24 Best Cookbooks for Fall 2023, According to Food & Wine Editors and Contributors

Simply West African

$17 At Amazon

Pierre Thiam had me at "okra." When I met the Senegal-born chef a few years back at the inaugural Food & Wine Family Reunion, I heard him wax rhapsodic about my favorite vegetable. I ended up flashing my tattoo of red pods and flowers, and realized I'd found a kindred soul. Little did I know that this would also prove to be a passport into his joyful, flavorful, generous world of red palm oil, fonio, fufu, and kankankan, and everything they can be crafted into. Simply West African leans into every word of its title, gently holding the hand of people (like me) who didn't have the pleasure of growing up with these ingredients and dishes in their canon — and empowering and inviting us to love them into our everyday lives. "Africa is the future!" Thiam proclaims in the introduction. And this book is a present. (And of course there is a ton of okra in it.) — Kat Kinsman, Executive Features Editor

• AUTHOR: Pierre Thiam
• RELEASE DATE: September 19

Made in Taiwan

$23 At Amazon $38 At bookshop.org

I'm partial to all things islands and can't wait for Clarissa Wei's debut cookbook dropping in September 2023. Made in Taiwan was photographed and written entirely in Taiwan by Wei and her talented team. The book includes over 100 recipes enriched by features that encapsulate the island nation's distinct gastronomic identity. – Katie Parla, author of Food of the Italian Islands and Food of the Italian South

• AUTHOR: Clarissa Wei
• RELEASE DATE: September 13

Signature Cocktails

$28 At Amazon $28 At Target $40 At barnesandnoble.com

What does it mean to serve an iconic or signature cocktail? In this surprisingly succinct Phaidon book from drinks writer Amanda Schuster, you’ll learn a bit about how the Vesper and Mai Tai became immediately recognizable to drinkers around the world, as well as the stories behind modern classics like the Connaught Martini and the Selva. I’m especially fond of Schuster’s convenient glassware key (a little icon at the top of each page that tells you whether you’ll need a coupe, a highball, or a rocks glass), which makes whipping up these at home drinks just a little bit easier. — Oset Babür-Winter, Senior Drinks Editor

• AUTHOR: Amanda Schuster
• RELEASE DATE: October 4

Snacking Bakes

$19 At Amazon

I don’t just want cookies and cakes when there’s a party — I want to nibble on them during the most average weekday evening too. Luckily Yossy Arefi seems to be on the same page, and her new book “Snacking Bakes”, a follow up to “Snacking Cakes”, is full of cookies, brownies, bars, and cakes that are super easy to make and beautifully photographed by Arefi herself. Most of the recipes can be whipped up in under an hour, and the ingredients they call for are accessible — you won’t end up with a twenty item grocery list full of hard-to-find items. The wide range of recipes also ensures there’s something for everyone. More of a fruit person? Try the Blueberry Swirl Blondies. Want a good chocolate chip cookie recipe? There are three in this book: traditional, vegan, and gluten-free versions. And if you’re on the hunt for something savory, make the cheesy jalapeño cornbread. — Merlyn Miller, Social Media Editor

• AUTHOR: Yossy Arefi
• RELEASE DATE: November 7

The Encyclopedia of Cocktails

$17 At Amazon

I've been a fan of Robert Simonson for years. I enjoy his clever and approachable writing style, which is on full display in his upcoming book, The Encyclopedia of Cocktails. The book is an illuminating guide to the bar world and cocktail culture. Plus, it’s published by Ten Speed — their books are always both beautiful and informative. – Joe Campanale, author of VINO: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine

• AUTHOR: Robert Simonson
• RELEASE DATE: October 17

The Lula Cafe Cookbook

$39 At Amazon $47 At bookshop.org View On Thriftbooks.com

Talk to just about any chef in Chicago about the most influential restaurants in town, and you’ll hear a lot of love and respect for Lula Cafe. In the 20-plus years since Jason Hammel and his wife, Amalea “Lea” Tshilds, opened their all-day cafe, it has become iconic in the city for its easy hospitality and a menu of the kind of food you want to eat every day. Lula is a hub for artists who show their work there, along with other creatives, cooks, neighbors, and visitors who seek out the restaurants where chefs eat. Hammel shares several of his building block recipes for spice mixes, compound butters, sauces, jams, gremolatas, and more base recipes you can make to give your home pantry a dash of sophistication, but this isn’t a cheffy tome with recipes that take days to make. This book focuses on recipes for longtime favorite menu items like the famous Pasta Yiayia, Chickpea Tagine, and Tineka Sandwich that are home cook-friendly, along with other simple and delicious plates that suggest you make a few plates, invite friends over, and have an easy but delicious meal together. — Chandra Ram, Associate Editorial Director, Food

