5 Winter Recipe-Ready Cookbooks for 2026
Welcome to Bri Books! We’re returning to our bookish roots today with a deep dive of the 5 best cookbooks to help you cook around the world in winter 2026. I don’t know about you, but the deep winter temperatures make me want to run to my Instant Pot and my oven instead of the local restaurant or watering hole. In this episode, I walk through my top 5 cookbooks for winter-ready, no-fuss meals. If you’re new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please tell me where you’re traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.
Bri Books Top 5 Winter Recipe-Ready Cookbooks for 2026
Something From Nothing by Alison Roman
Alison Roman’s latest cookbook invites us into the magic of pantry cooking, and turning store-cupboard staples like beans, olives, and pasta into deceptively simple but deeply satisfying meals. With more than 100 recipes that balance bold flavors and intuitive techniques, this book offers crowd-pleasing classics (think saucy roasted eggplant pasta and crispy baked beans) alongside soups, salads, and weeknight mains that transform “basically nothing” into something unforgettable. I love this book as both reading and as a reference for my home cooked winter meals.
Made Here: Recipes & Reflections From NYC’s Asian Communities
“Made Here” is a remarkable cookbook that goes beyond the typical what-to-make-recipes format to serve as a cultural document. Drawn from more than 40 restaurants representing 18+ Asian cuisines across New York City, Made Here celebrates community, heritage, and resilience. Each recipe is paired with evocative storytelling, chef profiles, and rich photography, preserving dishes from turnip cake to Burmese rice salad while honoring the people and neighborhoods that keep these traditions alive. Proceeds support Send Chinatown Love’s work with small businesses and community programs, underlining how food can nourish both body and community.
New York Junior League 120th Anniversary Cookbook
As a member of the New York Junior League, I can tell you that gracious hosting is an art form. Part community artifact, part kitchen companion, this anniversary cookbook showcases the breadth of home cooking traditions within the New York Junior League community. Featuring over 160 recipes from members and friends, including restaurateurs and home cooks alike. The NYJL 120th anniversary cookbook is a treasure trove of comfort foods, crowd favorites, and celebratory dishes. From soups and sauces to pasta, sides, and sweets, this book captures a century’s worth of culinary memory, making it ideal for gatherings and everyday meals alike.
One Pot Feeds All by Darina Allen
While One Pot Feeds All spans a tradition of practical cooking rather than a single cuisine or era, its ethos resonates with cooks seeking simplicity without sacrificing flavor. Designed around meals that require minimal cleanup and maximum comfort, its recipes appeal to home cooks who want hearty meals from a single vessel, whether that’s a Dutch oven, skillet, or slow cooker. While some readers find the execution occasionally challenging, many appreciate its creativity and approachable structure.
5. Essentials of Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
No culinary library is complete without Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. A unification of her earlier classic Italian texts, this book has long been revered as an indispensable guide to authentic Italian home cooking. Covering nearly every technique and staple from risotto to ragù to perfect pasta sauces, Hazan’s work remains influential decades after its publication, teaching timeless fundamentals with clarity and passion.
If you’re new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please tell me where you’re traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.
