25 Restaurant Recipes You Can Make at Home (No Tip Required!) (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food

25 Restaurant Recipes You Can Make at Home (No Tip Required!) (1)Julie MeyersUpdated: Feb. 21, 2024

    Make quality meals at home with these tasty versions of takeout, fast food and restaurant staples. We have copycat ideas for soups, steaks, Italian dishes and more.

    Cheesy Broccoli Soup in a Bread Bowl

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    This creamy, cheesy broccoli soup tastes just like the one served at Panera Bread! My family requests it all the time. You can even make your own homemade bread bowls with the recipe on my blog, Yammie’s Noshery. —Rachel Preus, Marshall, Michigan

    Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins

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    Wondering how to make potato skins taste great? Both crisp and hearty, this restaurant-quality snack is one that my family requests often. —Trish Perrin, Keizer, Oregon

    Sour Cream-Lemon Pie

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    I first tasted this pie at a local restaurant and hunted around until I found a similar recipe—now it's my husband's favorite. —Martha Sorensen, Fallon, Nevada

    Amazing Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

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    I love Chinese takeout food, but I know that it’s very high in sodium and fat. So I got to work at home and created a healthier version. Now I have peace of mind knowing what ingredients are in this slow cooker orange chicken and that it’s better for my family. —Barbara J. Miller, Oakdale, Minnesota

    Eggplant Rollatini

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    Want to learn how to cook eggplant? Here's where to start. These authentic eggplant roll-ups may take some time to prepare, but the end result is restaurant-quality. Your family will request this recipe time and again. —Nancy Sousley, Lafayette, Indiana

    California Sushi Rolls

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    These taste as good as any restaurant or store-bought California rolls. Plus, this is one of the easiest sushi recipes to make! For the best results, use sushi rice to ensure the right sticky consistency. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

    Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo

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    Taste of Home

    After tasting fettuccine Alfredo at a restaurant, I came up with this shrimp Alfredo with broccoli version at home. Not only does my family love the creamy dish, but my husband prefers it to the one at the restaurant. —Rae Natoli, Kingston, New York

    Chicken Tostada Cups

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    Several years ago I tried a version of these cups at a restaurant in Santa Fe, and I wanted to make my own spin. They're perfect for gatherings where you can let everyone add their own favorite toppings. —Marla Clark, Moriarty, New Mexico

    Pumpkin Pie Latte

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    Taste of Home

    I can't wait for fall to arrive so my favorite coffee shops will bring back pumpkin lattes. The rest of the year, I have to make my own version. With the right amount of spice, it tastes just like the popular version found at gourmet coffee shops.—Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

    Crispy Beer-Battered Fish

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    A local restaurant made a similar breading for shrimp po' boys, but we think this version's better. I serve the beer battered fish with a ranch dressing and hot sauce mixture as a dip. —Jenny Wenzel, Gulfport, Mississippi

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    I let my young son pick out seed packets and he chose kale, which grew like crazy. This hearty soup helped make good use of it and rivals the Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. —Michelle Babbie, Malone, New York

    Garlic-Butter Steak

    Made in a skillet, this quick-and-easy garlic butter steak is restaurant-quality and sure to become a staple at your house, too! —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

    Greek Beef Pitas

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    Taste of Home

    A local restaurant that's famous for pitas inspired me to make my own Greek-style sandwiches at home. Feel free to add olives if you'd like. —Nancy Sousley, Lafayette, Indiana

    Burnt Custard

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    Taste of Home

    The recipe for this smooth-as-silk custard came from a local restaurant years ago. With its broiled topping it looks pretty in individual cups. —Heidi Main, Anchorage, Alaska

    Mexican Homemade Salsa

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    In the summertime, I love to make this easy, zippy homemade salsa recipe with fresh tomatoes from my garden. I even have a special pan for roasting the peppers. —Roger Stenman, Batavia, Illinois

    Beef Stew Provencal

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    When I was young, my favorite food to order in a restaurant was beef stew. My mother and I decided to create our own and experimented with different ingredients until we came up with this recipe. Everyone liked this slow cooker version so much that now it's a tradition every time the whole family is together. —Chelsey Larsen, Sparks, Nevada

    Seasoned Tilapia Fillets

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    Taste of Home

    If you need a healthy, keep-it-simple solution to dinner tonight, you just found it. This restaurant-quality tilapia fillet recipe relies on spices you're likely to have on hand to deliver big flavor. This is how to make tilapia. —Dana Alexander, Lebanon, Missouri

