Recipes

The 10 Most Popular Recipes in January 2020

Hearty bowls of vegetarian chili, a deeply comforting congee, and more recipes readers loved this month.
frito pie soup
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova

While the overachievers among us might say that January is for "new beginnings," the rest of us know the truth: January is all about comfort. It's about bundling up in cozy sweaters and staying home instead of trekking through mucky snow-slush. That's why we've been craving big pots of chicken noodle soup, sheet pans full of roasted squash and cabbage, and spicy masala fried chicken to warm us up from the inside out. Oh and then there’s the getting ready for the Super Bowl, with homemade queso, turkey chili, and pretzel focaccia that’s just begging for some mustard and a sausage. Here were the 10 most popular recipes of the month, starting with No. 1.

  • A pot of jalapeñotopped queso dip set in the center of a sheet pan loaded with tortilla chips.
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova 
    3/10

    Game-Day Queso

    Only slightly more involved than cracking open a jar from the grocery store.

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  • Warm Winter Vegetable Salad With Halloumi
    Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Mariana Velasquez
    4/10

    Warm Winter Vegetable Salad With Halloumi

    Deb Perelman’s fattoush-inspired, picky-eater approved salad with creamy squash, crispy pita chips, and chewy, charred cheese salad.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Plant and Salad
    Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    5/10

    Italian Chopped Salad

    This winter salad with peak season bitter greens, salami, and crispy chickpeas is hearty enough on its own, but not so over-the-top that you can’t also pair it with pasta for dinner.

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  • Jamacian beef batties by Shani Jones of Peaches Patties and La Cocina cookbook
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    6/10

    Jamaican Beef Patties

    These delectable flaky pastries can be found at street vendors and restaurants in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean, but they’re fun to make at home as a snack or appetizer. 

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  • Seeds chile pepper and almond butter make up this power butter recipe
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    7/10

    Power Butter

    If you thought it was impossible to make nut butter more delicious, try this added-value version.

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  • Congee Recipe
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
    8/10

    Pork and Shiitake Congee

    Since congee can take hours to make on the stovetop, we came up with a clever trick: Rinse the rice and freeze it overnight. 

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  • Pan of pretzel focaccia
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    9/10

    Pretzel Focaccia

    One of the easiest breads to make at home gets pretzel-ified with a highly burnished, salt-coated crust and a delightfully bitter twang. 

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  • Masala Fried Chicken
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    10/10

    Masala Fried Chicken

    The vibrant flavor and color of this spicy, finger-licking-good fried chicken comes from an abundance of ground dried spices, so be sure to use the freshest ones you can find.

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