Vegans do not eat meat, fish, or animal products. This can be for environmental reasons, religious ones, health reasons – the list is endless. But vegan cooking has now moved far from what it meant – steamed vegetables and minimal variation.
More cookbooks are available than ever before, offering mouth-watering, exciting recipes full of flavor. It can be challenging to know where to start with so many to choose from, but here is our guide – the best vegan cookbooks for beginners!
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Best Vegan Cookbooks Reviews
When getting started on a vegan diet, it can be hard to decide how to vary your meals and choose the materials or references to help you. Thankfully, we have reviewed tens of these vegan cookbooks and narrowed them down to the seven best for your convenience.
1. Bad Manners: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck by Thug Kitchen by Bad Manners, Michelle Davis, and Matt Holloway
Previously published as Thug Kitchen Eat Like You Give a F*ck: The Official Cookbook, this cookbook has gained notoriety for its hilarious use of profanity and slang to describe the recipes. This may be why it’s nearing 1.5 million sales so far!
The book is set out like most cookbooks with an intro, shopping list, ingredients list, etc. However, it also offers helpful hints throughout that are very useful for beginners who are new to cooking vegan food or just cooking in general.
With the 100 recipes included, most of which are very simple to make, this book is nothing short of fantastic for beginners. The profanity throughout the recipes only adds to its humor and makes it more appealing overall!
And just like it’s the case for most beginners, shopping for all the ingredients on a budget isn’t easy. But with this cookbook, there are no expensive ingredients required. There is also a wide variety of recipes, so you won’t get bored! The authors have also included information and techniques to shop for the ingredients on a budget.
Some more of the top vegan recipes included are:
- Grilled Peach Salsa: A healthy mixture of peaches, onions, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice.
- Pumpkin Chili: A recipe for all seasons, this chili includes plenty of different vegetables like peppers and squash.
- Roasted Beer and Lime Cauliflower Tacos: Tacos with no lard, sour cream, or cheese! Everything is made from scratch and easy to make, so it’s the perfect go-to meal.
What we like:
- Easy to follow recipes.
- The humor throughout the cookbook
- Includes tips for budget shopping
- Excellent for versatile use (can be used by experienced cooks as well)
2. The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes from Omma’s Kitchen by Joanne Lee Molinaro
Another New York bestseller, The Korean Vegan Cookbook, has also been named the best new cookbook of the year by various online sources. These sources include Spruce Eats, Epicurious, EATER, Food52, Infatuation, and Publisher’s Weekly.
Joanne incorporates tales of love, family, and food throughout the cookbook with a fan base of millions. This makes it a fantastic read for people yearning to understand more about the author and the meaning behind every recipe. Still, these are all traditional Korean dishes that she has reimagined to be vegan.
The recipes are also very easy to follow, as she has made sure not to include complicated cooking methods or ingredients that beginners may not know how to use.
Although grilled meat makes a good part of the Korean cuisine, Joanna uses other vegan ingredients, including:
- Doenjang: This is a fermented soybean paste that adds flavor and depth to dishes.
- Gochujang: Similar to doenjang, gochujang is a fermented chili paste. This paste adds both flavor and spice.
- Dashima: Dashima is also known as kombu, a seaweed used in soups and stews.
- Kimchi: Fermented cabbage that can be added to other ingredients or eaten raw on its own.
Some top recipes that are included in the cookbook include:
- Jjajangmyun: A dish that traditionally includes noodles and black bean sauce, this recipe has been reimagined and is just as delicious.
- Mandu: Dumplings that can be served with a side of spicy kimchi, soy sauce, or vinegar.
- Gamja Guk: This is a dish where potatoes and carrots are simmered in a gochujang-based soup.
- Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake: A healthy twist on an American classic.
If you are looking for the best vegan cookbooks with an immigrant family’s story and a great variety of recipes, look no further than The Korean Vegan Cookbook.
What we like:
- Incredibly easy to follow recipes
- Background stories that make cooking that much more enjoyable
- Recognized by various sources as the best new cookbook of the year.
- Healthy and tasty recipes
- Whimsical yet traditional Korean dishes
- Available in Kindle format or as a hardcover copy
3. Bad Manners: Fast as F*ck: 101 Easy Recipes to Pack Your Plate: A Vegan Cookbook by Bad Manners, Michelle Davis, and Matt Holloway
Another New York Times bestselling vegan cookbook with a unique approach to its audience. It is an easy-to-follow book for vegans brought to you by the authors of the record-breaking Bad Manners: The Official Cookbook, which sold over half a million copies worldwide.
Bad Manners contains plenty of recipes that can be made in under 10 minutes, making it perfect for those who need a quick meal or snack to grab on the go. In addition, this book is ideal for those that are intimidated by traditional vegan cookbooks as it is much more straightforward. In fact, you don’t even need to know your way around the kitchen!
Still, this cookbook stands out in several ways:
- Explained Ingredients: From chickpeas to nooch, this cookbook explains what everything is used for. You’ll be able to keep track of your pantry, so you don’t buy anything you already have.
- Healthy Recipes: These 100+ recipes combine simple ingredients to create healthy yet delicious dishes. From salads to soups, you’ll have no problem finding a recipe that is easy to make.
