Preparing meals can seem overwhelming, particularly for single men juggling hectic schedules and minimal cooking knowledge. Yet, with the proper guidance and tools, whipping up delectable dishes can transform into a fulfilling and enjoyable endeavor. Mastering a few simple recipes from user-friendly cookbooks can greatly enhance any man’s life, especially those flying solo.
Gaining confidence in the kitchen may feel daunting, but it’s entirely achievable. The key? Keep cooking and embrace learning new skills. These new recipes will be worth the effort and no matter your experience any home cook will be able to treat your taste buds to delicious meals. The cookbooks listed below provide an excellent starting point for your culinary journey or a chance to refine basic cooking skills for more flavorful meals.
Top Cookbooks for Single Guys
Below, discover the top cookbooks for single guys that will broaden your palate and culinary expertise at home.
How-to Cookbook for Kids by Nancy Polanco: A perfect first cookbook for any new home cook. It may seem weird to get a cookbook made for kids but when you are just starting to cook you want to learn the techniques easily and simply. This cookbook breaks down the process into step-by-step instructions that will help you make delicious meals the first time, like Sticky Honey Barbecue Wings with Ranch and Perfectly Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes.
Southern Inspired by Jernard A. Wells: Recreate delicious southern dishes in your kitchen, no matter your skill level, with this great cookbook. Getting into the habit and rhythm of cooking for yourself doesn’t have to take up all of your time. With easy-to-follow recipes and ingredients readily available in your local grocery store, you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your comfort food meals.
Read also: Ultimate Meal Guide
The Well Plated Cookbook by Erin Clarke: One of my favorite cookbooks that offers so many different simple recipes and even offers flexible recipes that suggest other options to tailor the meals to your tastes, plus they are healthy recipes. Make sure to try out the Autumn Sheet Pan Sausages with Apples and Harvest Vegetables, and the Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (there are 5 ways to make this fit your preferences).
The John Wayne Complete Cookbook by Ethan Wayne, recipes from The Wayne Family: Leave it to The Duke to have some of the best everyday recipes for a hearty meal. Trust me if you pick up a copy of this cookbook be prepared to want to make these man-centric recipes, especially the perfect burger recipes including the Cowboy Burgers and South of the Border Burgers. P.S. This cookbook can be a little hard to find so check eBay first.
The Ultimate Meal Prep Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen: Cut out the guesswork of meal prepping with this cookbook - it provides weekly plans and shopping lists, plus it has a list of pantry staples. The recipes also help you prevent a ton of food waste by using ingredients in multiple ways. Some recipes inside this cookbook are Foil-Baked Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Radishes and Steak Tacos. One way for you to make cooking easier is to batch-cook your meals. Meal prepping can be a game changer for a single guy. Don’t stress about how long it will take to meal prep there are a ton of options on how you can do it and the recipes in these cookbooks help you navigate meal prepping even when you have a lack of time.
Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ by Rodney Scott & Lois Eric Elie: One of my favorite cookbooks for grilling. It teaches you the basics while providing insanely tasty meals that you won’t believe you made. The Rib Rub is so easy to make and the Rodney’s Spare Ribs are so good. As someone who doesn’t grill a ton, this is a perfect beginner cookbook to learn more about grilling. Are you an outdoors guy? Do you prefer to do most of your cooking outside? If you answered yes, I’ve got the best cookbooks for making your meal on the grill or smoker.
Movie-Themed Cookbooks
Passionate about movies? If you’re a film enthusiast like me, you won’t want to miss out on these fantastic movie-themed cookbooks. Featuring clever recipe names and mouthwatering dishes, they’re a delightful fusion of cinema and cuisine that is sure to tantalize your taste buds.
Read also: The ultimate guide to acid reflux cooking
The Princess Bride: The Official Cookbook by Jenn Fujikawa: “My name in Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” That may be one of the most famous movie lines in film history. This cookbook is filled with food and drinks inspired by the movie including savory and sweet dishes. The recipes include Storming the Castle (a mixed drink), Mawidge Meatwoaf (meatloaf), and MLT- “Mutton,” Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich.
Cooking With Deadpool by Marc Sumerak and Elena P. Craig: Deadpool is my favorite comic book character, I love his sense of humor. This cookbook provides a lot of laughs and great meals such as Dessert Chimi and Stabby Meat Sticks.
Cookbooks for Hosting
Looking to become the ultimate host at your bachelor pad?
Game-Day: 100 Recipes for Homegating Like A Pro by Eddie Jackson: Host game day in your home with this cookbook - whether you are watching football, basketball, or another sport - you and your friends will love these delicious dishes. Recipes include Chipotle Rib Nachos and Spicy Korean Wings all perfect for watching the game.
