Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Holidays
  • Cooking 101
  • Healthy Living
  • Shop
  • News
  • Good.Food.Fast
  • CL Diet

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Register/Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Logout
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More Next
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More Next
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More Next
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    • New Year, New You
    • Super Bowl
    • Valentines
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • Shop
  • News
  • Good.Food.Fast
  • CL Diet

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Register/Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

CookingLight diet CookingLight diet
  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. entertaining Chevron Right
  3. The Best Cookbooks of 2018 to Give (or Receive) for the Holidays

The Best Cookbooks of 2018 to Give (or Receive) for the Holidays

August 06, 2018
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Credit: Courtesy Amazon
Looking for something to give the foodie in your life? We've rounded up some of our favorite, gift-worthy cookbooks here. From books for newbie cooks to those with dinner party flair, there's something here for everyone.
Start Slideshow

1 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Best Cookbooks For Gifts

Credit: Amazon

Holiday gifting can be tough, but thankfully, there's one thing that the foodies in your life are always open to—cookbooks! And with a fresh batch of books every year, the possibilities are endless. Our editors were kind enough to share the books they're loving right now, and the result is the list you see here. From Nordic food to runner-friendly recipes, there's something here for everyone on your list.

1 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Everyday Slow Cooker: 130 Modern Recipes, with 40 Gluten-Free Dishes and 50 Multicooker Variations

Credit: Amazon
$25 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

Shameless self-promotion alert! This new book is chock-full of the classic CL recipes that you love—all designed for use in your trusty slow cooker. Bonus? There are 40 gluten-free recipes in this volume, as well as 50 variations for your trendy multi-cooker. 10/10, we recommend. But seriously, it’s a nice gift for anyone that could use a little extra help on weeknights.

2 of 12

3 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Green Burgers: Creative Vegetarian Recipes for Burgers and Sides

Credit: Amazon
$20 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

Martin Nordin’s veggie burgers and sides will make you rethink vegetables in general. Creative recipes like pulled sweet potato burgers cozy up to inventive sauces and buns, all of which will leave you asking (in the best way), “What is a veggie burger?” A fab gift for the plant-based person in your life.

3 of 12

Advertisement

4 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes

Credit: Amazon
$25 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

In this follow-up to their smash-hit 2016 tome, Run Fast. Eat Slow., runner and chef Elyse Kopecky and Olympian Shalane Flanagan share more recipes designed to be both delicious and nurturing. Every recipe has a “prescription” attached—for example, a green goddess sauce is “for fighting inflammation”—highlighting the recipe’s functionality.  A must for the runner or athlete on your list.

4 of 12

5 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Amazon
$22 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

This book is a two-way love letter to author Katrin Bjork’s native Iceland and adopted home of Denmark. Though Bjork decamped to New York’s Hudson River Valley some years ago, this modern take on traditional Nordic flavors will transport you to life in the North. A beautiful gift for any home cook, but, as one would expect, the abundant seafood recipes stand out, making this particularly lovely for your favorite pescatarian.

5 of 12

6 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Gather & Graze: 120 Favorite Recipes for Tasty Good Times

Credit: Amazon
$21 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

This cookbook—the first from Top Chef alum and Chicago restaurant-scene darling Stephanie Izard—is bursting at the seams with the creative-but-accessible recipes that fans have come to love. There’s bouillabaisse, but it’s Thai-inflected. A grilled duck confit gets topped with a fruity kimchi. Crispy cereal turns into a spicy, addicting topping. Your friend that throws dinner parties with endlessly inventive dishes? This is for them.

6 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World

Credit: Amazon
$19 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

Former White House chef and nutrition policy advisor Sam Kass doesn’t want you to eat perfectly, he just wants you to eat better. Sure, the book has loads of simple, tasty recipes, but the big takeaway is that small, healthier changes can equal big results for you and sustainability for the environment. The recipes are tasty but simple—a book any home cook would like, but a no-brainer for your eco-minded nephew in college.

7 of 12

8 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking

Credit: Amazon
$21 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

This cookbook expression of the beloved Portland, OR restaurant by Bonnie Morales received rave reviews when it was released last year. It’s easy to see why: The book opens with a guided tour of a Russian market before moving on the delicious, simple recipes that achieve their aim: to make the flavors, food, and hospitality of the former Soviet Union accessible to all.

8 of 12

9 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Air Fryer, Sheet Pan, Skillet, Dutch Oven, and More

Credit: Amazon
$20 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

You may recognize Gina Homolka's name from her Cooking Light column, or you may already be a reader of her site, Skinnytaste. Either way, you'll want to check out One & Done, which has an appealing hook—every recipe is made in just one vessel, be it Instant Pot, sheet pan, or Dutch oven. It’s a delightful gift for anyone who’s looking to cook without hours of complicated prep.

9 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Martha Stewart's Pressure Cooker: 100+ Fabulous New Recipes for the Pressure Cooker, Multicooker, and Instant Pot

Credit: Amazon
$20 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

This new collection from the media maven nods to the popularity of the Instant Pot, while acknowledging that some may prefer the more traditional stove-top pressure cooker—the recipes are adapted for both. The book puts culinary “projects” like stock and risotto back on the weeknight menu; it’s a perfect gift for the Instant Pot enthusiast in your life.

10 of 12

11 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious

Credit: Amazon
$35 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

In his third cookbook, Michael Solomonov (the Philadelphia chef behind wildly popular spots Zahav and Federal Donuts—and their eponymous cookbooks) and his business partner, Steven Cook, dive deep into the canon of Israeli cooking. History is woven into the text around Mediterranean recipes that range from veggie salads to hummus to traditional grilled meats—it’s a beautiful ode to Israeli cuisine and a great gift for just about any cook on your list.

11 of 12

12 of 12

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Pasta Pane Vino

Credit: Courtesy Amazon
$17 available at Amazon Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

Fans of Goulding's culinary deep-dives (previous books explore the food culture of Japan and Spain) know what to expect: a thoroughly engrossing tour through Italy, packed with stories of the foods that make up the country's multivalent cuisine and the people who make them.

12 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 12 Best Cookbooks For Gifts
2 of 12 Everyday Slow Cooker: 130 Modern Recipes, with 40 Gluten-Free Dishes and 50 Multicooker Variations
3 of 12 Green Burgers: Creative Vegetarian Recipes for Burgers and Sides
4 of 12 Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes
5 of 12
6 of 12 Gather & Graze: 120 Favorite Recipes for Tasty Good Times
7 of 12 Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World
8 of 12 Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking
9 of 12 Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Air Fryer, Sheet Pan, Skillet, Dutch Oven, and More
10 of 12 Martha Stewart's Pressure Cooker: 100+ Fabulous New Recipes for the Pressure Cooker, Multicooker, and Instant Pot
11 of 12 Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious
12 of 12 Pasta Pane Vino

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
Cooking Light

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Cooking Light Diet this link opens in a new tab
  • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Cooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Statementthis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

View image

The Best Cookbooks of 2018 to Give (or Receive) for the Holidays
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.