A Selection of the Top Israeli Cookbooks.

Israeli food has become increasingly popular worldwide. This popularity is partly due to Israeli chefs opening restaurants in various locations and partly to the success of Israeli cookbooks written by some of these top Israeli chefs.

Now more than ever, people are experimenting with home cooking, and such cookbooks provide an opportunity to reproduce some of their favorite Israeli dishes at home. If you cannot make a trip to Israel or don’t live near an Israeli restaurant, an Israeli cookbook is a perfect alternative to help you get your fix of Israeli food.

In no particular order, here is a selection of the top 10 Israeli cookbooks:

1. Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

This iconic recipe book features family recipes from chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, both of whom grew up in Jerusalem. The two chefs met while working for Israeli-owned Baker & Spice in London and, in 2002, opened their first restaurant together, called Ottolenghi, in central London. The Ottolenghi chain now includes restaurants across London. Ottolenghi is credited with introducing Israeli cuisine to the British public, and the chefs have been known to joke that thanks to them, fresh pomegranate seeds are sold in most British supermarkets.

Other cookbooks include Ottolenghi Comfort, Ottolenghi Simple, Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Shelf Love, Ottolenghi The Cookbook, Nopi, Plenty, Plenty More, Sweet, and Flavor. Sami Tamimi published Falastin in 2020.

2. Sababa by Adeena Sussman

Sababa is an Israeli cookbook written by American immigrant Adeena Sussman, who lives next to the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv. Her recipes focus on local fresh ingredients from the market, adapted for an international audience. Adeena has collaborated on several cookbooks in the past, but this is her first solo cookbook, featuring all her recipes. Key ingredients in many of her recipes are tahina, silan, harissa, and zaatar. Sussman recently published a new recipe book called Shabbat and has another book, Gazoz, which she wrote with Benny Briga, known for revitalizing the gazoz drink trend in Israel.

3. Zahav by Mike Solomonov & Steven Cook

Mike Solomonov is an Israeli-American chef who made hummus and falafel famous in Philadelphia. The Zahav recipe book, named after his first restaurant, Zahav, offers modern interpretations of traditional Israeli cuisine. The authors also published Israeli Soul & Federal Donuts. Mike and Steve are co-owners of the CookNSolo restaurant group, which includes seven restaurants in Philadelphia.

4. Balaboosta by Einat Admony

Einat Admony is an Israeli chef living in New York, with a background that includes Persian and Yemenite heritage.  Her cookbook is named after her flagship restaurant, Balaboosta, a modern Israeli fine-dining concept restaurant. The recipes range from family-friendly and comfort food dishes to those for exotic dinner parties.

5. Shuk: From Market to Table by Einat Admony & Janna Gur

This cookbook combines home-cook-friendly recipes by Israeli female chefs Einat Admony and Janna Gur, inspired by the flavors, sights, and stories from the most fascinating Israeli shuks. Janna Gur previously published The Book of New Israeli Food and Jewish Soul Food, and Einat’s other cookbook is listed above.

6. Ottolenghi The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

The first cookbook from the Ottolenghi restaurant chain, published in 2008, was inspired by the childhoods of Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, who grew up in West and East Jerusalem, respectively. The book was relaunched in 2016 with new text introducing each recipe. Other cookbooks include Jerusalem, Ottolenghi Comfort, Ottolenghi Simple, Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Shelf Love, Nopi, Plenty, Plenty More, Sweet, and Flavor. Sami Tamimi published Falastin in 2020.

7. Breaking Breads by Uri Scheft

Uri Scheft is the owner of Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv and Breads Bakery, which has three branches in New York City. His cookbook features recipes for traditional Israeli bread and baked goods, including flatbread, challah, chocolate babka, and rugelach. It also includes recipes for lesser-known pastries, such as Yemenite kubaneh and jachnun.  He also has a cookbook with Jewish Holiday Baking recipes.

8. The Palomar Cookbook by The Palomar Chefs (Assaf Granit, Uri Navon, and Tomer Amedi)

This recipe book includes recipes from The Palomar restaurant, founded by the chefs of the Machneyuda Group (Assaf Granit & Uri Navon) in Jerusalem. Some of the recipes are signature dishes found in many of the group’s restaurants around the world, such as Polenta Jerusalem-style, Kubanah bread, and Tahini ice cream. The Machneyuda group is no longer affiliated with The Palomar restaurant.

Discover more about Machneyuda restaurants worldwide.

9. Honey & Co: At Home by  Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich

This cookbook is by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich, the Israeli owners of the Honey & Co. restaurants in London,  and includes simple recipes for all levels of home cooks. The chefs have also published Honey & Co, Honey & Co: The Baking Book, Golden, and  Honey & Co Chasing Smoke.

10. Eating Out Loud by Eden Grinshpan

Although Eden Grinshpan is Canadian,  her Israeli father and time spent in Israel had a significant influence on her cooking style.  Originally a chef, she is most known as a TV personality and current host of Top Chef Canada. The theme of the book is “Bold Middle Eastern Flavors for All Day, Every Day”. Her latest book, Tahini Baby, published in April 2025, focuses on vegetarian Middle Eastern recipes.

Other Israeli Cookbooks

• Food of Israel by Sherry Ansky
• Cook in Israel: Home Cooking Inspiration by Orly Ziv 
• Food Cultures Israel by Michael Ashkenazi
• Tahini Table by Amy Zitelman

Find out more about Israeli Chefs around the world:

Top 10 Israeli Chefs Worldwide

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