It’s been a delicious year at Food & Wine, as we’ve published hundreds of new recipes from decadent desserts to mouth-watering main courses. Each year there are always a handful of standout dishes that really make an impact. As we look back on 2022, we’ve rounded up our readers’ favorite recipes, from an Italian wedding risotto that’s both rich and creamy to a smoked brisket that falls right off the bone. Read on to discover the 25 recipes our readers loved most this year.
Italian Wedding Risotto
Inspired by the classic Italian wedding soup, this hearty risotto is filled with just-wilted spinach and topped with crispy, garlicky meatballs. Use a cookie scoop to quickly portion out the meatballs; make a double batch and freeze half to whip up this risotto in a flash. Remove the risotto from the heat while it’s still a little soupy—it will thicken slightly as it rests.
Reverse Sear Steak
Learning how to reverse-sear means you can serve steakhouse quality meals in your own kitchen. The trick to this ingenious cooking method is to first cook the steak in a low oven, then transfer it to a blazing hot skillet to quickly sear both sides. The result is a steak with a deeply browned crust and an inside that is evenly cooked. This method is especially helpful when cooking thick steaks; it allows the meat to cook exactly to your taste without overcooking or even burning the exterior of the steak. Although this steak is delicious straight out of the skillet, we added a buttery wine pan sauce to finish off the dish. The recipe for the herb butter added to the sauce makes more than you will need, and is very handy to have around to dress up a pot of rice or vegetables at the last minute.
Turmeric-Poached Eggs with Chive Biscuits and Lobster Gravy
This decadent brunch dish is reminiscent of crawfish étouffée, but with the West Coast vibes found all over the menu at chef Brooke Williamson’s beachside restaurant complex, Playa Provisions. Lobster lends the gravy rich flavor, while the turmeric eggs add a sunny pop of color. Make the lobster gravy the day beforehand and reheat it gently to make brunch an easier lift.
Smoked Brisket
This smoked brisket is self-taught barbecue expert Matt Horn’s signature recipe — the star of the menu at his restaurant, Horn Barbecue, in Oakland, California. The 2021 Food & Wine Best New Chef spent weeks perfecting this recipe, and says time is the most important ingredient in this dish. You need to be patient while the meat’s internal temperature rises to 203°F (95°C), but it’s worth it when your smoked masterpiece is ready.
Japanese 7-Eleven Egg Salad Sandwich
Jason Diamond’s desire for the famous Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich inspired him to recreate it at home. Kewpie mayonnaise is key to this recipe — made with only egg yolks and rice or apple cider vinegar — along with a fluffy Japanese milk bread and just the right ratio of whites to yolks.
Artisan Pizza Dough
Despite its reputation as a convenience food, the most essential element of great pizza is time. A slow fermentation gives our pizza dough its chewy-crispy texture and depth of flavor. It starts with your choice of sourdough starter (aka levain) or a simple mixture of flour, water, and active dry yeast (poolish) left to ferment for 12 hours. Both options start fermentation and build flavor in the dough overnight. Strategic stretching of the dough during the initial fermentation stage develops gluten and makes the dough evenly elastic and forgiving to work with. Each 9-ounce dough ball will make one 10-inch pizza, a personal-size pie that’s also easy to maneuver around home countertops and ovens. This overnight dough is easily doubled for pizza parties. Not cooking for a crowd? The raw dough may be frozen.
