With the increasing visibility and availability of meat and dairy analogues, adopting a predominantly plant-based diet is becoming more mainstream. Nearly 68% of Americans have experimented with plant-based meat or dairy alternatives, and one-third are actively incorporating plant-based foods into their diets. Some individuals are motivated by health reasons, seeking nutrition to prevent or heal chronic conditions and diseases. For decades, nutritional pioneers like Drs. At the same time, we’ve discovered the harmful effects of a diet high in factory-farmed animal products, which lack these good-for-you chemicals.
Beyond health, other factors are driving the shift toward plant-based eating. Factory farming inflicts massive damage on the environment. Experts agree that consumers can dramatically reduce their carbon footprint by eliminating or reducing beef consumption by as little as 25%.
While numerous recipes can be found online, investing in a few quality vegan or plant-based cookbooks can significantly enhance your success. Cookbooks provide reliable, kitchen-tested recipes that are both healthy and tasty. Many offer suggestions for essential pantry staples, plant-based substitutions for dairy, and guidance on sourcing unfamiliar ingredients.
However, with the rising popularity of plant-based diets, the number of cookbooks available has exploded. This article rounds up a collection of some favorite plant-based cookbooks to help you navigate the options. Whether you're aiming for a fully plant-based lifestyle, are a flexitarian, or simply curious about plant-based options, these cookbooks will empower you to prepare delicious vegan meals quickly and easily.
Featured Cookbooks
1. Real Superfoods: Everyday Ingredients Packed with Nutrients
This comprehensive cookbook unveils the essence of "real" superfoods. Unlike heavily marketed, trendy, inaccessible, and expensive superfoods, Real Superfoods features readily available, budget-friendly, and nutrient-dense foods. You’ll get everything you’ve come to expect from FRN recipes, along with all the research-backed info on what makes these superfoods great.
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2. Plant-Based on a Budget Quick & Easy
Blogger Toni Okamoto of Plant-Based on a Budget offers valuable advice for eating nutritious food on a budget, demonstrating that healthy eating doesn’t require spending your whole paycheck on whole foods. In her cookbook, Plant-Based on a Budget Quick & Easy, she shows how to prepare and enjoy healthy, nutritious, and affordable meals with ease. Toni’s recipes are accessible and fun, with personal anecdotes and commentary throughout the book. Although some recipes lean toward less healthy versions of “comfort” food, you can easily omit any oils or sweeteners if you prefer.
3. How Not to Die Collection
The How Not to Die collection is a favorite among vegans interested in nutrition. The collection includes: How Not To Die; How Not To Diet; and the How Not To Die Cookbook.
Because Dr. Greger’s approach to plant-based eating is research-based, you’ll find specific examples of nutrition-related findings that correspond to a variety of diseases. You’ll also learn more about Dr. All of Dr. Greger’s plant-based recipes have a note at the bottom to indicate which of his Daily Dozen foods are included. Dr.
4. Sweet Potato Soul
Southern cooking gets a healthy makeover in food blogger and personal chef Jenné Claiborne’s Sweet Potato Soul cookbook. It transforms soul food favorites into plant-based masterpieces and offers a unique look into the history and culture of soul food in the African-American experience. Whether you're already a soul food enthusiast or new to the cuisine, Jenné includes essential tools and ingredients for creating vegan soul food dishes.
5. The Fiber Fueled Cookbook
Best-selling author Dr. Will Bulsiewicz partnered with plant-based chef and registered dietitian Alexandra Caspero on the companion cookbook for his bestseller Fiber Fueled. Inside, you’ll find an impressive array of fiber-filled recipes designed to improve gut health. The cookbook also has Dr. Along with providing microbiome-friendly recipes, The Fiber Fueled Cookbook is also a program of sorts, helping you get to the root of and heal your tummy troubles. You’ll get insight on FODMAPs and histamine and how to work with food intolerances.
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6. Vegetable Kingdom
Vegan chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry will have you looking at plants in a new light with his critically acclaimed cookbook Vegetable Kingdom. Throughout the cookbook, Bryant frequently mixes unexpected ingredients and flavor combinations, as he encourages readers to also experiment and play with their food. Each recipe even comes with a recommended soundtrack to cook to.
7. PlantYou
Many whole food, plant-based eaters choose to cook without oil since it’s actually a refined or processed food. But it can sometimes prove challenging to know how to do this effectively without sacrificing flavor or consistency. Luckily, Carleigh Bodrug of PlantYou is here to show you the way to create oil-free plant-based recipes. PlantYou is a virtual treasure trove of oil-free recipes, whether you’re looking for entrées, salads, sauces, or desserts. Plus, each recipe has a visual representation of its ingredients to make shopping a cinch, along with simplified and easy-to-follow instructions. Bonus: It has a foreword and seal of approval from Dr.
