13 Best Vegetarian Cookbooks of 2024

Are you looking for some of the best vegetarian cookbooks to inspire your plant-based dishes in the upcoming year? If so, you're in good company. More and more people are trying to cut down on their meat consumption and get creative in the kitchen. Luckily, there are plenty of fantastic cookbooks available to make cutting out meat easy and delicious.

We’ve assembled a few of the best vegetarian cookbooks on the market this year, including newly published recipe collections and some unbeatable gems from a few years back. Read on to find your new favorite!

1. The Forest Feast: Simple Vegetarian Recipes From My Cabin in the Woods

When Erin Gleeson left the big city to move out into the California woods, she was inspired by the natural beauty of her new surroundings. That’s when she wrote one of the best vegetarian cookbooks that you can add to your bookshelf. Her recipes are simple and tasty, often consisting of only a handful of ingredients, which makes this a great and simple vegetarian cookbook for beginners or for anyone just wanting an easy, relaxing time in the kitchen.

Gleeson demonstrates that eating a vegetarian diet doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming; you can have delicious, wholesome and even beautiful meals on the table in under an hour. 

Bonus: Dive deeper into wholesome plant-based cuisine with vegetarian cooking classes in Toronto or vegetarian cooking classes in Los Angeles.

• Author: Erin Gleeson
• Pages: 240
• Cuisine type: Simple, wholesome cooking
• Where to buy: Amazon

2. The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook: 100 Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Table

Do you love tasty Southern food? If you’ve cut meat out of your diet, you may feel like you’re missing out on those traditional, down-home recipes that offer comfort like nothing else. If that sounds familiar, this may be the best vegetarian cookbook for you to add to your bookshelf this year.

When you think of Southern food, you likely think about vegetables being pushed to the side. They’re never front and center, right? That’s no longer the case. In The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook, husband and wife super-duo Burks and Lawrence teach you how to turn plants into the main event without losing any of the richness or flavor of traditional Southern meals. With recipes like corn cake with barbecue slaw, barbecue tofu nachos and okra fritters with Creole mustard sauce, you'll have all the Southern comfort you're looking for without any of the meat.  

• Author: Justin Fox Burks, Amy Lawrence
• Pages: 272
• Cuisine type: Southern 
• Where to buy: Amazon

3. The 5-Ingredient Vegetarian Cookbook: 75 Effortless Recipes for Busy Cooks

Are you looking for the best vegetarian cookbook for people who do their grocery shopping on a budget? What about the best vegetarian cookbook for home cooks who love simplicity? Paige Rhodes' The 5-Ingredient Vegetarian Cookbook has got you covered. As the title promises, each recipe only requires five ingredients (excluding salt, pepper and oil), many of which you likely already have in your kitchen. The instructions are easy to follow, and even the most inexperienced home chef should have no problem whipping up these tasty meals. 

We love how accessible this vegetarian cookbook makes meat-free cooking. It's a great, simple cookbook for beginners, one that proves you don’t need to be a master chef or have a pantry full of unique ingredients to cook something flavorful and creaveable.

Bonus: Add even more foolproof dishes to your recipe rotation with vegetarian cooking classes in Chicago or vegetarian cooking classes in NYC.

• Author: Paige Rhodes
• Pages: 128
• Cuisine type: Quick and budget-friendly
• Where to buy: Amazon

4. Vegetarian Cooking for Two: 80 Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthy Eating

Do you hate having leftovers when you’re only cooking for yourself and one other person (or just eating two portions by yourself; we won’t judge)? Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence make their second appearance on our list with what might be the best vegetarian cookbook for anybody cooking for a two-person household.

Eating healthy isn’t always easy. When you buy fresh and nutritious ingredients, they go bad so quickly. Sometimes it feels like you don’t even have time to use them. Vegetarian Cooking for Two takes care of that issue with perfectly portioned recipes, tips for cooking for two, recipes based around simple, familiar ingredients and tips for using up ingredients in recipes that naturally leave you with a little extra. At long last, you can plan a waste-free shopping list every week as you stop letting spare ingredients and soggy leftovers go bad in the fridge with help from this ingenious vegetarian cookbook.

• Author: Justin Fox Burks, Amy Lawrence
• Pages: 150
• Cuisine type: Healthy, small-batch meals
• Where to buy: Amazon

5. The Gracias Madre Cookbook: Bright, Plant-Based Recipes From Our Mexi-Cali Kitchen

Gracias Madre is a popular California restaurant chain, but they’re not gatekeeping their recipes. If you can’t make it to California for a meal, buy the cookbook and cook up some delicious Mexican–inspired vegetarian meals at home! This is one of the best vegetarian cookbooks of the year for people who love Mexican food.

