There are cookbooks piled in every corner of my office. And on my kitchen table. Oh, and in the living room. And some have spilled over onto my bedside table. I have spent the past few months reading through, cooking from, and mulling over this year’s cookbooks. And I know I say this every year, but there were a lot of great cookbooks published in 2025.
So, how do I make my way through the piles and find three “favorites” (out of nearly 175!) and a whole lot more to recommend? Through lots of trial and error.
Here are the questions I ask: Does the writer’s voice speak to me? Is the writer a good storyteller? Do I feel like I will learn new skills, find new favorite recipes? Will I learn a new technique or be introduced to a new ingredient? Will I be inspired to open my mind or kitchen to new ideas?
This collection of books hit the mark on almost all these big questions.
But what distinguishes my top three cookbooks this year is that none of these authors has been a best-selling author – yet. I found myself seeking out “newer” voices, new collections of recipes, and new styles of storytelling.
I wound up choosing books written by three women. One is a Ukrainian writer and cook who now lives in Rhode Island. Another is a Malaysian chef, cook and writer (who also happens to be a trained psychologist) who grew up in Australia and now lives in London. And finally, a second-generation Lebanese American who lives in Michigan.
Each of these women is a strong writer, excellent at describing the cooking process, and clearly a very good cook. I have tried at least three recipes from each of their books, and they have become instant favorites that I look forward to incorporating into my regular cooking routine.
As is customary, I am also including a longer list of other favorite books, ranging from some far better-known authors and others you may not know. The cookbook topics range from Italy to Vietnam, from the American South to Thailand. From pasta and baking to immigrant cooking.
Happy reading. Happy cooking. Happy gift giving.
“Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes” by Helen Goh
You may be familiar with the name Helen Goh from the oh-so-popular Ottolenghi cookbooks. Goh was a co-author of Yotam Ottolenghi’s Sweet and Comfort. “Baking and the Meaning of Life” is her first solo cookbook, and I found the title compelling and also slightly annoying. “Baking and the Meaning of Life”? Could I truly learn the meaning of life by reading and baking through this cookbook?
Lao Gan Ma Cheese Crackers were a revelation. I adore cheese crackers, cheese sticks, and cheese anything, so I was game to try this recipe. It had the familiar ingredients — grated parmesan cheese, flour, butter, a touch of lemon juice, but also two tablespoons of chili crisp and finely chopped scallions. I needed to know if this flavor combination worked. I rolled out the dough, inhaling the musky chili crunch and fragrant onions, and chilled it. I cut the crackers into slices (marveling at their intriguing orange-red color) and baked them. I could tell this was going to be promising. The crackers crisp up as they cool, and there was the familiar cheese flavor and crunch, but then this new, unfamiliar dimension of spice and intrigue. Let’s just say they are thoroughly appealing, not to mention the kind of cracker that you can’t eat just one, or two, or three. They would be ideal with holiday Champagne, drinks or simply served with a cheese platter or tea.
I also tried the Broccoli, Leek and Ricotta Pie and got over my fear of working with phyllo dough. This isn’t a quick and easy dish, but it’s a gorgeous, show-stopping kind of centerpiece for any dinner party. And it’s vegetarian. Sheets of store-bought phyllo are layered into a cake pan, brushed with olive oil and butter, and then filled with a combination of sauteed leek, broccoli florets, garlic, anchovy, pepper flakes, lemon, ricotta and parmesan. It’s filling and stunning when you cut into the pie, revealing the gorgeous vegetables.
Some of the ingredients in this beautiful book are not the most common. In other words, you might not find fresh kumquats, pandan leaves or Malaysian curry paste at your local grocery store. But there are more than enough recipes that rely on more “common” ingredients that are well worth trying.
Did I learn the meaning of life? I was reminded of the beauty of slowing down enough to mix butter and flour and create something beautiful. I was reminded of the joy a baked cake or cracker or cookie from your kitchen, gifted to a friend who could use a boost, can bring. I guess if I pull back far enough, that is very much the meaning of life.
