Want to Cook Like a Nonna?
Start with These Italian Cookbooks

If you've spent any time poking around this site, you probably already know that I'm a little obsessed with Italian food. But here's the thing—I'm not the real expert in the family. That would be my wife, Maria.

Maria is Italian through and through. She grew up in a kitchen that always smelled like garlic, rosemary, and simmering tomatoes. Her nonna taught her how to roll pasta before she could reach the counter. So when Maria says a cookbook is good? That's not just an opinion. That's a guarantee.

She's the reason I stopped buying those glossy, overcomplicated Italian cookbooks that look great on a coffee table but never actually get splattered with sauce. She taught me to look for the real ones—the ones written by people who cook with their hands, their hearts, and a healthy respect for good olive oil.

So on this page, I'm sharing the cookbooks that have earned Maria's stamp of approval. And trust me—she's a tough critic.

We've divided them into two categories to make things easy.

First, the books that cover Italian cooking as a whole—the classics, the foundations, the ones you'll reach for again and again.

And then—my personal favorites—the books that dive deep into three regions we know and love best: Piedmont, Sardinia, and Marche/Umbria.

So go ahead, take a look. Whether you're a beginner or a longtime lover of Italian food, you'll find something here that'll make you want to tie on an apron and call everyone to the table.

Buon appetito, my friends.

Italian Food Books Picks

Everyday Pasta

First on the list is this book, which is an absolute classic. You probably already have this Italian recipe book, as it is so popular and really essential for all pasta lovers. If you don't own it already, you really must fix that right now. Our edition has been so used over the years that it has become very dog-eared. The recipes are easy to follow, and many are very simple yet really delicious. The ideal recipe book for those quick but special dinners.

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La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy

Here is a book with everything we love about Italian cooking: simple, genuine recipes made with the finest ingredients. If you buy just one Italian cookbook in your life, this is the one. The recipes have been collected from nonnas and mammas across the length and breadth of Italy. They are exactly how you would eat in Italy. Truly a taste of Italy, and a great way to visit Italy without leaving your home. Go crazy; eat in Sicily today and Tuscany tomorrow.

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Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

Marcella has really produced a winner with this book. It is very comprehensive and includes many of the more elaborate Italian dishes. This book really helps you to realize just how much more there is to Italian cooking than just pasta and pizza. Some really great recipes that are all very well presented. This is the ideal Italian food book for those who want to try more advanced Italian cooking. Not ideal if you want quick and easy recipes, though.

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Piedmont/Sardinia and Le Marche Cook Books

Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey: The Mediterranean Flavors of Sardinia

There are very few decent cookbooks about the cuisine of Sardinia (for more on Sardinia's food click here)—this is the best of them. Efisio is one of the most famous Sardinian chefs, and his sheer love of the magical island of Sardinia and the island’s cuisine infuses this book from beginning to end. Many of the recipes in this book are virtually unknown outside of Sardinia, but boy, are they tasty! The photos are also exceptional—a beautiful journey through perhaps the most beautiful of all the Mediterranean islands.

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Cucina of Le Marche: A Chef's Treasury of Recipes from Italy's Last Culinary Frontier

Le Marche has very few good English-language cookbooks focusing on the cuisine of the region. This is my pick; the author is a native of Le Marche and is an award-winning chef. The recipes are 100% authentic, but they are not always the easiest to make. It's worth the effort, though! A refreshingly unpretentious book by a chef who will no doubt become a lot more famous in years to come.

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Autumn in Piemonte: Food and Travels in Italy's Northwest

I bought this magnificent book last Christmas in Italy. We both now love it. In these covers, you'll discover our world, our little corner of Italy in hardcover. The author is both a poet and a cook; she succeeds brilliantly in evoking the atmosphere of Piedmont and sharing the great recipes and food of what is perhaps Italy’s greatest culinary region. The photos are exceptional, and together with the passionate writing of the author, they will leave you longing to follow in her footsteps. It's definitely one of the best Italian food books around.

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A Passion for Piedmont: Italy's Most Glorious Regional Table

A Passion for Piedmont was recommended to me by one of my Australian visitors, who, after reading the book, fell so in love with Piedmont that he has visited twice and is hoping to live here one day. I have since read the book, and I definitely agree with the exceptional rating he gave it. A Passion for Piedmont features over 150 of the best Piemonte recipes, lots about the local Piedmont wines (Italy's best?) too, and much else, all in a very well-presented book.

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I hope you have enjoyed my guide to these Italian food books and Italian recipe books that I love!!