Looks Fancy, But It’s Easy: 25 Recipes That Make You Look Like A Pro In The Kitchen
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Sometimes, the best recipes are the ones that deliver maximum wow factor with minimal effort and cost. When someone on Reddit posed the question, “What’s your best ‘cheap but impressive’ recipe that makes people think you spent hours in the kitchen?”, the responses were a treasure trove of culinary creativity. From deceptively simple pasta dishes to desserts that look straight out of a patisserie, here are some of the most clever and crowd-pleasing ideas shared by home chefs.
So, the next time you want to impress your guests or treat yourself without breaking the bank, try one of these recipes. You might just find a new go-to dish that’s as easy as it is impressive!
Image source: velvetelevator, Karolina Grabowska / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Toffee. I sell it every year around this time in a bakery sale. Regulars come just to get it.
2 cups cold, refrigerated butter
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
Optional toppings: sprinkle of sea salt, rice krispies, nuts, instant coffee powder, crushed pretzels
Put butter, sugar and salt in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 30 minutes until mixture is dark amber. Pour into a foil lined baking sheet, tilt to spread. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, spread after letting them melt for a minute. Add any optional toppings, I usually do sea salt. Let cool out of the fridge for an hour or so, then refrigerate at least one hour before breaking apart.
You don't need a candy thermometer or a double boiler or anything fancy.
I get butter and chocolate chips for about $6 each, and the sugar and salt are pretty cheap.
Notes: Do not soften your butter, it won't absorb into the mixture correctly. At all points of cooking, you'll probably think it's not working; it is.
Image source: anon, Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Ganache. Always impresses guests at how rich and tasty it is...
It's literally cream heated then chocolate added.
Image source: Lpolyphemus, Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Carrot soup.
Rough chopped onion, fat of your choice.
Saute until slightly brown.
Bunch of rough chopped carrots.
Add to the pot, continue sautéing for a couple more minutes.
Flavorful liquid to cover (I usually use 1/2 bottle of white wine, remainder stock).
Simmer until carrots are very soft.
Blend until smooth and strain.
Season and serve.
Guests rave about it — and it really is just 15 minutes of active work with some leftover veg.
Image source: FellahDude, Zoran Borojevic / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Spaghetti carbonara. Delicious when made well and very simple. Even if you wanted to go all out and use fancy imported cheese or guanciale instead of my bacon and Parmesan version, the quantities of each aren’t huge and it’s delicious.
Someone may say it’s not a fancy dish (eg in Italy), and that may be true but it’s fancy enough in my part of the world.
Image source: DavidAg02, Oskar Kadaksoo / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Cacio e pepe. It's literally pasta, cheese and pepper... But when it's done right, it's unbelievable. Good quality pasta is key, fresh pasta takes it to another level but ups the complexity quite a bit.
Image source: RJMonkhouse, BushyEyes
Cottage Pie. It’s ground beef, veggies and mash all in one dish. Super easy, cheap and everyone usually loves it!
Image source: Dramatic_Cream_2163, Takuya Nagaoka / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Key lime pie. 4 egg yolks, a can of sweetened condensed milk, half a cup of fresh lime juice, and you can add some grated lime peel if you want. Beat it until it’s fluffed up a bit, pour it into a graham cracker crust, bake, top with whipped cream. Fresh key lime pie is rare outside of Florida and people love it!
Image source: monty624, Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
My Grandmother's fresh tomato sauce. A couple pounds of campari tomatoes, some olive oil, basil, garlic, and white wine. You just heat the oil and add the garlic and tomatoes (washed but whole) in the pan, let em cook with a lid on until the tomatoes burst, then add your basic and wine, and season to taste. It takes like 20 minutes, mostly passive time for cooking the pasta and making a salad. Everybody raves and the most difficult part is getting out of the grocery store parking lot.
