Regional Mexican. Epochal Indian. Soulful salads. Chinese-ish condiments. Psychological cakes.  

We covered some serious ground on the cookbook front this year. As a result, our home cooking has never looked this good. We wolfed down Natty Wolf’s Thai chicken rice. Devoured this dumpling salad by Rosheen Kaul. Justin Narayan’s Indian fish burger – murdered! That’s just a taste of the new recipes we’ve added to the rotation this year. 

Though the geographic spread was thrilling to say the least, the levels of style on display were astonishing – especially when you consider most of these titles were produced by first-time authors. Among them were deeply personal expressions of Vietnamese and South Asian cuisines from influential chefs. There was a book about baking and the meaning of life. And a few were flaunting some of the most gorgeous photography we’ve seen committed to page.

Yes, some of these titles are keepsakes – but they’re keepsakes you can (and should) use often. That’s the benchmark for an outstanding cookbook, really. So, here are 21 of this year’s best to add to your collection and expand your cooking repertoire in 2026. Happy cooking, everyone.

The Australian Ingredients Kitchen by Elder Bruno Dann and Tahlia Mandie

Native ingredients are too easily overlooked in favour of their international counterparts. This book, by bushfoods industry pioneer Bruno Dann and Tahlia Mandie of Kakadu Plum Co, aims to change that with 60 everyday recipes from First Nations and non-Indigenous cooks. It’ll show you how to build your own native pantry, then put it to work with cacao, coconut and gubinge (Kakadu plum) smoothie bowl; “chilli con kanga” tortillas with warrigal greens salsa verde; and a raspberry and finger lime custard pie. 

Published by Murdoch Books RRP $39.99. 

Baking and the Meaning of Life by Helen Goh 

Helen Goh knows a thing or two about writing a bestselling cookbook. Her titles Ottolenghi Comfort and Sweet – co-authored with Yotam Ottolenghi – were international hits. This year Goh struck out on her own with a cookbook that manages to combine her psychology background with bakes that reflect the “moments and occasions that make up life”. The 100 sweet and savoury recipes within prove baking is also a state of mind. 

Published by Murdoch Books RRP $55.

Cook Korea by Billy Law 

Billy Law is a renaissance man. The Malaysian Australian Masterchef alum is a web designer, travel writer, food stylist, photographer and ceramicist. With his new cookbook, Cook Korea, he’s adding K-food expert to his repertoire. This tribute to the country’s cuisine includes 70 recipes for street food faves such as tteokbokki and japchae, and homestyle classics bulgogi and bibimbap. The last kimchi recipe you’ll ever need? Billy’s got you covered.

Published by Smith Street Books RRP $49.99.

Everything is Indian by Justin Narayan 

No matter what he was cooking, Justin Narayan’s mum would always find “a tiny bit of Indian in there”. The Masterchef winner’s Fijian Indian heritage is the jumping off point for many of his recipes (the more trad ones can be whipped up in around 30 minutes). But as the title suggests, Narayan can make Mexican and Middle Eastern fare feel Indian-ish with just a few clever tweaks. He leaves nothing off the table either, weaving influences from the suburbs of Perth (Chinese) and Sydney (Portuguese) into a cookbook that’s about as fun as they get.

Published by Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.

The Food of Bharat by Helly Raichura

The rise of South Asian cuisines has been a thrilling development in Australian dining. At the forefront is Enter Via Laundry’s Helly Raichura, who writes as both chef and historian in The Food of Bharat. Its 68 recipes draw on thousands of years of Indian culinary history, from lentil fritters in ancient Vedic texts to familiar dishes like aloo paratha from India’s colonial era. Advanced home chefs will love Raichura’s intricate Masterchef pressure-test dish, “I am not pasta”, in the book’s final chapter.

Published by Hardie Grant RRP $60.

The Japanese Pantry by Emiko Davies 

Soy sauce, miso, rice vinegar, seaweed, saké, sesame and tea are foundational ingredients in Japanese cuisine. They all get a dedicated chapter in Emiko Davies’s latest, which explores the uses of each through Japanese comfort dishes such as donburi, houtou nabe and more. But those recipes are just springboards to get you started. Once you learn the basics, you’ll be on your way to cooking Japanese like Davies’s own mother. No Japanese kitchen is complete without these pantry staples – or this book. 

