This is a round up with my top 5 recipes of 2020 based on website traffic, plus the 5 recipes I most enjoyed from this year. All absolutely worth trying!
Reader Favorites: Top 5 by traffic
#1. Sourdough French Toast
This is a seriously good French toast recipe, and so simple! This has been one of the most popular recipes of all time on my blog since it started. It’s the perfect fluffy french toast with a secret ingredient for ultimate fluff. Use sourdough or bread of your choice. Click here for recipe!
2. Lotus Cheesecake
This is my favorite cheesecake base recipe of all time. It’’s creamy and delicious, and no water bath required. The lotus biscoff spread makes it extra special as does the super yummy crust. Click here for recipe.
3. Lemon Turmeric Cake
This is an outstanding moist fluffy lemon cake with a hint of turmeric for that beautiful bright color. It’s the ideal loaf cake, and so easy. Click here for recipe.
4. Pink Sauce Pasta
This is seriously the best pasta ever. It’s incredible! Perfect ratio of tomato and cream, it’s cheesy, comforting and sooo good. You won’t believe how easy it is to make restaurant style pasta at home. Click for recipe!
5. Kunafa
I’m so happy Kunafa made the list, because it’s one of my favorite desserts of all time. Cheesy, rosewater scented goodness sandwiched between crispy golden vermicelli. It’s an unbelievable dessert and if you haven’t tried it, you have to! Click for the recipe.
The top ten recipes I’m most proud of from 2020:
I love each and every one of the reader favorites from 2020, and they are definitely on my proud of list, but now I’m going to give you my top ten of my own favorites. These are recipes I’ll make again and again, that knocked it out of the park with how delicious and accessible they are. I recommend trying each and every one of them! In no particular order, here they are!
1. Karak Chai
The epitome of comfort, chai karak is a drink I’ve enjoyed countless times living in the Gulf, but honestly had no clue how to make it. This winter, I did my research, watched so many youtube videos and asked my Bahraini readers for their tips and tricks. I came across my own perfect blend and make it at least two times a week. Click here for the recipe.
2. Lamb Haneeth
I tried lamb haneeth for the first time in Suhail, a very upscale Saudi restaurant in Riyadh. My husband and I couldn’t get the dish out of our heads, so we figured out how to make it at home. SO GOOD! Super tender lamb shanks marinated in a really interesting- and easy- green herby sauce. We couldn’t even talk till we finished our plates- delectable! Click here for the recipe.
3. Chocolate Orange Cake
This is a wow cake. Every bite my husband took he uttered wow with. It’s a super moist, orange scented cake with dark chocolate chunks and an easy chocolate ganache. It’s the perfect blend of homey loaf cake with a little extra sophistication from the chocolate topping. This is actually based off the uber popular lemon turmeric cake recipe on my website. Click here for the recipe.
4. Maamoul
A Middle Eastern classic pastry made of semolina dough and stuffed with dates or nuts, maamoul never much appealed to me. It’s usually made as individual cookies in elaborate molds, taking a lot of time and effort. This version however, is maamoul in bar form and I fell in love. It’s such a beautiful flavor and made so easy in one pan! Crumbly and delicious, with barely any sugar and sweetened with the spiced date paste inside, it’s so nostalgic and comforting. Click here for the recipe.
5. Instant Pot Mujaddara
2020 was the year I got an instant pot, and oh what fun we’ve had! This is probably the best instant pot recipe I’ve made, a Middle Eastern vegan lentil and rice pilaf with plenty of caramelized onions and garlic. So delicious, and so healthy- made with brown rice! Click here for the recipe.
6. Balaleet
Another traditional khaleeji recipe that I’m proud I nailed after living in the Gulf for more than 20 years! These are subtly sweet vermicelli noodles with plenty of cardamom and other beautiful spices with an egg omelette on top. This is a hard dish to describe, but one you have to try to believe! Click here for the recipe.
7. Oven Chicken Shawarma
A classic street food made much healthier and much tastier in my opinion by easy baking on a sheet pan. This has been made by so many of my Instagram followers and they’ve all had rave reviews. Click here for the recipe.
8. Um Ali
A beloved Middle Eastern dessert, our version of bread pudding, this is milky and subtly sweet with soaked phylo sheets, cinnamon and nuts. It’s warm and comforting and made my Ramadan complete! Click here for the recipe.
9. Chocolate Chip Brownies
Adapting a brownie recipe and accidentally halving the amount of sugar led to this delicious, fudgy, crinkley topped brownie revelation. The best part is it’s made with regular old chocolate chips, no fancy chocolate required but you wouldn’t know it to taste them! Easy and foolproof brownies. Click here for the recipe.
10. Easy Tiramisu
Last but not least is this swoon-worthy tiramisu. It’s made without any eggs and without alcohol so it’s totally kid friendly and comes together so quickly. There’s a secret ingredient that really adds so much flavor to the creamy part of the tiramisu. Love this- click here for the recipe!
Thank you my treasured readers for all your support in 2020. You made a difficult year much more enriching and motivating. I loved seeing every recipe of mine you tried, reading every comment, and knowing that the work I do is actually beneficial to people. Wishing you a happy New Year and a fulfilling and wonderful year ahead.
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