Times. I especially love how she integrates her Romanian-Hungarian background into her cooking. But what I think I love the most is just how surprisingly flavorful and exciting everything she makes is, and how comforting and delicious her recipes are.

The recipe calling my name: One-pot baked risotto with blistered tomatoes and burrata (Meredith: Excuse me! Adding to my meal plan for next week.)

6. Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly

Okayyyyy, this is not new, and I know that I NEED this one in my library. I love Sohla’s way of being able to connect with the most basic of cooks while also speaking on the level of advanced chefs looking to create something truly spectacular. I have the feeling there’s a lot for me to learn between these pages.

The recipe calling my name: Hot & tingly cabbage

7. Third Culture Cooking by Zaynab Issa

My first contact with Zaynab Issa was this video where she baked 72 cinnamon rolls in search for her favorite recipe. I admired her gumption and her perserverance, and after making the winning recipe several times, I admired her taste, too. This cookbook feels like it’ll be a great resource for kitchen technique, new flavors, and recipes that will seriously deliver on flavor.

The recipe calling my name: Udon carbonara

8. Sift: The Elements of Great Baking by Nicola Lamb

Nicola Lamb requires no introduction. If her cookbook is half as incredible as her Substack (and no doubt, it is), I’m certain this will make a go-to reference in my cookbook library for many years and baked goods to come.

The recipe calling my name: Pain Suisse—looks like such a fun project!

9. The King Arthur Baking Company Big Book of Bread: 125+ Recipes for Every Baker by King Arthur Baking

Published last year, this is another not-so-new cookbook, but one I know I’d get a lot of use from. There is nothing as intoxicating as making your own bread and yeasted (or naturally leavened) baked goods. I’d love to cook through this book from start to finish.

The recipe calling my name: English muffin toasting bread

10. Dinner by Meera Sodha

How refreshing to hear that cook and recipe developer Meera Sodha herself suffers from cooking burnout! I love that this book is what pulled her out of her rut; I’m certain in times of cooking fatigue and burnout in my own home, this would be a wonderul one to have on hand.

The recipe calling my name: Tenderstem broccoli, tofu, and kimchi stew

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Meredith and I have been chatting about starting a little cookbook club here—we choose a book, cook our way through it, and discuss here! Would you be up for joining us? We’re probably going to do it no matter what, but wouldn’t it be nice if we got a handful of us interested in doing it together? Let us know in the comments!