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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    23 Easy Gourmet Dishes You Can Master

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on January 2, 2025, updated December 18, 2024 - Leave a Comment

    Cooking gourmet dishes at home can be easier than you think. With just a few simple ingredients and techniques, you can create impressive meals that look and taste like they came from a fancy restaurant. Here are 23 easy gourmet dishes that anyone can master, perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to something special.

    Air Fryer Steak Bites

    Air Fryer Steak Bites.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Air fryer steak bites are a quick and easy option for a family dinner, ready in under 10 minutes. Marinated in lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, and herbs, the steak turns out tender and full of flavor.

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    Marry Me Chicken Pasta

    Marry me chicken pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy dish full of flavors like crème fraîche, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs. It's simple to prepare with just a few basic ingredients and little prep time.

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    Larb Gai

    Larb gai.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Thai chicken salad is a tasty and simple dish you'll enjoy making often. It combines classic Thai larb flavors with a crunchy peanut topping for extra texture.

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    Instant Pot Bolognese

    A bowl of instant pot bolognese served over pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Instant Pot bolognese is a simple way to enjoy a rich and flavorful pasta sauce. It uses common ingredients and comes together easily, giving you a taste similar to the classic slow-cooked version.

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    Tortellini Carbonara

    Tortellini carbonara.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This carbonara is a quick and easy meal that you can make with common ingredients. The addition of tortellini gives it a fun twist that everyone will enjoy.

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    Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

    Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish is easy to make, cheesy, and really delicious. It's great for a cozy meal at home.

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    Shrimp Carbonara

    Shrimp carbonara.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Prepare a delicious Shrimp Carbonara in just 10 minutes, giving a fresh twist to the classic Italian dish. This creamy pasta dish features tender shrimp, creating a satisfying mix of seafood and pasta without using any cream.

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    Buffalo Chicken Pasta

    Buffalo chicken pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Buffalo Chicken Pasta is a simple and delicious dish that combines spicy buffalo sauce and tangy blue cheese with pasta and chicken. It's a satisfying meal that's perfect for busy nights.

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    Eggplant Moussaka

    Eggplant Moussaka with Lamb.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Eggplant Moussaka is a tasty dinner filled with vegetables, ground beef or lamb, and lots of cheese. It leaves out the potatoes and Bechamel sauce, using more eggplant instead to create a healthy and easy Mediterranean meal.

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    Gorgonzola Gnocchi

    Grogonzola gnocchi.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish is full of flavor and really filling. It's perfect for a cozy meal that doesn't take much effort to prepare.

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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 prepare in just 15 minutes. With a zesty sauce and perfectly cooked fish, this spicy dish is sure to impress everyone at the table.

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    Massaman Chicken Curry

    A bowl of massaman chicken curry.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    In just 45 minutes, you can prepare a tasty Massaman Chicken Curry with ready-made curry paste. This creamy meal combines coconut milk, chicken, potatoes, and peanuts for a nice balance of sweetness and mild spice.

    Get the recipe

    Spicy Vodka Pasta

    spicy vodka pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Vodka Pasta is full of spicy and creamy flavors that everyone will enjoy, and you can easily make it without any vodka. It's a simple dish that brings a touch of gourmet dining to your table.

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    Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken

    Baked parmesan crusted chicken.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    Prepare a tasty parmesan-crusted chicken in under 30 minutes that's cheesy and crispy, perfect for dipping. This easy dinner is sure to be a hit with your family right out of the oven.

    Get the recipe

    Lemon Pepper Salmon

    Baked lemon pepper salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This salmon dish is super tasty and only needs three easy ingredients. It's perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.

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    Crème Fraîche Carbonara

    Fake carbonara.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This carbonara offers a tasty take on the traditional recipe, loaded with extra flavor. It's a great option for a satisfying meal that doesn't require much effort.

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    Bacon Wrapped Salmon with Garlic Butter

    Bacon wrapped salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Stuff salmon fillets with garlic butter and wrap them in bacon for a delicious family meal. This dish is simple to prepare and sure to impress everyone at the table.

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    Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    Instant Pot French Onion Soup.
    Photo credit: The Foreign Fork.

    This version of French Onion Soup is quick and simple to prepare. Made in the Instant Pot, it features French Baguette and gooey gruyere cheese on top.

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    Creamy Pesto Pasta

    Creamy pesto pasta topped with cherry tomatoes.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Creamy pesto pasta is a simple meal that comes together in just 10 minutes with only three ingredients. The combination of bright pesto sauce and Greek yogurt makes for a comforting dinner that everyone will love.

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    Creamy One-Pan Tuscan Salmon

    Creamy One-Pan Tuscan Salmon.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This gourmet meal features a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan, served alongside deliciously seared salmon. It's a simple yet impressive dinner that everyone will love.

    Get the recipe

    Air Fryer Skirt Steak

    Sliced air fryer skirt steak.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Air Fryer Skirt Steak is quick and easy, taking only 6-10 minutes to cook. The marinade gives it great flavor and helps keep the meat juicy with minimal effort.

    Get the recipe

    Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

    Chicken enchiladas with green sauce.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    These chicken enchiladas with green sauce are a comforting meal that's quick to prepare any day of the week. They feature tender garlic chicken wrapped in tortillas, topped with melted cheese and a tasty green chile sauce.

    Get the recipe

    Pork Chops with Red Wine & Mushrooms

    Cast iron skillet pork chops.
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    These pork chops are incredibly juicy and can be ready in just 25 minutes. Searing them with garlic, mushrooms, and thyme, then simmering in red wine creates a delicious meal that's easy to prepare.

    Get the recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

    • Cauliflower potato bake,
      26 Vegetable Loaded Casseroles That Will Change Your Dinner Game
    • Lasagna.
      22 Dump-and-Bake Dinners That Will Revolutionize Your Weeknight Meals
    • A veggie casserole.
      21 Vegetarian Casseroles That Will Change Your Dinner Game
    • Instant Pot French Onion Soup.
      18 Elegant Lunch Ideas to Impress Mom This Mother’s Day

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of 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, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, 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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