Ottolenghi SIMPLE TOO

With his latest cookbook, Yotam Ottolenghi returns to the principles of his 2018 bestseller Ottolenghi SIMPLE, which distilled the chef’s unique flair for flavour-packed, restaurant-quality dishes into unfussy recipes that home cooks can return to time and again.

Each of the 135 recipes in SIMPLE TOO has an element that makes it… well, simple. They can be cooked in one pot, made in 30 minutes, or prepped ahead of time. The common thread uniting them all, however, is that they are designed for the busyness and distractions of modern life, whilst bringing some much-needed meditative joy to time spent in the kitchen.

Not quite sold yet? Here are five things you should know about Ottolenghi SIMPLE TOO, and a sneak preview of 10 must-try recipes you’ll find inside.

Best for: Keen home cooks who want an accessible way into Ottolenghi’s trademark style of cooking; simple yet elevated recipes.

Mary All in One

Mary Berry is widely beloved thanks to her classic bakes and fuss-free home cooked dishes. With Mary All in One, she’s compiled her very best recipes that come together in one pot, pan or dish – so you can save yourself time and washing up.

From soups to hearty meat dishes, veggie mains to salads and sides (and, of course, plenty of bakes and puddings), these are the Mary Berry recipes you know and love, complete with all-new photography. You can also get a sneak preview of our favourite Mary All in One recipes with our essential roundup.

Best for: Fans of Mary Berry’s greatest hits; anyone who loves a one-pot recipe.

Rick Stein’s Cookery Course

With over 60 years of cooking experience under his belt, Rick Stein has plenty of wisdom to impart – and he encapsulates it perfectly in this informative book. Rick Stein’s Cookery Course spans a whopping 400 pages and 150 classic recipes, accompanied by step-by-step photography and interspersed with indispensable tips and personal anecdotes from the man himself.

Best for: A versatile, comprehensive alternative to a one-off cooking class; the budding chef who’s always dreamed of going to culinary school.

20 Minute Meals: Dinner in 20 Minutes or Less

Quicker, healthier, and far more satisfying than your average takeaway – these are the meals you can rely on when you’re short on time. 70% of the recipes in 20 Minutes Meals hit daily nutrition targets, and 100% of them passed a simple yet important test: if they couldn’t be made in 20 minutes, they didn’t make the cut.

From go-to pasta to brilliant bean dishes, satisfying rice dishes to veggie heroes, preview some of our must-try recipes from the pages of 20-Minute Meals and the accompanying Channel 4 series.

Best for: Anyone who wants to ditch the takeaway apps for good in 2027; anyone who’s short on time and needs fresh cooking inspiration.

Good Mood Food

Tim Spector is our go-to author for all things gut health, with cookbooks that demystify the (sometimes overwhelming and complicated) science of eating well and reducing our intake of ultra-processed foods. His latest, Good Mood Food, explores the science-backed link between the food we eat and our brain health, energy levels, and overall mood.

From quick breakfasts to nourishing dinners and satisfying snacks, each of the versatile recipes in this book includes a helpful visual key for anti-inflammatory ingredients, high-quality protein, and healthy fats, alongside how many plants and how much fibre they contain. Discover some of our favourites with our roundup of free and preview recipes you’ll find inside.

Best for: Anyone with a casual interest in nurturing their gut health, boosting their energy levels, and improving their overall wellbeing.

The Curry Bible

The Curry Bible sees Nisha Katona MBE, the founder and executive chef of the popular Mowgli Street Food restaurants, bring us into her home kitchen to share the effortless, flavour-packed recipes she loves to cook in her spare time.

Expect curry house favourites such as Pani Puri, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Passanda, and Goan Fish Curry, alongside lesser-known (but no less delicious) dishes, and a healthy serving of homemade condiments and sides. Woven throughout is Nisha’s exceptional knowledge of curry and Indian dishes, with each recipe introduced with the history of its origin and evolution.

Best for: Fans of Indian food who wish every night could be curry night.

