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The best Middle Eastern and North African cookbooks
Ottolenghi, Claudia Roden and the cooks who brought the food of the eastern Mediterranean, the Levant and North Africa to the rest of us.
JerusalemYotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
BoustanySami Tamimi
A Book of Middle Eastern FoodClaudia RodenRead one before you go
The classics
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Jerusalem
Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi · 2012
Two chefs from opposite sides of one city; it changed what home cooks keep in the pantry.
Cook from it: Shakshuka (our write-up, saves to your recipes)
Cook in its spirit: Roasted Sweet Potato with Whipped Feta and Za'atar, Slow-Braised Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Preserved Lemon (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)
No. 8 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
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A Book of Middle Eastern Food
Claudia Roden · 1968
It brought the food of the Middle East to the English-speaking world, recipes and stories both.
Cook in its spirit: Cucumber and Yogurt Salad with Mint and Dried Mint, Lamb and Apricot Tagine-Style Stew with Toasted Almonds (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)
No. 12 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
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Zahav
Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook · 2015
Israeli cooking from the Philadelphia restaurant; the tehina and the hummus recipe alone are worth it.
Cook from it: Hummus with tehina (our write-up, saves to your recipes)
Cook in its spirit: Silky Whipped Hummus with Warm Pita, Slow-Braised Short Ribs with Pomegranate, Honey, and Warm Spices (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)
No. 32 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
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Ottolenghi Simple
Yotam Ottolenghi · 2018
Ottolenghi flavors in fewer steps, coded by how much time you have.
Cook in its spirit: Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt with Hot Green Chile Oil, Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Dates, Almonds, and Soft Herbs (Chef's own recipes, not the book's)
No. 55 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
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Persiana
Sabrina Ghayour · 2014
Persian and Middle Eastern home cooking made easy and bright.
No. 72 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
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Falastin
Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley · 2020
Palestinian cooking and the people behind it.
No. 73 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
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Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco
Paula Wolfert · 1973
The first great English book on Moroccan cooking; the tagines are still the standard.
Cook from it: Chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives (our write-up, saves to your recipes)
No. 79 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks
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New this year
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Boustany
Sami Tamimi · 2025
A Palestinian garden table from Ottolenghi's longtime partner; vegetables, grains and family memory.
No. 2 on The New Cookbooks
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Ottolenghi Simple Too
Yotam Ottolenghi · 2026
The sequel to Simple: 135 quick, one-pot or make-ahead recipes.
No. 7 on The New Cookbooks
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Lugma
Noor Murad · 2025
Bahraini and Gulf home cooking from an Ottolenghi Test Kitchen alum.
No. 14 on The New Cookbooks
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Persiana One
Sabrina Ghayour · 2026
One pan, one pot, one tray: Persian flavors with less washing up.
No. 34 on The New Cookbooks
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Honey & Co. Daily
Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich · 2026
Everyday Middle Eastern food from their London deli-bakery.
No. 37 on The New Cookbooks
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