My Favorite Recipes of 2018 (2024)

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Actually, I’m terribleat picking favorites!

So to whittle things down this year, I thought I would share with you the dozen or so new recipes that we probably make themostoftenhere in our little Barcelona kitchen.

You know — the ones that have made it into our “rotation.” The ones that work well for our little pescetarian/omnivore household. The ones that I would be serving if you came over for dinner on a normal weeknight. The ones that always, magically, deliciously hit the spot.

These ones. ♡

So, if you happen to be looking for some inspiration for the new year ahead, take alook through the list below. And if you decide to give any of these recipes a try, just know that chances are they will be on our dinner table the same week too! Enjoy, everyone!

Feel-Good Fall Salad:This was the salad (in addition tothis salad) that we couldn’t stop making this season. It’smade simply with roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, goat cheese, dried berries and nuts, your choice of baby greens, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette…and it isdelicious. Works great as a side salad or main dish!

Japchae (Korean Noodle Stir-Fry):2018 was the year that I became obsessed with Korean sweet potato noodles…and this dish. Barclay and I make it at least 2-3 times a month with whatever veggies we have on hand and gobble it all upevery time. We love it!

Magic Garlicky Tofu:So-named because even people who don’t usually eat tofu have reported that theyadorethis dish!!! It’s adapted from an Ottolenghi recipe and made easily with crispy baked tofu and the most amazing black pepper sauce. We typically make a double portion of the sauce and save it to add to another recipe for leftovers.

Green Enchilada Sauce:After years of requests from those of you who love myred enchilada sauce, I finally published a recipe forgreenenchilada sauce in 2018. And oh my word, I could eat this stuff with a spoon. It’s easy to make, crazy good, and goes well with everything from enchiladas to tacos to grilled chicken to roasted veggies andso much more.

Authentic Gazpacho:Many of you were also requesting an authentic Spanish gazpacho recipe this summer, especially after my trip down south to Andalucia (theregionof Spain where gazpacho originated). So I asked some locals here for their best tips, and wow, this turned into the hands-down the best gazpacho I have evertasted.

How To Bake Whole Fish:Those of you following along with our life abroad onInstagramalso saw that 2018 was the year of baked whole fish in here our little Spanish casita. Now that we’re living on the coast for the first time in our lives, I wanted to finally learn how to shop for, prepare, cook and eat a whole fish. And now dozens and dozens of fish later, we’re still obsessed. This recipe is delicious — and so much easier than you might think!

Holy Mole Sauce:This was the year that I finally figured out a quick hack for a delicious Mexican mole sauce. This one can be ready to go in about 20 minutes, but tastes like you’ve been simmering it on the stove for hours. I especially love it inthese enchiladas.

Healthy Banana Muffins:This was the third in my series of healthy muffin recipes and probably my year-round favorite. They’re made with a base of oats (so they are gluten-free), naturally sweetened with maple syrup, and they are downright irresistible. We make big batches and freeze them for later.

Sizzlin’ Spicy Szechuan Stir-Fry:I’ve mentioned here many times that I typically default to stir-fries on busy weeknights. And this spicy Szechuan sauce was one of our new favorites this year. It’s definitely got a kick…and it’s delicious.

Easy Elote Dip:All of our European friends here would probably nominate this recipe as their favorite of 2018. Each time we served it at parties this year, people wentcrazyfor it. Bonus for the cook? It’s super quick and easy to make, and the leftovers can also double as a delicious topping for tacos,salads, roasted chicken, veggies…you name it.

Everyday Green Curry:We’ve also gotten in the habit of making some version of this curry multiple times a month — either with green or red Thai curry paste — and it always hits the spot. It’s a super-flexible recipe that you can make with the protein, veggies, and noodles (or rice) of your choice. And it also makes for fantastic leftovers.

The Best Healthy Granola:Finally, 2018 was the year that I shared my favorite granola recipe on the blog. It’s naturally sweetened,easy to make, and quite simply my favorite. We make it all the time.