Our 53 Most Popular Recipes of All Time
When Epicurious launched in 1995, it had a mere 5,000 recipes. Oh, how we’ve grown! Tens of thousands of breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas later—and don’t forget the snacks!—we thought it was time to invite you to peek behind the curtain at the most popular recipes in our archives. Wondering what your fellow home cooks are making tonight or planning for the weekend? This collection showcases just that: simple weeknight meals, go-to classic dishes, wonderfully distracting baking projects, and the holiday staples and impressive dinner party dishes that you come back to, year after year.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich1/53Philly Fluff Cake
This recent addition to Epicurious won your hearts, snagging a spot among our most popular recipes thanks to its impressive balance of fluffy texture and tangy richness. Yes, there’s cream cheese involved.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell2/53
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Easy cookie recipes don’t get much simpler than this. And since they are flourless, you can share them with gluten-free friends.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow3/53
Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce
These salmon patties are budget-friendly and packed with flavor. Mustard adds punch to the tangy yogurt sauce.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne5/53
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips With Honey
Add a little interest to your standard side dish with a simple glaze of melted butter, honey, and balsamic vinegar.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele6/53
Roast Bone-In Pork Loin With Potatoes
When your table is filled with relatives or friends, you need a main dish that you don’t have to worry about. This all-in-one stunner is beloved among Epicurious readers for a reason.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens7/53
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Here’s what you can make for a weeknight dinner when you don’t want to venture out to the store. All you need: onion, garlic, Parmesan, and pasta.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Micah Marie Morton8/53
Homemade Ginger Ale
Upgrade your signature drink with this DIY ginger ale. Sip it to calm your stomach or dress up a Pimm’s Cup or a simple whiskey-ginger highball.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson9/53
Simple One-Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Okay, we’ve reached No. 45 in our countdown of the most popular recipes on Epicurious. Everything here comes together in the same skillet, including the pasta. It’s truly a simple dinner dream come true.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Dana Bonagura10/53
Oven Risotto With Crispy Roasted Mushrooms
This easy risotto spares us from constant stirring. That’s right, this dish cooks mostly in the oven.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell11/53
Vegetarian Skillet Stuffed Shells
Don’t tell Nonna about recipe No. 43, but stuffed shells don’t have to be a big ordeal. This easy pasta dinner comes together in less than an hour.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone12/53
Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken With Tangy Green Sauce
This juicy roast chicken doesn’t need a sauce, but once you start dipping each bite in the creamy, herby mix of mayo, jalapeño, lime, cilantro, olive oil, and garlic, we guarantee you won’t stop.
- Photo by Caleb Adams, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell13/53
Three Cities of Spain Cheesecake
Although this ultra-creamy cheesecake’s namesake closed back in the ’70s, the recipe lives on, proving that good recipes never die. It’s the ideal make-ahead dessert for your next dinner party.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne14/53
Our Favorite Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese is packed packed with flavor, from its creamy base to the crispy topping. We can’t think of a better dish for a family meal—whether it’s a random Tuesday or a special occasion.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews15/53
Cream of Asparagus Soup
This classic French soup has minimal ingredients, which makes the asparagus the star of the show. It’s a great option for making ahead and reheating.
- Eric Wolfinger16/53
Steamed Whole Fish With Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
In this classic Chinese preparation, whole white fish is steamed with ginger until perfectly tender and flaky, then finished with fragrant scallions and cilantro.
- Charles Masters, food styling by Sue Li17/53
Cioppino
The flavorful soup base for this cozy seafood stew can be prepared a day ahead of time. Be sure to serve with bread for dipping in the broth.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich18/53
Béarnaise Sauce
This easy blender béarnaise is creamy and rich—perfect for pouring over grilled fish or blanched veggies.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews19/53
Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb
When you’re hosting a holiday meal or cooking for someone’s birthday, you need a recipe you can count on. This one’s been getting rave reviews for years.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich20/53
Lemon Curd
Lemon curd is both tart and rich, and packed with citrusy flavor. We love to swirl it into yogurt or dollop it on scones. Not feeling lemon? Try some simple variations.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne21/53
Nanaimo Bars
This iconic Canadian dessert has a crumbly graham cracker base, velvety custard-flavored buttercream filling, and a bittersweet chocolate glaze.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson22/53
Seafood Boil With Shrimp, Corn, and Sausage
You can make this summer feast in one giant stockpot or break it up into two smaller pots.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne23/53
Garlic Mayonnaise
This is a 5-minute way to improve pretty much any meal. Think of it as a shortcut to classic French-style aioli, starting with store-bought mayo to keep things easy.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce25/53
Easy Egg Custard
You just need a handful of ingredients to make these simple custards. Dress them up with fresh berries or a spoonful of whipped cream.
- Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh26/53
Duck à l’Orange
Have you always wanted to make this retro dish? Here’s the version to try. The fragrant (but not too sweet) sauce beautifully accompanies succulent roast duck. We can’t imagine a more impressive dinner party main dish.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova27/53
Flourless Chocolate Cake
We’re not surprised that this rich, fudgy chocolate cake made it onto this list of the recipes Epi readers love most; it’s a luscious dessert for chocolate lovers that happens to be gluten-free. Even better? You can make in 45 minutes or less.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Kim28/53
How to Boil Corn on the Cob
At No. 26, we have the absolute pinnacle of summer side dishes, corn on the cob. No bells. No whistles. Just butter and salt. Paradise.
