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This is What We Thought of the Most Popular TikTok Recipes

2021 saw a changing of the internet guard. Instead of Googling information, more people are Tik-Tokking it.

Cloud-infrastructure company Cloudflare ranked the world’s most visited sites as described by global internet traffic patterns, which includes app usage and site visitation. In 2021, TikTok overtook Google as the most visited on the web.

TikTok’s short videos spark participation in trends that span the human experience. And there are few more creative avenues than when it comes to drinking concoctions and food innovations. While it can be fun to scroll through various hashtags, The Manual has prepared for you a review of some of the best contributions. So, get those pans hot and dishes ready and jump into some of the most fun and tasty 2021 TikTok food trends.

Bowl of pasta with feta cheese and green olives on top.
Matthew Denis/The Manual

Breakfast Recipes

Dalgona Coffee

Dalgona coffee before and after image.
Matthew Denis/The Manual

Here’s one for those looking to put a little bite and a lot of sweetness into spiking their morning brew. Dalgona Coffee (aka whipped coffee) is a coffee drink prepared by pouring whipped, sweetened instant coffee beat into a thick foam over any type of milk. Originating in Busan, Korea in the 1960s, Dalgona surged in popularity after the appearance of an early 2000 viral internet challenge featuring Korean actor Jung Il-woo on a television program called “Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant.”

Ilwoo’s Mukbang at Macau [Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant/2020.01.13]

Dalgona Coffee caught fire on TikTok in 2021, sprouting several million views across several users. How easy is this tempting treat? Four to six ingredients mixed together and suddenly you’ve got a sweet street treat.

Mix together instant coffee grounds (or soluble) with equal parts sugar and water — about two tablespoons each. Whip the water, coffee, and sugar together with a whisk or hand mixer for five to 10 minutes until the medley forms a thick, foamy froth. Be careful not to use an electronic mixer as this spins too fast and kills the air bubbles necessary to puff up the mix. Pour the finished foam over ice and milk and enjoy.

Verdict: seven out of ten stars. Well worth trying, but not for the faint of heart. The drink is delicious, but this baby has got pop and will spike the inexperienced coffee drinker’s blood sugar through the roof.

@coronella.bakery

Café Dalgona ☕️💕 #dalgonacoffee #cafedalgona #recetas #foodtok #coffeeaddict #smallbusiness #emprendimiento #fypシ #easyrecipes

♬ LALISA – 리사 (LISA)

Pesto Eggs

Eggs pan-fried in pesto.
Matthew Denis/The Manual

There are an endless variety of ways to prepare an egg, but after entering adulthood, there’s little expectation of a transformative egg experience — until now.

Views of pesto eggs went through the roof on TikTok last year and for good reason. The simple idea of substituting regular cooking oil for pesto to fry eggs brings a whole new spin on the shelled ovoid. Pesto’s nutty herbaceousness melds perfectly with the egg’s buttery, silken goodness to create a whole new take on breakfast.

Verdict: Nine out of ten stars. Bring some salty, melted cheese to the mix and a dash of spice via sausage and you’ve got breakfast or brunch fit for the one percent.

@amywilichowski

Answer @TikTok sometimes i forget i started the pesto egg trend #pestoeggs #foodtrend #fyp #bestvideo

♬ original sound – Amy Wilichowski

Related Guides

Lunch and Dinner Recipes

Bovine Bone Marrow

Roasted bone marrow.
Matthew Denis/The Manual

Marrow is a common meat in most of the world yet it’s gotten lost somewhere along the line in the U.S. It’s too bad eating marrow became passé because, as over six million TikTok users have noticed, roasting bones marinated with salt, garlic, and herbs leads to a buttery, wonderful meat that can be enjoyed by itself or spread on toast.

Cow bones are tossed away as trash in favor of butchering the rest of the beast. This is a waste, but it’s good for you because it means femurs will come cheap — if you buy them at your local butcher. Ordered and cooked in a high-end restaurant, however, and bone marrow is often overpriced for its rarity on menus.

It’s also the easiest dish on this list to cook. Simply fire up your oven to 400 degrees (or your grill), dress up your bones with olive oil, fresh garlic, and salt, and cook for about 20 minutes, applying more oil along the way. Remove and add more salt or seasoning and scoop the silken meat from their shell.

Verdict: seven out of ten stars because of its subtlety. It’s going to take a few try to get everything seasoned and cooked how you want it, but once it’s dialed in, bone marrow from cow femurs is an out-of-left-field dish that’s well worth mastering for its distinct flavor and delivery.

@rick_delicious.food

Tin foil bovine bone marrow🤤 #food #seafood #foodtiktok #foodlover #foodreview #foodfam #delicious #foryoupage #foryou #fypシ #fyp

♬ original sound – Rickrickrick_

Baked Feta Pasta

Baked feta pasta in a pan.
Matthew Denis/The Manual

Baked feta pasta may have won the internet this year, already appearing on a number of ‘Best Of’ lists and in social media feeds — for good reason. Just like the other foods appearing on this list, baked feta pasta is at once sumptuous, singular, and simple to make.

The OG recipe on TikTok calls for no more than a layer of cherry tomatoes in the bottom of a baking dish, with a plump block of feta, plopped into the middle. Add olive oil, herbs, garlic, and even some lemon zest for zing. Cook the mix at 400 degrees for 30 minutes and remove when your feta sports a sexy golden crust on top. Dump in cooked noodles, mix, and you’ve suddenly got a special dish on your hands.

Verdict: Nine out of ten stars for not only the dish’s savoriness but for its seemingly endless potential variety.

If you don’t have easy access to fresh tomatoes, you can simply substitute any kind of tomato sauce, but be careful not to burn it as it’s already cooked. Want something with more bang? Try adding quartered shallots, which will perk the sauce right up with a sweet, bitter jamminess. Need some spice in your life? Toss in a handful of crushed red pepper flakes. Looking for a greener touch? Throw in a couple of thyme sprigs.

@everything_delish

BAKED FETA PASTA | thanks @feelgoodfoodie for the recipe inspo! #recipe #pasta #feta #bakedfeta #bakedfetapasta #cheese #food #tiktokfood

♬ Aesthetic – Xilo

Read More: Learn to Make Galbi-jjim a Korean Braised Short Rib Recipe

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Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
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