The Best Cookbooks for New Vegans

I know everyone uses Pinterest and other online resources for finding their recipes these days — I do, too! But, I still think that there is something extra special about getting a new cookbook and flipping through it to find recipes or just recipe inspiration! When you first go vegan, you might get lost in a sea of recipes online. How do you know what recipes to trust? Well, having been vegan for over a decade, I’ve done a lot of this trial and error work. That’s why I am providing you with a list of the best cookbooks for new vegans!

I really believe that having a few go-to cookbooks that are practically fail proof will help make your transition to veganism a little easier. But, just like blogs, how do you find one you know you can trust? Cookbooks are not cheap, so I completely understand that you want to know they’ll be great before you make that purchase.

That’s where I come in! I’ve spent 10+ years finding and testing vegan cookbooks. And I’m here to share my favourite cookbooks with you, with the hope that they’ll help your transition to veganism as easily and deliciously as possible!

*Please note that not all these cookbooks are gluten free. However, many of the recipes can easily be made gluten free with a few substitutions.

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Number 5: Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats, by Allyson Kramer

This was the first vegan AND gluten free cookbook I ever purchased (or, more likely, my parents purchased for me). When I was diagnosed with celiac disease I was a little bit at a loss on what to cook. This cookbook introduced me to so many new ingredients and ideas! In fact, it was the first place that I read about jackfruit as a meat substitute! There are a lot of new vegan and gluten free cookbooks out there now, but this one will always hold a special place in my heart.

Favourite recipe from the book: Pizza Crackers

 

Number 4: Bunner’s Bake Shop Cookbook, by Ashley Wittig and Kevin MacAllister

I picked up this cookbook a couple years back at my local gluten free bakery — pleased to see that it was vegan, too! When I went gluten free, I was pretty lost when it came to baking. What flour to use when? Or, worse, whats flours and how much of each? This is a great cookbook because the recipes are great and they use widely accessible ingredients. They also don’t require you to buy a billion different flours to make a dozen cookies — I mean, who can afford that?!

I was so lucky last spring when my partner was driving to Montreal. He stopped in Toronto on his way and picked me up a whole box of goodies from this bakery. Oh my were they delicious!!

Favourite recipe from the book: Pound Cake

 

 

Number 3: The Non-Dairy Evolution, by Skye Michael Conroy

When I tell people I’m vegan, they now often respond in a positive way (unlike 10 years ago!). They also tend to say, “I could go vegan if I didn’t have to give up cheese!” or something along those lines. Well, you don’t have to give up cheese anymore! There are lots of great vegan cheeses, and it seems like every time I go to the health food store I see a new brand! The one catch is that they are SO expensive! Of course, I know regular cheese isn’t cheap either. But paying upwards of 15-dollars for 1/2 cup of cheese is hard to justify.

Thankfully, there are tuns of cookbooks out there on how to make your own cheese! My particular favourite is The Non-Dairy Evolution. I started making cheese from this cookbook about a year ago now, and it’s a game changer my friends. My Dutch cheese-loving family happily digs into my cheese boards (and trust me – they can be fussy when it comes to vegan cheese!)

Now, this cookbook does require that you to acquire some special ingredients. It’ll be a little expensive at first, but once you’ve got those staples they run a long way. Also, PLEASE read and follow the instructions carefully! Cheese making isn’t super simple, so don’t be discouraged if it isn’t perfect the first time around (mine wasn’t, but now I’m a pro!)

My favourite recipe from the book: Dill Havarti.

 

 

Number 2: Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen, by Richa Hingle

I mentioned in a previous post for Cauliflower Pakoras how important Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen has been to my cooking. This might actually be my most used cookbook — it’s just that good! There are so many things I love about this cookbook. Obviously, the recipes are delicious! But, they’re also budget friendly (for the most part) and great for meal prep. You might need to find some spices that aren’t yet in your cupboard, but otherwise the ingredients are pretty accessible and Richa does a great job of explaining every step.

My favourite recipe from the book: Mango Curry

 

 

Number 1: Isa Does It, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Okay, honestly — every single publication by Isa is amazing and I recommend every single one. In fact, Isa’s cookbook, Veganomicon, was one of my first vegan cookbooks and remains one of my favourites. I fan-girl hard over Isa and her cooking. Her recipes are amazing — so amazing that I would say she was instrumental in my keeping up my veganism. It’s not always easy being vegan, but Isa certainly makes it delicious!

I chose Isa Does It because it’s a little newer than Veganomicon and, honestly, because it has more pictures! As an avid cookbook reader, I understand the importance of food photos. It’s also got a great variety of recipes to bring you from brunch to dessert, and everything in between!

My favourite recipe from the book: Ugh, how can I choose? Curried Peanut Sauce Bowl

 

I hope these help you out as you continue to, or try to, eat vegan!