I can remember the first time I had to cook for myself at college.
It was the most nerve wracking experience of my life.
But that omelette turned out just fine and it did so because my mom had given me some amazing “how to” cookbooks to refer to.
So, I thought I’d pass that favor on to you and round up what I think are the best “how to” cookbooks available today.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements Of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat and Wendy MacNaughton
The ultimate “how to” book which explains the four things that make up the backbone of every good meal and how to put them together to get super tasty food.
Also, if you want to roast a chicken perfectly, they’ve got you covered, it’s amazing!
Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings by Yossy Arefi
Baking may be sneered at by Gordon Ramsay but it is, in fact, a highly creative and demanding part of cookery and Yossy Arefi’s “how to” approach will turn you into a competent baker in no time at all.
And everyone loves cakes, right?
Cookin Solo: The Fun of Cooking For Yourself by Klancy Miller
The thing is, we all have to prepare food just for ourselves at some point in time and it’s not always a lot of fun.
Klancy, on the other hand, will show you how to have fun and how to cook once to last multiple occasions.
30-Minute Cookbook for Beginners: 100+ Recipes For The Time-Pressed Cook by Colleen Kennedy
The world we live in seems set to “high-speed” all of the time, it’s not healthy to rush your food all of the time, mind you.
But when it’s necessary, Colleen Kennedy shows you how to get the job done with as little fuss as possible.
Joy of Cooking by Irma S Rombauer
There is no more established “how to” cook book in the world than Joy Of Cooking which has sold over 18 million copies!
Your grandparents learned how to cook from this book and you will too.
It’s so good it’s on our 40 best cookbooks of all time list too!
Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4 A Day by Leanne Brown
If you have to manage on a tight budget, you don’t need to eat terrible, unhealthy meals.
Instead, you can turn to Leanne Brown and she’ll teach you how to eat superbly for just $4 a day!
The Food Lab: Better Cooking Through Science by J Kenji Lopez-Alt
This is a huge book and it says “science” on the front too!
Don’t worry, it’s funny, easy to read and ever so helpful in not just learning how to cook but also why we do what we do in the kitchen!
Small Victories: Recipes, Advice and Hundreds of Ideas For Home Cooking Triumphs by Julia Turshen
What we love about Julia Turshen is that she teaches you how to do some super basic stuff in the kitchen but the end results?
They’re much more than the sum of their parts.
How To Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition by Mark Bittman
As the name suggests this is a very popular “how to” cookbook and deservedly so.
When you want to master the basics of cookery, Mark Bittman is the perfect mentor.
Baking Illustrated by Cook’s Illustrated Magazine Editors
We love this book which teaches you everything you need to know about how to do baking.
What really makes it stand out from the pack are the beautiful illustrations inside.
Vietnamese Food Any Day: Simple Recipes For True, Fresh, Flavors by Andrea Nguyen
Everyone should tackle learning how to cook another culture’s cuisine at some point and we love Andrea Nguyen’s authentic take on Vietnamese food.
It’s so easy to make pho when you know how!
Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family by Ina Garten
When you want to know how to make food just as it should be from a welcoming home stove, there’s nothing better than Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family Style.
It’s like every childhood meal but better.
Final Thoughts On The Best How-To Cookbooks
Getting started with cooking doesn’t need to be a chore with these amazing “how to” cookbooks.
And if you’ve enjoyed these then you may also appreciate our picks for the very best vegetarian cookbooks and these awesome air fryer cookbooks too.
