Let’s All Be Honest, 2020 did a job on us all.
Whether it was family that you were missing or taking your kids to the park, we learned to surrender so much of our daily lives. The simple pleasure of going to a restaurant and letting someone else cook the meal was a massive sacrifice.
Yes, part of the excitement is the fact that you get the night off from cooking, but that’s not the only thing. The biggest draw to eating outside the home is in those flavors and richness that a ton of these dishes have. So for the last year, I have been compiling a list of my favorite copycat recipes out there on the web. Here are the lucky few who have made the cut so far:
Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana – My husband says the recipe over at The Chunky Chef is even better than the original and I have to agree.
Pasta Fagioli – Another copycat of an Olive Garden favorite, the recipe on Damn Delicious is spot on.
KFC Coleslaw – As someone that usually won’t touch coleslaw with a 10 foot pole and someone pushing me, I can say that KFC is the one place I will eat it. And Kathleen from Gonna Want Seconds doesn’t disappoint with her recipe.
Outback Steakhouse Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad – Admittedly I have never tasted this one, but the mister has. He is a lover of all things blue cheese and swears this tastes just like the original. It is a little time consuming, but the husband says it is well worth it (especially if I am the one cooking). So swing on over to Carlsbad Cravings if you want to make this for your next meal.
Mac ‘A’ Roo & Cheese – Another copycat from Outback that needs to be added to your staple recipe list is the kids macaroni and cheese from Passion for Savings. It is amazingly wonderful. No it is not healthy, but it is an indulgence that you will thank me for later.
Panda Express Beijing Beef – If you find yourself in the mood for some of your favorite fast food chinese, this is perfect. It tastes exactly like the famous chain and you don’t even have to leave the house. Dinner Then Dessert delivers a mouth watering and spicy replica of your Panda favorite.
PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef – This next dish isn’t for the faint of heart. It is incredibly time consuming, but probably the most rewarding on the list. So if you have what it takes to pull this off, Kate from Coupon Cravings will have you begging for more.
Hashbrown Casserole – If you have ever stepped foot in a Cracker Barrel, then you’ve seen and most likely eaten their hashbrown casserole. Food.com contributor Rhonda managed to develop borderline identical flavors with her recipe.
So there you have it. These are the eight dishes that successfully made it to my recipe binder as tried and true copycat recipes worth the effort.
I am by no means telling anyone not to stop at their favorite eating establishment. What I am saying though is that you all have options when you want to bypass the hassle of going out or you find yourself in the midst of another national shutdown.
Have you ever made a copycat recipe that worked out in your favor? Did you come across some duds in the process? Do you have any suggestions of copycat recipes that I should try? Drop your thoughts, comments, and suggestions in the comments down below.
