Craving something in particular? Searching on Google or using a popular hashtag on your favorite social media site is guaranteed to yield hundreds if not thousands of recipes. Need some recipe inspiration? Type in something generic or follow a favorite recipe developer, and you can scroll for hours watching videos of recipe tutorials, each more mouthwatering than the next. Given today’s technology, cookbooks aren’t a necessity. And yet, they endure.
Cookbooks ground us. They tell stories a caption just can’t capture. And practically speaking, they help keep our devices free from splatters. They won’t be lost in your endless feed of saved posts or forgotten as a new reel lights up your brain. These authors poured countless hours into their respective books, and we all benefit from supporting their work.
All of these vegan cookbooks were written by Black authors, and the contents range wildly. There are produce-focused books like Bryant Terry’s Vegetable Kingdom, health-focused books from Tracye Lynn McQuirter, and family-friendly works by Tabitha Brown and Charity Morgan.
Table of Contents
Plant-based cookbooks by Black vegan chefs and authors
There’s always a bit more room on the shelf for a quality vegan cookbook. Listed in no particular order, here are 21 works by Black authors to check out right now.
1 Cooking from the Spirit by Tabitha Brown
What started as a viral video in 2018 has bloomed into a full-fledged career. Tabitha Brown’s rave review of the Whole Foods TTLA vegan sandwich has led her down the path of influence and entertainment in media, from her own Food Network competition show to her Target collections to this joyful vegan cookbook. Here, Brown shares hearty, wholesome, and family-friendly recipes for the home cook, sans measurements (but don’t fret, just cook from the spirit!). Expect plenty of vibrant salads, nourishing breakfast options, and kid favorites like sloppy joes and Mexican pizza.
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2Eat Plants B*tch by Pinky Cole
Famed restaurateur and philanthropist Pinky Cole Hayes added cookbook author to her resume in 2022, but some may be surprised by its contents. Cole Hayes’ restaurant, Slutty Vegan, is known for its over-the-top sandwiches stacked with multiple patties, fried vegan seafood, and the infamous Slut Sauce (her version of secret sauce). Readers will find a good handful of Slutty Vegan adjacent eats, but the book is overwhelmingly full of more nourishing, healthier options—things Cole Hayes eats every day. Look for stewed chickpeas with mango salsa and plantains; Brussels rigatoni carbonara, and vegetable-based Barbecue Beet Loaf.
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3 Black Rican Vegan by Lyana Blount
Lyana Blount is the founder of the New York City pop-up Black Rican Vegan, but if you can’t make it to the Big Apple to sample her delicious plant-based family recipes, we highly recommend ordering her cookbook instead. Expect to find 60 flavor-packed recipes, everything from birria tacos to Bronx Fried Oyster Mushrooms.
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4 Blk + Vegan by Emani Corcran
Food blogger Emani Corcran knows that going vegan doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite comfort foods, and in this cookbook, she’s sharing her knowledge and deliciously satisfying (and protein-packed) vegan recipes with the wider world. Waffles, jambalaya, and Caribbean rice and beans are just a few examples of the tasty recipes you can find inside Blk + Vegan.
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5 Forage & Feast by Chrissy Tracey
Set for release in April, this cookbook from forager and chef Chrissy Tracey offers more than just delicious recipes. Through identification guides, nature photographs, and tips, Tracey will have you finding and cooking with wild ingredients, including dandelions and pawpaws, in no time.
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6 Makini’s Vegan Kitchen by Makini Howell
Plum Bistro, Chef Makini Howell’s Seattle restaurant, has long been a favorite among vegans and non-vegans alike. Howell first shared her cult-favorite restaurant recipes nearly 11 years ago. Released last year, this 10th-anniversary edition brings the chef’s cuisine right into your kitchen.
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7 Plentiful by Denai Moore
Jamaican food is often generalized into meat-heavy dishes. As with any cuisine, there are nuances those unfamiliar with it just don’t get. Author Denai Moore covers the spectrum of Jamaican dishes in this cookbook, from rice and pea arancini to heart of palm-based salt fish paired with fried savory green plantains. We also love the chapter titles in this book. Categories like Salads that Aren’t Lame, Dessert as a Lifestyle, and Sides that Have Main Event Energy peak our interest immediately.
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8 Vegan Africa by Marie Kacouchia
This pan-African cookbook draws from the flavor traditions of 15 nations represented in over 70 recipes. Savor dishes such as Rwandan vegetable soup, atakilt wat (Ethiopian cabbage, potatoes, and carrots), vegetable mafe (Malian peanut stew), and more. Author Marie Kacouchia also includes plenty of appetizers, beverages, and desserts like coconut rice pudding and plantain pancakes. Even if you don’t cook from this book (though we hope you do), it’s a wonderful read to learn more about these food traditions and broaden your culinary knowledge.
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9 Unbelievably Vegan by Charity Morgan
After batch cooking for an NFL team, author Charity Morgan knows her way around the kitchen. She prepped massive meals for many of the Tennessee Titan players when her husband—linebacker Derrick Morgan—played for the team. Her recipes satisfy both hungry athletes and families alike, from Buffalo Chick’n Tacos and loaded fries to chickpea-based vegetable omelets and jerk-spiced lentils.
