8 Best-Selling Natural Cooking Books Millions Love

Sally Fallon Morell, Shannon Hayes, and Michele Rosen recommend these best-selling Natural Cooking Books packed with proven recipes and approaches.

Updated on June 27, 2025
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There's something special about books that both critics and crowds love, especially in natural cooking where authentic, wholesome approaches resonate deeply. Natural cooking continues to gain momentum as more people seek meals rooted in whole foods and traditional methods. The best-selling books in this field reflect this growing passion, offering recipes and techniques that have stood the test of time and widespread adoption.

Experts like Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, champion books such as The Art of Natural Cheesemaking for reclaiming traditional dairy crafts. Shannon Hayes, author of Radical Homemakers, praises these works for deepening sustainability and local food autonomy. Meanwhile, Michele Rosen, known for her Paleo expertise, highlights approachable cookbooks that blend nutrition with family-friendly simplicity. Their combined endorsements highlight the real-world impact and reliability of these selections.

While these popular books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific natural cooking needs might consider creating a personalized Natural Cooking book that combines these validated approaches. This personalized option helps you focus on your unique goals and experience level, making natural cooking even more accessible and relevant.

Best for plant-based lifestyle adopters
Forks Over Knives―The Cookbook makes a strong case for plant-based eating through its extensive collection of over 300 recipes designed to help you lose weight and improve health. Rooted in the Forks Over Knives movement, this cookbook shifts the focus to what you can enjoy—whole fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—offering vibrant dishes for every meal. Its popular approach has resonated widely, encouraging many to transition away from meat and dairy with flavorful, accessible options. This book serves as both inspiration and practical guide for anyone ready to embrace a natural cooking lifestyle that supports well-being.
2012·368 pages·Natural Cooking, Food, Vegetarian Cooking, Plant-Based Recipes, Weight Management

What if everything you knew about healthy eating was challenged by a book focused on plant-based recipes? Forks Over Knives―The Cookbook, driven by Del Sroufe and collaborators, offers over 300 recipes that spotlight whole-food, plant-based meals designed to support weight loss and better health. You'll find everything from vibrant breakfasts like Very Berry Smoothie to hearty dishes such as Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Stew, demonstrating how to enjoy diverse, flavorful meals without meat, dairy, or oils. This book benefits anyone looking to embrace a plant-based lifestyle with practical, accessible recipes that emphasize what you can eat rather than what you can't. It’s a well-crafted guide for those aiming to improve health through food that tastes good and nourishes.

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Best for simple oil-free vegan cooks
Carleigh Bodrug, with over 2.5 million followers, has become a prominent voice in plant-based cooking through her viral recipes and simple approach to vegan meals. Her debut cookbook translates that expertise into over 140 oil-free recipes designed for ease and flavor, supported by helpful visuals for shopping and portioning. Featured on major platforms like the Rachael Ray Show and Good Morning America, Bodrug brings her digital experience and passion for low-waste cooking to readers eager to add plants to their diets without complexity.

What started as Carleigh Bodrug's passion for simple, plant-based cooking evolved into an approachable guide for anyone looking to embrace vegan meals without fuss. This book delivers over 140 oil-free recipes that are as straightforward as they are flavorful, covering everything from breakfast cookies to savory cauli wings. You'll find helpful visual infographics for ingredient shopping and portion control, making it easier to plan meals without overwhelm. If you're seeking to add more plants to your diet with minimal waste and maximum taste, this book offers a clear path, though it’s best suited to those open to oil-free cooking styles and plant-focused eating.

Instant New York Times Bestseller
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Best for custom cooking plans
This personalized AI book about natural cooking is created after you share your cooking background, skill level, and the natural cooking areas you want to explore. By focusing on your specific goals and preferences, this book provides a tailored path through the rich world of wholesome, traditional meals. AI helps concentrate the vast knowledge millions have valued into a guide that’s uniquely suited to your culinary journey.
2025·50-300 pages·Natural Cooking, Ingredient Selection, Traditional Techniques, Meal Planning, Flavor Development

This tailored book explores natural cooking by combining time-tested, battle-proven techniques with insights that match your unique interests and culinary background. It examines how to prepare wholesome meals rooted in traditional approaches, emphasizing ingredient quality, cooking methods, and flavor development. Through a personalized lens, the book focuses on your specific goals, whether mastering fundamental skills or exploring advanced natural cooking techniques. It reveals ways to integrate popular knowledge that millions have found valuable while adapting guidance to fit your tastes and lifestyle. This tailored exploration offers a unique learning experience by focusing on what truly matters to you in natural cooking.