• AUTHOR: Jason Hammel 
• RELEASE DATE: October 4

Jacques Pépin Cooking My Way

$24 At Amazon

If you’ve ever been intimidated by French cuisine or assumed it was too expensive to make at home, then this book is a great way to tackle your fears. Jacques Pépin’s collection of over 150 recipes focuses on budget friendly and seasonal ingredients (which also happens to be my favorite way to cook). Dishes like a garlic soup thickened with potatoes and a classic asparagus au beurre caught my eye — Pépin explains how to get more yield out of your asparagus by peeling the bottoms of them. There’s a mix of recipes that feel fancy and ones that are weeknight friendly, like the chicken breast à la susie, which calls for only five ingredients and no time spent marinating. But the most beautiful detail of the book is the array of colorful paintings and illustrated menus scattered throughout, which were all done by Pépin himself. — Merlyn Miller, Social Media Editor

• AUTHOR: Jacques Pépin
• RELEASE DATE: September 26

Pasta Every Day

$24 At Amazon $40 At barnesandnoble.com

Meryl Feinstein, of the Pasta Social Club Instagram, makes making pasta look easy. From multi-colored tagliatelle to quatro formaggi gnocchi, Feinstein's guide to pasta at home is filled with recipes one can make from scratch or substitute in a box for a quick weeknight meal. The photos are coffee-table worthy, and the book itself is a new essential for any pasta-lover worth their salt. — Daniel Modlin, Food Editor, Commerce News & Deals

• AUTHOR: Meryl Feinstein
• RELEASE DATE: September 12

Salmon Sisters: Harvest & Heritage

$25 At Amazon

Pan-fried salmon is one of my most loved dinners, but I rarely prepare it out of concern for rising levels of endangered wild fish. In Salmon Sisters, Emma Tea Laukitis and Claire Neaton focus on how to enjoy the abundance of nature while practicing stewardship of the land, and protecting all its resources. This important message will resonate with many environmentally conscious-readers, and it is presented alongside recipes that make the most out of ingredients straight out of the wilds of Alaska: foraged herbs, salmon prepared over an open-fire, pickled kelp. It's a cookbook that celebrates abundance, and pays tribute to precious landscapes that offer us such satisfying meals. — Elisabeth Sherman, Food Writer, Commerce News & Deals

• AUTHOR: Emma Teal Laukitis and Claire Neaton
• RELEASE DATE: September 19

The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp

$21 At Amazon

Flavor maven Jing Gao turned me into a Sichuan cooking enthusiast. Best known for her truly exceptional jarred Sichuan chili crisp, Fly by Jing, Gao's upcoming cookbook shows how versatile the condiment can be. This book is filled with recipes that pack vibrant Sichuan flavors into tasty (and very fun bites) like Cheeseburger Pot Stickers that get topped with chili crisp aioli, gorgeously silky steamed eggs, mapo tofu, plus more unexpected uses of chili oil, like pears poached in a Sichuan pepper-laden syrup. — Lucy Simon, Assistant Editor

• AUTHOR: Jing Gao
• RELEASE DATE: September 26

Shabbat

$19 At Amazon $35 At barnesandnoble.com View On Betterworldbooks.com

Shabbat is the traditional day of rest for the Jewish community, meant to be a time when family and friends gather over a big meal. But the act of creating that meal and the work of hosting doesn’t necessarily translate into this being a restful day for everyone. In her latest cookbook, Adeena Sussman leans in on recipes that allow you to prep in advance and are otherwise host-friendly, from room temperature salads like Moroccan Carrot Salad to make-ahead brisket and sauces like her personal take a zhoug to spice up any big meal. The global influences on her recipes make this book a keeper for any host. — Chandra Ram, Associate Editorial Director, Food

