From "Girl Dinner" To Everyone's Favorite "Feel Better Soup," These Are All The Most Viral Recipes Of 2023
Sometimes it feels like just yesterday we were all sitting in our homes whipping up Dalgona coffee and feeding our sourdough starters. Then we blinked, it was suddenly almost 2024, and we've yet again wrapped up another year of new food trends. So in the spirit of reminiscing, we wanted to bring you all the foods and recipes that we believe defined 2023, whether you loved them, hated them, or have never even heard of them. With that being said, here's what was all over our For You Pages this year — in no particular order:
1.Cottage Cheese (In Everything)
Love it or hate it, the cottage cheese boom was impossible to escape this year. According to TikTok's annual Year on TikTok report, "cottage cheese in everything" was actually the #1 trend of the year. From bread to ice cream to cookie dough, we covered a lot of cottage cheese-adjacent recipes this year as people rushed to include this polarizing ingredient in everything they could think of. The common verdict amongst all of us at BuzzFeed was that they weren't all that bad! Actually, they were...dare I say...good.
Today, you can still find thousands of cottage cheese recipes on TikTok, many with the goal of adding an extra dose of protein to everyday dishes like pasta sauce or scrambled eggs.
2. Lemon Possets
@nurhkasim / Via tiktok.com
Touted for being an easy dessert with minimal ingredients, lemon possets blew up over the spring and summer. Possets actually originated as an English drink often made with warmed milk, curdled with alcohol and spices.
Today, we know them to be the fun custard dessert often served in aesthetically pleasing hollowed-out lemon shells. And if you want to make 'em yourself, all it takes is heavy cream, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla. Personally, I think it'd also be fun to try this with different types of citrus since it's a great (and easy) way to be introduced to homemade custard.
3.Upside Down Puff Pastry Tarts
It all started with Lily Ghodrati's viral upside-down nectarine tarts, which amassed over 50 million views on TikTok. Lily's savory iteration using balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and onions also received an impressive 28 million views. After that, everyone jumped on the opportunity to create their own version of this super simple pastry.
I, Claudia, also tried this viral tart (and created a couple of my own versions), and it's truly one of those TikTok recipes I'll defend with all my heart — I find that the basic structure of it allows even beginner cooks to get a little creative in the kitchen.
4. Çilbir (Turkish Eggs)
@gilliehouston / Via tiktok.com
Though this simple Turkish dish has been around forever, it became the "it" egg dish and brunch recipe of choice in 2023. With a base of garlicky yogurt (or labneh), runny poached eggs, warmly spiced olive oil, and a smattering of fresh herbs, Turkish eggs made the rounds across social platforms in a truly inspiring way.
If you haven't yet tried Çilbir, this is your sign to do so — just serve with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up all that lusciously zingy yogurt.
5. Girl Dinner
@liviemaher / Via tiktok.com
Girl dinner has to be the most controversial, yet relatable, trend we've seen this year. The meals ranged from snack plates with a semi-charcuterie vibe to buttered noodles to just a simple bowl of popcorn. The trend started with creator Olivia Maher, who showed off her "girl dinner" of a glass of wine, a few grapes, bread, and a block of butter.
From there, a trend (and VERY popular sound) was created. But it didn't come without criticism. BuzzFeed writer Natasha Jokic spoke to a few dietitians who called out the potentially problematic messaging of showing seemingly low-nutrition foods and labeling them as "girl dinner."
But some praised it for showing the realistic side of FoodTok when you don't have the time or energy to cook. And, TBH, as a lunch hater, a loaded snack plate sounds kinda perfect.
6.Chopped Italian Sandwiches
The evolution of the Italian sub over the past few years is iteration at its finest. It started off with the classic Italian sub (or grinder, hoagie, whatever you want to call it), which we all know. Then, it morphed into the grinder salad, followed by the grinder salad sandwich in 2022. The Italian sub's viral resurgence culminated in the chopped sandwich in 2023, which, IMO, is its peak form.
After trying it for myself earlier this year (Ross, here!), I was ridiculously impressed. Haters have called this trend out for normalizing "pre-chewed food," but I think it's delicious. Chopping and combining all the standard Italian sub ingredients on a cutting board still leaves plenty of texture in every bite, and I'd even argue that it allows the flavors to marry together in the most harmonious way.