Cheese crackers
© Helen Goh 2025
“Chesnok: Cooking From My Corner of the Diaspora: Recipes from Eastern Europe, The Caucasus, and Central Asia” by Polina Chesnakova
Polina Chesnakova was born in Ukraine and raised in the U.S by a Russian mother and Armenian father who met and married in Georgia. Her new book, Chesnok which translates to “head of garlic,” is a beautiful series of heartfelt essays and time-tested favorite family recipes. (In full transparency, Chesnakova is a friend and a former student of my food/memoir writing class.)
The recipes come from “the post-Soviet table, as well as the spirit of warmth and generosity at its heart. My aim,” Chesnakova writes, “is not to perpetuate a simplistic monolith of the Soviet legacy, but to speak to a diaspora of people who still live with and navigate its complexities and contradictions… Given recent events and the reckoning of self-identity… I use the term ‘post-Soviet’ to describe this book and, more increasingly, myself.”
I pored through the pages and picked out at least a dozen recipes I wanted to try. I started with Penovani Khachapuri (Georgian Flaky Cheese Bread), which looked like a pretty straightforward recipe. Store-bought puff pastry, feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta baked up to a golden brown puff. I thought it might be tasty, but I didn’t expect it to taste like the world’s most insanely good riff on a cheese tart or grilled cheese. You roll out the puffed pastry, line a jelly roll pan with half of it, layer on the cheeses, and top it with a second sheet of pastry, tuck the pastry in and give it an egg wash. Half an hour later, this puffed Georgian bread is calling your name. Trust me when I say you won’t be able to eat only one piece.
I then moved on to a classic: Borsch. “I’m not going to beat around the bush — a good pot of borsch is a labor of love,” writes Chesnakova. I simmered beef shanks in a pot of water for 2½ hours until the meat practically fell off the bone. I grated the onion, carrots, beets, and cabbage and watched it transform into a rich, thick pot of comfort. I swirled in fresh dill and cilantro, topped it with sour cream, and it was heavenly. We happily ate the soup for days.
Next up is Azeri Plov with Saffron, Dried Fruit and Chestnut (a saffron-infused rice dish from Azerbaijan, that would be ideal for this upcoming holiday season), the Fermented Cauliflower with Beets, and the Apple Sharlotka, an apple tea cake that looks quite simple.
Georgian flaky cheesy bread
“Lebanese Baking: More Than 100 Recipes for Sweet and Savory Baked Goods” by Maureen Abood
I looked at the recipe. I read it once. I read it twice. It looked challenging, but there was something reassuring about the author’s voice, her clearly written directions. I thought: I can do this.
So I made the dough. I let it rise. I rolled it out into 21 balls. I let it rise again. Then, as directed, I flattened the dough out and put a piece of cream cheese in the center of each. I was getting the hang of this. When all was said and done, and the 21 cream-cheese-filled balls were nestled into an 8-inch cake pan and placed in the hot oven, my kitchen smelled like a new kind of heaven.
Maureen Abood’s Honey Buns were yeasty and sweet, but also somewhat mysterious. I simmered up a honey sauce that would be poured directly onto the rolls while they were still hot from the oven. And then it was done, and I had 21 honey rolls that were well worth the time and mental fear: Am I doing this right? Can this possibly be right? They were light and puffed, golden brown ,and absorbed just the right amount of sweetness from the honey syrup that went on top. A true success.
And then there were the Garlic Knots, another slightly challenging recipe that worked like a charm.
And the cookies. White Chocolate Pistachio Cookies, in particular. These cookies are so simple to make with a beautiful nutty flavor — ground pistachios are mixed into the dough and also used as a garnish on top of the finished cookies — and a glossy finish as half the finished cookie is dipped into melted milky white chocolate. Ideal for the holidays.
White chocolate pistachio cookies
More favorites from 2025
All-American
“Recipes from The American South” by Michael W. Twitty
At 430 pages, this is an ambitious collection of recipes and stories from the American South written by culinary historian and anthropologist Michael W. Twitty. As Twitty writes in the introduction: “Southerners are different than other Americans. Southern food gives us clues as to why. Like Southern culture, southern food is a product of fortunate collisions, cooperation, and sometimes chaos or confusion… Is ‘barbecue’ French, Taino, or Hausa?… Can a collard green fill an empanada, be stir-fried…or be stuffed for Jewish Sukkot?”