Adobo Chicken Wings
“This dish is fully inspired by my dad,” says chef Anna Swann. “His family’s chicken adobo is the first Filipino dish he taught me how to make when I first started getting into cooking.” At her pop-up, Ulam, in Dallas, Swann combines the flavors of chicken adobo with another childhood favorite, fried chicken wings. The resulting Adobo Chicken Wings are flavored to the bone thanks to a stint in an umami-rich soy sauce and vinegar marinade. While they bake, the marinade is cooked down to concentrate its flavors — the better for tossing the cooked wings in — adding a final, sticky, finger-licking layer of deliciousness. “This dish was a natural blend of the two dishes, an ode to some of my favorite meals he cooked for us,” Swann says. “I also think this dish shows the beauty of Filipino food. How it can take simple ingredients and the end result is a rich complex layering of flavors. So simple, but so good!” Serve the Adobo Chicken Wings as Swann does, with steamed rice and a bright and acidic Filipino Pico, which combines chopped fresh tomatoes with herbs, fish sauce, and thin slices of serrano chile.
Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
“Everyone with roots in southern Louisiana, where red beans and rice is a staple, thinks that their mom makes the best version,” says 2019 F&W Best New Chef Kwame Onwuachi. “But I’m the only one who’s right. Growing up, my mom used this recipe as a base, sometimes adding in smoked turkey necks or smoked, spiced, and cured tasso ham, in addition to the ham hocks and andouille sausage that impart their smoke, fat, and spice to the Holy Trinity (celery, bell peppers, and onions) and, of course, the sturdy red kidney beans.” To read more about how Onwuachi takes inspiration from Louisiana foodways, and for more great Southern recipes like this, see his story, “In Her Footsteps.”
Citrus and Fennel Chicken with Olives and Calabrian Chiles
A mix of citrus, buttery olives, and spicy, oil-packed chiles punches up the flavor of braised chicken leg quarters in this standout recipe. Toasted fennel seeds and dry sherry add a pleasant warmth to the sauce, which begs to be served with a baguette for sopping.
New Orleans-Style Jambalaya
This hearty Creole jambalaya is smoky, aromatic, and just a little bit spicy. Rendered fat from a combination of andouille sausage, bacon, and smoked sausage serves as the base, and the dish keeps building from there. Take the time to cook each element of the jambalaya to add browned, caramelized flavor. Make sure to save the shells when peeling and deveining the shrimp, as they’ll be used for a homemade shrimp stock that goes in towards the end.
A Proper Shrimp Boil
Food & Wine editor-in-chief Hunter Lewis grew up in North Carolina obsessed with peel-and-eat shrimp, especially those fished out of pots of Frogmore stew in the South Carolina Lowcountry and those cooked and spiced like Maryland crab farther north. Now, he lives in the Deep South, where his shrimp boil has taken on a slight Cajun accent. It still bobs with corn and potatoes, but the Italian sausage is andouille, the Old Bay spice mix is sometimes Zatarain’s, and the wild shrimp is always sweet, plump, and scooped from the Gulf. While all of those ingredients are essential, Lewis says the real flavor from a boil comes from a potent cooking liquor, loaded with alliums, lemon, spices, and a bottle each of white wine and clam juice.
Buttery Shrimp with Peas and Potatoes
Unlike their larger, late-season siblings, baby veggies are supremely quick to cook. Creamy new potatoes add substance to this quick one-pan skillet dinner of tender shrimp, fresh shelling peas, and dill, which come together in a sweet and buttery broth laced with cream.
Spinach Maria
Spinach Maria is a classic dish originating from Calhoun’s, an east Tennessee BBQ joint. It’s made with lots of spinach, Monterey Jack cheese, and crushed red pepper. The cheese sauce is rich with warmth from the cayenne and nutmeg, and the extra layer of melted cheese on top makes it perfectly indulgent. As tasty a side dish as this is, it’s also great served as a dip with toasted pita wedges or tortilla chips. You can customize the sauce however you want by adding more garlic, or chopped hot chiles, pickled peppers, herbs, or even crabmeat.
