7 Best Asian Vegetarian and Vegan Cookbooks

Ever wanted to read an Asian vegan & vegetarian cookbook? If you have not, the following books help you immerse yourself into Asian culinary. The people of the Asian countries tend to have more variety of delicious vegan and vegetarian recipes than the people living in the west. Don’t you agree with it?

The vegan/vegetarian foods mostly found in Asia are plant-based, satisfying, tasty, and healthy. There are even some vegetables which do not belong to your imagination! To be honest with you, in order to find them you have got to embark on a trip to some Asian morning street markets.

Thai green papaya salad. Photo Credit: Daisuke tashiro at Flickr.

A list of different kinds of organic foods is grown throughout the continent including huge range of authentic ingredients that are used to prepare specific dishes.

If you are a type of person who likes eating vegan/vegetarian recipes and enthusiast in Asian food culture, I would highly recommend you reading the following cookbooks specialize in Asian vegan cooking.

These books have the ability to inspire you learning Asian culinary as well as make you familiar with a lot of plant-based recipes that have been part of the Asian culture and traditions for decades.

1) Kansha: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions

A great source of learning Japanese Buddhist cuisine. Photo Credit: Amazon.com.

The title of this inspiring cookbook tells you what the book is all about. The concept of the book is clear as well. Written by Elizabeth Andoh, one of the top writers of the Japanese cuisine, Kansha is a wonderfully illustrated cookbook with beautiful full-color photographs, and easy-to-follow instructions.

A book with poor illustration does not seem appealing. After all, you won’t enjoy reading the recipes and you will start thinking of “What the hell? It’s just waste of money.” Considering all these things, Kansha wins in every aspect. If you are into learning traditional Japanese cuisine, this book is a must read for you.

The book – Kansha, literally means appreciation, is all about Buddhist vegetarian tradition, encourages you to prepare nutritionally sound and aesthetically satisfying meals that avoid waste, conserve energy, and preserve our natural resources.

Elizabeth, who has been living in Japan for many years, knows the techniques of preparing these sort vegan dishes quite easily with the use of proper ingredients. Here, you are going to find some of the finest vegan recipes you can collect from Japanese food culture.

Honestly, the recipes you find in this book are very simple yet all delicious. That’s absolutely awesome!

2) Buddha’s Table: Thai Feasting Vegetarian Style

Thailand “The land of smiles” is one of the best destinations to explore in Asia. Beautiful beaches, shining Buddhist temples and the foods are the prime reasons to embark on a trip to Thailand.

Thai cuisine is an important part of Thai culture. It’s rich and diverse. Foreign travelers there do love to taste variety of Thai foods. Yeah I have tried them in Silom Road, Bangkok. A truly great place to try Thai street foods.

This cookbook is well organized with a collection of plant-based Thai recipes inspired by regional cuisines. If you are fond of Thai foods and seriously keen to cook some recipes at home instead of going to a Thai restaurant, buy this book immediately. Then start making dishes like salads, curries, soups, stir-fries and many more within a short period of time.

The ingredients needed in preparing all the recipes can be bought quite easily. That will not be a big deal though. Every recipe in the book is easy to prepare and vegetarian cook can’t think of an alternative one than this fantastic cookbook.

3) Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook

I love reading cookbooks of different kinds as long as I feel myself inspired. In search of old and newly published books, I often I visit our local library. The day I accidentally found this Indian vegan cookbook, I thought “this is what I was looking for years.”

During the trip to India back in 2015, I was lucky enough to taste its traditional plant-based dishes such as vegetables curries, flat breads, chutneys, sweets, dals, small snacks, and many more. Surprisingly this book reveals the recipes of making these vegetarian dishes.

The author of this book, Richa Hingle, teaches you the most effective ways of learning some easy & quick appetizing vegan recipes. For every home cook who is a newbie at learning Indian cuisine, this book is absolutely for you. Don’t lookout for other books!

This book is without question a treasure that comes with lots of information about ingredients as well as features a great variety of vegan recipes. Once you have it on your bookshelf, no rush, just take your time to prepare them one by one and wow your entire family. Buy the book here.

4)  Vegetarian Dishes from My Korean Home: Flavorful Korean Recipes in Simple Steps

Every ethnic community living in Asia prefers eating vegetables than eating meat. The Koreans are no different. With wonderful recipes covering a wide range of Korean vegetarian dishes, and easy-to-follow instruction, this is the book you require to learn how to make yummy Cabbage Kimchi, Pickled Yellow Radish, Scallion Pancake, Bimimbap Sauce, Bibim Guksu and so on. Besides, photographs of the cookbook are too eye-catching that seriously they may make you feel hungry!

Whether you are a big fan of Korean culture or always lookout for different vegetarian dishes, this comprehensive cookbook definitely would inspire you learning the recipes and give you a lot of confidence in you.

In fact, this is the best Korean vegetarian cookbook I have come across, and after reading the book, I have tried some of the recipes, they were absolutely delicious. In addition, I also believe it will make a great gift for people who are interested in Asian cooking. Buy it here.

5) Farm to Table Asian Secrets: Vegan & Vegetarian Full-Flavored Recipes for Every Season

I wanted to feature this incredible vegan cookbook for few very good reasons. I love the way everything is written in there, photographs are colorful, detailed instructions are given on the seasonal recipes, ingredients and tools, how to add flavors and textures, and the author’s insights into foods.

Farm to Table Asian Secrets” covers a wide array of Asian vegetarian dishes that include green apple salad, Korean style buffalo broccoli, Crispy Noodles with Savory Vegetables, Grilled Vegetable, Sweet Potato Rice Stew, Easy Miso Ramen, and many more.

Some of the ingredients may not be available at a grocery store in your home town but, in an Asian market. However, the author gives you some practical information on how to find their alternatives at a grocery store you visit often. They won’t make that much of a difference though!

To be honest with you, this is going to be your perfect cookbook if you want to immerse in the authentic plant-based Asian cooking.

6) Wok Wisely: Chinese Vegetarian Cooking

This book inspires! I am telling you the truth. I have been always fascinated by Chinese vegetarian cooking custom.

China is a densely populated country in the world, and its abundance of fertile lands and favorable weather make it possible for growing a wide range of plant-based foods. The locals there know how to use them and preserve them in the right manner.

Wok Wisely, a comprehensive Chinese vegetarian cookbook that you would like to read from A to Z over and over again. It does not reveal the delicious recipes, but also guides you how to keep the body in balance.

This excellent book also inspires becoming a vegetarian. If you are trying to be a full time vegetarian, read this and find a way of life for your body, mind and spirit. After all, the book itself is a source of great inspiration.

7) The Asian Vegan Kitchen: Authentic and Appetizing Dishes from a Continent of Rich Flavors

Cooking vegan recipes are lot more interesting than cooking non plant-based dishes. I am so proud of owning this great vegan cookbook.

Every recipe has its own unique style of cooking and you will be surprised to know that there are over 200 dishes have been included to cover a wide range of tastes. It means you are going to learn variety of unique cooking styles coming from across Asia – Thai, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Indonesian.

Reading this book you will have a great opportunity of learning the diverse culinary heritage of the Asian nations. Collect this today and try making them at home to satisfy your stomach and rest of your family members.

If you are to find a list of appetizing Asian dishes to celebrate a special day, choose some recipes to cook out of this cookbook and make the day memorable. In fact, finding great vegan recipes from the book for the whole family will not be a daunting task.

Are you a vegan or vegetarian? I will not bother hearing your favorite Asian dishes, so share with me in the comment box below.

2 Comments

  1. Meaghan Farrell says:

    Thank you very much for your review of asain vegan cookbooks. I have lived in Hawaii since age 9 (am 56 now) and we are very blessed to have the opportunity of eating a variety of ethnic dishes. Asain food is the best, (to me anyway…any asian, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, Chinese, Indian, and even Filipino). With the Buddist culture being primary in many Asian cultures, I know that there are many asain vegan recipes which I would like to learn. My all time favorite vegetarian dish is jai, or Monks Food, which the Chinese eat on Chinese New Years day. It is very difficult to make as it has many uncommon ingredients. I go out for that! Again thank you for your help! I ordered 3 cook books, under your review, Buddah’s Table, Farm to Table Asain Secrets and The Asain Vegan Kitchen. Amazon had them all!

    • Hi Meaghan,
      That’s very good to know that you are interested in learning many Asian vegan dishes. I hope those books help you to learn some. Good luck to you.
      Thank you so much.

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