Twitty explores the influences and roots in Native American, African and European cuisines that have built what we now refer to as “southern food” in a fascinating narrative. Some of the recipes will be familiar (cornbread, gumbo, pickled shrimp) while others will be a revelation like Limping Susan (a classic Southern dish with okra, bacon, shrimp and long-grain rice), Oyster and Benne Soup, and Ashcakes (“If you had no griddle or broad hoe, this was your bread-making option in the cabins of the American plantations.”)
“Padma’s All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond: A Cookbook” by Padma Lakshmi
Lakshmi is the creator of the acclaimed Hulu series, “Taste the Nation,” and this volume traces her travels, interviews and recipes collected from seven years of filming “Taste the Nation” and as host of Top Chef. These are the stories and recipes of immigrants that call America home, and the many faces, flavors and traditions that make up our country.
“I’ve called this book ‘Padma’s All American’ because it’s my vision of what it means to be — and eat like — an American. This is a book for how we eat now — a chronicle of cultural exchange and adaptation… with reverence for the immigrant and Indigenous histories behind the deliciousness.”
Breaking bread (without gluten!)
“The Art of Gluten-Free Bread: Groundbreaking Recipes for Artisanal Breads and Pastries” by Aran Goyoaga
For the gluten-free baker in the family who wants to eat bread, sweet breads, flatbreads, holiday breads, cookies and more, this is the book. A beautiful compendium of gluten-free recipes that will appeal to all. I eat (and tolerate) gluten, but can not wait to try the Spinach and Feta Pull-Apart Challah and Danish Morning Buns. The sourdough Brioche looks too good to be true, and the Rosemary Grissini looks to be the real deal.
Creole stories and recipes
“Kwéyòl / Creole: Recipes, Stories, and Tings from a St. Lucian Chef’s Journey” by Nina Compton and Osayi Endolyn
“Back home on St. Lucia, any plate of food tells you a story,” writes Nina Compton in the introduction to her beautiful new cookbook. “The characters in that story tell the history of my island.”
You’ll find stories, recipes and gorgeous photography introducing you to the flavors of the Caribbean island, St. Lucia. Compton is a James Beard Award-winning chef, and you’ll find her recipes for everything from Guava-Glazed Ribs and Grilled Crawfish and Corn Soup to Callaloo and Coconut Flan.
Desserts for a New Year
“Dorie’s Anytime Cakes” by Dorie Greenspan
A new Dorie Greenspan book is always cause for celebration. She’s become so popular for her collection of dessert and baking books that most people know her, like Cher or Madonna, as simply “Dorie”! This is a collection of simple “everyday” cakes that any baker can master.
“For the recipes in this book,” writes Greenspan, “I found a way to make the cake by hand. While I’d never want to be without a mixer, there’s something primally joyful about whisking eggs and sugar together.”
From Double-Down Chocolate Loaf and Apple Custard Cake to Grandmother’s Honey Cake to Crunchy-Topped Almond Cake, this is a collection of cakes you are sure to turn to for many years to come.
“Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes” by David Lebovitz
This revised edition of David Lebovitz’s book features 170 recipes that are sure to bring you applause in your own kitchen. Lebovitz lives in Paris, and his collection of desserts ranges from Pistachio-Cardamon Cake and Caramel Ice Cream to Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies and Orange-Poppy Seed Sandwich Cookies. His writing is authoritative, and the recipes work. A winning combination, for sure.
Fish, seafood, tell me more…
“The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future” by Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver
How do we eat fish and shellfish responsibly? How do we protect our waterways for the next generation and the one after that? What fish are “good” for us and what should be avoided? How do you best cook fish? This book has answers and many appealing recipes. Think of it as a sustainable seafood guide.
Good meals to share
“Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love” by Samin Nosrat
Samin Nostrat is well known as the author of the widely adored and groundbreaking book “Salt Fat Acid Heat.” In this new volume, she embraces recipes (her first book was more of a written and illustrated guide to flavors and cooking) with interesting chapter titles: good things come in small packages, good things to welcome others, good things come to those who wait, good things are better shared, and more.
It’s an appealing collection of recipes, from miso and labne onion dip and stewed clams with tomatoes and saffron to vanilla bean flan. Like the recipes, the photography is simple and appealing. The whole feel of the book is Samin saying, “This is not hard. You can put together a meal, share it with those you love, and not let it make you crazy.” A philosophy I fully embrace.
