My Top Recipes of 2020

HAPPY NEW YEARS Y'ALL!!!!!

2020 was quite a challenging year on so many levels. One positive thing that came from being under lockdown so frequently was my ability to stay home and whip up tons of new recipes. I've long said I found it difficult to juggle work, social obligations, and my blog because all of these things require a good chunk of my time but when you can't leave your house for social gatherings, it really frees up a decent amount of time for things like passion projects!

With that being said, let's take a look at the 10 most popular recipes from this year. These recipes were the most interacted with from this year and I'm going to break down what I think makes them so special! 

10. SPRINGFORM SPINACH & RICOTTA LASAGNA 

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/springform-spinach-ricotta-lasagne

Coming in at the number 10 spot was this absolutely delicious lasagna. Lasagna is fabulous regardless of how it's set up, but there was something so fun about preparing it in my springform pan. The pan held the lasagna together so well and kept those beautiful layers in tact.

Wedged between every tender layer of pasta is the most delicious ricotta and spinach filling. Creamy, with notes of lemon and garlic; the filling is what makes this lasagna so utterly delicious. Baked until bubbly on top and a cheesy, golden brown crust is evident, there's no denying the allure of this wonderful recipe.

My Springform Lasagna is my #10 of my top 10 of 2020!

9. CHEESY SLOPPY JOES

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/cheesy-sloppy-joes

This was one of my personal favourites from this year. Sloppy Joes were one of my childhood faves, right down to the can of "Manwich" sauce. While cheese was an optional item, the tomatoey beef wedged between two buns was so simple and so delicious.

I whipped up the sauce from scratch which took away a lot of the processed ingredients you'd find in the can of sauce. I utilized Beyond Meat which truly mimics the texture and flavour of beef almost to a tee, and finished them under the broiler so all of the glorious cheese would cascade down the sammie. They aren't called sloppy joes for nothing!

I think what made this recipe so popular was the nostalgia of it, but also the idea that we can eat all of those familiar dishes from our youth without slaughtering animals. Plant Based meat has come so far now that we can truly recreate almost anything we had when we were consuming meat products.

​Sloppy Joes take the number 9 spot in my top 10 of 2020!

8. BEYOND MEAT MEATBALLS

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I was so excited to test out this recipe because there are so many things you can do with a good meatball recipe. Smothered meatball sandwiches, spaghetti and meatballs, Swedish meatballs, ugh, the list is endless. It was crucial to me that this recipe was perfect because I had so many upcoming ideas that really needed these  meatballs to be bang on.

​Luckily, they were just that! They formed really well, seared really well, and baked really well. They held their shape, were nice and juicy and tender inside, and browned up beautifully on the outside. 

I think these landed in the top 10 of 2020 much like the Sloppy Joes did. There is so much allure to eating these dishes that we have long given up because of our vegetarianism / veganism that when they become available to us, it's like winning the jackpot. 

My Beyond Meat Meatballs are my #8 recipe of my top 10 of 2020!

​7. SPINACH & BLACK BEAN CHEESY ENCHILADAS

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/spinach-black-bean-cheesy-enchiladas

I always laugh when I see this recipe pop up in my memories because I had to take the damned photos outside to capture some decent light so the snowy backdrop always gives me a chuckle. Laughter aside, these were absolutely delicious and one of the first really good recipes I put together when I moved back from Ireland.

Filled with copious amounts of spinach, black beans, and melty Monterey jack cheese, and topped with crispy tortilla strips that give such a welcome crunch to an otherwise soft dish. They're flavourful, full of veggies and beans, and pretty easy to put together for a delicious weeknight meal.

These were popular because c'mon, everyone loves Mexican inspired food. 

My Spinach & Black Bean Cheesy Enchiladas take the #7 spot on my top 10 of 2020!

6. PASTITSIO

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/pastitsio

I love this recipe so much and apparently, y'all did as well!  Tender ziti pasta, tossed in a meaty tomato sauce and baked under a layer of the most delectable béchamel sauce ever. The béchamel layer is heavenly and is really what makes this dish so special. I also think it's the unique combination of flavours in the sauce that really set it apart. All spice, cinnamon, and red wine vin, all give this otherwise traditional tomato sauce a really unique and delicious flare.

