I spent 5 months cooking the NYT’s 50 most popular recipes on TikTok—3.5 million views later, here’s what I learned

Also: my favorites, the biggest letdowns, the most viral hits, the surprise standouts, and the NYT recipe that should have made the list

Good morning everyone!

If you read my weekly newsletters, you’ll notice this one is structured a little differently—there’s just too much to say. (And thank you for bearing with me as I figure out how to say it.)

Last fall, NYT Cooking sent out an email celebrating their 10-year anniversary, listing their 50 most popular recipes of all time. As someone who loves to cook (and loves a good challenge), I thought: This would be fun to make into a TikTok series.

So I started with Buttermilk-Brined Roast Chicken (their #1 most popular!), filmed the process, and posted it. By the next day, it had 100K views (mind you, I started posting with <1000 followers). At that moment, I realized: Oh no, now I have to keep going.

Fast forward to March—many months, a lot of groceries (and corresponding bills), and a few questionable recipes later—I finished all 50.

But this became about so much more than just cooking through a list. I’ve learned an absurd amount—not just about food, but about social media algorithms, storytelling, and how to spot a good recipe (spoiler: most people are great cooks but terrible at writing recipes).

There’s only so much I can fit into one email, but I’m going to try. And if my final rankings don’t match what I said in my videos—I am allowed to change my mind!!!

And before we continue, this was a lot of fre*king work. So you should subscribe as a small token of appreciation for me telling you what not to cook, what to cook, and how to cook it better.

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Let’s start with what I learned…

Don’t worry, I’ll have even more learnings to share. But, for now, here’s what stood out:

1. Five-star NYT recipes are five stars for a reason. Anything less? Either the instructions are trash (so you better know how to improvise) or the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze.

2. The algorithm is unpredictable, but if there’s one thing people love, it’s chicken. My three most viral videos? All chicken. Buttermilk-brined roast chicken, sheet-pan chicken with arugula & garlic yogurt, and chicken with a crushed olive dressing—people will always show up for a good chicken recipe.

3. Consistency and specificity build an audience. There are literally a million people cooking online, but only one person cooking through the NYT’s 50 most popular recipes (for now, at least). In three months, that clarity brought in 30K followers. People don’t just follow for food—they follow because they know exactly what they’re getting. Be the go-to for something, and they’ll stick around.

4. People are deeply emotionally attached to recipes. Someone told me they’ve made the Plum Torte every year for 15 years. Another made the Bolognese for their husband, who they also made it for on their first date. Recipes are time capsules.

5. Cooking is not the same as writing a recipe. Some of the best cooks are terrible at giving clear instructions. If you ever find yourself lost in a NYT recipe, chances are the technique is solid, but the directions are lacking. A little AI-powered editing could probably save recipe writers—and confused home cooks—a whole lot of trouble.

6. Salt, acid, and heat fix almost everything. If a recipe tastes flat, it’s probably crying out for one (or all) of these. When in doubt, channel Samin Nosrat & the answer is add more salt.

7. People are nosy. The amount of comments I got about leaving the sticker on my Le Creuset tea pot was insane (I ordered goo gone).

8. Fresh garlic is non-negotiable. I have seen the light.

9. People don’t just watch—they cook. Seeing people actually made these recipes and tagged me and that was so cute.

10. The internet is full of backseat drivers. “You should rank them all!” “Do a difficulty scale!” “Make a spreadsheet!” (It’s below, you’re welcome.)

11. No brands reached out about any type of paid sponsorship. Despite my desperate need for a garlic press (and a little relief on my Amex statement from all the pantry staples).

12. On that note, the NYT is ignoring me. I get that I’m giving fan behavior but a little nod wouldn’t have hurt. :)

13. Vintage KitchenAid mixers have a cult following. Didn’t realize I was sitting on such a treasured relic.

14. People really want to know what moisturizer I use. If I had a dollar for every “What’s your skincare routine?” comment, I could fund my next 50-recipe challenge.

15. 50 recipes is an objectively insane amount of food. And yet… here we are.

16. Setting a goal and actually seeing it through—even when it takes way longer than expected—feels really, really good.

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And now, what you’ve all been waiting for: the rankings.

Because I’m nice (and, frankly, I love a well-organized document), I put together a spreadsheet with my in-depth ratings for every recipe—taste, difficulty, whether I’d make it again, the whole deal. This should answer most of your burning questions about what’s worth making and what you should skip, but because I know that giving everything is still never enough, I’m also handing out some superlatives.

The one that lived up to the hype: The Momofuku Bo Ssam. Not to be dramatic, but this recipe changed me a little. When you think about roasting something, this is the texture you want. Crispy, sweet, salty, spicy from the sauces. It was everything. If I had a last meal request, this would be in the running.

The biggest letdown: The Mississippi Roast. Not because I rated it the lowest, but because it was an all-day roast I had plans for. I was expecting something juicy, rich, fall-apart tender. I mean, a homemade ranch? It should have knocked my socks off. Instead, it was fine. Tasty, a little tough, and ultimately just not worth the wait.

The biggest surprise: The Crispy Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts. I went in with no expectations, and this completely blew me away. It was so easy, took basically no time, and somehow tasted like it came straight from an amazing Italian restaurant. And!!! fifteen minutes before, I was just staring at a bag of frozen gnocchi.

The most viral: (drumroll please) The Sheet Pan Chicken with Potatoes, Arugula, and Garlic Yogurt. I don’t know what it was about this one—maybe the magic of sheet pan dinners, maybe the undeniable fact that people love chicken—but it took off. And honestly, deserved. The sauce alone was worth making this. I could drink it. I would drink it.

The NYT recipe I’m surprised didn’t make the list: Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins. I was fully prepared to make these for the 10th time. The mashed blueberry technique alone is life-changing, and I carry it with me like a secret weapon. Justice for these muffins!

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Okay, and what’s next?

A lot of people have been asking what’s next, and honestly? I’m not sure. One thing I do know is that I will not be diving into another 50-part series anytime soon (maybe 25, let’s not get crazy). Ina is tempting. But first, I’m just going to take a second to actually sit in this and be proud of myself—if that’s allowed?

Drop a comment if there’s anything you’re curious about, and let me know what you want to see next. And don’t worry, this isn’t the last you’ll hear about this series. I still have plenty more to say, whether you like it or not. :)

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Before you go—send this to a friend. Good food (and good gossip about it) is meant to be shared.