7. French Yogurt Cake (Gateâu au Yaourt)
@condimentclaire / Via tiktok.com
Gateâu au yaourt is a classic French recipe and was popularized on TikTok by the one and only Condiment Claire. The beauty of this cake is that it uses the magic of ratios to measure everything out with whatever yogurt pot you have on hand. There's no fancy method involved either: Everything gets dumped in one bowl (sometimes in no particular order) and mixed together.
The result? A super moist snacking cake that's as perfect for breakfast as it is for dessert. My mom (Claudia, here!) has been making this since I was a kid — she adds some orange zest which I'd highly recommend. It always comes out flawless.
8.Ice Cream Fruit Roll-Ups
In the 2023 lineup of "Weird Food Combos That Just Work," TikToker @golisdream's viral mango ice cream and fruit roll-up combo wins the award for "most tried." I couldn't escape videos of people crunching into this bizarre frozen treat for the entire month of March, but according to BuzzFeed writer Krista Torres, the hype was well deserved.
"I absolutely loved it," Krista wrote when she covered the trend earlier this year. The fruit roll-up exterior partially freezes when it's wrapped around the ice cream, which gives it a shattering (and low-key surprising) crunch. If you don't believe me, watch the viral video that started it all. It's mesmerizing.
My sensitive teeth would be out of commission after the first bite, so if you try this one at home, LMK how it goes so I can live vicariously through you.
9. Frozen Yogurt Bars
@kaylaskitchandfix / Via tiktok.com
There was just something about homemade frozen desserts during the summer that had everyone in a chokehold. The original version of these frozen yogurt bars came from @kaylaskitchandfix, who created one with a mix of yogurt, peanut butter, chocolate chips, protein powder, and a magic chocolate shell.
Similar to the influx of cottage cheese desserts, the "protein-ified" aspect of it all appealed to a lot of people — 4 million to be exact. And once that video went viral, other home cooks were inclined to make their own. Some stuck to Kayla's original peanut butter-chocolate combo, and others created fruit-filled versions.
10.Big Mac Smashed Tacos
It's everything you love about the Big Mac — sans the bun. Well, buns. Basically, they're smash burgers with the addition of a tortilla; plop a ball of meat on your hot skillet, top with a corn or flour tortilla, smash the whole thing down until it reaches crispy, smashed perfection, and top with the usual Big Mac accouterments.
When BuzzFeed writer Dannica Ramirez wrote about this viral summer TikTok trend in July (the #2 trend of the year, according to TikTok's annual report), the review was...mixed. At the time, over 145 million people had viewed videos under the #bigmactacos hashtag. Now, that number sits at over 230 million. "The more I ate it, the more I disliked it," Dannica wrote. "At some point, I was just wondering why I couldn't just use a burger bun and eat a homemade Big Mac instead of taco-fying it."
11. Diet Coke "Recipes"
@hauskris / Via tiktok.com
If you're not crafting a personalized recipe to obtain the crispiest Diet Coke ever — and yes, crispy is the only adjective to use here — you're doing it all wrong. We reached peak Diet Coke in 2023, mostly thanks to Diet Coke fanatic and TikToker @hauskris, who inspired countless others to settle for nothing less than the coldest, crispiest, most refreshing Diet Cokes every time they prepared for a DC break.
The ingredients:
• Super cold can of Diet Coke
• Pellet ice
• Frozen glass
• Frozen limes
• packet of crystallized lime juice
• Glass straw
(Sorry, no substitutes here, folks! Thank you for understanding!)
12.WaterTok
I could write an essay on this trend — actually, I did just that earlier this year — so trust me when I say that WaterTok was by far the most controversial TikTok food trend of 2023. To grossly oversimplify: Said to be popularized by TikToker Tonya Spanglo, the trend started with a handful of creators adding multicolor, flavored sugar-free syrups and flavor packets to their water to help them stay hydrated. Eventually, the trend went mega-viral. The #WaterTok hashtag had 220 million views on TikTok when I wrote about it in May; now, views sit at just under a billion, and hundreds of thousands have tried the wild, whimsical “water recipes” for themselves.
