My Favorite Food Blogs

I receive a fair number of emails every month asking for food blog recommendations. And to these queries, I respond, “Why? You looking to cheat on your weird blog lady? IS DOMESTICATE ME NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?! Take your trifling ass to Pinterest and find your own side blogs!”

Psych.

I actually love the food blog rec request because a.) It means you’re cooking or at least trying to cook!! b.) I believe in sourcing recipes and inspiration from as many talented individuals as humanly possible, and c.) I read an embarrassing number of blogs and am itching to introduce you to some of my favorite Internet peeps.

Since one of my goals this year is to tackle the most common Domesticate ME! reader requests on the site, I’m excited to share an exhaustive list of my favorite food blogs for your reading and cooking pleasure. I’ve divided it into four categories based on what you may be looking for: everyday recipes, baking, special diets, and voice. I hope you’ll find a new blogger or two that you love. (But not as much as me. Duh.)

20 Fabulous Food Blogs:

EVERYDAY RECIPES (aka Realistic Meals You’ll Actually Make)

The Kitchn. This site is a culinary behemoth, people, and for good reason. Their contributors are all uber trustworthy kitchen whizzes, and The Kitchn has long been my go-to source for foolproof basic recipes and time-saving cooking and cleaning hacks. I’m also a die-hard fan of their tutorials, which cover everything from pressure-cooking to egg poaching.

Smitten Kitchen. Deb Perelman is one of the OG food bloggers, and there are literally thousands upon thousands of impeccably tested recipes on her site. Whatever you’re craving, I guarantee DP has a recipe for it, and her version will likely blow your mind. What I love most about SK is Deb’s attention to detail. She troubleshoots like no other, so if you’re a nervous cook that appreciates a little handholding in the kitchen, you’ll dig Deb’s wonderfully neurotic style.

What’s Gaby Cooking. Where do I even start with this one? I stumbled across WGC years ago on Food Network’s website and instantly fell in love with Gaby’s food and aesthetic. Her style is Californian through and through—think brightly colored farmer’s market salads, lots of tacos, avocados galore, and grilled everything—and her drool-worthy recipes are deceptively simple. Oh, and the photos! Dear God, the photos. Shot by The Dude Diet’s Matt Armendariz, WGC’s images are straight FIRE, people.

p.s. Gaby popularized Slutty Brownies. If you don’t know what Slutty Brownies are…you’re welcome.

Skinnytaste. You’ve probably heard of Gina Homolka thanks to her two NYT best-selling cookbooks, but if not, I’m thrilled to take credit for introducing you to the queen of cooking light! Not only are Skinnytaste recipes packed with flavor, Gina also provides the nutrition facts and WW points for every meticulously tested healthy dish. Based on how many emails I receive requesting nutritional info for recipes, I know some of you are into that…

Alexandra’s Kitchen. This site is a veritable treasure trove of culinary knowledge and delicious inspiration. Ali’s recipes—like Sheet Pan Roast Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Balsamic, Baked Penne with Butternut Squash-Sage Sauce, and Stewy Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Feta—are the type of slightly elevated everyday gems that you’ll find yourself returning to again and again. Plus, Ali’s voice is one of the warmest and most welcoming on the interwebs, and she has some verrrry cute small children that are occasionally shown eating her delightful creations.

BAKING

Joy The Baker. Joy just knows her shit. Period. If you wanna bake something, trust that Joy can show you the way. (For the record, her savory recipes are pretty dank too.)

The Faux Martha. For those that appreciate the beauty of minimalism, Melissa is your girl. This site includes all manner of recipes and domestic DIYs, but baking is arguably Melissa’s strongsuit. From no-fuss chocolate cake to the perfect pumpkin pie, I always look to her for guidance on the classics.

Love, Cake. Given my cake fetish, the name of this blog speaks to me, and everything Samantha Seneviratne produces looks and sounds outrageously delicious. She doesn’t post often, but that’s cool since there are more than enough recipes in her archives to satisfy your baking needs. A few showstoppers that have been languishing on my to-make list forever: Five Layer Honey Cream Cake, Lemon Meringue Thumbprint Cookies, Bruleed Pumpkin Bread Pudding, and Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Dessert For Two. As someone that typically cooks for two, I think Christina Lane is a fucking genius. Her blog is specifically dedicated to small batch baked goods (i.e. 6 cookies, 4 cinnamon rolls, a single chocolate lava cake), so that you can indulge a craving without having to make enough to feed a small army. If you have trouble with restraint around treats (let’s be real, who hasn’t eaten half a tray of brownies solo at some point?), Christina is poised to become your portion control guardian angel. Hallelujah, etc. And if you’re not into sweets, she has some excellent dinners por dos as well.

