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The 26 Best Cookbooks of 2024, According to Serious Eats Editors

We think these books deserve a spot on your shelf.

By
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm Serious Eats
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm
Associate Editorial Director
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the Associate Editorial Director for Serious Eats. She joined the team in 2021.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated December 10, 2024
Best Cookbooks of the Year

Serious Eats

Without a doubt, 2024 was a banner year for cookbooks. There were beautiful photographs, clever book covers, and incredible recipes aplenty. To land on our favorite cookbooks of the year, I asked my fellow Serious Eats staffers which ones they added to their shelves. While there were so many excellent new releases, our 26 editor-favorite cookbooks are truly wonderful tomes. Coincidentally, they also make for great gifts for any cook.

  • I first "met" Nicola when she emailed me out of the blue several years ago prior to a temporary move to NYC. While an amateur home cook at that point, her enthusiasm for cooking (and love of Serious Eats!) was palpable from that first email. We corresponded a little, but we never ended up meeting in person while we were living in the same city. Years passed, and in that time she honed her skills, and I mean seriously honed her skills. She worked for some of the best bakeries and patisseries in New York and London, she started her own London pastry pop-ups that exploded in popularity, and she launched her own baking newsletter that today is a force to contend with—and, god, everything she makes and teaches you to make is a stunner. In a nice little full-circle development, she now also writes for Serious Eats in the in-between moments when she's not extremely busy with her own projects. This book is one of those projects, and it's one of the best, most informative, beautiful, craveable baking books I've seen in ages. The introductory sections alone, which cover technical details and scientific principles essential to great baking are alone worth the price of the book. And the recipes...just WOW. Funnily enough, we still haven't met in person, but I'm confident it'll happen eventually. It's the next logical step that would take this whole story truly full circle. — Daniel Gritzer, editorial director

    I'm just going to say it: Nicola Lamb is the genius I want to be. Sift is a brilliant, clever book that will equip you with the skills you need to whip up whatever dessert your heart desires. Nicola does an excellent job of breaking down baking science for her readers, making concepts like starch gelatinizations and aeration easily understandable. If you're looking to learn more about the craft of pastry and up your baking book, Sift is the book to start with. — Genevieve Yam, culinary editor

  • Banchan is a very fun book: You'll find recipes for traditional Korean dishes like miyeokguk (a nourishing seaweed soup) and sundubu jjigae (spicy tofu stew), along with twists on American classics like kimchi mac and cheese. My favorite recipe, however, is extremely simple: It's shigeumchi namu, a cooked spinach salad seasoned with sesame oil and garnished with plenty of toasted sesame seeds. I could eat a whole bowl of it with rice every day and not tire of it. Because there isn't good Korean takeout near me, it's often easier to make Korean food at home when I crave it—and Caroline Choe's Banchan has helped scratch that itch. — Genevieve

  • I had the pleasure of being Alexandra Stafford's editor when I worked at Food52 and can say from experience how talented of a recipe developer she is. Her new book, Pizza Night, is packed with 52 pizza recipes that have me firing up my outdoor oven. The fried eggplant pizza is reminiscent of eggplant parm, the clam pizza with pecorino has me holding off driving to Connecticut for a pie, and the Buffalo cauliflower pizza is absurdly great (and I'm from Buffalo, so I have high standards). The book also has an equal amount of salad recipes and a handful of dessert recipes, including a tiramisu made in a loaf pan. — Riddley Gemperelin-Schirm, associate editorial director 

  • Shepherded by Toni Tipton-Martin, Morgan Bolling, and Sasha Madadian, When Southern Women Cook showcases the hard work, hospitality, and creativity of women who have given soul to Southern cooking from the start. Every page highlights their contributions. It features over 70 voices and 300 recipes, including pickle-brined fried chicken sandwiches, regional Brunswick stew, and southern tomato pie (just three of my favorites). — Leah Colins, senior culinary editor

