17 Of The Best Cookbooks For Beginners, According To Reviews

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Humans began cooking their food somewhere between 2 million and 50,000 years ago. While the earliest single recipes to be written were for flatbreads and beer – long before the start of the bottles vs. cans debate – Apicius is widely credited with the West's first proper cookbook, which appeared in 1st-century Rome. 

In the two millennia since, cookery books have evolved from being exclusive royal guides, such as The Forme of Cury and instructions for the cooks of wealthy households, to a global literary form. They have reflected vast shifts in society, and introduced foodies to the array of cultures behind the ingredients listed in their pages.

There are thousands of cookbooks written by Michelin-starred chefs, passionate amateurs, and even celebrities. Many claim to make the most complex recipes easy to follow for total novices — but do any of them deliver? Here are 17 cookbooks for beginners that have at least 1,000 five-star online reviews left by the people who use and love them.

So good James Beard wished he had written it himself, Julia Child's best-selling "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" was the first of two, and is hugely loved more than 40 years after it was published in 1983. Even today, newbie cooks who are intimidated at the thought of tackling French food will take heart from Child's introductory quip: "If you can read, you can cook."

"Mastering the Art of French Cooking" has racked up almost 75,000 reviews on Goodreads, of which more than half have five stars. One person said it was "the most thorough, easy-to-understand, and excellent cookbook I have ever owned." Thanks to Child's book, one novice took six hours to complete a recipe, but was one of the best they ever made. Another Amazon fan described it as "a masterclass in the art, technique, and passion of cooking," adding it was ideal for both beginners and seasoned home cooks.

Many celebrities have put their names to cookbooks but few have the following of Ina Garten. In 2008 she published "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics," her sixth cookbook and one which breaks down the ingredients and techniques behind some of the elegant food she has crafted over the years.

On Goodreads, it has more than 36,000 ratings, with five-star reviews accounting for almost half. In a lengthy review, one poster said: "For those who maybe aren't so talented in the kitchen, this is really an easy book to follow," while another wrote: "Wonderful for both a beginning and advanced home chef!"

Amazon reviewers were just as enthusiastic. One said: "If you want to get your hands dirty in the kitchen for the first time and are a little intimidated, the recipes and the thinking behind them take you by the hand." 

Who else but Snoop Dogg could get an introduction from all-American lifestyle goddess Martha Stewart for a cookbook? It's one of many reasons that "From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg's Kitchen" has gone down a storm with foodies and fans of the star alike.

It only contains 50 recipes but they span a wide range: From classic baked mac 'n' cheese and lobster thermidor to his go-to snacks that beat the munchies. Almost 39,000 people (and counting) have left online reviews, around 88% of which give the book five stars. 

One Amazon poster said people didn't have to like rap music to appreciate Snoop's tome, adding it was a must-have for a "completely culinary beginner." Another reviewer enjoyed the simple recipes, as well as the comedy elements of the book, concluding: "Great beginner cookbook, great gag gift, great cookbook if you want to make 'herb' brownies just like Snoop Dogg."

Millions enjoyed the series "Lessons in Chemistry," based on Bonnie Garmus' 2022 bestseller in which a chemist blended classic recipes with science. Five years earlier, Samin Nosrat had done something similar with "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking."

To date it has racked up over 23,500 reviews on Amazon and more than 84,400 on Goodreads, of which 62% give it five stars. Several Goodreads reviewers said they read it from cover to cover, while one noted: "Whether you're a novice at cooking or a dab hand in the kitchen, this is essential reading."

On Amazon, a professional chef and food science educator posted a lengthy review, describing it as an "essential culinary guide." Another said it was "nothing short of a culinary revelation," and the happy reader went on to say that "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking" would improve the culinary skills of everyone from beginners to experienced chefs.

If ever there was a culinary tool designed to help the average American home cook, it would be the "Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book." From the clever tab dividers and plain pages (so people who weren't like Ina Garten when following a recipe could make their own notes), to the practical ring binding that allows it to lay flat on kitchen countertops, it was a hit when it was first published in 1930. 

In 2022, a 100th Anniversary Edition hit the shelves. It's racked up almost 138,000 reviews on Goodreads, including more than 67,000 five-star ratings, with one happy customer writing: "Best cookbook for beginners. It has all the classic instructions and recipes that a new cook needs."

For many online commenters, the "Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book" is a fixture in their kitchens; a memory from their childhood or the gift they pass on to relatives. Like many cookbooks aimed at novices, it also has lots of appeal to experienced chefs, and one person concluded their Amazon review with: "It's a masterpiece."

