15 best vegan cookbooks from Bosh! to Deliciously Ella that plant-based chefs swear by
Vegan cookbooks are a big part of any journey to going vegan. If you're following in the footsteps of some of our favourite celebrity vegans and giving the plant-based life a whirl, bravo. Whether it's a diet-related choice or you're going vegan to help the planet, we seriously salute you.
Of course, even the most confident of home chefs might be thrown when there's an absence of meat, fish and dairy products in their fridge for the first time – and it can be tricky to know how to cook plant-based meals that are nutritionally balanced and genuinely tasty. Likewise, if you're a seasoned vegan who is bored of making the same old vegan recipes on repeat, you’re probably itching to refresh your culinary repertoire.
Investing in one of the best cookbooks is a good way to help you feel inspired and get you started with some simple recipes. That said, we're the first to admit that most plant-based cookbooks aren’t actually that great. There’s more to the vegan diet that just sweet potato, tempeh and chickpeas, trust. Hence why we tasked ourselves with finding some genuinely epic publications packed full of deliciously sinful desserts that don't break the rules of your lifestyle choice, fakeaway-style dinners featuring vegan substitute superstars and easy feasts that can be whipped up in under 20 minutes. These delicious vegan cookbooks have got it all on offer.
The best vegan cookbooks 2023 at a glance:
- Best vegan cookbook for beginners: BOSH! by Henry Firth
- Best vegan baking cookbook: The Vegan Baking Bible by Karolina Tegelaar
- Best vegan cookbook for families: Deliciously Ella How To Go Plant-Based: A Definitive Guide For You and Your Family by Ella Mills
- Best vegan cookbook for weeknights: The 20-Minute Vegan: Over 80 Easy, Tasty and Quick Plant-Based Recipes by Callum Harris
- Best vegan cookbook for dinner party show-stoppers: Nistisima by Georgina Hayden
How we tested the best vegan cookbooks
We scoured bestseller lists, spoke to vegan chefs and teamed up with book experts Sophie Ezra and Chaya Burns to curate a shortlist, before testing as many vegan cookery books as we could and scoring each on the quality of recipes, simplicity, clarity and design. The result? A list which serves the comfort food home cooks, the one pot vegans and those who just want to make some vegan brownies.
Ahead, the best vegan cookbooks to add to your checkout.
Best vegan cookbook for family favourites
Deliciously Ella How To Go Plant-Based: A Definitive Guide For You and Your Family by Ella Mills
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £11.91 for the hardcover and £12.99 for the Kindle edition.Deliciously Ella is a brand that we all know, the baby of Ella Mills who has built a cult following of fans. Her newest cookbook aims to simplify switching to a plant-based diet and used extensive evidence-based research, drawing from a wealth of knowledge presented by experts, nutritionists, and doctors. With 100 recipes, we love the fact that Ella considers the need for back cooking, freezer friendly meals with a focus on kids who can be picky eaters. Aimed at people who are starting their vegan lifestyles (very much like us at @thebibliofilles) with a particularly useful introduction, there is a lot of useful information and some great meals we think your whole family will love.
Best vegan cookbook for beginners
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £8 for the hardcover.Why you need it: Bosh! is a hugely popular cookbook from creators of the plant-based Bosh! channel that has sold over a million copies. Featuring over 140 recipes that are genuinely so easy to follow, and most importantly include components that can be found in most supermarkets and are cost effective. We at @thebibliofilles think that Bosh! is a great introductory cookbook for anyone who is starting to explore a plant-based lifestyle, particularly as you get some great alternatives for non-vegan ingredients. The dishes are tasty, the photographs gorgeous – what more could you want from a cookbook?