  • Karla is another Serious Eats contributor whose recent cookbook knocked me off my feet. I recall when I first talked to her by phone during the pandemic that her hope was to eventually write a Salvadoran cookbook, one that would finally bring her family's native cuisine to an English-speaking audience. Well, that cookbook now exists and you can buy it and you should buy it. I bought my copy in my local bookstore, and I couldn't help but brag that I knew Karla as I paid for it at the register. The woman behind the counter told me she herself was Salvadoran, and she asked me to pass along a message to Karla expressing just how impactful it was for her and her family to see Salvadoran cuisine finally represented so caringly, so faithfully, so fully in print: "Tell her she changed lives with this book." She really did—this is the first time a Salvadoran cookbook has ever been released by a major publisher in the United States, which is a lot of responsibility for any writer. Karla more than delivered, the book is a beauty, and an amazing resource people will be using for decades to come. — Daniel

  • I’m a sucker for anything British: A windswept Cornish vista, steamed puds, cozying up with a pint in a pub—it’s all gloriously comforting and quaint. And this cookbook, with its simple but evocative recipes and photos, is an embodiment of that. Julius Roberts presents seasonal meals (with ingredients from his smallholding, aka small farm, in the misty English countryside) that comfort the soul: a lazily stewed chicken in milk with fragrant sprigs of tarragon; an elegant egg curry with spices and coconut milk; and an indulgent, utterly British dessert of sticky steamed apricot sponge. I’ve not only loved the results of these recipes but also the quiet puttering around the kitchen that making them entails. And, of course, I love Roberts’ charming, very British prose, best embodied by his description of the aforementioned chicken: “It’s the sauce of this chicken that really sets it apart: handfuls of tarragon, plenty of cream and a proper dollop of mustard.” A proper dollop indeed. — Grace Kelly, editor

  • This book feels like a warm hug. Julia Turshen has been one of my favorite recipe developers for ages because she has such a kind way of teaching techniques and concepts. What Goes with What includes helpful charts that outline the recipes in each chapter, and every one I've tried so far has been amazing (and genuinely easy!). I especially like the white bean, roasted tomato, and polenta pie. P.S.: There's an entire chapter on savory pies! — Rochelle Bilow, editor

  • Flavorama is all about the science of flavor: how and why food tastes the way it does, and how a better understanding of chemistry, microbiology, and other fields of science can help you make more delicious food. Johnson is so obsessed with flavor that she even went and got a Ph.D. in agricultural and environmental chemistry—with a focus on flavor chemistry—from UC Davis. “While I can’t pretend I’ve managed to cover absolutely all of flavor here,” she writes, “I can promise three things: a strong foundation in flavor’s scientific mechanisms, nuggets of scientific wisdom I’ve dug up from the archives that tend to get glossed over elsewhere, and a focus on how all that science is being used, right now, in the real world—to notice patterns, enhance cooking intuition, and inform creativity.” In other words: It’s a wonderfully Serious Eats-y book that will help you become a better cook. — Genevieve

  • Benjamina Ebuehi is a baker I turn to again and again for inspiration. I've bought every one of her cookbooks and her latest one, I'll Bring Dessert, is full of simple, shareable desserts that make me want to throw a party every time I flip through it for ideas. Thanks to this book, I've yet to be at a loss for what to bring to a potluck this year. From cherry slab pie to last-minute strawberries and cream, the recipes are crowd-pleasers and (most) are relatively low-effort, so if you're like me and usually procrastinate on baking even though you promised to bring something, this is the book for you. What I love most about Ebuehi's recipes is that they really shine a spotlight on herbs and seasonings that aren't usually seen in bakes, like her tarragon plum cobbler or miso and nutmeg custard pie. These flavors bring just the right playful twist to well-known classics without being overbearing. There's certainly a reason she got so far during her season of Great British Bakeoff! P.S. I make the blood orange and olive oil upside-down cake from her first cookbook, The New Way to Cake, at least once a month. — An Uong, writer

  • Khushbu and I interned with each other a decade ago at New York Magazine—and it's been such a joy to watch her career skyrocket since then. I enjoyed reading the writing of Amrikan as much as I did the Indian American recipes. I hadn't tried kale in pakoras before, but the sturdy greens got wonderfully coated in batter, with the edges of each kale leaf turning wonderfully crackly and crispy once fried. I have the paneer burgers and saag paneer lasagna on my list to make next. — Riddley