Image source: PerformerSouthern652, Parnis Azimi / unsplash (not the actual photo)
My mashed potato’s have been called the best ever had…. Just cook the taters in salted water with sliced garlic and/or minced/grated ginger. Reserve the cooking water. Put them through a ricer or food mill (for extra fluffiness). Add in plenty of butter, and enough cooking water, heavy cream, sour cream and or cream cheese to make them creamy, salt and pepper to taste, an add dried chives or any blend that includes chives and tarragon. BAM!
Image source: CreativeCulinary, Eugene Krasnaok / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Pavlova. It's just meringue which is beaten egg whites with sugar and some tartar sauce. But it's formed into a shape and then baked at a real low temp until it dries out. I made these last year and filled them with cranberry/rosemary curd and topped them with whipped cream.
Recipe.
Image source: LFK_Pirate, zyrkan
Homemade ricotta (or “farm cheese”, but used in place of ricotta). Simplest thing in the world to do, tastes soooo much better than store bought, and people lose their minds when you tell them you made fresh cheese. I use it in lasagna and stuffed shells, and use any extra as an appetizer with some fresh herbs mixed in, served with crackers.
There’s a million variations on it! Serious Eats talks about the science behind it if you want a good read, just search “ricotta” on their site.
Image source: No-Garbage9500, Max Griss / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Thai curry.
Throw meat, maybe some veg, good Thai curry paste and coconut milk into a slow cooker.
It's the best thing most people have ever tasted in their entire lives, apparently.
It's a standard for my big gatherings, usually alongside something that actually does take hours in the kitchen. The Thai curry goes down better, every time. It's so easily, accessibly *good*.
If I wasn't so stubborn as to see that as a challenge, I'd get depressed and not bother.
Image source: jacobwebb57, Monika Borys / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Risotto anything.
notrosemurray:
Risotto! My favorite is just white cheddar and fresh chives with crispy onions from the salad aisle on top, but because it takes some time to cook it feels really fancy
Image source: michaelaaronblank, Guillaume Coué / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Okonomiyaki is one I love to make and looks like it takes a ton of time. It is literally cabbage, eggs, flour, bacon and a couple of sauces.
Image source: jarfin542, Yuhan Du / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Chicken thighs, olive oil, lemon, butter, garlic in a pan. Add some pasta. Boom. You're a fancy chef. You want to go extra, spend the extra dollar on a shallot, or a splash of white wine. Now you're a super fancy chef.
It's really good with heavy cream added. But I just use whole milk. (Add the dairy products at the very end).
Image source: Lunchbox9000, Dilara / pexels (not the actual photo)
Lemon possets! It’s a hit every time and so flipping easy.
Image source: captaindomer, Monika Borys / unsplash (not the actual photo)
I cheat like an expensive lawyer on mashed potatoes. Boxed ones taste absolutely amazing after I add an obscene amount of good butter, sour cream, roasted garlic and fresh parmesan cheese. I just refuse to go thru the peeling, cutting, boiling and ricing ritual when my time can be allocated elsewhere.
Image source: katiemus, instantveg
Minestrone soup. You can get so many of the vegetables at the dollar store or a fair price at many grocery stores. I add chickpeas and cannellini beans. The special trick to give it that “hours in the kitchen” flavor is to use some Parmesan rind as the pasta is cooking in the soup. Serve with fresh parm and a crusty piece of bread.
Image source: EmmyA54, Elena Leya / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Chicken breasts stuffed with spinach, mozzarella and sundried tomatoes. Usually served with asparagus. It’s always a hit!
Image source: arakuto, Monika Grabkowska / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Focaccia! I use this recipe and everyone is always obsessed!
Image source: open_ball, Nathan Dumlao / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Chicken adobo. Literally throw everything (chicken, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, coconut milk if you are down) into a pot and come back in an hour to have the most savory, tender, unctuous braise you've ever had.
#1
Image source: velvetelevator, Karolina Grabowska / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Toffee. I sell it every year around this time in a bakery sale. Regulars come just to get it.
