African-American foods, also known as “soul foods,” are often labeled as “poor food choices” because most use plant-based ingredients. However, that is completely inaccurate because you can find a wide range of irresistible delicious foods in the books below. And if you want to try cooking some African American dishes at home, here are 10 carefully selected African American cookbooks for you. Let these books help you recreate authentic African American cuisine.
Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook
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“I love to cook, and I love history; having the stories of these favorite foods to share with my family and guests is such a pleasure.”- Laura Allen
In the “Jubilee” cookbook, you can realize masterful cooking in your kitchen. The book is not only simple to provide recipes but also gives you exciting stories about culinary history.
You’ll find over 100 special North-African recipes, from classics like Seafood Gumbo, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and Pecan Pie with Bourbon to lesser-known or even more decadent dishes like Spoon Bread, Bourbon & Apple Hot Toddies, and Baked Ham Glazed with Champagne. Besides, you will be advised to select ingredients as well as providing the best cooking techniques.
About the author: Toni Tipton-Martin is a renowned African American culinary historian. Besides, she also works as a culinary journalist and community activist. She is also a founding member of Southern Foodways Alliance and Foodways Texas.
Tipton-Martin is the author of the James Beard Award-winning The Jemima Code. She owns a collection of more than three hundred African-American cookbooks, exhibited at the James Beard House.
“A Taste of Heritage: The New African American Cuisine” Their next book will be featured shortly in this post.
A Taste of Heritage: The New African American Cuisine
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“Exceptional…great for cooks without borders or restrictions”-Hampton
Coming to this book, two talented chefs will showcase the rich legacy of African American cooking through a list of 300 authentic recipes. The author brings a variety of recipes that have been presented with Randall’s A Taste of Heritage Foundation, including Edna Lewis and Patrick Clark.
You will experience dishes that are particularly impressive and are particularly impressive: Southern Fried Quail, Catfish Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings, or Crepes with Country Fried Apples. In particular, the author will also include stories and a suggested menu for you.
African American Cookbook: Traditional And Other Favorite Recipes
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“Wonderful. I use a lot of recipes; very informative general information. One of the few great purchases I have made.”- Rev. Sammie Cooper
This cookbook is a wonderful collection of traditional African American recipes. Interwoven between 400 unique recipes are rich anecdotes and historical sayings. In addition, the book is presented in a friendly and easy-to-use format for chefs of all levels.
You will have access to recipes that are easy to cook and delicious. This is definitely one of the instructions to have in your kitchen in the future. Bring the authentic African American flavor to your family table today.
About the author: Phoebe M. Bailey was born in Huntington, Long Island, New York. She started her career with the Bethel Harambee Historical Service. The author then collaborated with her brother (Pastor Edward M. Bailey) to preserve and recount stories about the Africans. Phoebe M. Bailey lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
In the following sections, we will also feature her other cookbook entitled “An African American Cookbook: Exploring Black History and Culture Through Traditional Foods.”
An African American Cookbook: Exploring Black History and Culture Through Traditional Foods
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“This book has helped me save time thinking about what to eat every day. Thanks to it, I learned more and more interesting new recipes. ”- Amazon Customer
“An African American Cookbook: Exploring Black History and Culture Through Traditional Foods” offers you a rich collection of 400 recipes for appetizers, sandwiches, main meals, cakes, salads, and more!
The foods used in each recipe reflect the ingenuity, resourcefulness, and imagination of those who make them. Specifically, you will learn how to cook dishes such as:
- Collard greens with ham hocks
- Cornbread sausage stuffing
- Smoked turkey and black-eyed peas
- Pan-fried okra
- Fried green tomatoes
- 14-day sweet pickles
- Yogurt and chives biscuits
- Sweet potato pie
- And more!
Sweet Home Café Cookbook: A Celebration of African American Cooking
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“The recipes are easy to follow and the book also teaches you about the history and origin of our food”-Kimberly
This book features recipes served by the cafe itself and dishes inspired by dishes from African American culture. The author will provide you with more than 100 recipes for dishes: salads, ribs, soups, snacks, sauces, main courses, sandwiches, and sweets. Some of the more prominent specific recipes you’ll find in this book are:
Pea salad, fried green tomato, Hoppin ‘John, Sénégalaise peanut soup, Maryland crab cake, Jamaican grilled chicken, shrimp & meat, fried chicken and waffle, grilled salmon, Hickory smoked pork shoulder, Chow Chow, Banana Pudding, Chess Pie Chocolate Cake, and more.
About the author: Jessica B. Harris is an award-winning author, historian, and culinary journalist. She has published 12 cookbooks including 6 books on African cuisine.
The African American Heritage Cookbook: Traditional Recipes and Fond Remembrances from Alabama’s Renowned Tuskegee Institute
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“The recipes are easy to follow and take you back to the “good-old-days.” I would highly recommend this book…”- CHERIWMS
Coming to this cookbook, you will immerse yourself in the memories and spirit of Tuskegee. In particular, the author will reveal to you more than two hundred traditional recipes that can satisfy every member of your family at the dining table.
