The Best Cookbooks of 2026

It’s no secret that we love a chance to get in the lab here at Reviewed, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this cookbook found its way onto our best of list. Available in multiple formats, including audio, this collection of recipes helps to foster transferable skills you’ll be sure to use for the rest of your life by showing you how ingredients turn into meals.

Reviews mention that this cookbook is an enjoyable read and that the accessible writing style makes it easy to grasp. It makes a great gift and is worth a read, even if you aren’t into cooking, as it’s more of a skill book than a traditional recipe book.

Eating a vegan diet doesn’t have to mean subjecting yourself to tofu and kale chips all the time. If you’re looking for the best vegan cookbook for your kitchen, then check out the Veganomicon. All the vegan recipes in this book have been thoroughly kitchen tested, to ensure both their user-friendliness and great results.

This updated edition comes with additional meals and side dishes to appeal to every plant-based diet, making it easy to cater to soy-free, gluten-free, and low-fat dietary restrictions. It also includes recipes that make weekly comfort foods quick and easy to make.

Reviewers say these sweet and savory plant-based recipes range from “unbelievably good to really, really good,” so you’ll be sure to love this cookbook. The recipes included in this cookbook are easy to read and well-organized which can be a problem in cookbooks with a range of recipes. Some people even call this cookbook The Joy of Vegan Cooking.

A trusted staple in many American households since 1930, it would be surprising if you haven’t seen the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook in the kitchen of someone you know. This edition is fully updated and revised to reflect the best of today’s food trends as well as time-tested classics, so you won’t have to worry about cooking boring recipes for your loved ones. This update also includes ways to make recipes healthier, which is a big plus.

Great for beginners, this cookbook has basic recipes that won’t have you scouring the supermarket for hard-to-find, base ingredients, and at-a-glance cooking times are a great help when you’re looking for the right timing for cooking things like a roast chicken or sweet potato. While this cookbook is comprehensive when it comes to basics, the print is said to be small and the pages thin, so you’ll want to take care with this so that you can hold onto it for generations to come.

A favorite of many of my chef friends, Mastering the Art of French Cooking is exactly what’s advertised: an insight into French cooking with all the techniques you’ll need to prepare great meals. Recipes are said to come out fabulous with moderate effort, but this cookbook is definitely geared toward those who want to take their time with recipe development. Coming from the master herself, food writer Julia Child, reviewers say this cookbook is both easy to follow and fun to use.

While it won’t necessarily make you a pro, you’ll be sure to gain a lot of new skills with its detailed methods, tips, and learn a lot more about the ingredients used in the included recipes. Each recipe is step by step, so much so that you may even feel like you’re taking a cooking course from Julia, rather than reading from a book. “A must for every kitchen,” this cookbook is a great choice for anyone looking to learn new techniques.

Revised by New York Times bestseller Mark Bittman for today’s cooks, the minimalist style of this cookbook includes easy-to-follow, soon-to-be-favorite recipes and variations that offer tons of ideas and inspiration for your favorite meals. Updates include in-depth information on ingredients, including whole grains, produce, alternative baking staples, and sustainable seafood.

This cookbook would be a great gift because the recipes are designed to give you freedom to improvise and make them your own. One reviewer mentioned that they love using this cookbook to find new ways to make childhood favorites even better. Perfect for cooks of any skill level, this cookbook won’t have you running in circles at the grocery store because the recipes don’t include obscure, hard-to-find ingredients.