25x our favorite dishes of this year (plus recipes!)
The great advantage of working on the FavorFlav editorial team: we see and taste a lot of delicious food. A. Lot. Of. It. This year was another huge food fest, from culinary masterpieces to irresistible snacks (which are actually culinary masterpieces too). With so many delicious things, it’s a bit like choosing your favorite children, but we’re doing it anyway. These are our 25 favorite dishes of 2023. And of course, we’re sharing all the recipes so you can get started at home right away.
McDonald’s toasted sandwich burger
Jeske: ‘With the McDonald’s toasted sandwich burger, you can overcome even your worst I-think-I’m-dying hangover (which nowadays lasts three days for me). That alone earns it a place on this list, although I’d happily devour it without a hangover too.’
Roberto’s Risotto alla Milanese
Sharon: ‘I love Italian cuisine. And classics are classics for a reason: they’re dishes that never get boring and always make everyone happy. Roberto’s Risotto alla Milanese, like so many other dishes from Italian cuisine, requires few ingredients (but they really do need to be good), and the result is stunning.’
Pizzetta with ‘nduja
Wieke: ‘My favorite recipe from Vanja van der Leeden’s book, Italopop (one of the best cookbooks of this year). Because I love ‘nduja, and the combination of Brussels sprouts with lemon juice and that spicy sausage works so well. This really is a dish you’ll want to serve to your guests—you’re guaranteed to impress them.’
Parmesan polenta with cavolo nero, egg and crispy chili oil
Sharon: ‘Everyone around me knows that I’m addicted to crispy chili oil. This is because of the most delicious dish I ate this year: sepia by Wils* head chef Thomas Val. I pour crispy chili oil over everything. So when I see a recipe with crispy chili oil, I’m immediately intrigued. I also love that with this Parmesan polenta, Vanja, once again in the book Italopop, likes to freestyle in the kitchen: she shamelessly adds an Indonesian touch to an Italian recipe.’
Soto Ayam
Wieke: ‘You can never go wrong with a classic soto ayam, and it’s always a good idea. In summer, winter, and when you’re ill. In fact, that’s when people swear by it. I used to often get it from a Surinamese place around the corner, but since I mastered this recipe, I often make it at home; it’s always a hit.’
Classic pancakes with Peking duck
Sharon: ‘When I first ate pancakes with Peking duck, I was instantly sold. This year I made them myself for the first time too, from the wonderful cookbook Chinese! It’s also fun to order a whole Peking duck. Anything you have left over from the pancakes can later be used in your nasi or soup. Top tip for leftovers: baos with Peking duck.’
Pad Thai with prawns
Sharon: ‘Pad Thai is one of those typical dishes I’m always in the mood for. The dish of stir-fried rice noodles can be made with chicken, tofu or—with this dish—prawns. Delicious!’
Slow-cooker pulled chicken
Wieke: ‘Can I include one of my own recipes, or is that very narcissistic? Oh well, I’m doing it anyway; this pulled chicken is unbelievably delicious, and many of my friends agree by now. You can also make it without a slow cooker, although I do think it tastes just a little better when made in one. Super easy, takes hardly any time or effort, and is so, so good. (Just like my slow-cooker rendang, by the way.)’
The BEST potato gratin EVER
Sharon: ‘A wonderfully soft potato dish with a crispy crust: who could resist? I certainly can’t. Delicious as a side dish, but I also sometimes make this as a main course. Add a glass of Chardonnay, this delicious potato gratin straight from the oven, and you’ve got a fantastic evening.’
Spicy meatballs in sticky chili sauce
Jeske: ‘Meatballs: always a good idea. Whether you eat them Dutch-style with stamppot, as part of Spanish tapas, or give them an Asian twist, as with Donna Hay’s meatballs. The sticky chili sauce gives them a lovely kick. Great as a complete evening meal or with drinks.’
Addictively delicious garlic dip
Sharon: ‘This garlic dip will pull you out of any dip. So delicious for dipping bread into, and so delicious drizzled over your chicken breast. Especially delicious when the person sleeping next to you eats it too.’
