Our 52 Most Popular Recipes of All Time

Banana Bread

"The best bananas to use for banana bread are those that are overripe. The yellow peels should be at least half browned, and the bananas inside squishy and browning." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

Easy Shepherd's Pie

"I did the additions mentioned in the comments: tomato paste, thyme, and some flour. I also did two additions: a creamed corn layer and cheese on top of the potatoes. This will now be one of our go-tos!" —Katie, Simply Recipes Reader

The Best Homemade Lasagna

"I used 1.5 lbs of ground beef and 1 lb of hot Italian sausage, and added a pint of fresh mushrooms. Otherwise I followed the recipe, step-by-step, and the result was beyond amazing." —Robin, Simply Recipes Reader

French Onion Soup

"Much of the success of this soup depends on the stock that you are using, and stock varies tremendously in its taste. Depending on your stock, you may need to bump up the flavor with some beef bouillon (we recommend Better Than Bouillon brand)." —Elise

Prime Rib

"The most important piece of advice I can give you regarding cooking a prime rib roast is to use a good meat thermometer! With a remote thermometer, you can tell exactly what the temperature of the meat is without having to open the oven door." —Elise

Perfect Guacamole

"The trick to making perfect guacamole is using avocados that are just the right amount of ripeness. Not ripe enough and the avocado will be hard and flavorless. Too ripe and the taste will be off. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado: if there's no give, the avocado is not ripe, if there's a little give, the avocado is ripe." —Elise

The Best Nachos

"Overlap the tortilla chips and keep it to only one layer per sheet pan. This ensures every chip has toppings on it." —Marta Rivera, Simply Recipes Contributor

Perfect Omelette

"Don’t overstuff the omelette! You should have enough filling to make the omelette tasty, but not so much that it’s bursting and spilling out of the eggs. With practice, you will be able to eyeball how much to put in the omelette." —Sally Vargas, Simply Recipes Contributor

Cilantro Lime Rice

"Use long grain basmati rice. It's more aromatic than plain rice and the flavor complements the cilantro and lime." —Elise

Pasta Carbonara

"Since this dish comes together so quickly, and timing is crucial, be sure to have all of your ingredients and equipment ready to go from the start." —Simply Recipes Editors

Homemade Pizza

"You don’t have to let your pizza dough rise overnight – or up to 48 hours – in the refrigerator, but if you do, it will develop more flavor and air bubbles that will puff up when the pizza is cooked." —Simply Recipes Editors

Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)

"If cotija cheese isn’t available, feel free to omit it, or just use crumbled feta cheese instead." —Megan Keno, Simply Recipes Contributor

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

"Why start cooking the potatoes in cold water? To ensure that the potatoes cook evenly. If you start with hot or boiling water, the outsides of the potatoes cook and soften while the middles are still hard and crunchy." —Elise

Perfect Popcorn

"As the popcorn pops, try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper and less tough)." —Elise

Perfect Lemonade

"For more intense lemon flavor, grate the zest from one fresh lemon and add to the simple syrup as you're making it." —Elise

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

"For extra caramelization, sprinkle fries with a little sugar before putting in the oven." —Elise

Classic Roast Beef

"A tied roast gives a more uniform shape for even cooking. If you have a butcher, ask them to tie the roast for you. Or you can tie it yourself with some kitchen twine." —Simply Recipes Editors

Roasted Broccoli With Parmesan

"Delicious! I used Asiago instead of Parmesan. I added a pinch of salt to the pepper and cheese toss at the end. I also left some stem on. Just cooked them a bit longer." —Karie, Simply Recipes Reader

Easy Sautéed Spinach

"I've been making spinach this way for years and love it for its simplicity. Some other ingredients to try are: freshly grated parmesan when served, a few drops of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, shallots." —Chris, Simply Recipes Reader

Pozole Rojo (Mexican Pork and Hominy Stew)

"I'm a vegetarian so I use homemade seitan instead of pork. I also use de arbol, Ancho and Guajillo chiles with fresh mexican oregano from the garden. Lastly, I used a food mill rather than the fine mesh screen for straining the chili mix." —David, Simply Recipes Reader

The Best French Toast

"French toast comes out best if you work with thick slices of French or Italian loaf bread that are several days old. That way they've had a chance to firm up, which will make the slices hold up better when you dip them in the egg milk mixture and fry them." —Elise

The Ultimate Quesadilla

"A tip about using meat in a quesadilla: the cooking time may not be sufficient to heat the meat through. You may want to preheat it before adding." —Elise

Perfect Cheesecake

"Instead of wrapping your pan in layers of foil, which occasionally tear and cause leaks, try this tip from Simply Recipes reader Quantina: Buy a cheap disposable aluminum pan and mold that around your cheesecake instead." —Simply Recipes Editors

Corned Beef Hash

"Make a few nests in your pan of corn beef and crack the eggs into them. Cover the pan for a few minutes until the whites are set, and then serve the eggs and the hash together." —Elise

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

"This recipe makes a generous amount of filling, enough for 1 homemade crust or 2 store-bought frozen pie shells." —Elise