Best vegan cookbook if you're on a budget
Broke Vegan: Over 100 Plant-Based Recipes That Don't Cost the Earth
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £10.94 for the hardcover or £6.99 for the Kindle edition.Why you need it: When people think about Vegan food invariably, they think beautiful and hearty meals will cost a fortune and be complicated to create. Sidey notes the growing fixation on sustainability and the climate but acknowledges the financial constraints on many that want to do their part. Unhealthy fast food has never been so cheap and Broke Vegan is the answer. A great gift for anyone, from those embarking on Veganuary to seasoned Vegans recipes are helpfully categorised by sections such as Batch Cooking, Impress a Crown and Ready in 20. These are crown pleasing and accessible, aimed at the most basic of cooks.
Best vegan cookbook from a rising star
Rachel Ama’s Vegan Easts by Rachel Ama
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £15.29.Rachel Ama has been named a rising star in the culinary world and with very good reason. Every single one of these amazing recipes are honestly brilliant, inspired from Ama’s Caribbean and West African roots to ensure the flavours are absolutely singing and truly unique. With short recipes, the star of every page is the playlist included with every single dish – talk about soul food that makes you dance whilst you cook. Being vegan should not inhibit your life or choices and this cookbook will appeal to everyone and will become a staple in your kitchen. Ama’s personality shines through.
Best vegan cookbook for post-work dinners
The 20-Minute Vegan: Over 80 Easy, Tasty and Quick Plant-Based Recipes by Callum Harris
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £12.50 for the hardcover and £11.99 for the Kindle edition.You might recognise the name Calum Harris and chances are you have come across one of his viral videos preparing the most delectable of vegan dishes. A beloved contestant on The Great Cookbook Challenge, this is already on amazons hot new release list ahead of its release in May 2023. We love the focus on the time these recipes take and that all ingredients are suitable for all budgets. Harris is confident that he will be able to persuade the most committed of meat eaters to the Vegan lifestyle and we cannot wait to get this one on our shelves.
Best vegan cookbook for dinner party showstoppers
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £19.69 for the hardcover and £11.83 for the Kindle edition.If we could have one chef move in with us at @thebibliofilles we think it would the gorgeous and brilliant Georgina Hayden. She suffuses every single recipe with love, history, culture and tradition, every dish is astonishing in its depth of flavour and vibrancy and you will genuinely forget that the recipes are vegan. If a recipe is included in a Hayden cookbook, rest assured that it has been tested and considered extensively and is full proof. Spanning the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean cuisines, 2022 release Nistisima is an exquisite, coffee table worthy addition to any cookbook collection. You will want to make everything immediately.
Best vegan cookbook for Middle Eastern delights
Veganistan: A Vegan tour of the Middle East by Sally Butcher
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £17.A newly published addition to vegan cuisine in December 2022, this was a hotly anticipated follow up after the success of bestselling Veggiestan and Persopolis, this is a love letter to vegans everywhere. Recipes range from breads to desserts and are varied in complexity ensuring that this will appeal to a broad category of cooks. Butcher helpfully details meat, dairy, and egg substitutes in a great cheaters guide. This witty writer continues her exploration of the Silk Road and celebrates beautiful recipes that will elevate every dinner party and family meal, vegan food can be for any occasion and for any kitchen.
Best vegan cookbook for Chinese recipes
The Vegan Chinese Kitchen by Hannah Che
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £25.78 for the hardcover.A recent addition to the Vegan scene that is going to be a feature in every Vegan and plant-based home before long. More and more, people don’t want to miss their favourite foods and Chinese cuisine has been in desperate need of a brilliant and authentic cookbook like this one. Covering all the bases with starters, soups, noodles and rice dishes, Hannah also includes a great section on kitchen staples and sourcing ingredients. Dishes @thebibliofilles are itching to make include black sesame dumplings and scallion pancakes, reviews all note the authenticity and depth of flavour in every recipe. Its also has the most beautiful imagery, always a bonus.
Best vegan cookbook for ease
One: Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones
How vegan? Almost entirely.
How much? £21.15.This is such a great option for anyone with a busy life who doesn’t have the time to spend hours on a single meal. We love that the focus of every recipe is ease and simplicity, using minimal ingredients and creating minimal mess, making them perfect for those busy evenings after work. Together with gorgeous photography and design, every dish looks appetising, and the instructions are easy to navigate. One: Pot, Pan, Planet is a fantastic resource if you are looking to bring in more whole foods into your diet. Hot tip: try the Roasted Squash and Red Lentil Dhal – genuinely so comforting and colourful.
