15 Regional Cookbooks That Will Have You Eating Coast to Coast
Updated: Dec. 08, 2023
Every part of America brings something different to the table—literally. Check out our favorite regional cookbooks so you can get a taste of what the whole country has to offer.
Smoke, Roots, Mountain, Harvest: Recipes and Stories Inspired by My Appalachian Home
Cook along with the seasons in Smoke, Roots, Mountain, Harvest ($30). This gorgeous cookbook shows off both rustic and refined recipes straight out of Appalachia. We’ve already bookmarked the honey-pickled peaches and succotash crostini. Check out these recipes inspired by classic Appalachian foods.
Why it made our list: This installment comes from the author of the award-winning food blog, Harvest and Honey.
The New Midwestern Table
Go beyond your old fashioned potluck with recipes from Amy Thielen’s The New Midwestern Table ($35). The Minnesota native compiles recipes that make use of the region’s choice ingredients—morel mushrooms, wild rice and smoked sausage—to make new takes on old favorites. Be sure to try our favorite Midwestern recipes, too!
Why it made our list: These recipes really get to the heart of America’s heartland.
Homegrown: Cooking from My New England Roots
Learn how to cook like a true New Englander with Homegrown ($35). Chef Matt Jennings shows an appreciation for all that the region has to offer and then puts a modern spin on some of the classics. Try his Yankee-style carbonara with razor clams or go more traditional with brown bread and clam chowder. You can try our favorite recipes from New England cooks, too.
Why it made our list: The author, Matt Jennings, is a James Beard Award finalist.
Taste of Home Recipes Across America
If you want a taste of regional cooking from coast to coast, you can always check out our collection of recipes from across the US ($25). Be sure to check out the best recipes from every state, too!
Why it made our list: Every recipe is Test Kitchen-approved!
Aloha Kitchen: Recipes from Hawai’i
Looking to capture the spirit of Hawaii in your food? Look no further than Aloha Kitchen ($30). This cookbook gathers thc classics mainlanders might know—like shave ice, poke and spam fried rice—as well as plenty of authentic dishes right from Hawaiian home kitchens. Psst! Do you know how to cut a pineapple like a Hawaiian?
Why it made our list: This book lets you take a vacation…without ever leaving the kitchen!
Carla Hall’s Soul Food
Take inspiration from Carla Hall’s Nashville kitchen with Carla Hall’s Soul Food ($30). The Top Chef alum and host of The Chew proves that soul food can be so much more than barbecue. In this book, Carla shares her recipes for classics like tomato pie as well as deep cuts like Caribbean smothered chicken and cracked shrimp with comeback sauce.
Why it made our list: This book is packed with recipes for comfort food at its finest.
New Prairie Kitchen: Stories and Seasonal Recipes from Chefs, Farmers, and Artisans of the Great Plains
Chefs from the Great Plains come together in New Prairie Kitchen ($30). Through their recipes, they share what America’s Breadbasket has to offer—plenty of fresh produce, dairy and proteins. Take some tips from the chefs and shop locally for these dishes. Next, check out these recipes inspired by life on the prairie.
Why it made our list: In addition to the recipes, we love the personal stories woven throughout this book.
Nathan Turner’s I Love California: Live, Eat, and Entertain the West Coast Way
Travel from Southern California to the Sierra Nevadas to wine country to the redwoods in Nathan Turner’s I Love California ($40). The recipes are sure to have you in a Cali state of mind (and ready for a trip) by the time you’ve cooked your way through. You can try our favorite recipes from California cooks!
Why it made our list: This book has entertaining tips, too!
Original Local:Â Indigenous Foods, Stories, and Recipes from the Upper MidwestÂ
Tribes including the Objibwe, Lakota and Menominee have come together to compile their most treasured recipes in Original Local ($20). Learn more about how indigenous peoples from the Midwest use local ingredients like maple, wild rice and berries to make stunning dishes that belong on any table.
Why it made our list: This collection goes back to the basics and features beloved local ingredients.
The Taste of Country Cooking
The Taste of Country Cooking ($27) has been in print for decades—and for good reason. Chef Edna Lewis helped changed the way Americans thought about Southern cooking. Rely on her classic recipes to help elevate your country-style meals.
Why it made our list: You’ll find menus for all four seasons!
The United Tastes of Texas
Take a culinary tour of Texas with this cookbook ($25). You’ll find recipes from each region as well as Lone Star favorites like brisket, black-eyed peas and chicken fried steak.
Why it made our list: Each chapter contains a little history lesson, too.
Open Range:Â Steaks, Chops, and More from Big Sky Country
Get a taste of Big Sky Country and the Rockies with Open Range ($22). This protein-forward volume is a great resource for learning how to cook all kinds of game including quail, elk and venison.
Why it made our list: It’s a great gift for the hunter in your life!
The Alaska from Scratch Cookbook
While you may not expect it, Alaska is home to plenty of gorgeous produce and fresh ingredients ready for the kitchen. Maya Wilson shows off what our northernmost state has to offer in The Alaska from Scratch Cookbook ($28). It includes recipes that take advantage of the summer’s wild berries, the state’s famous seafood as well as many cold weather favorites (think stews, potpies and soups).
Why it made our list: This book is a great way to get a taste of an often-overlooked food culture.
A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus
Chef and James Beard Award winner Renee Erickson takes inspiration from the Puget Sound, regional produce and French cuisine to create a distinctly Pacific Northwestern style. You can recreate some of her favorite dishes with A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus ($40). You’ll feel like you just returned from the Pike Place Market.
Why it made our list: This collection is beautiful to look at. You could even use it as a coffee table book!
Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook
Take some tips from the king of Southwestern cooking. In his classic cookbook ($35), Bobby Flay shares his love of the region and his signature dishes like queso fundido with roasted poblano vinaigrette, coffee-rubbed filet with ancho sauce and plenty of grilled favorites.
Why it made our list: Bobby Flay is one of the most well-known chefs in the industry.