- Health Benefits and Nutritional Information: Each recipe is packed with protein, fiber, and calcium.
- Quick Recipes: From one-pot meals to grab-and-go snacks, there are plenty of recipes that you can make in less than 10 minutes.
- Will Keep You Entertained: With anecdotes and stories throughout the cookbook, you’ll never be bored with the occasional humor and quirkiness of the authors.
Some quick recipes that you can add to your diet include:
- Garlic Dill Kale Salad: An easy salad with kale, green onion, and parsley.
- Mexican-Inspired Chickpea Salad: A hearty salad that combines black beans and seasonings for a spicy yet healthy treat.
- Jalapeno Yam Fries: Yams baked with jalapeno and roasted are a delicious side dish to add to your next meal.
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream: A refined sugar-free dessert that is still just as delicious.
Looking for the best vegan cookbooks for beginners to commit to the cooking time and still enjoy healthy and tasty meals? Look no further as Bad Manners is full of recipes that can be made in a flash- truly fast AF.
What we like:
- Easy-to-understand ingredients
- Healthy, easy to make recipes
- Humorous anecdotes and stories to keep you entertained
- Some quick recipes that can be made in under 10 minutes
- A wide range of recipes that anyone can follow
4. The Cajun Vegan Cookbook: A Modern Guide to Classic Cajun Cooking and Southern-Inspired Cuisine by Krimsey Lilleth
Thanks to the Cajun Vegan Cookbook, your search for New Orleans vegan cuisine is now officially over. This book is perfect for those who want a New Orleans taste without the grease and sugar you usually find in classic Cajun cuisine.
Krimsey offers you classic Cajun dishes like:
- Gumbo: A spicy dish with rich broth, a traditional Cajun meal.
- Jambalaya: This jazzy mix of rice and vegetables is a Cajun staple.
- Etouffée: A slightly spicy stew with a rich broth. This is an excellent dish for those that love Cajun cuisine but want to try something new.
- Hushpuppies: These traditional Cajun treats are usually made with eggs, but Krimsey shows you how to make them vegan-friendly.
With these dishes, you’ll never go hungry again. But this book isn’t just about Cajun dishes. There are plenty of Southern-inspired recipes too (actually 130+), falling under different categories like:
Drinks:
- Café Au Lait,
- Jalapeño Cauldron Lemonade,
- Hurricane Party
Desserts:
- Salted Pecan Pralines,
- Cinnamon King Cake,
- French Quarter Beignets
Salads, Poboys, and Soups:
- Swamp Queen Poboy,
- Gulf Coast Oyster Mushroom Soup,
- Southern Belle Pepper Salad
Toppings, Sauces, and Dressings:
- Smoky Maple “Bacon” Bits,
- Cajun Nacho Sauce,
- Tangy Tabasco Dressing
Entrees:
- Chili-Rubbed Butternut Squash Steaks,
- Heart of the Bayou Étouffée,
- Jambalaya Collard Wraps
Breakfast and Breads:
- Strawberry Peach Heart Tarts,
- Backwoods Buttermilk Biscuits and Gray,
- Molasses & Roasted Pecan Pancakes
Sides:
- Cajun Potato Wedges,
- Kale & Tempeh’d Black-Eyed Peas,
- Fried Green Tomatoes
With every one of the above recipes born under the influence of Louisiana jazz, ’90s jams, café au lait, and powdered sugar, we can assure you that your taste buds will love this cookbook.
What we like:
- Over 130 veganized Cajun and southern dishes
- Cajun and Southern dishes with only vegan ingredients
- Drinks, desserts, salads, soups, entrees, sides, and more
- Reasonably priced
- Perfect for New Orleans cuisine fans
5. The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners: 75 Delicious, Healthy Whole Food Recipes by Gabriel Miller
Need a great vegan cookbook that takes the hard work and confusion out of plant-based cooking? You’re in luck. The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners is a book devoted to simple, whole-food vegan meals that anyone can make. Enjoy the transition to a whole-foods vegan diet with: 75 vegan recipes that are all under 500 calories and take less than 30 minutes to make.
All meals in this recipe book are low on sugars, oils, and salt but high in everything you need for a healthy vegan diet.
This cookbook stands out for three main reasons:
- Diet basics for whole-food plant-based cooking:
includes a brief history of veganism, why it’s important to eat whole foods instead of processed ones, and how to stock your pantry. Also, learn simple ingredient swaps and stay on course even when eating out.
- Straightforward recipes:
All of the 75 recipes in this book are less than 500 calories and take less than 30 minutes to make. So if you want a quick, healthy vegan entre, dessert, side, or even condiment, then this book is for you.
- Simple and accessible ingredients:
keep your shopping list as short as possible with simple whole-food ingredients that you can find at any grocery store.
Get your copy today and explore plant-based recipes like:
- Savory Sweet Potato Casserole: A crowd-pleasing dish that you can make as a side or as the main dish.
- Plant-Powered “Sour Cream”: A deliciously rich and creamy addition to your Mexican-themed dishes.