Published by Smith Street Books RRP $49.99.

Lankan Filling by O Tama Carey 

The trailblazing chef behind Sydney’s Lankan Filling Station has gifted us 80 recipes inspired by her beloved Darlinghurst restaurant. Picking up where her first cookbook left off, Lankan Filling showcases Carey’s cooking talent by way of dal and hot butter jaffles, black spiced brisket, and jaggery tarts. If your home cooking needs a flavour jolt, this one’s for you. Expect vibrant recipes with a Sri Lankan soul and an Australian accent.

Published by Hardie Grant RRP $54.99.

La Mesa Mexicana by Rosa Cienfuegos 

Through her Sydney tamaleria and numerous cookbooks, Rosa Cienfuegos continues to lift the profile of Mexican cuisine in Australia. But this year’s title, La Mesa Mexicana, showcases the diversity of Mexico’s regional cuisines like never before. Featuring 120 recipes spanning north to south (and beautiful photography to match), this one’s a big step up from one of our leading voices on Mexican food and culture. 

Published by Smith Street Books RRP $69.99.

Linger by Hetty Lui McKinnon

Somewhere between maintaining her cosy Instagram presence and writing clever plant-based recipes for The New York Times, Hetty Mac found time to bang out her sixth cookbook. And yes, you need this one, too. Linger doubles down on what McKinnon does best: building community through standout salads, sweets and soulful stories. Inside are 12 menus, 12 essays and – we love this – 12 playlists to bring the vibe to your next dinner party.

Published by Pan Macmillan RRP $44.99.

Mali Bakes by Patti Chimkire 

No, you’re not seeing sepia – retro cakes are back, baby! Patti Chimkire is an expert in the genre, and the proof is in this colourful baking book named after her cult Melbourne cake studio. From perfect piping to constructing layer cakes with confidence, Chimkire will have you baking up a storm in no time. Tackle an apple and yuzu upside-down cake, Thai tea chiffon and much, much more. 

Published by Smith Street Books RRP $59.99.

Modern Australian Baking by Christopher Thé 

Christopher Thé is best known as the inventor of Black Star Pastry’s strawberry watermelon cake, a dessert so famous the New York Times wrote about (then reinterpreted) it. But the master baker has spent the intervening years playing with native ingredients, and the results speak for themselves. Consider the photogenic Geraldton wax cheesecake, a zucchini flower focaccia slicked with native basil pesto and a true Aussie classic: Anzac biscuits. Modern Australian baking, indeed.

Published by Hardie Grant RRP $60. 

Opa! by Helena Moursellas and Vikki Moursellas

Smash a plate? Opa! The lamb kleftiko tastes amazing? Opa! In Greek, “opa” is an expression of joy, verve, and surprise. In the book of the same name by Adelaide twins Helena and Vikki Moursellas, it’s a vehicle for flavour. The country’s lively tavernas inspire its 80 recipes, where staples like lamb kleftiko (slow-roasted lamb) and horiatiki salata (Greek salad) jostle for your attention alongside future classics like peppers stuffed with Greek cheese.

Published by Smith Street Books RRP $59.99.

Provecho by Daniella Guevara Munoz

Daniella Guevara Munoz grew up in Mexico City and now runs Port Adelaide’s La Popular Taqueria. With her first cookbook, Munoz delivers homestyle Mexican recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and more. An essential pantry list and substitutions for hard-to-find ingredients help translate key elements of a cuisine that has long eluded many Aussie home cooks. Personal anecdotes from the chef and vibrant photos by Simon Bajada will have you craving these recipes for years to come.

Published by Murdoch Books RRP $45.

Recipes to Remember by Jock Zonfrillo 

Before he tragically passed away in 2023, Masterchef judge Jock Zonfrillo was working on a cookbook. This year, his family and friends finished it for the world to enjoy. Zonfrillo’s favourite home recipes, such as Scottish pie, baked Italian eggs and apple tarte tatin, will easily become yours, too. Guest recipes by mates Gordon Ramsay, Nigella Lawson, Rick Stein and Maggie Beer make this posthumous title one to remember. 