Best vegan cookbook for Asian recipes
Asian Green: Everyday Plant-Based Recipes Inspired by the East by Ching He Huang
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £11.66.You know when a Vegan cookbook enters the Sunday Times bestseller list that its going to be one you have to buy, and Asian Green deserves all of the hype. Fans are extremely impressed by the delicious recipes that are full of fresh ingredients elevated to a gourmet level. Dishes are well balanced with a focus on colours, textures, and vibrant flavours. If you have ever walked past the greens section of a supermarket and questioned what many of them are used for this is the book for you, though some of the ingredients are harder to find such as Gai Lan and Tatsoi.
Best vegan cookbook for getting creative with leftovers
The Homemade Vegan Pantry by Miyoko Mishimoto Schinner
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £15.79.Firstly, how magnificent is the cover of The Homemade Vegan Pantry? This is a cookbook with a difference, focusing on ensuring your kitchen is fully stocked with vegan versions of ingredients that you will use every single day to create quick and delectable meals. This is a more gourmet standard of vegan cooking, which would appeal to experienced vegan that are looking to reinvigorate their skills and seriously impress. The reviews online are almost falling over themselves in praise and adoration for this weighty tome of a cookbook that has a wealth of innovative recipes and ideas.
Best vegan cookbook for fakeaway-style dinners
Leon Fast Vegan by Rebecca Seal, Chantal Symons and John Vincent
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £24.45 for the hardcover.This is such a clear and great cookbook that will appeal to everyone who enjoys delicious food. Including a huge amount of recipes that fit right into the beloved food chains brand, Fast Vegan groups together flavours and cuisines from around the globe, from burgers to tacos and sushi – all absolute crowd pleasers. You can use this cookbook for all meals from breakfast to dinner, the focus is on flavour, ease, and simplicity though some of the elements do require forward planning and preparation before the day. We love the additions of party food and the generous servings.
Best vegan cookbook for TikTok-approved recipes
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £14.99.Reviews have called Dirty Vegan a gamechanger from a member of Dirty Sanchez. Perfect for a foodie that is well used to cooking with different methods and processes, you will be really surprised by the variety of recipes and level of insight from Pritchard. We have seen a number of TikTok’s wax lyrical about the Korean sticky mushrooms and rave about the changes they have made to their weekly meals as a direct result of having this cookbook on their shelves. Being Vegan just became a lot more rock n roll.
Best vegan cookbooks for flavour
Vegetable Kingdom: A Vegan Cookbook: Cooking the World of Plant-Based Recipes by Bryant Terry
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £18.05.This is a wonderful and elegant cookbook for the most discerning of cooks. Written by award winning chef and food justice activist, Terry identifies the critical components of plant-based cooking with unusual and exquisite recipes that pack a punch full of flavour. A standout feature is the focus on unprocessed, wholesome ingredients and how the book is organised. Terry encourages readers to explore a variety of vegetables, grains, and legumes and many of the recipes feature unexpected flavour combinations that will surprise and delight. There is not a single boring or bland dish in the entire book, you will love everything you try.
Best vegan cookbook for serious foodies
The Flavour Thesaurus - More Flavours 2023 by Niki Segnit
How vegan? Completely.
How much? £17.60 for the hardcover.When The Flavour Thesaurus was published it was a landmark moment in cookbooks and the sequel is already being pre-ordered by fans ahead of its May 2023 release. Excitingly, the focus is on plant led pairings, with the same innovative approach to combinations applied to 92 plant-based flavours. This is much more than a cookbook, Segnit combines stories, recipes, techniques, and overarching cooking guidance. From Lychee and Coconut to Orange and Caraway, the author is unafraid to push boundaries. Serious foodies and professional chefs would find a lot to learn and consider in the vast amount of pages and prose.
