The Best Recipes in the World: More Than 1,000 International Dishes to Cook at Home

by Mark Bittman

"I know of only one person who could put together such a treasury of the best recipes in the Mark Bittman." —Chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen 

Join iconic, six-time James Beard Award–winning food writer Mark Bittman on a journey across the globe—not to the fanciest, most-acclaimed restaurants in the world, but to the good bars, little joints, mom-and-pop operations, and home kitchens that serve up common, everyday food. 

Here you'll find streamlined, modernized, updated versions of authentic dishes, recreated in ways that don't rob them of their integrity, but that make them more accessible. China's Jook, Mexico's Chile-Fried Shrimp, India's Red-Braised Chicken, and Sweden's Sweet Almond Buns are just a few of the easy-to-prepare, traditional dishes in these pages. Relying on the techniques common across cultures, Bittman helps you become familiar with a wide range of ingredients and distills the recipes down to their basic ingredients. His vast knowledge and expert advice help you bring the world to your table.

"The amount of research and recipe testing that went into compiling this cookbook is awe-inspiring. The end result is a brilliant anthology of world cuisine—global recipes that are delicious and, in the best Mark Bittman tradition, easily recreated at home with minimum fuss but maximum flavor." —Daniel Boulud

"Mark Bittman is among our most important and influential food writers. I respect his work enormously, which is why I'm greatly looking forward to cooking from his new book, a collection of recipes that would take me a decade to discover on my own." —Paula Wolfert, James Beard Award–winning author of The Cooking of Southwest France

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Ebooks, Food and Drink

736 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2005

About the author

MARK BITTMAN is one of the country's best-known and most widely respected food writers. His How to Cook Everything books, with one million copies in print, are a mainstay of the modern kitchen. Bittman writes for the Opinion section of New York Times on food policy and cooking, and is a columnist for the New York Times Magazine. His "The Minimalist" cooking show, based on his popular NYT column, can be seen on the Cooking Channel. His most recent book, VB6, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week on sale.

Reviews

[Maegan]

Not that I've read this whole thing or anything, but I find it very useful. I have attempted my very first tagine and onigiri, and found some very helpful information on very basic things like making short grain rice properly. Straightforward recipes, though sometimes he forgets to tell you what to do with an ingredient or two. Any moderately intelligent kitchen person can figure it out, though.

[Lori]

THis has become my go-to cookbook. I've made numerous recipes, and so far only one was a bomb with my family. Well I liked it, but admittedly it was a bit bland and my husband is one who prefers to taste spice and not the food. But even so, I'd make it again, the first time was dress rehearsal, now I know what I'd add to add some more uuumph.

All the other recipes have been delicious and I've gotten excited about cooking again after a long long slump of 10 years. Thank you, Mark!

[Sylvia]

Mr. Bittman's recipes in HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING are simply amazing. His instructions are always clear and easy-to-follow. I even bought an extra copy as a wedding gift to a good friend. With some expectation in mind, I got myself this recipe book that showcases various international cuisines. Unfortunately the recipes are rather inconsistent. The Western dishes are not bad but the Asian ones are no good. If you have tasted authentic South East Asian food, you may not find this book very helpful. Most of them turn out rather bland and unimpressive (as agreed by my other friends using the same). Sorry to say so but any ordinary cookbook published in Asia will be better. I am just hoping that the English readers of this book would keep an open mind that Asian food is far more aromatic, delicious and flavorful than what appears in this recipe book.

[Jess]

my new favorite cookbook! it's comfort food from around the world. for example -- italian chestnut soup, spinach pancakes from finland, coconut chutney from india, foofoo from ghana, thai peanut sauce, japanese somen (cold noodles). there are fish, poultry, and meat recipes, but there are also tons of vegetarian options!

[Bridget]

My mom and I have found some of the best international recipes in this book and they are so good they have become regular meals for the family. Best recipes we've discovered so far: Chicken with Olives (Morocco), Roast Lamb with Orange and Thyme (Greece), Chicken Curry (Malaysia), Matambre (Argentina), Veal Paprikas (Hungary).

