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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    19 Recipes That'll Make You Feel Like You're Dining Out

    By Emmeline Kemperyd updated January 20, 2026 · Published February 16, 2026 · Leave a Comment

    Cooking at home doesn't have to mean settling for simple meals. With a few key ingredients and some basic techniques, you can create impressive dishes that rival those from your favorite restaurants. From creamy risottos to perfectly seared steaks, these recipes will help you bring a touch of fine dining to your kitchen.

    Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos

    Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    Buffalo cauliflower tacos with avocado, blue cheese sauce, and cilantro are always a hit with my friends. You can easily prepare these tasty tacos in about 40 minutes using either the oven or an air fryer.

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    Tortellini Carbonara

    Tortellini carbonara.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This version of carbonara is simple to prepare at home with ingredients you can find at any grocery store. It's a delicious dish that anyone can enjoy.

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    Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta

    Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Salmon pasta with crème fraîche, lemon, and chives is a simple and delicious meal you can easily prepare at home. It's a lighter pasta choice that works well for any evening.

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    Black Lentil Feta Salad

    Black Lentil Salad with Feta.
    Photo credit: Evergreen Kitchen.

    This Mediterranean salad is full of great flavors and easy to prepare. It's loaded with protein from lentils, creamy feta, and fresh veggies, making it a perfect choice for lunch or dinner.

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    Red Pesto Salmon

    Red Pesto Salmon.
    Photo credit: Hungry Healthy Happy.

    Baked Pesto Salmon is an easy and tasty choice for a quick dinner. It features tender salmon fillets topped with flavorful pesto, paired with crispy potatoes and fresh veggies like asparagus and broccoli.

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    Lamb Pastitsio

    Leftover Lamb Pastitsio.
    Photo credit: Mrs Jones's Kitchen.

    Greek lamb pastitsio is a hearty meal featuring layers of tasty lamb sauce, soft pasta, and rich béchamel, all baked until golden. It's a satisfying dish that's perfect for a cozy dinner at home.

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    Pink Pasta Sauce with Bacon

    Pink pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features a rich and creamy tomato sauce paired with crispy bacon, making it a favorite for any occasion. It's a guaranteed hit that everyone will enjoy!

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    French Onion Pork Chops

    French onion pork chops.
    Photo credit: Sustainable Cooks.

    Boneless pork chops come out juicy and tender when cooked in the air fryer, and you can easily prepare a flavorful pan sauce on the stove. This is a great dish for a satisfying meal at home.

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    Crock Pot Carne Guisada

    Crock Pot Carne Guisada (Mexican Beef Stew).
    Photo Credit: Supergolden Bakes.

    This beef stew is packed with amazing flavor and features tender beef that practically melts in your mouth. It's a dish you'll want to make again and again.

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    Spanish Chicken And Rice

    Spanish chicken thighs and rice with olives on a light plate.
    Photo credit: Lavender & Macarons.

    Spanish Chicken and Rice is a flavorful and filling dish that's perfect for family dinners. This simple one-pot meal is great for any night of the week.

    Get the recipe

    Vegan Gochujang Cauliflower Tacos

    Vegan Gochujang Cauliflower Tacos
    Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

    Cauliflower tacos are loaded with avocado, corn, red onions, and cilantro, offering a delicious option for a laid-back dinner or when you have friends over. They're easy to prepare and perfect for satisfying cravings without much effort.

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    Firecracker Salmon

    Firecracker salmon on a teal plate.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Firecracker Salmon is a quick and easy dinner that you can whip up in just 15 minutes. With a spicy and tangy sauce paired with perfectly cooked salmon, this dish is sure to impress everyone at the table.

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    Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken

    Honey Mustard Chicken in a stainless steel pan.
    Photo credit: Lavender & Macarons

    This Honey Mustard Chicken skillet is a delicious meal that you can prepare in just 30 minutes. With its rich flavors and one-pan cooking, it's a simple and satisfying dish that goes great with rice, potatoes, or roasted vegetables.

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    Shrimp Asparagus Risotto

    A spoonful of shrimp risotto.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This creamy risotto features shrimp, asparagus, lemon, basil, and parmesan, creating a delightful meal in just 40 minutes. It's an impressive dish that's easy to prepare with a no-stir method for a consistently smooth texture.

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    Crockpot Cornish Game Hens

    Cornish Game Hens Crockpot Recipe
    Photo Credit: Food Folks and Fun.

    Slow Cooker Cornish Hens offer a tasty and easy meal option. The vegetables cook together with the hens in the Crockpot, resulting in a complete and satisfying dish.

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    Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta

    Cherry tomato pasta.
    Photo credit: It's Not Complicated Recipes.

    Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta features flavorful roasted tomatoes combined with perfectly cooked pasta. This is a simple and delicious meal that doesn't take much effort.

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    Air Fryer Flank Steak

    Sliced flank steak.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Air Fryer Flank Steak cooks quickly in just 8-10 minutes. The marinade gives it great flavor while keeping the meat juicy and tender.

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    Bacon Wrapped Salmon with Garlic Butter

    Bacon wrapped salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features salmon fillets topped with garlic butter and wrapped in bacon, creating a tasty meal that everyone will enjoy. It's a simple yet impressive option for family dinners.

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    Shrimp Scampi Without Wine

    Shrimp scampi.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Shrimp Scampi can be ready in just 10 minutes and doesn't require any wine. The combination of garlic, lemon, chili, and parsley will make your kitchen smell amazing.

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    More Recipe Roundups

    • Air fryer salmon.
      22 Easy Date Night Dinners That Still Impress
    • Roasted gnocchi with veggies.
      20 Simple Dump-and-Go Dinners for Hectic Weeknights
    • Ground beef tacos.
      19 Easy Family Dinners That Take the Stress Out of Cooking
    • Chicken soup.
      30 Easy Dinner Ideas You Can Make Tonight

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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