Published nine years after air fryers revolutionized cooking in 2010, Jensen Williams' "Air Fryer Cookbook" sought to give beginners the insights to get the most out of their countertop device, and do far more than just cooking handfuls of frozen French fries. Covering breakfast, lunch and dinner meals, as well as everything from meat to vegetarian dishes, William's cookbook has racked up an impressive 46,110 reviews on Amazon, including almost 30,000 five-star ratings. 

One Amazon reviewer recommended it for anyone who considered themselves to be an air-fryer novice, while someone who had bought their first air fryer said the cookbook helped demystify the machine's cooking processes, potentially preventing them from making common mistakes. Another relative beginner praised "Air Fryer Cookbook" for being a mine of "great basic information," and it was described as "easy to understand and a great way of starting out," by another satisfied customer.

Created in 1992, America's Test Kitchen is a treasure-trove of culinary resources for home cooks in the United States. It's no surprise that the organization's "The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs," published in 2018, is so popular.

All the book's recipes were rigorously tested by over 750 kids to make sure they were suitable for anyone, including beginners. To date, "The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs" has garnered more than 24,300 Amazon reviews, including over 20,000 five-star ratings. 

Reviewers have been unstinting in their praise, calling it an "outstanding resource," "simple and easy for kids and beginners," and "beautifully illustrated." The recipes were deemed to be easy to follow for children of all ages, with one person posting: "My son made the monkey bread all on his own and let me tell you, it was INCREDIBLE. It built his confidence in the kitchen."

This award-winning cookbookhas been lapped up by novices and experienced home cooks alike since it was published in 2015. As the mouthful of a title suggests, "The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science" by J. Kenji López-Alt examines the connections between cooking methods and ingredients, and explains how they combine to create great food.

An impressive 92% of its near-11,000 Amazon reviews are five-star, alongside almost 15,000 of the 23,857 total ratings on Goodreads. One reviewer on the latter site said it offered "great education and guidance in equipment, material, and basic concepts of using your home kitchen," while another described it as "wonderful and influential." In a thorough Amazon review, J. Kenji López-Alt's book was hailed as a "masterpiece" and "accessible to both beginners and seasoned chefs," while several others praised it for demystifying cooking techniques.

As anyone who has watched multiple seasons of "The Great American Baking Show" or "The Great British Baking Show" knows that bread can be a law unto itself, even in the hands of a relatively experienced home cook. In 2018, Bonnie Ohara's book "Bread Baking for Beginners" offered all the support and guidance novice bakers need.

Ohara's step-by-step guide to making kneaded, no-knead, and enriched breads from scratch has proved to be a winner. It has garnered 10,129 Amazon reviews, including 7,890 five-star ratings, while over on Goodreads, "Bread Baking for Beginners" has a little over 1,350 reviews. 

One Amazon reader praised the book's "welcoming, friendly, comprehensive introduction," as well as the "common-sense" way "Bread Baking for Beginners" had been written. Another said: "Great book that clearly explains not only what to do but why and then progressively builds on that foundation to make more advanced loaves."

Some home cooks are intimidated at the idea of trying American recipes, never mind one from foreign shores, but Ottolenghi Simple, published in 2018, lends a helping hand. In the introduction, Yotam Ottolenghi breaks down the book's title: short on time, ingredients (10 or less), make ahead, pantry-led, lazy-day dishes, and easier than you think.

"Ottolenghi Simple" has racked up 9,217 Amazon reviews, and over 11,680 on Goodreads, where one poster said it was the ideal book for someone who "doesn't know how to create their own recipes, or lacks a bit of confidence in the kitchen."

That view was echoed on Amazon, where a reviewer wrote: "I found these recipes to be very doable, and I think many of these I could do with my twelve year old little cousin."  

In 1991, Marcella Hazan's "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking" (a combination of two of her cookbooks that were published in the 1970s) introduced millions of beginners and experienced home cooks to this cuisine, and was celebrated in 2022 with a 30th Anniversary Edition.

Billed as "the go-to Italian cookbook for students, newlyweds, and master chefs, alike," with recipes including parsley and ricotta-stuffed pasta and a definitive tomato sauce, "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking" has 4,950 Amazon ratings and 24,862 on Goodreads, of which almost half are five-starred. 

One Goodreads reviewer, who wanted to give the book 10 stars, said: "Her 'tellin'-it-like-it-should-be'-ness reminds me a lot of my Granny. It's truth-telling in a loving, knowing, grandmotherly way." On Amazon, a commenter who admitted they had never really been interested in Italian food, said they learned through "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking" that it was "often so simple that it's absurdly and humorously simple."