    Authentic German Potato Salad

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    This authentic German potato salad recipe came from Speck’s Restaurant, which was a famous eating establishment in St. Louis from the 1920s through the ‘50s. I ate lunch there almost every day and always ordered the potato salad. When the owner learned I was getting married, he gave me the recipe as a wedding gift! —Violette Klevorn, Washington, Missouri

    Pat's King of Steaks Philly Cheesesteak

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    Taste of Home

    This cheesesteak, an iconic sandwich in Philly, is a bestseller at Pat's King of Steaks restaurant. Patrons praise its thinly cut beef and crusty Italian rolls. —Frank Olivieri, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Pasta fa*gioli Soup

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    TMB studio

    My husband enjoys my version of this dish so much that he doesn’t order it at restaurants anymore. With fresh spinach, pasta and seasoned sausage, this fast-to-fix soup is a meal on its own. —Brenda Thomas, Springfield, Missouri

    My Best-Ever Jambalaya

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    I tried to mimic Jambalaya from my favorite restaurant and it turned out so well my daughter and husband now prefer my recipe and won't order it when we go to the restaurant! —Alexis Van Vulpen, St. Albert, Alberta

    Cheesy Chili Fries

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    My family is all about chili fries, but restaurant versions pile on the calories. For a healthier approach, bake the fries and serve them with green onions and avocado. —Beverly Nowling, Bristol, Florida

    Golden Chicken Nuggets

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    Taste of Home

    The ultimate bite-size treats, chicken nuggets get the star treatment when you make them at home. I usually serve these herb-breaded baked bites with a sweet-and-sour sauce for dipping. —Karen Owen, Rising Sun, Indiana

    Cajun Sirloin with Mushroom Leek Sauce

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    In 30 minutes you‘ll have a restaurant-quality steak with a bold Cajun flair. The best part? You can skip the drive, the wait and the bill! —Joshua Keefer, Delaware, Ohio

    Originally Published: July 10, 2019

    25 Restaurant Recipes You Can Make at Home (No Tip Required!) (2024)

    FAQs

    How to cook restaurant quality food at home? ›

    HOW TO MAKE RESTAURANT-QUALITY FOOD AT HOME
    1. Add chef-level fragrance to home-made food with quality oil and salt.
    2. Buy the best knives you can afford to chop like a chef at home.
    3. Use fresh herbs to add flavour to any dish.
    4. Revive old spices by frying them quickly.
    5. Organize Your Kitchen.
    6. It's okay to experiment.
    Oct 1, 2020

    How to make tasty food at home? ›

    10 Simple Tips to Make Food Taste Better
    1. Don't Prepare Garlic and Onions in Advance. ...
    2. Don't Seed Tomatoes. ...
    3. Keep Fats Tasting Fresh. ...
    4. Strike Only When the Pan Is Hot. ...
    5. Never Discard the Fond. ...
    6. Season with Sugar, Too. ...
    7. Bloom Spices and Dried Herbs in Fat. ...
    8. Brown Breads, Pies, and Pastries.

    What to make when you have no time to cook? ›

    Try making food ahead of time! Overnight oats are all the rage these days because they're a healthy, delicious, and easy go-to in the morning (having cooked overnight!). We also recommend batch cooking brown rice, quinoa, farro, and other healthy grains to have in the fridge for when the week gets busy.

    How to cook good food for cheap? ›

    31 Insanely Smart Ways To Save Money When You Cook
    1. Respect the whole roasted chicken. ...
    2. Cook less meat, in general. ...
    3. Cook dried beans instead of buying canned. ...
    4. Learn to love eggs. ...
    5. Use your slow cooker. ...
    6. Buy big cuts or packages of meat and stretch it out over multiple meals.
    Apr 5, 2015

    How do you make home cooking taste like a restaurant? ›

    5 Hacks to make your home food taste like it's from a restaurant
    1. Hack #1: Base gravies all the way!
    2. Hack #2: Cook on a high flame.
    3. Hack #3: Brown your onions, golden brown!
    4. Hack #4: Cook like calories don't count.
    5. Hack #5: Combinations matter and presentation goes a long way!
    Nov 7, 2022

    How do you cook like a 5 star restaurant? ›

    TIPS TO COOK LIKE A MICHELIN STARRED CHEF
    1. 1 Mise en place. This French culinary phrase refers to carefully preparing all your ingredients before starting to cook. ...
    2. 2 Nothing goes to waste. ...
    3. 3 Know your seasonings. ...
    4. 4 Invest in proper kitchenware. ...
    5. 5 Taste everything.
    Jun 2, 2020

    What can I cook in 5 minutes? ›

    25 healthy recipes you can cook in 5 minutes or less
    • Pea and broad bean couscous.
    • Fast home-made baked beans.
    • Porridge.
    • Pasta with cherry tomatoes and rocket.
    • Home-made hummus.
    • Smashed avocado and wilted spinach.
    • Cucumber (or potato) raitha.
    • Quick pitta pizzas.