2 cups cold, refrigerated butter
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
Optional toppings: sprinkle of sea salt, rice krispies, nuts, instant coffee powder, crushed pretzels
Put butter, sugar and salt in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 30 minutes until mixture is dark amber. Pour into a foil lined baking sheet, tilt to spread. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, spread after letting them melt for a minute. Add any optional toppings, I usually do sea salt. Let cool out of the fridge for an hour or so, then refrigerate at least one hour before breaking apart.
You don't need a candy thermometer or a double boiler or anything fancy.
I get butter and chocolate chips for about $6 each, and the sugar and salt are pretty cheap.
Notes: Do not soften your butter, it won't absorb into the mixture correctly. At all points of cooking, you'll probably think it's not working; it is.
#2
Image source: anon, Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Ganache. Always impresses guests at how rich and tasty it is...
It's literally cream heated then chocolate added.
#3
Image source: Lpolyphemus, Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Carrot soup.
Rough chopped onion, fat of your choice.
Saute until slightly brown.
Bunch of rough chopped carrots.
Add to the pot, continue sautéing for a couple more minutes.
Flavorful liquid to cover (I usually use 1/2 bottle of white wine, remainder stock).
Simmer until carrots are very soft.
Blend until smooth and strain.
Season and serve.
Guests rave about it — and it really is just 15 minutes of active work with some leftover veg.
#4
Image source: FellahDude, Zoran Borojevic / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Spaghetti carbonara. Delicious when made well and very simple. Even if you wanted to go all out and use fancy imported cheese or guanciale instead of my bacon and Parmesan version, the quantities of each aren’t huge and it’s delicious.
Someone may say it’s not a fancy dish (eg in Italy), and that may be true but it’s fancy enough in my part of the world.
#5
Image source: DavidAg02, Oskar Kadaksoo / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Cacio e pepe. It's literally pasta, cheese and pepper... But when it's done right, it's unbelievable. Good quality pasta is key, fresh pasta takes it to another level but ups the complexity quite a bit.
#6
Image source: RJMonkhouse, BushyEyes
Cottage Pie. It’s ground beef, veggies and mash all in one dish. Super easy, cheap and everyone usually loves it!
#7
Image source: Dramatic_Cream_2163, Takuya Nagaoka / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Key lime pie. 4 egg yolks, a can of sweetened condensed milk, half a cup of fresh lime juice, and you can add some grated lime peel if you want. Beat it until it’s fluffed up a bit, pour it into a graham cracker crust, bake, top with whipped cream. Fresh key lime pie is rare outside of Florida and people love it!
#8
Image source: monty624, Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)
My Grandmother's fresh tomato sauce. A couple pounds of campari tomatoes, some olive oil, basil, garlic, and white wine. You just heat the oil and add the garlic and tomatoes (washed but whole) in the pan, let em cook with a lid on until the tomatoes burst, then add your basic and wine, and season to taste. It takes like 20 minutes, mostly passive time for cooking the pasta and making a salad. Everybody raves and the most difficult part is getting out of the grocery store parking lot.
#9
Image source: PerformerSouthern652, Parnis Azimi / unsplash (not the actual photo)
My mashed potato’s have been called the best ever had…. Just cook the taters in salted water with sliced garlic and/or minced/grated ginger. Reserve the cooking water. Put them through a ricer or food mill (for extra fluffiness). Add in plenty of butter, and enough cooking water, heavy cream, sour cream and or cream cheese to make them creamy, salt and pepper to taste, an add dried chives or any blend that includes chives and tarragon. BAM!
#10
Image source: CreativeCulinary, Eugene Krasnaok / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Pavlova. It's just meringue which is beaten egg whites with sugar and some tartar sauce. But it's formed into a shape and then baked at a real low temp until it dries out. I made these last year and filled them with cranberry/rosemary curd and topped them with whipped cream.
