30 Simple Recipes That Prove Old Ways Still Work Best

No need for fancy cooking tools here. Real, delicious taste comes from keeping things simple. When you cook the old way, the results are always great. Look at these 30 simple recipes that show why the classics still rule.

Cauliflower Cheese

When a recipe sticks around this long, there’s usually a good reason. Cauliflower Cheese brings comfort with every scoop and doesn’t need anything extra to stand out. People keep making it because it works.
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Cheese

Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Smooth, sharp, and nostalgic in all the right ways, this one holds up. Pimento Cheese Sandwich has been a lunchtime favorite since before people needed recipes on phones. Spread, slice, and carry on.
Get the Recipe: Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Oven Meatball Stew

Bring this out when you want something that feels complete without a lot of extras. Oven Meatball Stew uses classic ingredients and a tried-and-true method that makes every bite worth it. It’s the kind of meal you pass down.
Get the Recipe: Oven Meatball Stew

Pasty Dough

A close up of a pasty crimped edge. — Pasty Dough. Photo credit: Little House Big Alaska.

Once you’ve had a properly made pasty, you know why the dough matters. With Pasty Dough, you get that balance of tender and sturdy that holds fillings just right. Old-fashioned technique still wins.
Get the Recipe: Pasty Dough

The Ultimate Vegetarian Stew

Let this one simmer and do its thing, no shortcuts needed. The Ultimate Vegetarian Stew builds flavor the way older recipes always have—slowly, simply, and without fuss. That method still holds up.
Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Vegetarian Stew

Vintage Lime Jello Salad

You’ve probably seen this one before—maybe even side-eyed it. But Vintage Lime Jello Salad continues to earn its place, with a flavor that’s oddly comforting once you’re in on the joke. There’s something about it that just works.
Get the Recipe: Vintage Lime Jello Salad

Broccoli Salad with Bacon

There’s always that one side dish that goes quicker than expected. Broccoli Salad with Bacon brings crunch, salt, and a hint of sweetness without trying to be anything new. People still ask for the recipe after all these years.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Salad with Bacon

Creamy Chicken with Sage and Spinach

A skillet filled with chicken and spinach. — Creamy Chicken with Sage and Spinach. Photo credit: The Keto Option.

When something works, there’s no need to dress it up too much. Creamy Chicken with Sage and Spinach keeps to its roots with a combo that’s been around a long time for good reason. The flavors still speak for themselves.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken with Sage and Spinach

Creamy Dill Potato Salad (Vegan Option)

There’s a reason this dish keeps showing up at picnics and potlucks. Creamy Dill Potato Salad (Vegan Option) manages to stay fresh-tasting and familiar, with flavor that holds up no matter how it’s served. You don’t have to mess with it to make it memorable.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dill Potato Salad (Vegan Option)

Hawaiian Baked Beans

Sweet meets bold in the way only a well-loved classic can pull off. Hawaiian Baked Beans feel like something straight from a hand-written family cookbook. One bite and everyone remembers why it never left the table.
Get the Recipe: Hawaiian Baked Beans

Cheese and Onion Quiche

This one’s held its place for a reason. Cheese and Onion Quiche has that flaky crust and tender center that turns a few ingredients into something everyone wants a slice of. It never left the spotlight—it just didn’t need to shout.
Get the Recipe: Cheese and Onion Quiche

Smoked Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoncini Dressing

Bold, smoky, and cold—this one knows how to bring a little edge without losing the core of what makes it work. Smoked Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoncini Dressing doesn’t overthink the mix but still brings something special. It fits right in next to the classics it was inspired by.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoncini Dressing

Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes

Let it all come together slowly, just like generations before did. Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes brings warmth, comfort, and a soft bite that doesn’t need anything fancy to shine. These are the kind of recipes people pass down without writing them down.
Get the Recipe: Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes

Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

Some flavors just belong on the table, no matter how trends change. Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe brings that sharp, creamy balance that’s been topping salads and wings for decades. It’s still just as good as you remember.
Get the Recipe: Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

Berry Salad with Blueberry Dressing

A salad with strawberries, blueberries and feta cheese. — Berry Salad with Blueberry Dressing. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Some dishes don’t need more than fresh fruit and a good dressing to make their point. Berry Salad with Blueberry Dressing adds color and flavor to the table without overthinking it. Just one spoonful brings it all together.
Get the Recipe: Berry Salad with Blueberry Dressing

A Recipe for Baked Eggs

A skillet with baked eggs in a creamy sauce, garnished with fresh herbs, is accompanied by a slice of toasted bread. A plate with additional toasted slices is also present. — A Recipe for Baked Eggs. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

