PEOPLE's 20 Most Popular Recipes of 2023

From Dwayne Johnson's French toast with bananas foster syrup to Cameron Diaz's chicken nachos, these are the recipes readers raved about this year

PEOPLE publishes hundreds of recipes a year in the magazine and online — with each going through a thorough process of developing, testing, cross-testing, styling and photographing. While we think every recipe we feature deserves a big gold star, we've seen some dishes rise to the top of the charts — and social media feeds.

From hearty main dishes, like Guy Fieri's French onion chicken and Giada de Laurentiis' roasted vegetable pasta to show-stopping desserts like Joanna Gaines' brownie cookies and Gail Simmons' strawberry lemonade bars, these 20 recipes got our readers' seals of approval in 2023.

Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches

Off the football field, Peyton Manning has another true passion: chicken parm. "It's the perfect blend of all things," the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback and host of ESPN2's ManningCast told PEOPLE about his "ultimate" sandwich. "You need a quality sub with a bit of crunch and a strong chicken-to-sauce-to-cheese ratio, and you're set." Manning's sandwich appeared on the original menu at Saloon 16, a western-style restaurant he opened at the Graduate Knoxville Hotel in Tennessee — and in the pages of PEOPLE magazine in January. Get the recipe.

Espresso Hot Chocolate

Made with espresso powder, sweetened condensed milk and a pinch of salt, Claire Saffitz's espresso hot chocolate recipe is a cozy winter pick-me-up. "I think the height of romance is having something chocolaty — and serving it warm makes it feel extra special," she told PEOPLE. "If you're not into espresso, swap it with ground cinnamon or a little peppermint extract." Get the recipe.

Lobster Fried Rice

The menu at Gekko, the Japanese steakhouse in Miami opened by Bad Bunny and restaurateur David Grutman, includes olive-fed filet mignon, chilled oysters with watermelon granita and Bad Bunny's "favorite" lobster fried rice — made with edamame, snow peas, scallions and topped with sweet, tender lobster meat. Get the recipe.

Pulled Chicken Nachos with Corn, Zucchini, Squash & Cilantro Crema

Cameron Diaz "loves nachos as a concept" — both assembling and eating. "If you take the time to layer each ingredient over an even layer of chips, you can create the perfect bite," the Avaline wine founder said about her recipe stacked with shredded rotisserie chicken, charred veggies and a tangy herb sauce. “These nachos disappeared in about two minutes." Get the recipe.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

"Even if you don't eat carrot cake, I think you still might like this one," Alison Roman told PEOPLE about her "fool-proof" recipe. "It's intensely flavored and very moist. It almost has a sticky-toffee-pudding quality to it." She utilized dates and turmeric to enhance her showstopper. "Turmeric is pretty mellow and makes the other flavors stand out," said Roman, who added that the golden-colored spice also makes the cake "visually stunning." Get the recipe.

Guy Fieri's French Onion Chicken

Guy Fieri's go-to family recipe is the ultimate mashup. "French onion soup is one of my favorite dishes and roasting chickens in a cast iron pan is a staple at the Fieri household. So when I combined these two recipes and made this for [my sons] Hunter and Ryder they went nuts," Fieri told PEOPLE. His French Onion Chicken gets "outta bounds flavor from the melted cheese and caramelized onions and killer texture from the lightly pounded chicken and crispy toasted baguette pieces on the top," he said. Get the recipe.

Blue Cheese & Bacon Burgers

"This recipe feels decadent, and yet so appropriate," said former Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson. For the "BLT and wedge salad" mashup, she incorporated blue cheese into the patties and topped them with bacon, tomato and shredded lettuce. "It's simple, straightforward, only uses a handful of ingredients that you most likely already have, and still, it's unexpected and packed with flavor." Get the recipe.

BLT with Bacon-Garlic Aioli

The IRL sandwich served at Reba's Place — Reba McEntire's southern-style restaurant in Atoka, Okla. — is stuffed with a whopping eight slices of bacon, pickles of several different flavors and generous smears of bacon-garlic aioli. This at-home version created by the eatery's chef Kurtess Mortensen is a little easier to get your mouth around, but is still as satisfying and delicious. Get the recipe.

Honey-Harissa Glazed Carrots & Chickpeas with Feta

Beau MacMillan lets fresh ingredients "do the heavy work" in this flavorful side dish. "It's sweet and savory with the earthiness of the roasted vegetables, cut with the creamy yet acidic feta yogurt making it a well-rounded dish," said the chef-owner of Cala restaurant in Scottsdale, Ariz. "The harissa makes the dish warm while the almonds add crunch making the dish fresh, comforting and vibrant." Get the recipe.

