Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation

by Zaynab Issa

Bon Appetit contributor and food influencer Zaynab Issa offers a singular cookbook on New American home cooking that features recipes influenced by immigration, travel, heritage, and social media

A celebration of her multiculturalism, Zaynab Issa’s debut cookbook comes with recipes that draw from all over the world, with dishes like Creamy Chutney Pasta, Persian Salmon Kebabs, and Adobo-Style Braised Short Ribs. She is influenced by her experience growing up in a 'third culture': a combination of the Indian-African-Middle Eastern foods of her parents' upbringing and the American culture that Zaynab was raised in. The recipes reflect both Zaynab's heritage and her carefree, bold cooking nature. She encourages readers to play around with their recipes and ingredients to create their perfect dish. Need a substitution? She’s got plenty.

Fans of Eric Kim, Priya Krishna, Palak Patel, and Alison Roman will flock to her recipes as she walks readers through the food closest to her heart. Nodding to classic preparations and flavors, Zaynab’s cooking is fresh and original while still being home-cook friendly.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food

272 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zaynab Issa's Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation is a pleasant surprise. I checked this book out at my library based on the title without seeing the actual book; when I picked it up, I realized it was more like a book to give as a gift than a book for sticky-fingered daily use. It has large attractive pages with both color and black and white photos. As promised, the recipes offer accessible opportunities to try foods from a variety of cultures. Issa provides information on substitutions. The recipes I am most likely to try first are Biscotti and Almond Mocha Brownies, but now that is is summer, I will probably wait until it's cooler to bake. The recipes use a variety of spices and other ingredients I don't normally use in unexpected ways. For me, the only shortcoming was that some of the most interesting dishes used yogurt as an ingredient. I don't eat yogurt; for the recipes that used it on the side, I can just skip it. Looking forward to trying something new.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first sentence, Issa had me:

"Almost everything you need to know about me can be learned through the way I eat, and this cookbook is much like a memoir, but of my memories of food. (10)."

I love a good food memoir and a love a good cookbook. The premise and heart of Issa’s cookbook is that “Cooking like an American” and “American food” is all encompassing.

"So, American food is also my food—it might have origins elsewhere, but it belongs here equally. These recipes take inspiration from global cuisines, and I’ve tried to acknowledge the inspiration and origins of certain flavors, dishes and ingredients, as I view that as essential to cultural preservation" (10).
Issa’s mother is from mainland Tanzania and her father is from the island of Zanzibar. They brought their Khoja heritage to New Jersey where Issa was maybe overly influenced by the Food Network and Ina Garten and Rachel Ray.

The women in her life, however, were still big influences and she pays homage to them in the book. If a recipe is titled with a woman’s name before the name of the dish, “That is their recipe, not mine. I simply recorded the expertise they’ve spent years honing” (13).

As with most comprehensive cookbooks, Issa starts out telling us how to “Set Yourself Up for Success.” This section includes Pantry Staples (Aleppo chili flakes to dates to sumac and Diamond Crystal Kosher salt), Fridge Staples (things like Achaar, fish sauce, labneh, and preserved lemons), and Tools (starting with “A Great Peppermill” and ending with a mortar and pestle).

“On Food and Feelings” is innovative. She groups some of her recipes together by feelings: cozy, lazy, celebratory, bored, etc. Feeling moody? Need a little escape? Try Gochujang Tahini Noodles or Fruit and Nut Biscotti. She goes beyond the emotional cooking suggestions and adds legitimate menus for the following occasions:

Teatime
Cocktail Evening
Family Feast
Brunch
A Summer Affair
Date Night
Movie Night
Vegetarian
She categorizes her book into Start Small (appetizers and sides), Fill Up (Mains), Make It Better (Condiments), Something Sweet, and Sips.

Throughout the book, Issa offers ideas for subs in case you don’t have the called-for ingredient OR if you want to experiment. Don’t have ghee? Use vegetable oil. No labneh? Use thick Greek yogurt. Heirloom tomatoes are out of season? Use cherry tomatoes.