  • Kiano has been a recipe contributor for Serious Eats for a few years now, and I am such a fan of her recipes, that I didn't delay in getting my hands on a copy of her first cookbook. Her recipes feature a unique mixture of Nigerian, Kenyan, and Californian cuisines. They're incredibly delicious and creative, but better yet approachable and rely on readily available ingredients and pantry staples. — Leah

  • “A desire to show the real Bethlehem, and to celebrate it, is what led me to food and hospitality so many years ago,” Chef Fadi Kattan writes in the introduction of his cookbook Bethlehem. “Cooking is how I tell Bethlehem’s story.” Kattan’s book is a celebration of Palestinian cuisine and offers readers a glimpse into the day-to-day life of Bethlehem and the people who make up the city. I was drawn in by the beautiful stories and photographs of the food, the land, and the people like the Natsheh brothers, who are fourth-generation butchers; the baker Abu Hussein, who prepares traditional breads like taboun and shrak daily; and Um Nabil, a herb and vegetable purveyor Kattan calls “the queen of herbs.” In the summertime, one of the best ways to enjoy tomatoes is with his recipe for charred tomatoes simply dressed in olive oil, za’atar, and fresh mint. But if you’re in the midst of a deep, dark winter, I recommend starting with his shorbat adas, a lentil soup seasoned with turmeric, cumin, and ginger, which has become one of my go-to recipes on chilly evenings. — Genevieve

  • I’m a big fan of the band LCD Soundsystem—electronic rock is just really fun. James Murphy, the band’s founder, is a co-owner of the Four Horsemen bar in Brooklyn, and I’ve been itching to go. But since I don’t live in NYC, in the interim, I’ve contented myself by buying their cookbook, which showcases some of the restaurant's simple and elegant plates. The braised leek toast with whipped ricotta, oregano oil, and anchovies is at the top of my must-make list, as are basically all the salads. — Grace

  • I'm always trying to eat less meat and find great vegetarian cookbooks incredibly inspiring. The Weekday Vegetarians Get Simple is one of these. The recipes—including cheesy beans with crispy breadcrumbs and vegetables roasted with miso butter—are fantastic, but I also loved the book's fun additions like a mix-and-match soup and side chart and dinner plan suggestions. — Riddley

  • As Comfort's introduction mentions, comfort food is personal, with no one way to define it. Nonetheless, I've found the recipes I've made from it to be wholly soothing and distinctly cozy—be it a perfectly seasoned whole-roasted chicken on a bed of onions or mapo tofu made with mushrooms. I own all of Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbooks and turn to them regularly. Comfort will be no different. — Riddley

  • The League of Kitchens works with home cooks to put on awesome cooking classes right in people's homes, so I was so excited when they published this cookbook, The League of Kitchens Cookbook, with recipes and tips from members of "the league." The recipes represent a wide range of cuisines, including Afghan, Lebanese, Mexican, Bangladeshi, Greek, Indonesian, Japanese, and more. There are also spotlights on the different instructors who shared their recipes for the book. I was particularly excited to see the profile of and recipes from Damira Inatullaeva, whose Uzbek cooking class I enjoyed immensely last year. — Megan O. Steintrager, associate editorial director

  • Pat Tanumihardja is one of our cherished contributors, and her most recent book—which she worked on with her mom, Juliana Evari Suparman—is a wonderful guide to Indonesian cuisine. The book is filled with family recipes for classic dishes like semur daging (beef stew), mee siam (spicy stir-fried vermicelli), and ikan goreng (fried fish). As someone who has cooked many of Pat's recipes (both in and out of the book!), I can assure you that each and every recipe is delicious and will leave you wanting more. — Genevieve

  • My eyes lit up when I first received this cookbook from Lamees, and my mouth watered as I turned each page. I have a huge sweet tooth—especially when it comes to Middle Eastern sweets—and there were so many recipes in here that I grew up enjoying, along with a number that I’d never come across before. There are plenty of easy recipes in here, as well as ones for those who love a project. It’s been great working my way through this and making recipes I (embarrassingly) never learned from my mom! This book is a great compilation of Arab desserts that’s worthy of a spot on your bookshelf. — Yasmine Maggio, associate editor

