33 Old-Fashioned Recipes Just Like Grandma Used to Make (2024)

There's nothing like the taste of Grandma's home cooking. The old-fashioned recipes in this collection are like leafing through her favorite cookbook. You'll find comfort food classics like tuna casserole, chicken and dumplings, and breaded pork chops. And of course, Grandma always had something sweet waiting for you when you visited, whether it was butterscotch pudding or pineapple upside-down cake. Her food felt like a warm hug—and these old-time recipes capture that cozy, nostalgic feeling.

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Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

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The name says it all: This time-honored dessert regularly tops the list of favorite pie recipes. Grandma made it on the regular, and you should too. The buttery crust is the perfect contrast to the soft apple filling.

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Chicken and Dumplings

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A true comfort dinner, fluffy drop dumplings finish this hearty chicken dish. Our recipe uses shortcuts— precooked chicken and store-bought stock—that grandma might or might not have approved of.

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The Best Banana Bread

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Of course Grandma baked the best banana bread. She probably used Martha's recipe.

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Tuna Casserole

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Buttery panko breadcrumbs bring crunch to this classic comfort food. Grandma says you should use elbow macaroni because it holds the sauce so well; good-quality canned tuna packed in oil is another must-have ingredient, and that's simply because it tastes better than other alternatives.

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Peach-Blueberry Cobbler

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It's like a taste of summer gone by, this biscuit-topped dessert scents the kitchen as it bakes. Grandma might have made her cobbler just with peaches but we love the filling with berries, too.

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Classic Meatloaf

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Made with equal parts of ground beef, veal, and pork, plus breadcrumbs for texture and Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce for flavor, this is truly a classic.

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Chicken Tetrazzini

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A cozy, comforting chicken casserole, this easy recipe calls for shredded rotisserie chicken and linguine. The result is an easy, family-friendly dinner that will remind you of Grandma.

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Martha's Banana Cream Pie

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This dreamy dessert is packed with old-fashioned flavors. Our recipe is a classic, with a graham cracker crust, sweet custard, and plenty of homemade whipped cream.

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Pot Roast

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Chuck roast is braised with turnips, new potatoes, and carrots, until it's rich, tender, and succulent. It's the ultimate Sunday dinner.

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Lasagna with Meat Sauce

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Everyone always looked forward to Grandma's lasagna. This recipe uses ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, plus no-boil noodles which saves prep time.

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Test Kitchen's Favorite Chicken Noodle Soup

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This is a traditional take on a beloved soup—and one that Grandma would approve of. The recipe starts with a whole chicken, which gives you a mix of light and dark meat, and is cheaper than buying pre-cut chicken pieces.

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Butterscotch Pudding

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Dark brown sugar and pure vanilla extract bring rich, caramelized flavor to this timeless dessert recipe.

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Green Bean Casserole

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It's a dish that's a must-have for holidays and family get together. Our genius upgrade on green bean casserole skips the canned soup mix for a creamy mushroom sauce with fresh button mushrooms, chicken broth, and whole milk. A sprinkle of crispy fried shallots on top takes this dish to the next level.

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Chicken Marsala

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Just like Nonna made! This classic chicken recipe is defined by its signature sauce made with cremini mushrooms, Marsala wine, garlic, and lemon juice.

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Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie

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Don't tell her we added cheddar to the recipe! A touch of cheese in the mashed potatoes makes for a most irresistible topping.

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Fried Chicken

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Did your Grandma use a buttermilk brine on her fried chicken? This one includes dry mustard powder and ground paprika, which keeps the chicken super moist and adds so much flavor to this classic recipe. It's best enjoyed hot while it's still super crispy.

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

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An old-fashioned dessert with timeless appeal, this version is made in a nonstick skillet, which creates an easy release for a picture-perfect finish every time.

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Monkey Bread

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Another much-loved and much-requested recipe, this version of Monkey Bread uses a classic yeast dough and a combination of melted butter, light brown sugar, and cinnamon to create the beloved sticky sweet and subtly spiced flavor that makes this coffee-time treat so irresistible.

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Easy Creamed Spinach

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A combination of milk and cream cheese make this simple vegetable side dish super indulgent.

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Pea Soup

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Skip the canned variety for this old-fashioned soup with green split peas, glazed ham, and chicken broth. A tablespoon of lemon gives this deeply savory soup a hint of sunshine.

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Honey Glazed Ham

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Everyone loves Grandma's honey-baked ham on Easter or Christmas. To make the sweet and sharp glaze, mix together honey, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and ground cloves.

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Cream of Broccoli Soup

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We're sure this recipe would be Grandma approved. It requires six ingredients: unsalted butter, yellow onion, all-purpose flour, chicken broth, broccoli florets, and heavy cream. The end result is a smooth, delicious, and totally classic soup.

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Scalloped Potatoes

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With its crispy-crunchy top and cheesy sauce, this potato side dish is must-make for Sunday dinner and every holiday.

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Stuffed Cabbage with Beef and Rice

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One of Martha's favorite recipes, this stuffed cabbage recipe has a hearty filling of crushed tomatoes, long-grain white rice, and ground beef chuck.

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Chicken Cacciatore

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Using a whole chicken is a time-honored, economical, and efficient way to get both light and dark meat for this Italian-inspired recipe that also calls for cremini mushrooms, onion, bell peppers and plenty of garlic and crushed tomatoes.

