The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (2024)

The Classic Burger

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (1)

Credit: Victor Protasio

2020 might have been an unusual year (to put it mildly), but food-wise, it seems everybody liked keeping things quick, easy, and homemade. These 20 recipes were the most popular with our users this year, and for good reason. From copycat restaurant recipes (like Popeyes Fried Chicken and The Cheesecake Factory's Original Cheesecake) that helped curb pandemic dine-in cravings, to simple slow cooker entrees, easy sides, and more, these most-loved recipes from 2020 showed just how comforting your favorite foods can be.

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#20: Best Carrot Cake

<p>Truly our best-evercarrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home. For moreflavor, try toasting the nuts and coconut before adding them to the batter. It's important to cool the cakes completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will just melt right off. To expediate the cooling process, you can put the cakes on their wire racks in the freezer (don't worry, it's not cheating), checking until they're thoroughly cool.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (2)

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Truly our best-evercarrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home. For moreflavor, try toasting the nuts and coconut before adding them to the batter. It's important to cool the cakes completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will just melt right off. To expediate the cooling process, you can put the cakes on their wire racks in the freezer (don't worry, it's not cheating), checking until they're thoroughly cool.

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#19: Copycat Popeyes Fried Chicken

<p>Love the signature warming kick of Popeyes fried chicken? Good news: You can skip the drive-thru and enjoy a homemade version of this fast-food favorite with our beautifully crisp, perfectly spiced copycat recipe.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (3)

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Love the signature warming kick of Popeyes fried chicken? Good news: You can skip the drive-thru and enjoy a homemade version of this fast-food favorite with our beautifully crisp, perfectly spiced copycat recipe.

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#18: Extra-Easy Lasagna

<p>When we say easy, we mean easy. You don't even have to cook the noodles for this speedy yet impressive lasagna that always gets rave reviews. Lasagna is afamily favorite, but this version is extra-special because it only requires 5 quick ingredients:ground beef,pasta sauce, lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, and shredded mozzarella (we don&rsquo;t count the water!).</p>

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When we say easy, we mean easy. You don't even have to cook the noodles for this speedy yet impressive lasagna that always gets rave reviews. Lasagna is afamily favorite, but this version is extra-special because it only requires 5 quick ingredients:ground beef,pasta sauce, lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, and shredded mozzarella (we don’t count the water!).

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#17: Easy Pickled Beets

<p>Just six ingredients go into this easy sweet-and-sour pickled beetsside dish. Use a mix of red and golden beets, if you like. Pickled beets can stay in your pantry for months so make extra to have on hand. They add a great tang and color to a fresh cole slaw, bright flavor and color to a cheese board and earthy notes to aspinach salad.The pickling liquid is a great base for other vegetables you will have depending on the season such as cucumbers, carrots and onions.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (5)

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Just six ingredients go into this easy sweet-and-sour pickled beetsside dish. Use a mix of red and golden beets, if you like. Pickled beets can stay in your pantry for months so make extra to have on hand. They add a great tang and color to a fresh cole slaw, bright flavor and color to a cheese board and earthy notes to aspinach salad.The pickling liquid is a great base for other vegetables you will have depending on the season such as cucumbers, carrots and onions.

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#16: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

<p>This slow cooker french onion soup is so easy and delicious, you&rsquo;ll never return to your stovetop ways. The slow cooker completely eliminates the stirring element of caramelizing onions. After hours in the low heat, the sliced onions will become soft and jammy with a rich, dark brown coloring&mdash;no attention necessary. Although you&rsquo;ll need to start this soup the morning of, you&rsquo;ll gain nine hours of enticing aromas that will warm your kitchen on a chilly winter day. If you don&rsquo;t plan to eat it all, freeze the bag of soup in a bowl rather than laying it flat, so it will fit in the saucepan when it's time to thaw.</p>

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This slow cooker french onion soup is so easy and delicious, you’ll never return to your stovetop ways. The slow cooker completely eliminates the stirring element of caramelizing onions. After hours in the low heat, the sliced onions will become soft and jammy with a rich, dark brown coloring—no attention necessary. Although you’ll need to start this soup the morning of, you’ll gain nine hours of enticing aromas that will warm your kitchen on a chilly winter day. If you don’t plan to eat it all, freeze the bag of soup in a bowl rather than laying it flat, so it will fit in the saucepan when it's time to thaw.