Discover more of our favourite Indian cookbooks.

The Greatest Traybake Cookbook Ever

We’re no stranger to the wonders of a savoury traybake, but this is the kind of cookbook that proves just how versatile and exciting they can be.

Covering everything from speedy weeknight meals to impressive dinner party-worthy centrepieces (and an entire chapter dedicated solely to chicken), the 100 traybake recipes developed here by chef and food content creator John Gregory-Smith bring variety and flavour to this humble cooking method. Discover 10 of our favourites, ranging from Crispy Gnocchi with Burrata and Green Pesto to Coconut, Coriander and Lime Cod, with our sneak preview of the book.

Best for: Fans of flavoursome one-and-done recipes that leave the oven to do all the hard work.

The Italian Table

Theo Randall, formerly head chef of the beloved London institution River Café, is one of the UK’s foremost chefs specialising in Italian cuisine. His latest cookbook beautifully mimics the structure and flow of a classic Italian meal, moving through Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, Contorni and Dolci with charming location photography and, where relevant, details on the regional origins of each authentic dish. In short, The Italian Table encapsulates the escapism, flavour, variety, and effortless beauty of Italian cooking.

Best for: The kind of foodie who knows there’s more to Italian cuisine than pasta and pizza.

Chocolate Baking

Bestselling food writer and inaugural Bake Off winner Edd Kimber is back, this time with the ultimate love letter to chocolate. Spanning everything from Miso and White Chocolate Cookies, to Sour Cherry Custard Buns with Cocoa Streusel, to the perfectly fudgy and endlessly customisable Choose Your Adventure Chocolate Layer Cake, Chocolate Baking is a true celebration of chocolate in all its forms.

Best for: Chocolate lovers, baking lovers, and anyone who’s obsessively nerdy about the science (and art) of creating professional-calibre bakes at home.

Pick Your Bottles

If you know your merlot from your malbec, but still find wine shopping a confusing (if not overwhelming) task, Pick Your Bottles is the perfect book for you. Penned by Noble Rot co-founder Dan Keeling, this guide to 100 must-try wines will help you uncover the hidden gems beyond the big names and kooky labels, introducing you to the little-known growers who deserve recognition. And with featured wines starting at £10-20 per bottle (with most under £45), there’s something for every occasion and budget.

Best for: Wine lovers who want to navigate the aisles of a wine shop with effortless confidence; your friend who always has the best taste in bars and restaurants.

Batch From Scratch

Suzanne Mulholland, better known to her fans as The Batch Lady, has saved us from meal prep fatigue, and even Christmas crisis, with her brilliant cookbooks and Channel 4 series Batch from Scratch, which she co-presented with Joe Swash.

This companion to Batch from Scratch features a 28-day meal plan and customisable planner, so you can recreate your favourite on-screen recipes and tailor them to your your own weekly routine. What’s more, you’ll find a detailed intro covering everything you need to know about prepping, freezing, and storing your food – so you can get batching with confidence.

Best for: Busy parents who want not just a few handy recipes, but a clear easy-to-follow meal plan that will feed a hungry household.

Looking for more gifting inspiration? Discover our best batch cooking cookbooks.

Mexican Soul

Mexican Soul is the debut cookbook of Santiago Lastra, the award-winning chef and restaurateur behind the Michelin-starred KOL in Marylebone, which is widely regarded as the world’s best Mexican restaurant outside of Mexico.

Through 80 vibrant, creative recipes, Santiago blends his Mexican heritage and culinary know-how with the produce and cupboard staples found in your typical British kitchen and supermarket. Expect a full range of authentic and inventive recipes, with the first half of the book acting as a guide to the flavour profiles and traditional dishes of Mexican cooking, and the latter part dedicated to inventive recipes using unexpected ingredients (think poppadom tostadas, Mushroom al Pastor, and Cod Empanadas made with pizza dough in lieu of corn masa).

Best for: The foodie who loves exploring cultures and fusion cuisines from the comfort of their own kitchen.