Shaken Drinking with James Bond and Ian Fleming by Edmund Weil, Bobby Hiddleston & Mia Johansson: When you think of James Bond you immediately think of a martini (or at least I do) but you also think of all the characters he has shared a drink with over the years. Bring a little spy craft to your party with drinks such as Dry Martini, Moneypenny, and Trigger Finger inspired by James Bond.
Read also: Cookbook Recipes for Meal Prep
Come On Over: 111 Fantastic Recipes for the Family That Cooks, Eats, and Laughs Together by Jeff Mauro: Inviting people shouldn’t have to be so overwhelming that you don’t want to do it. This cookbook solves that dilemma by offering great recipes with cooking shortcuts to cut down on cooking time. Recipes include Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese, the best recipe in my opinion, and Crispy Carnitas for a Crowd that are easy to execute and will be a hit with your guests.
Cookbooks for Culinary Adventures
Seeking culinary adventures? Dive into these cookbooks brimming with awe-inspiring dishes that transport your taste buds to distant lands.
101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die by Jet Tila: Asian food can sometimes seem difficult to make but this cookbook breaks down the recipes so a home chef of any level can make a swoon-worthy dish. From General Tso’s Chicken to Street Vendor Pork Satay and Beef Pho recipes you will be able to make your favorites at home any day of the week.
The Kitchen Without Borders by The Eat Offbeat Chefs: A fantastic cookbook offering recipes from all over the world. The recipes come from the chefs at Eat Offbeat in NYC. Two of the delicious dishes I made were Carne Mechada and Manchurian Cauliflower.
Additional Cookbook Recommendations for Solo Cooks
College Cooking For One: College Cooking For One is great for anyone who’s new to cooking or looking to make (mostly) wholesome smaller-serving meals on a budget. The first chapter covers the kitchen tools and small appliances needed for the recipes. One of my favorite parts of this chapter was the tips for cooking on a budget and self-care for stressful times or when you’ve maybe overdone it the night before. There are 75 recipes in total (though most have room for variations). You’ll find a nice variety that includes something for all diets from meat-eaters to vegans but overall I’d describe the majority as vegetarian/flexitarian. The 8 recipe chapters cover breakfasts, snacks, lunches, salads, soups, meals, and desserts. The recipes are printed on a single page and include the prep time, cook time, serving size, equipment needed, and nutritional information.
The Ultimate Cooking For One Cookbook by Joanie Zisk: A treasure trove of single-serving recipes (there are 175!), The Ultimate Cooking For One Cookbook by Joanie Zisk is perfect for solo cooks. There are 8 chapters in total. The recipe chapters cover breakfast, side dishes, chicken main dishes, beef and pork main dishes, fish and seafood main dishes, vegetarian main dishes, and desserts. All of the recipes include full nutritional information and have headnotes that provide serving suggestions, substitutions, or storage tips.
Designed for One!: 120 Diabetes-Friendly Dishes Just for You by Nancy S. Hughes: If you’re looking for nutritious dinners for one, Designed for One!: 120 Diabetes-Friendly Dishes Just for You by Nancy S. Hughes has you covered. The Two-For-One chapter has 16 recipes that make 3 servings (2 for dinner plus 1 for later). Most of the recipes use around six ingredients and have clear easy-to-follow cooking instructions.
Cooking Solo: The Fun of Cooking for Yourself by Klancy Miller: Klancy Miller’s Cooking Solo: The Fun of Cooking for Yourself is a celebration of cooking for one. Most of the mealtime recipes call for fresh in-season vegetables and have easy-to-follow instructions. There’s a variety of everyday recipes like Triple The Coconut Oatmeal, Panzanella Per Una, and a Lemony White Bean Soup that I have on my to-make list.
Healthy Cooking for Two (or Just You) by Frances Price, R.D.: Healthy Cooking for Two (or Just You) by Frances Price, R.D. is a unique cookbook that lets you choose how many servings you want to make for each recipe. There are over 200 recipes. With chapters for bread and breakfast, light meals and snacks, soups, salads, meatless meals, chicken, fish, beef, vegetables, and desserts. The recipes have a special format that features two ingredients lists. One list with measurements that range from 1-2 servings depending on the recipe. And another list with measurements ranging from 2 to 4 servings.
Tips and Tricks for the Solo Cook
Remember, the key to culinary success lies in experimentation. Don’t hesitate to try new recipes, as you never know when you’ll discover your next favorite dish. Even if your first attempt doesn’t yield perfection, don’t be discouraged-every chef, regardless of experience, faces setbacks in the kitchen. A helpful tip is to thoroughly read the recipe multiple times before you begin cooking, ensuring a smoother process and better results.