There’s far too much to unpack in just a couple short paragraphs, but the need-to-knows here are that it created an entire online community, literally sold out an entire line of Stanley insulated tumblers, and experts still don’t necessarily agree on its perceived risks or benefits.
(I have not yet tried a Unicorn Cotton Candy Water, but you better believe I bought myself a knock-off Stanley after covering this trend.)
13. Hwachae (Cold Korean Fruit Bowls)
@amyflamy1 / Via tiktok.com
The only food item that came close to chamoy pickles' reign on the mukbang side of TikTok was hwachae, a milky Korean "punch" of sorts. Traditionally, it's served in a bowl with vibrant mix-ins, from Sprite to fruit, and served over ice with a spoon for slurping it all up.
TikToker @amyflamy1's video with over 16 million views is the TikTok that launched a thousand (very tasty!) imitations. In the video, shown above, she orders the cold fruit bowl after waking up "severely dehydrated," and it didn't take long before other creators followed in her footsteps. Spoiler alert: The bowls and spoons eventually became...comically large.
14.Potato Chip Omelets (from The Bear)
With every season of The Bear, we're gifted three things: crushes on Jeremy Allen White, secondhand stress, and a standout recipe or two. If Season 1's fan-favorite recipe was the family meal spaghetti, Season 2's was the potato chip omelet. I, Ross, wrote about the simple recipe when the season premiered, which features silky eggs, Boursin cheese, and crushed sour cream and onion potato chips for a surprising (and exceptionally tasty) crunch.
Though I haven't made the omelet in several months now, there's one trick from this recipe (and the show!) that I employ all the time: scrambling eggs through a fine-mesh sieve. It gives you the creamiest results possible, and it's become a morning go-to in my household.
15. Chamoy Pickle Kits
@OrianaASMR / Via tiktok.com
If you're not as neck-deep in all things #PickleTok as I am, this one will require some explanation. First: spicy pickles. Second: chamoy, which is a popular, sweet-and-spicy Mexican condiment that TikTokers cannot get enough of. Third, fourth, fifth, and so on: the toppings, which usually include a mixture of Takis, sour candy, Tajín, tamarind, and anything candy-adjacent you could dream up.
TikTokers hollow out the core of the pickle with a spoon, stuff it to the brim with various toppings, occasionally even wrapping it in Fruit by the Foot, and crunch. Mukbang videos of people tasting them are fascinating, deliciously gruesome, and absolutely everywhere; like, the #chamoypickle hashtag on TikTok has over 1.5 billion views.
Anyway! Santa, if you're reading this, I'm clearly hoping for a chamoy pickle kit in my Christmas stocking this year. 🤞 (This is Ross, BTW.)
16.Feta Eggs
Pesto eggs and feta pasta walked so that feta eggs could run. This super easy breakfast (lunch, dinner, snack — whenever you choose to eat it) was thought up by recipe developer Grace Elkus and tested by BuzzFeed writer Dannica Ramirez earlier this year. She gave them a 10/10 and noted, "The recipe is so simple, it takes no longer than five minutes to make, and is so, so tasty."
The major appeal here is that it only takes two ingredients: feta and eggs (duh), and maybe an optional toasted tortilla. It's pretty foolproof and customizable, which is probably why Grace's original video has over 15 million views and thousands of comments.
17. Grated Frozen Fruit
@littlefatboyfrankie / Via tiktok.com
In case you can't tell, TikTok loves its easy desserts. This one involved freezing whole fruits and grating them for a kind of DIY sorbet. The simplest of recipes called for the frozen fruit of your choice, grated and mixed with lime or lemon juice. Others, like creator Frank Gaw, took to making their own shaved ice, adding toppings like condensed milk and nuts.
Some more versions include a "peaches and cream" iteration and even a savory frozen tomato version served with a ball of burrata.
18.Two-Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet
This frozen watermelon treat was basically the cousin of the grated frozen fruit trend. Rather than grating whole frozen fruits, this trend used watermelon that had been chopped and frozen, pulsed in a food processor, then mixed with lime juice to create a sorbet-like dessert.
