These are our favorite cookbooks of 2023

Are you still looking for a nice Christmas gift at the last minute? Then I have the solution for you—or rather, fifteen solutions. I’ve put together a list of our fifteen favorite cookbooks of 2023, guaranteed to make someone happy. From Italian to Chinese, from Middle Eastern to Caribbean. And for both beginner cooks and experienced home cooks. Here they are. 

And if you order them now, they’ll even arrive just in time!

Our favorite cookbooks of 2023

1. Karsu’s Kitchen
Yes, our number one in the FavorFlav Food Top 100 naturally deserves the top spot on this list (the rest are in no particular order, by the way). Because besides being a wonderful person (she donated the proceeds from this book to victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria), the book is also packed with incredible recipes that have become favorites in our editorial office. We often make grilled fish meatballs, and they’re always a huge hit.

2. Pasta Grannies
This cookbook is incredibly fun to receive (and to give), because it’s full of delicious recipes and genuinely puts a smile on your face. Who better to learn the tricks of Italian cuisine from than Italian nonne? Truly authentic Italian dishes, but not too difficult or complicated. You don’t have to make your own pasta, for example—the only requirement is that you enjoy cooking. Try this spaghetti with lemon pesto from Procida, for instance.

3. Code Noir
In my opinion, Caribbean cuisine is seriously underrated; it’s such delicious comfort food and so full of flavor, yet I see it far too rarely on our plates. Fortunately, that changed somewhat this year, partly thanks to Code Noir: I make these roasted corn on the cob very often, with great success. They’re seasoned, nicely spicy, and absolutely perfect as a side dish. And if you like spicy food, you’re definitely in the right place with Caribbean cuisine and Code Noir: be sure to try this Bajan Hot Pepper Sauce too.

4. Haniyè
Fun fact: Survoye cuisine is the oldest in the world, and this book is packed with recipes from it. The Survoyers, also known as Assyrians or Aramaeans, are one of the oldest peoples in the Middle East, and in their language, ‘Hainyè’ means enjoy your meal. Matay de Matee wrote this book with his mother, Smuni Turan, and it is full of pure, flavorful dishes that you don’t make every day. This recipe for beef stew with okra, for example, is wonderful for winter and highly recommended if you want to discover something new.

5. Toscanini
Toscanini has been a household name in the (Amsterdam) hospitality scene for years, so it was only a matter of time—and very welcome—that they released a cookbook about their famous pasta dishes. Naturally, it’s full of authentic, classic Italian recipes, such as their cacio e pepe, but their aglio e olio is truly incredible too. Honestly: this book really shouldn’t be missing from the shelves of Italian food lovers, or anyone who wants to become more familiar with it.

6. Athína
Greek cuisine is often not one of my favorites, because in Greece itself it can often mean limp fries and oil-soaked, fried zucchini. And that’s a shame, because Greek cuisine has so much to offer—this cookbook, Athína, is full of it. From tzatziki in four ways to tiropitakia (phyllo pastry filled with cheese); every one is highly recommended. Chloé Monchalin and Benjamin Rousselet wrote this book, alongside running Paris’s most popular Greek restaurant, Grand Café d’Athènes. So there’s no limp fries here, but dishes that are beautifully seasoned and well balanced; this is what Greek cuisine should be like.

7. Yoko
A bit of cheating, because this book dates from late 2022 rather than this year, but we like it so much that we still wanted to mention it. If only for this recipe for chicken Nanban, which you really have to try. Japanese cuisine is, of course, so much more than sushi and teppanyaki. Alongside all the delicious recipes, Yoko also contains beautiful photos and stories about Japanese food culture. Another plus: the recipes vary widely, because this poke with avocado and tuna, for example, is ready very quickly, while other dishes take a little longer. Ideal.

8. Kampeerkoken
Personally, I don’t like camping, but don’t let that stop you from trying the recipes in this book. Because yes, you can make these dishes not only at the campsite (that’s what they were designed for), but also simply in the comfort of your own home. Truly comfort food and plenty of classics, such as this BLT salad with smoked chicken. The book was written by Julius Jaspers and is the perfect gift for the home cook who doesn’t like too much fuss, but does appreciate good, tasty, straightforward food.

9. Noedels
Written by our former colleague Emma de Thouars and one of our favorites: 40 recipes for noodles prepared in all kinds of ways. The crispy noodles with seafood (this dish can also be made vegetarian) has been a favorite in the editorial office from the very beginning, but by now we’ve made almost all 40 recipes at least once. You can take noodles in so many different directions, from dishes that are on the table within a minute to Korean corn dogs. You’ll find them all in this book!

10. Wokbijbel
We’re staying with Asian cuisine for a little longer, because Wokbijbel is also a must for the bookshelf of anyone who loves this cuisine. We previously recommended the recipe for pad thai with prawns, but there are many more classics in this book—we completely understand the name Wokbijbel. This is the book you need if you want to learn more about Asian cuisine and master all the classics.

11. Groenvoer
Vegan dishes don’t always have the best reputation, and Tobias Camman shows that this is completely undeserved. His cookbook Groenvoer is entirely vegan, but you won’t miss animal products for a second. These dishes are so well seasoned, and he doesn’t use meat substitutes (fortunately, because we don’t like them either); vegetables take center stage, and he knows exactly what to do with them. This celeriac ceviche, for example, is ab-so-lutely amazing.

12. Shoukran
‘Thank you’ is what this means in Moroccan Arabic, and in this book (which is dedicated to his mother), Abdel Alaoui shares 100 of his favorite recipes. From starters and side dishes to desserts: you’ll be set for a long time. We previously wrote about the oranges with cinnamon, a dish we had never tasted before but absolutely loved. And that’s the beauty of this book: it’s full of dishes you wouldn’t quickly think of yourself, while also including classics such as falafel.

13. Italopop
What incredible recipes this book contains, written by Vanja van der Leeden. This Parmesan polenta with cavolo nero, egg, and crispy chili oil, for example… I still dream about it for days after making it. Incredible Italian recipes with an unexpected twist, with which you can surprise and impress your guests. I’ve certainly succeeded many times, including with her pizzetta with ’nduja. I still dream about that one often too…

14. Chin. Ind. Rest.
A good bami goreng can take you a long way. But you do need a good recipe, because there’s quite a difference between them. In my opinion, this version is one of the best I’ve made, but this cookbook has much more to offer. Think of all the classics you know from Chinese menus, particularly those of restaurant Fook Sing in Amsterdam—which served as the inspiration for this book.

15. Chinees!
Our Sharon is ecstatic about these classic Peking duck pancakes—and I completely understand why. In this book, Suzie Lee has compiled all her favorite Chinese recipes for us, and the best thing is that this book is suitable for everyone. Whether you’re an experienced home cook or, so to speak, have never even touched a pan. Every recipe is described very clearly and systematically, so you’re unlikely to go wrong—unless you drop everything, of course.

Read also:

• Recipe: how to make the favorite Chinese takeaway dish Foe Yong Hai at home
• How to make the most delicious Chinese dumpling sauce
• The best-kept secret of Chinese cuisine
• This is the difference between Japanese and Chinese tofu
• I tried canned Chinese imitation duck