Piña Colada

"To make a virgin piña colada, leave out the rums. You can add more pineapple juice and cream of coconut to make more servings. If it's too thick, add some coconut water, a splash at a time." —Garrett McCord, Simply Recipes Contributor

Crispy Hash Browns

"Starchy potatoes like Russets work best for hash browns. Waxy potatoes like red new potatoes have a higher moisture content and tend to hold their shape better than starchy potatoes, and as such do not develop the crispiest of edges when fried." —Elise

Potato Leek Soup

"No need for cream to make this soup creamy! Just blend the cooked soup with an immersion blender or standing blender until thick and smooth." —Elise

Easy Zucchini Bread

"In place of some or all of the all-purpose flour, try whole wheat, gluten-free, or oat flour. One reader commented that she used white spelt flour with great success." —Simply Recipes Editors

Christmas Cracker Candy

"To adapt, while the chocolate is still melty, sprinkle on a half cup of chopped nuts, coconut flakes, crushed pretzels, dried fruit, or anything else that strikes your fancy!" —Irvin Lin, Simply Recipes Contributor

Three Bean Salad

"This 3-bean salad is traditionally dressed with a sweet and sour dressing made with vinegar, oil, and sugar. You can cut back the sugar if you want, but I wouldn't cut it out completely, or the dressing will be too acidic." —Elise

Baked Acorn Squash with Butter and Brown Sugar

"My mom use to love acorn squash and she would do it as your recipe but the last 30 mins she would put pork sausage inside and sprinkle a little brown sugar on top." —David, Simply Recipes Reader

Air Fryer Fried Chicken

"For my money and taste buds, nothing beats buying a whole chicken and cutting it up yourself. This way, you get some dark meat and some white meat. I also believe in using skin-on and bone-in chicken, which leads to more flavorful and juicier chicken." —Nick Evans, Simply Recipes Contributor

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

"Use any flavorful, ripe tomato for this recipe. If you use cherry tomatoes, just quarter them, don't bother blanching or peeling them." —Elise

Mango Lassi

"Depending on how ripe and sweet your mango is, or if you are using canned and already sweetened mango pulp, you will need to add more or less honey or sugar to the lassi." —Elise

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

"Used 2 fresh roma tomatoes and chopped w/fresh garlic in food processor and added a couple stocks of chopped celery. Used turkey for meatballs." —Martha, Simply Recipes Reader

Old Fashioned Cocktail

"The best whiskey for an Old Fashioned is ... the whiskey you like! Many reputable mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts have opined on whether you should use rye or bourbon, but honestly, you can use either." —Cambria Bold, Simply Recipes Contributor

Salmon Patties

"In a bind I have used mackerel. It's a little stronger in flavor than tuna but it does the trick when you don't have salmon or tuna." —R. Taylor, Simply Recipes Reader

Homemade Apple Pie

"The apple pie is not done until the juices are noticeably bubbling. If you have an instant read thermometer, insert it into the center of the pie. A reading of 200°F is done." —Elise

Waldorf Salad

"Been making this for years, and this is a nice recipe, but I don't add salt. Yogurt and honey is my dressing of choice. I prefer dried cranberries to grapes or raisins, I soak them in boiled water first and then drain well (of course!) and use one red and one green apple." —Rose, Simply Recipes Reader

Quick and Easy Asparagus

"The best asparagus is fresh. To tell if asparagus is fresh, look for stalks that are a rich, deep green color that get lighter toward the end of the stalk. The stalks should be firm to the touch." —Simply Recipes Editors

Deviled Eggs

"To make deviled eggs extra pretty, just pipe the egg yolk mayonnaise filling in the egg whites with a star-tipped piping bag (or cut off the corner of a plastic sandwich bag)." —Elise

Quick Easy Fish Stew

"The stew works best with a firm white fish, such as halibut or cod. You could also use red snapper or even tilapia. Just stay away from delicate fish, such as sole or oily fish, such as tuna, for this stew." —Elise

Turkey Noodle Soup

"I added in a can of Italian diced tomatoes, a bay leaf, and some curry powder in addition to the poultry seasoning. I also added in baby kale at the end and 1/4 cup of cream." —Alison, Simply Recipes Reader

Brownie in a Mug

"I made it with milk but added a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients which really worked. I also added a few dark chocolate chips once it came out the microwave." —Nici, Simply Recipes Reader

The Best Pecan Pie

"Be sure to use unsulphered molasses and not blackstrap molasses for the pie. Blackstrap molasses is bitter and can dominate this pie." —Simply Recipes Editors

The Best Osso Buco

"Veal shanks are the traditional meat for osso buco, and probably what you're familiar with seeing on restaurant menus. But beef, pork or lamb shank can benefit from this same preparation." —Elise

Sweet and Sour German Red Cabbage

"This is a fabulous recipe. I’ll never buy shop made again. My tip for an even more delicious taste add one or two star anise and a few cloves." —Carl, Simply Recipes Reader

Creamy Rice Pudding

"I used white sugar and put in a banana in place of the raisins. Makes a great banana pudding." —Roger, Simply Recipes Reader

Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

"This recipe calls for a room-temperature egg. If you don't plan ahead (that would be me, usually) you can put the egg in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to gently take off the chill of the fridge." —Elise