Chicken Breasts with White Wine Pan Sauce with Crème Fraîche and Spring Herbs
This simple white wine pan sauce enriched with créme fraîche and a generous handful of tender fresh herbs like tarragon, dill, and chives makes smart use of the pan drippings from pan-roasted chicken breasts. Simply pan-roast airline chicken breasts, set them aside to rest, and then, while the chicken is resting, use the drippings to build the flavor-packed white wine pan sauce, which comes together in about 10 minutes and delivers an elegant, silky texture. The delicate flavors of the white wine pan sauce are also a good pair for thick fillets of trout, salmon, or halibut, which may be substituted for the chicken breasts. To make this pan sauce from other proteins, start from step 2, working with 1 tablespoon of reserved drippings, and proceed as written.
Soppressata Pizza with Calabrian Chiles and Hot Honey
Take a little soppressata, some chopped Calabrian chiles, and a drizzle of hot honey, and you’ll end up with the pizza of the moment. Calabrian chiles, fiery chiles from Italy, add heat and a distinctly fruity flavor to this pie. The hot honey mirrors the flavors of the chiles, and adds a touch of sweetness.
Short Rib Chili
Fresh jalapeños, smoky chipotles in adobo, and fruity ancho chile powder give this thick, meaty short rib chili layers of heat, while red wine and tomato add acidity to balance out the richness of the tender short ribs. For a more budget-friendly option, substitute cubed beef chuck roast for the short ribs. Homemade pickled red onions provide a colorful, tasty, crunchy topping.
Burnt Ends with Bourbon Sauce
The crispy, caramelized “burnt” pieces of a smoked brisket are often the best part because the flavor is concentrated and the texture is pleasingly chewy. This recipe creates an entire baking tray of crispy pieces, so there are plenty to go around. Chef Matt Horn likes to serve these with slices of white bread; he shared his step-by-step process for making Burnt Ends with us, from seasoning the brisket to caramelizing the sauce on the cubed meat. If you spend a lot of time barbecuing, you will try out literally hundreds of rubs, not to mention cooking sauces, table sauces, mops, binders, and pastes. Eventually, you will settle on an all-purpose rub that adds loads of flavor to just about anything you put in the smoker. Horn Rub is chef Matt Horn’s go-to rub; he keeps it close at hand at all time, and uses it to generously season these savory burnt ends. Instead of vinegar, Horn’s thick, sticky Bourbon Sauce gets its kick from its namesake: bourbon. For a classic sauce with Kentucky roots, use dark molasses in place of the honey. This recipe works well with any type of barbecue, and Horn loves it in baked beans, too.
Frozen Salted Espresso Martinis
If you’re an espresso martini fan, you’ll love this frosty twist. First, brewed espresso is frozen in an ice cube tray; once the cubes are solid, they’re processed with coffee liqueur, vodka, and simple syrup in a blender until smooth. The resulting martinis are well-balanced, with notes of caramel and vanilla. The liqueur and syrup give them subtle sweetness, the vodka adds a smooth element, and the espresso brings earthy bitterness. An elegant sprinkle of flaky sea salt finishes the drinks off, and balances the espresso’s bitterness. Make sure to chill the glasses before serving and enjoy right away.
Pepperoni Rolls with Garlic-Anchovy Marinara
The pepperoni roll is a West Virginian lunch or snack in which spicy, garlicky pepperoni is stuffed inside a soft yeasted bread roll. When it bakes, the oil from the pepperoni seeps into the bread for delicious results. Adding cheese is optional — we’ve gone for provolone here, whose salty, mildly sweet flavor balances the pepperoni beautifully (not to mention, it gets nice and melty too). The roll itself also has some sweetness from honey. We’re serving the pepperoni rolls appetizer-style with marinara sauce on the side that’s been bolstered with caramelized baked garlic and salty anchovies. Add them to the menu for your next party or tailgate.
Sautéed Italian Sausage with Onions and Peppers
Searing sweet Italian sausage in a dry skillet renders the fat, resulting in a deliciously crispy sausage. Tender bell peppers add a welcome vegetal sweetness to this one-pan dinner while they cook down in a blend of savory chicken broth and tangy vinegar perfect for sopping up with crusty bread. Sausage, peppers, and onions is a great dinner to pair with a red wine, says sommelier Theo Lieberman of Pasquale Jones in New York City, who provided the inspiration for this recipe. To go with the sausage, peppers, and onions, he says, “I’ve been digging Forlorn Hope’s Queen of the Sierra red — I like it chilled. It’s easy to drink and lends itself to all kinds of food.”
