Our 25 Most Popular Recipes of the Year
We published a lot of recipes in 2019—over 400. Some of them you loved. Some of them you you decided you could do without (and that's totally your prerogative, I guess). Some of them you made, but swapped out every ingredient and every technique, and then you left us a one-star rating to let us know that the recipe was terrible. Thanks for that!
And then some of these recipes brought you back again and again. Many of these were easy weeknight recipes (our specialty), but there were also impressive pastries, holiday mains, dishes to ramp up your Instant Pot lifestyle, and the sandwich that finally sold you on tofu.
In case you missed any of our most popular recipes—the ones everyone else has been making and talking about and then making again all year long—we pulled the top 25 together for you. Call it the 2019 Epicurious hit list, along with commentary from me, the Epi editors, and you.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Frances Boswell4/2522. Deep Dish Quiche With Garnishes
Call it a blank slate, a deep dish, or a monolith, what makes this Easter-time or anytime entrée a stand-out is the buffet of garnishes served alongside: smoked salmon, avocado, braised leeks, and more.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens5/2521. Sesame Pork Burgers With Sweet and Spicy Slaw
Do you have a hard-to-please eater in your house? Give them a burger, but make it pork and vaguely Southeast Asian. One commenter commented: “Even my fussy, won't-eat-anything-but-meat-and-potatoes, 89-year-old father loved them.”
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Heather Greene, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou6/2520. Chicken Piccata
You could make this classic Italian American dish with its lemon-butter pan sauce and salty capers for yourself, but be prepared for personal growth—just like one commenter who noted that they made it for themselves “and then for [their] housemate, and [they're] now ready to make it for someone special.”
Photo by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege7/2519. Shawarma-Spiced Tofu Pita Wraps
Once you make this craggy-edged, heavily spiced, crunchy-and-chewy tofu, your opinion of tofu will be forever changed—no matter if you already like it or only think that you don't. And once you learn the technique you can apply any combo of spices you love to change up the flavor profile.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege8/2518. Crispy-Skin Chicken With Dill and Garlic Sauce
We called this a “dish to welcome spring,” but you can make it to welcome winter, or to welcome holiday guests, or to welcome Frankie and Dino from down the street this weekend. You can also make it right now, tonight, and eat it while wondering how you lived in those days before you knew about the crispiest of chicken skins and the fragrant ranchish sauce.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege9/2517. Creamy One-Pot Pasta With Sausage and Squash
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege11/2515. Instant Pot Braised Lamb With White Beans and Spinach
"First time using the pressure setting on my Instant Pot, and it was an absolute home run! We dirtied one dish (the pot), and had amazing, warming lamb stew in less than an hour. Inspired to try more pressure cooker recipes!" —Reviewer Cjnorris from Philly
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens12/2514. Cashew Chicken
This dish, with its larger than average chunks of chicken, taught us to slice less, cook quickly, and basically never suffer the sting of overcooked stir-fry again.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food styling by Anna Stockwell13/2513. Stone Fruit Clafoutis
Senior food editor Anna Stockwell has been known to make this dish for breakfast as well as dessert. She's also been known to swap in apples, pears, berries, or whatever other fruit hits her hand the moment she's ready to make it. Be like Anna.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt14/2512. Salmon and Bok Choy Green Coconut Curry
“In an effort to break up with my takeout habit, I’ve tried a dozen or so new curry recipes this year. This one stands out as the weeknight winner. It comes together in thirty-ish minutes, and is the perfect combo of tender fish, crisp veg, and creamy, ginger-spiked coconut milk. Oh, and did I mention it makes good leftovers? Four forks, easily.” —Associate Commerce Editor Lauren Joseph
Photo by Dylan James Ho and Jeni Afuso15/2511. Speedy Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
"This is just as fun as it is easy. It's like grown-up Chef Boyardee, in the best way. I now keep a bag of frozen ravioli in the freezer at all times, just in case I need this one night." —Associate Social Media Manager Andrew Spena
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Pearl Jones16/2510. Winter Italian Chopped Salad
You know, our annual cooking challenge, COOK90, is coming up—the one where we cook every meal we eat for 30 days straight. This citrusy artichoke, pepperoni, and chickpea salad makes a lot. Enough for leftovers, surely. It's a good one to keep in your arsenal.
Photo by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege17/259. Corned Beef With Crispy Roasted Potatoes and Cabbage
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell20/256. Savory Dutch Baby for Two
For Valentine's Day we presented this savory salmon-topped Baby filled with thyme and Parmesan and hope. Make it for love. Make it for breakfast. Make it for life.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell21/255. Olive Oil Apple Cake With Spiced Sugar
Our site director David Tamarkin developed this recipe while I was in the midst of conducting a taste test of 106 bottles of olive oil. Frankly, I did not want any olive oil in my time away from the tasting room. However, when he presented the final version, I ate two slices and squirreled another away to take home. It's fragrant, spicy, sweet, savory, and everything you want from a breakfast quick loaf.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens22/254. Caramelized Onion Pasta
For reviewer Ellemnop, this recipe "quickly became a staple" in the weeknight repertoire. “My fiancé said it's his favorite thing I've ever made.” Do you want to impress your fiancé? Someone whom you wish was your fiancé? Someone who was once your fiancé but is now the person for whom you cook on a nightly basis? This is the dish.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege23/253. Soy-Glazed Chicken With Broccoli
Emily also loved this dish which made her truly “understand the appeal of a ‘Weeknight Meal.’” She says she was "tired and hungry and it was just. so. fast." The streamlined prep and ingredients means you'll hardly even need to refer back to the recipe after having made it once. But feel free to come back just for the good times.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova24/252. Glazed Cinnamon-Cardamom Buns
Contributor Kat Boytsova developed these buns to mimic the ones from Circus Bakery in Paris. To make things easier we also photographed every step of the shaping process. If you're the kind of person who bakes things to give away for Christmas, you're welcome.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Dana Bonagura25/251. Oven Risotto With Crispy Roasted Mushrooms
And the number one most popular recipe which y'all came back for again and again in 2019? This risotto, which requires you to leave it alone while it cooks. Seriously. Just walk away. Go. One reviewer said “it was as good if not better than stove top risotto." Another one has “made it a bunch of times…YUM.” And another mistakenly “added white wine vinegar instead of white wine.” They all gave it four forks. We think you will too.