Hundreds of professional chefs have been bellowed out of "Hell's Kitchen" by the swearing chef, but beginners get more gentle handling in "Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking," published in 2013. It contains recipes from around the world that aim to give novice and experienced home cooks "desire, confidence and inspiration."

It has 5,851 reviews on Amazon, of which 85% give the book five stars, as well as 49% of the 2,200 ratings on Goodreads. On the latter site, one person wrote: "Good instructions for a beginner, inspiring to read and includes tons of cookable recipes for home." Another Goodreads reviewer said: "This book is more of a cooking course, concise yet thoroughly and expertly taught, than just a collection of first rate recipes." Over on Amazon, a happy poster said: "He is a world class chef but does not talk down to you."

Molly Baz's "Cook This Book: Techniques That Teach and Recipes to Repeat" not only puts the fundamentals in place, it includes QR codes that link to teaching videos from the author too. The cookbook, published in 2021, has 3,161 Amazon reviews, of which 87% are five star, likewise over half the 3,346 ratings on Goodreads are also five star. 

One Goodreads reviewer stated: "Anyone who is even curious about learning how to approach a kitchen should get this and cook through it," and another enthused: "I was a complete novice at 35 but after about 4 months I am cooking every single meal for my wife." On Amazon, one reviewer said they would buy Baz's cookbook for someone who may be interested in learning how to cook, while another credited it with giving them the confidence to try to roast a whole chicken for the first time. 

Published in 2015, Naomi Imatome-Yun's "The Essential Wok Cookbook" aims to help anyone new to cooking Chinese food get to grips with their wok and create some delicious food. There are step-by-step illustrations for technical elements, including folding wontons or egg rolls – not to be confused with spring rolls — as well as specific recipes for home cooks who are strapped for time and/or cash.

"The Essential Wok Cookbook" has racked up 3,750 Amazon ratings, including 73% five-star reviews, alongside 17% that are four-starred. Many buyers like the fact they were able to make healthier and tastier versions of take-out meals. One self-confessed beginner said: "It explains all the terms and techniques, has how-to illustrations, and has very easy to follow recipes that [are] straightforward and don't have a bunch of unnecessary ingredients," while another appreciated how Imatome-Yun's book was good for novices and families on a tight budget. 

The culinary world is always looking for the next generation of Guy Fieris or Ina Gartens, and Robin Donovan's 2018 cookbook "The Baking Cookbook for Teens" is a great place for budding chefs to start that journey.

Filled with step-by-step recipe ideas as well as baking essentials and terminology, it has 3,408 reviews on Amazon, comprising 79% five star and 14% four-star ratings. Many reviewers said they bought Donovan's cookbook as a gift for their children, nieces, nephews, or grandchildren, and it had been a hit as it was so easy for youngsters to use.

One explained why they appreciated the small number of photographs in "The Baking Cookbook" because their child was less likely to be disappointed if their recipe looked different. They were also positive about the lack of shortcut ingredients, writing in their review: "Most recipes call for the user to make everything from scratch."

There is an art to smoking meat but, thanks to Bill West's crash course in "Smoking Meat 101: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide" everyone has the chance to become a meat Michaelangelo. It hit the shelves in 2019, and aimed to answer every question readers could think of, from the best smokers to which spices to use with which meat.

To date it has notched up 2,076 Amazon ratings, of which 79% are five starred and 15% are four starred. One reviewer said: "Hubby just got into smoking meats and is finding this cookbook very helpful with all the different recipes to try ... He will be busy now in his retirement."

Another detailed how West's cookbook helped them take the leap from grilling to smoking, writing: "The author takes you through it step by step and in great detail," while a third reviewer enthused about how their dad, who was not a great cook, had read it from cover to cover. 

Mark Bittman is the author behind the comprehensive, 10-part "How to Cook Everything" series, of which number two, "The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food," is described as an "essential teaching cookbook." It covers the essential techniques to cook 185 recipes, including soups whose leftovers are worth keeping and reheating, to mouthwatering desserts. Published in 2021, it has 2,597 Amazon reviews, including just over 2,000 five-star ratings.

One reviewer described it as a "great beginner cookbook," and added: "Those who need it — it's extremely helpful." Many bought "The Basics" as a gift for their loved ones who were starting out on their own or, like one commenter, were too busy to learn from them. Interestingly, seasoned cooks enjoyed Bittman's cookbook too. Another poster described it as a "step by step guide to get to where I want to be."