The year 2022 brought us everything from Coke Starlight to butter boards, and here at The Takeout, we tried to triangulate what readers might want to cook for themselves. And while TikTok might lay claim to feta pasta, we developed some approachable recipes this year that might become your new go-to favorites, whether you’re looking for weeknight inspo or party appetizer ideas. As we close the book on an eventful year, let’s look back at the top 10 Takeout recipes that readers liked and shared the most in 2022.
Yep, you read that right: Not only did we publish a recipe for a chicken broth cocktail, but readers were actually interested in learning more about it. This cocktail is sort of like a modified bull shot, which combines beef broth, vodka, Worcestershire, and lime juice for a savory and sour sip, served warm in cold weather or offered cold year-round. The chicken broth version is decidedly a hot drink, with a rosemary garnish whose scent is as warming as the liquid itself. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
This recipe comes to us courtesy of the royal residence the Clarence House, and its name comes from the fact that it’s Camilla Parker Bowles’ favorite cake. Camilla notably became Queen Consort Camilla in September of this year following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but she shared the recipe with the public months before assuming her new title while assisting at a fundraiser for the Poetry Together Initiative. (Naturally, the recipe gained popularity once Camilla stepped into her new role.) The traditional berries of a Victoria Sponge are swapped out here for Nutella or lemon curd, which makes a great dessert even better. Try it with Camilla’s twist and see if you don’t prefer it to the classic version.
The whole reason anyone orders from Papa Johns is to score a tub of the liquid gold served alongside it: Special Garlic Sauce, the creamy and smooth condiment with a mild kicker of garlic that pairs perfectly with pizza. Our recipe for the homemade version is as simple as it gets—just two ingredients—but to achieve the perfect Papa Johns flavor, you’ll need to get the ratio just right, so a kitchen scale is key to success here.
Dump cakes have been around for nearly 100 years, and there’s no single recipe that dictates how to make one. Still, readers delight in being reassured of the latter, and this dump cake overview is a good reminder that you probably have everything sitting around your kitchen that you need to make the ultimate comfy dessert. Butter, pie filling, boxed cake mix, layered in a casserole dish and baked—no stirring required. This lovingly prepared slop beats the prettiest decorated sheet cake you’ve ever seen.
Did you know there’s plenty of uses for a backyard smoker that have nothing to do with meat? This Smoked Onion Dip proves that beautifully, with smoked cream cheese and smoked onions at its center providing a complex flavor that permeates the whole bowl. A smack of vinegar and spices hits each bite on the back end, and no matter what you use to dip (pretzels, crackers, chips, whatever), you’ll keep coming back till the whole batch is gone. It’s no wonder so many people shared this recipe around all summer.
Now, don’t all those words just sound great together? This Double Cheddar Beer Cheese Dip was developed as an homage to the Green Bay Packers during the NFL playoffs earlier this year, and its primary ingredients—cream cheese, cold pack cheddar, beer, ranch—are a love letter to all the best stuff to be found in Wisconsin grocery stores. The result is a smooth, creamy, sharp party dip that’s got a tiny bit of bite to it; it would seem that even our readers who can’t stand the Packers couldn’t resist tasting this spread with some pretzels and an ice-cold beer.
We all love the blaze-orange glow of a traditional bowl of Kraft Mac & Cheese, but consider this Parmesan Broth Mac & Cheese the more adult version of a classic—the sexy version you can serve up for date night. In addition to liberal amounts of Parmesan (which create a thick broth that replaces the water in the traditional recipe), this mac calls for Worcestershire, Dijon, and paprika, a flavor combination that will leave your date impressed with your cooking skills. No wonder so many people wanted to make this recipe in 2022.
This seasoning blend continues to boggle everyone’s minds with its fidelity to the spicy tang of genuine Doritos cheese powder. Best of all, you can make it in both Nacho and Cool Ranch varieties for added authenticity. Essentially this is a cheese-boosted spice rub; use it as a popcorn topper, rub it on pork chops or chicken, sprinkle it on baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, mix it into cornbread, stir it into softened, unsalted butter and spread it on toast—the list goes on and on. Give out jars of it as gifts, if you like, or treat everyone to its culinary uses at your next brunch. Get the recipe here.
There’s nothing more alluring than the phrase “just three ingredients,” and when applied to America’s favorite Girl Scout cookie, you’ve got a guaranteed hit. This copycat Thin Mints recipe contains an unexpected ingredient: Ritz Crackers, whose buttery, crispy layers complement the smooth sweetness of mint chocolate. Go ahead and make a batch, then see if your taste-testers can guess what well-known snack is hiding in the middle.
It seems as though you were all ready to take on a challenge after watching the hit FX series The Bear, in which a rising star chef returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his late brother’s run-down Italian beef joint. The show is a love letter to beefs, and this recipe is, too. Even though almost no Chicagoans burden themselves with cooking up these sandwiches from scratch, this recipe will show you how to do it, just so you can nab the bragging rights. If you’d like a cheater version of Chicago’s iconic sandwich, go ahead and make some cheater beef, which will still wow your guests and offer up a taste of the Windy City.