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Stuffed Peppers

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Chicken sausage, diced tomatoes, and couscous might not be how Grandma made them but we think she'd approve of this filling that's light, nutritious, and flavorful. It's stuffed into hollowed red bell peppers and topped with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

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Stuffed Artichokes

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This is a classic preparation for artichokes and can be served as a starter or a side.

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Swedish Meatballs

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A combination of ground beef and pork makes for flavorful meatballs, but the real star of the show is the cream sauce. Don't skip the fruit jelly on the side.

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Quick Collard Greens

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If you grew up enjoying Grandma's southern cooking, this recipe for collard greens will appeal.

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Corn-Kernel Cornbread

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Combining cornmeal and frozen corn kernels makes this cornbread extra homely. It's baked in an ovenproof skillet and is an easy, family-friendly dish.

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Breaded Pork Chops with Thyme

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Raise your hand if you grew up eating pork chops! We made Grandma's classic recipe even more flavorful by brining the pork chops in a mixture of water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and orange zest before breading and frying.

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Easy Creamy Rice Pudding

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The key to soft and creamy rice pudding is using arborio rice, which releases its starches as it cooks low and slow with milk, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. One ingredient that Grandma probably didn't use? A 1/4 cup of Champagne.

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Seared Lamb Loin Chops

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This lean cut of lamb is just as spectacular on a holiday as it is for a weeknight dinner. Grandma served it both ways and we will, too.

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33 Old-Fashioned Recipes Just Like Grandma Used to Make (2024)

FAQs

What do grandmas eat? ›

Grandma's Favorite Comfort Food Recipes

01 of 21. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. View Recipe. ...
02 of 21. Beef Pot Roast. ...
03 of 21. Fried Chicken with Creamy Gravy. ...
04 of 21. World's Best Lasagna. ...
05 of 21. Grandma Ople's Apple Pie. ...
06 of 21. Modenese Pork Chops. ...
07 of 21. Classic Meatloaf. ...
08 of 21. Grandma's Green Bean Casserole.

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Jan 31, 2022

What are some old world foods? ›

Foods That Originated in the Old World: apples, bananas, beans (some varieties), beets, broccoli, carrots, cattle (beef), cauliflower, celery, cheese, cherries, chickens, chickpeas, cinnamon, coffee, cows, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, ginger, grapes, honey (honey bees), lemons, lettuce, limes, mangos, oats, okra, ...

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What is the oldest dish we still eat? ›

Creating these dishes shows how people have come together to celebrate through food throughout history.

Indian curry, circa 2200-2500 B.C. ...
Pancakes, circa 11650 B.C. ...
Linzer Torte, circa 1653. ...
Tamales, circa 5000 B.C. ...
Burgers, circa 100 century A.D. ...
Mesopotamian Stew, circa 2140 B.C., and bone broth, circa 400 B.C.

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Sep 2, 2023

Keep Reading ›

What are Southern grandmas called? ›

Granny, a southern belle, claims her throne in 11 states, predominantly in the South. Grammy is a modern favorite, securing its spot as the top pick in 8 states. In two states, MeeMaw and MeeMom get all the love.

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What are the two dishes that Granny is known for? ›

Question 6: What are the two dishes that Granny is known for? Answer: Granny is known for her fish curries and flans.

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What generation eats out the most? ›

It is not just income that influences how often U.S. consumers go out to eat. The age and gender of diners are also important factors. A 2022 survey revealed that the generations most likely to eat out once a week or more were Gen X and Baby Boomers.

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Which generation eats the most fast food? ›

For one, Gen Z is the most likely age group to eat at fast-food restaurants frequently – 26% dine at fast-food chains weekly, and another 40% do so monthly (compared to 22% and 32% of the Gen Pop).

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What food does Gen Z love? ›

Yet, more than a third (39%) of Gen Zers said they prefer to eat the foods they're familiar with. These findings are echoed in recent data from Morning Consult, which agreed that Gen Z is more adventurous than other generations in food choices, but the group also generally prefers traditional foods.

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Is there a database of recipes? ›

Welcome to TheMealDB: An open, crowd-sourced database of Recipes from around the world. We also offer a free recipe API for anyone wanting to use it, with additional features for subscribers.

Keep Reading ›

Where do people go for recipes? ›

Cooking websites and blogs, such as Allrecipes, Food.com, and Epicurious. Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Cooking and recipe books, both physical and digital. Cooking and recipe apps, such as Yummly and Cookpad.

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What did they eat in the olden days? ›

The food consumed by our ancestors was very different from the food we use to-day. It consisted principally of Oatmeal porridge, oaten bread baked on a griddle, potatoes, salt, butter, herrings & buttermilk. Until long after the famine years tea & white bread formed no part of the diet of our people.

What are the old foods? ›

1123 BCE). Bread – the oldest known bread is from 14,000 years ago in Jordan. Garum – Phoenicia, ancient Greece (where it was known as γάρος) and the Roman Empire, known from before Pompeii's destruction in 79 CE. Ham – dry-cured ham has been produced since ancient times.

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What food did the Old World bring to the New World? ›

Beyond grains, African crops introduced to the Americas included watermelon, yams, sorghum, millets, coffee, and okra. Eurasian contributions to American diets included bananas; oranges, lemons, and other citrus fruits; and grapes.

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What did people eat 100 years ago? ›

Bread, potatoes, cabbage, beans, and various kinds of cereal were the base of local cuisine. There was usually only one dish per meal on the table on regular days. On holidays, there could be several dishes served during the same meal, but they were the same as those cooked on regular days, as a rule.