PureWow’s 15 Most Popular Recipes of the Last 15 Years

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Serves: 4

This has been a holiday go-to for our readers since 2017, likely because it cooks in a single skillet and only requires a modest number of ingredients (most of which are pantry staples). If you ask me, I think the most magical thing about it is that you can use fresh or frozen cranberries, so it can be prepared year-round.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Serves: 6

One thing about PureWow readers? They adore a mini dessert—and these teeny-tiny pies are no exception. Lazy bakers everywhere love this recipe in part because it calls for store-bought pie crust. I’m a fan of the crisp-tart filling (and those adorable little crimps).

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Serves: 4

Meal prep culture was at its peak when this make-ahead recipe hit our site in 2018. To make it even trendier, our recipe developer added cauliflower rice to the mix as a low-carb pairing for sweet-and-savory poultry and tender greens. Any time you want to make a meal four days in advance, you know what to do.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Serves: 4

Don’t let the drool-worthy look of this takeout copycat deter you. The chicken is coated in cornstarch and egg before being pan-fried to crispy perfection, rather than deep-fried. (That means it’s minimally messy and greasy.) The sauce is mostly spicy sriracha, zingy rice vinegar and a modest dose of butter.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Serves: 4

Hasselback potatoes had a ~moment~ in the 2010s, and this loaded spud shows why. Not only does the accordion-like slicing method take minimal effort, but it also allows fixings (like butter, cheese and bacon) to seep into every bit of potato, so you’re not left with a bunch of unseasoned fluff once you eat the good stuff.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 5 minutes
• Serves: 4

This kid-friendly Crockpot recipe only requires nine ingredients, most of which are probably in your kitchen right now. That explains why this PureWow recipe has been a reader favorite for years. (It could also be that you basically dump everything into the slow cooker and call it a night—no searing, sautéing or extra steps necessary.)

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 20 minutes
• Serves: 6

Speaking of the Crockpot, even Julia Child would ask for seconds of this simplified French classic. Once the beef and bacon are browned, you’re halfway there. Personally, I’m very charmed by the bite-size cippolini onions. Serve the main with make-ahead mashed potatoes or you’re doing it wrong.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Serves: 6 to 8

Avocados skyrocketed to popularity in the early aughts and continued to reign throughout the 2010s, hence the success of this eight-ingredient pasta dish. The sauce itself can come together in a food processor or blender. I wouldn’t be opposed to adding a dollop of yogurt or sour cream to the mix to make it even creamier and tangier.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Serves: 8

Remember when cauliflower was literally everywhere? Pizza crust, chicken nuggets, rice, mac and cheese—for a moment, it really felt like the cruciferous vegetable could do anything. Other vegetables have taken the spotlight since its heyday, but as plant-based diets continue to become more and more popular, I predict that this sticky, crunchy recipe will stay a reader favorite.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Serves: 4 to 6

Whoever is behind Brussels sprouts’ rebrand deserves a medal. What was once colloquially considered the last vegetable anyone wanted to eat is now a super trendy side dish or appetizer at gastropubs, breweries and beyond. Here, a baking sheet ensures a crisp, caramelized exterior that will make you a believer.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Serves: 4

If there’s one thing the average PureWow reader likes, it’s a dinner recipe that takes no time or effort to put together. VP of editorial Candace Davison tried this fan-favorite pasta herself and understood the hype at first bite. “The end result isn’t particularly saucy, but that makes it taste light, zesty and refreshing,” she raves.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Serves: 6

This isn’t your grand-mère’s coq au vin. The recipe uses white wine instead of traditional red, plus it can be on the table in less than one hour. Trust me: Thousands of reviews confirm that it’s totally foolproof—even for newbies.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Serves: 1

It was true before TikTok said so: Sometimes, you just need a #littletreat. This seven-minute, microwave-friendly dessert fits the bill, and you won’t have to preheat the oven or dig out a cookie sheet to make it. “The end result is the perfect combination of a chocolate chip cookie and a fluffy cookie cake,” Davison found after tasting it. “It’s light and pillowy, with the caramelization of a Toll House-style treat.”

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Serves: 4

When you haven’t gone grocery shopping in weeks but need dinner in a pinch, there’s this ever-popular pasta dish. If you can boil water, you can master this meal on your first go. “Use a fork to mash the butter, oil and cheese,” PureWow food editor and recipe tester Taryn Pire writes. “Minced garlic would be a nice addition. Sub salted butter for unsalted if that’s what you have on hand; just go easy with the salt in the next step and taste as you go. The cheese is salty as it is.”

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Serves: 48 bites

PureWow’s top recipe of the last 15 years needs no introduction. These two-bite morsels—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside—are begging to be dipped in hot sauce (or fine, ketchup). “Give it the full 15 minutes of chill time and be sure to grease the muffin tins,” Davison advises. “That makes all the difference between neat little cups of mac and cheese and a crumbling, noodle-y mess.”