Immigrant experiences
“Setting a Place for Us: Recipes and Stories of Displacement, Resilience, and Community from Eight Countries Impacted by War” by Hawa Hassan
The title and subtitle grabbed me instantly. Hassan comes from Somalia, but then moved to Kenya, Seattle, Washington, Oslo, Norway, and then to Brooklyn, New York. The countries and stories and recipes she focuses on hail from Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, El Salvador, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia and Yemen.
The recipes and photography are appealing and intriguing. The philosophy of the book is best understood by reading these sentences from the introduction: “Drawing from my own experience as a refugee and a displaced person, I aim to explore these countries not only to document the obvious, but also to examine the subtle nuances that inherently bind us together. From the simple joys of everyday life to the rituals of setting the dinner table and the connections forged over a shared meal, I seek to uncover the common thread that unites us all.”
A new take on Indian
“Heartland Masala: An Indian Cookbook From an American Kitchen” by Jyoti Mukharji and Auyon Mukharji
A mother-son duo. Jyoti is from Punjab, attended medical school, and moved with her husband to the U.S. where she raised her three sons in the Midwest. Auyon, her middle son, a member of the indie-folk band Darlingside, loves to cook for his fellow band members and friends.
He and his mom decided to write a cookbook, and that is Heartland Masala. It’s a charming volume with wonderful illustrations and recipes ranging from Rajma (Red Bean Curry with Potato and Black Cardamom), Baghare Baingan (Eggplant with Coconut, Sesame and Tamarind) and Aloo Paratha (Potato-Stuffed Flatbread). The recipes are very user-friendly and make you feel you’re in the kitchen cooking with this charming mother-son team.
Italian food never gets Old
“Six Seasons of Pasta: A New Way with Everyone’s Favorite Food” by Joshua McFadden with Martha Holmberg
McFadden and Holmberg brought us the highly acclaimed Six Seasons with Vegetables. They have now turned their attention to “everyone’s favorite food” with a collection of pasta recipes, ragus and sauces that are thoroughly appealing.
“Most people think cooking pasta is simple,” writes McFadden. “Boil some noodles, make a sauce, sprinkle on some cheese. But cooking pasta is simple in the way writing haiku is simple. Sure, a haiku has only three lines and seventeen syllables, but for the poem to resonate, each element must be just so … Same with pasta.”
The recipes tend to be very vegetable-forward but you’ll also find classics like Carbonara, White Bolognese, Beef and Pork Ragu. Recipes divide up season by season and almost all of them offer new twists, and interesting flavor combinations that keep it all lively and healthy. Spring offers Peas with Pistachio, Olives and Mint. Mid-summer looks like Sweet-and-Sour Cauliflower with Tomato, Raisins, and Pine Nuts. Late summer calls to Hot Chiles with Fennel Sausage and Tomato. Fall calls out Kale and Chicken “Piccata,” and Mushrooms with Onion, Pancetta and Cream. Winter means Baked Ziti with Broccoli Rabe or Roasted Winter Squash with Nut Ragu.
“The Pasta Book: Recipes, Techniques, Inspiration” by Marc Vetri and David Joachim
You want to make pasta. You really do. But you’re unsure how thin to roll out the dough. How to cut it into shapes, dry it, cook it. Here’s a well illustrated book filled with how to’s and great recipes all focused on pasta!
The Talisman of Happiness: The Most Iconic Italian Cookbook Ever Written by Ada Boni
The English translation of this thick, almost encyclopedic book, comes almost a full century after its initial publication. With 912 pages and 1680 recipes, The Talisman is to Italian cooking what The Joy of Cooking is to American cooking. It’s considered a national treasure with chapters on Italian sauces, appetizers, broths and soups, pizza, calzone and pies, meat, fish, vegetables, fruit and dessert. Many Italian cooks I know swear by this book and call it the “bible of Italian cooking.”