8. The Korean Vegan Cookbook
One of the most highly regarded vegan cookbooks in recent history, The Korean Vegan Cookbook is the James Beard Award-winning debut by home chef Joanne Lee Molinaro. Each Korean Vegan recipe is accompanied by stunning food photography that really elevates the overall reading experience. The cookbook is also organized into culturally appropriate categories like banchan (side dishes) or kimchi and salads.
9. The Neuro Plan
Neurologists and FRN Healthy Brain Masterclass collaborators Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai are experts when it comes to brain health. You’ll discover the Sherzais’ NEURO Plan approach to Alzheimer’s prevention, and find out what plant-based foods made their list of the Neuro Nine: foods that will help to keep you sharp and free from disease.
10. Black Rican Vegan
Bronx native Lyana Blount draws from her African American and Puerto Rican heritage in the Black Rican Vegan. Since Lyana uses oil in some of her recipes, along with meat and dairy analogues, this cookbook is best for those just transitioning to a plant-based diet. Although not all ingredients are whole foods, you can always leave any problematic ones out or replace them with whole-food alternatives such as lentils instead of vegan beef or homemade nut-based butter instead of store-bought vegan butter.
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11. Power Plates
With a food system that’s calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, many people are not getting the nutrition they need. As a result, blogger and registered dietitian nutritionist Gena Hamshaw created Power Plates, a cookbook that helps people understand good nutrition and how to get it. As Gena prefers savory flavor profiles, you won’t find many sweet recipes (there’s no dessert category, either).
12. Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky
James Beard Award-winning author and chef, Lois Ellen Frank created this cookbook out of a desire to encourage Indigenous communities to eat more plants. Although many Native American tribes included meat and fish in their traditional diets, the majority of staple foods were native plants. Lois’ cookbook, Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky focuses on “The Magic Eight” essential plant-based foods that Native peoples (particularly from the American Southwest) gave to the world. Each section of the cookbook focuses on one of these foods, and includes recipes for sides, appetizers, mains, soups, desserts, beverages, and more.
The Complete Plant Based Cookbook
The Complete Plant Based Cookbook gives recommendations and ideas for stocking a plant-based pantry and includes successful substitutions for things we’re used to and okay with eating, but others may want to remove from their diet, such as egg whites. Did you know that the liquid from canned chickpeas, known as aquafaba, can be whipped like egg whites or give texture and structure to dishes and baked goods? Cashews have also become a widespread substitution for cream and dairy products in vegan recipes, but how about jackfruit in place of shredded chicken or pork?
This book helps build a plant-based meal from menu suggestions and what they call “Building-Block Recipes” that will be your go-to for many recipes in the book if you’re only eating plant-based foods. However, if you’re like me and want to add more veggies and eat less meat, and are fine with the other ingredients (like fish sauce), there are options for almost all of the recipes to use dairy products, such as regular milk instead of soy milk and regular cheese instead of vegan substitutes. If you’re counting calories, carbs, and proteins, they also include nutritional information at the back of the book.
Plant-Based Recipes the Whole Family Will LoveYour one-stop guide to preparing delicious plant-based meals with 570+ recipes made with vegetables, grains, beans, legumes, plant-based dairy, and plant-based meat products. Enjoy Tofu Scramble with Bell Pepper, Shallot, and Basil for brunch and Almost Hands-Free Mushroom Risotto or Vegetable Paella for dinner. You’ll find plenty of dessert recipes, too. Recipe variations give you the freedom to use regular dairy products and eggs where you choose and helpful sidebars give you tips, tricks, and insights into the recipes. Also inside: In-depth information on plant-based meat and dairy products (we even share our top-rated products that worked best in the recipes).
More from The Book:The Plant-Based KitchenLearn how to assemble a plant-powered pantry with flavor-enhancing ingredients such as miso, tomatoes, dried mushrooms, fermented beans, and more. Use our quick reference chart that summarizes the most protein-dense foods to create dishes that meet your nutritional needs.Vegetable Science and Flavor Booster SidebarsRecipes are accompanied by spotlights to teach you about the science behind plant-based ingredients.
Additional Recommendations
Rather than purchasing a single cookbook, consider exploring your local library. Libraries often have a wide selection of cookbooks available for free. By checking out multiple books, you can sample a variety of recipes and styles to find what suits your preferences.
Forks Over Knives: Not only is there the original book (well worth reading) there is the Documentary (7.7/10). Forks Over Knives empowers people to live healthier lives by changing the way the world understands nutrition.
Eat To Live collection by Fuhrman: Another good resource.