Whether you’re looking for healthy baking tips or plant-based recipes that won’t break the bank - make sure you add these vegan cookbooks to your bookshelf
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Vegan cookbooks aren’t what they used to be. Gone are the days of unseasoned tofu and bland casseroles – when people thought vegans munched grass all day and danced in hippie communes (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
But over recent years, interest in vegan cuisine has bolstered into the mainstream – with more people than ever turning away from animal products and experimenting with the power of plants.
In true 2021 style, last year saw an unprecedented amount of people take the Veganuary pledge, with even the most meat-centric fast-food giants bowing down to meat-free demand. KFC and McDonald’s – I’m talking about you…
Now, everything is possible. We can turn mushroom into fried chicken; chickpea water into meringues – and even indulge in a salmon sushi platter made from grilled watermelon.
Because whether you went vegan for the animals, the planet, or for your health – following a plant-based diet doesn’t mean your taste buds have to suffer.
So, without further ado, here are 20 of the best vegan cookbooks to come out of 2021.
All of the vegan cookbooks featured were chosen independently by our editorial team. This article contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made.
Vegan cooking on a budget
Want to go vegan, but think it’s too expensive? If you’re tired of cookbooks calling for an endless list of expensive ingredients and fancy equipment you’ve never heard – check out these recipes that won’t break that bank.
1. Fast Easy Cheap Vegan
From 15-minute salads to 10-ingredient mid-week dinners, Fast Easy Cheap Vegan does exactly what it says on the tin.
The budget-friendly cookbook features 101 recipes that you can make for £7 ($10) or less, and is filled with smart tips and easy techniques that help simplify cooking.
If your eyes are often bigger than your stomach – don’t worry – because most of the recipes are freezer-friendly!
Fast Easy Cheap Vegan, £15.55, available at Amazon
2. Broke Vegan: Speedy
Saskia Sidey makes the most Instagram-worthy meals, from butternut squash carbonara to savoury French toast.
But surprisingly, all of her stunning creations take less than 30 minutes to make – and rely on supermarket staples that won’t drain your wallet.
Along with 100 savvy recipes, Broke Vegan is filled with hints and tips for veganising your favourite dishes, promising to “bring variety and flavour to your meals in no time, without having to spend a fortune”.
Broke Vegan: Speedy, £7.50, available at Amazon
3. The Student Vegan Cookbook
Tired of living up to the Uni reputation of living off beans on toast? Well, The Student Vegan Cookbook is here to help.
Created by award-winning blogger Hannah Kaminsky, the book features 85 plant-based recipes that are “cheap, fast, easy, and super healthy”.
Unlike many student cookbooks, Hannah has covered the whole student day: from those quick-fix breakfasts you need when rushing off-to-class to midnight (or let’s face it, 3am) treats when you get back in from a night out.
All of the recipes are also suitable for those living in dorms, or having to share a tiny kitchen with seven other housemates.
So no need to worry if the only thing in your house that isn’t broken is the microwave.
The Student Vegan Cookbook, £11.45, available at Amazon
4. BOSH! on a Budget
The BOSH! guys need no introduction – pretty much everyone in the vegan scene knows them. Henry Firth and Ian Theasby created the first-ever vegan cookbook to reach number one in the Sunday Times Bestsellers chart.
Since then, the dynamic duo has gone on to launch their own food brand in UK supermarkets.
After selling a humble one million or so copies – the duo published their sixth book BOSH! on a Budget last year to ‘prove that great tasting food doesn’t have to cost the earth’.
It features more than 100 recipes, from ‘hearty midweek dinners, comfort food feasts, indulgent brunches and unbelievably tasty treats’ that won’t break the bank.
BOSH! on a Budget, £8.49, available at Amazon
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Best vegan cookbooks for baking
Not that long ago, vegan baking was nothing but an oxymoron. After all, most of the treats we grew up loving a child were effectively a combination of animal products and sugar.
So, how could you possibly veganise them? Well, these vegan bakers are here to satisfy your sweet tooth and prove you very wrong with their vegan cookbooks…
5. The Nordic Baker
The Nordic Baker is much more than a guide to plant-based baking.
Yes, there’s a slew of mouth-watering desserts, from Thumbprint cookies to Midsummer cake.
But, Sofia Nordgren’s debut book combines award-winning photography and tasty recipes with stories and advice on “embracing the Nordic lifestyle, bringing the outdoors into your home and tips on seasonal slow living”.
It’s the perfect book if you want to picture living in a cabin, surrounded by nature, baking delicious treats in the day and star gazing at night.
Log cabin and flights to Norway not included.
