I learned to cook, for the most part, from reading and collecting cookbooks. Over the years, I have learned that the cookbooks I first thought I needed – the ones filled with glossy photographs and trendy recipes – were the least useful. Instead, you should look for cookbooks written by home cooks rather than trained chefs. They’re better at explaining how to cook to general audiences. Also, look for food writers who provide many variations on the same recipe idea. This teaches you how to substitute ingredients and adapt recipes to produce what is in season. Finally, figure out which cookbooks are accessible to novices but will still remain valuable once you become a more experienced cook. Here are 10 to get you started:

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman
Bittman is a master of including many variations on his recipes. He’s also a non-vegetarian, which makes him relatable for people who aren’t vegetarian as well.

The Italian Country Table: Home Cooking from Italy’s Farmhouse Kitchens, Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Ingredients are simple, and preparation is quite straightforward. If you’ve heard Kasper’s NPR program, “The Splendid Table,” you know what a practical – and loving – approach she takes to food. This book doesn’t disappoint.

The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Claudia Roden
Authoritative, authentic, well-researched food writing that covers both the Middle East and Northern Africa. But it’s also easy to understand and great for people newly interested in the region’s cuisine.

660 Curries, Raghavan Iyer
If you’ve only had Indian food at restaurant buffets in America, you haven’t really had Indian food. But it’s an inexpensive, quick and easy style of cooking to learn.

The Best Recipes in the World, Mark Bittman
This book is great because it goes against the grain. In the U.S., “international cuisine” is too often limited to French and Italian cuisine. Instead, this book focuses on a range of Asian cuisine. Bittman modifies the recipes for the sake of simplicity, but many come out tasting surprisingly authentic.

How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman
When this book was first published, many hailed it as an updated version of The Joy of Cooking. But it’s more practical and accessible.

The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Written by the range of writers who work for Cook’s Illustrated, this book prioritizes getting the recipe just right. It’s not as open to substitutions as Bittman’s recipes. But it’s great when you know that your dish needs to be perfect immediately out of the gate – say, for a holiday party. Cook’s Illustrated publishes the most detailed, precise recipes you’ll ever find. Great when you’re not well-versed in a particular cooking technique.

The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, Marcella Hazan
Great for simple, authentic Italian cooking. More expansive than Kasper’s book.

Vegetables Every Day, Jack Bishop
Need to incorporate more plant-based food into your diet? Most of us do. This book has great ideas that teach you how to do that with any vegetable in your repertoire.

The Art of Simple Food, Alice Waters
Waters is an advocate for using local produce and cooking in season. Her book is true to the title, and the results are delicious.

Which book do you use?

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