The original video by @claredodo was so popular — it has a whopping 21 million views — that BuzzFeed writer Alana Valko tried it for herself and gave it an overall rating of 8.5/10. So, yeah, this one might be making a comeback during summer 2024.
19. Date Bark
@georginaburgess_ / Via tiktok.com
Originally created by @thathealthjunkie, date bark gained its popularity as a sort of "healthier" dessert, with many users comparing it to a Snickers bar. This isn't the first time dates have had their moment of internet fame — past viral recipes include date caramel and the more classic stuffed dates.
This new date trend recipe consisted of smashing dates on a parchment-lined tray, covering them with melted peanut butter, nuts, and chocolate, then freezing the whole thing for a take on chocolate bark.
20.Pastina
At this point, pastina might be making the rounds on social media until the end of time. The already-popular Italian "feel-better soup" became one of the most popular dishes on social media this past winter, and as the weather now becomes cooler once again, I'm already seeing it make a huge resurgence. I, Ross, wrote about it in January of this year when pastina hype reached peak virality, and I've been making it on an almost weekly basis ever since.
Made with a handful of budget-friendly ingredients, like tiny pasta, chicken stock, cheese, and butter — egg vs. no egg is your call, though I'd highly recommend it — it's the ultimate lazy lunch or dinner when you're feeling under the weather or just need a fast, nourishing meal without a whole lot of effort. Videos under the #pastina hashtag on TikTok have now been viewed over 200 million times, so lucky for us, this recipe isn't going anywhere any time soon.
21. Trying Natto
@sydwingold / Via tiktok.com
It was impossible to scroll through TikTok at the beginning of the year without stumbling upon a video of someone trying natto. For those who don't know, natto is a Japanese dish that consists of fermented soybeans. In their videos, users would show themselves opening a styrofoam container, taking off a plastic film from the beans, pouring the accompanied sauces (usually soy sauce and mustard), and "frothing" the beans to create the signature sticky texture.
While a lot of these videos were met with pretty visceral reactions, many creators, like @sanguyenn and @shannahmau, thankfully jumped on to educate TikTok on how they enjoy natto (usually served with a helping of rice, more sauces, and sometimes seaweed).
22.Brazilian Lemonade
This sweet and creamy summer beverage was all over FYPs throughout summer 2023, and for good reason: It's a refreshing departure from standard lemonade since it's frozen, utilizes sweetened condensed milk, and opts for whole limes instead of lemon juice. The Brazilian recipe has been around for ages, but thanks to a boost in popularity from basically every social media platform this summer, it became a bonafide international hit.
BuzzFeed writer Fabiana Buontempo tried Brazilian lemonade for herself over the summer and discovered the key to success on her second attempt: removing the white pith from the quartered limes since the limes are blended whole into the drink. "The final result was a deliciously smooth and creamy summer drink that had just the right amount of lime flavor without being too bitter and the perfect amount of sweetness," she wrote in her post.
23. Nature's Gatorade
@clairethenutritionist / Via tiktok.com
"Nature's Gatorade" (also called switchel or haymaker's punch) isn't necessarily new — it was often used by farmers to keep hydrated while working long hours in the heat. But, like many old recipes, this one made its rounds on TikTok and was especially praised by nutritionists for being packed with electrolytes.
The ingredients are also pretty minimal: just maple syrup, ginger water (made by steeping ginger root in simmering water), apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. It definitely doesn't taste like Gatorade, but it sure has received a lot of positive reviews.
24. Pizza Fries
@doraymie / Via tiktok.com
Although they saw short-lived fame at the beginning of the year, pizza fries were one of those food trends you were either horrified by or needed to try immediately. The original video seems to have come from @doraymie's "birthday pizza fries" which racked up 14.5 million views.
Written recipes for this don't really exist, but if I had to guess, I'd say all it takes is some frozen fries, cheese, and pepperoni. The cheesy topping gets baked separately from the fries and dumped on top to reveal what is probably every kid's dream birthday dinner.
Are there any food trends you want to see more of (or maybe even less of) in 2024? Let us know in the comments!
