The Serious Eats Team's Favorite Recipes of 2023

I sat here for a while attempting a whole spiel about how good our work was this past year. Each version of it, though, could be distilled into: "TL;DR: Our work was really so good." And honestly, the more I think about it, the recipes really speak for themselves!

I hope you'll trust that, as with all other years of Serious Eats past, we are so thrilled with and grateful for the kinds of work we were able to get live onto this silly-goofy-nerdy-so-good website. And while yes, of course, we are proud of all of it, we wanted to round up a few standout examples of recipes our team loved so much that they made them repeatedly. Without further ado (and in no particular order, I might add!), here are seven recipes SE editors firmly categorized as "favs."

Mazatlán Ceviche de Sierra (Sinaloan Mackerel Ceviche) by Rose Egelhoff

I guess if I had to choose just one that I have actually made, it'd be this one. I have such a weakness for any kind of raw or cured fish that I jumped at the opportunity to cross-test this recipe from Rose Egelhoff, our Mazatlán-based culinary correspondent, along with her equally fabulous recipe for Mexican-style tuna sashimi. Either one could get my vote for favorite recipe of the year (of the ones I've cooked, which, sadly, is far too few of them), but the Sinaloan mackerel ceviche stands out for its uniqueness on top of its deliciousness. Different from any ceviche I've had before, this one features chopped oily mackerel with grated carrots, minced cilantro, and finely diced red onion and cucumber, all marinated in lime juice. Then you mound it on tostadas with a thick layer of mayo, sliced avocado, and plenty of hot sauce. I polished off my test batch late one night with help from a neighbor, who probably wasn't expecting me to knock on her door at 9pm and say, "Hi, I just made way too much Sinaloan mackerel ceviche, any chance you want to come over and help me eat it?" I'm certain, though, that she didn't regret it! —Daniel Gritzer, senior culinary director

Rhode Island–Style Stuffed Quahog Clams ("Stuffies") by Leah Colins

As a Rhode Islander, there are few things nearer and dearer to my heart than clear chowder (iykyk), clam cakes, and stuffies. In fact, stuffies (a.k.a stuffed clams) are so iconic to the Ocean State, that our tourism board wants to put giant stuffies around the country to attract visitors to our briny shores. I mean, look at that thing; why wouldn’t you want to come visit??

This Rhode Island-Style Stuffed Quahogs recipe from Leah Colins does the iconic Rhode Island dish right: She’s got fresh quahogs, lots of buttah (with a Rhode Island accent) and, of course, Portuguese chourico—the dried, smoky, garlicky sausage that is ubiquitous here (you can find three different local brands in Walmart, it’s that widespread). The filling is hearty but not pasty, with the savory, porky smokiness of chourico, woodsy thyme, briny clams, and pep from lemon and grassy parsley. This is a dish best forked into your mouth at a picnic table near the beach, with a cup of Del’s Lemonade (or a ‘Gansett) in the other hand. —Grace Kelly, associate commerce editor

Buffalo Chicken Salad by Julia Levy

This recipe had my name written all over it: saucy buffalo chicken, creamy blue cheese, salad—check, check, check! It was easy, pretty quick in terms of hands-on time and best of all, had the extra boost of the buffalo flavor I always crave by having both a sauce on the chicken AND a dressing. (Tip: if you're short on time, high-quality store-bought blue cheese dressing could stand in for homemade.) —Michelle Edelbaum, VP, GM

The Perfect Cup of Chai by Swetha Sivakumar

I spent a portion of my childhood in India and adore chai. I recently made our chai recipe and it was the most perfect thing to drink on a chilly day. I loved reading about the technique behind it, too (like why it's important to nearly boil-over the milk three times). —Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, senior commerce editor

Tahdig (Persian Crunchy Rice) by Nader Mehravari

It's no secret we're all a little bit smitten with Nader Mehravari's recipes. His photos are striking, his knowledge of Persian cuisine is extensive, and his appreciation for recipe details is a Serious Eater's dream. I've made the saffron, yogurt, and egg yolk variation of his tahdig exactly as he has written (and I confess, I almost never cook recipes at home verbatem). It was a triumph. I literally forced everyone at the dinner table to high-five me. I mentally prepared myself for utter failure, and was just exhilarated with the gorgeous, perfectly crisp, golden crust, with tender singular, well-seasoned grains of rice. No other rice dish has this combination of textures. Excited for more Nader recipes to come in 2024! —Leah Colins, senior culinary editor

Albóndigas de Ricota (Argentine Ricotta Balls) by Kevin Vaughn

I think about Kevin Vaughn's albondigas de ricota constantly. Truly, they've crossed my mind at least once a month since we shot and published his recipe in March. Very similarly to Kevin's experience (which he details in his wonderful headnote), I was very skeptical about a dish of just balls of ricotta. But the thoughtful combination of seasoning and spices in each bite of these perfectly cheesy, tomato sauce-covered balls are so comforting. I tell everyone to make them. —Amanda Suarez, associate director of visuals

Guaydtiaao Bpet Dtoon (Thai Duck Noodle Soup) by Derek Lucci

It's hard to pick a favorite of Derek's Thai noodle soups. Is it the tom yam soup–flavored rendition that, in some unexpected alchemy, tastes like brothy pad Thai? The bowl of boat noodles that perfectly balances a complex range of flavors and aromas, in turn savory, sweet, sour, hot, spiced, and oh so beefy? I might have an easier time picking a favorite child (kidding! kidding! Future versions of my children, I love you both equally!). But I guess if I had to pick just one, it'd be the duck noodle soup, which makes more out of a single duck than I ever thought possible, from an herbal and spiced broth that keeps calling you back for more, and tender slices and shreds of duck meat. Buy a duck, find the Thai ingredients (by far the biggest task of all the recipes), make it. You won't regret it. —Daniel Gritzer