British people love food. It's a celebrated part of our culture and, with influences from cuisines all around the world, the British menu is becoming increasingly more expansive.
To spice up your home cooking, we've chosen the best British cookbooks that indulge in timeless classics. Including recipes from famous chefs like Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver, and others to suit more specific approaches, here's our selection of the best books to keep in your kitchen.
The best British cook books to buy in 2023
The Great Dixter Cookbook: Recipes from an English Garden
Aaron Bertelsen
This is the cookbook inspired by The Great Dixter, the celebrated horticultural spot and historic house and garden located on the border between Kent and Sussex. The Great Dixter Cookbook features 70 simple and delicious recipes from their kitchen garden.
The Great Dixter was once the home of Christopher Lloyd, famous gardener and gardening writer, and a number of the recipes in the book were taken from the Lloyd family's personal kitchen notebook. Included are a selection of English classics like chicken and leek pie, to more contemporary recipes such as shakshuka. It also provides growing guides to more than 20 varieties of fruit and vegetables to accompany the recipes.
Cook, Eat, Repeat: Ingredients, Recipes and Stories
Nigella Lawson
Combining recipes with personal, narrative essays about food, Nigella Lawson aims to bring joy and passion to your cooking with this book. She describes 'cook, eat, repeat' as the mantra of her life and, through her insight and wisdom, hopes to encourage the reader to get as much pleasure out of cooking as she does.
Cook, Eat, Repeat features over 150 recipes, separated in dedicated chapters that include something for everyone, such as 'A Loving Defence of Brown Food' and 'A is for Anchovy.' There are even sections for vegans and solo dinners. Lawson lays out her favourite ingredients and the rhythms of her cooking in this enriching read.
Together: Memorable Meals Made Easy
Jamie Oliver
Memorable Meals Made Easy is all about minimising the time you spend in the kitchen so you can maximise the time spent with guests. Whether you're cooking for the whole family or treating your friends to a dinner party, the book provides 3-course meals to take your hosting to the next level. Or, you can think creatively and take any of the 120 individual recipes to make your own menu.
The Hairy Bikers' British Classics
Hairy Bikers
Celebrating Great British food in their British Classics cook book, the Hairy Bikers cater for all with a recipe book full of iconic and timeless British meals. The chapters include some of the most distinct aspects of British food, like Sunday Dinners, Tea Time and Puddings. All the recipes are triple-tested and packed to be full of flavour and Hairy Bikers twists.
The Really Quite Good British Cookbook
William Sitwell
Celebrating food from all over the nation, The Really Quite Good British Cookbook collects tips and recipes from 100 of the best British chefs. Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith and many more provide their insight and expertise into some of the most iconic British meals. Over 400 pages long, this is a comprehensive look into the cuisine of the nation.
Pride and Pudding
Regula Ysewijn
Pride and Pudding is partly a recipe book and partly a journey into the culinary history of the British pudding. Writer and food photographer Regula Ysewijn takes the reader through historical texts from as early as the 14th Century and, through the 80 recipes included, she recreates the classic dishes for the 21st Century. With photography and fascinating facts, the reader can really get a sense of the importance of the British pudding.
The National Trust Cookbook
National Trust
We've all grown to love the many National Trust cafes around the country. In this cookbook, they share the secrets of some of their popular, tried-and-tested dishes for you to cook at home. With over 100 recipes, The National Trust Cookbook can be a lovely way to bring flavour and familiarity into the home.
Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook
Mary Berry
For fans of Mary Berry, her Complete Cookbook features more than 650 recipes. Plus, with her 'Cook's Know-How' sections and over 300 variations, techniques and tips - this book can keep you cooking creatively for years.
The recipe book is designed to be an essential part of the kitchen, with meals for friends, family and any occasion.
Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet: Zero Waste, Climate Cuisine, Plant-Rich
Tom Hunt
With Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet, Tom Hunt teaches the reader how to prioritise the environment without sacrificing taste or nutrition. The approach supports a regenerative food system - one that encourages flavour and diversity - providing the information and insight to shop, eat and cook sustainably.
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Great British Vegan: Simple, plant-based recipes to cook the nation's favourite dishes
Aimee Ryan
This cookbook provides a uniquely innovative take on British classics, to make them plant-based, healthy and delicious. With clear instructions and full-page photographs, Great British Vegan uses easy-to-find ingredients to create meals that help you cut down on your meat and dairy, while still allowing you to indulge in your favourite British food.
River Cottage Much More Veg
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
If you're looking to add more veg into your diet, River Cottage Much More Veg provides a clear, accessible collection of meals that are veg-centric. Fearnley-Whittingstall uses veg, fruit, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, spices and cold-pressed oils to discover the potential of cooking with unprocessed food, creating meals that are both nutritious and tasty.