[Nicole]

This is an interesting, approachable book. I can tell this is an older one of Bittman's titles because he does not shy away from meat, butter, cream and other heavy ingredients that his newer books use more sparingly. I have to admit that I was tempted by many of these recipes but in reality I doubt I would make them often as I have also moved away from that kind of cooking. This would be a great "second shelf" book to have on hand for fun.

[Rmfarrell]

Don't' be fooled by Mr. Bittman's often painful NYTimes.com video series ("the Minimalist"(oh, the pain!)) This book is totally great and great for beginners who feel like they can probably skip the kids stuff. Especially good if you live in an urban area because almost every recipe contains one really hard to find ingredient.

[Suzanne]

I feel bad giving Mark Bittman only 4 stars, but I've found a few flaws in some recipes I've tried. I will stick with it. I love reading his descriptions of food origins and his philosophy around cooking ethnic foods is inspiring. My goal is to do one new recipe a week. I think I'm reading too many cookbooks.

[Catherine Woodman]

This is an excellent companion to the How to Cook Everything, and I would love to have them both electronically as my two travelling cookbooks--which is not what has happened, but these would be my choice, and if I had to have only 10 cookbooks they would both be in that group--thankfully I have 100's :-)

[Rebecca]

This is truly a great cookbook. My roommate snagged it from the library, and it was tempting me from our kitchen table. Now I'm the proud parent of lion's head soup. Mmm, delicious. Everything Suzie made from here was good.

[Jim]

They say you're lucky to get three new recipes out of a cookbook, there are over 10 recipes that i noted. Fish Taco's turned out great, salsa verde, and i've incorporated a few ingredients in recipes due in part to this read.

I hope to make a chutney dish, soon.

[Amy]

excellent guide and resource for a variety of ethnic cuisines. It includes from countries I had forgotten even existed.

[Marian]

got this one for Christmas when it came out, Tons of seafood and shellfish recipes from all over the world.

[Ambica Rajagopal]

a really good solid cookbook..nothing short of encyclopedic..the real joy is in the variety of cuisines bittman seems to be comfortable with..and he undertands indian cooking!

[Kristin]

An excellent international cookbook. Every recipe that I have tried from this book has been delicious and fairly easy.

[Sara Townsend]

I love this book - the recipes are easy to follow, delicious and have really broadened my home cooking experiences. Can't wait to get my hands on more Bittman books!

[Mckinley]

Very complete - huge book.

[Fatemah]

all time favorite cookbook, you can find it all here, very easy to use.

[Varied Books]

On sale $1.99

[Mahafuz]

★★★★★

The Best Recipes in the World is a wonderful collection for anyone who loves discovering new flavors and exploring different culinary traditions from around the globe. With more than 1,000 recipes, this cookbook offers an impressive amount of variety and makes it easy to find inspiration for everything from familiar favorites to dishes I had never considered making at home.

What I enjoyed most is the sense of culinary exploration throughout the book. The recipes provide an opportunity to experience different ingredients, techniques, and flavor combinations without having to travel anywhere. There is something especially satisfying about recreating international dishes in your own kitchen and discovering new favorites along the way.

The sheer variety also makes this a cookbook I can see returning to repeatedly. Whether planning a special meal, looking for something different for dinner, or simply wanting to experiment with another cuisine, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Overall, this is an inspiring and versatile cookbook that belongs on the shelf of anyone who enjoys cooking and discovering food from different cultures. It is packed with ideas, encourages experimentation, and makes international cooking feel exciting and accessible. A fantastic source of culinary inspiration!

[C Romerova]

This book is worth buying for its sheer scope and as an introduction to popular dishes from around the world but should not be taken (as with all of Bittman’s books) as a definitive cooking bible. *Some* of the advice here is outdated (this is more evident in his early books), factually dubious or just reflective of Mark’s particular taste and preferences. His writing style is frequently far from impartial and objective, which I find better suited to these type of encyclopedic tomes. Also, as frequently mentioned, his recipes often seem quite basic which may well be the point; that is to give a basic architecture of well-known dishes as a jumping off point but this results in some of the more bold ethnic cuisines being somewhat muted and boring if you follow his recipes exactly. I think, however, this is good to keep around to get a feel for different styles of cooking and what you like and then proceed to get cookbooks written by people who specialize in those regional cuisines. No man attempting to cover “everything” is going to have the best or most sophisticated versions of said recipes.

