Jewish cookbooks overflow my kitchen shelves. Whether I am looking for a holiday treat or an everyday meal, I can always find something inspiring. Traditional, modern, or seemingly unrelated, my favorite Jewish cookbooks offer a huge variety of recipe options.
I know that I can get recipes online, but there is something special about that book, with the photos, instructions, and my notes in the margin that I can pass down to my kids someday.
My Jewish cookbooks help me plan, prepare, and enjoy. Like everyone, I have my go-to books, where I find my favorite recipes, or I simply like the author’s style.
Recently, I was discussing Jewish cookbooks with a few friends, and it turns out, we all have different preferences. There are some universal favorites, like anything from Susie Fishbein or Joan Nathan. In the end, our list has a dozen books, all liked by friends who also cook.
Below, find the best of the best. They make great holiday gifts for Hanukkah, weddings, or birthdays for the right person. Regardless of what you want to cook, at least one of these books will be right for you.
Recommended Jewish cookbooks
This list is a compilation of the favorite Jewish cookbooks among my friends. See if we included your favorite.
Jew-Ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch
by Jake Cohen
This one is a modern take on traditional recipes, from perfect roasted tomato brisket to Iraqi Beet Kebbeh Soup. It's a great collection from around the world.
Best of Kosher Cookbook
By Leah Schapira
This new book, published November 2022, is branding itself as the greatest hits of Kosher. With 84 iconic and new recipes from your favorite cookbook authors, it's got something for everyone.
Modern Jewish Comfort Food
by Shannon Sarna
Honestly, it was the name comfort foods that caught my eye first. Then I discovered 100 fresh recipes for delicious classic dishes. From kugel to kreplach, around the globe, we all define our comfort foods a bit differently. Lots of yummy options here. I think the cheese latkes are my favorites.
King Solomon's Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World:
By Joan Nathan
Yum, yum, yum. Joan Nathan's cookbook took me on a delicious trip through time. Traditional Jewish recipes from across the ages are enhanced with fun historical facts about our 3000-year-old culinary tradition.
Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen: A Cookbook
By Adeena Sussman
It's not just the recipes that make this book special. Adeena Sussman's stories about her adopted Israeli culture transported me to a beautiful world. I found her fun and fresh.
Peas, Love and Carrots: The Best-Selling Kosher Cookbook
By Danielle Renov
This is one of the two clear winners among my friends. It features over 254 recipes inspired by the author's Sephardic and Ashkenazi roots and created in her kitchen in Israel.
Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook
By Joan Nathan
Fun and unique, Joan Nathan's recipes are more than just the classic Jewish meals your grandma makes. She shares Jewish cooking that's been influenced by cultures around the world and how holidays have created and shaped them.
Breaking Breads: A New World of Israeli Baking
By Uri Scheft
One of our favorite bakers, Uri Scheft combines classic pastries with some fun modern twists. From simple challah to Nutella babkas, his recipes are always a hit at my house.
Full title: Breaking Breads: A New World of Israeli Baking--Flatbreads, Stuffed Breads, Challahs, Cookies, and the Legendary Chocolate Babka
RISING: The Book of Challah
By Rochie Pinson
From the story of challah to creating your own, this book takes you through Rochie's experience and insights into the art of baking challah. She offers 38 different recipes, so you will never be bored.
The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook
By Beth A Lee
Filled with 50 classic recipes, there are sure to be a few that will remind you of your own grandma, I know there are several for me. From babka to challah, there is something to bake for every holiday or just for dinner.
Second Helpings, Please!: The Iconic Jewish Cookbook
Edited by Norene Gilletz
You're not going to go wrong with this one. Created by the Mount Sinai Chapter of B'nai Brith Women as a catch-all cook book, it has a fantastic variety of tasty meals that are both simple and traditional.
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Bais Yaakov Cookbook
By Bais Yaakov
Another Kosher cookbook? Not quite. I love the recipes, but what makes this even better is its range of advice and guides. From a color guide for fruits and vegetables to how to shop for meat, wine, cookware, and more, this book has been a fantastic guide in the kitchen.
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Which of these Jewish cookbooks tops your wish list?
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More Jewish-style recipes you might like, or check out one of our favorite Jewish cookbooks.
Definitely would love to try out some of these cookbooks! Looks delicious!
What a great list of cookbooks! I love discovering new cookbooks. These look to be some that I will have to find!
I have a passion for cookbooks, and especially those that tell a story. This is a fantastic selection—I have not yet explored Jewish cuisine to any extent, so this list opens up a whole new world for me!
Wow what a beautiful collection! I wish I can cook from them all! When I visited Israel I did wish I could visit some bookstores but it was not to be. Will check them up. Thanks
Thank you for your recommendations. Here in Rome Jewish cooking is very appreciated and one of my favorite too. The Jewish neighborhood have the best trattorie and bakeries.
Honestly? I’d LOVE to try some of these! I am obsessed with Falafel!
Thank you for sharing your favorite cookbooks, always nice to get cookbook recommendations.
I have a few Jewish cookbooks which I love, but were not on your list. One on your list that sally jumped out at me was Baking Breads. I so loved all the bakeries in Israel and would love to learn how to make many of those desserts, authentically, like rugelach, babka, challah, za’atar pitas San such. All so yummy!
Such a great list I had to pin it!
The falafel look fantastic!
I have never tried authentic Jewish food , the cookbooks must be a definite help for me to try. I love the vegan part mostly.
Great compilation of jewish cookbooks. It will be a nice opportunity to learn Jewish cooking more in dept. And what I like is that they are all so diverse.
Wow, the falafel looks so delicious! I want one. And I feel like I need to experiment more in the kitchen now with Jewish food too.
I would love to have a copy of these books so that I can learn some of Jewish recipe to prepare for my family. Thank you for sharing this with us. Keep safe.
Oooh yum, I may want to look into a few of those, thanks!
This is great information. Will have to share this with my friends and family. Thanks for sharing.
I have to admit, I don’t know much about Jewish food, but I’m certainly willing to try! The Hanukkah Latkes look yum – I thought I’d give these a go first.
I’ve unfortunatley only had traditional Jewish food once. I have very fond memories that meal however and this post has inspired me to purchase a Jewish cookbook, so I can prepare a Jewish meal myself. Thank you!
What a great compilation of Jewish cookbooks! Would love to spend some more time learning about Jewish cuisine as I haven’t cooked much of it before. Also those falafel look so good!
So many delicious recipes in those books. I may need another bookshelf soon.