Published by Simon & Schuster RRP $55.

Secret Sauce by Rosheen Kaul

Rosheen the condiment queen released her second (well, technically third) cookbook this year. And as you’d expect, it’s a one-way ticket to flavour town. The sequel to Kaul’s James Beard award-winning Chinese-ish is all about sambals, salsa verdes and soy-based sauces that’ll take your home cooking to flavour nirvana. Find more than 50 condiment recipes helpfully split into colours (red, green, white, black/brown, yellow), with gorgeous photography throughout.

Published by Murdoch Books RRP $27.99. 

Sour Cherries and Sunflowers by Anastasia Zolotarev 

You might remember Anastasia Zolotarev and her Eastern European cooking from the eighth season of Masterchef. The Sydney-based cook and recipe writer returned to our homes this year with her publishing debut, filled with recipes drawing on her Ukrainian and Belarusian heritage: blueberry and buckwheat pancakes for slow mornings at home, and Zolotarev’s modern takes on traditional European dumplings like piroshki and varenyky.

Published by Hardie Grant RRP $45.

Thai: Anywhere and Everywhere by Nat Thaipun 

How good would it be to eat Thai food anywhere and everywhere? Well, now you can. Masterchef 2024 winner Nat Thaipun’s debut cookbook is packed with approachable Thai recipes built for all occasions – from intimate dinners to lively barbeques and everything in between. Importantly, these dishes are designed for the home kitchen, with adaptable recipes for seasonal everyday cooking. Whether you’re a budding Masterchef contestant or brand-new to the pans, this one puts big Thai flavours in your immediate future.

Published by Hardie Grant RRP $50.

Thessaloniki by Meni Valle 

Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, is renowned for its vibrant food and ouzeris. That’s partly because the city’s kitchens are powered by the abundant produce flowing from the surrounding region into the open-air Kapani Market. The city became the inspiration for Meni Valle’s latest – a visual feast of meze and hearty, homestyle dishes (like meatballs in rice broth and avgolemono) that will transport you to the country’s vibrant north.

Published by Hardie Grant RRP $50. 

Viet Kieu by Thi Le with Jia-Yen Lee

An accidental backyard cockfight, a sacrificial slaughter and a resulting chicken congee is one of many idiosyncratic stories found in Thi Le’s deeply personal debut. But then again, everything Le does is personal. The term “Viet Kieu” means a person of Vietnamese ancestry living abroad: in this case, the protagonist in a story Le and partner Jia-Yen Lee have been telling at their Melbourne diner Anchovy for a decade. Now, they’re committing that story to print with recipes for grilled wild mushrooms doused in spring onion oil, pandan chiffon cake and a Viet-Cajun seafood boil. 

Published by Murdoch Books RRP $54.99.

What We Call Masala by Sarina Kamini 

Sarina Kamini has worn many hats: author, hospo worker, cooking teacher. She’s also lived in many places, from New Delhi to Paris and now Margaret River, where she teaches masala classes in her home kitchen. While Kamini didn’t grow up eating butter chicken, she’s since mastered a version that is made with intention, balance and respect. But this book goes much deeper than the classic dish – it cracks the code for how to use various spices and fats to level up all aspects of your kitchen life across 80-plus recipes.

Published by Murdoch Books RRP $49.99. 

The Wolf of Wok Street by Vincent Lim 

Wok cooking is underappreciated as a culinary skill in Australia. Still, Vincent Lim has built an online following in the millions (and views in the billions) thanks to his mastery of the wok. That, and his charming, no-bullshit delivery. The young chef and restaurateur’s first cookbook mirrors his viral videos, where he makes restaurant-level versions of Chinese Australian takeaway favourites and other Asian classics at home. From prawn toast to Din Tai Fung’s fried rice, these 80 recipes will help you master wok cooking’s greatest hits, too.  

Published by Hardie Grant RRP $45.

Additional reporting by Alice Jeffery, Gemma Plunket, Audrey Payne and Che-Marie Trigg.