Every summer, I choose 2 or 3 recipe goals for myself: usually, these are great recipes for meetings, and by the end of the summer, I’ve perfected them. Last summer it was my grilled pizza and that of Amy Chaplin Black Sesame Bread—I made them so often that I didn’t even need to consult a recipe anymore. By August, they would have become my new signature dishes. This year, my summer mood board is all about long, lazy lunches on the Spanish coast, so my cooking plans follow suit: whole branzino stuffed with lemons and herbs, and linguine with fresh tomatoes and clams.
For me, any new recipe goal always starts with a Sunday afternoon spent on the couch with a good reading list and a stack of my best cookbooks of all time—these are the bookmarked, marinara-splattered, and lovingly worn books that I reach for again and again—the ones that have inspired and guided my own approach to cooking, exposing me to new flavor combinations, cooking shortcuts, and ways to make even cabbage truly delicious. It’s officially time to share the cookbooks I cook all the time. But on one condition: leave a comment and tell me yours!
The turkey
Oh, Gjelina, your dining room has been the scene of more unforgettable dinners for me than anywhere else, and your cookbook has inspired my own endless recipe creation. I could dedicate an entire post to my love of Gjelina, but let’s just say it’s one of the best cookbooks I turn to when I don’t know what to make. After a few minutes of flipping through its pages, I exclaimed, “How about a little gem salad with persimmons…and maybe I’ll finally make some Cioppino!” or enthusiastically grab flour for pizza dough.
Most popular recipe: Spinach, feta and confit garlic pizza– this actually inspired my own version here: Spinach and ricotta pizza with garlic olive oil.
Travis Lett
Every day is Saturday
As the name suggests, this book makes me want to live every day like it’s the weekend. And really, what more could you want from a cookbook? Sarah Copeland created this rare book where I want to make literally every recipe in its pages, from Chocolate Snack Bread to Moroccan Tomato Toast to Braised Short Rib Dinner. All of this is divine and meant to be shared with the people you love.
Most popular recipe: Warm Apple Pie Easier Than Pie is beautiful, simple and so satisfying to come out of the oven.
Six seasons
Joshua McFadden, chef at beloved Portland restaurants Ava Gene’s, Cicoria, and Tusk, came to visit our studio when his cookbook came out a few years ago, and I’ll never forget the “Chinese” beef and broccoli he whipped up for us that convinced me in one fell swoop: this guy knows his way with vegetables. For me, her cookbook sparked an obsession with marinades and an excitement about trying humble vegetables that I might once have overlooked: turnips, cabbage, and kohlrabi each have their own chapters bursting with delicious ideas for using them. My CSA box has never been the same.
Most popular recipe: Grilled eggplant with tomatoes, torn croutons and lots of herbs
Joshua McFadden
ColumbusIhe
If you saw our interview with author Mariana Velasquezthis should come as no surprise: her cookbook is as exuberant as she is – it makes me want to step up his playlistswipe on a red lip and start cooking. It’s one of the best cookbooks for when I’m craving flavors and cultural traditions in a way that makes me feel adventurous just by cooking through it. If you’re bored in life, I have the antidote: buy this cookbook, open it to a random page, and dive into it.
Most popular recipe: Bogotánian Ajiáco: potato soup with corn, chicken and capers
Mariana Velázquez
Dinner on site
My mom gave me this cookbook in 2017 (I know because she always writes a note with the date on the inside cover, a tradition I love) – and I’ve been cooking ever since. This is a cookbook that I tend to pull out for special occasions, not because it’s complicated (it’s not), but because Alison manages to create flavor combinations that are unexpected and just plain special. She’s also not afraid of butter and cream—and let’s be honest, sometimes a date night just needs a pot of bucatini with tomatoes roasted in 1 1/2 cups of olive oil (really). But in reality, Alison’s recipes strike the perfect balance between interesting and truly delicious.
Most popular recipe: Shortbread with salted butter and chocolate pieces– they are legendary. I once had drinks with Alison in New York, and no joke, she sent me home with a bag she had packed earlier in the day. Of course, I devoured them all on the taxi ride home and I still dream about them to this day.
Alison Romain
Cook whole foods every day
If your body is craving a reset, this is one of the best cookbooks to turn to. It never fails to inspire a Saturday morning spent soaking beans, pickling carrots, and making the aforementioned black sesame bread to have on hand for a week’s worth of healthy eating. It’s the bible of healthy meal prep, y’all. I interviewed Amy when this book came out and ever since, she’s been my unwitting mentor for healthy vegetarian recipes that always make you feel good.
Most popular recipe: Butternut Squash Soup with Rosemary and Roasted Hazelnut Milk (scroll to bottom of article for recipe)
Amy Chaplin
Cinnamon and Vanilla
Everything about this book makes me swoon, from the stunning photography (by multi-talented author Aran Goyoaga) to the descriptions of vanilla and cinnamon-flavored arroz con leche from his childhood in the Basque Country. Everything about this book seems both simple and incredibly thoughtful, with each ingredient serving its purpose and allowed to shine in all its beauty. This is the way I want to cook every day, and it reminds me to slow down and savor the process. Our team traveled to Seattle to photograph Aran in her kitchen for our How I gather series, and the magic was just as palpable in person. PS: This is definitely one of the best cookbooks for dietary restrictions, since everything is gluten-free and many are dairy-free as well.
Most popular recipe: Chocolate, olive oil and citrus cake.
Aran Goyoaga
Some more of the best cookbooks of all time
Here are some other much-loved cookbooks that literally need to be on your bookshelves.
Eden Grinshpan
Her recipe for roasted cauliflower with garlic tahini, chimichurri and dill is BOMB.
Gaby Dalkin
What Gaby Cooks: Eat What You Want: 125 Recipes for Real Life
The pork carnitas tacos are a must.
Daphne Oz
The Happy Cook: 125 recipes to eat every day like it’s the weekend
Cauliflower and zucchini orrechiette – YUM.
This article was last updated on June 24, 2026 to include new information.
The position I own hundreds of cookbooks: these are the 10 I cook with all the time appeared first on Camille Styles.