From "Girl Dinner" To Everyone's Favorite "Feel Better Soup," These Are All The Most Viral Recipes Of 2023
There was no shortage of food trends in 2023 — even if you had no idea some of these even existed.
BuzzFeed Staff
BuzzFeed Staff
Sometimes it feels like just yesterday we were all sitting in our homes whipping up Dalgona coffee and feeding our sourdough starters. Then we blinked, it was suddenly almost 2024, and we've yet again wrapped up another year of new food trends. So in the spirit of reminiscing, we wanted to bring you all the foods and recipes that we believe defined 2023, whether you loved them, hated them, or have never even heard of them. With that being said, here's what was all over our For You Pages this year — in no particular order:
1. Cottage Cheese (In Everything)
2. Lemon Possets
@nurhkasim Lemon posset (serves 6) This recipe makes enough to fill 3 pretty large lemons (6 hollowed out lemon halved). I added about 2-3 tbsp to each lemon half but you can make this in small jars or ramekins. The portions are pretty small but it’s quite sweet and sour. If you’re using lemons as the serving cups, try using large lemons. Also, I think using a small spoon works best when hollowing out lemons!! The recipe is based on the lemon posset recipe by bbc good food and is inspired by @aromecassis Ingredients 200 g heavy cream (i used 37%) 75 g sugar (you can reduce it to 50 g if you’d like a less sweet dessert) 25-30 g lemon juice (i used the juice of 1,5 pretty dry lemons) 1/2 tbsp lemon zest 1 tsp vanilla Method 1)Add the heavy cream, sugar and lemon zest to a pot. Let it come to a slight simmer and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Makes sure it never boils, just simmmers. The color of the heavy cream will darken and it will become a bit thicker. 2)Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and vanilla and mix around. You’ll see it thicken immediately. 3)Run the mixture through a sieve to remove the lemon zest. 4)Let it chill for a minute or two. Fill your hollowed out lemons or ramekins and let it set in the fridge for 1-2 hours. #lemon #lemondessert #easydessert #fruit #italian #lemons #fyp #foryou #fypシ
♬ original sound - Nur Kasim
3. Upside Down Puff Pastry Tarts
4. Çilbir (Turkish Eggs)
@gilliehouston This is easily in the top 5 best ways to consume eggs imo 😌 #cilbir #turkisheggs #cilbirrecipe #labneheggs #easybreakfastrecipe #easybrunchrecipe #cozykitchen
♬ Baby I Need Your Loving - Four Tops
5. Girl Dinner
@liviemaher / Via tiktok.com
6. Chopped Italian Sandwiches
7. French Yogurt Cake (Gateâu au Yaourt)
@condimentclaire gateau au yaourt 🍰🇫🇷 yogurt cake @Claire #yogurtcake #easyrecipe
♬ original sound - Claire
8. Ice Cream Fruit Roll-Ups
9. Frozen Yogurt Bars
@kaylaskitchandfix I will be having a daily homemade buster bar from now theiugh August mark my words. Full recipe on kaylaskitchandfix.com, link in my bio! #healthydessert #homemadeicecream #icecreambar #frozenyogurt #busterbar #busterbars #copycatrecipe #chocolatepeanutbutter #magicshell #dairyfreerecipes #glutenfreerecipes #dairyfreedessert #glutenfreedessert #paleodessert
♬ original sound - Kayla | Recipes, Hosting, Home
10. Big Mac Smashed Tacos
It's everything you love about the Big Mac — sans the bun. Well, buns. Basically, they're smash burgers with the addition of a tortilla; plop a ball of meat on your hot skillet, top with a corn or flour tortilla, smash the whole thing down until it reaches crispy, smashed perfection, and top with the usual Big Mac accouterments.
When BuzzFeed writer Dannica Ramirez wrote about this viral summer TikTok trend in July (the #2 trend of the year, according to TikTok's annual report), the review was...mixed. At the time, over 145 million people had viewed videos under the #bigmactacos hashtag. Now, that number sits at over 230 million. "The more I ate it, the more I disliked it," Dannica wrote. "At some point, I was just wondering why I couldn't just use a burger bun and eat a homemade Big Mac instead of taco-fying it."
11. Diet Coke "Recipes"
@hauskris never settle girlies!!! always strive for bigger and better diet coke breaks #dietcokebreak #middaydietcokebreak #dietcoke #truelime #wfh #dietcokegirlies #dietcokerecipe #truelemonpartner #dietcokehacks #frozendietcoke #middaycokebreak #middaybreak #dietcokebreakgirl #dietcokeforlife #geopalicemaker #geopal #pebbleice #frozenlimewedges
♬ original sound - Kristen
12. WaterTok
I could write an essay on this trend — actually, I did just that earlier this year — so trust me when I say that WaterTok was by far the most controversial TikTok food trend of 2023. To grossly oversimplify: Said to be popularized by TikToker Tonya Spanglo, the trend started with a handful of creators adding multicolor, flavored sugar-free syrups and flavor packets to their water to help them stay hydrated. Eventually, the trend went mega-viral. The #WaterTok hashtag had 220 million views on TikTok when I wrote about it in May; now, views sit at just under a billion, and hundreds of thousands have tried the wild, whimsical “water recipes” for themselves.
There’s far too much to unpack in just a couple short paragraphs, but the need-to-knows here are that it created an entire online community, literally sold out an entire line of Stanley insulated tumblers, and experts still don’t necessarily agree on its perceived risks or benefits.
(I have not yet tried a Unicorn Cotton Candy Water, but you better believe I bought myself a knock-off Stanley after covering this trend.)
