paleo cookbooks

The Best Paleo Cookbooks of 2022

If I asked a room full of people to raise their hands if they had ever heard of the Paleo diet, I guarantee you that almost every single hand in that room would be up in the air.

Lately, I've been seeing more and more people talking about the Paleo diet - and for a good reason. Although a lot of diets can often get complicated and hard to understand, the Eat Paleo lifestyle is pretty simple: only eat what a caveman would eat. What's better than being able to eat as much as you want and not have to track anything? Nothing! That's what I thought.

The Paleo lifestyle rose to popularity mostly due to its hefty promises of transformation and good health. The whole idea of it might sound like a cheesy ad played on late-night television, but it really is a diet that has worked for many people.

I see these people's stories everywhere I turn, and they're truly inspiring. It was these people's ratings, their experiences, that inspired me to look into the diet in the first place.

Although there are many guides available on the internet to help you get started with the Paleo "diet," sometimes it's just easier to sit down with a real paleo book.

Practical Paleo Ratings

Because of this, I gathered a bunch of the best paleo cookbooks that I've been lucky enough to get the chance to try, and I'll be providing you all with some quality reviews to help you choose which one(s) to add to your cookbook arsenal. Keep reading to learn more about each book in my extensive list!

Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans

Nom Nom Paleo

Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans takes a humorous approach to the positive lifestyle of a Paleo diet. The book contains more than one hundred "nomtastic memories" for anyone looking to extend their Paleo recipe repertoire. Written by authors Michelle Tam and Henry Fong - an accomplished husband-and-wife duo, the Nom Nom Paleo cookbook has received many awards for its five-star recipes.

About the Book:

  • Originally from a website called "Nom Nom Paleo
  • Contains Butt Jokes
  • Perfect for light-hearted people looking to cook some tasty Paleo food 
  • Might not be suitable for people who are too serious

The Paleo Slow-Cooker Cookbook

The Paleo Slow-Cooker Cookbook

Slow cookers are amazing tools for any person and any kitchen. I love the fact that you can put it in and go back hours later without having to do much of anything in between! The great thing about this cookbook is that it's simple and gets straight to the point. With only 40 recipes in the book, you won't get overwhelmed by an overload of possibilities and ideas. Instead, you can focus on what really matters: the food!


One thing I do have to say, though, is that there are no pictures with the recipes. Although pictures are definitely a must-have for me when I look through a cookbook, I do have to admit that the inclusion of Paleo breakfast and dessert recipes for the slow cooker does make everything better again!

Why this cookbook might be right for you:

  • Contains slow-cooker recipes for all meals of the day, including breakfast!
  • A great potential cookbook for those who own a slow-cooker
  • Probably not very useful for someone who doesn't have a slow-cooker!

The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking

The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking

This book was written by Natalie Perry, a widely known and extremely respected Paleo blogger. This cookbook is massive with more than two hundred recipes that cover all sorts of different Paleo ingredients. Those ingredients include appetizers, snacks, desserts, soups, chilis, meats, seafood, vegetables, and even some staple pantry items. The exclusive recipes included in this cookbook seem to be mostly drawn from Asian, Latin, and Middle Eastern culinary roots.

Why this cookbook might be right for you:

  • Has more than two hundred different recipes inside
  • Again, could be great for someone with a slow-cooker looking for some options!
  • And again, probably not too good for someone who doesn't own a slow-cooker

Against All Grain

Against All Grain

Danielle Walker is a self-trained chef who has now changed the worlds of Paleo families everywhere. This cookbook, Against all Grain, is filled to the brim with recipes for all courses from appetizers to desserts. Danielle Walker even includes some fun and healthy recipes that your kids will love, as well! Everybody knows how hard it is to get your kid to love healthy food. Luckily, Danielle fixes that issue!

Why this cookbook might be right for you:

  • Danielle Walker includes fun, healthy, kid-friendly recipes for those with picky toddlers at the table
  • Could be a great cookbook for someone looking to get in shape with simple, family-friendly recipes
  • If you don't have kids, some of the kid-friendly recipes in this cookbook may be lost on you (unless you're a kid at heart!)

The Ultimate Paleo Cookbook

The Ultimate Paleo Cookbook

This Paleo cookbook really is ultimate; the title doesn't lie! Altogether, ten experienced Paleo chefs and bloggers came together to create this amazing, extensive resource for anyone in need of some quality Paleo recipes.


