Takeout is overrated when you can make satisfying meals at home. With a little planning, you can create flavorful dishes in your own kitchen that are healthier, more customized, and often quicker than ordering delivery. The following recipes prove that home cooking doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to beat the taste of takeout.

Shrimp Yaki Udon

Shrimp Yaki Udon offers a fresher alternative to takeout with its 25-minute prep time. This dish features a medley of shrimp, udon noodles, and crisp veggies, all brought together by a rich sauce that surpasses the usual fare from a box. Its combination of flavors and textures is a testament to the ease and superiority of home-cooked meals.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Yaki Udon

Middle Eastern Tofu Rice Bowl

Crafting a Middle Eastern Tofu Rice Bowl at home means enjoying a meal in about 30 minutes that’s healthier than takeout. The bowl is layered with aromatic rice, spiced tofu, and crisp vegetables, providing a variety of flavors that takeout just can’t match. This dish offers a wholesome and satisfying dining experience, emphasizing the joy of homemade cuisine.
Get the Recipe: Middle eastern tofu rice bowl

Colombian marinated chicken drumsticks

Colombian Marinated Chicken Drumsticks, ready in an hour, bring a homemade twist to dinner that outshines takeout options. The chicken bathes in a zesty marinade, ensuring each bite is more flavorful than anything you’d find in a takeout container. This dish is a celebration of home cooking, offering a robust flavor profile that’s simply unmatched by restaurant fare.
Get the Recipe: Colombian marinated chicken drumsticks

Vegetarian Kofta Kebabs Recipe

In just 35 minutes, the Vegetarian Kofta Kebabs Recipe offers a meat-free dinner that’s more tantalizing than your average takeout. Crafted with lentils, nuts, and spices, these kebabs pack a punch of flavor and provide a fulfilling alternative to the usual delivery options. They’re proof that plant-based meals can be both quick and superior in taste.
Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Kofta Kebabs Recipe

Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf

Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf, with its 50-minute preparation, is a meal that boasts a homemade appeal far beyond the realm of takeout. The sweetness of the squash and the nuttiness of the rice create a harmony of flavors, presenting a comforting and nutritious meal that no takeout can replicate. It’s a testament to the simplicity and excellence of cooking at home.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan is a 50-minute homemade treasure that proves why takeout is overrated. The combination of tender chicken, broccoli, and a creamy, cheesy sauce, topped with a golden breadcrumb crust, delivers a comfort that takeout can’t hope to achieve. This dish is a classic example of the superiority of a home-cooked meal.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Divan

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

With Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers, you can create a colorful, nutritious dinner in 1 hour that’s much more rewarding than takeout. The peppers are brimming with a mix of lean turkey, quinoa, and vegetables, capped with melted cheese. This dish is a testament to how simple ingredients can be transformed into a meal that’s both healthful and more satisfying than what you’d order in.
Get the Recipe: Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup

Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup, ready after about 4 hours of slow cooking, is a dish that exemplifies the comfort and ease of home cooking over takeout. The soup’s rich flavors of ham, potatoes, and creamy broth simmer to perfection, offering a depth of taste that takeout soups seldom provide. This meal is a reminder of the joys of homemade, slow-cooked goodness.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup

Jeweled vegetarian rice plov

The Jeweled Vegetarian Rice Plov is a feast for the senses, ready in about an hour, and a dish that showcases the true potential of home cooking compared to takeout. Its combination of dried fruits, nuts, and spices creates a tapestry of flavors that a takeout menu can’t offer. This plov is a celebration of home-prepared meals that are as beautiful as they are delicious.
Get the Recipe: Jeweled vegetarian rice plov

Moroccan Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner

Moroccan Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner is a quick 20-minute meal that will make you forget about takeout. The harmony of spiced salmon and roasted vegetables on a single sheet pan offers a flavorful and convenient dining experience. This dish is a perfect example of how homemade meals can deliver exceptional taste with minimal effort.
Get the Recipe: Moroccan Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner

Chicken Yaki Udon

Chicken Yaki Udon, whipped up in a mere 25 minutes, is a comforting dish that easily trumps takeout. It’s a savory mix of chicken, noodles, and vegetables, all enveloped in a delicious sauce. This meal is a testament to the quick, fulfilling, and superior taste that comes with cooking at home.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Yaki Udon

Ajiaco Recipe

The Ajiaco Recipe brings a Colombian classic to your table in 1 hour and 15 minutes, offering a homemade alternative that far surpasses takeout. This comforting soup is brimming with chicken, potatoes, and corn, all steeped in a flavorful broth. It’s a heartwarming meal that showcases the richness of home cooking.
Get the Recipe: Ajiaco Recipe

Spicy Tofu Tacos

Spicy Tofu Tacos, ready in just 30 minutes, are a lively homemade option that outshines the flavors of takeout. The tacos are packed with crispy tofu and a blend of spices, topped with fresh veggies. They offer a plant-based twist to taco night that’s as vibrant as it is satisfying, proving that homemade can be both easy and exceptional.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Tofu Tacos

Vegetable Yaki Udon

Vegetable Yaki Udon can be served up in 25 minutes and is a testament to the unnecessary nature of takeout. This stir-fry of vegetables and udon noodles in a savory sauce is a quick, plant-based meal that delivers on flavor. It’s a shining example of how simple and delicious home-cooked meals can be, especially when compared to takeout.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Yaki Udon

Oven-Baked Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes

Oven-Baked Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes, ready in about an hour, is a dish that showcases why homemade meals are superior to takeout. The chicken, marinated in buttermilk and paired with seasoned potatoes, offers a comforting taste that takeout can’t replicate. This meal is a straightforward, delicious way to bring the family together for a dinner that’s both satisfying and superior to any fast-food option.
Get the Recipe: Oven-Baked Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes