The Best Mexican Cookbooks: My Reviews & Recommendations

Hey guys! This idea of reviewing Mexican cookbooks and selecting the best ones was on my table for a long time. Finally, I’ve collected the list of cookbooks I’ve used and this is my honest opinion of the Mexican cookbooks I consider the most credible and useful on my shelf. I’m listing each entry with a short description of what the book is best at and what kind of cooking you’ll get from it.

Please note that I’ve tried much more and some of the recent cookbooks, written quickly and mindlessly (most probably mass-produced with AI) are simply a waste of time and money. It is a shame, but you all can see how things are going right now. So, below are truly tried and tested Mexican cookbooks that actually made the cut.

The “foundation” Mexican cookbooks (technique + regional credibility)

Diana Kennedy – The Art of Mexican Cooking

You know it is not surprising that people compare her work to Julia Child. This is a classic, technique-forward reference from one of the most influential writers on Mexican regional food. Expect deeply traditional recipes, strong ingredient guidance, and a “learn the real way” approach that rewards patient cooks.

If you don’t know where to start, start here for sure.

Diana Kennedy – The Essential Cuisines of Mexico

A big compilation-style volume that brings together multiple major Kennedy works, refreshed and expanded. Great when you want a serious regional panorama rather than a modern weeknight vibe. 

It’s a robust cookbook from which you’d understand regional differences.

Margarita Carrillo Arronte – Mexico: The Cookbook

A heavyweight “Mexican home cooking encyclopedia” with huge breadth, meant to showcase the country’s diversity in one place. The kind of book you browse for inspiration as it contains a lot of really lip-smacking images.

I personally did not find the majority of the recipes interesting, and in many cases I have come across similar recipes done much better. I know that I am talking about a very prominent figure in Mexican gastronomy, but I honestly did not like the content, sorry.

Margarita Carrillo Arronte – The Mexican Vegetarian Cookbook

A large-format vegetarian-focused companion with a wide range of traditional-leaning dishes (many naturally plant-based). Useful when you want Mexican flavor logic without defaulting to meat as the backbone.

So yes, on the plus side, she isn’t using some mock meats and instead you will see a lot of mushrooms and cauliflower, but being flexitarian myself (95% vegan sort of, currently), I must say that it was not inspiring for me. The book is very nicely done with images, but it left me wanting more from actual recipes.

America’s Test Kitchen – The Best Mexican Recipes

A highly practical, test-kitchen guide that adapts Mexican classics for home cooks using accessible ingredients and repeatable methods. Strong when you want consistency and clarity.

This is most probably the book I came back to more often in the beginning of my Mexican cooking journey. I think this title consists of more recipes I have cooked in comparison to other books. What I love is the attention to detail, very clear instructions and suggestions that actually work! I found some simple but inspiring suggestions, like adding crushed mustard seeds to chilli con carne.

I highly recommend.

Pati Jinich – Pati’s Mexican Table

Home-cooking-first Mexican food with an approachable tone and a “cook this for people you love” vibe. A friendly bridge between authenticity and everyday practicality.

It won’t be topping any charts, but a very solid work.

Rick Martínez – Mi Cocina

A personal journey through Mexico’s regions with a strong sense of place and storytelling, built around 100+ recipes. Great if you like learning cuisine through travel, culture, and lived context, not just instructions.

Again, my short list of recipes does not contain much from this book, but it is a good read nevertheless.

Gonzalo Guzmán – Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen

A restaurant-rooted but home-cookable book that covers fundamentals (salsas, tortillas/masa thinking, classic techniques) alongside Northern/Central/Coastal influences, filtered through a California lens.

Some of the recipes are truly outstanding, really loved this cookbook. If you master the basics, this would be a good next step.

Gabriela Cámara – My Mexico City Kitchen

Contemporary Mexico City-inspired cooking that leans clean, vibrant, and ingredient-driven, organised from basics through mains and sweets. Ideal if you like modern restaurant sensibility without losing the Mexican core.

I honestly love the work, the energy and the style of Gabriela Camara. Having been to her Contramar, I must say that the food is to die for, and this cookbook is a great add-on to your basics. I have cooked some of her delicious recipes and was very satisfied with the results.

The Oaxaca + Northern Mexico specialists

Bricia Lopez – Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico

A focused deep dive into Oaxacan cooking from the family behind Guelaguetza, an ingredient-and-tradition-rich region where moles, corn culture, and indigenous roots are central.

Whilst I love Oaxacan cuisine, I felt this book is more of a coffee table illustrated magazine rather than a cookbook. 

Karla Zazueta – Norteña

A personal, tradition-forward exploration of Northern Mexican home cooking, great for understanding the “other Mexico” many mainstream books underrepresent.

I loved the simplicity of explaining some of the traditional dishes of Northern Mexico. Some of the recipes were very successful, whilst several were overly simplistic and lacking a layer of flavour or two.

Masa, tortillas, and corn culture

Jorge Gaviria – Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple

A modern cornerstone for anyone serious about corn, nixtamal, and tortilla quality, mixing history, science, sourcing, and practical technique. This is “tortilla craft” as a discipline, not a side note.

If you have read my posts about making tortillas and about masa, you won’t be surprised if I tell you that it is one of my favourite books. It also goes along with my own view on using traditional methods when it makes sense (masa nutrition), but moving on and creating inspiring fusion recipes to delight the diners. You will find it all in this book. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Tacos + street food energy (from serious to playful)

Alex Stupak – Tacos: Recipes and Provocations

A chef-y, idea-driven taco book that goes deep on tortillas, salsas, and bold fillings – mixing traditional references with creative, sometimes provocative riffs. Excellent for expanding your taco imagination.