Recipe.
#11
Image source: LFK_Pirate, zyrkan
Homemade ricotta (or “farm cheese”, but used in place of ricotta). Simplest thing in the world to do, tastes soooo much better than store bought, and people lose their minds when you tell them you made fresh cheese. I use it in lasagna and stuffed shells, and use any extra as an appetizer with some fresh herbs mixed in, served with crackers.
There’s a million variations on it! Serious Eats talks about the science behind it if you want a good read, just search “ricotta” on their site.
#12
Image source: No-Garbage9500, Max Griss / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Thai curry.
Throw meat, maybe some veg, good Thai curry paste and coconut milk into a slow cooker.
It's the best thing most people have ever tasted in their entire lives, apparently.
It's a standard for my big gatherings, usually alongside something that actually does take hours in the kitchen. The Thai curry goes down better, every time. It's so easily, accessibly *good*.
If I wasn't so stubborn as to see that as a challenge, I'd get depressed and not bother.
#13
Image source: jacobwebb57, Monika Borys / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Risotto anything.
notrosemurray:
Risotto! My favorite is just white cheddar and fresh chives with crispy onions from the salad aisle on top, but because it takes some time to cook it feels really fancy
#14
Image source: michaelaaronblank, Guillaume Coué / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Okonomiyaki is one I love to make and looks like it takes a ton of time. It is literally cabbage, eggs, flour, bacon and a couple of sauces.
#15
Image source: jarfin542, Yuhan Du / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Chicken thighs, olive oil, lemon, butter, garlic in a pan. Add some pasta. Boom. You're a fancy chef. You want to go extra, spend the extra dollar on a shallot, or a splash of white wine. Now you're a super fancy chef.
It's really good with heavy cream added. But I just use whole milk. (Add the dairy products at the very end).
#16
Image source: Lunchbox9000, Dilara / pexels (not the actual photo)
Lemon possets! It’s a hit every time and so flipping easy.
#17
Image source: captaindomer, Monika Borys / unsplash (not the actual photo)
I cheat like an expensive lawyer on mashed potatoes. Boxed ones taste absolutely amazing after I add an obscene amount of good butter, sour cream, roasted garlic and fresh parmesan cheese. I just refuse to go thru the peeling, cutting, boiling and ricing ritual when my time can be allocated elsewhere.
#18
Image source: katiemus, instantveg
Minestrone soup. You can get so many of the vegetables at the dollar store or a fair price at many grocery stores. I add chickpeas and cannellini beans. The special trick to give it that “hours in the kitchen” flavor is to use some Parmesan rind as the pasta is cooking in the soup. Serve with fresh parm and a crusty piece of bread.
#19
Image source: EmmyA54, Elena Leya / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Chicken breasts stuffed with spinach, mozzarella and sundried tomatoes. Usually served with asparagus. It’s always a hit!
#20
Sloppy Joe's. Lb of groud beef or w.e ground meat you have. Ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste (if I have it), mustard powder, garlic, onion, paprika, pepper, salt to taste, and (for my personal preference) diced green bell pepper. May need some water to build the sauce and a bit of brown sugar. Taste your sauce and adjust as needed. Image source: AFotogenicLeopard#21
Stuffed pasta shells. Boil shells. Stuff with ricotta. Add sauce and cheese, bake. Image source: nicktheking92#22
Image source: arakuto, Monika Grabkowska / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Focaccia! I use this recipe and everyone is always obsessed!
#23
Image source: open_ball, Nathan Dumlao / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Chicken adobo. Literally throw everything (chicken, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, coconut milk if you are down) into a pot and come back in an hour to have the most savory, tender, unctuous braise you've ever had.
#24
Omelette with goat cheese and chopped fresh herbs that I grow. Image source: ChattyConfidence#25
No knead bread. So easy it’s stupid. People will think you’re an amazing baker. Image source: ChristineBorusDE
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