Crispy garlic potatoes with Parmesan
Jeske: ‘I’m a little picky when it comes to potatoes. For example, boiled potatoes are not for me. These crispy potatoes with garlic and Parmesan, on the other hand… I want them with every Dutch meat-potatoes-vegetables dinner.’
The ultimate tofu dish
Sharon: ‘In my tireless search for dishes to use crispy chili oil in, I also came across this crispy tofu. I’m not necessarily a tofu fan (my colleague Wieke even called it the most overrated ingredient ever), but need I say more: everything tastes good with crispy chili oil.’
Oranges with cinnamon
Sharon: ‘I’m not really into sweet desserts after a meal, but this Moroccan dessert stands out for its freshness with a sweet touch. That makes it a real winner for me.’
The best toasted sandwich ever
Jeske: ‘Sometimes simple can be so delicious. You just need to know how to really make the dish shine. Take this toasted sandwich by Job and Perry (known from 24Kitchen). Truly the best toasted sandwich ever. An old-fashioned, delicious pan-toasted sandwich with aged cheese, ham, pickles and spicy mustard. Can I have this for lunch every day, please? We also made this amazing toasted sandwich last year, but believe me: there’s no better one. Hence: the encore!’
Pasta with croquette
Sharon: ‘How can such an obscene dish be so delicious! It doesn’t really surprise me, because pasta with ragù or pasta Bolognese is delicious too. And the crispy coating of the croquette gives it that extra touch. So give this recipe for pasta with croquette a try.’
Pornstar Martini cheesecake
Jeske: ‘If I could only drink one beverage for the rest of my life, I’d choose a Pornstar Martini (hello, lifelong hangover). If I could also eat the Pornstar Martini cheesecake with it, I could grow very old quite happily. I think.’
Fish ‘n chips
Jeske: ‘I love comfort food, and this recipe for fish ‘n chips definitely belongs in that category. Extra delicious with a glass of British bubbles. That way, a dish you would officially eat from a simple piece of newspaper still feels rather fancy.’
Super-quick broccoli with feta
Wieke: ‘When I don’t feel like cooking but do want something healthy, I often make this as a side dish. TikTok is mostly full of unhealthy recipes—which are often delicious too, mind you—but as far as I’m concerned, this is the best TikTok trend so far. Ready in five minutes and incredibly delicious.’
Toscanini’s spaghetti cacio e pepe
Shaorn: ‘This spaghetti cacio e pepe is another fantastic classic from Italian cuisine. And it’s from Toscanini, one of the best—or perhaps the best—Italian restaurants in Amsterdam.’
Classic boeuf bourguignon
Jeske: ‘I’m more or less the only person in the world who loves it when autumn arrives. No, I don’t like the rain either, but I do love staying indoors with candles lit and a delicious pot of comfort food simmering on the stove. This boeuf bourguignon fits that picture perfectly for me.’
Chinese Bami Goreng
Wieke: ‘I find Chinese cuisine incredibly flavorful, although there’s a lot of variation among the different recipes for bami goreng; I clearly like some more than others. My standard now is this recipe, from the cookbook the Chinese-Indonesian kitchen. Once you’ve tasted this, you won’t want anything else.’
Easy skillet pizza with lots and lots of cheese
Jeske: ‘Just like with toasted sandwiches, pizza tastes just a little better when made in a pan. This skillet pizza takes it to the next level. With so much cheese that even the biggest cheese freak can’t say boo or bah.’
The best peanut sauce
Wieke: ‘Seriously: I can eat peanut sauce with anything. I even find jarred peanut sauce perfectly acceptable, but homemade is still the very best. I love this recipe by Nick Toet; pleasantly spicy (but not too spicy), easy to make and packed with garlic. Delicious.’
One-pan spaghetti vongole
Jeske: ‘Spaghetti is, as far as I’m concerned, the most delicious food there is. I love it in every form and with every sauce, but this easy spaghetti vongole is the winner for me. As if I’m sitting on a seaside terrace in Italy and life is simply perfect.’
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