​If you haven't tried it, I implore you to do so. You'll see why my Pastitsio makes it to #6 on my top 10 of 2020!

5. MELTING POTATOES

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/melting-potatoes

This recipe was actually pretty awe-inspiring for me. It showed me that despite thinking I knew how to cook the perfect potato, I hadn't tried the perfect potato until I made these. As somewhat of a potato aficionado in my own humble opinion, I had never tried a potato that hit every possible pleasure note for me in every bite. 

Melting potatoes are simply thickly sliced potatoes that are seared in copious amounts of butter on a higher temperature until brown and glorious on one side. They are then flipped, submerged in more butter and vegetable stock, infused with garlic and fresh herbs, and baked until fork tender. 

The resulting potato is something of wonder. As the fork slides through the potato, you anticipate the moment that gloriously creamy and flavourful tater hits your tongue.

Ok, I'm done. They're fabulous and you guys liked them too! My Melting Potatoes take the #5 spot on my top 10 of 2020!

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4. SKILLET GNOCCHI MAC N CHEESE

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/skillet-gnocchi-mac-n-cheese-with-roasted-brussel-sprouts

2020 was the year of the skillet for me! After finally purchasing a cast iron, I spent the entire year looking for things I could make in it and this skillet Gnocchi Mac N Cheese with Roasted Brussel Sprouts was one of my fav skillet recipes of the year!

This recipe is also super simple because it doesn't even require you to precook the gnocchi. Simply toss them together with the gloriously cheesy and rich sauce, some beautifully roasted brussel sprouts, and bake them under a layer of cheesy, toasty crumbs.

It's utter perfection, comforting to the highest degree, and the #4 recipe on my top 10 of 2020!

3. CHICKEN FRIED CAULI STEAKS

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/chicken-fried-cauli

Obsessed with every single thing about this recipe! Cauliflower steaks are amazing in their own right, but if you take the time to steam them quickly and give them a double layer coating of flour before frying them to a glorious golden brown, you won't regret it!

Chicken frying simply indicates the method in which you are breading the product. Unlike a traditional FLOUR + EGG + BEADCRUMB style breading, chicken frying omits the breadcrumbs for a second layer of seasoned flour. It creates an undeniably crispy coating that eats like a piece of fried chicken, without the cruelty!

My Chicken Fried Cauli Steaks take the #3 spot on my top 10 of 2020!

2. SKILLET SHEP'S PIE

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/skillet-sheps-pie

Utter perfection is how I'd describe this dish. The meaty layer underneath is delicious and full of gorgeous veggies while the mashed tater topping has all of those crispy edges thanks to piping the potatoes on top. 

Anything you can do in multiple dishes, you can typically do in your skillet, which is why I think these skillet recipes really proved to be quite popular this year. There's something about a beautiful meal that doesn't come with hours of clean up that I think resonates with us all. Plus, shepherd's pie is one of those classic recipes that everyone should have on hand. Why? Because it's a friggen classic!

My Skillet Shep's Pie takes the #2 spot!

1. CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

​happyveggie.weebly.com/recipes/creamy-tomato-soup

What is there to say about the number one recipe from the blog this year, other than you can't compete with a classic duo. Tomato soup and grilled cheese are a childhood favourite for millions of us, and that seems to travel with us into adulthood. There's just something so utterly comforting about dunking a melty, crispy cheese sandwich into a gloriously creamy bowl of tomato soup.

This recipe takes that childhood nostalgia and brings it into 2020. No canned soup here, and some super simp grilled cheese "croutons" make this recipe the pinnacle of comfort and the #1 recipe on my blog this year!

Thank you all so very much for continuing to support the blog with views, shares, retweets, and everything in between. I've got some big plans for 2021 and I can't wait to continue sharing new recipes with y'all!

Which of these 2020 top 10's have you tried? Did any of them surprise you to be on this top 10 list?

HAPPY VEG