The Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of the Year, According to W+G Readers

Here at Well+Good HQ, we’re on a mission to help people on their health journeys the best we can. Tapping experts to share science-backed tips on lowering inflammation, highlighting disparities in health-care access, and being the go-to place to discover the latest life-changing alternative milk are all part of that. Another part of is it helping you figure out what the heck to eat. It’s why we publish so many recipes. Plant-based, gluten-free, low-sugar… whatever your main focus is when recipe hunting, we got you.

If you’re curious about which recipes Well+Good readers sought out the most, look no further than this list. The 10 below are our most popular healthy recipes of 2020, based on how many people read them. Bookmark this page and come back to it whenever you need a little meal-prep inspo.

Keep reading to see our 10 most popular healthy recipes of 2020.

1. Sleepy-time vegan ice cream

The all-time favorite recipe of the year? Ice cream. But not just any ice cream. This recipe is dairy-free and also includes chamomile, an herb that’s linked to priming the body for sleep. Sure, you could brew yourself a trusty cup of chamomile tea, but let’s be honest, enjoying it in ice-cream form is a lot more fun.

2. Vegan blueberry ice cream

The second most popular healthy recipes of 2020 is…also ice cream! It only requires two ingredients: frozen blueberries and alternative milk. Yep, that’s literally it.

Get the recipe: Vegan blueberry ice-cream

3. High-protein, brain-boosting trail mix

Blame Zoom fatigue, the stress of balancing working from home with parenting duties, or just the general exhaustion of living through this year, but the need for quick, brain fog-fighting snacks was high. Coming to the rescue was this nootropic trail mix, made with cordyceps mushrooms and rosemary, both linked to boosting cognitive function.

4. Gut-healthy berry smoothie

Waking up with the tasks on your to-do list already running through your head can lead to the urge to get down to business ASAP, which often means skipping breakfast. But this smoothie is so easy to make that you won’t have to choose between work and a morning meal—and you can sip it while you power through your day. Made with blueberries and spinach, it’s full of fiber, which is great news for your gut.

Get the recipe: Gut-healthy berry smoothie

5. Inflammation-fighting lentils and greens

Remember traveling? One Well+Good editor snuck in a trip to India before the pandemic hit and came back with a recipe she’s kept on repeat all year: lentil and spinach stew, cooked with vegetable broth, turmeric, cardamom, onion, and garlic. Every ingredient is full of health benefits—and it’s 100 percent vegan.

Get the recipe: Inflammation-fighting lentils and greens

6. High-fiber Tuscan toast

Step aside avocado toast, a new take reigned supreme in 2020. This Tuscan white bean toast with garlic and tomatoes was an all-time favorite with Well+Good readers this year. It works as a savory breakfast, snack, or dinner side. Bonus: It’s budget-friendly and quick to make, too.

Get the recipe: High-fiber Tuscan toast 

7. Cookie dough bread

A lot of bread got baked during quarantine this year (sourdough, cloud, banana, etc.), but this cookie dough bread was a reader favorite. Made with cashew butter, it’s also high-protein.

Get the recipe: Cookie dough bread

8. Turmeric, ginger, and apple smoothie

Smoothies are a no-brainer breakfast or snack in the summertime, but blending something that satisfies a craving during fall or winter is a bit more difficult. The secret? Using warming spices like turmeric and ginger, as this recipe does. The end result is a smoothie that takes like apple pie with a bit of a kick.

Get the recipe: Turmeric, ginger, and apple smoothie

9. Vegan Mexican stew

With the sole exception of the Indian inflammation-fighting lentils and greens, this vegan Mexican stew was the dinner recipe Well+Good readers loved the most in 2020. It’s made with just seven ingredients, all of which you already very likely have in your pantry.

Get the recipe: Vegan Mexican stew

10. Oatmeal bars

This recipe was crafted by runner, registered dietitian, and Cook, Eat, Run author Charlie Watson, RD, and it was a favorite among Well+Good readers as delicious pre-run fuel. But even non-runners can benefit from the protein and fiber baked into these oatmeal bars. Made with blueberries, raspberries, and cinnamon, you just may want a piece for dessert, too.

Get the recipe: Oatmeal bars

Hungry for more cooking ideas after seeing the most popular healthy recipes of 2020? Join Well+Good’s Cook With Us Facebook group.