The Best Black Vegan Cookbooks

Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry

Chef Terry reinterprets traditional African, Caribbean, and Southern recipes using whole food plant-based ingredients. His storytelling and curated playlists elevate this book into an cultural experience. I’ve cooked the savory grits with slow-cooked collard greens and the tofu po’boys with creamy red bell pepper sauce —both just delicious. Terry reminds us that vegan cooking isn’t about denial, but about innovation.

Follow Bryant Terry at instagram.com/bryantterry.

Sweet Potato Soul By Jenné Claiborne

We’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jenné, a vegan chef and food blogger who grew up in Atlanta eating classic soul food.  Her first cookbook is the result of thinking that she would have to give up all of the delicious flavors and textures once she became vegan. But she instead realized after spending years experimenting in the kitchen that she could Infuse plant-based dishes with all the flavors, textures and depth of good old-fashioned soul food. Her recipes are modern soul food made vibrant with ingredients like sweet potatoes, collards, and jackfruit.

We enjoyed her twist on classic hummus with her recipe for spicy sweet potato hummus. A dish that would go well at a Super Bowl Sunday spread along side her Bourbon barbecue tempeh sandwich. Be sure to pick up her newest cookbook Vegan Vibes.

Find her on Instagram @sweetpotatosoul

Eat Plants B*tch by Pinky Cole

Aisha "Pinky" Cole founder of Slutty Vegan brings her bold personality and business sense to this cookbook. Her recipes are indulgent and unapologetically Southern, like her island caulifower po'boy, spicy sausage gravy and biscuits and vegan fried fish.

Find her at www.instagram.com/pinkycole.

The Vegan Soulfood Guide to the Galaxy  by Afya Ubomu

Ibomu fuses holistic nutrition and a soul food sensibility. The book includes wellness advice and easy-to-follow recipes, all with a cultural twist. Her yams sweet yams and sweetie “sweet potato” pie remind me of growing up Southern, but with a lot of new and fresh vegan recipes to try like her crispy collard green rolls.

Find her at instagram.com/afyaibom.  

Dick Gregory’s Natural Diet For Folks Who Eat By Dick Gregory.

Dick Gregory was a comedian, political and civil rights activist and this foundational text blends humor, political activism, and health advice. Long before wellness was a trend, Gregory was connecting plant-based eating to liberation and longevity.

Initially famous for his sophisticated, layered humor that took on racial issues of the day, think Dave Chappelle. For Gregory, who became a vegetarian in 1965, food and diet became inextricably linked to civil rights. “The philosophy of nonviolence,... during my involvement in the civil rights movement, was first responsible for my change in diet,”. “I felt the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ applied to human beings not only in their dealings with each other—war, lynching, assassination, murder, and the like—but in their practice of killing animals for food or sport.” Knowing he was at high risk from heart disease had helped Gregory to give up meat in 1965, and to become a vegan raw foodist fructarian in 1967.

This book reminds me how deeply food is tied to justice and health. Read more about Dick Gregory's comedy, political careers and political activism and a full list of his books, films and tv appearances.

Vegetable Kingdom By Bryant Terry

Bryant Terry brings his signature blend of activism, storytelling and recipes packed with flavor . The recipes are organized by plant parts - leaves, blubs, seeds and stems. Each one is a lesson in creativity. Think warm butter bean salad with roasted peppers, Memphis coleslaw and peanuts or hoppin’ john stuffed peppers.

What sets this book apart is how Terry weaves in music and mindfulness. There's a playlist for every dish. We come back to this book often. Follow him at instagram.com/bryantterry.

Vegan Soul Foodie Recipe Guide by Brooke Brimm

We first discovered Rev. Dr. Brooke Brimm through her enormously popular facebook group Vegan Soul Foodie with more than 494,000 members. She is a chef, author, and a certified yoga instructor.

We love the vegan soul food community she has built and her corn pudding recipe is on heavy rotation at the house.

Find her at instagram.com/vegan.soulfoodie . 

Vegan Mob by Toriano Gordon with Karsha Wilson

From opening a Bay Area food truck to a cult following and brick & mortar restaurant. Vegan Mob’s book brings soul food and barbecue into the vegan spotlight. We love there vegan gumbo and sloppy mo on Texas toast rolls recipes. This book captures that West Coast-meets-Southern flavor that’s perfect for cookouts or on game day.

Find him at https://veganmob.biz/

Vegan Eats By Rachel Ama

Rachel blends Caribbean, West African, and British influences into quick, flavor-packed meals. Her vegan jollof rice and curried chickpeas are vibrant and approachable. Rachel’s style gave me new weeknight favorites with big flavor and little fuss.
Find her at www.rachelama.com and on Instagram.