Food & Drink

11 Vegan Cookbooks That Make It Easy To Eat A Plant-Based Diet

Who says plant-based eating has to be hard? These cookbooks highlight recipes that prove the exact opposite.

Here’s the thing about vegan food: A lot of times, plant-based recipes make use of substitutes that, in their own way, might not be much better for us than consuming meat itself. That’s why our list of the top vegan cookbooks tries very hard to focus solely on the sorts of dishes that rely on vegan ingredients instead of figuring out ways to mimic the flavors of the poultry and fish we’re looking to avoid.

From vegan classics by recognizable chefs to new releases and themed cookbooks (vegan Indian! one-pot dishes!), these tomes will certainly have you consider a plant-based lifestyle. Full disclosure: A tofu or tempeh-based recipe might sneak up on you across our choices, but the majority of our picks crown veggies as the supreme leaders of the kitchen.

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1
“Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes” by Bryant Terry
Amazon
James Beard award-winning chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry offers more than 100 simple yet delicious recipes in his outstanding cookbook, which relies on the vibrancy of vegetables and legumes over meat substitutes. Organized by ingredients, the cookbook makes it very easy to find a recipe based on whatever it is that you have in your fridge, also explaining the fundamentals of vegan cooking.

Get “Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes” for $17.36
2
“Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy, Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Amazon
If it's the cleanup part of preparing a meal that scares you the most, this cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz will ease your stress as it requires minimal post-cooking action. Bonus points: most showcased recipes — from a chunky miso vegetable soup to almondine cookies — can be made in 30 minutes or less. Easy, peasy.

Get “Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy, Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week” for $18.99
3
“Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul” by Jenné Claiborne
Amazon
Believe it or not, it’s possible to enjoy Southern food of the vegan kind — just follow Jenné Claiborne’s guide. Growing up on classic soul food (sausages! biscuits!) in Atlanta, the chef spent loads of time figuring out how to live a plant-based life without giving up on the flavors evocative of her childhood. The result is “Sweet Potato Soul,” which features 100 vegan recipes the likes of sweet potato cinnamon rolls and coconut collard salad.

Get “Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul” for $13.98
4
“The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons” by Laura Wright
Amazon
Not only is Laura Wright's collection of recipes plant-based but it's also environmentally conscious: a win-win if you ask us. Fans of her blog The First Mess have been singing the praises of the food guru for years now and a mere flip through her cookbook, which will teach you how to make salads, drinks, breakfast items and more, makes it obvious why.

Get “The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons” for $16.99
5
“Fast Easy Cheap Vegan: 101 Recipes You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less, for $10 or Less, and With 10 Ingredients or Less” by Sam Turnbull
Amazon
The title says it all: easy, cheap and quick-to-make, the foods highlighted in Sam Turnbull's second book are all outstanding. From a 10-ingredient creamy basil gnocchi to green bowls and phenomenal quesadillas, this is the best way to introduce your palate to the concept of veganism.

Get “Fast Easy Cheap Vegan: 101 Recipes You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less, for $10 or Less, and With 10 Ingredients or Less” for $16.96
6
“One-Pot Vegan Cookbook: 125 Recipes for Your Dutch Oven, Sheet Pan, Electric Pressure Cooker, and More” by Gunjan Dudani
Amazon
When it comes to convenience, Gunjan Dudani's 2020 tome is pretty unbeatable. We’ll only need to dirty one pot for any meal made? Sign us up. Standout dishes include delicious sloppy Joes, a breakfast burrito casserole, spicy shakshuka and black bean enchiladas.

Get “One-Pot Vegan Cookbook: 125 Recipes for Your Dutch Oven, Sheet Pan, Electric Pressure Cooker, and More” for $12.56
7
“Plant Over Processed: 75 Simple & Delicious Plant-Based Recipes for Nourishing Your Body and Eating From the Earth” by Andrea Hannemann
Amazon
Familiar with Instagram sensation Earthy Andy? That would be Andrea Hannemann, the vegan culinary guru behind this famous cookbook. After dealing with a host of health issues, Hannemann decided to embrace a plant-based life and build a business around it, too. We couldn't be more grateful for her decision, which brings us face to face with the sorts of smoothies and grain bowls that this book highlights.

Get “Plant Over Processed: 75 Simple & Delicious Plant-Based Recipes for Nourishing Your Body and Eating From the Earth” for $19.73
8
“Vegan Comfort Cooking: 75 Plant-Based Recipes to Satisfy Cravings and Warm Your Soul” by Melanie McDonald
Amazon
Sometimes, even vegans crave the sort of comfort food that is not usually associated with a plant-based diet. That's where Melanie McDonald's cookbook comes in: filled with hearty yet healthy dishes (rustic skillet potato and greens hash! vegan roasted garlic Alfredo pasta! potato tacos! coconut rice pudding!), the cookbook will indulge all your culinary senses — and then some.

Get “Vegan Comfort Cooking: 75 Plant-Based Recipes to Satisfy Cravings and Warm Your Soul” for $14.39
9
“The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow From the Inside Out” by Angela Liddon
Amazon
Since Angela Liddon isn't just a chef but also a food photographer, you can expect her cookbook to look just as wonderful as her fare tastes. After all, demands were high: The mind behind one of the most popular vegan recipe blogs ever, Liddon is a recognized personality in the plant-based food world and her debut cookbook was very much anticipated. Needless to say, she delivered.

Get “The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow From the Inside Out” for $15.53
10
“The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes” by Nisha Vora
Amazon
Some home cooks swear by Instant Pots, and who are we to judge? This cookbook by Nisha Vora, the voice behind the Rainbow Plant Life blog, understands the appeal of the form and offers a total of 90 recipes that can be thrown together in a pressure cooker. The book also instructs you on how to properly use the machine — always good information to have.

Get “The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes” for $16.90
11
“Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook” by Richa Hingle
Amazon
Indian food is absolutely delicious and no diet should prevent you from enjoying it, which is why Richa Hingle’s cookbook is so dear to us. From dairy-free gulab jamun to flat breads and curries, the tome delivers traditional cuisine through a plant-based lens. We must call out one of our favorite recipes in the book: the chickpea-lentil stew. It takes a total of 40 minutes to prepare and just about five seconds to devour — that's how delectable it is.

Get “Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook” for $16.54
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