The recipes in this cookbook are delicious, but they’re not really for beginners. You’ll be making tasty flan, vegan cheese sauces and other finicky dishes that require a bit of trial and error. As long as you’re willing to buy some unique ingredients and work hard in the kitchen, you’ll end up with something delicious. This book is fully vegan, but vegetarians, vegans and even omnivores will love these recipes, and you can always substitute dairy cheese for the vegan versions. Bottom line: If you love whole foods and fresh ingredients in your Mexican dishes, this is the best vegetarian cookbook for you this year. 

Bonus: Explore more diverse dishes with vegetarian cooking classes in the Bay Area or vegetarian cooking classes in New Orleans.

• Author: Gracias Madre
• Pages: 288
• Cuisine type: Mexi-Cali fusion
• Where to buy: Amazon

6. The Herbivorous Butcher Cookbook: 75+ Recipes for Plant-Based Meats and All the Dishes You Can Make With Them

Are you looking for one of the best vegetarian cookbooks for people who miss (or even still eat) meat? Look no further. This is the top vegetarian cookbook for anyone who still wants to satisfy their cravings for meat while living a plant-based lifestyle. You won’t miss a thing. In this cookbook, you don’t just learn how to cook with popular store-bought plant-based meats. No, you get to learn how to make them at home thanks to the delightful efforts of sister and brother duo Aubry and Kale Walch. 

The Walch siblings seriously know fake meat. They’ve opened a shop by the same name where they sell their faux-carnivorous creations. If you can’t make it all the way to Minneapolis to try them out, you can make their recipes at home with one of the year's best cookbooks for vegetarians.

Whether you miss the crunch of fried chicken or biting into a glazed rack of ribs, The Herbivorous Butcher has you covered. While the recipes in this book are vegan, the “meats” you create will work well to make any non-vegetarian recipe vegetarian-friendly! 

• Author: Aubry Walch, Kale Walch
• Pages: 240
• Cuisine type: Plant-based meat alternatives
• Where to buy: Amazon

7. Vegetarian Soul Food Cookbook: 75 Classic Recipes to Satisfy Your Cravings

Classic soul food is rich, comforting and delicious, but it’s usually not vegetarian-friendly. That’s why the Vegetarian Soul Food Cookbook is one of the best vegetarian cookbooks of the year. You’ll learn how to make many of your favorite dishes without the heavy meat products. You can bring your favorite dish to the potluck with a healthier and more plant-forward twist.

You’ll still get some of the classics, like grits and baked macaroni and cheese, but they’re lighter while still being flavorful. Whether you’re trying to cut out meat entirely or just eat a few meat-free meals per week, you don’t want to miss out. As a plus, this is also one of the best vegetarian cookbooks for beginners because the recipes are so simple and easy to follow!

Bonus: Learn even more plant-based soul food recipes with vegetarian cooking classes in Atlanta or vegetarian cooking classes in Miami.

• Author: Alexia Wilkerson
• Pages: 134
• Cuisine type: Soul food
• Where to buy: Amazon

8. The Veggie Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Wok, No Meat? Over 70 Vegan and Vegetarian Takeout Classics

Chinese food has remained largely unchanged for centuries. It’s rich in tradition, but many vegetarians and vegans struggle to find Chinese meals they can eat. If that sounds familiar, this is the best vegetarian cookbook for you this year. Author and professional chef Kwoklyn Wan worked in his family’s Cantonese restaurant in his youth, and he’s been educating people on Chinese cuisine ever since. If anyone can turn Chinese classics into tasty vegetarian meals, it’s him.

In The Veggie Chinese Takeout Cookbook, Wan shows you how to make both modern and traditional Chinese dishes vegetarian-friendly. You’ll get to enjoy some of your favorite Chinese takeout dishes without any meat or fish, and you won’t miss it!

• Author: Kwoklyn Wan
• Pages: 160
• Cuisine type: Chinese
• Where to buy: Amazon

9. Unbelievably Vegan: 100+ Life-Changing, Plant-Based Recipes: A Cookbook

Charity Morgan, chef to athletes and celebrities alike, understands vegan food. She’s written one of the year's most life-changing cookbooks, and you don’t want to miss out on it. The cookbook is technically vegan, but you won’t miss the eggs and dairy. Plus, if it’s good enough for athletes, it’s good enough for you.