The Nordic Baker, £14.99, available from Amazon
6. Va va Voom Vegan Cakes
If you’re still a little pessimistic that you can make a cake without eggs, butter, or milk – Va va Voom is here to convince you otherwise.
Angela Romeo’s no-thrills baking book features more than 50 plant-based desserts including chocolate chip brownies and lemon meringue.
And, if you’re wanting to take your baking skills to the next level and try something a bit fancier – why not push yourself and take on Angela’s showstopper Pistachio, Lime and Raspberry Wowzer Cake?
It’s guaranteed to be the talk of your next (virtual) party.
Va va Voom Vegan Cakes, £13, available from Amazon
7. Vegan Mug Cakes
The issue with baking is it can be ever so time-consuming and often leaves you with a sink full of dirty dishes.
However, Lottie Covell has compiled 40 delicious vegan cakes that only require a mug, microwave and some simple ingredients.
From a classic coffee and walnut cake to a rather sophisticated blackberry and lime upside-down cake – these recipes are “quick, easy bakes for every mood and occasion”.
Vegan Mug Cakes, £7, available from Amazon
8. Vegan Baking Made Easy
Baking is a science, and vegan baking can sometimes get quite technical.
So if you’re looking for top-notch treats with affordable ingredients (and recipes that don’t require years of professional training) you may be interested in Rebecca Coleman’s Vegan Baking Made Easy.
It’s filled with 60 foolproof plant-based recipes including chocolate chip cookies and strawberry shortcake that will impress even the fussiest of eaters.
There’s also a rundown of essential tools and ingredients to help you veganise your favourite bakes goods.
Vegan Baking Made Easy, £8.75, available from Amazon
If you’re enjoying discovering the best vegan cookbooks, we think you’ll love these articles too:
Vegan cookbooks for beginners
Whether you’re new to veganism, or new to cooking altogether – these vegan cookbooks prove that delicious food doesn’t require thousands of ingredients, a huge kitchen, and a lifetime of culinary training.
9. Omari McQueen’s Best Bites Cookbook
At just 13-years-old, Omari McQueen has already conquered the vegan world. He is the CEO of plant-based eatery Dipalicious, had his own cooking show on CBBC, and released his debut cookbook last year.
When I was 13, I struggled to even make toast.
Omari’s award-winning cookbook is filled with tips, a vegan Q&A and more than 35 delicious plant-based recipes – from BBQ Jackfruit to Rice ’n’ Peas, making it perfect for beginners.
If a 13-year-old can rustle up these recipes in no time – you have no excuse.
Omari McQueen’s Best Bites Cookbook, £10, available at Amazon
10. Epic Vegan Quick and Easy
“Accessible. Affordable. Delicious” are the three words at the heart of Epic Vegan Quick and Easy – a cookbook filled to the brim with simple one-pot and one-pan meals.
Dustin Harder’s recipes could convince even the most avid meat-lover to give vegan a go – from indulgent cinnamon roll pancakes to juicy meat-free burgers.
The book also features meal prep combos that require little time and minimal cleanup!
Epic Vegan Quick & Easy, £12.44, available from Amazon
11. The Vegan 8
After a worrying health diagnosis – blogger Brandi Doming and her husband discovered the vegan lifestyle, and never looked back.
Her book The Vegan 8 is ideal for anyone “new to plant-based cooking or seeking simplified, wholesome, family-friendly options for weeknight dinners”.
All recipes are tailored to meet the needs of a slew of health conditions – and contain eight or fewer ingredients!
Not convinced? Try out Brandi’s recipe for chocolate fudge cookies for free to see just how delectable her cooking is…
The Vegan 8, £16.28, available from Amazon
12. Fuss-Free Vegan
Going vegan can feel like you’re missing out on all the foods you used to love; food that holds a sentimental nostalgia of time spent with friends and family – or even a cultural and religious significance.
Enter Sam Turnball – who demonstrates plant-based diets aren’t all kale and quinoa in her cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan where she shows off 101 everyday comfort food favourites that avoid complicated steps and unusual ingredients.
Basically, it’s a book for everyone, no matter how useless you may be in the kitchen.
Fuss-Free Vegan, £15.99, available from Amazon
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Best vegan cookbooks for special occasions
Have a penchant for the finer things in life? Well, if you’ve mastered the basics of vegan cooking – it’s time to step-up and create some Michelin-star worthy meals…
13. Plant-Based Gourmet: Vegan Cuisine for the Home Chef
Want to learn how to make vegan sushi, charcuterie boards, confits and even sous vide truffles?
Suzannah Gerber makes advanced cooking look easy (and delicious) in her book Plant-Based Gourmet.
