64 Recipes From the Best Cookbooks of 2023
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When Epicurious selects the best cookbooks of the year, our team doesn’t just read the introductions or flip through the chapters. We immerse ourselves in all the new releases, trying out recipes, talking though what we loved, planning whole dinners themed around our favorites. After all of that cooking, we’re confident that you can just jump over to our list to select great cookbook gifts—and grab some books you want for your own collection. But below you’ll find a sneak preview of some of the recipes that make these books special. Try a dish before you buy—or just gather ingredients before your favorite new cookbook arrives in the mail.
Photo by Nik Sharma1/64Lentil Lasagna
Nik Sharma’s new book, Veg-Table, focuses on coaxing the best out of whatever vegetables you have in your kitchen. He layers this showstopper of a meatless lasagna with a chunky tomato sauce that’s warmly spiced with garam masala. Your next dinner party menu just got its main course, and it’s a banger.
Photo by Quentin Bacon3/64Tachin Ba Morgh
Crispy, crunchy saffron-yogurt rice. Cinnamon-scented chicken. Tart barberries. This recipe is reason enough to add Nasim Alikhani’s Sofreh to your bookshelf.
Photo by Andrew Bui4/64Chocolate and Orange Marmalade Bars
These bars from Dan Pelosi have a soft, chocolaty brownie-like layer, a ripple of tart orange marmalade, and a delicate crumb topping.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley5/64Oven-Fried Shiitake Imperial Rolls
Everyone loves crispy chả giò, but sometimes the frying process can feel overwhelming. Andrea Nguyen’s Ever-Green Vietnamese shares brilliant tricks for making them come out just as crunchy when baked in the oven or air fryer. (While you’re at it, don’t miss more staff favorite recipes from Andrea Nguyen.)
Photo by Kristin Teig6/64Olive Oil Thumbprints With Lemon Curd
If you make classic jam-filled thumbprint cookies every year, give this lemon curd rendition from Amy Thielen’s Company a try.
Photo by Yossy Arefi8/64Coconut Cookie Bark
If you combine macaroons and buttery shortbread, then bake the hybrid as one massive cookie, you’ll find yourself breaking off hunks of it all day long. Which is exactly the point of Yossy Arefi’s newest cookbook.
Photo by Andy Sewell9/64Fanciulli
This recipe from Signature Cocktails is one of our favorite sips of 2023, and if you like both manhattans and bitter drinks, it’ll likely become one of yours too.
Photo by Laura Murray10/64Bravas Potato Salad
To get a little fried crunch into this papas-bravas-inspired potato salad, Sohla El-Waylly adds crushed potato chips on top.
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee11/64Yogurt Biscuits
You don’t need to keep buttermilk around to make these light and fluffy biscuits from Still We Rise.
Photo by Laura Murray12/64Nutty and Salty Gunpowder Spice
This dry chutney is often eaten with idli or dosa, but you can also dunk crunchy vegetables in it—or sprinkle it onto hard-boiled eggs or roasted potatoes.
Photo by Kristin Teig13/64Qorma-e-nakhod
This comforting vegetarian dish of stewed chickpeas with spinach and goat cheese hails from Afghanistan and appears in The World Central Kitchen Cookbook by José Andrés.
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee14/64Chicken Schnitzel With Creamed Watercress
Crispy chicken can do no wrong, but we think the brilliant part of this dish from Vegetable Revelations is the rich and peppery creamed watercress.
Photo by Louise Hagger15/64Tamarind Caramel Brownies
The tangy flavor of tamarind balances these exceptional brownies from A Splash of Soy by Lara Lee.
Photo by Kristin Teig16/64Karla’s Creamy Curry Pasta With Mussels
In this one-pot recipe from The World Central Kitchen Cookbook, the pasta and shellfish cook together in a gingery, coconutty broth.
Photo by Kristin Teig17/64Cast-Iron Garlic Shrimp With Chorizo and Green Olives
This skillet of shrimp serves as a starter for one of Amy Thielen’s cozy menus for entertaining—but you could also just eat it for dinner.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich20/64Red-Wine-Poached Pears With Goat Cheese Sabayon
Instead of setting out a cheese plate, consider whipping up a savory goat cheese sabayon the next time you have friends over. We learned this four-ingredient, 10-minute pastry chef flex from Pulp by Abra Berens; the concept works well with all sorts of fruit, no matter the season.
Photo by Heami Lee21/64Chili Crisp Bucatini
Dressing up your weeknight carbonara doesn’t take any extra effort—just follow James Park’s lead and whisk some chili crisp into the egg.
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee22/64Sweet Potato Biscuits With Benne Seeds
Serve these nutty biscuits alongside a holiday ham—or bake them the day after for fantastic ham-and-egg breakfast sandwiches.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton24/64Negronis for While You Set Up the Tents
Some classic cocktails are even more fun when served in slushy form—especially if you make them for a camping trip. But this drink from Cook It Wild by Chris Nuttall-Smith can be sipped at home too.