[Shamim Reza]

The Best Recipes in the World is an impressive cookbook for anyone who enjoys exploring different cuisines from the comfort of home. With more than 1,000 recipes, it offers an enormous variety of dishes and plenty of inspiration for everyday meals, special occasions, and adventurous cooking projects. I love the way the collection brings together flavors, ingredients, and culinary traditions from around the globe, making each recipe feel like an invitation to discover something new. The variety keeps cooking exciting, while the broad selection makes it easy to find something for every preference and occasion. This is the kind of cookbook that can stay on the kitchen shelf for years and still provide fresh ideas whenever you need them. A wonderful choice for curious cooks and food lovers.

[Sohel Rana]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A fantastic collection for anyone who loves exploring food from around the world! With more than 1,000 recipes, this book offers an incredible variety of international dishes and plenty of inspiration for cooking at home. I especially enjoyed how it brings different cuisines together in one place, making it easy to discover new flavors and ideas.

Whether you’re an experienced home cook or simply curious about international food, this is a wonderful cookbook to keep on hand. It feels like taking a culinary journey around the world without leaving your kitchen. Highly recommended for food lovers!

[Alisa]

A bit generic but it's meant for home cooks to be able to easily reproduce these recipes without having to buy a ton of obscure spices. No pictures (in the ebook at least) and very heavy handed on the seafood. I tried a few of the recipes and they were easy enough and satisfying, even if I wouldn't make them again. I'm enjoying using this from the library but I really don't know if there are enough keepers that I would buy this book. I do love Mark Bittman and own other cookbooks by him, however.

[Rebecca]

Perhaps the ultimate cooking bible? I love this cookbook and definitely a favourite. I love how it includes a vast array of cuisines, cooking style and ingredients. I have some new favourite recipes which including combing ingredients I would have never thought of combining. I love how books and cookbooks expand the mind and the possibilites!

[Dray]

Mark Bittman impresses. He knows a lot, writes well and is in touch with the common cook and what people actually eat. You could be an astounding cook using only his books and there are very few people I could say that about. This book curates popular recipes from many cultures and presents them via common ingredients.

[Scott Andrews]

incredible. a must own.

[Lesa]

Interesting recipes

[Laura]

Bittman is an incredible cookbook writer. He gives just enough history; the steps are super easy to follow; I've generally found his prep times to be accurate; and he tries to use ingredients that you can get in most grocery stores. This book completely delivers all those things. It's doorstop size, and includes everything from Greek, Polish and Korean cuisine to Italian and most Asian and European countries are included. There are also some from Africa and Scandinavia. He gives a little bit of background on each recipe, and in the beginning kind of gives a pep talk, explaining highlights of most of the types of cuisine included (like coaxing people not to be afraid of Indian cooking due to the long ingredient list - most of the time, it's spices that you just buy once a year).

My problem with the book is that it's organized by type of dish (for example, cold appetizers). This is great, but when you go to the section, it's so broad that it's hard to narrow down. I want a cold appetizer, but do I want bean dip or chilled octopus? It's almost too broad. You have recipes from various countries sitting next to each other that are quite different. This could be a good thing - if you like ravioli, you'll probably like pierogi. But I also found it a little overwhelming.

This is a well written book, but I'm not sure I'd use it enough to warrant it's size or expense. This would be great for an adventurous cook who would otherwise have a stack of ethnic cookbooks.

[Yaaresse]

Update to add:
I just had a chance to look through the Kindle edition of this cookbook, and it's terrible. There's no way to find recipes via the index because there are no links. Recipes are not listed or linked in the Table of Contents, nor are they listed at the beginning of chapters. The search features in Kindle is completely useless for recipes since you pretty much have to remember the exact name of a recipe for it to be effective. Bittman, what the hell were you thinking? Did you even look at the Kindle version or did you just take the publisher's word that it would be fine?

In short, if I were to rate the Kindle edition, it wouldn't get a single star simply because it's not functional without navigation. Until this is fixed -- if it ever is -- pring for the print version.
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This is one of those cookbooks that will get you through almost any meal, occasion, craving or curiosity. It's a good pick for folks who don't want or have a lot of room for a huge cookbook selection.