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#15: Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

<p>This is one of our top-rated recipes for a reason: It's easy, it's quick, and it's absolutely delicious.Combine frozen hash brown potatoes with sausage, eggs, and cheese for a hearty, 5-star breakfast or brunchcasserolethat can be preppedaheadand baked the next morning.Saut&eacute; one large onion and one bell pepper in the pork drippings for extra flavor and color.</p>

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This is one of our top-rated recipes for a reason: It's easy, it's quick, and it's absolutely delicious.Combine frozen hash brown potatoes with sausage, eggs, and cheese for a hearty, 5-star breakfast or brunchcasserolethat can be preppedaheadand baked the next morning.Sauté one large onion and one bell pepper in the pork drippings for extra flavor and color.

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#14: Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting image

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Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

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This vibrant pink layer cake is pure strawberry-on-strawberry goodness, with fresh strawberries going into the cake batter and frosting. One thing to note about the buttercream frosting—it is absolutely bursting with berry flavor, but is easily over-mixed. If you find you've broken your emulsion when whipping this frosting up, no worries. You can simplymix in a little more powdered sugar to restore it.

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#13: Warm Cinnamon Apples

<p>This simple spiced apples recipe is perfect for so many applications.The tender, brown sugar-sweetened fruit slices are great served atbreakfast, makefora warm and tastyside dish (especially for kiddos), are the ideal flavor complementspooned over pork chops or a pork loin, and are an amazing seasonal addition to a bowl of vanilla ice cream. If you can't find McIntosh apples, substitute another baking apple such as Rome or Gala;or to change things up, try a crisp, tart green apple such as Granny Smith.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (9)

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This simple spiced apples recipe is perfect for so many applications.The tender, brown sugar-sweetened fruit slices are great served atbreakfast, makefora warm and tastyside dish (especially for kiddos), are the ideal flavor complementspooned over pork chops or a pork loin, and are an amazing seasonal addition to a bowl of vanilla ice cream. If you can't find McIntosh apples, substitute another baking apple such as Rome or Gala;or to change things up, try a crisp, tart green apple such as Granny Smith.

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#12: Easy Chili

<p>Look no further for the ultimate, easy chili recipe. You may think you know how to make chili, but our homemade chili recipe is a game changer. With just a push of a button, your weekday dinner is taken care of as the chili cooks away in theslow-cooker.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (10)

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Look no further for the ultimate, easy chili recipe. You may think you know how to make chili, but our homemade chili recipe is a game changer. With just a push of a button, your weekday dinner is taken care of as the chili cooks away in theslow-cooker.

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#11: Fried Pickled Jalapeños with Sour Cream Ranch

wd- Fried Pickled Jalape&ntilde;os with Sour Cream Ranch image

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (11)

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

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If you like fried pickles, you’ll love fried pickled jalapeños. These jalapeños have a light kick without being overly spicy. Plus, they’re tangy from the brine and packed with flavor thanks to taco seasoning. They’re delicious on their own, but dipping them in the sauce takes things up a notch. Deli-sliced jalapeños, like Marzetti brand, work best here since they’re bigger.

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#10: Classic Beef Pot Roast

<p>If you're looking for a traditionalpot roast recipe, try this 5-star, no-fail version. Cuts of beef that perform well for pot roasting go by many different names: Blade roast, cross-rib roast (or shoulder clod), seven-bone pot roast, arm pot roast, and boneless chuck roast are all acceptable cuts. Either way, thisroastbeef recipewill become unbelievably tender and flavorful in the Dutch oven. Make this pot roast on a cold, rainy day for a cozy dinner that the whole family will love.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (12)

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If you're looking for a traditionalpot roast recipe, try this 5-star, no-fail version. Cuts of beef that perform well for pot roasting go by many different names: Blade roast, cross-rib roast (or shoulder clod), seven-bone pot roast, arm pot roast, and boneless chuck roast are all acceptable cuts. Either way, thisroastbeef recipewill become unbelievably tender and flavorful in the Dutch oven. Make this pot roast on a cold, rainy day for a cozy dinner that the whole family will love.

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#9: Easy Blackberry Cobbler

<p>Rather than breaking a sweat over the perfect pie crust and lattice top for your farmers' market blackberries, use them up in a hassle-freecobbler. All you need are freshberriesplus 5 more ingredients to whip up this Easy Blackberry Cobbler recipe. To make it special, top with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and a mint garnish. If you are not serving it immediately, keep the cobbler and any desired toppings separate as to avoid getting them soggy.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (13)

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Rather than breaking a sweat over the perfect pie crust and lattice top for your farmers' market blackberries, use them up in a hassle-freecobbler. All you need are freshberriesplus 5 more ingredients to whip up this Easy Blackberry Cobbler recipe. To make it special, top with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and a mint garnish. If you are not serving it immediately, keep the cobbler and any desired toppings separate as to avoid getting them soggy.

