The 15 Most Popular Recipes of the 1990s (2024)

Air Fryer Fish Sticks

Ok, so the air fryer didn't exist in the '90s, but these homemade fish sticks sure beat the frozen kind. You won't be able to get enough of the crispy crust and tender flaky fish.

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

What's better than bite-sized pizza? These pizza rolls make for a great dinner — one the kiddos will love — or a perfect party snack. But be warned, they won't last long!

Cheese and Hamburger Macaroni

You seriously can't beat a one-pot meal. This copycat Hamburger Helper is packed with flavor and it only takes 25 minutes to make from scratch.

The Last Caesar Salad Recipe You'll Ever Need

The recipe title says it all. Once you try this Caesar dressing, you'll never go back to store-bought again. Toss it with fresh romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons, and shaved Parmesan cheese for a throwback salad that doesn't get old with its classic flavors.

Chef John's Chocolate Lava Cake

Chocolate lovers won't be able to get enough of this decadent lava cake. It does take a little bit of time to make, but we promise that the gooey molten chocolate center is so worth it. Especially for a special occasion or just a nice walk down memory lane.

Asian Chicken Salad

Everyone will love this salad with chicken, sweet Asian-inspired dressing, crunchy rice noodles, and toasted sesame seeds. Add some mandarin oranges for an extra sweet citrusy kick.

Barbeque Chicken Grilled Pizza

We sure did love our pizza in the '90s (that at least never changed). This tasty creation is a little different from the Italian classic — it's piled high with BBQ sauce, chicken, Colby-Jack cheese, and tomatoes.

Chicken Dorito Casserole

Chips for dinner? Sign us up! This cheesy casserole is made with just a few pantry-staple ingredients and is the perfect comforting weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

Fantastic Focaccia Bread

It seemed like everyone in this decade was experimenting with focaccia bread. It's a really simple bread to make for beginners and you can add extra ingredients to the top for tons of flavor — for a true '90s treat, try olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil.

Pop-Tarts

Sure, you could buy a box of Pop-Tarts but what fun is that when you make them at home? The best part about making the tasty toaster pastries at home is that you can load them up with filling and icing to your heart's content.

Cheesy Italian Meatball Pockets

This six-ingredient recipe is so simple to make and will satisfy your Hot Pocket craving in just 30 minutes. We love serving these meatball pockets with extra marinara sauce for dipping.

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan is a classic, always and forever. And this fan-favorite recipe from Chef John is ready in no time. This recipe has accumulated over 3,000 5-star reviews, and we're pretty sure you're about to add another one.

Homemade Chicken Soup

"Chicken Soup for the Soul" made its debut in the '90s, so it makes sense that everyone was making as much chicken soup as they could. And this five-ingredient recipe is about as easy as it gets.

Easy Steak and Shrimp Fajitas

Skip the restaurant fajitas and try this recipe. Sure you won't get the hot, sizzling frying pan with it, but these steak and shrimp fajitas are better than anything you've ever had at the local Tex-Mex restaurant.

Hot Bean Dip

What's a gathering without some bean dip? This warm bean dip is the perfect mixture of cheesy, creamy, spicy, taco-flavored goodness. It's so easy to make — but just be prepared for everyone to ask you to make it again and again.

More Inspiration

• The Most Popular Recipes of the 1980s
• The Most Popular Recipes of the 1970s
• More Retro Recipes

Was this page helpful?

Tell us why!