29 Homemade Recipes That Are Worth the Effort

Bring the warmth and satisfaction of homemade meals to your table with these inspired recipes. Crafted for every level of cook, they’re all about fresh ingredients and personal touches. Rediscover the joy of creating something from scratch with love.

Blackened Mahi Mahi

Why not have Cajun seasoned fish on the menu this evening? Blackened mahi mahi with homemade seasoning is a great protein to fry in your cast iron skillet. It’s so easy to prepare and cook and you will love the perfectly balanced mahi rub flavours.
Get the Recipe: Blackened Mahi Mahi

Smoked Brisket Sandwich

Enjoy a hearty smoked brisket sandwich with homemade pickled red onions and other toppings for a special dinner. Learn how to make this amazing treat that pairs well with various side dishes.
Recipe here: Smoked Brisket Sandwich

Chicken Philly Sandwiches

Succulent spiced chicken melted provolone cheese and colorful vegetables are served in warm toasted sandwich rolls. These chicken Philly sandwiches are so good.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Philly Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

A perfectly cooked, juicy pepper steak is always a real treat for the tastebuds. This slow cooker pepper steak is easy to prepare and makes a very tasty dinner.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Butter Tarts

Indulge in a Canadian classic with homemade butter tarts. With a sweet, vanilla-scented filling and flaky pastry shell filled with nuts and raisins, this recipe is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Get the Recipe: Butter Tarts

Honey Garlic BBQ Smoked Pulled Chicken

This honey garlic BBQ smoked pulled chicken recipe is perfect for outdoor cooking and features a garlicky pickle brine, sweet mustard, chili, garlic/onion rub, and a honey garlic sauce. Smoked to perfection, it’s a must-try dish!
Recipe here: Honey Garlic BBQ Smoked Pulled Chicken

Beef Stewed with Mushrooms, Red Wine and Bacon

Boeuf bourguignon is one of the best French recipes with beef. This flavorful beef recipe combines the meat with red wine and herbs for an exquisite dish. This dish is sometimes called beef burgundy, because the traditional wine used is from France’s Burgundy region.
Get the Recipe: Beef Stewed with Mushrooms, Red Wine and Bacon

Italian Rice Salad – Insalata di Riso

This colorful, flavorful Italian rice salad is perfect for a picnic, potluck, summer BBQ, or as a versatile side dish for a simple lunch or dinner. Every mouthful of this Mediterranean brown rice salad is bursting with fresh ingredients such as tasty salad vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Italian Rice Salad – Insalata di Riso

Creamy Tuscan Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Make the viral marry me chicken pasta recipe, coated in the ultimate rich and creamy sauce in 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Steak Picado

A lightly spiced beef recipe from Mexico, steak picado with pickled onions makes a hearty, warming meal. Bistec picado is similar to carne asada, except this recipe is sautéed and braised in a cast iron skillet while carne asada is cooked on the grill. You can adjust the seasonings in this Mexican steak dish to make it as spicy or as mild as you prefer.
Get the Recipe: Steak Picado

Teriyaki Flank Steak With Veggies

Teriyaki flank steak boasts sweet, spicy and savory flavors in every mouthful. Some of the ingredients in the sauce help tenderize the meat. This means you can expect the flank steak on a cast iron skillet to come out juicy and delicious.
Get the Recipe: Teriyaki Flank Steak With Veggies

Smoked Cuban Mojo Pulled Pork

Make perfect Cuban roast pork with this smoked Cuban mojo pulled pork recipe. This dish is perfect for cooking on a Traeger grill or pellet smoker, featuring exciting flavors like garlic, lime, sherry, oregano, and marjoram.
Recipe here: Smoked Cuban Mojo Pulled Pork

Italian Tuna White Bean Salad

Simple ingredients combine to make this Tuscan classic. Juicy fresh tuna pairs with beans for a Tuscan tuna white bean salad everyone will enjoy. It makes a tasty meal, whatever the season.
Get the Recipe: Italian Tuna White Bean Salad

