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[title]It doesn’t matter if you’re a Veganuary convert, are keen to boost your sustainable credentials or just fancy switching things up in the kitchen, you can’t go wrong with a vegan cookbook. And boy, there’s a whole load of them out there. Do you go for the classically-trained types, the Youtubers, the journalists, the TV chefs, the bloggers, the restaurant books – who knows?
Well, we found the top three sellers on Amazon and put them to the test. These are, in no particular order, Jamie Oliver’s ‘Veg’, ‘The Green Roasting Tin’ by Rukmini Iyer and ‘BOSH!’ from Henry Firth and Ian Theasby. From simple yet effective one-pot dinners to complex mish-mash creations (ever heard of a burrito samosa?), these books cover a lot of ground when it comes to plant-based dining. Read on to find out which one is will be named the best of the bunch.
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The Green Roasting Tin
First up, ‘The Green Roasting Tin: Vegan and Vegetarian One Dish Dinners’ by Rukmini Iyer, who became famous through the tin series, as well as her writing in publications like the Guardian. This particular book was listed as a Sunday Times Bestseller of the Year in 2019 and has continued to stay firmly up in the most-read charts on Amazon. With its message of fuss-free delicious dining that you just bung in the oven, it’s the kind of recipe book that’s very easy to get on board with. But can it really be as good as it seems? Is this level of simplicity too good to be true?
Well, no. It’s actually a really good read with heaps of accessible recipes. There’s 75 in total, with half of them vegan and the other half vegetarian, so you’ve got enough to feed a crowd. Each recipe has a short introduction, giving you a bit of background and telling you which season the dish should be served. It’s also broken up into shorter and longer cooking times which makes it ideal for midweek meals, and even has feasting suggestions for dinner parties and such. Right in the middle of the book, you’ve got an infographic showing you how to build your own roasting tins, with interchangeable base vegetables, protein, extra veggies for flavour and garnishes or cheesy toppings, so you can take the concept and run with it.
However, the one recipe that’s worth shouting about is the orzotto. It was super, duper easy to make and perfect for a mid-week, ‘I can’t be arsed to cook something’ kind of meal. There’s literally two steps to the recipe, so really it sticks to throwing everything together and chucking it in the oven ethos. There was a spring freshness to the combination of lemon zest, soft asparagus and hazelnut crunch. However, it did need a little extra something, so chucking on some fried tofu and vegan lardons added a really good salty contrast.
Verdict: 8/10
Bosh!
Next up, Youtube sensations-turned TV chefs, the 'Bosh!' blokes. Duo Henry Firth and Ian Theasby have been cooking up wacky creations to millions of viewers for quite a few years now, which is probably why it became ‘the highest-selling vegan cookery book ever’, as they said. Their channel has over 2.3 million viewers, which sounds like quite a lot, and it’s filled with zany creations that are sure to get trending: picture a mezze cake (whatever the hell that is), hummus pasta and tofu 'fish and chips' with presenters that crack sometimes cringe-worthy jokes to the camera while reading out comments and questions from viewers.
The book itself is actually pretty good, it’s filled with different insights into how the recipes were created, suggested feasts and even a guide at the end of the book explaining different ways to get protein, iron and all that good stuff when eating vegan. Of course, there’s no way you can read through it and not try one of their Frankenstein-esque creations, cue the burrito samosa. This mish-mash of cultures is a bit of a weird one, because it’s stuffed with a potato-based filling like a samosa, and topped with beans like a burrito – but not as good as either. Saying that, it’s not a bad dish at all, it just doesn’t have the pizzaz of the two cultures that it’s combining. Maybe it needed a meaty element? Maybe more complex spices? It’s hard to tell.
The recipe is easy to follow, it uses a lot of ingredients that you’d already have in the kitchen and it doesn’t take ages to do. At one point, you’ll have a lot going on with potatoes boiling, rice cooking and vegetables frying. This is mainly prep before a tricky assembly, where you’ll fold the tortilla into a triangle before baking. While it did incinerate my mouth and leave a couple of mild burns (probably should’ve left it to cool) the potatoes were soft and mushy, there was a lovely underlying spice from the black bean mixture and two of them will leave you feeling incredibly stuffed. Serve with a side of guac and salsa, and you’ve got a good meal for a crowd. It was definitely one of the best in the book.
Verdict: 7/10
Veg
Then we’ve got former naked chef, TV star and a key staple in every mother’s kitchen, Jamie Oliver. On first inspection, the book is a bit meh. But after repeated reading it was clear, this book wasn’t made from a love of vegetables, it was a cash-grab. He doesn’t seem happy to be writing about vegetables (as the forced smile on the cover hints), there’s no loving blurb above each recipe, recounting how he’s cooked dishes for his kids, no reflections on the food itself in-between sections, just a small introduction and bam, here’s the food. It just feels like he wants to be in with the trends, much like any other middle-aged man.
Maybe that’s a bit harsh, but it’s really not got the love of many others you’ll find in this category. Namely, Anna Jones who previously trained under Oliver before releasing her own series of vegetarian cookbooks. She’ll tell a story with each recipe, break up the pages with guides to what’s in season and draw up charts showing how you can combine various ingredients to make staple sauces. His famous gumbo (of which there are three other meat-filled variations) was one dish that stood out as a must-try.
It’s a simple enough recipe, although way more time consuming than initial inspection as prep is not accounted for, and there wasn’t clear instruction on things like exactly how much oil to use and how long to make the roux for. Nevertheless, the result was a rich, tomatoey flavour with an underlying heat, the okra was a nice touch as it added a nice, chewy texture to an otherwise soup-ish dish. However, the seasoning would need to be amped up if cooking for a crowd as it needed extra throughout the cooking process. Then the dish comes paired with a homemade pickle, using red wine vinegar which adds a sharpness that cuts through the tomato. Nevertheless, it would have benefitted from something meaty in it, either a chunky mushroom or vegan chicken for a more substantial meal.
Verdict: 6/10
The conclusion
The 'Roasting Tin' series is popular for a reason. It's really easy to follow, it's nicely written and the recipes are very adaptable to everyday life, so that's come out on top. While the 'Bosh!' chefs may have conquered the social sphere, they're not as highly regarded in this kitchen, but it was a close second. There was a lot of things in the book that most people would never cook, like the mezze cake (it's just wrong). Jamie didn't seem to care for the veggies so he's going last. What's the winning formula for a great cookbook? Make it personal, have an interesting mix of dishes, flavours and ingredients, and above all, keep it simple, stupid.