This is not your ‘learn taco basics’ type of book, so you might need to learn the very basics first. Yet it is my favourite taco book as it invites to think, to imagine and to create. I think, if you are a taco addict as me, you need to have it.

Danny Trejo – Trejo’s Tacos

A lively LA taco-shop style cookbook built around crowd-pleasers (including some plant-forward options), plus stories and personality. Good for “fun cooking that still works.”

It’s fun, vibrant and messy like the author. Not a necessity but a fairly good read nevertheless.

Jonas Cramby – Taco Loco

Street-food-at-home with an antojitos-and-tacos spirit (snacks, sweets, drinks, and plenty of taco builds). Reads like a love letter to the taco lifestyle as much as a recipe book.

Light-hearted read, nothing truly special unfortunately.

Shay Ola – Death by Burrito

London street-food bar energy: modern, playful Mexican-ish builds with strong flavour ideas and a “party food” attitude. Less about strict regional fidelity, more about bold mashups that taste good.

If there are books on tacos, there are on burritos. Honestly, again, nothing special here.

Eric Partaker – The Chilango Burrito Bible

A burrito-first concept book inspired by the Chilango brand – creative combinations, flexible rules, and lots of “build it your way” momentum. Useful when you want burritos as a format, not a fixed tradition.

If you want to check the “possible” success secret component of Chilango brand, you can check it out. I did not find it amazing.

Modern vegetarian + plant-based Mexican (actually worth cooking)

Thomasina Miers – Meat-free Mexican

Vegetable-forward Mexican-inspired cooking with big flavours – tacos, salsas, moles, beans, and seasonal produce doing the heavy lifting. Practical and modern, built for real-life cooking.

I have started properly learning Mexican by the books written by Thomasina Myers. She has a uniquely vivacious approach to cooking and describing things. Whilst I found a few omissions in her earlier books, they are helpful and the recipes are tasty. Her books are definitely in my top list, to which I come back occasionally.

Thomasina Miers – Mexican Food Made Simple

An accessible “start cooking Mexican tonight” book – good for foundational confidence, pantry thinking, and easy wins (especially if you’re feeding people). A flexitarian book with lots of veggie recipes, but also some pescatarian and meat ones too. 

Great for inexperienced cooks who want to prepare a Mexican dinner with ease.

Thomasina Miers – Wahaca: Mexican Food at Home

Home versions of restaurant-style crowd favourites, designed to be shareable and social. Great for parties, taco nights, and that “Mexican comfort + punchy salsa” vibe.

Wahaca is her baby chain in the UK and you can check how to replicate some of their favourites at home. A good, solid cookbook.

Thomasina Miers – Chilli Notes

Not strictly Mexican, but highly relevant if you cook Mexican often: it’s a chilli-centric book focused on how to use chiles for warmth, depth, and balance, not just heat.

Thomasina Miers – Mexican Table

A more recent, ingredient-led take: cooking through a set of staple ingredients as a way to understand Mexican flavour structure and versatility across dishes.

I would say it is my favourite book by Myers, however, it is not for beginners – it uses some truly inspiring fusion ideas, and I think if you’re just starting out, it is better to learn the basics first. Though for m,e it is a great modern Mexican cookbook.

Edgar Castrejón – Provecho

A modern plant-based Mexican cookbook that intentionally reworks familiar classics into vegan versions, with culture/community framing and a contemporary pantry.

A solid cookbook to be inspired to eat more plant-based.

Alexa Soto – Plantas

Vegan-leaning Mexican cooking that positions plant-based as a natural continuation of Mexican tradition, not a compromise – bright, modern, and very “cook this in today’s kitchen.”

Yes, I loved this one – it gave me quite a few ideas for my veggie recipes. If you’re following a plant-based diet, I recommend this one.

The Gracias Madre Cookbook

Plant-based “Mexi-Cali” style from the well-known vegan restaurant – fresh, bright, SoCal-influenced, with approachable vegan substitutions and crowd-friendly dishes.

This one is probably my favourite out of all veggie Mexican cookbooks, this is an issue of getting some of the ingredients they use in Southern California. If you are cooking Mexican food far away from Mexico. Though the quality and breadth of 100% plant-based Mexican dishes are inspiring!

My Mexican cookbooks top list

1. American Test Kitchen  – The Best Mexican Recipes
2. Jorge Gaviria – Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple
3. Alex Stupak – Tacos: Recipes and Provocations

This recommendation on the best Mexican cookbooks is based on my view that you need to learn the basics, cook the foundation recipes and be ready to dazzle yourself and your guests with truly delicious tacos.

Moving on, you can deepen your horizons by buying these more encyclopaedic books by Diana Kennedy, adding more plant-based dishes to your everyday with Gracias Madre cookbook, or be inspired by Gabriela Camara’s book, which is heavy on pescatarian options. This is an exciting and delicious journey!

Buy The Best Mexican Cookbooks

I prefer buying cookbooks in Kindle format as I used to move quite a lot. And even when I move just throughout the city, it is easier with just my ipad mini, really.

By clicking this link and buying some of the books, I will earn a small commission from the merchants, for which I thank you.

Hope you found this review useful. Until next time!

P.S. Oh, and my recent discovery of Bob’s Red Mill masa harina on iHerb is truly lifesaving. Here is a link to check out masa harina availability. So you can actually get the ingredient for your own homemade nixtamal corn tortillas!