With my latest cookbook Love & Lemons Simple Feel Good Food now available, I thought it would be fun to round up some of the best vegetarian cookbooks that have inspired me in my own cooking. As a three-time cookbook author, I appreciate the time and effort that go into creating a book–the recipe testing, the writing, the photography, and more. I have so much respect for other writers who combine these elements into exciting and accessible vegetarian cookbooks. When I write a book, my goal is to offer ideas and inspiration that will make your mealtimes simpler, fresher, and more delicious. Below, I’ve rounded up some of the vegetarian cookbooks that have similarly inspired me. Featuring plant-based recipes from a range of cuisines, they’re packed full of cooking tips and flavorful dishes that everyone (even non-vegetarians!) will love. So, whether you want to try out plant-based eating or just change up your recipe rotation, I can’t recommend these books enough. When I’m not sure what to make for dinner, I always reach for one of them. I hope these best vegetarian cookbooks become essential resources for you too!
My Top Picks:
Reviews of The Best Vegetarian Cookbooks
1. My Newest Cookbook: Love & Lemons Simple Feel Good Food
My latest book is for two types of cooks: those who like easy recipes that they can make right now and those who like to plan ahead. Designed to make it easier for you to eat fresh, flavorful vegetarian meals, it’s filled with recipes that are simple to make with on-hand ingredients (like one-pot soups and sheet pan dinners) and others that are great for making ahead (like sturdy, packable salads and veggie lasagnas). But the recipes are just the start! This cookbook also includes eight 3-day meal plans with step-by-step prep instructions and gorgeous charts (like A Guide to Grain Bowls, Mix & Match Veggie Tacos, and more!) that will help you get creative with your cooking.
2. My Everyday Cookbook: Love & Lemons Every Day
This big, beautiful book is packed with plant-based dishes for every occasion, from quick weeknight dinners to holiday meals. It also includes handy cooking charts (i.e., how to roast any vegetable, a giant grid of 5-ingredient salad dressings) and resources (like a list of what kitchen tools you actually need) that will make you a more confident and resourceful home cook.
3. My First Cookbook: The Love & Lemons Cookbook
This is the first cookbook I published, and it’s still a great one to have on hand—especially if you have a specific fresh ingredient you want to use up. Organized by vegetable from A to Z, it’s designed to help you make the most of your farmers market finds. The recipes are super-simple and use minimal ingredients to help you showcase seasonal produce at its best!
4. Best Elevated Vegetarian: Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
If you’re a vegetarian, Ottolenghi is a name you need to know. He draws on Middle Eastern influences to craft exciting vegetable recipes that bring restaurant-quality flavors to your home kitchen. This cookbook is entirely vegetarian, but some of the recipes are a bit complex. If you’re looking for quicker and easier options, I recommend starting with another Ottolenghi book, Ottolenghi Simple. It’s not fully vegetarian, but it has tons of fabulous (and, well, simple!) veggie recipes.
5. Best Whole Foods Cookbook: At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen by Amy Chaplin
I fell in love with vegetarian cuisine at Amy Chaplin’s former restaurant, Angelica Kitchen in NYC. This, her first cookbook, has had a huge influence on my cooking. The recipes all use whole foods ingredients to create flavorful, nourishing meat-free meals. A number of the recipes in the book are fairly involved, but it also features a large section of pantry recipes, which are great foundations for plant-based cooking.
6. Best for Weeknights: East by Meera Sodha
Do you find yourself making the same weeknight dinner recipes again and again and again? This cookbook is bursting with easy vegan and vegetarian dishes that you’ll want to add to your rotation. All the recipes are inspired by various Asian cuisines, and they include SO MANY creative ways to use vegetables.
7. Best for Beginners: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
If you’re just getting into vegetarian cooking, this book is a fantastic comprehensive guide. It may be one of the oldest cookbooks on this list, but Deborah Madison’s tried-and-true recipes never go out of style. It includes more than 1,400 of them–you’ll definitely find a few favorites!
8. Best for Your CSA Share: Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden
Disclaimer: this book is not fully vegetarian. But if you love veggies, you need it in your collection. It’s a fantastic resource for cooking and eating seasonally. Organized into chapters by season and then by vegetable, it will teach you how to prep, store, and select the best produce at any time of year. The recipes cater to a variety of skill levels, ranging from simple sides to elevated mains, but they all deliver tons of flavor with a few well-chosen ingredients.
9. Best for Inspiration: A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones
When I’m looking for inspiration in the kitchen, I always turn to Anna Jones. A Modern Way to Eat is her first cookbook, and it has a permanent spot on my countertop. Beautifully photographed and designed, it’s packed with inventive vegetarian recipes. It also includes features like graphic flow charts and lists that offer quick, creative ideas for transforming vegetables and other plant-based ingredients into delicious meals.
10. Best for New Vegans: Power Plates by Gena Hamshaw
If you’re curious about becoming vegan (or just adding more vegan meals to your diet), this cookbook is a great place to start. The recipes use accessible ingredients to create fun, nutritionally-balanced plant-based meals. You also can’t go wrong with Gena’s newest cookbook, The Vegan Week, which is focused on meal prep.
11. Best for Flexitarians: The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach
If you’re interested in eating less meat but you don’t know where to start, The Weekday Vegetarians is the cookbook for you! It lays out a plan for eating more veggie meals that’s approachable and fun, and it’s packed with crave-worthy recipes that will win over any meat eater.
Order Our New Book: Simple Feel Good Food!
I’m so grateful for your support for Love & Lemons and for all of my cookbooks, and you can now order Simple Feel Good Food. It’s filled with SO MANY satisfying veggie mains (seriously so many dinners!), vibrant salads, cozy comfort foods, seasonal desserts, and everything in between! A few of my favorite recipes include the Savory Tahini Yogurt Bowls, Creamy Cauliflower Enchiladas, Veggie Sushi Burritos, and Freezer Carrot Cake Bars. I can’t wait to hear what your favorites are! Want more info about the book? Find a sneak peek here! Prices were accurate at time of publication.