There's even an entire chapter dedicated to making the Paleo diet easy with almost eighty fast and simple recipes. There are plenty of great Paleo cookbooks, but this is probably the only one that truly deserves to be called "ultimate." In total, ten popular Paleo bloggers contributed to the creation of this cookbook.

Why this cookbook might be right for you:

  • This cookbook Contains over 900 recipes; that's a lot!
  • A great potential option for anybody just getting into the Paleo scene who wants a vast collection of recipes to choose from
  • With that said, someone who is looking for a less overwhelmingly sized collection may not enjoy this book

Practical Paleo

Practical Paleo

Written by Diane Sanfilippo, the Practical Paleo is exactly that: practical. It targets the core of nutrition and various health issues, throwing the Paleo diet at them with force. This awesome cookbook comes with over one hundred and twenty recipes for your culinary enjoyment.

  • Includes many different recipes designed to target various health issues such as immune health, blood sugar regulation, digestive health, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid health, cardiovascular health, neurological health, cancer recovery, fat and weight loss, and athletic performance
  • Could be great for someone looking for a "practical" approach to the Paleo diet and its affects on different aspects of health
  • Someone who isn't as worried about specific health issues may not benefit as much from this cookbook

The Paleo Cookbook: Delicious Paleo Diet Recipes

The Paleo Cookbook: Delicious Paleo Diet Recipes

The Paleo Cookbook sounds like a staple item, and that's exactly what it is! This is most likely the cookbook that you'd find on any Paleo family's coffee table or tucked in a corner in their kitchen. It includes more than three hundred recipes with step-by-step instructions for best results.

  • More than 300 recipes in this cookbook for all three meals, plus side dishes, snacks, and even drinks, too
  • Could be good for someone looking for a staple cookbook that also provides background on the diet itself, past just including recipes
  • Might not be perfect for someone who doesn't want so many recipes or would rather not focus on the background of the Paleo

Paleo for Beginners

Paleo for Beginners

This one is a New York Times bestseller and has even sold over one hundred and fifty thousand copies. That's a lot of books - and a lot of people reading! The best part about Paleo for Beginners is that it even includes a huge list of all the foods you can eat while following Paleo. Now you won't have to wonder if your favorite food is allowed!

  • This cookbook is a New York Times bestseller and goes in-depth for the best Paleo results
  • Might be great for someone who wants a meal plan and specific list of accepted foods that are allowed as part of the Paleo diet
  • This cookbook might not be so great for someone who would rather just have the recipes instead of all the extra meal plans and other information, as well

Paleo Cooking with Your Instant Pot

Paleo Cooking with Your Instant Pot

For anyone with special kitchen tools, you'll understand how difficult it can sometimes be to find recipes specific to the equipment you have.

However, for those of you who own an Instant Pot, you don't have to worry about that anymore! This cookbook, written by Jennifer Robins, includes 80 different Paleo recipes created with your Instant Pot specifically in mind.

  • This cookbook Includes fast and easy recipes to be made specifically with the Instant Pot
  • Possibly perfect for someone who owns an Instant Pot and is looking for recipes made just for the quick cooker machine
  • On the other hand, not so great for someone who doesn't own an Instant Pot and probably has never heard of one, also!

In the end, making a switch to the Paleo diet can ultimately turn your life around and bring you back to your natural and healthy roots. The best part about it is that it's incredibly simple.

Although other diets like veganism and vegetarianism are both simple, as well, they lack the added ease of not having to count your calories or other nutrition values. For vegans and vegetarians, it is often harder to get the nutrition you need, so tracking with a cookbook can help guarantee optimal health in those situations.

Rating Paleo Cookbooks

For those following Paleo, though, there is no tracking involved.

In the end, making a switch to the Paleo diet can ultimately turn your life around and bring you back to your natural and healthy roots. The best part about it is that it's incredibly simple. Although other diets like veganism and vegetarianism are both simple, as well, they lack the added ease of not having to count your calories or other nutrition values.

For vegans and vegetarians, it is often harder to get the well fed nutrition you need, so tracking can help guarantee optimal health in those situations.For those following Paleo, though, there is no tracking involved.

Of course, you can track your nutrition data if you want to, but you can, otherwise, eat as much as you want - as long as you're choosing the right foods!

The books I've supplied for you here are excellent resources to get you started, and you can do a quick Google search online for even more info about the diet itself if you'd like. I congratulate any person who is making or has already made the switch to a happier and healthier life, and I welcome you to the clean well fed life. Living Paleo is living better for your weight, and that's all there is to it!

Is the Paleo Diet a Fad? Find out more in this article: