Some of the Best Cookbooks, According to Our Editors

Tin to Table

$25 $20 at Amazon $21 at Walmart $25 $24 at Bookshop.org

This year was the year of tinned fish—at least for me. As a kid, canned fish (well, canned anything really, save for cranberry sauce, which has always held a place in my heart) grossed me out, but after reviewing tinned fish for Serious Eats, I became a convert. Actually, I became a proselytizer, whipping up sardine melts for lunch, cracking open a can of mussels escabeche at parties, and baking tuna noodle casserole for dinner (my parents will be gobsmacked to read this). My pantry is now well-stocked with tins of anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and of course, oil-packed tuna (a bonafide luxury). This is why my favorite cookbook this year has got to be From Tin to Table by Anna Hazel—not only is it an ode to and primer on tinned fish (with recommendations and background info on different types of tins), but it also gives you tons of fun new ways to use a tin of the stuff, like Bagna Cauda with French Breakfast Radishes (I’m making this at my next dinner party), Spicy Sardine Toasts with Caramelized Shallot and Fennel Jam (YUM), and Sardine Curry Puffs (LUXE!). — Grace Kelly, associate commerce editor

Veg-Table

$35 $23 at Amazon $35 $33 at Bookshop.org $35 at Barnesandnoble.com

If you’ve ever had a vegetable-related question, this is where Nik Sharma will answer it. I love how his scientific mind delves into the geographic origins of different types of veg and he gives an in-depth answer to the age-old question, “What is a vegetable?” He talks about how he’s learned to grow vegetables in his California backyard (major citrus tree envy here!) and some basic cooking tips to get the most from your produce. He overviews storage and fresh versus processed so you have the knowledge and the skillset before diving into the hundreds of recipes he beautifully lays out for us. I fall into that ever-growing category as someone who is "trying to eat less meat", and this book's gorgeous recipes (hello corn cakes with Sichuan chive butter and okra tacos!) are an inspiring reason to cook more vegetable-forward meals. — Leah Colins, senior editor

More Is More

$35 $20 at Amazon $20 at Target $21 at Crate & Barrel

Molly Baz's second cookbook is packed with the same whimsy as her first. This isn't to say the recipes aren't also downright delicious and highly cookable (to be clear, it's the opposite), but there's always a twist—be it an ingredient or simply how the recipe's named (take, for example, the meatballs or "Mollz Balls" loaded with anchovies, anchovy oil, and fresh mint). For the aesthetically-minded, this book will also appeal: with its illustrations, punchy-looking text, and vibrant photography. Many of the recipes also include QR codes that direct you to a "Cook Along!" video and/or audio—a pleasantly interactive, informative feature not seen in other cookbooks. — Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, senior editor

Made in Taiwan

$40 $23 at Amazon $40 $38 at Bookshop.org

Food writer and Serious Eats contributor Clarissa Wei documented the process of writing this Taiwanese cookbook and the teamwork involved for months on end, so it was such a pleasure to finally buy a copy and see the results of all that labor. The book is a treasure from start to finish, spanning recipes, Taiwanese culture and history, and gear. Taiwan has long been on my bucket list of places to visit (and eat!) and Made in Taiwan is just as deserving of a place on anyone's cookbook bucket list as well. — Daniel Gritzer, senior culinary director

A Very Chinese Cookbook

$35 $23 at Amazon $35 $33 at Bookshop.org

Come for the delicious well-tested recipes, and stay for the Pang family's charming and funny storytelling. I'd be remiss if I didn't plug a book that I edited, but this cookbook, the Pang family, and the entire team that worked on A Very Chinese Cookbook are truly worth the praise. It's gorgeous and it has well laid-out and user-friendly recipes, plus amazing ingredient information and cooking technique explanations. My favorite part? There is an entire chapter of fried recipes!! The dry chili chicken is a must-make, and Kevin and Catherine Pang's hakka stuffed tofu recipe is the perfect blend of comforting and light. To top it off, there is an interior photo of Kevin Pang dancing in a cloud of MSG, which is worth the purchase alone.  — Leah

The Lula Cafe Cookbook

$50 $37 at Amazon $50 $47 at Bookshop.org View on Thriftbooks.com

I lived in Chicago for 14 years, and anytime I hear someone's visiting the city I tell them straightaway to head to Lula Cafe. Lula opened in 1999 in the Logan Square neighborhood as a neighborhood spot, and over the years has grown into what I would consider to be the best restaurant in the United States. Known for simple but intricate weekend brunch, a daily cafe menu with excellent breakfast and lunch options, and casual fine dining dinner specials, I'd say that three out of five of the best meals I've ever had in my life were at Lula. We left Chicago two years ago, and I've been heartsick over missing their food, so this cookbook has been a massive lifesaver. The book has a wide variety of their well-known desserts, classic cafe dishes like their Pasta Yia Yia, and a collection of dinner specials from over the years interwoven with stories about the cafe itself and the role it's played in Chicago's ever-evolving dining scene. This book is a beautiful addition to your cookbook shelf, and if you've got nostalgia the way I do for Lula, it brings a piece of this amazing restaurant right into your home. — Jesse Raub, commerce writer

Start Here

$45 $26 at Amazon $34 at Walmart $26 at Target

This book is like a culinary school education: back to the basics, in the best way. I love the comprehensive variations provided in many of the recipes (after all, the best recipes are the often ones you can riff off of and make your own). And I particularly appreciated the extensive section in the front of the book detailing must-have kitchen gear—especially since many of Sohla's picks are also Serious Eats’ favorites. (Fun fact: Sohla's written many equipment reviews for SE, like ice cream makers!) — Riddley

The Joy of Oysters

$30 $18 at Amazon $30 $28 at Bookshop.org

My friend Nils wrote this ode to oysters, and it's an absolutely wonderful gift for anyone who loves to eat these bivalves. It's one part coffee table book, one part ecological and biological and historical treatise on oysters, one part recipe book, and...wait...how many parts can a book be? This one is all of them. — Daniel