The illustrations, personal motifs, and poetry are the highlights that make this cookbook so impressive. Quickly own this valuable cookbook to enrich the table and satisfy your taste with African American flavored dishes right away.
About the author: Carolyn Quick Tillery is the author of numerous cookbooks. She has been known as the attorney general, prosecutor attorney, and US Air Force Officer. Ms. Tillery is the author of “The African-American History Cookbook”, “A Taste of Freedom”, and “Southern Homecoming Traditions”, each of the finalists for the prestigious NAACP Image Award.
African American Cookbook: Favorite and Traditional Recipes of African American Cooking
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“Not only did I pocket a lot of interesting recipes, but also learned more about the country and culinary culture of African Americans.” – Amazon Customer
Through the recipes in this book, the author will help you explore in more detail the culinary scene of African Americans. All you need to do is carefully follow the detailed instructions that the author has included in this book to complete the dishes quickly and without much effort.
The specially designed book is easily accessible, so it will not be a problem for even beginners to learn to cook. You will be guided step by step for success. What’s more, you can easily control both traditional and contemporary favorite recipes such as:
- Mains
- Starters
- Salads
- Desserts
- Cakes and much more
About the author: Steven C. Cooker is an impressive culinary writer. The author has a lot of experience and knowledge about African American cuisine, especially the recipes for Christmas. Besides, you can refer to some of his other books such as:
- The 30-Minute Pescatarian Diet Cookbook: Quick Easy and Healthy Recipes to Kickstart Your Healthy Lifestyle
- The Perfect Low Sodium Cookbook: Healthy and Easy Less Salt More Flavor Recipes to Make at Home
- Christmas Dessert Cookbook: Great and Tasty Dessert Recipes for Christmas and Special Occasions
- The Simple Salad Cookbook: Easy Tasty and Healthy Salad Recipes for Every Season Includes Dressings and Vinaigrettes
- Merry Christmas Cookbook: Great and Delicious Recipes for Christmas and Holidays
- Christmas Cookies Recipes: Great Cookies Cookbook for Christmas and Holidays
- The 30-Minute Valentine’s Day Dinners: Quick Easy and Delicious Dinners, Desserts and Drinks Recipes for Busy Couples
A Date with a Dish: Classic African-American Recipes
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“A great cookbook of African – American food. This is a really delightful book.”- Marilyn Scott
This comprehensive collection of authentic African-American recipes represents an outstanding feast of American culinary genius. You can easily find thousands of great and healthy recipes for us.
The scent of childhood memories will be faithfully reproduced in the classic dishes for every meal of the day, from chicken, oyster gumbo to sweet potato pudding. Furthermore, recipes for appetizers are also found such as cheese, soups, appetizers, relishes, and sauces, advancing to meats, fish, fowl, and more interesting desserts.
About the author: Freda DeKnight is the author of the monthly column of Ebony magazine, “A Date with a Dish.” and is the Home Services Director of Johnson Publishing Company. This is the author’s first cookbook on African American cuisine.
The Kitchen Diva! The New African-American Kitchen
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“The New African-American Kitchen is much more than just a cookbook. This is a beautifully presented book that provides historical information and an insight into the cultures that brought us this wonderful food.”- N.V.
This wonderful cookbook will bring you a variety of vegetarian dishes, requiring organic ingredients that are beneficial to our health. In addition, you can find information on ways to combat diet-related ailments from diabetes to heart disease.
The detailed implementation instructions for each step as well as the beautiful illustrations also make this cookbook more intimate and easy to follow. Try and enjoy delicious African-American cuisine today.
About the author: Angela Shelf Medearis is a cookbook author, a regular guest chef on The Dr. Oz Show and the Today show, executive producer of The Kitchen Diva !, and a celebrity-chef judge for cooking competitions. The author currently lives with his family in Austin, Texas.
In Bibi’s Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean [A Cookbook]
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“Bibi’s Kitchen is a well-written book full of delicious-looking recipes and stories that should belong on everyone’s bookshelf.”-Shams
In this series, the author will present 75 recipes and stories from eight African countries: South Africa, Comoros, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, Somalia, and Eritrea. The stories included in the book make the recipes come alive.
In particular, the book also includes many illustrations of places as well as dishes, which will give you a sense of excitement and authenticity. “In Bibi’s Kitchen” will be a book that uses food to teach us about families, migration, war, loss, refugees, and holy places.
About the author: Hawa Hassan is the author, founder, and CEO of Basbaas Sauce. Her branding has been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, the Observer, Grub Street, Vogue, The Cut, Eater, and more.
Julia Turshen is the author of many bestsellers. She has contributed to the Washington Post, Bon Appétit, Wall Street Journal, Vogue, New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur. Also, she is the founder of Equity At The Table (EATT), a digital directory that includes women and non-binary food individuals.
We hope you like this post and finally find out your favorite African American cookbooks. Meanwhile, we welcome you to explore our site and discover more cookbook recommendations from the same cuisine below.
