The Best Veggie & Vegan Cookbooks

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Recently a lot of us have started to reduce our meat consumption. From the impact on the environment to the health benefits, there are plenty of reasons to start changing the way we eat. But whether you’re a fully committed vegan or just dabbling in a Meat-Free Monday, knowing what to cook can feel daunting. There’s endless meal inspiration online but I don’t think you can beat a good cookbook, flicking through the pages and finding the dishes that excite you.

Changing the way I eat has had a huge impact on my love for cooking. Before it was something I did because I had to eat, now it’s something I genuinley enjoy and discovering new recipes and different ways to prepare things is a fun pass time. Cookbooks are a great source of inspiration, but a lot of them also have so many other pieces of advice and it’s thanks to these that my confidence has grown. So if you’re looking for a guide to vegetarian or vegan cooking then these are the best cookbooks I’ve found so far.

Happy Vegan by Fearne Cotton

Happy Vegan is a totally vegan cookbook full of quick meals, comfort foods, sweet treats and the best substitutions. The recipes are easy to follow and don’t require too many fancy ingredients. Anything that you don’t already own can easily be picked up in the supermarket and there’s also a brilliant section including all of the vegan store cupboard essentials. It’s a great starting point for anyone starting to dip their toe into veganism. 

The Green Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer

These are the best cookbooks for anyone who wants to cook more but doesn’t feel very confident. The book is divided half into veggie recipes, half into vegan ones but you could easily substitute a lot of the non-vegan ingredients if you wanted. All you need to do is prep the ingredients and put them all in a roasting tin, prepare your side (if it’s needed) and pop it in the oven. There are also foolproof charts on how to construct the perfect traybake and salad so you’ll feel more at home in the kitchen in no time.

The Modern Cook’s Year by Anna Jones

All of Anna’s cookbooks are an absolute treat, and this one is both entirely veggie and focuses on seasonal cooking. There are a lot of benefits to eating with the seasons and this makes it so much easier. It relies on the produce that’s naturally in season in the UK at the time and knowing exactly the kind of foods you fancy at that time of year. Genius, simple and always impressive. 

Fast Vegan by Leon

If you aren’t into spending hours in the kitchen then this is the one for you. It’s full of quick recipes that don’t take a lot of experience to put together. Some do require slightly more unusual ingredients but it’s also really good at making ingredients like jackfruit and banana blossom seem much less intimidating. They’re full of flavour and also give plenty of suggestions for when you’re really craving a specific non-vegan food like fish and chips. 

Cooking can be so much fun, and if you’re looking to reduce your meat consumption then learning a few basic but flavoursome recipes will make the experience both easier and more enjoyable. The stereotype that veggie and vegan food is boring, bland and lacks key nutrients like protein just isn’t true and these cookbooks are all testament to that. I’d love to know which cookbooks you rely on and if there are any recipes that you always go back to.