The top 10 recipes on Downshiftology this year leaned towards high-protein, with a few restaurant copycats, and homemade dressings (so much better than store-bought). Plus, two party appetizers reigned supreme this year!
Top 10 Recipes of 2025
If there’s one thing I can say about 2025, it’s that it flew by! I feel like only yesterday it was April (and I was settling into my new condo)… and yet, here we are at the end of another year. Maybe it’s an age thing. Or a too-busy thing. Where you blink and another year just zooms by! Anyone else feel it this year?
But these annual reviews are always fun for me as I investigate the recipes you loved most and what influenced my business. Last year I talked about tech and AI, and the impact from that certainly continued this year.
Merriam-Webster’s word of the year was “slop” and I saw that slop infiltrate Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram with AI-generated, low-quality, and quite frankly, absurd recipes. Genuine, human-created, and tested recipes got overrun by Frankenstein recipes that were just mish-mashed together by AI. The impact? Many recipe sites, including Downshiftology, saw significant traffic declines. In years past I’ve highlighted the amazing year-over-year growth of Downshiftology, but this is the first year (in 11 years!) that traffic actually went backwards. To say we are in a new, uncharted era of online information and content would be an understatement!
Now, having said that, there was still over 100 million people that visited Downshiftology this year. Which is about 99,999,900 more people than I thought would see my content when I first started (aka more than my family and friends). Lol! This is where perspective and gratitude are key.
At the end of the day, I still LOVE what I do. I love the creativity of developing recipes, I love our incredible community, and I love the intellectual challenges that keep me on my toes. So while Google, YouTube, and social media continue to evolve, I’ll be here evolving as well!
Alright, so which new recipes were most popular this year? High-protein was a constant theme and you guys loved my baked pork chops and sheet pan chicken breast. This year also saw a few restaurant copycats take the top spots with takeout favorites like Mongolian beef and fried rice, as well as my Olive Garden copycat for Zuppa Toscana. Interesting enough, two dressings hit the top 10 this year (I don’t know if that’s ever happened before?) for ranch dressing and Italian dressing. These join perennial favorites that I know you love, like my Caesar dressing, lemon vinaigrette, and balsamic vinaigrette. Lastly, a few very tasty appetizers rounded out the list. Check them all our below!
So what’s coming in 2026? I have a bit of a soup theme coming in January, with three new YouTube videos I hope you’ll love. I’m also traveling to Mexico (twice) next year. And I turn 50 next year!!! So odds are I’ll be taking a big trip and break around August, my birthday month. But honestly, I’d just love more chill, non-working weekends (which is SO hard for me) at home next year as well. Oh, and my publisher keeps nudging me to write another cookbook. What do you think??
Thank you so much for continuing to make and trust my recipes! I always love reading your reviews and I’ve genuinely loved getting to know so many of you over these past 11 amazing years. I’ll be in Park City, Utah this year to ring in the new year, so cheers to 2026 friends!
Top 10 Most Viewed New Recipes in 202
1. Baked Pork CHops
These baked pork chops became an immediate winner due to their simplicity (just as my baked chicken breast and baked salmon were winners in previous years). They’re coated in a simple spice rub and baked in the oven for a quick-and-easy weeknight dinner.
2. Ranch Dressing
You guys raved about this ranch dressing! And while you see it drizzled on recipe #10 below, many of you loved adding it to all sorts of salads or using it as a veggie dip.
3. Mongolian Beef
When I’m craving Chinese takeout, this Mongolian beef is what I often whip up (and it appears you do too). There’s just something so incredibly tasty about that sauce!
4. Zuppa Toscana Soup
This Olive Garden copycat recipe became a soup season favorite this year, along with other Olive Garden favorites like my minestrone soup and Tuscan chicken. Made from Italian sausage, bacon, potatoes, and kale it’s a rich and creamy soup that eats like a full meal.
5. Italian Dressing
This homemade dressing does double-duty on another winning recipe (see #7). It’s light and zesty, loaded with herbs, and perfect for drizzling on just about anything for a fresh Italian touch.
6. Fried Rice
This homemade fried rice has just the right amount of flavor with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and lots of veggies. It’s a healthier spin on the takeout classic and so easy to make at home!
7. Italian Sheet Pan Chicken Breast
This sheet pan dinner with diced chicken breast, hearty vegetables, and Italian dressing was an instant meal prep favorite. It’s protein-packed and full of fiber.
8. Cowboy Caviar
The ultimate 15-minute party appetizer that you guys can’t get enough of. It’s loaded with beans, chopped veggies, and a bright, tangy dressing that ties it all together.
9. Jalapeno Poppers
Another appetizer also made the list this year—my jalapeno poppers! They’re packed with a cheesy filling dotted with crispy bacon bits and fresh chives, then baked until bubbly and golden. Perfect for Super Bowl, a Christmas appetizer, and other holidays!
10. Chicken Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad
The title says it all with this one! And when chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing are combined with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, nuts, and herbs, you get one unbelievably delicious, high-protein salad recipe.
While these were the top 10 recipes of 2025, here’s a quick list of my all-time most popular recipes and posts:
It’ll be interesting to see how the all-time rankings change as this blog and wonderful Downshiftology community grows. Best wishes to all of you for a healthy, happy, and safe New Year!
xo, Lisa
PS – If you’re keeping track, here were the Top 10 Recipes of 2024, Top 10 Recipes of 2023, Top 10 Recipes of 2022, Top 10 Recipes of 2021, Top 10 Recipes of 2020, Top Recipes of 2019, Top 10 Recipes of 2018, Top 10 Recipes of 2017, Top 10 Recipes of 2016, and Top 10 Recipes of 2015.