As you keep cooking the recipes from these cookbooks you will find your solo recipe repertoire of dishes that you love. Once you have that list of tasty meals it makes it so much easier to decide what to make for dinner and even gives you ideas of techniques and dishes you may want to explore more with new cookbooks.
- Embrace Batch Cooking: One way for you to make cooking easier is to batch-cook your meals. Meal prepping can be a game changer for a single guy. Don’t stress about how long it will take to meal prep there are a ton of options on how you can do it and the recipes in these cookbooks help you navigate meal prepping even when you have a lack of time.
Scaling Recipes and Avoiding Food Waste
Cooking for one person usually means lots of boring leftovers and wasted ingredients. A lot of solo cooks say that resizing larger recipes is a pain and yields mixed results. Before purchasing a cookbook, check to see if your local library has a (physical or digital) copy available. Some books might only have one or two recipes that interest you. If you find yourself wishing you didn’t have to return the book, that’s a good sign you’ll be happy to have it in your cookbook collection.
Meals Made Your Way: Recipe pages include a “Kitchen Improv” section featuring tips to spark your creativity in preparing the dishes. You’ll find ingredient substitutions and suggested add-ins and new recipes that you can make to use up leftover ingredients. You’ll also learn how to tailor any of the recipes to your tastes! Now that is a skill.
Avoid Food Waste: Use our handy reference chart to see how you can use up ingredients in other recipes.
Utilizing Kitchen Tools Efficiently
*Put Your Microwave to Work: Learn a new set of techniques for streamlining your cooking using your microwave.
Freezing for Convenience: For instance, when that 'family sized' pack of ground beef goes on sale -- I make most of it into burgers, wrap them individually in wax paper, pop eight of 'em into a gallon sized zip-top bag, and freeze 'em. If you want, add some Italian seasoning or steak seasoning as you're forming the burgers for some extra variety. (although, they're more versatile if you leave 'em plain. You can toss 'em onto a George Foreman grill still frozen, and they'll come out fine. (although, you'll want to take the wax paper off first).
One-Pound Ground Beef Meal Prep: During my undergrad, as I didn't have freezer space, I'd get a package in the 1lb range (maybe a little larger), and cook it together with a diced large onion (maybe softball sized), a few cloves of garlic, crushed, and maybe a bell pepper if they were reasonably priced that week. can of diced or crushed tomatoes, chili powder : chili (beans are optional).
Dirty Rice Variation: The dirty rice would often find itself with a tortilla, cheese, and hot sauce in burrito form.
Stuffed Bell Peppers: If bell peppers are on sale, cut one in half, vertically, then take out the stem, seeds, and membrane. Place it cut-side down in a baking dish and roast at 350F 'til it's softened some (maybe 10-15 min), then remove from the oven, stuff with a mix of dirty rice and cheese, then put back into the oven to bake 'til the cheese melts. (f it's leftover dirty rice, you'll cook the bell pepper less on its own, so that it doesn't completely soften up before the rice is heated through.
Meatloaf for One: If you don't have the freezer space, you can also make meatloaf. I don't have a set recipe … vegetables (carrots, onions, bell pepper, I've even thrown in a thawed package of frozen spinach), ground beef, a couple of eggs, some bread crumbs (or, if it's not stale enough to break into crumbs, tear it up, soak in milk or water, then squeeze it out, and add the damp bread), Italian spices, lay on a sheet pan, then bake. If you don't have a microwave to reheat it, just cut it into slices, and then pan fry to warm through.
Poaching Chicken in Bulk: If you have freezer space, and a large pot (not worth it otherwise), buy chicken when it's on sale, poach it, then freeze it. After an hour, the chicken will be cooked … but it won't be overcooked, even if you leave it in there for three hours. If it's boneless, you can just let it cool, and then cut into chunks later. If there's bones, I take 'em out, and then shred the meat, bag it up, and freeze it in reasonably sized bits.
Making Chicken Stock: If you have some sad vegetables (past their prime, but not rotted, moldy, or mushy … but we're talking about grad students, you'd have eaten it way before it go to that stage), cut into chunks and toss after you've let the water boil. If you're like my mom, and cut up and freeze stuff for that later batch of stock (along with parmesan rinds, stems from some herbs, etc.), toss it in while boiling, so you don't cool the water down too fast after the boil. Add some salt and pepper, then leave like normal. After deboning the chicken, throw the bones back in, and left simmer for another hour or two … then strain and cool.
Chicken Noodle Casserole: Chicken noodle casserole -- any leftovers can go into a casserole dish, so you can just bake it the next day.
London Broil Steak Variations: I've never been much of a steak eater, but when either top or bottom round goes on sale as a 'london broil' cut (sale for me is ~$4/lb, sometimes less), I'll splurge, and make it into a variety of things: (note -- not all 'london broil' is the same.