This year, we published hundreds of recipes, from quick snacks and appetizers to an exploration of Caribbean barbecue, Mexican Asadas, chocolate cooking, and ice-cream sundaes. Some recipes were particularly popular, especially with readers who loved The Bear and cooking dishes inspired by or based on the show. The 25 most popular recipes on FoodandWine.com were chosen for a good reason. These recipes are full of flavor and sure to please any crowd. Scroll down to see the best recipes of the year.
Focaccia
This recipe is a simple yet delicious focaccia that will make bread with a lot of flavor thanks to the herbs, oil, and salt. Catherine Jessee, in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen, created this bread to be the perfect thickness for sandwiches, but it can also be sliced into strips for serving with charcuterie or salads.
Tavern-Style Sausage and Giardiniera Pizza
Chicagoans are fond of these square-cut pies, which can be found in many corner bars. John Carruthers created this version with sausage and giardiniera for Crust Fund pizza. His initiative was to raise money by selling the pizza in an alleyway behind his house. What began as a personal initiative became one of Chicago’s best pizzas.
French Onion Baked brie
Chandra Ram, the associate editor, has created a delicious appetizer that combines French onion soup with baked Brie. Spread the cheesy snack onto slices of toasted bread.
Italian Tuna Salad
Marianne Williams, in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen, created this bright, balanced Roman-style Tuna Salad. It combines oil-packed jarred tuna, sun-dried tomato, red onion, juicy olives and celery. All are tossed together in a vinaigrette of honey, Dijon mustard, and lemon. This recipe shows how pantry ingredients can be transformed into a delicious meal in 20 minutes.
Croque Monsieur
Croque Monsieur, which translates as “Mister Crunchy Bite,” is one of France’s most famous bistro dishes. It’s often served for lunch or at the bar. Chandra Ram uses a creamy Mornay and rich Gruyere sauce to top thin slices of ham. This sandwich is best eaten with a fork and knife because of the sauce and cheese. Add an egg to the sandwich for a version of Croque Madame.
Scalloped Potatoes
Julia Levy is one of the Food & Wine Test Kitchen recipe developers who used both mild and sharp cheddar to make the scalloped potatoes even more cheesy. You don’t need to worry if you do not have both types. You can use all sharp cheddar or all mild cheddar.
Fried Herb Yeast rolls.
The soft, pillowy rolls of Food & Wine’s food editor Paige Grandjean were the stars at many Thanksgiving dinner tables in 2018. Buttery yeast rolls with flecks, fried herbs, and garlic. The fluffy crumb is so soft that it almost melts into your mouth.
Sausage Gravy
This recipe by Erick Williams, chef at Virtue Restaurant in Chicago, transforms a light roux into a velvety sauce that can be served over biscuits as a breakfast or brunch. To go with this, bake some Biscuits for a satisfying and hearty breakfast or brunch.
Club Sandwich
Chandra Ram discovered that a club is more than its parts when she worked as a cook at a hotel with room service. The satisfaction you get from a club sandwich is directly related to how you layer the ingredients. The triple-decker with lettuce, tomato, turkey, and bacon is a classic. Few sandwiches are as satisfying and filling, reviving the spirit while also filling up your stomach.
Moules Frites
Amelia Rampe prepares this classic French bistro dish by steaming mussels with white wine, butter, and shallots. She then served the mussels with Dijon Mayonnaise, French fries, and an appetizer.
Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Chandra Ram makes these creamy overnight oats with milk, yogurt, fruit, and a graham-crumb crust. They taste like our favorite dessert.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Matzo Cake
This rich, chocolate-covered matzo cake by pastry chef Rochelle Cooper is perfect for Passover. It layers espresso liqueur-soaked matzo and toasted hazelnuts. Cooper used to bake this cake for Passover Seders with her mother, but you can enjoy it any time. It’s a great option if you are looking for a tasty, easy dessert that doesn’t require baking.
Italian Beef Sandwiches
These Italian beef sandwiches, which are a Chicago tradition and were also mentioned in the Bear, have a rich beefy flavor as well as a satisfying jus. Liv Dansky from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen boosted the beef flavor in this recipe using oxtails, beef roast, and beef stock.