Everything Bagel Galette

Topped with smoked salmon, Gruyere cheese, runny eggs and capers and dusted with everything bagel spice, this dish includes the best elements of a bagel brunch spread but wrapped in an elegant pastry made for sharing, "Serve the galette with thinly sliced red onion and cucumber, chopped tomatoes and lemon wedges," said editorial director Sonal Dutt, who developed the recipe for an August issue of PEOPLE magazine. Get the recipe.

Brownie Cookies

Joanna Gaines' dessert mashup is beloved at her Waxo, Tx. bakery, Silos Baking Co. — and her home. "We are a house divided when it comes to cookies versus brownies, so I thought why not combine them to give us the best of both worlds," said the Fixer Upper star. "They have a soft rise, just the right amount of gooeyness, and the two-for-one combination makes them an easy win for everyone." Get the recipe.

Chicken Tikka Skewers

"These juicy chicken bites have gentle, warm spice notes but are not spicy-hot," said Maya Kamal, who used accessible ingredients in her updated version of chicken tikka masala, "a classic dish found on most Indian restaurant menus." She marinated the chicken with Greek yogurt, plus ginger, cumin, coriander and "a bright lime zest kicker." It can be prepared either in the oven or on the grill but is "easy" either way, she said. Get the recipe.

French Toast with Bananas Foster Syrup and Macadamia Nuts

For years, Dwayne Johnson has shared pictures of his over-the-top cheat meals — including his go-to French toast, which the star's private chef Racquel “Rocky” Rockquemore-Breiz makes for him “every single" weekend. “The first time DJ asked for French toast he said he wanted a bigger, thicker version," said the chef, who opened Brique French Toastery in L.A. with her husband Daniel. This slightly smaller version of Johnson's meal is smothered in bananas foster syrup and sprinkled with crunchy macadamia nuts. Get the recipe.

Grilled Corn with Gochujang-Butter and Parmesan

Lara Lee's recipe is such an "absolute showstopper" that the James Beard Award-winning chef has a warning: "Do note that it steals the spotlight" from the main meal. “It’s happiness to eat. The grilled corn acts as the perfect vessel, all smoky and textured, and the gochujang butter melts into every nook and cranny," she said. But the flavors don't stop there. "Dusting the corn with parmesan added a glorious hit of umami and the lime juice cuts through adding delight and zing," said Lee. "It adds oomph and balance." Get the recipe.

Rosemary-Parmesan Brioche Rolls

"The soft, buttery rolls will match anything on the table while the rosemary and Parmesan variation adds a savory and herbal taste," said Sheena Otto, the head baker at Il Buco restaurant in New York City. To make them ahead, "bake the rolls a few days in advance,” she advised. “Freeze them in ziplock bags, and then defrost the rolls [in the] morning.” Get the recipe.

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

"I am not afraid to admit I hoard berries all summer long, and this is the kind of dessert I constantly crave,” said Gail Simmons, who created this recipe for PEOPLE in July. The Top Chef judge loves the fruit bars for their "bright tartness from the lemon curd, sweet juiciness from the fresh strawberries and buttery crunch in the crust." She said that "you can also make this easily with frozen berries. Just thaw frozen berries completely at room temperature first, then gently pat them as dry as possible with paper towel before using." Get the recipe. 

Buttermilk-Battered Onion Rings

“The rings are very crispy, thanks to the outer coating of panko bread crumbs,” said chef Michael Symon. "The sprinkle of salt after frying will also bring out the sweetness of the onions and spices." The dipping sauce — a mix of mayonnaise, horseradish, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire and hot sauce — is "tangy and creamy with a mild heat." It can be made ahead and stored for weeks in the fridge and is also good on burgers and sandwiches, said Simon. Get the recipe.

Shallot Garlic Bread

“Mixing fresh garlic and garlic powder is simple enough but really amplifies that tasty, familiar flavor,” said Alex Guarnaschelli, who featured this recipe in her cookbook Cook It Up, which she cowrote with her teenage daughter Ava Clark. The pair “likes to sneak attack with extra flavor wherever we can!” says the Food Network star. Get the recipe.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Giada De Laurentiis' go-to dinner comes together in 30 minutes or less. "Taking whatever you have left in the fridge or growing in your garden, roasting it and putting it over pasta is the easiest way to get a meal together," she said. "Plus you can put it together in advance. It’s good hot, cold or room temperature." Get the recipe.

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Monster Meringues

Great British Baking Show alum Kim-Joy created this adorably spooky recipe for a Halloween-themed story in an October issue of PEOPLE. "You can pipe any shape, and they all work — they’ve each got their own personality!” she said. "There are different ways to pinch the meringue and create different effects." The meringues are impactful on their own, or a home cook can "use them to decorate a cake or pie,” she suggests. Get the recipe.

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