Tailored Guide
Natural Cooking Insights
3,000+ Books Created
Best for traditional cheesemaking enthusiasts
Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation and an experienced cheesemaker, praises this book for its exhaustive detail on natural cheesemaking at home. She highlights its approachable chapters on kefir, yogurt cheeses, and paneer for beginners, alongside advanced guides like making rennet from calf stomachs. Fallon Morell’s endorsement reflects how this book resonates with those eager to reclaim traditional dairy crafts, aligning perfectly with the surge in small-scale, sustainable cheesemaking. Her review captures the spirit of transformation this book offers, encouraging you to embrace cheesemaking as both art and ecological practice. Alongside her, Shannon Hayes acknowledges the book’s role in deepening sustainability and local autonomy through understanding processes before recipes.

Recommended by Sally Fallon Morell

President, Weston A. Price Foundation; Cheesemaker

If you want to know every possible detail about cheesemaking the natural way and on a small scale in your home, The Art of Natural Cheesemaking is the book for you--even if you'd just like to dabble in your kitchen. There are chapters on kefir, yogurt cheeses and paneer for beginners and, for advanced students, detailed instructions on how to make rennet from the fourth stomach of a calf. Everything is beautifully illustrated and carefully explained. This book will entice many to join the ranks of those engaged in the art of transforming milk to delicious end products. As the old saying goes, ‘Blessed are the cheesemakers.’ Many more will become blessed thanks to David Asher's work. (from Amazon)

2015·320 pages·Cheesemaking, Natural Cooking, Fermentation, Raw Milk, Sustainable Farming

What started as a quest to revive traditional cheesemaking, David Asher presents a detailed guide that strips away industrial shortcuts in favor of authentic, raw ingredients and methods. You learn how to source raw milk, cultivate your own bacterial and fungal cultures, and even make rennet naturally, all without relying on additives or plastic equipment. Chapters cover diverse cheese styles—from kefir and paneer for beginners to alpine and blue cheeses for the more experienced—each illustrated with step-by-step photos and diagrams. This book is ideal if you're passionate about sustainable, hands-on cheesemaking that respects ecological principles and challenges commercial dairy practices.

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Best for kosher cooks seeking health
Cooking Kosher the Natural Way by Jane Kinderlehrer stands out in the natural cooking field by tackling the challenge of modernizing traditional Jewish recipes. It brings reader validation through its practical approach to maintaining kosher standards while promoting health, offering recipes low in fat, salt, and refined sugars. This book benefits anyone seeking to blend authentic Jewish culinary traditions with contemporary nutritional science, addressing common health concerns without sacrificing taste. Its methodology leverages modern kitchen conveniences to make wholesome cooking approachable and enjoyable for kosher cooks.
1983·360 pages·Kosher Cooking, Natural Cooking, Jewish Cuisine, Nutrition, Recipe Adaptation

The breakthrough moment came when Jane Kinderlehrer, a nutritionist and former editor of Prevention magazine, recognized that traditional Jewish recipes, while kosher, often included ingredients detrimental to health such as excessive salt, fat, and refined sugars. In this book, you explore how to preserve authentic Jewish flavors while embracing modern nutritional science, with recipes that are both wholesome and accessible. Chapters highlight dishes like fluffy knaidlach and health-building kugels, reimagined for today's kitchens without compromising taste or tradition. This book suits those who want to honor kosher culinary heritage but prioritize natural, health-conscious cooking.

