The 10 Best Meals of 2019
Need new recipes to try? Look no further than our top 10 recipes of 2019 that were picked by homecooks like you. Add these crowd pleasers to your 2020 meal plan and eat well all year long!
The start of a new year is always filled with promise and ideas to make the next 365 days better than the last. That’s why we’re excited to help you make 2020 your best year around the dinner table.
Throughout 2019, we gathered ratings and feedback from our cooking community on over 200 recipes we put out last year. Based on a five-star rating system (one star means “Boo, never again!” and five stars means “Yesssss, more every day please!”), we put together a list of our top 10 recipes of the year.
Whether it’s all about delicious flavor combinations or the ease of preparation, find out what makes each of these recipes so special!
1. Stuffed Chicken Breast with Tomato Pesto – 4.76
Out all of our mouth-watering recipes, it is really unsurprising that stuffed, prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast secured a spot at the top. Not only are the chicken and roasted green beans ready in just 40 minutes, this entire meal is also freezer friendly so you can always be ready to pull out an impressive dinner on the fly.
“Very tasty, my husband was still talking about how much he liked it a couple days after.”
– Jessica Y.
2. Shrimp Boil – 4.74
Another special-occasion meal that our community raves about is this Shrimp Boil. Since it is delicious, quick to cook, and super easy to scale up for a large gathering, it serves as the perfect crowd-pleaser. Just boil shrimp, sausage, corn, and red potatoes together and spread it out on a platter for everyone to enjoy!
“Wow, what a treat! This was so good . . . Saved to favs and will make this next time we have company for dinner.”
– Bianca B.
3. Balsamic Chicken & Spinach Salad – 4.74
For this salad to make it into our Top 10 Recipes two years in a row, you know it’s gotta be amazing. From strawberries to blue cheese, this entree is a delightful explosion of colors, flavors, and textures. In only 25 short minutes of active cooking, you can enjoy a healthy dinner that strikes just the right balance of sweet and tart.
“Loved the marinade / dressing and how much flavor it gave the chicken. Husband said he wanted this to be in rotation all summer.”
– Zach Y.
4. Korean BBQ Platter – 4.73
Since everyone loves a good taco bar, we decided to make a sweet and savory Korean BBQ version that features beef, pickled cucumbers, crisp greens, and traditional gochujang hot sauce. With prep-ahead ingredients and the option to customize your own plate, this is another delicious recipe that is great for a small family meal or big dinner party!
“AMAZING! Sooo soo good. The flavors just all came together. We are saving that recipe for sure!”
– Sachin P.
5. Late Summer Vegetable Frittata – 4.72
Low-calorie? Make ahead? Freezer friendly? This 40-minute recipe truly has it all! With protein-rich eggs, seasonal veggies, and rich goat cheese, this healthy dish is great for any time of the day and any type of weather.
“I love frittatas, and this might be my favorite one yet. Super easy and really great flavors.”
– Emily R.
6. Indonesian Ginger Chicken Thighs – 4.71
This Indonesian-inspired meal surprised our cooking community. After all, who would expect such easy instructions to result in such rich and amazing flavors? Between marinated chicken thighs, sauteed green beans, and spicy peanut sauce, this meal is about to become one of your new favorites, too.
“As someone who grew up in Southeast Asia, I’ve got to give this my 5-star approval! The sauce and marinade were wonderful – everything tasted so authentic and just like home.”
– Summer R.
7. Curried Red Lentil Soup – 4.68
Everyone and their kids love this freezer-friendly dinner that is ready in just 40 minutes. Whether pureed or chunky, this easy, aromatic soup smells just as delicious as it tastes. With curry-roasted cauliflower on the side, get ready to fall in love with a new and impressively healthy meal!
“My toddler had 2 and a half tot size bowls of this!! Super simple and delicious.”
– Aileen C.
8. Thai Marinated Chicken – 4.67
Sweet, sour, and savory, our Thai-inspired sauce is definitely the star of this meal. Our homecooks love how one set of fresh flavors can perfectly marinate juicy chicken thighs and dress a chopped salad of crisp greens, mangos, and cashews. Send your dinner companions on a little Southeast Asian vacation with this simple yet delectable meal!
“Everything was great and so easy! The chicken had an amazing flavor, and the salad was super refreshing.”
– Zoey H.
9. Chimichurri Burgers – 4.66
These are not ordinary hamburgers. Gaining over 120 stellar reviews, this meal brings a new standard to the world of burgers. With creamy chimichurri mayo, healthy green bean ‘fries,’ and optional grilling instructions, this 45-minute dinner is a win-win. Even our vegetarian community said that our black bean version is the best veggie burger they’ve ever made.
“I feel like I will never want to eat a hamburger again without chimichurri sauce. This was so good, and my kids gobbled it up and asked for more.”
– Kristen S.
10. Classic American Chili – 4.62
Instant Pot and freezer friendly, this make-ahead chili couldn’t be more convenient. For this recipe, we pair classic ingredients with a baked sweet potato and sour cream on top to make this cozy meal extra special. In under an hour, the whole family can be sitting down to a hearty, warm-you-up dinner that you will want to make again and again.
“This was a big hit for my family. My 1, 3 and 6 year olds cleaned their plates and asked to make this again some day.”
– Stephanie C.
Now that you’ve heard about 2019’s delectable favorites, are you ready to try your hand at them? You can also revisit our Top 10 Meals of 2018 to add 10 more fantastic dinners to your 2020 cooking routine!
If you’ve never made dinner with us before, you’ll be thrilled to know that all of these recipes are included in our meal plan service and are available in 4 versions: Original, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, and Paleo. Every recipe we create is kept for you in our archives and can be quickly searched by ingredient and tags like “make ahead” and “quick and easy.”
If you aren’t a part of our community yet, join us for a less stressful year of weekly menus, reduced food waste, and tons of saved hours in the kitchen:
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