Photo by Hetty McKinnon25/64Sesame Broccoli With Crumbled Tofu
This hearty, vegetable-forward combo from Hetty McKinnon’s Tenderheart is just the kind of meal we crave in the depths of winter.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich29/64Sesame Chocolate Rye Breakfast Cookies
We don’t need permission to eat cookies for breakfast, but these cookies from 100 Morning Treats by Sarah Kieffer are a particularly good start to the day.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley31/64Flannel Factor
If buffalo flannel—a ’90s fashion staple—were a cocktail, it would be this coffee-inflected rum and whiskey drink from John deBary's Saved by the Bellini.
Photo by Maya Visnyei32/64Freakishly Delicious Olives, Warmed by the Fire
Save this recipe for your next camping trip—or get that firepit going in your backyard. A touch of smoke transforms a simple bowl of olives into a luxurious appetizer.
Photo by Yen Wei and Ryan Chen33/64Fried Pork Chop
In this iconic dish from Made in Taiwan by Clarissa Wei, boneless pork loin chops get a crisp shell of sweet potato starch seasoned with five-spice powder and white pepper.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart36/64Ginger-Pecan Zucchini Crisp
Apple crisp, we love you, but sometimes there’s a mountain of zucchini to tackle. And during those times, swapping in zucchini is a genius move.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich38/64The New Wedge Salad With Better-Than-Thousand-Island Dressing
Photo by Issy Croker39/64Eggplant Tikkas in Creamy Yogurt, Mustard, Chile, and Ginger
You can grill or broil these spiced eggplant chunks from Tandoori Home Cooking by Maunika Gowardhan.
Photo by Brittany Conerly41/64Manhattan
In Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs, and Juice, Toni Tipton-Martin transforms the classic cocktail by adding a dollop of the liquid from the jar of maraschino cherries, inspired by a version from a 1906 cookbook.
Photo by Louise Hagger42/64Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad of Dreams
This adaptable salad pairs slices of chicken with crunchy veg and fresh herbs—you could use a rotisserie bird to make it quicker. The tangy salad dressing made with store-bought lemongrass paste is bound to become a new go-to.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman43/64Lemongrass Charred Brussels Sprouts
Use that same powerhouse dressing on these quick, crispy brussels sprouts from A Splash of Soy.
Photo by Kristin Teig45/64Nightshade Confit
A long, slow bath in lots of olive oil softens eggplant, zucchini, and peppers. Adding a cinnamon stick to the oil perfumes every bite.
Photo by Jennifer Chase46/64Chicken Satsivi
In this recipe from Maydān by Rose Previte, finely ground walnuts turn into the creamiest (but cream-free) sauce you’ve ever had, seasoned with garlic and cinnamon.
Photo by Kelly Marshall47/64Ofe Nsala
Steamed, mashed, and puréed yams form the smooth and silky base of this soup from My Everyday Lagos by Yewande Komolafe.
Photo by Sarah Kieffer48/64Cruffins
There's no waiting in line required for these flaky cruffins—just a clever croissant dough hack and an overnight rise in the fridge.
Photo by Yen Wei and Ryan Chen49/64Sticky Rice Roll
Grab some pork floss and make this Taiwanese breakfast staple at home.
Photo by Kristin Teig51/64Brooke’s Carrot-Farro Salad
If you find a bag of farro when you’re cleaning out your pantry, try cooking it in carrot juice for deeper flavor.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht52/64Pimm’s Shandy
The shandy meets the Pimm’s cup in this simple drink from Every Cocktail Has a Twist by Carey Jones and John McCarthy.
Photo by Evan Sung53/64Root Vegetable Mafé
Inviting vegan guests over for a dinner party? Serve this warming dish from Simply West African.
Photo by Issy Croker56/64Potato, Paneer, and Sweet Corn Kebab
Spice this vegetarian riff on seekh kebab with coriander, cardamom, and tangy dried mango powder. You don’t need to wait for fresh corn season to come around again to make these; drained canned corn works well here.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich59/64Cream Scones With Grilled Nectarine and Goat Cheese Sabayon
Photo by Ed Anderson61/64Oolong Tea Flan With Brown Sugar Caramel
The delicate flavor of oolong tea enhances this simple steamed flan from Flavor+Us by Rahanna Bisseret Martinez.
Photo by Anne Fishbein62/64Golden-Butter Pound Cake
Milk powder and not-quite-browned butter make this version of classic pound cake from Nancy Silverton’s The Cookie That Changed My Life into something really special.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley64/64Barbie Girl
You can never have too many pink drinks in a Barbie World.