There’s nothing fussy here, just a smart, old-school way to make something warm and filling. A Recipe for Baked Eggs takes you back to basics without feeling plain. Sometimes less really is more.
Get the Recipe: A Recipe for Baked Eggs

Chickpea Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

It’s easy to forget how far a few fresh ingredients can go. Chickpea Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing uses a simple dressing and pantry basics to do exactly what it needs to. Old-school prep with a modern twist still grounded in the basics.
Get the Recipe: Chickpea Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

Grape Salad

Don’t let the name fool you—this one always wins over both sides of the table. A chilled bowl of Grape Salad delivers contrast and crunch without much effort. You’ll want to keep it in the rotation.
Get the Recipe: Grape Salad

Old-Fashioned Banana Bread

Sliced loaf of banana bread on wooden board. — Old-Fashioned Banana Bread. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Overripe bananas, a bowl, and a wooden spoon are all you really need. Old-Fashioned Banana Bread has never needed a trend to stay relevant. It’s the one loaf everyone seems to have a memory attached to.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Banana Bread

Three Bean Salad

Sometimes all it takes is a good dressing and a short rest in the fridge. Three Bean Salad proves that pantry staples and old-school prep still hold their own. There’s a reason this one keeps showing up.
Get the Recipe: Three Bean Salad

Hershey's Chocolate Cake

No frills, no fancy techniques—just a solid chocolate cake that’s been getting the job done for years. Hershey's Chocolate Cake remains one of those go-to recipes for birthdays, potlucks, or quiet nights in. It never feels outdated.
Get the Recipe: Hershey's Chocolate Cake

Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake (Vegan Option)

Go ahead and lean into the classics with something that’s been making tables sweeter for generations. Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake (Vegan Option) keeps the structure of the original while making space for everyone at the table. It holds up without losing what made it good in the first place.
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake (Vegan Option)

Ambrosia Salad

Go ahead and bring this one to the table if you want something familiar that still gets people talking. With sweet fruit, soft texture, and a touch of creaminess, Ambrosia Salad has stuck around for good reason. There's no need to change a thing.
Get the Recipe: Ambrosia Salad

Old Fashioned Chinese Chive Pocket Recipe (韭菜盒子)

A basket filled with Chinese chive pockets with chives, glass noodles and egg filling. — Old Fashioned Chinese Chive Pocket Recipe (韭菜盒子). Photo credit: Sassy Chopsticks.

Crisp edges and soft, fragrant filling make this one hard to beat. Old Fashioned Chinese Chive Pocket Recipe (韭菜盒子) sticks to the original method, and that’s exactly what makes it work. Each bite reminds you how much you can do with a few simple ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Chinese Chive Pocket Recipe (韭菜盒子)

Ann’s Snickerdoodle Recipe

Overhead shot of a plate with three cookies next to a wire rack filled with cooling cookies. — Ann’s Snickerdoodle Recipe. Photo credit: Renee Nicole's Kitchen.

This one’s probably in more handwritten recipe boxes than you’d guess. Ann’s Snickerdoodle Recipe has that soft center, crisp edge, and cinnamon sugar coating that’s been doing the job for generations. You don’t need to mess with it.
Get the Recipe: Ann’s Snickerdoodle Recipe

Air Fryer Hush Puppies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Golden on the outside and soft in the middle, these bites still carry the charm of old-school fish fries. Air Fryer Hush Puppies (Gluten-Free, Vegan) keep the flavor and texture you expect with a method that fits today’s kitchens. The roots stay the same.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Hush Puppies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

A close-up of a powdered sugar-dusted bundt cake with several slices cut and placed on a white plate. Orange foliage is visible in the background. — Pumpkin Bundt Cake. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Rich, moist, and dependable, this one sticks around because it works. Pumpkin Bundt Cake lands on dessert tables with quiet confidence and never needs extra topping to be a hit. One slice is all it takes to remember why it’s a keeper.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Pea Salad

Keep things simple and let the classics do their job. Pea Salad is cold, creamy, and made from a few ingredients that just work together. No updates needed here.
Get the Recipe: Pea Salad

Carnivore Pizza

A person is grabbing a slice of pepperoni pizza. — Carnivore Pizza. Photo credit: The Keto Option.

Meat on top of more meat, all baked into something that doesn’t pretend to be complicated. Carnivore Pizza proves that when the basics are done right, you don’t need a long list of extras. Just slice and serve.
Get the Recipe: Carnivore Pizza

Strawberry Poke Cake

Let the bright color and soft texture speak for itself. With just a fork and a chilled square of Strawberry Poke Cake, you’ve got a dessert that people still ask about decades later. It's always a crowd-pleaser, no matter how many new options show up.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Poke Cake