Chipotle cheddar crackers are Garten's go-to homemade appetizer for any gathering, and we think they're perfect for a holiday party.
"I just like to make one thing and then buy the rest," Garten told Bon Appétit when discussing how she constructs a cocktail hour or appetizer spread. She said these crackers are typically the only thing she'll make.
We loved how the crackers tasted like a Cheez-It combined with the texture of a biscuit.
Our favorite part of the turkey breast recipe was the wet rub that seasons the poultry. We used it to flavor our green beans and boost the brightness of our potatoes, and we put the rest in a bowl for the perfect dipping sauce.
If you're looking for a citrusy, fresh, herby way to tie multiple dishes in your hosting spread together, it's worth pulling it out of the turkey recipe — even if you're not making the bird.
This recipe is both flavorful and comforting. It would be perfect for a cold and rainy winter day but also ideal for a cozy holiday meal served on the floor or on the couch by the fireplace.
The only hangup is that this one takes a few hours to make — but we think it's worth it.
Plus, if you're cooking for less than five people, you'll have plenty of leftovers for days and weeks ahead.
This recipe isn't simple, but it's delicious and would be a great way to show yourself some love this holiday season. Nothing says holiday decadence like putting in some work to create an indulgent, satisfying, soul-warming meal for yourself.
With three types of cheese and thick-cut bacon, it tastes like a sophisticated version of the lunch we ate as a kid.
While there are several steps, Garten's recipe is precise with measurements and easy to follow, which can help even a timid home cook successfully complete it.
The Barefoot Contessa's giant chocolate-chip cookies are a great way to close out any holiday meal. They're sweet and salty, with a texture that manages to be crispy, flaky, crunchy, and gooey all at once.
The characteristic that sets these cookies apart is that they ripple out from the center to the edges, thanks to the Barefoot Contessa's tip of banging the tray on your counter every few minutes while baking. This can feel like a hassle, but it's worth the extra effort.
Garten's delicious corn bread is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Its salty and crunchy crust gives way to a moist and fluffy filling that everyone loves.
The recipe is also easy and foolproof, even for novice bakers. And with such a stunning golden color, it's a showstopper at the dinner table.
Garten has a plethora of potato recipes that are great for the holidays, including her rosemary roasted potatoes and Parmesan mashed potatoes. But the "Barefoot Contessa" star's potato-fennel gratin is our favorite.
The gratin is a creamy dream. The combination of Gruyère cheese and heavy cream is so comforting, and the potatoes come out perfectly cooked every single time. The sautéed fennel also adds a lovely mild sweetness that cuts through all the cheesiness.
Garten's potato-fennel gratin also pairs well with everything, making it the perfect side dish for any holiday protein. It can also be made ahead of time and reheated, giving you some much-needed oven space on a busy cooking day.
Garten's recipe requires you to warm up the store-bought mashed potatoes, throw in sour cream, unsalted butter, and freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, then season with salt and pepper.
It might sound too good to be true, but these potatoes wowed us. The Parmesan cheese infused the dish with a delicious richness, and the sour cream added so much creaminess that no one even realized the mashed potatoes were store-bought!
We've made nearly a dozen Ina Garten pastas, but one of our absolute favorites is the penne alla vodka.
Garten's trick is to roast the vodka sauce in the oven, which infuses the tomatoes with so much delicious flavor that it truly takes this dish to another level.
Plus, it's such a visually stunning pasta. There's no doubt you'll hear everyone say "wow" when you bring this to the dinner table.
Garten said her rigatoni with sausage and fennel pasta is one of her "all-time go-to dinners" — and it's perfect when you've got a big group.
The one-pot pasta is packed with delicious ingredients, including sweet Italian sausages, chopped fennel, freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, dry white wine, and heavy cream.
The dish is rich and creamy, and we loved how the sweetness of the sausage worked together with the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese. As we brace ourselves for a chilly holiday season, this one-pot pasta is sure to warm you up (without filling the sink with dishes).
Garten's garlic bread with a twist features a French baguette, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, butter, parsley, lemon zest, and plenty of garlic.
And the "outrageous" garlic bread lives up to its name in the best way. Each piece was delightfully crunchy, with a zingy brightness from the lemon zest and parsley. One of our friends declared that she "could have eaten an entire baguette's worth."
While pumpkin pie might dominate the Thanksgiving dessert table, we get to be a bit more creative in December. And who doesn't love some chocolate cake after dinner?
Garten said her Beatty's chocolate cake recipe is "the most fabulous chocolate cake that I've ever made." The delicious dessert features a secret ingredient — one cup of hot brewed coffee — which enhances the chocolate flavor.
We were blown away by how fluffy and moist the cake tasted. It's packed with chocolate, but the texture is still light as air — an incredible feat. The cake is huge, so there's plenty to go around if you've got a big guest list. And it still tastes fresh days later, so everyone gets to enjoy some leftovers.
Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie features a store-bought crust, and she told The New York Times that it tasted even better than one made from scratch. Since the frozen crust is less buttery, it doesn't distract or compete with the rich bourbon-chocolate filling.
The recipe features diced pecans, semisweet chocolate chips, vanilla, and some good bourbon. And the pie couldn't be easier to assemble. After chopping some pecans and mixing everything together, it was ready to go in the oven — talk about a stress-free holiday dessert!
We loved all the texture and flavor in Garten's bourbon chocolate pecan pie. There's the crunchiness from the pecans, the creaminess from the chocolate chips, and those sweet notes of caramel from the bourbon. It also tastes fantastic with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.