Alongside 150 Instagrammable dishes, Plant-Based Gourmet includes guidance for stocking up, allergy substitutions, easy-to-follow instructions for advanced techniques like sous vides and foams, and plating and styling tips.
Plant-Based Gourmet: Vegan Cuisine for the Home Chef, £7.20, available from Amazon
14. Green and Awake
Green and Awake is the must-have cookbook for anyone wanting gourmet meals that look as good as they taste.
The book features over 100 fancy vegan recipes , from meat substitutes to unconventional salads –
Nazli Develi’s long-awaited masterpiece is completed with stunning full-page photography and pays homage to her Nordic lifestyle and relationship with nature.
Green and Awake, £31, available from Amazon
15. Crossroads: Extraordinary Recipes from the Restaurant That Is Reinventing Vegan Cuisine
Crossroads has to be one of the most renowned vegan eateries in Los Angeles. Now, you can replicate more than 100 of Tal Ronnen’s innovative Mediterranean recipes.
Whether you’re wanting to feast on warm bowls of tomato-sauced pappardelle, plates of spicy carrot salad, or crunchy flatbreads piled high with roasted vegetables, this book has to be your next kitchen addition.
Crossroads, £24.52, available from Amazon
16. The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes from Omma’s Kitchen
If you haven’t heard of the Korean Vegan you must have been living under a rock (or still refusing to download TikTok because you’re ‘too old’).
Joanne Lee Molinaro has actually been running her food blog since 2016 – but it was only last year that she took the internet by storm and went viral.
Now, the former attorney has more than four million fans across her social media platforms and has been featured in a bunch of publications including the holy grail: Vogue.
But The Korean Vegan’s TikToks don’t just attract the masses because her food looks good – it’s because of the story that goes with them.
Joanne has an art for story-telling, photography, and cooking, and it’s this perfect trifecta that makes her so likeable.
Her debut cookbook is no exception, as Joanne has put together ’80 intoxicating, plant-based recipes and moving narrative snapshots of the food that shaped her family history’.
According to the star’s site: “Recipes range from Joanne’s childhood staples, like Jjajangmyun, the rich black bean noodles she ate on birthdays to the humble Gamja Guk, a potato-and-leek soup her father makes.
“Others are a little more personal, like the Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake which is an ode to the two foods that saved her mother’s life.”
The Korean Vegan Cookbook, £29.99, available from Amazon
Healthy vegan cookbooks for the health-conscious
Cookbooks can often be filled with calorific sweet treats and indulgent meals. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that – sometimes you might just want to enjoy something a little lighter…
17. How Not to Diet Cookbook
Dr Michael Greger is somewhat of a God in the vegan movement, and his latest book features more than 100 healthy recipes that he says will result in “permanent weight loss”.
In fact, the physician’s recipes aim to “free you from ‘dieting’ forever” by using the twenty-one weight-loss accelerators identified in the bestselling book How Not to Diet.
Recipes range from Grain-Stuffed Peppers with Cheesy Tomato Sauce to Crust-Free Pumpkin Pie.
How Not To Diet Cookbook, £11.99, available from Amazon
18. The Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 days to a happier gut and a healthier you
Written by acclaimed Dr. Alan Desmond, The Plant-Based Diet Revolution “cuts through the diet confusion to explain how we can all unlock the power of a healthy gut and optimise our overall well-being by simply putting more plants on our plate”.
It features 80 beautifully illustrated plant-based recipes which have attracted a bunch of raving reviews online.
The Plant-Based Diet Revolution, £13.62, available from Amazon
19. The Plant Based Juicing And Smoothie Cookbook
Juices and smoothies are a great way to start your morning – especially if you’re in a rush.
Paul Green’s debut book unleashes the power of one “weapon” that can take the hassle out of plant-based eating: a blender.
The Plant Based Vegan Juicing and Smoothie Cookbook showcases 200 simple recipes along with a complete nutritional profile for every recipe.
There’s also an easy-to-navigate index of ingredients so you can search for smoothies based on what’s already in your fridge!
The Plant Based Juicing And Smoothie Cookbook, £10.22, available from Amazon
20. Healthy Vegan The Cookbook: Vegan Cooking Meets Nutrition Science
When a dietician and chef collaborate – you know it’s going to be good. Authors Niko Rittenau and Sebastian Copien have done just that with their healthy vegan cookbook.
This groundbreaking vegan cookbook is “the perfect start to a nourishing plant-based diet” and features pie charts and bar graphs to help you better understand the science and the benefits of different foods.
Good food, backed by science. What more could you ask for?
Healthy Vegan The Cookbook, £3.99, available from Amazon
Are you feeling peckish at the thought of all those delicious vegan recipes?
Whip up a batch of these incredible vegan brownies!
