I'm a huge believer that the best place to cut back on meat is the kitchen [1], where your choice of plant-based recipes and cookbooks is key. From Yotam Ottolenghi and Anna Jones, to Meera Sodha and Hetty McKinnon, there's a long list of chefs embracing meat-free cooking, and way more tasty than many would have you believe. You don't need to become a full-time vegetarian [2] or vegan [3], you simply need to rethink what and how you eat, taking a whole foods approach to cooking whether it's one day a week, or three.
When I decided to ditch meat almost two years ago, it was for a variety of reasons, including health, money, animal welfare, and the environment. It all started with #MeatlessMonday, but as I discovered delicious meat-free recipe after delicious meat-free recipe, I no longer felt the need to cook meat any day of the week. In no way did I give up meat entirely — I happily enjoy steak tartare when in Paris and a cheeky Sunday roast at the pub when I want — but you'll never find me whipping up beef bourguignon or spaghetti bolognese in the kitchen. Keep reading to see the nine plant-based cookbooks that changed me, all full to the brim with dishes that beat meat.
The Modern Cook’s Year by Anna Jones
Anna Jones is all about seasonality, so you can expect every single one of her recipes to be full of flavour — and trust me, they are. The Modern Cook's Year [4] (£17, originally £26) is broken into six chapters: "Star of the Year," "Herald of Spring," "First of Warm Day," "Summer," "Autumn," and "Winter." Each chapter begins with a list of the best fruits and veggies for that time of year and follows with recipes based on the list. I made the ricotta gnocchi with brown butter sauce on the hottest day of the year and it was just the right amount of filling, without being too heavy.
Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi
While many full-time veggies would tell you to reach for Ottolenghi's vegetarian cookbook Plenty, in my opinion, Ottolenghi Simple [5] (£16, originally £25) is a better place to start. From the crushed courgettes to the rice noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds, every recipe is easier than you think and none of the ingredients are hard to find. The crushed courgettes with oodles of garlic is a good place to start.
Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking by Dana Schultz
When I first made a recipe by popular food blogger The Minimalist Baker (Dana Shultz), it took me over 2 hours — but please don't let that scare you off. Firstly, it was absolutely worth it, and secondly, I can now whip up that very same recipe in less than 40 minutes.
On average, I use Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking [6] (£21, originally £29) at least once a week, and no matter what I cook, it always gets the tick of approval from my meat-loving other half.
Deliciously Ella The Plant-Based Cookbook by Ella Mills
Deliciously Ella popped up on my Instagram radar over 10 years ago, making veggies actually seem cool. Five cookbooks, 2 delis, 1 app and a range of supermarket products later, she's proven veggies are cool and once you've tried her corn fritters with smoky baked beans and avo smash from Deliciously Ella The Plant-Based Cookbook [7] (£16, originally £25), you'll understand why. If you're feeding a crowd, opt for the mouth-watering Sri Lankan curry.
The Green Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer
Cooking doesn't get much easier than The Green Roasting Tin [8] (£12). All you need to do is chuck all the ingredients in one tin and you're done. Perfect for the time poor, my personal favourite is the oven baked shakshuka with roasted peppers, tomatoes, and chilli with eggs, but if you want something slighter heartier, you'll love the sweet potato and parsnip tagine with dates and coriander.
Neighborhood by Hetty McKinnon
People who don't believe that salads can be a stand-alone meal will have their minds changed as soon as they get their hands on Hetty McKinnon's Neighborhood [9] (£15, originally £27). On a mission to elevate salads from a side dish to the star of the show, McKinnon's recipes will keep you satisfied for hours. The Thai carrot and peanut salad, with golden fried tofu, is perfect for hot Summer nights, and there's no better way to stay warm in winter than with her roasted brussel sprouts, complete with a hoisin-sesame dressing.
Fresh India by Meera Sodha
There's way more to Indian than chicken tikka masala. Think mushroom and walnut samosas, baked onion bhajis, cauliflower korma, and beetroot and paneer kebabs. Bursting with 130 vegetarian recipes, Meera Sodha's Fresh India [10] (£7, originally £20) includes these tasty alternatives and more. The best part? Once you have the core spices in your cupboard, the recipes are all relatively cheap. I recommend starting with the aubergine fesenjan — the aubergine, walnut, and pomegranate dish is so delicious and creamy, you'll wonder how it's vegan.
Buddha Bowls by Hannah Pemberton
Hannah Pemberton's Buddha Bowls [11] (£7, originally £10) is the healthy cookbook you wish your mum gave you when you left for university. Boasting 50 bowls of goodness, each recipe is easy to make, following Pemberton's six-step "Buddha Bowl Ritual, "which means that each bowl contains an abundance of greens, raw and/or cooked veggies, grains, plant-based proteins, and a dressing or sauce. The key to enjoying your bowl, Pemberton believes, is mindful eating. And if the "bang bang" haloumi bowl doesn't make you stop and appreciate meat-free meals, I don't know what will.
Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor
Kathryrne Taylor is the brains behind popular vegetarian food blog, Cookie + Kate. In Love Real Food [12] (£14, originally £22), she offers up over 100+ meatless recipes, all which are meat-free, and many that can be changed based on the season. In my opinion, it doesn't get much better than the roasted cauliflower and kale spaghetti but the hearty minestrone, Moroccan curry, and Mexican veggie bowls are all crowdpleasers, too.