Beer-Battered Fish Tacos
In this taco recipe, IPA adds depth to the crunchy coating on beer-battered cod fillets while the fish inside cooks to flaky and tender perfection. The tacos also feature bright homemade pickled red onions and a cabbage slaw that gets tart creaminess from lime crema and a hint of sweetness from honey. (If you can’t find crema Mexicana, use four tablespoons of crème fraîche or sour cream mixed with half a teaspoon of lime juice.) Everything gets piled into charred corn tortillas and garnished with thinly sliced radishes, cilantro sprigs, and a drizzle of reserved lime crema, plus more fresh lime juice if you’d like. To prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom of the pot when frying, hold the fillet halfway into the oil for a few seconds in order to create a skin on the batter, and then slowly lower it fully into the oil.
Classic Cheese Pizza
Sometimes all you want at the end of the day is a simple cheese pizza. This recipe turns simple into sublime with the addition of an exceptional pizza dough, low-moisture mozzarella cheese, and an easy to make tomato sauce that hits all of the right sweet and savory notes to marry all of the flavors in this pie. A simple garnish of fresh herbs, and you’ve got perfection on a plate.
Limoncello-Ricotta Cheesecake
Limoncello — the sweet, potent Italian lemon liqueur made by steeping lemon peel in grain alcohol or vodka — is the star of this silky, creamy dessert. The filling is lightened by the addition of ricotta cheese, and boasts citrusy flavors from both the fresh lemon juice and limoncello. Mixing the filling with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer creates less air, resulting in a creamier cheesecake with no air bubbles. Make sure you wrap the cheesecake well with foil so there are no leaks. To make the water bath without having to juggle a large pan full of water, place the cheesecake in the roasting pan in the oven, then add the water. The basil garnish balances the lemon nicely, but feel free to swap in berries or mint if you prefer.
Peach Salad with Peanuts and Chile
Spicy chiles and sweet peaches come together in this simple, summery salad perfect for backyard parties. Lemon vinegar and manuka honey lend each bite a sweet-tart zing and silky texture, amplifying the juiciness of fresh peaches. The sweet honey mellows the sharp and punchy lemon vinegar, adding brightness without overpowering the delicate fruit. Avoid using Meyer lemon vinegar, which will be too sweet once combined with the honey. Long, thin and vibrantly colored, Holland finger chiles, or Dutch chiles, add a moderate jalapeño-like heat to the fragrant dish. Lean on this stunning salad when peaches are at their prime to showcase the best of summer produce. Freestone peaches, such as July Prince, release cleanly from the pit making slicing a breeze, while clingstone peaches, like Flavorich, are typically smaller, juicier and slightly sweeter but can be more challenging to cut. Top a generous serving with grilled chicken or shrimp for a hearty main course. Infused with peaches and chiles, leftover dressing on the platter makes a great addition to spicy margaritas or combined with smashed blackberries for a quick shrub.
Soft-Cooked Eggs with Hollandaise and Ham
Winemaker André Mack shared the recipe for this elegant breakfast dish of ham thinly sliced with eggs and hollandaise. The salty ham complements golden, jammy egg yolks and a simple hollandaise, showcasing the excellence of each ingredient in this classic dish. Patience is key with hollandaise; adding only a little butter at a time helps the sauce come together without breaking. At & Sons, his ham and wine bar in Brooklyn, Mack uses Mangalista ham in this recipe, but any thinly sliced ham will do nicely. Mangalista ham is smoked over hardwood, giving it a deliciously savory flavor, but also high in fat, so it stays moist and tender even after smoking.
