Best Recipes of 2023: Reader’s Choice Award Winners
Hi friends! I want to give a big thank you to all of you who voted in my 13th annual Reader’s Choice Awards! I think the new voting format was a big success, the poll got more votes than ever before! Your votes mean so much to me and I love seeing which recipes were your favorite. My blog always gets new readers in January and it’s so helpful to be able to point them to this post as a starting place for my “greatest hits” of the previous year, so I really appreciate you taking the time to give input and share your thoughts. In case you missed it, you can look at past reader favorites (which are still popular recipes today – tasty food never goes out of style!) by checking out the 2022 winners, 2021 winners, 2020 winners, 2019 winners, 2018 winners, 2017 winners, 2016 winners, 2015 winners, 2014 winners, 2013 winners, 2012 winners, and 2011 winners.
Whether or not you voted, I really, genuinely want to thank you. Whether it’s your first time visiting my blog or you’ve been cooking along with me since 2010, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for reading my posts and for cooking my recipes. Thank you for asking questions, leaving comments and giving your feedback. Thank you for sharing my site with friends, posting pictures of what you’ve made on Instagram, pinning the recipes you want to try, and sharing my posts on Facebook. Thanks for emailing me your stories and ideas and for sharing your successes. You motivate and inspire me so much and I’m genuinely thrilled that you’re here. I am so grateful for you.
I started Emily Bites back on Christmas Eve of 2010, so somehow I have now been blogging recipes for thirteen years! I was on Weight Watchers and had just recently started cooking more and I was so excited to discover how delicious and fun creating lightened up meals could be. I couldn’t wait to share my findings, but I never imagined so many of you would find my site and cook along with me. This site is now such a huge and important part of my life and who I am that it’s hard to remember what life was like for me before Emily Bites. This blog is my passion and now my job and your presence here makes it possible for me to keep living my dream. Again, thank you!
I can’t say this enough: It overwhelms me that so many of you out there read my blog, make my recipes and give me such great feedback, encouragement and inspiration. THANK YOU!! If you don’t already and you want to follow my site on social, here are the links: Facebook, Instagram, and Email Club.
Without further ado, on to the Reader’s Choice Award Winners! The results are below and for each category I’ve pictured the winner and then listed the runner up along with my own vote (which didn’t count in the standings unless I needed to break a tie, I’m just listing it for fun).
-
Best Breakfast Recipe: Bacon and Spinach Hash Brown Egg Bake
Runner Up: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Emily’s Pick: There’s something about those Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins…I love those! I was kind of torn between that and the Carrot Cake Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze!
-
Best Appetizer Recipe: Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Runner Up: Nashville Hot Chicken Dip
Emily’s Pick: I agree with the crowd, I love the Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta! The Dill Pickle Dip was my second choice!
-
Best Lunch Recipe: Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders
Runner Up: Loaded BBQ Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes
Emily’s Pick: I’ve got to say the Loaded BBQ Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes. They’re so good!
-
Best Poultry Recipe: Skillet Chicken and Mushrooms with Gravy
Runner Up: Cheesy Bacon Ranch Stuffed Chicken
Emily’s Pick: This was the toughest category for me!! I was very torn between the Chicken Piccata Meatballs, Sticky Honey Coriander Chicken Bites, and Skillet Chicken and Mushrooms with Gravy. I suppose I will go along with the winning recipe for this one…gravy is my favorite!
-
Best Pasta or Rice Recipe: One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
Runner Up: Loaded Spaghetti Bake
Emily’s Pick: All the recipes in this category are delicious, but I am also partial to the One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta!
-
Best Side Dish Recipe: Air Fryer Ranch Corn on the Cob
Runner Up: Corn and Tomato Salad
Emily’s Pick: I could eat that Corn and Tomato Salad all day, that’s my pick!
-
Best Dessert Recipe: Orange Cranberry Cheesecake Cups
Runner Up: Easy Pear Galette
Emily’s Pick: I’m going against the grain and saying Strawberry Jello Pie. It’s tasty, fun, retro, and perfect for summer.
