We are gathered here today to address the question that’s been on everyone’s mind this weekend—will the TikTok ban really happen? As the seconds tick down and we prepare to say goodbye to the platform we love to hate, we here at Food52 have found ourselves reflecting on all the ways it shaped how we dress, how we joke, how we shop, and most importantly: how we cook.
FoodTok was an undeniable powerhouse on the platform, bringing us closer to chefs we already knew and loved, and giving us countless new faces to learn from, such as Broma Bakery’s Sarah Fennel and Owen Han, the undisputed Sandwich King. TikTok transformed everything we thought we knew about food, coining “girl dinner” one day and turning pancakes into cereal the next. We bookmarked thousands of recipes and hacks in the last few years that we’ll be using long after the app is gone. From cafe-style coffees to the cheesiest mac and cheese, here are five of our favorites:
Whipped coffee (also known as Dalgona coffee) is a popular South Korean drink that took off on the app in 2020. It’s traditionally made by whipping equal parts of instant coffee, sugar, and hot water until it becomes thick and creamy, then pouring it over a glass of milk or ice —perfect for those who love a sweet and creamy drink. Thousands of riffs on the recipe later, this became a global phenomenon garnering billions of views.
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Instant coffee, 2 tbsp Sugar, 2 tbsp Hot water, 250 ml – Milk, 1 tsp- Cocoa powder or cinnamon (optional), Ice
Directions:
1. Mix 2 tbsp instant coffee, 2 tbsp sugar, and 2 tbsp hot water in a bowl.
2. Whisk the mixture until it becomes thick and frothy.
3. Fill a glass with milk and ice.
4. Spoon the coffee mixture on top of the milk.
5. Sprinkle cocoa powder or cinnamon on top, if desired.
In 2021, Emily Mariko had a bowl of leftover salmon, rice, an ice cube, and a dream. What she wound up with was a very tasty lunch and millions upon millions of new followers. Her simple Salmon Rice Bowl became a lunchtime staple and our favorite way to repurpose our leftover fish.
Ingredients: 3 to 4 oz. cooked salmon, chilled, 1 1/2 cups leftover rice, 1 Tbsp. water, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tsp. Kewpie mayonnaise, 2 tsp. Sriracha, 1/2 avocado, sliced, 1/4 cup kimchi, Scallions, thinly sliced for garnish, Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish, Seaweed snacks, for serving
Directions:
1. In a microwave safe bowl, add the salmon. Using a fork, flake it until it resembles canned fish. Top the salmon with rice, and sprinkle rice with about 1 tablespoon of water. (Emily uses an ice cube).
2. Cover bowl with parchment, and microwave until the rice is fluffy and everything is warmed through, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove bowl from the microwave, and discard the parchment. Add soy sauce, mayonnaise, and sriracha. Toss until fully combined.
4. Top bowl with avocado, kimchi, scallions, and sesame seeds. Serve with seaweed snacks.
In late 2021, Baked By Melissa founder, Melissa Ben-Ishay found herself going viral for a recipe that was far cry from the bite-sized sweets she rose to fame for. Her take on a Green Goddess Salad inspired so many riffs and recreations that it wound up in Google’s Top Searches for recipes in 2022. Vegan, flavorful, and endlessly customizable, serve it with tortilla chips to thrill any crowd.
Ingredients:
For the salad: 1 small head green cabbage, 3-4 baby cucumbers (or 1 large cucumber), 1/4 cup chives, 1 bunch green onions or scallions
For the dressing:
1 cup basil leaves, 1 cup fresh spinach, 2 cloves garlic, 1 small shallot, 2 lemons, juiced, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup nuts of your choice (I used raw, unsalted cashews and walnuts), 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, Any extra chives you have on hand (optional)
Directions:
1. Wash and chop all of the salad ingredients as small as you would like (she recommends confetti-sized). Place in a large bowl.
2. Add all of the liquid salad dressing ingredients to a blender (olive oil, lemon juice, rice vinegar). Add the rest of the dressing ingredients to the same blender.
3. Blend until your dressing is a thick, pourable consistency.
4. Pour the dressing over salad ingredients. Mix well, and enjoy!
Tini Younger’s mac and cheese recipe has swept the nation since debuting in 2023, with hundreds of grocery stores selling out of cavatappi noodles after it went viral. 200M views later, the decadent dish put up Golden Snitch-level points for Team “Yes, Mac & Cheese Belongs At The Thanksgiving Table.”
Ingredients:
1 lb mozzarella cheese (shred it fresh from the block), 1 lb Colby Jack cheese, 8 oz sharp cheddar (yellow preferred), 1 lb cavatappi pasta, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp coarse salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 3 tbsp salted butter, 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard. Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Shred the cheeses into a large bowl, mixing them together. Reserve half in a separate bowl.
3. Cook the cavatappi pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain.
4. Mix garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
5. Melt butter in a skillet. Stir in half the seasoning. Add flour, whisk, and cook for 1–2 minutes.
6. Gradually whisk in evaporated milk. When it thickens, add heavy cream, remaining seasoning, and Dijon mustard. Stir until smooth.
7. Stir in half of the shredded cheese mix, a handful at a time, until melted and thick.
8. Combine cooked pasta with the cheese sauce. Mix well.
9. In a 9×13 baking pan, layer half the pasta mix, a third of the reserved cheese, then repeat with the remaining pasta and cheese.
10. Bake for 25–30 minutes, then broil for 1–2 minutes for a bubbly, golden-brown top.
Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
If you spent any time on #FoodTok those three words probably immediately conjure up the image of blogger Li’s viral sensation. After being shared by FeelGoodFoodie, this recipe broke the internet and even some grocery stores, with dozens of stores in Finland running out of feta cheese after a 300% increase in demand. Simple and versatile, the baked feta meeting the warm, roasted tomatoes seemed almost too good to be true, but we can exclusively confirm: it was just as good as it looked.
Ingredients:
8 ounces cavatappi pasta or pasta of choice, 2 pints cherry tomatoes, 8 ounce block feta cheese, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 garlic cloves minced, ¼ cup packed chopped fresh basil plus more for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes in an oven-safe baking dish. Pour the olive oil on top, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.
2. Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish surrounded by the cherry tomatoes, and flip a couple times to coat it with the olive oil and seasoning.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes burst, and the feta cheese melts.
4. While the tomatoes and feta are baking, cook the pasta in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid in case you’d like to toss it in.
5. Immediately add the garlic and basil leaves to the cooked tomatoes and feta and toss everything to combine.
6. Transfer the cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss to combine. Garnish with more fresh basil and serve warm.
Goodbye #’FoodTok, we miss you already.
What’s your favorite recipe you discovered on TikTok?