- Photo by Shutterstock29/53
Tempered Chocolate
This step-by-step method for tempering yields snappy, shiny, flawless chocolate ready to be molded into chocolate truffles or other confections. You could use it as dipping chocolate for things like biscotti or strawberries.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano30/53
Easy Candied Orange Peel
We love how simple this chewy, citrusy treat is to make–just give yourself a day or two for the candy to fully dry. Dip in chocolate, chop up to stir into baked goods or use as a garnish on any easy cake.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews31/53
Crisp Roast Duck
This popular recipe for duck keeps things simple with salt and pepper for seasoning, but Plum Applesauce makes a sublime accompaniment.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne32/53
Old-Fashioned Raspberry Jam
Sweet, slightly tart and packed with deep raspberry flavor, this old-fashioned jam is just begging to be slathered on a piece of buttered toast.
- 33/53
Ras-El-Hanout
This blend of fragrant warming spices is essential for making b’stilla, but we also love it on roasted root vegetables.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton34/53
Old-Fashioned Muffin Recipe
With nothing more than a few ingredients and a single bowl, this is the perfect foundation for just about any muffin you want. Save it in the Epicurious app so you can help just-picked summer berries shine.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich35/53
Swordfish Steaks With Peppercorn Butter
Greetings from our 19th most popular recipe: Mixed peppercorns and lemon zest perfume a butter sauce that’s drizzled generously over meaty, tender swordfish. This is a date night dish that wows.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton36/53
Traditional Apple-Walnut Charoset
Traditionally served during the Passover seder, this Ashkenazi-style charoset is sweetened with sweet red wine, plus a little brown sugar for added depth.
- Photo by Shutterstock37/53
Homemade Dulce de Leche
This is actually two recipes in one: a classic method that requires lots of attention and stirring, and another that takes some time, but very little effort.
- Photo by Shutterstock38/53
Beurre Blanc
This classic French sauce comes in at No. 16 in our recipe countdown. White wine vinegar adds a subtle tang while aromatic shallots bring delicate sweetness.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell39/53
Leg of Lamb With Garlic and Rosemary
If you’re looking for a simple lamb recipe for a crowd—perhaps you have Easter or a Mother’s Day dinner on the brain—then look no further. Rosemary is always a welcome visitor when lamb is on the menu.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova40/53
Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes With Garlic and Oregano
Lemon, garlic, and a mix of fresh and dried oregano are the foundational flavors of this Greek-style potato recipe. Serve alongside roasted chicken or lamb.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi41/53
Simple Classic Stuffing
In the rankings of best holiday sides, we’d argue that Thanksgiving stuffing wins. And maybe you’re on board too: No. 13 in our big countdown is a streamlined take on dressing that gets complex flavor from classic herbs.
- Sara Bonisteel42/53
Russian Dressing
While Thousand Island is a bit sweet and studded with pickle relish, Russian dressing is on the spicier side, with a hint of heat from horseradish and hot sauce. Smear it on a sandwich, pair with shrimp cocktail, or use it on a salad.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell43/53
Classic Dry Martini
Whether you shake it or stir it (you should stir it), you can still live your best spy life fantasy with this classic cocktail. Garnish with an olive or a twist.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich44/53
Classic Potato Pancakes
At No. 10, these crispy delights are best served with sour cream, applesauce, or both. Use russets here, and be sure to get as much liquid out of those shredded potatoes as you can.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton45/53
Old-Fashioned
A classic cocktail that’s great as is or can be riffed on to suit your tastes. Make with your favorite rye or bourbon.
- Photo by Peden & Munk46/53
Baked Ham
Glaze this tender ham with a mix of brown sugar, dry mustard, and apple cider vinegar—the combination beautifully complements the meat’s natural sweetness. Serve with these Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano47/53
Thomas Keller’s Simple Roast Chicken
How did this roast chicken wind up at No. 7? One reviewer reports: “I make this recipe almost every weekend,” while another explains that this chicken proves the point “that simple is almost always best.”
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone48/53
Key Lime Pie
All the little things add up to a superlative pie. Using a bit of lemon tempers the intensity of the lime, and including a touch of cinnamon wakes up the classic homemade graham cracker crust. Instead of meringue, we like whipped cream to help balance all the flavors.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova49/53
Sticky Rice With Mango
We’re in top 5 territory now, and No. 5 is a beautifully simple dessert to devour after your next Thai feast—or any time at all. If you can get a really good mango, there’s nothing better than serving it with this luscious coconut-enriched rice and nutty sesame seeds.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova50/53
Panna Cotta
Panna cotta (our No. 4 recipe) is the little black dress of dessert: simple and smooth as silk, perfect unadorned or paired with jewel-like in-season berries.
- Photo by Travis Rainey, Styling by Joseph De Leo51/53
Simple Hot Cocoa for One
Sometimes you want a rich, intense hot cocoa made with melted chocolate bars or chips. But sometimes it’s the simple, nostalgic flavor of milky cocoa that feels right, and our No. 3 recipe is a great place to start. It’s customizable based on your tastes, and it won’t leave you with a giant batch when you only want a cup or two.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell52/53
Pasta With 15-Minute Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
This dinner clocks in at No. 2, and it’s one of those dishes that deserves its spot in your weekly rotation. It has a total cook time of 20 minutes and a silky sauce that comes together while the pasta cooks.
- Photo by Shutterstock53/53
Béchamel Sauce
If you’ve made it this far, you deserve to know which recipe Epicurious readers look for most, of all the most popular recipes on the site. The answer? This white sauce, which is the foundation of classic comforts like mac and cheese and lasagna as well as towering soufflés.
Zoe Denenberg
Grace Elkus
Kendra Vaculin