• AUTHOR: Adeena Sussman 
• RELEASE DATE: September 5

The Global Pantry Cookbook

$25 At Amazon $25 At Walmart View On Abebooks.com

We're living and cooking in one of the most exciting times. There's so much to choose from in terms of ingredients and ideas from all over the globe. While it's important to understand how the ingredients are used in their native cuisines, it's extra fun to take them in new directions. I'm looking forward to seeing what cooks do with all the ideas tucked into Mowbray and Pittman's Global Pantry Cookbook. – Andrea Nguyen, author of Asian Dumplings, Asian Tofu, The Banh Mi Handbook, Ever-Green Vietnamese, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, The Pho Cookbook, and Vietnamese Food Any Day

• AUTHOR: Scott Mowbray and Ann Taylor Pittman
• RELEASE DATE: October 10

The World in a Wine Glass

$29 At Amazon $29 At Target $29 At Walmart

Where your wine comes from matters, and there’s no one better to prove that point than our very own Executive Wine Editor, Ray Isle. I guarantee you that you’ll come away from this book with a newfound appreciation for thoughtfully (sustainably!) produced wines that you don’t need to shell out a small fortune for. Think of this book as the second best thing to being able to send Ray a text message to ask for his recommendations on the best Willamette Pinot Noir, or Sonoma coast Chardonnay. Plus, you’ll know enough about the less-trodden wineries in Chianti or Rias Baixas to trick your friends into thinking you’ve visited yourself! —  Oset Babür-Winter, Senior Drinks Editor 

• AUTHOR: Ray Isle
• RELEASE DATE: November 14

Make It Japanese

$15 At Amazon

McClenny has a knack for anticipating questions I have in my head about Japanese cooking, like which is more versatile — short or medium-grain rice? There’s lots packed into Make it Japanese's doable collection of recipes, straightforward pointers, and cultural tidbits. I look forward to learning from it. – Andrea Nguyen

• AUTHOR: Rie Mclenny 
• RELEASE DATE: October 24

The Korean Cookbook

$45 At Amazon

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating at any of Junghyun (JP) Park’s New York City restaurants (Atoboy, Atomix, and NARO), you know that bursts of flavor and sleekly presented dishes are very much par for the course. This hefty collection of classic Korean recipes is sure to help you step up your hotpot, dumpling, and noodle game, and while I can’t guarantee it’ll make your tteok quite as good as NARO’s, I do know that this is about to become my new go-to resource to leaf through before an afternoon spent shopping at H-Mart. — Oset Babür-Winter, Senior Drinks Editor

• AUTHOR: Junghyun Park and Jungyoon Choi
• RELEASE DATE: October 4

Basics with Babish

$21 At Amazon

I grew up watching the plethora of cooking shows we were blessed with in the '00s, hungrily learning from stars like Rachael Ray and Ina Garden on my family’s TV. Today, we have Youtube sensation Andrew Rea, who has inspired an online community of millions with his cooking videos. In his second book, Rae dives into the basics, deconstructing techniques with helpful step-by-step photos and humorous tips. More importantly, he not only embraces the mistakes that come with learning, he takes pride in them. — Katie MacDonald, Editorial Director, Commerce

• AUTHOR: Andrew Rea
• RELEASE DATE: October 24

Spice Kitchen

$19 At Amazon

Aggerwal runs a spice company with his mom out of the UK, so I’m really excited to see how he’s using his extensive knowledge to create a book that puts spices front and center. Spice Kitchen will allow home cooks to make use of all the spices in their pantry rather than having them languish in the back after using them in a single recipe. – Reem Kassis, author of The Arabesque Table and The Palestinian Table

• AUTHOR: Sanjay Aggarwal
• RELEASE DATE: October 10

Let’s Eat

$16 At Amazon

Dan Pelosi’s debut cookbook is just as charming and warm as his Instagram presence (where he shares recipes under the @GrossyPelosi handle.) Let’s Eat is a celebration of all things Italian American — especially the food. There’s a recipe for comforting Gigantic Meatballs that will make anyone happy, a baked pasta primavera that I need to make immediately, and a fresh corn polenta will quickly become a staple of anyone’s future dinner parties. It’s also a love letter to friendship, family, and eating and cooking with the people you love the most. Pelosi lets you in on family memories and his top cooking secrets — making you feel like he is your best friend, who also makes you killer pasta on the regular. — Khushbu Shah, Restaurant Editor