“Tasting Rome: A Culinary History, Cookbook, And Field Guide To the Flavors that Built a City” by Katie Parla
“Obsession pretty much captures my relationship with the city,” writes Katie Parla, cookbook author, culinary guide and self-described “serious eater.” She first landed in Rome as a high school sophomore and fell in love. She’s lived there for decades and is considered by many a leading culinary authority on the ancient city. Whether you’re planning a trip to Rome, have just come back, or dream of cooking Roman classics, this stunning book is filled with stories, history lessons and recipes from chefs, restaurants and Roman cooks. Suppli Alla Carbonara (Fried Spaghetti alla Carbonara), Saltimbocca Alla Romana (Veal Cutlets with Prosciutto and Sage) and Torta Di Ricotta E Visciole (Sour Cherry and Ricotta Tart) are on my “hope to make it very soon” list.
“The Italian Summer Kitchen: Timeless Recipes for La Dolce Vita” by Cathy Whims
A delightful book filled with the flavors, colors and smells of an Italian summer. Whims is the chef and owner of the famed Portland, Oregon, restaurant Nostrano. Here she offers up favorite Italian recipes like Fresh Tomato, Peach, and Basil Salad with Stracciatella, Spaghetti with Clams, Zucchini, and Zucchini Blossoms, and Olive Oil Cake.
Korean
“Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes” by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn
A mother-daughter duo share their best family recipes in this delightful and inviting new book. From Cucumber Kimchi and Korean fried chicken to Galbitang (Beef Rib Soup) and Gimbap (Seaweed Rice Rolls). Step-by-step illustrations and photos make these recipes feel very accessible.
Palestinian flavors
“Boustany: A Celebration of Vegetables from My Palestine” by Sami Tamimi
Sami Tamimi’s name may sound familiar to you if you’re a fan of Ottolenghi books. Here, he branches out on his own to share stories and recipes of Palestinian food and culture. Think Smoky chick peas with Cilantro Tahini, Turmeric, Cauliflower & Chickpeas with lemon yogurt, Burnt Chili Salsa, Easy Pickled Baby Eggplant, and more. This book presents a wonderful collection of recipes and moving storytelling that will brighten any kitchen.
Restaurant cooking from NYC
“The King Cookbook” by Clare De Boer, Jess Shadbolt and Annie Shi
King, located on King Street in lower Manhattan, is one of my favorite NYC restaurants. Intimate, with a small menu that always seems to be just right. I’ve yet to have a bad meal at. King and was thrilled to see their new book with some of my favorite dishes. Although this is a restaurant book (meaning most of the recipes are not quite beginner material) it is well written and straightforward. Leek and Chevre Tart is always a good place to start, as is Puntarelle and Endive Alla Romana salad. Roast leg of lamb with Braised lettuce and peas is on my list to try next spring as is the Ricotta and Pine Nut Cake.
Thai made easy
“Thai–Anywhere and Everywhere” by Nat Thaipun
There were many recipes in this new book that I wanted to try. I started with Moo ping, Barbecued Pork Skewers (slices of pork shoulder marinated in condensed milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, coriander stems and pepper) and it was like meat candy. So appealing. Looking forward to trying the Khanom gui chai, Chive Cakes made with Chinese chives, sesame oil, rice and tapioca flour and soy vinegar dipping sauce and many others.
Vegetarian from around the world
“Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” by Hetty Lui McKinnon
“This culinary journey began with a salad…” writes McKinnon in the introduction to her thoroughly appealing new book. “My salad story is a complex one. It touches upon identity, survival, self-expression, immigration, motherhood, family, friendship and community.” Right away, you know this is not your average salad cookbook. McKinnon is often referred to as the “vegetable whisperer,” and in this book her collection of vegetarian recipes (and beautiful essays) should appeal to all cooks. The title refers to a monthly gathering of friends at her apartment in Brooklyn, NY, allowing a time to “linger.”I’m looking forward to trying Fennel Salad with Pickly Dressing, Mapo Tofu Salad, Shawarma Zucchini with Peas and Tofu Green Goddess, and Roasted Cauliflower and Potatoes with Cilantro-Mint Chutney.
More notable cookbooks:
- “Flavors of Vietnam: The Cookbook” by Anais Ca Dao Van Manen
- “Pakistan: Recipes and Stories from Home Kitchens, Restaurants, and Roadside Stands” by Maryam Jillani
- “Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride” by Justin Burke
- “Sabzi: Vibrant Vegetarian Recipes” by Yasmin Khan
- “Salsa Daddy: A Cookbook: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking” by Rick Martinez
- “Something from Nothing” by Alison Roman
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2025 WBUR