SPECIAL DIETS

The Healthy Apple. (Vegetarian, Allergen Free) After healing herself from a decade of chronic illness by living “clean,” Amy Valpone has become one of the most trusted voices in the wellness world. (Her story is WILD, friends. For real.) If you’re struggling with your health, have severe food allergies, or simply want to clean up your diet with some feel-good food, I highly recommend going down the rabbit hole on Amy’s inspiring site. All of her tasty recipes are vegetarian and free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs and refined sugar.

Heather Christo. (Allergen Free) In early 2014 Heather and both her young daughters were diagnosed with severe food allergies, which led Heather to create amazing allergy free recipes that her family could eat without feeling like they were missing out. (Basically what I did for Logan with The Dude Diet?) I’ve made so many of Heather’s recipes over the years—most of which I discovered via her gorgeously vibrant photos on Pinterest—and they’ve all been huge hits. I’m particularly obsessed with her soups and salads. And allll the tacos.

Feed Me Phoebe. (Gluten Free) Phoebe is a gluten-free goddess, and if you suffer from a gluten allergy or simply don’t eat it for personal/Gwyneth reasons, this site is about to rock your world. (Just to give you a taste of her genius, Phoebe recently posted gluten-free “Ramen Burgers” with parsnip noodle buns.) I also love FMP for general wellness guidance that doesn’t feel preachy, so peep the healthy living section of her site if you’re into that.

What’s Cooking Good Looking. (Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free) Warning: Jodi’s blog is obnoxiously beautiful. The (mostly) gluten- and dairy-free recipes are simple but always have a unique flair, and there’s something about Jodi’s ethereal photography that makes you believe you/your life will be a little bit sweeter if you make on of her recipes. Even if you have to stop at a specialty food store every once in a while to pull them off. (Girl has also been nominated for “Most Delicious Food” in the Saveur Blog Awards two years in a row, so you know her shit is GOOD.)

Naturally Ella. (Vegetarian) I discovered Ella back in my early blogging days, and I was immediately drawn to her food philosophy (in short: eat real food!) and signature vegetarian comfort food. Her colorful recipes are creative but approachable, and she has plenty of under 30-minute options, which are a Godsend for those crunched for kitchen time (aka everyone).

Arthur Street Kitchen. (Vegetarian) Salad lovers rejoice, this is your fantasy blog! Australian chef and author Hetty McKinnon has written two whole books dedicated to hearty, vegetable-packed salads, and she features many of her favorites (along with other plant-based creations) on her site. FYI, the Watermelon, Halloumi, and Quick-Pickled Shallot Salad changed my life.

Inspiralized. (Paleo-friendly/Vegan-Friendly) Although Ali herself is an omnivore, I’m including her site in the special diets category because there are hundreds of recipes in the Inspiralized archives, and the majority can be adapted to suit either a paleo or vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. As you may have guessed from the name, the site is dedicated to “spiralized” recipes, and all of the recipes include some form of vegetable (or fruit) “noodle.” I know single use kitchen tools aren’t for everyone, but if you’re intrigued by the idea of spiralizing, I very much advocate getting The Inspiralizer. I use mine on the reg, and I can’t say enough good things about it. (Blows the Paderno out of the water.)

VOICE

A Cozy Kitchen. I fell in love with Adrianna years ago when she mentioned that she sometimes drinks “shower wine” (meaning she brings a glass of wine into the shower with her) before going out, which led me to scream “ME TOO!!!” at my computer screen. I don’t want to go full creepy fangirl here, so I’ll just say this: Adrianna is sassy, and she makes the most adorable cakes and cookies I have ever seen.

p.s. She is currently doing Whole 30, so if any of you are on that bandwagon, she’s got lots of resources/recipes for you.

Probably This. I’m not usually a fan of sites written by couples, but I make an exception for Matt and Beau, who are fucking fabulous, hilarious humans that make beautiful food (and a boatload of cocktails). And I’m not just saying that because they said this about The Dude Diet‘s Nutty Chocolate Brookies: “They’re basically walnut chocolate chip brownies in full drag as cookies and they are killing it, honey.” I love them.

Bon Appetempt. This blog is quirky in the best possible way. Amelia’s razor sharp wit and off-beat stories are compulsively readable, and her site is one of my favorite online escapes. She also has a YouTube cooking show with her son that cracks me up…

David Leibovitz. If you love food and Paris, prepare to lose yourself in David’s unparalleled writing and recipes. Like Deb Perelman, David is one of the original bloggers, and in my not-so-humble opinion, there are very few food writers on his level. I always come away from reading one of his posts feeling like I’ve learned something, which is a treat (and makes me feel less guilty about the amount of Internet nonsense I consume).

Any favorite food blogs I should know about? Drop ’em in the comments, friends. I’m clearly very busy reading all of these, but I love me some new material…