There is an old parable, the chef-d’oeuvre, of a rat that learns to culminate the sum of culinary arts. The allegorical text so elegantly quotes “anyone can cook.” If it is so easy to cook that even a rat can accomplish the seemingly-herculean task, then surely, we can too. All the spoofing and goofing aside, cooking is not something we are born with. Rather, it is learned. And because of this pandemic, we are amidst a great period and opportunity to learn how to cook. Below are ten cookbooks (all available on Amazon!), all of which can help you become the ultimate quarantine chef du jour.
highest rated cookbooks on Amazon, and the most affordable of the list. It is equipped with an introduction to what keto is, 75 recipes, and two-week meal plans. While it’s not a textbook excursion into keto, it holds its own with a variety of recipes to be offered, and the book costs less than one lunch meal.
Another highly rated cookbook, this keto-centered piece revolves around simple recipes to make. If you’re nestled up because of quarantine but wanted to maintain your keto diet or try it for the first time, this book has you covered. It includes 125 recipes with some meal-prep (large batches of food to save time later in the week, essentially) mindful recipes, and nutritional values for the recipes. Be aware that not all of the recipes will be exactly 5 ingredients, and may ask for more ingredients to compliment the dishes.
A sequel before the original in the list? Yes, because but hear us out. Just because it’s slightly cheaper, it’s no less an awesome book to start learning to cook delicious meals at home. Unlike most superhero movies (which can leave you confused if you skip the original), this cookbook is fresh right from the start. It comes with a grand total of 145 recipes. While the recipes are fairly traditional, it also includes more fancy restaurant dishes Gaines’s restaurants. If you seek an easy-to-read and follow cookbook, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Ah, yes: the ubiquitous instant pot. For those that either bought (or wound up with one) and have little idea what to do with it, take heart. This cookbook contains 100 examples why an instant pot is actually a culinary powerhouse. You — as well as the thousands before you — are sure to enjoy the journey and fulfillment of being able to create meals and desserts in your instant-pot. Yes, we said desserts. Even better? It has the recipe for the legendary proverbial ratatouille stew alluded to in the intro of this article.
And here it is: the original Magnolia Table cookbook. The recipes are a mix of classic family favorites, as well as dishes from her eponymous restaurant, Magnolia Table. The New York Times best-seller contains 125 heavy-hitters. There is something to be said about this book series for the beginner cook during the quarantine. Its recipes are meant for both comfort and to instill confidence in the novice. The reviews praise the book for the quality recipes it contains, which are truly meant to connect people to each other through the foods they share and enjoy together.
Enter: The Blue Zones Kitchen. If you want healthy (but also delicious!) globetrotting recipes to learn during quarantine, then look no further. This cookbook contains 100 recipes from around the world but also focuses on the meals eaten in areas with the longest life expectancy and general overall wellbeing. The reviews for the book have been overall very positive, mentioning that the recipes are a very tasty introduction to eating better. Please note, though, that some recipes may require hard to access ingredients, which may be difficult especially now during quarantine.
No, it’s not full of half-baked dessert recipes. That’d just be yucky. Also, not that the other kind of half-baked either (if you get our drift). Half Baked Harvest Super Simple is just that: super simple. Containing 125 recipes, you will find variety, but at no expense in its ease of learning. The recipes include recipes that are vegetarian, vegan, meal-prep mindful, and even contains a few instant pot recipes. The reviews highly praise this handy tome, and contains a great selection of easy — yet delicious! — recipes for the novice cook.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking has 100 recipes, all well explained to the budding chef. This book hosts the theory before the theorem. A bit of a stretch there, but the book does attempt to explain how flavors and sensations complement each other, not only teaching a good recipe, but good principles to carry on when cooking in the future. It is a solid book for those that want to understand cooking, all while learning recipes as a flavorful practice.
This cookbook is worth every cent. With over a quarter million copies and thousands of good reviews, the figures don’t stop there; this cookbook also contains an impressive 650 recipes. Nice! Cooking for Two is user friendly and true to its title, reducing food waste (a total must in these times). The recipes include meal prep, and boasts a wide varieties of recipes for those who are brand-spanking-new to cooking. The cookbook totally focuses on all those delicious recipes you possibly could dream up for you and your quarantine buddy.
Here’s a secret that many people don’t know: you don’t need a thousand random ingredients to make a delicious meal. These simple recipes are far from simple to the taste. Wielding a hearty 130 recipes, the recipes in 5 Ingredients are sure to bring out the best cook in you… without you needing to fill your shopping cart with strange or rare ingredients. The recipes include healthy recipes, but doesn’t skimp on desserts or comfort foods. If you want to eat healthier and try straightforward but complex-tasting recipes, this is for you.
