Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Original poster

Best vegetarian recipe book

26 replies

AvonCallingBarksdale · 30/12/2019 14:43

DD and I are going vegetarian from January. We’ve done veggie Lent before which was great but as this I more long term I need a larger repertoire. I’ve skimmed through a few books but I’d like some recommendations if poss. What I want to avoid is just a load of pasta/potato dishes on rotation and I’m not keen on meat substitutes or “pretend” food either. So does such a book even exist??! Thank you!

OP posts:
endgame67 · 30/12/2019 14:49

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's "Veg" book is great

Original poster
AvonCallingBarksdale · 30/12/2019 14:52

Ah great I’ll check that out, thanks.

OP posts:
Namethecat · 30/12/2019 14:55

Been a vegetarian for over 20 years. Bought Jamie Oliver's book that came out this year and it's excellent. It's simply called - Veg.

Mrsducky88 · 30/12/2019 15:03

Jamie’s Veg, Bosh, Hugh FW Veg and Meera Sohdas Fresh India

Original poster
AvonCallingBarksdale · 30/12/2019 15:45

Marvellous thanks.

OP posts:
PlausibleSuit · 30/12/2019 15:53

Simon Rimmer's The Accidental Vegetarian is worth a look. (The story goes that he bought a vegetarian restaurant and had to learn quickly how to make vegetarian food.) Some of the recipes are slightly meat-substitutey but not too much. And there are some terrific ones in there.

loubielou31 · 30/12/2019 15:57

"Food from the place below" and "feasts from the place below" they are both quite old but are lovely recipes.

Alez · 30/12/2019 15:58

Meera sodhas new book East is good. Her column in the guardian is excellent too. Anna Jones is good too but her recipes can be a bit ingredient heavy.

CodenameVillanelle · 30/12/2019 16:00

The Bosh vegan cookbooks are brilliant. You could make the recipes veggie if you want to.

StrawberryPi · 30/12/2019 16:01

Mob Veggie is good! Not too difficult, no crazy ingredients but very tasty.

BillieEilish · 30/12/2019 16:04

I'm definitely buying Jamies 'Veg', looks brilliant (Veggie for 20 years) but tired of doing SO much cooking now! DD eats like a horse and he does simple quick and nutritious food I think.

Seen some of the recipes on his YOUTUBE channel and they look fab.

Not at all keen on meat substitutes. Don't like meat and don't want to mimic it. He doesn't do that!

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 30/12/2019 16:06

Ottolenghi's Plenty and the Crank's Bible are my staples. Delia Smith and Antonio Carluccio's vegetarian cookbooks are a bit more old-school but have some great recipes. Not a fan of Bosh though.

BillieEilish · 30/12/2019 16:08

Yes, Delia's one is great and didn't Nigel Slater do one?

I love Nigel Slater.

BlackCatSleeping · 30/12/2019 16:17

Not a cook book, but I love this website for vegan recipes.

www.connoisseurusveg.com/

Their recipes are really flavorful.

MrsRedFly · 30/12/2019 17:04

Sam Stern's Eat Vegetarian - has a really good mix of recipes!

Freid · 30/12/2019 17:14

I did the same 5 years ago!

Deliciously Ella books are good, she has an app too which is 99p a month and is updated regularly.

Original poster
AvonCallingBarksdale · 30/12/2019 17:27

@Nowisthemonthofmaying, can I ask what you’re not keen on with Bosh?

OP posts:
Original poster
AvonCallingBarksdale · 30/12/2019 17:28

@Alez oh yes I’d forgotten about Meera in the Guardian - I’ve done a few of hers
Great suggestions, thanks everyone

OP posts:
Kaleidoscope93 · 30/12/2019 17:38

Any of the Anna Jones Modern way of cooking books!

Ocomeocomeimaginaryfleas · 30/12/2019 17:51

I have the Bosh book and I find the recipes a bit faffy and time consuming. Good results though.

I have loads of vegetarian cookery books but I only do one or two recipes from each. More and more I go to online recipes, I find the BBC Good Food recipes excellent, also Waitrose.

Ainsley Harriott is good for easy and fast recipes, if you like your spices.

midwintermorning · 30/12/2019 21:18

I was veggie for 25 years - and an avid collector of cookbooks. HFW is good as a basic veggie book - nothing new and any experienced veggie cook will not find much to excite them but if your a novice it's a good starting point. Cranks Fast food is good, interesting and quick and not overly worthy on the health food thing. Bought Jamie's book and have cooked a few things - it's ok, less useful than I'd hoped, I had to pimp up some of his recipes as the depth of flavour just wasn't there. Ottolenghi is exciting but sometimes complicated with odd ingredients but the flavours are almost always fantastic.
This is one of my favourite, very easy recipes - serve with a salad or new potatoes and broccoli. And choose a fresh goats cheese with no rind if you want something that isn't very goaty.

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/collections/savoury-tarts/roasted-tomato-and-goats-cheese-tart-with-thyme

TheLightGetsIn · 30/12/2019 22:00

Madhur Jaffrey World Vegetarian is great. No meat substitutes and very little pasta or heavy carby stuff. Just lots of inspiration for inventive things to do with pretty much any vegetable you can think of. You do need a well stocked spice rack, though!

Original poster
AvonCallingBarksdale · 30/12/2019 22:22

This is brilliant thanks everyone!

OP posts:
Deathraystare · 31/12/2019 08:36

Vegsoc.org the vegetarian society online

I agree Madhur Jaffrey's Worl Vegetarian is great. Hairy Bikers did a veggie book. Joe wicks did one Delia, Nigel Slater. I am sure River Cafe did a 'green' one (might not be 100% veggie, cannot remember. The Hamlyn 100 recipe series did one. Cranks did one (loved the homity pies!). Sarah Brown too. Also Celia Brookes Brown (or is it the other way around??!!)

Deathraystare · 31/12/2019 08:47

How could I forget Rose Elliott?! She has done a number of books. Some interesting nut roasts.

Oh and an american lady

www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetarian-Epicure-Penguin-Handbooks/dp/0140462015/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&keywords=Anna+Thomas&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1577781969&sr=1-4

I very much enjoyed her book (she has done others). think she is Polish/American . Some lovely soups etc and explains what she cooks for Christmas Eve polish veggie stylee!!