Drumroll please… Presenting your top ten recipes from 2020! I don’t have any rosy comments to offer about the difficulties presented last year. Perhaps you cooked more than ever last year, perhaps you still are. I hope my recipes and resources proved helpful. That’s always my number one goal.
Here’s a little look back at your favorite recipes from the past year. I spy some luscious yet redeeming soups that are perfect for cold weather. Plus some comforting Italian dishes, my go-to homemade granola bars formula, and few more delicious options. Cheers to good health and happiness in 2021! I appreciate you so much for being here.
1) Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans)
Easily gluten free and vegan
“This is absolutely delicious!! It will surely become a new staple recipe in our home. I love that it contains veggies, carbs and protein for a complete meal :) Thank you Cookie and Kate for another awesome recipe.” – Marie
2) Best Vegan Lasagna
Potentially gluten free
“This was my first time making something with a cashew cream component and it was sooo good! My boyfriend wasn’t convinced that it would be as good as ricotta but we both agreed that it was the best homemade lasagna we had ever tried. Every part was delish, from the cream to the sautéed veggies to the marinara. We also added some red pepper flakes for heat.” – Shivani
3) Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup
Gluten free and easily vegan
“I made this soup last night it was absolutely delicious, one of the best soups I have ever made. Think I will try the carrot & ginger soup [variation] next when I have made it I will let you know how it goes.” – Nadia
4) Easy No-Bake Granola Bars
Easily gluten free and easily vegan
“These are absolutely stellar. Make them now. Seriously!
For those of you from a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern background, they almost taste like a nutritious version of wheat flour halva (not the tahini-based kind), which is an extra point!” – Jenny
5) Broccoli Cheese Soup
Gluten free and easily vegan
“Omg….I just died and went to broccoli heaven. This was the best broccoli soup ever! My husband and daughter loved it equally!! Thank you for this recipe. God bless.” – Mg
6) Best Stuffed Shells
Easily vegan
“Your directions are really precise, making this a wonderful dish to tackle. It is packed with flavour and is visually appealing–a perfect dish for a cold winter’s day.
Thanks for sharing it!” – Robin
7) Southwestern Corn Chowder
Gluten free and easily vegan
“I made this to bring to some vegetarian friends after surgery. It is SO good. I didn’t know how spicy they liked things so I opted for no poblano pepper and I used sour cream but those are the only two alterations I chose. Lucky for my own family, I bought enough ingredients for two pots! I topped with Monterey jack cheese which added a nice flavor. YUMZERS! Don’t leave out the cilantro unless you don’t like cilantro and don’t forget the lime juice (and frozen corn worked nicely in January!) 5 Stars, Kate and Cookie! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!” – Stephanie
8) How to Cook Black Beans (From Scratch!)
Gluten free and vegan
“I have never really been into black beans, they’ve always seemed kind of meh to me, but I had some in the cupboard so I gave this recipe a go anyway. These beans do not disappoint! So much more flavourful than any other black beans I’ve ever had, I find myself putting them in everything!
Thanks for the recipe C+K, you’ve got a black bean convert in me!” – Hannah
9) Pasta alla Norma
Easily gluten free and easily vegan
“This is outstanding. Super easy to make. I have a family of picky eaters but my 9 year old LOVED it, even with the red pepper – its *just* enough to not scare off a child. And my husband is picky AF, takes two bites and pronounces something made perfectly to be “not for him” and eats Eggos for dinner instead — and he was like “this is restaurant quality.”
I will make this one regularly. I love that the only thing I need to pick up at the store that I don’t always have on hand is eggplant and basil.
THANK YOU!” – Amanda
10) Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Gluten free and easily vegan
“Have made this recipe multiple times for my boyfriend and myself (it has quickly become a weeknight favourite). Sooooo good, thank you.” – Emily
More resources you might appreciate: 23 make-ahead breakfast recipes and 20 simple weeknight dinners. Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest for a steady stream of recipe inspiration!
Julie
Thank you for building this wonderful blog and cookbook! In my kitchen this year, your recipes on constant rotation included lentil soup, liquid gold salad dressing, homemade instant oatmeal mix, butternut squash chili, pickled onions (every week), roasted ratatouille, and your insanely delicious avocado salsa verde we’ve dubbed “the green sauce.” I think it was from a burrito bowl recipe. Anyway, thank you for helping make our lives more veggieful and delicious.
Kate
Julie, thank you!! That’s a great list. :) Happy New Year!
Suzanne
I make your best hummus recipe on a weekly basis. It took a couple trials to get the right consistency, but now my family proclaimed it perfect. The key was extra ice water. Thank you for sharing a recipe to make delicious, preservative free hummus!
Kate
So glad to hear it, Suzanne!