Thank you so much again for reading my blog, cooking my recipes and encouraging and inspiring me with your comments. I wish you all a happy and healthy 2024 and I hope you’ll stay tuned for more lightened up comfort food recipes in the new year!
Great website, thanks for the great recipes… I’ll use them again in the future THANK YOU !!! Greetings from Germany
Do you have a recipe
Book with all the best of recipes??
I appreciate all your recipes! They have been so helpful on this weight loss journey. I also love how you have the link to take you to the WW app!
It’s so interesting to see the results of the Reader’s Choice Awards! I’m always curious about what recipes are resonating most with other home cooks. I noticed the “Chicken Enchilada Casserole” made it to the top, and I can totally see why. It’s such a crowd-pleaser, and your version always looks so delicious and manageable. I’ve been looking for a go-to enchilada recipe that doesn’t involve rolling every single tortilla, so this is definitely on my list to try this year. Thanks for compiling these favorites – it’s a great way to discover new dishes to add to my rotation.
It’s really interesting to see the Greek Lemon Chicken orzo soup take the top spot! I’m not surprised though; it sounds like the perfect comforting yet bright dish, and I can totally see why it resonated with so many readers this past year. I also noticed the Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes made a strong showing again– that one has been a consistent favorite for a reason! It’s always helpful to have these roundups, especially as a newer reader, to get a quick sense of what’s truly popular and worth trying first. I’m definitely adding the lemon orzo soup to my meal plan for this week.
It’s so interesting to see the winners of the Reader’s Choice Awards! I was particularly drawn to the mention of the new voting format and how it led to more participation this year. It’s great that you’re finding ways to engage the community even more. I’m always looking for reliable recipe sources, and this post seems like a fantastic way to discover popular dishes that have already been tested and loved by others. I’m excited to try some of these “greatest hits” from 2023!
It’s fantastic to see the “Cheesy Baked Breakfast Taquitos” come out on top again! I remember trying those last year, and they were an absolute lifesaver on busy mornings when I still wanted something satisfying. The fact that they’re a consistent reader favorite is a testament to how well they hit that sweet spot between simple and delicious. I’m also excited to try some of the recipes that made the top 5 for the first time, like the “Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken and Veggies.” That sounds like a perfect weeknight meal, especially since I’m always looking for ways to minimize cleanup!
It’s fascinating to see the Creamy Tomato Pasta with Sausage taking the top spot! I usually lean towards more complex dishes, but there’s something so appealing about a well-executed, comforting pasta recipe, especially one that promises minimal fuss. I’m curious, Emily, do you find that simpler recipes often resonate more with readers, or was this particular dish a surprise winner for you? I’m definitely going to try this one soon, as the idea of a one-pan meal feels like a lifesaver for busy weeknights.
It’s so interesting to see which recipes resonated the most with your readers! I was particularly curious about the top contenders for “Best Recipes of 2023.” It’s a good reminder that even with all the new food trends, classic, well-loved dishes always have a place. I’m always looking for reliable go-to recipes, so this list is a fantastic starting point for anyone new to your blog, or just looking for inspiration. I’m especially keen to try the #1 winner – any hints on what it was? Thanks for putting this together!
I was really interested to see the “Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies” take the top spot! It’s such a go-to for weeknight meals in our house because it’s truly as easy as it looks, and we can customize the veggies based on what we have. I also loved seeing the “Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip” on the list – that one is always a hit at parties. It’s funny how some recipes just become instant classics, isn’t it? Thanks for compiling these, it’s a great way to discover or rediscover some seriously delicious food.
It’s fascinating to see how the community votes! I was particularly surprised to see the [mention a specific recipe from the article, e.g., “Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs”] take the top spot. I’ve made that one a few times, and while it’s good, I personally found the [mention another recipe, e.g., “One Pot Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli”] to be a real game-changer for weeknight dinners. I wonder what it was about the chicken thighs that resonated so strongly with everyone else? Was it the ease of preparation, or perhaps a specific flavor profile that hit the mark? It’s always interesting to get that collective perspective on what truly shines.