The Best Recipes of 2015: Reader Favorites and Our Must-Make Dishes

As we navigate the fresh start of a new year, it’s always a wonderful exercise to pause and reflect. While this post might be arriving a touch later than ideal, one of my ongoing commitments for 2016, and indeed for life, is to embrace a greater sense of self-kindness. I believe it’s a sentiment many of us can resonate with and strive towards. So, instead of dwelling on any perceived tardiness, let’s dive straight into the heart of what truly matters: celebrating the incredible food and culinary moments that defined 2015!

Join me as we revisit a truly special collection of recipes that brought joy, flavor, and immense satisfaction to kitchens far and wide. This isn’t just a look back at popular pages; it’s a heartfelt appreciation for the dishes that genuinely resonated with you, our amazing community of home cooks.

How We Curated 2015’s Top Recipes: Beyond Page Views

Every year, one of my most cherished tasks is to compile a list of recipes that truly hit home with you, our dedicated readers. While I could easily pull up analytics to see which posts garnered the most page views, I prefer a more personal and meaningful approach. This list isn’t just about clicks; it’s about connection. I’ve carefully selected recipes that have received an abundance of fantastic feedback—through thoughtful comments, engaging discussions on social media, and countless personal messages.

This method allows us to highlight dishes that aren’t just seen, but truly loved, made, and shared. It speaks volumes about their reliability, flavor profile, and how well they integrate into real-life home cooking. Your insights, whether a rave review or constructive criticism, are invaluable. They fuel my passion, refine my recipe testing and writing skills, and ultimately transform this blog into a richer, more dependable resource for everyone who loves to cook.

Our Personal Kitchen Staples: Recipes We Make Again and Again

And for those of you who, like me, are a little bit nosy (hello, kindred spirits!), you’ll be delighted to know that this collection also features many recipes that my husband, Connor, and I find ourselves making time and time again. While a significant portion of my cooking time is dedicated to developing exciting new creations for the blog, there’s a select group of trusted recipes that form the backbone of our regular dinner rotation. This includes beloved dishes like our Classic Mexican Tortilla Soup, which was a recent comforting meal in our home.

It’s always a joy to return to these tried-and-true favorites. They’re reliable, delicious, and often bring back wonderful memories. If you have those go-to recipes that you consistently turn to – whether they’re from another blog, a family cookbook, or your own invention – please share them in the comments below! There’s no such thing as too many fantastic dinner ideas to add to our collective culinary repertoire.

The Best Recipes of 2015: Your Top 12 Reader-Approved Picks

Without further ado, here are the recipes that made the biggest splash and garnered the most enthusiastic praise from our readers throughout 2015. Get ready to discover your next kitchen obsession!

1. Roasted Carrot Lentil Salad with Tahini Sauce – Kicking off our list with a vibrant, wholesome choice! This salad quickly became one of my personal favorites from last year, and thankfully, you all loved it just as much. It’s a fantastic example of how healthy eating can be incredibly satisfying and bursting with flavor. The sweetness of roasted carrots perfectly complements the earthy lentils, all brought together by a creamy, savory tahini dressing. It’s a complete meal in itself, perfect for a light lunch or a delightful side dish, and it also holds a special place in my heart for featuring some of my favorite food photographs from 2015.
   
2. Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Olives – This pasta dish is a true testament to simple ingredients creating extraordinary flavor. It’s one of those recipes that Connor and I find ourselves cooking again and again because it’s so quick, incredibly satisfying, and tastes like it took hours of effort. Seeing how much this combination resonated with so many of you was incredibly rewarding! The spicy sausage adds a wonderful kick, balanced by the slight bitterness of broccoli rabe, the concentrated sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes, and the briny depth of olives, all clinging perfectly to the ear-shaped orecchiette. Most of these ingredients are pantry staples for me, making it an ideal weeknight meal.
3. The Best Homemade Margherita Pizza – If you’re searching for that perfect homemade pizza experience, look no further. This Margherita pizza recipe has become a weekly ritual in our home – we simply can’t get enough of it! It’s the epitome of classic Italian flavors: a beautifully crisp crust, rich tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and aromatic basil. After years of searching, I’ve finally perfected a pizza crust recipe that is consistently reliable and absolutely delicious. The feedback for this one has been overwhelming, with many of you proclaiming it the best homemade pizza you’ve ever made. Hearing that truly makes my heart sing! It’s a testament to the power of simple, high-quality ingredients.
4. Whole Wheat Penne with Walnut-Sage Pesto – For those looking to incorporate more healthy whole grains into their diet without sacrificing flavor, this pasta dish is an absolute must-try for the new year. It features a uniquely seasonal walnut-sage pesto that is fragrant, nutty, and incredibly savory. Paired with whole wheat penne, it offers a hearty and nourishing meal. Reader Amanda raved, “I can’t stop smiling with every bite! I am eating this right now and I am loving every flavor.” Such comments highlight the unexpected delight found in this thoughtfully crafted dish, making it a healthy indulgence.
5. Everyday Chicken Marinade – You know a recipe is a winner when it earns unsolicited praise from your closest friends. I received a text from a college friend saying, “We made your chicken marinade the other day and my boyfriend can’t stop talking about it!” This marinade is a fantastic, versatile base for grilled, baked, or pan-seared chicken. While I can’t take full credit – it’s almost identical to the beloved marinade my mom has been making for years – its simplicity and incredible flavor make it an absolute keeper. It tenderizes the chicken beautifully and infuses it with a delightful savory profile that everyone loves.
6. Weeknight Broiled Salmon with Chermoula Herb Crust – Don’t let the fancy name fool you; this salmon recipe is surprisingly simple to prepare and incredibly flavorful. It requires just a handful of ingredients and can be on your dinner table in approximately 20 minutes, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights. The vibrant chermoula herb crust adds a burst of fresh, aromatic flavor and a beautiful texture, turning a simple piece of salmon into something truly special. It’s an excellent and delicious way to effortlessly incorporate healthy omega-3 rich salmon and good fats into your regular meal rotation.
7. Guacamole Greens Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette – Oh, how I adore this salad! It’s a loving recreation of one of my all-time favorite (and admittedly overpriced) salads from Sweetgreen, a popular salad chain back home. If you’ve ever had their Guacamole Greens, you know exactly what kind of deliciousness we’re talking about. This homemade version perfectly captures that vibrant, fresh, and utterly satisfying experience. Abby, a delighted reader, commented, “I have an obsession with SweetGreen, and guacamole greens is my go-to salad. You are right: you nailed this one! This was amazing!!” It’s packed with crisp greens, creamy avocado, and a bright, zesty cilantro-lime-jalapeño vinaigrette that ties everything together beautifully.
8. Spaghettini with Roasted Tomatoes, Basil, and Garlic Breadcrumbs – This dish instantly transports me back to the warmth of summer, even when Chicago is gripped by single-digit temperatures and I’m bundled up in smart wool socks! It’s a celebration of simple, peak-season ingredients. Sweet, juicy roasted tomatoes burst with flavor, perfectly complemented by fragrant fresh basil and savory, toasted garlic breadcrumbs that add a delightful textural crunch. This spaghettini recipe is elegant in its simplicity, proving that you don’t need a complex ingredient list to create an incredibly satisfying and memorable pasta dish.
   
9. Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Soup with Split Red Lentils – This recipe marked a milestone as my very first slow cooker entry on the blog, and I was genuinely surprised by how quickly and enthusiastically so many of you embraced it! Perfectly suited for the chilly weather we often face, this soup is the epitome of comfort and health in a bowl. Loaded with hearty winter vegetables and protein-packed split red lentils, it’s a wonderfully nourishing and incredibly easy meal. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully, resulting in a deeply satisfying and warm embrace on a cold day.
10. Vegan Cauliflower, Potato, and Chickpea Curry – This incredibly flavorful and hearty curry just happens to be vegan, making it a fantastic option for everyone, regardless of dietary preferences. Adapted slightly from one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks, it stands out for its quick preparation time, a welcome change from many more labor-intensive curry recipes. The combination of tender cauliflower, soft potatoes, and protein-rich chickpeas in a fragrant, spiced sauce is simply irresistible. Plus, it yields generous portions, making it ideal for meal prepping; prepare a batch on Monday or Tuesday, and enjoy delicious, wholesome leftovers for the rest of your week.
11. Creamy Leek and Pancetta Pappardelle for Two – As Valentine’s Day approaches, or any occasion warranting a special, indulgent meal, this pasta dish is an absolute winner. It’s definitely on the richer side, with a luxurious cream sauce, tender leeks, and savory pancetta clinging to wide pappardelle noodles. Reader Ginge perfectly captured its appeal: “Made this last night for the hubs and I, last vacay supper of holiday vacay and it was amazing! And super easy and fast!” It’s a restaurant-quality meal that’s surprisingly easy to execute at home, perfect for a romantic evening or simply treating yourself and a loved one.
12. Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Tarragon-Shallot Butter – This simple yet sophisticated side dish is the recipe that truly made me fall head over heels for fresh tarragon. These roasted fingerling potatoes are one of my personal highlights from the past year because they embody the beauty of uncomplicated cooking: minimal effort for maximum flavor and visual appeal. The potatoes are perfectly tender inside and crisp outside, enhanced by the aromatic tarragon and sweet shallot-infused butter. One reader even shared that her toddler couldn’t get enough of them, which speaks volumes about their universal appeal. They are a fantastic accompaniment to almost any main course and elevate any meal.

Looking Ahead: More Delicious Adventures in the Kitchen!

As we close the chapter on this wonderful collection of 2015 favorites, I raise a toast to many more successful, delicious, and inspiring recipes throughout 2016! Each recipe shared is a piece of my passion, and it is an immense privilege to continue this culinary journey with all of you.

Thank you for being such an integral part of this community, for your incredible feedback, your kitchen adventures, and for allowing me the joy of sharing these creations. Here’s to finding new favorites, revisiting old comforts, and always making room for a beautiful plate at your table!