Morgan's recipes take inspiration from Puerto Rican food, Southern soul food and more. She’s compiled a collection of recipes that are heavy on flavor while still being healthy and free of animal products. She’ll make sure you have all of the information you need to make over 100 delicious plant-based meals, from chili to cheesecake. 

Bonus: Find more of your fusion favorites with vegetarian cooking classes in Ottawa or vegetarian cooking classes in Boston.

• Author: Charity Morgan
• Pages: 288
• Cuisine type: Healthy fusion 
• Where to buy: Amazon

10. The Weekday Vegetarians: 100 Recipes and a Real-Life Plan for Eating Less Meat: A Cookbook

Whether you’re a full-time vegetarian or an omnivore trying to eat less meat, this might be the best vegetarian cookbook for you to add to your bookshelf this year. Current vegetarians will love the recipes, and prospective vegetarians and omnivores will appreciate the helpful advice from author Jenny Rosenstrach, a multiple New York Times bestselling author. 

Because these meals are created by an omnivore and for omnivores, you know that they’re sure to be delicious without a need for meat. You won’t be missing out on any flavors or textures with these recipes, and the tips and tricks that Rosenstrach has to offer will be helpful regardless of where you are on your meat-free journey. You’ll gain a new appreciation for plant-based dishes with the best vegetarian cookbook for beginners.

• Author: Jenny Rosenstrach
• Pages: 256
• Cuisine type: Beginner-friendly
• Where to buy: Amazon

11. Umami Bomb: 75 Vegetarian Recipes That Explode With Flavor

One thing that many vegetarian dishes miss is “umami.” It’s a savory flavor. It often comes from crispy fried meats, but you can also add umami to vegetarian dishes with the help of one of the best vegetarian cookbooks for people who like in-your-face flavor: Umami Bomb.

Raquel Pelzel's delightful vegetarian cookbook will make even the simplest recipes delicious and rich. Your boring grilled cheese will turn into a caramelized onion grilled cheese. Bland tofu scrambles will turn into delicious smoked tofu breakfast tacos.

This best vegetarian cookbook is unpretentious, fun and simple to follow. The photos also all look amazing, so it’s food for the eyes as well. 

Bonus: Add even more umami to your culinary creations with vegetarian cooking classes in Fort Lauderdale or vegetarian cooking classes in Scottsdale.

• Author: Raquel Pelzel
• Pages: 256
• Cuisine type: Rich and savory
• Where to buy: Amazon

12. One Pot Vegetarian: Easy Veggie Meals in Just One Pot!

Do you hate using a dozen dishes for one recipe? Are you looking for something you can make on a weeknight without too much time or effort? If so, One Pot Vegetarian is the best vegetarian cookbook you can get your hands on this year.

As the name implies, the book is full of recipes that you can make in a single pot. Don’t worry, though. They don’t taste lazy or minimal. One pot is all you need to make something seriously delicious and healthy.

The meals range from breakfast to “fancy” meals to share at gatherings, and all of them are full of delicious and nutritious whole foods. If you’re too tired to do the dishes one night, this will be the best vegetarian cookbook for you to grab off of the shelf.

• Author: Sabrina Fauda-Rôle
• Pages: 192
• Cuisine type: One-pot wonders
• Where to buy: Amazon

13. Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition

Indian food is popular amongst people who eat plant-based diets. Roughly 20% to 39% of Indians are vegetarians, with 9% being vegan, so Indian cuisine is already full of vegetarian and vegan food without any (or many) modifications. Plant-Based India brings many delicious vegan Indian meals together in one of the best cookbooks for vegetarians who want to try this exquisite cuisine in their own kitchen. 

Author Dr. Sheil Shukla saw the power that a plant-based diet had on chronic illness and decided to spread the word. He took recipes he was familiar with and turned them into nutritional powerhouses that still taste just as delicious as the originals. 

When you make these recipes at home, you’ll feel warm and nourished. From nutrient-rich drinks to warming soups, you won’t get bored of this book. It’s the best vegetarian cookbook for anyone trying to live a healthier (and more flavorful) lifestyle. 

Bonus: Take the next step toward plant-based cuisine with vegetarian cooking classes in Vancouver or vegetarian cooking classes in Baltimore.

• Author: Dr. Sheil Shukla
• Pages: 256
• Cuisine type: Indian
• Where to buy: Amazon

Which of the best vegetarian cookbooks of the year will you add to your bookshelf? Whether you’re looking for sweet treats, Indian cuisine, simple meals or anything else plant-based, any one of these books would be a fantastic purchase.

Start bringing more plant-based meals into your diet with the best vegetarian cookbooks that you can get this year!

For even more fun ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.