- Mango-Ginger Chickpea Curry: An Asian-inspired sweet mango curry makes an easy-to-make dinner recipe.
- Tropical Crepes with Banana Whip: A fluffy crepe filled with bananas and fruit, then drizzled with a vegan chocolate sauce.
Never be without a healthy meal again. Get this book today, and you might have just landed the best vegan baking cookbook.
What we like:
- Includes 75 vegan recipes that are all under 500 calories
- Under 30 minutes’ cook time
- Low sugars, oils, and salt meals
- Uses easy to find whole-food ingredients
- Available as Kindle, paperback, and spiral-bound versions
6. Fast & Easy Vegan Cookbook: 100 Mouth-Watering Recipes for Time-Crunched Vegans by JL Fields
Both full-time and beginner vegans require a variety to keep their kitchens interesting. The Fast and Easy Vegan Cookbook is a no-nonsense recipe book that provides vegans with a new selection of fresh meals that are also quick and easy to make.
This book is perfect for new vegans or people looking to switch up their diets without the hassle of gathering too many ingredients. Similarly, the preparation steps are easy. Want some proof? There’s a whole chapter with no-cook recipes!
What is the Fast & Easy Vegan Cookbook promise?
- 100 easy and savory recipes: Prepare personalized and tasty dishes in a jiffy.
- Fast and no-cook recipes: Each recipe can be prepared in under thirty minutes, and many recipes include no cooking at all!
- Nutritional information: Calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, and sodium for each recipe.
- Simple ingredients: Recipes use easy-to-find vegan ingredients that are as close as your local supermarket
- Ingredient substitution tips: You don’t have to waste any time hunting down hard-to-find ingredients; Fields has done it for you.
- Dietary options: Intolerant to gluten? Nuts? Oil? Soy? No problem, there’s a vegan recipe for you.
- No-nonsense advice: Learn tips and tricks to make the perfect meal every time, customizing as you like as well as switching up proteins and veggies.
Some interesting recipes you should try right away include:
- Mushroom Stroganoff Bake: The vegetarian stroganoff staple with mushrooms for added texture.
- Spicy Pinto Bean Skillet: A Mexican twist on a vegan dish for spicy bean goodness.
- Artichoke Heart Salad: A simple and fresh salad for a hot day, with mushrooms and vegan bacon bits.
Go vegan with one of the best-selling vegan cookbooks out there! Check out the Fast and Easy Vegan Cookbook today.
What we like:
- Includes 100 vegan recipes that
- No-cook recipes
- Simplistic ingredients.
- Easy steps with dietary options.
- Has tips for ingredient substitution
- Available in paperback and Kindle download
7. Making Vegan Meat: The Plant-Based Food Science Cookbook by Mark Thompson
Whether it’s a vegan/vegetarian diet, plant-based protein, or even seitan recipes, Mark Thompson has you covered. The Making Vegan Meat cookbook is rooted in food science and provides readers with a new and straightforward approach to vegan foods.
Thompson’s book not only offers insight into the basics of plant-based proteins; it includes recipes for seitan bacon, fried chicken, sizzling BBQ, juicy burgers, and even vegan jerky, all powered by fruits and vegetables.
You’ll learn how to test unexpected ingredients in the kitchen to build your custom plant-based vegan meat recipes. Flavors, textures, and aromas are other aspects you’ll learn how to master as you create your best vegan meat recipes with various fruits and vegetables.
What we like:
- Includes recipes for vegan jerky, BBQ, burgers, and more
- Comes with a vegan cheat sheet that consists of 20 ingredients to stock up
- Step by step instructions
- Easy-to-find ingredients
- Affordably priced
- Available in both soft and hard copy versions
Beginner vegan cookbook buying guide
All vegan cookbooks are not created equally; some are beginner-friendly, while others require a little more experience and knowledge to master. To settle for the best beginner-level vegan cookbooks, here are a few things you need to consider:
The style of vegan cooking:
A cookbook meant for novices will have simple recipes with easy-to-find ingredients. A book geared towards experienced cooks will have complicated dishes that may take several days to prepare.
The language used:
Previous cookbook reviews have recommended books with step-by-step instructions, especially for beginners. You’ll also want recipes written in a language that is easy to understand.
Price:
Search through vegan cookbooks reviews to find a beginner vegan cookbook that is both affordable and versatile. Many books in this category are reasonably priced, so you can experiment with several new recipes.
Number of Recipes:
Beginners may want to pick a beginner vegan cookbook with a wide variety of dishes and ingredients. Go for cookbooks with at least 30 recipes to get you started, but don’t go for many recipes at once.
Ease of Use:
A beginner vegan cookbook should be easy to read and simple to follow. If you are not confident in the kitchen, find a vegan cookbook with step-by-step instructions and simple ingredients.
Final Word:
If you are new to vegan cooking, it can be challenging to know where or how to start. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best beginner-friendly vegan cookbooks on the market today. Look for books that offer step-by-step instructions and easy-to-find ingredients – especially if you’re just starting out! We hope these reviews will help you find a book that meets your needs while also providing plenty of delicious recipes that will keep even experienced chefs entertained in the kitchen. Which one did you choose? Let us know what recipe was your favorite so far!