  • Ben Mims' Crumbs is an encyclopedic book featuring cookies from around the world. The book introduced me to many cookies; I have been treating this cookbook like my own personal baking challenge as I experiment with techniques and ingredients that are new to me, like frying date-filled semolina dough to make boulou (stuffed Maghrebi loaf cookies) and beating olive oil and sugar for Greek melomakarona (olive oil and honey cookies). I have a suspicion I'll be baking from it for years to come. — Genevieve

  • Betty Liu has a magical way of making Chinese techniques, ingredients, and recipes feel approachable for the everyday home cook. She seamlessly marries Chinese and Western cooking techniques and ingredients to come up with delectable meals like steamed broccolini with fish sauce, sticky rice risotto, and fried farro with Chinese preserved sausage. The Chinese Way will help home cooks better grasp the fundamentals of Chinese culinary techniques while also inspiring them to apply those very same methods to ingredients that don't typically appear in East Asian cooking. — Genevieve

  • I was ecstatic when I heard that pastry chef and baker Melissa Weller was coming out with a second book. Her first cookbook A Good Bake has become a go-to resource in my kitchen; Weller is a natural teacher who does an excellent job breaking down complicated pastry techniques and explaining the science behind them. Very Good Bread will help readers better understand how to produce the very best bread in their home kitchen. — Genevieve 

  • Okay, I swear I have culinary interests outside of Middle Eastern cuisine! But as a Palestinian, I feel an immense sense of pride when I see the region’s cuisine so beautifully represented in media and cookbooks. Edy’s book is the perfect mash-up of traditional recipes and ones inspired by Lebanese and Middle Eastern flavors. I especially loved the stories he shares of his family throughout, as well as all of his recommendations for building the perfect mezze. Any fan of Middle Eastern cuisine and entertaining needs to add this book to their collection. — Yasmine

  • In Vietnamese, "dac biet refers to something special, distinctive, or fancy," chef Nini Nguyen writes in her book. The term, however, doesn't mean spending more money or effort—for Nguyen, it's about using a great technique or being extra thoughtful when preparing a dish. If you want to make excellent Vietnamese food at home, you won't be disappointed with Dac Biet. Everything I have made from this book so far has been a banger, and the recipes in Nguyen's book will have you scrambling to the nearest Southeast Asian grocery store so you can whip up crispy fish sauce caramel chicken wings, coconut turmeric crepes, and pandan honeycomb cake. — Genevieve

  • I absolutely loved Kristina Cho's first book, Mooncakes and Milk Bread, and was so excited to hear she was coming out with a second book. I find Chinese Enough extremely relatable: Like Kristina, I developed an interest in cooking at an early age—just not for Chinese food. And like Kristina, I began cooking Chinese food and recreating the meals from my childhood as a way of reconnecting with my heritage. Kristina's book contains a fun mix of delicious Chinese and Chinese-inspired meals that look a lot like my own: steamed bitter melon stuffed with pork; silky tomato egg; and crispy Brussels sprouts with sriracha mayo. What I love most about Chinese Enough, though, is how it made me feel seen—and I imagine many other Chinese Americans will feel the same. — Genevieve

  • I'm a longtime fan of Sonoko Sakai's recipes and cookbooks, so I was very excited about her latest, Wafu Cooking. The book is full of fun and doable recipes, such as dashi cheese grits with miso-honey butter; roasted cauliflower with yuzu, garlic, and vinegar; and a curry simmer sauce and accompanying recipes to use it with shrimp and eggplant. I had the pleasure of working with Sakai when I was an editor at EatingWell.com, and I know her recipes work (and that she's a joy to work with). — Megan

  • I first started following Clarice Lam when she was the pastry chef at Kimika in New York City. She then developed recipes for mochi doughnuts and melon pan for Epicurious when I was working at the publication—what caught my attention was her talent for marrying different flavors and textures. Tender steamed buns filled with silky corn custard, a riff on Cheeze made with pulverized uncooked ramen that’s then flavored with chicken bouillon and white miso, and an ube chiffon roll filled with coconut leche flan are just some of the delicious recipes from her book. Every recipe in the book is fun and creative, and her unbridled enthusiasm for cooking and baking makes you want to jump into the kitchen so you can cook your way through her book. — Genevieve

Why We’re the Experts

  • Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director of Serious Eats. 
  • She’s been with the site since 2021. 
  • Riddley likes to read cookbooks before bed.

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