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Best for Mediterranean low-fat cooking fans
Secrets of Fat-free Greek Cooking offers a unique window into traditional Greek cuisine transformed for modern health-conscious eaters. Elaine Gavalas presents a treasure trove of more than 100 recipes that marry authentic flavors with fat-free preparation methods, making it a valuable companion for anyone seeking to enjoy natural cooking without excess calories. The book’s inclusion of nutritional analyses and ingredient glossaries further supports your journey toward healthier meal choices rooted in Mediterranean culinary heritage, whether for daily family meals or special gatherings.
1998·176 pages·Natural Cooking, Low Fat Cooking, Greek Cooking, Mediterranean Diet, Healthy Recipes

Drawing from her deep knowledge of Greek culinary traditions, Elaine Gavalas developed this collection to showcase how traditional Greek dishes can be enjoyed without fat, using wholesome, natural ingredients. You’ll learn to prepare over 100 recipes that balance classic flavors with modern low-fat cooking techniques, supported by nutritional analyses and helpful ingredient glossaries. The book benefits anyone wanting to embrace healthier eating habits without sacrificing taste, particularly those interested in Mediterranean diets or weight management through food. Expect to find approachable guidance on adapting beloved Greek classics into lighter yet satisfying meals, perfect for family dinners or special occasions.

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Best for custom meal plans
This AI-created book on natural cooking is tailored to your cooking background, skill level, and flavor preferences. It focuses on quick, delicious recipes designed to fit your busy lifestyle while emphasizing wholesome, natural ingredients. By customizing the content to your specific goals, this book helps you build a cooking routine that maximizes flavor and efficiency without the usual overwhelm. It’s like having a personal cooking coach who understands exactly what you want to achieve in the kitchen.
2025·50-300 pages·Natural Cooking, Quick Meals, Flavor Combinations, Meal Planning, Cooking Techniques

This tailored book explores step-by-step natural cooking plans designed for busy individuals seeking fast, flavorful meals. It covers a variety of quick, wholesome recipes that combine popular, proven techniques with your unique tastes and schedule. The content examines meal preparation methods that maximize flavor without sacrificing nutrition, focusing on natural ingredients and efficient cooking processes. By tailoring the book to match your background and specific goals, it enables you to develop a personalized cooking routine that fits your lifestyle. This approach not only enhances your culinary skills but also makes natural cooking approachable and enjoyable, emphasizing ease and taste in everyday meal creation.

Tailored Guide
Flavor Optimization
3,000+ Books Created
Best for quick minimalist plant-based meals
Brandi Doming’s approach in The Vegan 8 offers a fresh take on natural cooking by focusing on recipes with eight ingredients or less. This method has resonated widely, appealing to those wanting uncomplicated, wholesome meals without endless ingredient lists. By prioritizing dietary inclusivity—such as dairy-free, oil-free, and gluten-free options—the book addresses diverse health needs. It stands as a practical resource for anyone aiming to adopt or maintain a plant-based lifestyle with manageable, flavorful cooking solutions.

The breakthrough moment came when Brandi Doming, motivated by her husband's health diagnosis, transformed her family's diet with simple, plant-based meals. In this book, you learn to create nourishing dishes using no more than eight ingredients, making vegan cooking approachable without sacrificing flavor. Recipes like Cajun Veggie and Potato Chowder or No-Bake Chocolate Espresso Fudge Cake illustrate how simplicity can coexist with variety and taste. This book suits anyone curious about plant-based eating or seeking quick, wholesome dinners that accommodate various dietary needs, including gluten-free and oil-free options.

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Best for whole-foods plant-based cooking
LeAnne Campbell, PhD, has devoted nearly 20 years to preparing whole-food, plant-based meals for her family, raising two sons on this diet while balancing a busy professional life. Her expertise shines through in this cookbook, offering you accessible, flavorful recipes that reflect her commitment to health and sustainability. Campbell’s personal experience lends authenticity to her guidance on quick, easy, and nutritious meals without animal products or added fats.

LeAnne Campbell's decades of experience crafting whole-food, plant-based meals for her family culminate in this revised and expanded edition of The China Study Cookbook. You learn to prepare over 175 recipes that emphasize foods in their natural states, avoiding added fats and excess sugars, aligning with research linking plant-based diets to reduced risks of chronic illnesses. Chapters offer diverse dishes like Black Bean Chipotle Burgers and Sweet Potato Enchiladas, illustrating how to nourish yourself and your family while supporting sustainable eating practices. This book benefits anyone interested in natural cooking that promotes health without sacrificing flavor or convenience.