Smoked Caribbean Jerk Spiced Shrimp

This smoked Caribbean jerk spiced shrimp recipe is a must-try. The sweet and spicy flavor of the shrimp pairs perfectly with all kinds of sides and will become a summer favorite.
Recipe here: Smoked Caribbean Jerk Spiced Shrimp

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Serve up this rich-flavored and creamy ground beef stroganoff for dinner tonight. It’s one of the tastiest meals ever using hamburger and egg noodles.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Stroganoff

Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon

This recipe for smoked potato salad with bacon combines the smoky flavors of potatoes and hard-boiled eggs, making it an ideal dish for summer gatherings and barbecues that will surely impress your guests. Go ahead and add this to your list of the best summer side dish recipes!
Get the Recipe: Smoked Potato Salad With Bacon

Smoked Gouda Bacon Cheddar Cheese Dip

Smoked gouda bacon cheddar cheese dip pairs beautifully with pretzels. So, if you’re looking for the best pretzel cheese sauce recipe, look no further. This cheese dipping sauce is made with smoked gouda, cheddar and cream cheese, along with other flavorful ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Gouda Bacon Cheddar Cheese Dip

Smoked Tomahawk Steaks

Indulge in a rich and meaty smoked tomahawk steak, perfect for any special occasion and sure to satisfy any beef lover’s cravings. This reverse-seared cowboy steak recipe is easy to make with just a bone-in ribeye steak, seasonings, and your smoker.
Recipe here: Smoked Tomahawk Steaks

Homemade Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Homemade chicken enchiladas are a great comfort weeknight meal! Paired with a simple blender enchilada sauce, these will be a hit!
Get the Recipe: Homemade Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Homemade Spaghetti

Homemade spaghettios turns a canned childhood classic into an elevated grown-up pasta dish that’s all made from scratch.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Spaghetti

Homemade Tzatziki Dip

This Homemade Tzatziki Dip is creamy, garlicky, and herbaceous, brightened up with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. So easy to make!
Get the Recipe: Homemade Tzatziki Dip

Homemade Chicken Fried Rice

This homemade chicken fried rice is a real crowd pleaser, and it’s so easy to make. When you make this easy chicken fried rice, it goes fast!
Get the Recipe: Homemade Chicken Fried Rice

Homemade Italian Pasta Salad

With simple and tasty classic flavors and full of meat, cheese, and veggies, this Homemade Italian Pasta Salad is an easy side dish recipe that you can bring to any function.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Italian Pasta Salad

Herb Marinated Grilled Pork Chop

This Herb Marinated Grilled Pork Chop Recipe is a moist and delicious marinade for pork (and chicken!) consisting of herbs, honey and whole grain mustard.
Get the Recipe: Herb Marinated Grilled Pork Chop

Easy Spanish Rice Recipe from Scratch

This easy Spanish rice recipe is a flavorful dish that’s perfect for any meal, with a taste so delicious it’s sure to become a favorite.
Get the Recipe: Easy Spanish Rice Recipe from Scratch

Penne alla Vodka Casserole

Penne Alla Vodka Casserole is the best recipe filled with sausage, garlic, onion, tomatoes, basil, cheeses, and yes, vodka!! It is a fantastic pasta that we have loved for years.
Get the Recipe: Penne alla Vodka Casserole

No Fuss Easy Homemade White Bread

This white bread recipe is a time-tested family treasure, baked for over 30 years and perfect for any occasion, especially during the holidays.
Get the Recipe: No Fuss Easy Homemade White Bread

Stovetop Dutch Oven Beef Stew Without Wine

Making my hearty beef stew recipe without wine is easy on the stovetop. Made with tender beef chuck roast and veggies in a rich, saucy stew.
Get the Recipe: Stovetop Dutch Oven Beef Stew Without Wine

Homemade Tuna Helper

Looking for a super-simple dinner recipe? You can’t go wrong with this homemade tuna helper. It’s so easy and very tasty for all the family.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Tuna Helper