3 GROUPS OF COOK BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Here are recent and standout food/cookbook recommendations you might love to add to your collection — especially if you enjoyed books like Monsoon, A Tale of Two Kitchens, and Mitāhāra.

 I’ve grouped them into Indian & South Asian, Global & Cultural, and Food & Food-writing / Food Thought categories so you can decide based on what feels right for your bookshelf

 

 Indian & South Asian Cooking — Fresh, Rich, and Authentic

1.      Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada — Shahu Patole (2024)

A deeply layered work that combines recipes with cultural history and social commentary. It documents the food practices of Dalit communities in Marathwada, exploring both dishes and the lived context of food — from everyday breads to ritual dishes — and how caste shapes culinary life. It’s much more than a cookbook — it’s food anthropology and memoir.

⭐ Great if you want: Indian food rooted in history + social insight.

 

2.     Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora — Khushbu Shah (2024)

This vibrant book explores Indian-American crossover cuisine — food that grows from home kitchen adaptations and immigrant creativity rather than restaurant trends. Expect familiar comfort foods interpreted in delightful new ways (like inventive saag paneer lasagna and every-day Indian-American staples).

⭐ Great if you want: Hybrid, joyful home cooking that bridges cultures.

 

3.     Indian Kitchens: Treasured Family Recipes from Across the Land — Roopa Gulati (2025)

A celebration of regional Indian home cooking, this one walks you through kitchens across the subcontinent with accessible, authentic recipes. It’s filled with family stories and everyday fare that anchored local food cultures.

⭐ Great if you want: A regional tour of India’s everyday dishes with real-family context.

 

4.     Bhartiya Bhojan: A Cook’s Journey Through the Evolution of Indian Cuisine — Helly Raichura (2025)

Blends history and recipes — from ancient Indian foodways to today’s rich regional diversity, with vibrant photography and thoughtful storytelling that shows how Indian cuisine evolved over time.

⭐ Great if you want: Historical perspective plus home-kitchen recipes.

 

 Global & Cultural Cookbooks — Explore New Regions and Traditions

1.     Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America — Sean Sherman (2025)

A remarkable culinary anthology celebrating Indigenous North American foodways, focusing on seasonal, local, pre-colonial ingredients and age-old techniques. Highly praised as both educational and beautifully crafted.

⭐ Great if you want: Deep cultural food narrative with recipes you won’t see in typical cookbooks.

 

2.     Dinner: 120 Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes for the Most Important Meal of the Day — Meera Sodha (2024)

Joyful, vegetable-forward recipes for everyday dinners (many one-pot or one-tray). It’s practical but bursting with flavor — perfect for everyday use.

⭐ Great if you want: Everyday cooking inspiration with a lighter, plant-rich focus.

 

3.     Recipes From the American South — Michael W. Twitty (2025)

A sweeping food history and cookbook of Southern U.S. cuisine — not just classics, but stories about how this food evolved and what it means culturally.

⭐ Great if you want: Bold regional food that’s both soulful and historically rich.

 

 Food Thinking, Culture & Bigger Picture Books

1.      What to Eat Now — Marion Nestle (2025)

Less of a recipe book, more of a food system manifesto — this long, thoughtful work examines how food is produced and marketed, why healthy eating matters, and how we can make better choices.

⭐ Great if you want: Bigger picture context on food, health, and society.

 

2.     Other 2025 Favorites Worth Watching

(From critics and “best of” lists)

·        Lugma: Abundant Dishes & Stories from My Middle East — Noor Murad — rich, fragrant Middle Eastern home cooking and stories.

·        Indian & International regional cookbooks — many chefs and writers are releasing fresh works blending storytelling with authentic recipes (e.g., North Indian focused cookbooks).

·        Padma’s All American — Padma Lakshmi — celebrates multicultural American cuisines with personal essays and recipes.

 

 How to Choose Based on Your Tastes

·         If you loved the personal narrative + cultural depth of Monsoon and A Tale of Two Kitchens:
Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada, Amrikan, Indian Kitchens and Turtle Island are perfect next reads.

·         If you want both heritage and everyday cooking you’ll use often:
 Dinner (Meera Sodha) and Indian Kitchens are everyday friendly but culturally rich.

·         If you want food wisdom and food thought beyond recipes:
What to Eat Now gives a broader view on food systems and conscious eating.