Since the first recipe websites hit the internet in the 1990s (Allrecipes was among the first, according to Food Timeline), people all over the world have taken to the web to find meal inspiration. But what exactly are most of us Googling?
To answer that very question, Colorado’s Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, one of the leading culinary schools in the US, just published the most-searched recipes in the US for 2024. Intrigued to see if your favorite made the top 10? We’ve listed them all below, plus some of our favorite ways to make them totally plant-based.
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How many people search for recipes online?
Cookbooks are still popular, but when you want to find a recipe fast, most of us head to Google, research suggests. According to Statista, one 2021 survey found that around 43 percent of Gen X and Boomer internet users get their meal ideas from recipe websites or apps, while nearly 40 percent of Gen Z and Millennials do the same.
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Another study, conducted in 2023 by the contextual commerce advertising platform Chicory, found that nearly 90 percent of consumers say they use digital recipes. And, if you’re inclined to stand in the fruit and vegetable aisle searching for quick meal ideas on your phone, you’re not alone. The study found that up to 75 percent of consumers will look for meal ideas while they’re in the grocery store.
In a bid to find out exactly what people are Googling, the team at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts used SEO data and Google Trends to find the top 10 most-searched recipes. It also examined state data to find out which recipes are the most popular in each region of the US.
“Despite cultural differences across different parts of the country, a shared love of food remains something that will always bring people together,” the culinary school stated.
However, the team did acknowledge that the analysis may be slightly biased towards smaller states “as there is likely to be a smaller range of search terms originating within the state—creating the opportunity for more common searches (like recipe searches) to rank more highly.” Check out their findings, and our favorite vegan versions of each recipe, below.
The 10 most-searched-for recipes, made vegan
Ever wondered what people are cooking and eating? Here at the top 10 most-searched-for recipes, and we’re making them plant-based.
The Nut Free Vegan
10 Old Fashioned
According to the new study, the average search volume for an Old Fashioned cocktail stands at around 182,000, which puts it just inside the top 10 of the most-searched recipes in the country. The cocktail is apparently most popular in West Virginia, which is closely followed by Montana, Kentucky, Maine, and Vermont. Old Fashioneds typically contain bourbon or rye whiskey, syrup, and Angostura bitters, which makes them vegan by default.
How to make it vegan: Maple Old-Fashioned
Natalie Williams
9 Margarita
The only other cocktail to make the top 10, margaritas hit an average search volume of 183,000, notes the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. It was most popular in New England, with New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island all making the top five most interested states (the only region outside of New England was District of Columbia). Again, Margaritas are usually vegan (they’re usually made with tequila, triple sec, and lime juice).
How to make it vegan: Vegan Blood Orange-Ginseng Margarita
Caryn Jeanne Carruthers
8 Alfredo Sauce
Known for its hearty, creamy, velvety texture, alfredo pasta sauce had an average search volume of 195,000. It’s a particular favorite across cold-weather states, like Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Utah, according to the findings. While Alfredo sauce is often made with butter or cream, you can also make a deliciously creamy version with ingredients like sunflower kernels and tahini, as the recipe below demonstrates.
How to make it vegan: Vegan Tahini Alfredo Sauce
Jackie Sobon
7 Lasagna
Another hearty Italian-inspired favorite, lasagna came in at number seven on Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts’s list, with an average search volume of 269,000. Again, it’s particularly popular in the colder northern states, including Vermont, Maine, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. Lasagna often features ground meat, alongside generous helpings of cheese and bechamel, but it can be easily made with plant-based ingredients. The tasty recipe below, for example, combines ingredients like vegan parmesan, ricotta, and mozzarella with fresh spinach and hearty marinara sauce.
How to make it vegan: Cheesy Vegan Spinach Lasagna
Follow Your Heart
6 French Toast
French toast is one of the most popular breakfast dishes in the US, with an average search volume of 306,000. The most interested states were North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Alaska, and Utah, notes the new study. The classic bread-based brunch is usually made with ingredients like eggs and milk, but ingredients like powdered vegan egg and dairy-free milk will also do an excellent job when it comes to making this tasty treat.
How to make it vegan: Easy Vegan Sunday Morning French Toast
5 Chocolate Chip Cookies
The only cookie recipe to make it into the top 10 was, of course, chocolate chip cookies, with an average search volume of 342,000. Montana is the biggest cookie-loving state, according to the new report, and it’s closely followed by Alaska, Idaho, Vermont, and Wyoming. To learn how to make vegan chocolate chip cookies, check out the delicious recipe below, which uses ingredients like powdered vegan egg, vanilla extract, and plenty of vegan chocolate chips.
How to make it vegan: Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Shanika Graham-White
4 Pancakes
French toast is a beloved breakfast classic, sure, but it doesn’t beat pancakes, according to the new findings. “Perhaps this could be chalked up to the fact that pancakes are slightly less expensive to make, or that French toast often involves somewhat stale bread, which not everyone has on hand,” noted the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts report. Pancakes had an average search volume of 351,000, and were most popular in Vermont, Montana, Alaska, Utah, and Maine. Again, this breakfast classic is easy to make vegan with ingredients like dairy-free milk and vegan butter—find one of our favorite recipes below.
How to make it vegan: Fluffy Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes
3 Chili
With an average search volume of 373,000, chili made it to the top three of the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts list. Particularly popular in Colorado, Vermont, Wyoming, Montana, and Kentucky, chili is hearty, easy to make, and incredibly versatile. It’s easy to make plant-based with ingredients like beans, lentils, vegetables, canned tomatoes, and plenty of spices.
How to make it vegan: Easy, Smoky Vegan Bean and Lentil Chili
Dreena Burton
2 Meatloaf
Another comforting classic, meatloaf, came in at number two, with an average search volume of 410,000. “With a forgiving recipe that allows for wide-ranging variations, meatloaf is a popular recipe all over the country,” noted the new report, but it was especially popular in West Virginia, Vermont, Maine, South Dakota, and Wyoming. As the name suggests, meatloaf is usually made with ground meat, but it’s equally (if not more) delicious when it’s made with nutritious plant-based ingredients like lentils and sweet potatoes.
How to make it vegan: Savory Vegan Lentil and Sweet Potato Meatloaf
Andrea Soranidis
1 Banana Bread
The top spot, with an average search volume of 672,000, goes to banana bread, says Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. “Every single month, roughly 1 in 500 Americans searches for a banana bread recipe,” the report noted. The most banana bread-hungry state is Alaska, followed by Montana, Vermont, Wyoming, and Maine. Banana bread is incredibly easy to make vegan, as the delicious five-ingredient recipe below perfectly demonstrates.
How to make it vegan: Chickpea Banana Bread With Pecans and Chocolate Chips
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