• AUTHOR: Dan Pelosi
• RELEASE DATE: September 5

More Is More

$21 At Amazon $21 At Target $35 At Crate & Barrel

Molly Baz’s new book is all about gaining confidence in the kitchen and saying yes — yes to more crunchy toppings on salads, yes to tossing in the entire head of garlic, and (of course, it’s Molly Baz) yes to using the amount of salt needed to actually season something. More is More not only makes you a bolder and more skillful cook in the kitchen, but you can’t help but smile when you make one of the 100 flavor-forward recipes in this book. — Lucy Simon, Assistant Editor

• AUTHOR: Molly Baz 
• RELEASE DATE: October 10

Portico

$30 At Amazon $34 At barnesandnoble.com View On Abebooks.com

Cacio e pepe and carbonara are just one part of Roman cuisine. While I've visited this magical city many times, it was only recently that I explored the food of Rome's Jewish community. Between the luscious olive oil-soaked vegetables and crispy fried artichokes, I couldn't get enough. I can't wait to bring these recipes (and more) into my own kitchen. – Sheela Prakash, author of Mediterranean Every Day and Salad Seasons

• AUTHOR: Leah Koenig
• RELEASE DATE: August 29

Maman & Me

$11 At Amazon

I’ve already got a fair number of cookbooks from the Middle East and the Mediterranean on my shelves, but I couldn’t not fall in love with Roya Shariat and her mother Gita’s charming, approachable take on classic Iranian recipes. I’ll be spending my fall making their carrot jam and sweet date omelets, and already know the saffron salmon with ranch dressing is going to be my next dinner party centerpiece. As for drinks, the pomegranate molasses spritz is calling my name! — Oset Babür-Winter, Senior Drinks Editor

• AUTHOR: Roya Shariat and Gita Sadeh
• RELEASE DATE: October 24

Company

$32 At Amazon $40 At Anthropologie View On Abebooks.com

We’re back to hosting dinner parties, but do they have to be so hard on the host? Amy Thielen doesn't think so, and explains how to make cooking for others easier in her new book. The book is based on 20 different menus, from Saturday night dinner parties that might call for your guests to help you roll out pasta dough to holiday celebration meals, casual buffets for 15 to 20, and smaller casual gatherings (like an outdoor fried chicken party). Follow each menu exactly, or pick and choose what works for you and your group. Throughout the book, Thielen shares thoughts on how to handle drinks, real talk on the financial implications of hosting, plus entertaining advice (“Never let your friends see your fear, or your thrift. Hide them both, along with the dirty dishes, in your cupboards.”) Read this one before your next dinner party.  — Chandra Ram, Associate Editorial Director, Food

• AUTHOR: Amy Thielen
• RELEASE DATE: August 29

Veg-Table

$23 At Amazon $33 At bookshop.org $35 At barnesandnoble.com

Recent years have brought about a bumper crop of vegetable-centric cookbooks and rather than making me feel like my shelves and brain are loaded up like a Chana Masala Pumpkin Pot, it's just whetted my appetite for more. And that goes double when it's by Nik Sharma. The chemist-turned-cookbook-author plucks from the best of both of those to craft a worthy successor to his bestselling The Flavor Equation and Season, using principles of science to maximize the potential pleasures of grocery store familiars like broccoli, shallots, and zucchini, as well as perhaps less ubiquitous — and thoroughly delightful — vegetables like nopalito, jicama, and sunchokes. As usual, Sharma pulls triple duty developing, writing, and shooting recipes like Kung Pao Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower Bolognese, which somehow makes it all more deeply delicious. — Kat Kinsman, Executive Features Editor

• AUTHOR: Nik Sharma
• RELEASE DATE:  October 24

Kung Food

$21 At Amazon

Jon Kung is more than just a popular Tik Tok chef, and his debut cookbook Kung Food is proof of that. An exploration of third culture cooking through a Chinese American lens, Kung’s book is clever, sharp, and filled with a list of recipes that throws constraints like “authenticity” and “tradition” out the window. There are nods to places that he has lived, such as the Hong Kong Borscht and a plate of Faygo Orange Chicken (using one of Detroit’s most iconic soda brands), and a refreshingly global approach to Chinese American cooking seen through recipes like Dan Dan Lasagna and crispy “Clay Pot” Rice Tahdig. The book is also punctuated with many helpful tips, Kung’s philosophies when it comes to cooking (“When you ‘veganize’ a dish, you can’t simply remove the parts that keep it from being vegan; you always have to give something back to the recipe), and encouraging notes for even the shyest of cooks. — Khushbu Shah, Restaurant Editor

• AUTHOR: Jon Kung
• RELEASE DATE: October 31