Here are some of the recipes that I earmarked:

Gyoza with Garlicky Labneh and Chili Butter—This recipe uses store bought gyoza (54)
Shawarma-Spiced Carrots (75)
Shawarma Salad Wrap (150)
A Great Tuna Melt (174)
Homemade Hot Sauce (197)
Baklava Granola (212)
Date and Dark Chocolate Cookies (230)


The photos in the book are beautiful and playful. Some show an empty plate after licked clean. As with all flavor and fresh forward cooking, a lot of the recipes are conducive to the growing season when fresh herbs and produce are available.

Truly, this book is full of American cuisine. But, I would rather use her term of “Third Culture.” Her B-L-D Tomatoes and Eggs (99) was a nostalgic reminder of having stewed tomatoes on toast with poached eggs growing up. There’s cumin fried rice (107), an “iconic” Khoja chicken pot pie (91), basically an egg McMuffin with achaar (89), and Green Eggs and Hummus (120). Issa is not redefining what we consider “American” food, she’s creating it.

My only complaint is that she did not list page numbers for the specific recipes in her “emotional” cooking section or her menus.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third Culture Cooking is a joyful, personal cookbook that reflects how a lot of us actually cook now—drawing from family traditions, global flavors, and modern convenience without feeling precious about authenticity. Zaynab Issa’s recipes feel approachable and flexible, with clear instructions and flavors that are bold but not fussy.

What really stands out is the perspective: this is food shaped by migration, adaptation, and everyday life. The recipes feel lived-in rather than aspirational, and the headnotes add warmth and context without overwhelming the cooking itself. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to cook from it on a weeknight, not just admire it.

A great choice if you like cookbooks that reflect real kitchens and evolving food cultures—practical, inviting, and full of flavor.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this cookbook but found that I didn’t. None of the recipes are complicated. None of them are anything new. That said, the author keeps the ingredient lists short and offers lots of substitutions for ingredients that a cook might not have access to or just doesn’t like. There are photos that accompany most recipes. My problem is that a lot of the photos are an injustice to the recipes. Most recipes serve 4 or 6 but some are for 1-2, 16, or 24! What I do like about this cookbook is the variety of recipes. This is not a Betty Crocker type of cookbook. It might not be an ideal cookbook for individuals or families that don’t use a lot of spice and/or are not adventurous eaters.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every recipe is clear and easy to understand. She does a wonderful job of explaining the uses and flavor needs of potentially unfamiliar ingredients. I personally am not a savory breakfast eater so those couple of recipes may not be cooked, but everything else is fantastic and exactly what I hoped!

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a little underwhelming for me, which I think is largely just because a lot of the ingredients weren't quite in my preferences. Still bookmarked several, though, and I think this book might work better for somebody who likes a lot more spice.

[Cosmogyral (Gav) · Rating 4 out of 5]

These recipes are attractive and intriguing, and in some cases inspired. I look forward to trying multiple things!

[Margaret Gerberding · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author not only includes recipes from her ethnic background, but also recipes she loved to eat as a child in America.

[Haley N · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had about 20 recipes from the book thanks to cookbook club! Will be reaching for it for years to come.

[Ashley (scatteredthistle) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this for a cookbook club that I just joined. Great recipes and I'm loving the little bit of history added in with each recipe. I LOVE that there are suggestions for alternatives if you don't have certain things handy. I got to taste around 15-20 different recipes from this last night and every single one was absolutely amazing. The thing I like the most is that you could easily prep some of this early, use left over meat to whip some of these up or modify and leave some things out to make it a very quick cooking time.

Aesthetically, the book just isn't for me. I like more color and dramatic photos and that's just personal preference. I'm sure there are many out there who love this. However, I can easily get over that because these recipes are so good.

*Edited after using the cookbook more and tasting more items at the cookbook club.