Caribbean Johnny Cakes
These tender, crispy fried cakes make a great side dish for breakfast or dinner. The Johnny Cakes made by Jasmine Smith at the Food & Wine Test Kitchen resembles a small fried cake – lightly sweet, crisp, and light on the outside, with a soft and airy middle. These are served with cheese as a breakfast, as a snack, or along with saltfish or other fish stews.
Pasta with Buttery Cabbage, Sausage and Sausage
Anna Theoktisto’s satisfying pasta in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen is a comforting recipe. She cooks the shredded cabbage until it is tender in butter and sausage grease before adding pasta and a lemony sauce.
Tonkotsu Ramen
Hugh Amano’s ramen is made with a rich, savory, and slow-simmered tonkotsu soup. The recipe was adapted from Let’s Make Ramen! to make it easier for home cooks. The ramen will take you a few days to complete. We can assure you that the result is worth the effort. The ramen will be rich with cash and soft-boiled eggs, and the pickled mushroom will add a bright touch.
Pumpkin Praline Bars
This recipe was shared by Chef Ouita Michel, owner of The Midway Bakery & Cafe in Midway, Kentucky. She believes that these pumpkin praline bars are a great way to start the fall. She says, “The creamy pecan icing and the tender and sweetly spiced cake layer are a whole bunch of goodness.”
Pad Krapow is a stir-fry with basil.
Sichon Domrongchai developed this recipe in order to remember the meals that his mother used to make for them. He likes it with rice and a fried yolk on top. He recommends using a pestle and mortar to crush the garlic and chiles. This will ensure the best and freshest flavor.
Lemon Poundcake
The bright, buttery lemon poundcake created by Anna Theoktisto at the Food & Wine Test Kitchen is moist with a crunchy golden crust. It’s topped off with a sweet lemon glaze. This citrus-infused cake is made with pantry staples and can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert, tea, or even as a snack.
Wedge Salad With Tahini Green goddess Dressing
Justin Chapple, Food & Wine’s culinary director in general, tops his crisp and refreshing iceberg salad with a tahini dressing green goddess instead of blue cheese. This dressing adds a depth of nuttiness and pleasantly bitterness to the classic salad.
Coconut Curry Salmon
Eric Adjepong’s recipe combines a seared salmon dish with a sauce that is made from coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and thyme. Use full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk to get the best flavor and texture. This curry is delicious and served with Coconut Rice and the quick hot sauce Adjepong included in the recipe. The vinegar and Scotch Bonnet peppers give it a bright, vibrant flavor.
Cola-Braised Short Ribs and Risotto
You probably loved the first season of The Bear as much as we did. Sydney worked on perfecting the short ribs throughout the whole show. Nothing is more comforting than a Dutch oven filled with tender, braised short ribs served over risotto. Marianne Williams, in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen, adapted Sydney’s creativeness by adding cola to the classic wine-and-stock braising liquid. This added a complex sweetness and a savory flavor, creating a rich, smooth sauce.
San Bei Ji (Three-Cup Chicken)
The chicken in Cathy Erway’s version of this classic Taiwanese recipe is made tender and flavorful with rock sugar, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Three cups refers to the large amounts of rice wines, soy sauce, and sesame oils that are used in this dish.
Chocolate Cake ‘The Bear’
Sarah Mispagel Lustbader, a Chicago pastry chef and consultant for the show, created the famous chocolate cake featured in the television series The Bear. She and her husband, Ben Lustbader, sell this cake in their bakery cafe, Loaf Lounge. The cake is made up of a chocolate mousse layered between two fudgy cakes. It’s topped with rich chocolate frosting.
Braciole
This dish is a favorite at Italian family dinners. It’s a rolled-up meat filled with cheese and breadcrumbs and then cooked in tomato sauce. This dish is a staple of Italian family meals, as it has its origins in Italian cuisine. This dish has been featured on television shows such as The Bear, which inspired Marianne Williams to create this version in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen.
