64 Recipes From the Best Cookbooks of 2023
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.