Hayley
Great list! I will have to try the recipes on this list I haven’t had a chance to make yet. The stuffed peppers have now become one of my favourite dishes though. Thanks Kate for making eating healthy so easy.
Kate
Thank you, Hayley! Really glad the peppers went over well!
Harry
Do you have a recipe that compares to Olive Garden’s Suppa Tuscana?
Kate
Hey Harry! I’m afraid I’ve never tried that one, but I think you’d enjoy my pasta e fagioli, which is a bit creamy but not cream-based, and minestrone.
Harry
I plan to try your pasta e fagioli real soon. I ptinted the recipe. I think the reason you haven’t tried zuppa tuscana might be the bits of sausage, but it does have cream,sliced potatoes and kale.
Barrie Gollinger
Love all your recipes!!!
How is Cookie?
Kate
Thank you, Barrie! Cookie is doing well. She has a tremendous amount of energy most days! One of her lymph nodes has not gone down completely like the rest, so we are doing some innovative testing this week. Hoping it will tell us exactly what’s going on and how best to treat it. Hoping for the best!
Oriana
Here is my opportunity to tell you how much I appreciate your recipes. I subscribe to about 6 vegan/vegetarian food blogs—all good. But recently when I decided to make a separate binder for “favorites” so I could find them more easily, I kept seeing “cookie and kate” on the majority of the recipes. Wow! Thank you for your commitment, your work, and your wonderful recipes!
Kate
Well, that is wonderful to hear! Thank you for letting me know, Oriana. Hope your 2021 is full of health and happiness!
Jenna
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful recipes!! I have cooked a lot more this past year. I get most of my produce from a local CSA and whenever I get home with my basket, I search your site to decide what to make :) the variety of “real food” you include is amazing! Keep up the great work!!
Kate
So fun! Thank you, Jenna. :)
Kay
My family’s favorite recipe of yours is Baked Ziti! I would highly encourage everyone to try it!
Kate
Love it! Thank you, Kay.
Johnny Kesselschmidt
I think I commented on your food years ago but nothing since. OK, I repeat. I have always loved your recipes and look forward to receiving them even if you don’t drown your food in fresh garlic like I do. love Johnny Kesselschmidt Blackwood Victoria Australia
Kate
Thank you so much, Johnny!
Francyne
Your recipes are so healthy and easy to follow
Keep them coming
All I do is cook these days but I totally put my heart and soul into it and it is so appreciated by my husband
Thanks for sharing your knowledge on healthy living
Kate
I love that! Thank you, Francyne.
Katie
We LOVE your pasta e fagioli recipe! And I have your best lentil soup recipe on the stovetop right now. I’ve never tried a recipe from Cookie and Kate that I didn’t like.
Kate
Yay, thank you, Katie!
Elaine
I really enjoyed Amanda’s review of the pasta alla norma. Will probably try it based on that alone!
Kate
Right? Her review made me smile. Thankful for commenters like both of you!
Clementina
Awesome! Thanks for putting this together, it’s already giving me ideas for new dishes to make in 2021. I’ve made a lot of your recipes over the years. My only wish is that you’d put the amounts in grams as we don’t use ounces or cups in my country and it can be a struggle to convert them. Hope Cookie stays healthy and that things get even bigger for this blog in the new year. My best wishes to you and yours.
Kate
Clementina, thank you. I’m hoping to find a tech solution to offer grams. At this point, offering grams would require manually changing every ingredient within hundreds of recipes, so it would be almost impossible! I will continue searching for a solution. Hope 2021 brings health and happiness to you!
Katharine
Love these new ideas and recipes. Thank You.
Kate
Enjoy!
Carolina Blaziak
I absolutely love this blog! Thank you for inspiring me so much!
Kate
Thank you, Carolina!
Sherie
Until a couple of weeks ago the only thing I had made from your site was granola, which we love and so does everyone that’s ive made it for and then referred to your website so I wouldn’t have to keep making it for them, lol!
Recently I tried a pasta recipe you had on line and really liked that as well so I bought your cook book and have made several of the recipes, all were really good. My comment is that I’d like to see more Gluten free recipes, although I’ve found it easy enough to make the substitutions. One of my favorite GF pastas is Ronzoni cauliflower, fava bean & rice pasta. Even my husband doesn’t complain about that pasta!
Kate
Hi Sherie, thank you so much for your note! I always try to include tested gluten-free substitutions when they work, and it sounds like you’re finding the recipe notes on those. All my best!
Caroline Daniel
Your recipes have turned me vegetarian! You have changed my life in such a big way. I wish I could give you a hug. I love how your ingredients are easy to find and affordable. I bought your cookbook 6 months ago and mea plan off it and your blog every week. I’ve recommended it to all my friends. Thank you thank Kate (and Cookie!)
Kate
Caroline, your note made my day! Thank you so much. Cookie says hello!