Sharpen your kitchen skills with a new cookbook! Here are 17 of the best
Lost your culinary flair? From Jamie Oliver’s tour of the Med to a Taste of Stanley Tucci, add these Muddy-approved cookbooks to your wishlist and end the year on a gastronomical high.
Whether you’re looking to level up mealtimes or embracing gastronomic gifting (and hinting for a invite), we’ve rounded up the best new cookbooks. From Jay Rayner’s debut cookbook to Ottolenghi’s Middle Eastern masterpieces and even Prue Leith’s ‘can’t-be-bothered’ vibes, these are the ones to add to your kitchen shelf.
Nights Out At Home by Jay Rayner
For 25 years, Jay Rayner has eaten his way through the UK’s top restaurants (tough gig, right?), from Michelin-starred spots to no-frills grills. Now, in his debut cookbook, he spills the beans on the dishes that made him swoon – and shows you how to whip them up at home like a pro.
£22.00
Pub Kitchen by Tom Kerridge
Fancy pub grub but don’t want to leave the comfort of your home or your kitchen? Tom Kerridge has the answer with his British food bible (praise be!). With over 100 recipes including gastropub favourites like creamy prawn tagliatelle and steak and ale pies as well as twists on classic dishes like tempura cod and njuda sausage rolls and don’t even get us started on the desserts!
£14
5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver
The prince of pucka tucka and speedy, easy meals returns with another super accessible cookbook, this time with a focus on Mediterranean food and using only five ingredients. We’re already a fan of Jamie’s 10 and 15 minute meals so this will go down a treat.
£14
Comfort by Ottolenghi
Ottolenghi’s back and this time he’s delivering some serious comfort food with an exotic twist. If you’ve always dreamed of cosying up with a big bowl of something delicious but with added spice and sophistication, this is the cookbook for you. Bye-bye boring casseroles!
£30
An A-Z Of Pasta: Stories, Shapes, Sauces, Recipes by Rachel Roddy
Not much can top pasta for a what to cook when you have no idea what to cook kinda dinner. The store cupboard staple is transformed in Rachel Roddy’s homage to the simple carb in this lovely recipe come story book which will teach you how to make classics like a true Italian nonna as well as some more unfamiliar pasta dishes.
£20
Get Ahead for Christmas by Jane Lovett
Christmas is chaos, but Jane Lovett has the antidote. This book is a lifesaver for those of us who like to panic at the last minute (or, you know, be super organised). Make ahead, freeze, and defrost like a pro – Christmas Day never looked so stress-free.
£28
The Giggling Squid Cookbook
Fans of the tantalising Thai restaurant chain, The Giggling Squid, can now turn their hand at making some of its signature dishes like the candy pork with pineapple and sweet Jicama salad as well as classics like pad Thai and red Thai curry. Detailing everything from lighter bites and tapas style dishes to main meals, even cocktails. Don’t mind if we do!
£22
Welcome to Our Table: A Celebration of What Children Eat Everywhere
Love cooking with your kids? This beautifully illustrated and informative book by food writer Ed Smith and his poet/author wife, Laura Mucha, covers all manner of cuisines from different countries. A lovely book to get youngsters excited about food.
£12
A Thousand Feasts by Nigel Slater
Nigel Slater’s latest is a love letter to life’s small, fleeting moments – think miso soup at dawn, a mango in monsoon rain, or the quiet joy of packing for a trip. Scribbled in notebooks from a fisherman’s hut in Reykjavik to a moss garden in Japan, these beautifully observed snippets capture the wonder in everyday life. It’s a warm, witty reminder to savour the little things, and pure joy from start to finish.
£14
Soup Broth Bread: 120 Vibrant and Heartwarming Recipes by Rachel Allen
TV chef, Rachel Allen’s cookbook will become your bible for the chilly winter months when all you want is hearty soups and fresh bread. In her helpful book you’ll nail these three rather ubiquitous foods creating delicious, achievable, heart-warming recipes you’ll turn to time and again.
£20
Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
Let’s just say, whatever Stanley’s cooking, we’re eating! In the Hollywood foodie’s latest book, which is almost more memoir than cookery book, The Devil Wears Prada star weaves personal anecdotes and stories with his favourite recipes. A must for all the Tucci fans out there.
£15
Food for Life by Tim Spector
Want to eat your way to better health without sacrificing taste? Tim Spector’s Food for Life is full of fascinating science (30 different foods a week, anyone?) and accessible recipes that help you nourish your body and your soul. It’s health without the hassle.
£12
Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry
Dive headfirst into Diana Henry’s bold and beautiful dishes, inspired by the Med and the Middle East. Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons is a firm favourite for those who love their dinners to be a little adventurous. Packed with vibrant flavours, this is one for the foodies who like their plates to pop.
£26
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen
Even if this cookbook wasn’t jam-packed with mouthwatering recipes, we would be buying it for the pretty as a picture cover! The first cookbook from renowned Damascan chef, Imad Al Arnab, who now runs an acclaimed restaurant it London. It features 90 glorious recipes which each celebrate the flavours of Syria interspersed with Imad’s personal journey to the UK. Just gorgeous.
£16
Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom by Prue Leith
Leave it to Prue to give us a cookbook for busy people who still want to eat well. No faff, no faffing – Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom is all about making good food fast, so you can spend more time eating and less time faffing in the kitchen.
£25
Dinner by Meera Sodha
Meera Sodha delivers the veggie goods once again. Dinner is your go-to for vibrant, veggie-based meals that are quick, easy, and will make even the most stubborn carnivores consider going green. With fab photography on Instagram, you’ll be scrolling and salivating in no time.
£27.00
Too Easy by Donna Hay
Australia’s queen of simplicity, Donna Hay, is back to save us all from overly complicated meals. Too Easy is your new best friend if you want fast, delicious, and foolproof recipes that don’t require a trip to every aisle of the supermarket. From speedy midweek dinners to last-minute desserts, Donna makes cooking feel effortless.
£22