17 Cookbooks That Are Actually Worth Buying

Read it, then eat it!

We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us what their favorite cookbooks they discovered in 2017 were (you know, the ones they actually cooked from).

Nickelodeon

Here are some of their best recommendations:

1. For people who like their recipes with a side of humor: Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat

Instagram: @letsgetlunch_, Instagram: @brittanynzielinski

"It's easy to follow, funny, and the recipes are delicious. I can't wait until she puts out her second book!"

—gracecrxmb

"Cravings made me actually WANT to cook. If given the option between going out to eat or trying one of the recipes, I’d choose cooking out of the book EVERY time. Plus, it helped me put together different spices or flavors when I’m cooking other dishes as well."

—agreen1490

Get it on Amazon for $17.99.

2. For people who want to master the basics: Joy of Cooking

Instagram: @juliewrightpr

"Not new, but Joy of Cooking is enduring for its practicality. Need a basic recipe that's always good and isn’t overly complicated? It's in there. Forget the flash in the pan food trends and add a classic to your collection."

"When the long-awaited new version came out in 1997, I was thrilled!!! I was then-engaged, so having the vast variety of recipes (American & international) to choose from gave me 100% more confidence!"

—Meli Alexander, Facebook

Get it on Amazon for $23.18.

3. For movie lovers: Eat What You Watch

Instagram: @bingingwithbabish

"This thing is a lifesaver! He has a show on YouTube called Binging With Babish (which, by the way, is amazing) and there are recipes inspired by so many different movies."

—micahs4e696c39f

Get it on Amazon for $17.84.

4. For fans of GBBO: Mary Berry's Baking Bible

Instagram: @pdxspiceweasel

"I love to watch Great British Bake Off and think Mary is fantastic. This book makes me dream of all the recipes I can try."

—strangestangel79

Get it on Amazon for $30.11.

5. For people who want to amp up their flavors: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Instagram: @naturebox, Instagram: @mollyfwhyte

"Half is recipes and the other half teaches you WHY the recipes call for certain things (focusing on these four essential elements of good food). It's full of great illustrations and charts, too. This will take you from following recipes to making your own."

—kngreyh

"She really focused on teaching you how to cook rather than teaching you how to follow a recipe."

—Alexandra Rae, Facebook

Get it on Amazon for $20.09.

6. For people who literally want to learn it all: How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Instagram: @sarah.c.kremer

"Every section begins with an introduction to the topic that's written in a way that a novice can understand (but a seasoned cook would still find interesting). The intro gives the basics on practices and techniques, and Bittman encourages the reader to improvise based on what's in their own kitchen. Both books have made me a better intuitive cook and improved my techniques and skills!"

—singsorrowless

Get How to Cook Everything for $20.30 and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for $15.40.

7. For people who want to up their cookie game: Sally's Cookie Addiction

Instagram: @octeorrific

"Sally’s recipes are always perfect and so easy to follow. Her blog is wonderful and translated so well into a book — she’s my baking guru!"

—amyp486418358

Get it on Amazon for $17.17.

8. For people always looking for easy weeknight recipes: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime

Instagram: @pattyscollection, istagram.com

"I picked up this cookbook solely on the fact that it was one of the few that looked achievable for my very small amount of kitchen skills. I have been so pleasantly surprised by how delicious everything is, and how much I’ve learned through making the dishes. Her penne with vodka sauce has become my go-to!"

—hayleym422187c61

Get it on Amazon for $15.

9. For people who aren't afraid of bold flavors: Dinner: Changing the Game

Instagram: @millielottietotes, Instagram: @theeyesoftx

"Delicious recipes, great ideas for dinners, and super easy to follow. (It does use strong flavors, so you have to be game for curries, Aleppo pepper, etc.)"

—BakingGal

Get it on Amazon for $20.74.

10. For people who want to cook like a chef: The Chef Next Door

Instagram: @chefamandaf

"This book came out in 2015, but I just discovered it a month ago. It's got great, bare-bone recipes that encourage you to master the basics and then gives you suggestions for when you're feeling confident enough to branch out. I'm slowly working my way through all of the recipes, and all of them have made me progressively go DAYUM because they're so good."

—Victoria Vanover, Facebook

Get it on Amazon for $19.25.

11. For lovers of Southern food: Deep Run Roots

Instagram: @mycle_stanek

"Her show on PBS (A Chef's Life) is amazing. I love her, and I love her cooking — both are very emotional."

—emilyodomc

Get it on Amazon for $34.13.

12. For the Alton Brown fans: EveryDayCook

Instagram: @dcraigen

"He gives so many recipes for every part of the day and the first few chapters have ingredients and equipment all pantries should be stocked with. Plus, he explains how to do everything and nothing is complicated. Alton Brown is the best!!!"

—Paige Goodnight, Facebook

Get it on Amazon for $23.79.

13. For the food blog lover: Half Baked Harvest Cookbook

Instagram: @halfbakedharvest, Instagram: @angela_thomsen

"This book elevated my cooking and her recipes transformed my meals from good to UNFORGETTABLE. Everything is absolutely BURSTING with flavor and unexpected combinations. You definitely have to trust her recipes, because there are times you might think, "do I really need to add that?" or, "I could leave that out" but every ingredient serves to make the most incredible dishes. Highly recommend."

—GhostOntheShore

Get it on Amazon for $18.95.

14. For the food science nerds: The Science of Good Cooking

Instagram: @piratenkapitaen

"I’ve learned so much from this book! They test every recipe and tell you why certain ingredients or cooking methods work for each dish!"

—meganl444c6b2d0

Get it on Amazon for $32.

15. For the health-conscious foodies: The Skinnytaste Cookbook

Instagram: @fergiesbites

"It started with her website SkinnyTaste because I was in the process of losing weight and still wanted something yummy to eat. Her instructions are easy to follow and the foods are easy to make and so very yummy!!!"

—tammyakeliat

Get it on Amazon for $21.62.

16. For the foul-mouthed vegans: Thug Kitchen

Instagram: @jennachapple

"A cookbook that changed my life is the Thug Kitchen cookbook. The recipes don't call for any animal products, which is pretty out of my comfort zone, but I've never made anything bad from it. My husband and daughter are pretty picky eaters and they've enjoyed the recipes I've made. I also appreciate the casually cursing in the directions."

—KoriGood

"Vegan recipes even non-vegans will appreciate!"

—pami45535c347

Get it on Amazon for $15.99.

17. For the aspiring chef: Jacques Pépin New Complete Techniques

amazon.com

"I do quite well with creating my own recipes — what I needed work on were basic skills to improve and expand my repertoire. This is a straightforward instructional book that helps you learn the basics that'll allow you to confidently make the intriguing recipes you find in all other cookbooks."

—Sterling Gray, Facebook

Get it on Amazon for $26.50.

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Want to be featured in similar BuzzFeed posts? Follow the BuzzFeed Community on Facebook and Twitter!