    What to make for dinner when nothing sounds good? ›

    What to eat when nothing sounds good: 25 balanced meal ideas
    • Ham or turkey & cheese sandwich with a side of fruit.
    • Rotisserie chicken with frozen microwaveable rice and veggies.
    • “Adult Lunchable”: cheese, crackers, deli meat, raw fruits or veggies with dip.
    • Frozen chicken tenders or nuggets on top of a salad.
    Jan 11, 2023

    What can you cook in 3 minutes? ›

    Three-Minute Meals
    • Mushroom Toast. 1 piece whole-grain toast. ...
    • Spring Salad with Shrimp and Brown Rice. ...
    • Italian-Style Ratatouille with Chicken Sausage. ...
    • Quick Vegetarian Tacos. ...
    • Mediterranean-Style Loaded Baked Potato. ...
    • Breakfast for Dinner: Vegetarian Omelette. ...
    • Asian-Inspired Stir Fry. ...
    • Whole Grain Flatbread Pizza and Salad.
    Jun 7, 2017

    What to eat when theres no food? ›

    15 Delicious Things to Throw Together When You're Pressed for Food Options
    • Buttery, gooey grilled cheese. ...
    • PB&J because duh. ...
    • Tuna melt tostadas. ...
    • Pancakes! ...
    • Scrambled eggs. ...
    • Waffles. ...
    • A Hagrid-size bowl of cereal. ...
    • Spaghetti carbonara.
    Apr 28, 2020

    How to eat for $1 a day? ›

    More $1 Meal Ideas
    1. A boiled egg, brown rice, and raisins with milk.
    2. Whole wheat pancakes and a side of fruit or juice.
    3. Oatmeal pancakes and applesauce.
    4. Scrambled egg, toast and juice.
    5. Hash browns, eggs, and fruit.
    6. A green smoothie with a side of toast.
    7. A muffin with a side of banana and yogurt.
    Dec 7, 2022

    What can I bake to save money? ›

    Budget-friendly baking recipes
    1. Basic muffin recipe. A star rating of 4.5 out of 5. ...
    2. Peanut butter cookies. A star rating of 4.6 out of 5. ...
    3. Lemon drizzle sponge pudding. A star rating of 4.9 out of 5. ...
    4. Classic white loaf. ...
    5. Double ginger cookies. ...
    6. Lighter gingerbread. ...
    7. Coconut & mango sponge. ...
    8. Mini chocolate cheesecakes.

    What food is cheaper to make than buy? ›

    Never purchase these food staples again – you can easily make most if not all of them at home from scratch.
    • powdered sugar. This will literally take a few seconds to make. ...
    • brown sugar. ...
    • tomato sauce. ...
    • peanut butter. ...
    • bread. ...
    • ketchup. ...
    • mustard. ...
    • apple cider vinegar.
    Sep 14, 2022

    Why does restaurant food taste better than home cooked? ›

    One of these factors is the ingredients and equipment. Lack of ingredients or the special type of kitchen equipment can affect the taste of food. As the restaurant has access to all these, home cooking is at a loss here. Time preparation is another factor.

    What makes a dish restaurant quality? ›

    We first discover a dish with our eyes. The dish must be harmonious and balanced; its colours, shape, presentation or originality must be eye-catching. It must arouse our curiosity and make us really want to taste it, regardless of the technique or culinary style used (classic, new-style or evolutionary).

    How do you make high quality food? ›

    First and foremost, consider quality in everything you buy. The fresher and less traveled your produce, meat and fish are, the better flavor you'll get, and the more nutritional value they'll retain. This goes for everything, not just produce. Think about your vinegars, oils, herbs and spices as well.

    How do restaurants make food so good? ›

    Chefs season at every step of the cooking process

    For restaurant chefs, this means seasoning at every step and tasting as they go to ensure each component tastes great. Salt can help coax the natural flavor out of ingredients like vegetables and meat, while herbs and spices infuse them with additional flavors.

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