13. Hwachae (Cold Korean Fruit Bowls)
@amyflamy1 Can’t sleep? Dessert. 새벽 3시 화채 먹방🙊 #먹방 #mukbang #koreanfood #koreandessert #화채 #hwachae #weightloss #다이어트
♬ original sound - amyflamy - amyflamy
14. Potato Chip Omelets (from The Bear)
With every season of The Bear, we're gifted three things: crushes on Jeremy Allen White, secondhand stress, and a standout recipe or two. If Season 1's fan-favorite recipe was the family meal spaghetti, Season 2's was the potato chip omelet. I, Ross, wrote about the simple recipe when the season premiered, which features silky eggs, Boursin cheese, and crushed sour cream and onion potato chips for a surprising (and exceptionally tasty) crunch.
Though I haven't made the omelet in several months now, there's one trick from this recipe (and the show!) that I employ all the time: scrambling eggs through a fine-mesh sieve. It gives you the creamiest results possible, and it's become a morning go-to in my household.
15. Chamoy Pickle Kits
@orianaasmr Replying to @gunwansoliman So Juicy 😭👅 @chamoytreatss . . . . . . #chamoy #chamoypickle #chamoycandy #pickle #pickles #pickletok #chamoypicklekit #picklekit #review #candyreview #picklereview #mexican #mexicantiktok #mexicanfood #candy #candytok #viral #tiktoktrending #tiktokmademebuyit #fyp #fypage #funny #fruitrollup #challenge #fruitrollupchallenge #frozen #takistransformation #takis #takisfuego
♬ original sound - OrianaASMR
16. Feta Eggs
Pesto eggs and feta pasta walked so that feta eggs could run. This super easy breakfast (lunch, dinner, snack — whenever you choose to eat it) was thought up by recipe developer Grace Elkus and tested by BuzzFeed writer Dannica Ramirez earlier this year. She gave them a 10/10 and noted, "The recipe is so simple, it takes no longer than five minutes to make, and is so, so tasty."
The major appeal here is that it only takes two ingredients: feta and eggs (duh), and maybe an optional toasted tortilla. It's pretty foolproof and customizable, which is probably why Grace's original video has over 15 million views and thousands of comments.
17. Grated Frozen Fruit
@littlefatboyfrankie Strawberry shaved ice 🍧🍓 All you need is frozen berries and a grater! #kitchenhacks #strawberry #desserts #fruit #fyp #foryou #letseat
♬ Sunshine - WIRA
18. Two-Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet
This frozen watermelon treat was basically the cousin of the grated frozen fruit trend. Rather than grating whole frozen fruits, this trend used watermelon that had been chopped and frozen, pulsed in a food processor, then mixed with lime juice to create a sorbet-like dessert.
The original video by @claredodo was so popular — it has a whopping 21 million views — that BuzzFeed writer Alana Valko tried it for herself and gave it an overall rating of 8.5/10. So, yeah, this one might be making a comeback during summer 2024.
19. Date Bark
@georginaburgess_ Finally tried Date Bark and it lived up to alll expectations 🤤 Sweet, chewy, crunchy goodness 😍 this might be the best way to eat dates! Original recipe by the genius that is @lina 🙌🏻 No quantities, just go with your heart’s content ♥️ - Medjool dates - Peanut butter - Peanuts or almonds - Melted dark chocolate - Flaky salt #datebark #nobakedessert #vegantreats #medjooldates #peanutbutter #vegandessert
♬ Standout - Kid Dean
20. Pastina
At this point, pastina might be making the rounds on social media until the end of time. The already-popular Italian "feel-better soup" became one of the most popular dishes on social media this past winter, and as the weather now becomes cooler once again, I'm already seeing it make a huge resurgence. I, Ross, wrote about it in January of this year when pastina hype reached peak virality, and I've been making it on an almost weekly basis ever since.
Made with a handful of budget-friendly ingredients, like tiny pasta, chicken stock, cheese, and butter — egg vs. no egg is your call, though I'd highly recommend it — it's the ultimate lazy lunch or dinner when you're feeling under the weather or just need a fast, nourishing meal without a whole lot of effort. Videos under the #pastina hashtag on TikTok have now been viewed over 200 million times, so lucky for us, this recipe isn't going anywhere any time soon.
21. Trying Natto
@sydwingold trying natto for the first time #natto #nattochallenge #nattobeans #mukbang
♬ Elevator Music - Bohoman
22. Brazilian Lemonade
This sweet and creamy summer beverage was all over FYPs throughout summer 2023, and for good reason: It's a refreshing departure from standard lemonade since it's frozen, utilizes sweetened condensed milk, and opts for whole limes instead of lemon juice. The Brazilian recipe has been around for ages, but thanks to a boost in popularity from basically every social media platform this summer, it became a bonafide international hit.
BuzzFeed writer Fabiana Buontempo tried Brazilian lemonade for herself over the summer and discovered the key to success on her second attempt: removing the white pith from the quartered limes since the limes are blended whole into the drink. "The final result was a deliciously smooth and creamy summer drink that had just the right amount of lime flavor without being too bitter and the perfect amount of sweetness," she wrote in her post.
23. Nature's Gatorade
@clairethenutritionist perfect drink to keep you hydrated w/o the food dyes or artificial sweeteners! 💧#nutritiontips #naturalremedies #electrolytedrink #gatoradealternative #stayhydrated
♬ Au Revoir - Sweet After Tears
24. Pizza Fries
@doraymie Birthday Pizza Fries #pizzafries #birthday
♬ Yummy - Justin Bieber