25 Best Recipes of 2019

A giant skillet cinnamon roll in a black cast iron pan half cover with cream cheese icing

Skillet Cinnamon Rolls1/25

Cinnamon rolls just got even better thanks to crisp, golden edges that come from being baked in a classic cast iron skillet. Make a single ginormous roll or more modest individual rolls.

A best brined roast chicken in a cast iron Dutch oven surrounded by potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, and a halved head of garlic.

David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken2/25

This is, without any doubt, the BEST brined chicken recipe we've EVER tasted. Seriously. (And did we mention how quick and easy it is?!)

A cast-iron skillet filled with chocolate brownie

Skillet Brownies3/25

Intensely gooey, fudgy, crunchy-edged, gluten-free, flourless brownie loveliness. Easy to make. Even easier to make disappear.

A white baking dish filled with zucchini strata

Zucchini Strata4/25

All the understated elegance found in every Yotam Ottolenghi creation. Yet it draws on easy, inexpensive, everyday ingredients.

A Red Truck Bakery apple cake on a cake stand being drizzled with maple glaze

Red Truck Bakery Apple Cake5/25

A yearround charmer, this is sorta like Bundt cake gone to finishing school yet retains all the comforts of home. From the justifiably famous Red Truck Bakery in rural Virginia.

A cheesy baked spaghetti casserole in a cast-iron skillet.

Cheesy Baked Spaghetti6/25

As much of a one-pan wonder as they come. Willpower doesn’t stand a chance against this cheesy baked spaghetti casserole.

A baking sheet with seven chocolate pecan scones.

Chocolate Pecan Scones7/25

From the Barefoot Contessa herself, these chocolate pecan scones are packed with plenty of bittersweet chocolate and pecan chunks and are, predictably, flaky and tender pastry perfection.

A woman spooning a portion of slow cooker Indian butter chicken and rice into a white bowl

Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken8/25

All the rich, creamy, comforting goodness of the Indian classic with a couple tweaks to make it more accessible to American grocery stores. Plus the convenience of being made in the slow cooker.

A partially sliced loaf of multigrain bread on a wooden board.

Multigrain Bread9/25

A nutty, oh-so-slightly-sweet, artisan-style loaf of homemade bread that's a lovely Norwegian-inspired amalgam of whole-wheat, barley, oat, and rye. Amazing.

Seven crispy rakakat (Turkish cigars) on a parchment-lined white plate

A classic middle Eastern mezze that's crisp phyllo on the outside, blissfully melty halloumi and feta on the inside with parsley for some semblance of healthiness. Easy to juggle with a glass of wine in hand.

A white plate with a slice of blueberry-lemon layer cake

Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake11/25

Pretty much guaranteed to be one of those desserts that makes people do face-plants onto their dessert plates. A David Leite original recipe.

A bowl of pork tinga--pork stewed with tomatoes and chipotle peppers, along with bowls of lemon, sour cream, cilantro, cheese on a table

Pork Tinga12/25

We're hearing a lot about how easy and insanely delicious this classic Mexican pork stew is. And how loved ones are clamoring to leftovers to work the next day. Sounds like a keeper to us.

A white serving bowl filled with sauteed spinach and bread crumbs.

Sautéed Spinach with Bread Crumbs13/25

That frugal Italian trick of adding buttery bread crumbs to just about anything to make it more enticing works its considerable charms here. Swoon.

A cut loaf of cinnamon raisin swirl bread and a slice of it on a yellow plate with butter in the background

Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl Bread14/25

And you thought those perfect swirls of cinnamon raisin awesomeness were something you could only get in store-bought loaf. This recipe dispels that myth.

A loaf of monkey bread--balls of caramel-coated bread dough dripping caramel sauce on a rectangle plate

Monkey Bread15/25

A gooey, sweet, classic bread made from pull-apart blobs of brioche dough coated in a buttery, cinnamony caramel sauce that's gonna distract you in the best possible way.

A white plate topped with a pile of lemony salmon pasta, sprinkled with chives

Lemony Salmon Pasta16/25

We think of this gorgeous lemon salmon pasta as the Audrey Hepburn of pasta recipes given how it graciously brings both elegance and simplicity to the party.

An apple rose tart, shaped to look like a rose with a scoop of ice cream beside it on a white plate.

Apple Rose Tarts17/25

Stunning to behold. And actually remarkably simple to make. Allow us to introduce you to your latest dessert obsession.

Two bowls, each with three spinach and ricotta gnudi and several fried sage leaves

Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi18/25

Similar to gnocchi but ethereally airy, these gnudi are like little savory clouds of ricotta loveliness.

Two bowls filled with chicken biriyani on a blue cloth

Chicken Biriyani19/25

Experience for yourself why folks are calling this recipe for India's most iconic comfort food "heavenly" and "unbelievably tender and juicy" and "astounding."

A white bowl filled with spinach and arugula risotto on a grey linen napkin.

Spinach and Arugula Risotto20/25

This risotto, straight from Rome, gets its flavor and color from spinach, arugula, and parsley. Its smoothness is a product of butter, cream, and cheese.

A white round baking dish filled with baked ziti and topped with melted cheese, and a dish of Parmesan on the side.

Baked Ziti21/25

Italian comfort food of the most indulgent sort. Gotta love it.

2 chicken gyros filled with romaine, chicken, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncinis, and tzatziki, with a bowl of tzatziki next to it.

Chicken Gyros22/25

A Mediterranean classic that's healthy as can be although you'd never guess it from the indulgent taste.

Two bourbon sloppy joes on sesame buns, topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, and pickled red onion.

Bourbon Sloppy Joes23/25

A gussied-up riff on an American classic made with a bourbon-spiked sauce and glammed up with Cheddar and pickled red onions.

Three jars of slow cooker apple pear sauce on a white tray

Apple Pear Sauce24/25

Applesauce gone to finishing school. That's how we think of this apple pear sauce sweetened with maple syrup and seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg. Stovetop or slow cooker friendly.

Swirls of vegan caramel with a knife on the side

Vegan Caramel25/25

A naturally sweetened sugar fix with toffee overtones that really does coax a rich, sweet, satisfying experience from healthy ingredients.