Publishers Weekly Bestseller
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Best for fast whole-food Paleo meals
Michele Rosen, author of Paleo Baking at Home and creator of Paleo Running Momma, brings valuable insight to natural cooking. After years of balancing family life and Paleo nutrition, she praises Mary Smith’s skill at crafting fast, flavorful meals that don’t sacrifice health or taste. Michele says, "Mary is an expert at creating healthy, fast and flavor-packed recipes that are always family friendly. Her meals make Paleo cooking feel effortless and will build your confidence in the kitchen, too!" Her experience reflects why so many home cooks rely on this book to keep Paleo eating accessible amid daily chaos. Also highlighted is Alex Snodgrass, creator of The Defined Dish, who agrees that Mary’s recipes offer a go-to solution for quick, wholesome dinners that satisfy the whole family.

Recommended by Michele Rosen

Author of Paleo Baking at Home, Paleo Running Momma

Mary is an expert at creating healthy, fast and flavor-packed recipes that are always family friendly. Her meals make Paleo cooking feel effortless and will build your confidence in the kitchen, too! (from Amazon)

After years of helping families maintain a Paleo lifestyle amid busy schedules, Mary Smith developed this collection of recipes that prioritize simplicity without sacrificing flavor. You’ll learn how to prepare wholesome, grain-free meals that require minimal hands-on time—often between 5 to 15 minutes—allowing you to rely on ovens, slow cookers, or Instant Pots to do the heavy lifting. Chapters like the one featuring Quick Creamy Bolognese or Sheet-Pan Baja Fish Taco Bowls spell out approachable techniques that fit into hectic days. This book suits anyone balancing health-conscious cooking with limited time, especially those committed to Paleo principles who want to keep meals fresh and family-friendly.

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Conclusion

The collection of these eight best-selling natural cooking books reveals clear themes: a dedication to whole, unprocessed ingredients; respect for traditional culinary methods; and practical, accessible recipes that suit modern lifestyles. Together, they offer a spectrum from plant-based simplicity to heritage cheesemaking and speedy Paleo meals, each validated by expert endorsement and reader enthusiasm.

If you prefer proven methods rooted in tradition, start with The Art of Natural Cheesemaking and Cooking Kosher the Natural Way. For validated approaches emphasizing plant-based diets, combine Forks Over Knives―The Cookbook with PlantYou or The Vegan 8. Those pressed for time will find Quick Prep Paleo invaluable for healthy, fast meals.

Alternatively, you can create a personalized Natural Cooking book to combine proven methods with your unique needs. These widely-adopted approaches have helped many readers succeed in embracing natural cooking that fits their lifestyles and values.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?

Start with a book that matches your diet and goals. For plant-based cooks, Forks Over Knives―The Cookbook offers a welcoming introduction. If you're curious about traditional methods, The Art of Natural Cheesemaking dives deep. Your preferences will guide the best starting point.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to Natural Cooking?

Not at all. Many included books, like The Vegan 8 and PlantYou, focus on simplicity and accessible recipes perfect for beginners. Others offer detailed techniques but welcome novices with clear instructions and photos.

Which books focus more on theory vs. practical application?

The Art of Natural Cheesemaking leans into traditional techniques and the theory behind fermentation. In contrast, Quick Prep Paleo and PlantYou prioritize practical, time-efficient recipes to get you cooking right away.

Do I really need to read all of these, or can I just pick one?

You can absolutely pick one that fits your lifestyle. Each book stands alone with proven value. However, combining a few can broaden your skills and inspire new cooking ideas.

What makes these books different from others on Natural Cooking?

These titles have earned expert endorsements and widespread reader approval, balancing authenticity with practical recipes. They cover diverse diets and traditions, offering both heritage and modern approaches validated by trusted voices.

How can I get a Natural Cooking book tailored to my specific needs?

Great question! While expert books provide solid foundations, personalized books can target your unique goals and preferences. You can create a personalized Natural Cooking book that combines the best methods with your individual lifestyle for more focused guidance.

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