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#8: Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole

<p>Thanksgiving isn't complete without a homemadesweet potato casserole. Top this lightened version of a basic sweet potato casserole recipe with both marshmallows and toasted pecans.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (14)

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Thanksgiving isn't complete without a homemadesweet potato casserole. Top this lightened version of a basic sweet potato casserole recipe with both marshmallows and toasted pecans.

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#7: Quick and Easy Green Beans

<p>Here's a fast, efficient way to cook green beans (and other vegetables), eliminating the fuss of bringing a large pot of water to a boil or draining the veggies.</p>

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Here's a fast, efficient way to cook green beans (and other vegetables), eliminating the fuss of bringing a large pot of water to a boil or draining the veggies.

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#6: The Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake

The-cheesecake-factory-original-cheesecake-still.jpg

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (16)

Credit: tifs

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The Cheesecake Factory has more than 30cheesecakeflavors, but it's the original that makes us swoon.

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#5: The Classic Burger

<p>Sink your teeth into a delicious restaurant-style, hamburger recipe made from leanbeef. Skip the prepackaged patties and take the extra time to craft up your own, and that little extra effort will be worth it. To make cheeseburgers, about 1 minute before burgers are done, top with sliced cheese; continue cooking untilcheesebegins to melt.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (17)

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Sink your teeth into a delicious restaurant-style, hamburger recipe made from leanbeef. Skip the prepackaged patties and take the extra time to craft up your own, and that little extra effort will be worth it. To make cheeseburgers, about 1 minute before burgers are done, top with sliced cheese; continue cooking untilcheesebegins to melt.

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#4: Cheddar Cheese Sauce

<p>Thismild, kid-friendly sauce is creamy and velvety, with asubtle tang from sharp cheddar.Try it with steamed or saut&eacute;ed veggies,baked potatoes,nachos, open-faced roast beef sandwiches, andhot cooked macaroni or penne. Using sharp cheddar cheese is important here, as you want the zippy flavor mild just doesn't have.And here's a bonus:This slimmed-down sauce boasts a fraction of the fat you'd find in regular or processed cheesesauces.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (18)

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Thismild, kid-friendly sauce is creamy and velvety, with asubtle tang from sharp cheddar.Try it with steamed or sautéed veggies,baked potatoes,nachos, open-faced roast beef sandwiches, andhot cooked macaroni or penne. Using sharp cheddar cheese is important here, as you want the zippy flavor mild just doesn't have.And here's a bonus:This slimmed-down sauce boasts a fraction of the fat you'd find in regular or processed cheesesauces.

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#3: Pan-Seared Strip Steak

<p>This fantastic strip steak is the perfect dinner for date night, or any special occasion that deserves something extra delicious on the table. A little butter adds richness and keeps the leaner-than-usualbeefmoist without adding much in the way of totalfat. Don't know how to cook steak on the stove? No worries! Not only is this one of our best steak recipes, it's incredibly easy. However, a word of caution: Thisrecipe is smoky! Keep your exhaust fan on highor cook in a skillet on a hot outdoor grill.</p>

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (19)

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This fantastic strip steak is the perfect dinner for date night, or any special occasion that deserves something extra delicious on the table. A little butter adds richness and keeps the leaner-than-usualbeefmoist without adding much in the way of totalfat. Don't know how to cook steak on the stove? No worries! Not only is this one of our best steak recipes, it's incredibly easy. However, a word of caution: Thisrecipe is smoky! Keep your exhaust fan on highor cook in a skillet on a hot outdoor grill.

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#2: Traditional Spanish Paella

Traditional Spanish Paella

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (20)

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro

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Nourishing, vibrant, and without pretension, paella has held a place of honor and practicality in Spanish homes for centuries. To round out this meal, choose a good Spanish red wine from the Rioja region, a crusty baguette, and a light salad.

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#1: Easy Peach Cobbler

Photographer Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist Mindi Shapiro; Food Stylist Torie C

The Recipes Y'all Loved Most in 2020 (21)

Credit: Iain Bagwell

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The topping can madefrom pantry ingredientsyou have on hand and peaches can easily be substituted with any fruit you have depending onthe time of year. The tang of the lemon juice paired with the sweetness of the peaches is perfectly balancedwith the crisp topping.

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