Check out my top 5 cookbooks for 2025, plus some favourite food writing – perfect gift ideas for the food lover in your life!
Well, once again it’s been a great year for cookbooks and food writing in general, so picking my top 5 cookbooks for 2025 has not been easy. I’ve gone through the books that have been across my kitchen table this year and, after some difficulty, have managed to pick out my 5 faves. If you’re short on holiday gift ideas for the food lover in your life, then this post is exactly what you need.
Make sure to read on to the end, because I’ve also picked out a few of my favourite food writing reads from the year too – perfect for those who really want to get a little deeper into the weeds when it comes to food knowledge.
So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here goes –
Slow Cooking by Olivia Andrews
Full of hearty warming meals, this is not the sort of food that many Australians will be thinking of at this time of the year, but nevertheless, it’s a cracker. It’s bursting with recipes for the time-poor, budget conscious home cook, with dishes that are adaptable, seasonal, (mostly) freezable, and delicious. Buy this for anyone who is looking to fill family, and guests, with tasty, versatile, easy-to-prepare meals.
Boustany by Sami Tamimi
This celebration of Palestinian vegetarian food is a wander down memory lane for Tamimi, who has based it on the food that was produced from his grandfather’s garden. It’s an inspiration for those of us interested in food culture, and who love the vibrant seasonal produce that’s available to us on fresh food shelves. Buy this for anyone who is looking to boost their veggie repertoire, and for those who enjoy the context of food stories from authentic sources.
Baking and the Meaning of Life by Helen Goh
You didn’t think I was going to make a list of my top 5 cookbooks for 2025 and not include a baking book, did you? I love Helen Goh’s book not just for her utterly divine, and seriously well tested recipes, but also for her insight and wisdom into why we love to bake and the place baking hold in the lives of many of us. Buy this for the baker in your life – be they experienced or aspirational. They’ll love you forever.
Persiana Easy by Sabrina Ghayour
I’ve adored Ghayour’s work since I first got my hands on Persiana, published by her in 2014. She’s a British-Iranian cook and food writer who’s committed to sharing the flavours of one of the most vibrant, fragrant and flavoursome cuisines in the world. Persiana Easy takes those delicious dishes and makes this culinary tradition accessible for those of us without the skills, time or culinary heritage. It’s fantastic! Buy this for anyone who loves the flavours of Persian food, and wants to explore it more conveniently.
The Weekly Grocery Shop by Nabula el Mourid
El Mourid is a South Australian mother and home cook who has been on a mission to help all of us make better choices at the supermarket. For many reasons, not everyone is able to shop at farmer’s markets, leaving us at the mercy of the big supermarkets. Nabula’s book, and the app she produced, help any home cook and shopper navigate the barrage of information on food packaging. This cookbook gives us simple tools to make better, more nutritious and more budget-friendly choices, with scaleable recipes all based on six weekly meal plans. Buy this book for anyone who shops and cooks, regardless of their age or skill level. Seriously – I learn something from Nabula every time I check her out.
A few food writing books and memoirs that I’ve enjoyed in 2025
I read a lot, and that always includes good food writing – so, in addition to my top 5 cookbooks of 2025, here’s a few I’d recommend. What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci is a light, amusing read that left me hungry, but with some solid ideas on how to fix that. Hunger Like a Thirst by Besha Rodell is the story of Rodell’s life as a food critic with a deep interest in the history around American culinary culture. She managed to stay anonymous for most of her critiquing career – no mean feat. Guts by Melissa Leong, a loved Australian food personality, is a raw, honest look at the Australian hospitality industry, accompanied by some of her favourite recipes.
If you’re interested in checking out whatever I happen to be reading, feel free to follow me on Good Reads.
PLEASE NOTE, AUSTRALIAN ONLINE BOOKSELLER BOOKTOPIA IS BACK IN BUSINESS. IF YOU PURCHASE ANY OF THESE COOKBOOKS FROM MY LINKS, YOU WILL GET A GREAT PRICE, AND I WILL GET A VERY SMALL COMMISSION.