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10 Vegan Soul Food Cookbook by Nadira Jenkins
Chef Nadira Jenkin’s cookbook debut doesn’t disappoint. Expect to drool over Cajun Fried “Chicken” and Bacon-Lover Salad, but not before reading the introductory pages that offer a history of soul food cuisine and its staple ingredients.
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11 By Any Greens Necessary by Trayce Lynn McQuirter
Trayce Lynn McQuirter’s first full-length work is more than just a cookbook—it’s a resource for inspiration and a direct letter to Black women. The book’s subtitle—A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat—makes it a first of its kind. The book details Mcquirter’s personal plant-based journey and provides over 40 excellent recipes that nourish the body and satisfy the soul.
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12Ageless Vegan by Trayce Lynn McQuirter
McQuirter’s second cookbook came to fruition as a mother/daughter project. Co-authored by McQuirter’s mom, Mary, Ageless Vegan focuses on foods for longevity and overall wellness. The book includes 100 plant-based recipes from divine maple French toast with strawberries to spicy Cajun quinoa with okra and tomato.
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13 Vegan Soulfood Guide to the Galaxy by Afya Ibomu
Before you raise an eyebrow, the space-themed title does not entail freeze-dried hush puppies or “just add water” mac and cheese. Think of it as your comprehensive guide to vegan soul cuisine. From incredible recipes to grocery lists and eating-out tips, you’ll gain more than just a stellar collard green recipe from this book.
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14 Vegan Hippie Sol by Dominique Williamson
Chef Dominique Williamson’s debut cookbook offers the beginner cook an entry into the wonder of vegan soul food. Each recipe offers tips and capitalizes specific directions to ensure the dish is always a success. The fifty-page primer includes all the Southern essentials—from smoked sausage gravy to Southern loaded cheddar grits.
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Bryant Terry
15 Vegetable Kingdom by Bryant Terry
When an author has been named one of San Francisco Magazine’s “11 Smartest People in the Bay Area Food Scene” and Fast Company’s “9 People Who Are Changing the Food World,” we buy the cookbook. Vegetable Kingdom is James Beard-award-winning chef Bryant Terry’s fifth book, and it doubles as a reliable cooking resource and a gorgeous coffee table book. Recipes include standout dishes such as barbecue carrots with slow-cooked white beans and millet roux mushroom gumbo.
Find it here
Bryant Terry
16Afro Vegan by Bryant Terry
Terry’s fourth book focuses on the foods of the African diaspora. As the now former Chef-in-Residence of the Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco, Terry is an expert in the cuisine. The 100-plus recipes present vegan twists on traditional dishes such as muscovado-roasted plantains and peanut stew with winter vegetables and corn dumplings.
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17 Sweet Potato Soul by Jenné Claiborne
This beautifully photographed, comprehensive work of Jenné Claiborne’s recipes deserves to be a part of your everyday repertoire. Claiborne insists and proves that soul food doesn’t have to be celebration food—it’s everyday food, and it’s not just mac and cheese and fried foods. Yes, there are fluffy biscuits and sweet potato pie, but Claiborne also includes nourishing recipes such as Georgia watermelon and peach salad and Caribbean steamed cabbage.
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18 Rachel Ama’s Vegan Eats by Rachel Ama
Loyal fans of Rachel Ama’s popular plant-based recipe blog and YouTube channel practically did cartwheels when this vegan maven debuted her first cookbook in 2019. In cadence with Ama’s homemade-made-simple style, the book highlights dozens of one-pot-wonders, foolproof British classics, quick homey meals, and comforting classics from her Caribbean and West African roots. Cook your way through Caribbean dumplings to sticky toffee pudding!
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19
Soul Food Recipe Guide by Brooke Brimm
Rev. Dr. Brooke Brimm has made it her life’s work to help others live healthier, happier lives, and she does so through her spiritual counseling, yoga retreats, and this mindful vegan cookbook. The recipes prove that while soul food can be the celebratory dishes we tend to associate with the cuisine—such as macaroni and cheese, cobbler, and fried vegan chicken—it can also be healthy, fresh, and vibrant. Savor the balance this book provides between the vegetable-infused decadent dishes and the delicious everyday eats.
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20A Southern Girl’s Guide to Plant-Based Eating by Cametria Hill
Aimed at the beginner vegan, this personable plant-based resource guide offers more than recipes; Hill provides her best tips on eating out, grocery lists, plant-based alternatives, and cooking basics. Her recipes are both creative, accessible, and affordable, making the transition to vegan eating possible for everyone. Look forward to frying up Banana Nut Hush Puppies, Fiya Fiya CamBalaya, Carrie B’s Cornbread Dressing, and even gluten-free sweet potato pie. We’re already salivating.
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21Vegan Nigerian Kitchen by Tomi Makanjuola
Author Tomi Makanjuola will make your mouth water with over 100 plant-based Nigerian recipes from spicy soups and stews to delightful sweets and savory snacks. Given this many recipes, it’s hard to decide what to make first, but we highly recommend starting with the decadently soft and pillowy gurasa bread and pairing it with efo riro (leafy green stew) to sop up all the flavor. Note: the amount of scotch bonnet peppers you use is up to you!
Find it here
For more Black vegan changemakers, read:
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